The Crowning Joy of Love

The Crowning Joy of Love Peter Fitch, St. Croix Vineyard Sunday, October 27, 2013

2 Peter 1-11 1 Simeon Peter, a servant and apostle of Jesus Christ, To those who have received a faith as precious as ours through the righteousness of our God and Savior Jesus Christ: 2 May grace and peace be yours in abundance in the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord. 3 His divine power has given us everything needed for life and godliness, through the knowledge of him who called us by his own glory and goodness.

2 Peter 1-11 4 Thus he has given us, through these things, his precious and very great promises, so that through them you may escape from the corruption that is in the world because of lust, and may become participants of the divine nature. 5 For this very reason, you must make every effort to support your faith with goodness, and goodness with knowledge,

2 Peter 1-11 6 and knowledge with self-control, and self-control with endurance, and endurance with godliness, 7 and godliness with mutual affection, and mutual affection with love. 8 For if these things are yours and are increasing among you, they keep you from being ineffective and unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.

2 Peter 1-11 9 For anyone who lacks these things is short-sighted and blind, and is forgetful of the cleansing of past sins. 10 Therefore, brothers and sisters, be all the more eager to confirm your call and election, for if you do this, you will never stumble. 11 For in this way, entry into the eternal kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ will be richly provided for you.

This Series . . . • Difference between moralism and following the way of wisdom and love • Becoming an apprentice to Jesus • Other options: apprentice to laws, to a group, or to Bible • All of these substitute means for end • Two ditches: legalism & ‘anything-goes-ism’

2 Peter 1:5 5 For this very reason, you must make every effort to support your faith with goodness, and goodness with knowledge, 6 and knowledge with self-control, and self-control with endurance, and endurance with godliness, 7 and godliness with mutual affection, and mutual affection with love.

Last Time: Serving in weakness . . . • Never stops going forward, caring for others, giving what He can of God’s healing power, standing against oppression of others • In spite of the fact that He doesn’t know all the answers, can’t fix every problem, faces continual opposition, is very tired

This is why endurance and godliness fit together . . . • You wouldn’t need endurance if you were always on top of every situation • To keep a good attitude and to keep serving no matter what life throws at you, that’s like walking in the shadow of what Jesus shows us • Since we don’t do this perfectly, it’s good to have friends that love you when you’re down as well as when you’re managing

One last thing . . . • Godliness can’t really be muscled into existence; it’s best when it’s flowing out of you quite naturally • This is a great gift: we can be full of God in the midst of trials and difficulties, sometimes even more during times like that

Now: mutual affection and love • The great conversation between Jesus and Peter (John 21:15-19) • The thing that Ed Piorek realized (John 15:15; 16:27)

Something more . . . • Mutual affection or brotherly love is almost like the ability to coax a pet to turn toward you • Love is the strong determination to do what’s best for the other • Welcoming open heart + determination to do what’s right, what’s best for the other = the crowning joy of love

Together • They often invite you into a deeper experience than you could have imagined • They make way for the infusion of God’s creativity and strength • They make room for joy, the candle is lit

The Larger Dimension • What we feel about God • What God feels about us • Zombies . . .

The Crowning Joy of Love