Great & Precious Promises . . .
The last “precious” in our sermon series is found in II Peter 1:4: “Whereby are given unto us, exceeding great and precious promises. . . . ” A promise is defined as an assurance on the part of another of some good for which we become dependent on that person.
This past summer I promised my wife and children that I would put together a sandbox for our backyard. We found a big old tire and hauled it home. We lined the ground underneath it with plastic and filled the thing with play sand. Selah and Shepard love it! They’re both so disappointed when it’s time to go inside. When parents make promises to their little children – the child is expectant, excited and gracious. It’s a precious thing to witness.
In the context of II Peter, the great and precious promises referred to are not for earthly physical things. The promises are for those treasured and eternal possessions that our Heavenly Father bestows; those things that come along with our salvation. No other promises to His children are so precious as the wonderful blessings that accompany the Good News of salvation – The pardon of sin. The power to live a brand new life. The support we receive in and through our trials. And the glorious promises of resurrection and immortality !!!
What would the believer’s world be without these promises from the Father? Will His promises stand? Will He deliver? And will we – like little children promised a sandbox -- be expectant, excited and gracious? Remember: “For no matter how many promises God has made, they are‘Yes’ in Christ. And so through him the ‘Amen’ is spoken to us to the glory of God.” --II Corinthians 1:20
This past summer I promised my wife and children that I would put together a sandbox for our backyard. We found a big old tire and hauled it home. We lined the ground underneath it with plastic and filled the thing with play sand. Selah and Shepard love it! They’re both so disappointed when it’s time to go inside. When parents make promises to their little children – the child is expectant, excited and gracious. It’s a precious thing to witness.
In the context of II Peter, the great and precious promises referred to are not for earthly physical things. The promises are for those treasured and eternal possessions that our Heavenly Father bestows; those things that come along with our salvation. No other promises to His children are so precious as the wonderful blessings that accompany the Good News of salvation – The pardon of sin. The power to live a brand new life. The support we receive in and through our trials. And the glorious promises of resurrection and immortality !!!
What would the believer’s world be without these promises from the Father? Will His promises stand? Will He deliver? And will we – like little children promised a sandbox -- be expectant, excited and gracious? Remember: “For no matter how many promises God has made, they are‘Yes’ in Christ. And so through him the ‘Amen’ is spoken to us to the glory of God.” --II Corinthians 1:20
- Pastor Mark
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