{"id":40,"date":"2022-10-15T14:40:00","date_gmt":"2022-10-15T19:40:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.biblia.work\/articles\/our-precious-possessions-2-peter-11-4-bible-study\/"},"modified":"2022-10-15T14:40:00","modified_gmt":"2022-10-15T19:40:00","slug":"our-precious-possessions-2-peter-11-4-bible-study","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.biblia.work\/articles\/our-precious-possessions-2-peter-11-4-bible-study\/","title":{"rendered":"Our Precious Possessions &#8211; 2 Peter 1:1-4 &#8211; Bible study"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>2 Pet. 1:1-4 <strong>OUR PRECIOUS POSSESSIONS<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Intro: Five times in his two epistles, Simon Peter mentions possessions that  are precious to the people of God.  Now, when we think of something  precious, we think of a thing that is valuable, of something that is to be  cherished, of something that needs to be put under a guard and watched  very closely.  We all think of our children as precious.  Some even feel that  way about the spouse.  We cherish them and want to protect them and we  hold them in high regard.  Some of you own things that are precious to you.   It may be a family heirloom, a piece of jewelry or an automobile.  Whatever  it may be that you hold precious, you know precisely what I am talking  about.<\/p>\n<p>I remember going to the Smithsonian Institute in Washington.  There in  the Museum of Natural History, they have a rock called the Hope Diamond.   This stone is considered to be absolutely priceless.  If you ever go there and  view this stone, you will look at it through a thick piece of glass that allows  you to peer into the vault where that diamond is kept.  This stone is also  protected by an elaborate alarm system and armed guards.  Why go to all  this trouble for a rock?  I mean it was big, but it didn&#8217;t look all that special to  me.  The reason?  Someone, somewhere considers the Hope Diamond to  be a precious thing.<\/p>\n<p>As believers, there are things which we possess that are truly precious.   Al the material wealth that we esteem will one day perish.  All the people we  count to be so precious will also perish from this earth.  Even the Hope  Diamond, with all the millions of dollars spent on its protection and  safekeeping will also perish.  However, we have been given some very  precious things by the Lord that will never perish or be taken away.  I would  like to share these precious things with you tonight.  To accomplish this, we  are going to have to travel through both of Peter&#8217;s epistles.  However, it is  a journey worth taking.  Notice with me Our Precious Possessions.<\/p>\n<p>  I.  1 Pet. 1:7 <strong>THERE ARE PRECIOUS TRIALS<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>1 Pet 1:7, &#8220;<strong><em>That the trial of your faith, being much more precious than  of gold that perisheth, though it be tried with fire, might be found unto  praise and honour and glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ<\/em><\/strong>&#8220;<\/p>\n<blockquote>\n<p>    A.  Peter tells us that the trials of life are very precious things.  We maylook at the valleys we are forced to navigate and think that our lives  are horrible things.  Yet, Peter tells us that trials have a way of helping  us.<\/p>\n<p>(Ill. Note that Peter refers to the refining process that is used to purify  gold.  When we are put to the test in life, it has the effect of removing  the impurities from our lives.  Often, it is the trials of life that will bring  us closer to the Lord.)<\/p>\n<p>    B.  In the valleys of life, we are reminded of several great truths that we  often forget when life is easy.  Allow me to share some of them with  you tonight.<\/p>\n<blockquote>\n<p>1.  We are reminded that Jesus is always with us &#8211; Heb. 13:5.  (Ill.  The Disciples in the storm &#8211; John 6:16-20)<\/p>\n<p>2.  We are reminded that even our valleys are planned by the Lord &#8211;  Rom. 8:28; Isa. 45:7.<\/p>\n<p>3.  We are reminded that our trials are helping us grow in the Lord &#8211;  2 Cor. 4:17.<\/p>\n<p>4.  We are reminded that something better is waiting just down the  way &#8211; Rom. 8:18.<\/p>\n<p>5.  We are reminded that even when times are bad, God is still good &#8211;  Job 1:20-21.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p>    C.  The trials and valleys of life are no fun and we would all rather be  spared having to go through them, but when we have gone through  the valley and come out on the other side, we will know the Lord  better than we could have otherwise and we will be stronger in the  faith than we ever could have been.<\/p>\n<p>(Ill. The Disciples would have never known that Jesus could walk on  water if there hadn&#8217;t been a storm.  Shadrach, Meshach and  Abednego would never have known that God would come to their aid  if there hadn&#8217;t been a fiery furnace.  Noah would have never known  that God could keep him safe in the ark if there had never been a  flood.  Mary and Martha would have never known that Jesus could  raise the dead if Lazarus hadn&#8217;t died.  The 5,000 would have never  known that Jesus could fed the multitude if they hadn&#8217;t first become  hungry.  The list could go on, but the truth is plain to see.  The valley  show us a side of God we could never see otherwise.)<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p>  I. <strong>There Are Precious Trials<\/strong><\/p>\n<p> II.  1 Pet. 1:19 <strong>THERE IS PRECIOUS BLOOD<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>1 Pet 1:19 &#8220;<strong><em>But with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without  blemish and without spot<\/em><\/strong>&#8220;<\/p>\n<blockquote>\n<p>    A.  Peter tells us that the Blood of Jesus is a precious substance.  He  means that it is something that is of great price and is to be held in  honor and great esteem.<\/p>\n<p>    B.  What is it about the blood of Jesus that makes it so special?<\/p>\n<blockquote>\n<p>1.  It is the price of redemption &#8211; 1 Pet. 1:19<\/p>\n<p>2.  It is the proof of God&#8217;s love for us &#8211; Rom.. 5:8<\/p>\n<p>3.  It is the only substance known to God or man that can cleanse  away our sins &#8211; Rev. 1:5; 1 John 1:7.<\/p>\n<p>4.  It is pure blood that was shed by an innocent men.  His blood and  His death were accepted in place of our own by the Father in  Heaven.  His blood is precious blood!<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p>    C.  Since the blood of Jesus is precious, it deserves to be cherished by  the believer.  We make much of the cross in our Christian churches.   However, the cross doesn&#8217;t save anyone!  It was what happened at  the cross that makes the difference.  It was when the Lamb of God  poured out His life in His blood that sin was forever atoned for, and  redemption completed!<\/p>\n<p>(Ill. There are some that would take the Blood out of the hymnals.   There are those who like to preach a dry cleaned plan of salvation  that contains no references to the blood of Jesus.  My friends, those  of us who still cherish the blood need to take our stand on the side of  right and guard the precious blood of Jesus.  We must se to it that  there will always be a group somewhere that is preaching and  teaching that the blood, and the blood alone, makes me right with  God.  His blood is precious blood and we need to cherish, protect and  proclaim the blood of Jesus.)<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p>  I. <strong>There Are Precious Trials<\/strong><\/p>\n<p> II. <strong>There Is Precious Blood<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>III.  1 Pet. 2:6-7 <strong>THERE IS A PRECIOUS SAVIOR<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>1 Pet 2:6-7, &#8220;<strong><em>Wherefore also it is contained in the scripture, Behold, I  lay in Sion a chief corner stone, elect, precious: and he that believeth  on him shall not be confounded. Unto you therefore which believe he  is precious: but unto them which be disobedient, the stone which the  builders disallowed, the same is made the head of the corner,<\/em><\/strong>&#8220;<\/p>\n<blockquote>\n<p>    A.  Peter now moves on to tell us that Jesus Himself is precious.  The  word used here refers to a thing of great value.  Peter is telling us that  Jesus is valuable to those who believe.  In fact, His value to us is  beyond all human comprehension<\/p>\n<p>    B.  Allow me to tell you why I believe Jesus is a precious to the saints of  God.<\/p>\n<blockquote>\n<p>1.  Because He loves us &#8211; Jer. 31:3; Rom. 8:38-39.<\/p>\n<p>2.  Because He cares about us &#8211; 1 Pet. 5:7.<\/p>\n<p>3.  Because He understands our needs &#8211; Heb. 4:15.<\/p>\n<p>4.  Because He is always near to help us  &#8211; Psa. 46:1.<\/p>\n<p>5.  Because He paid the ultimate price to save us &#8211; John 15:13.<\/p>\n<p>(Ill.  You can&#8217;t put a price on things like that!  Men will fail you, those  you love will let you down.  People all around you may never  understand you or what you are having to face in life, but there is a  precious Savior named Jesus who can and does understand and  care.  He is a precious Savior.)<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p>    C.  One more thing that makes Him precious to me is the fact that when  I came to Him for salvation, carrying all the baggage of my sins, He  still wanted me.  He didn&#8217;t turn me away, but He saved me by His  grace &#8211; John 6:37.  Since then, there have been many time that I have  failed and many opportunities that I have wasted, but not once has  the Lord turned me away when I came to Him with a repentant heart.   He has been faithful to forgive and to restore that which I have broken  in my foolishness, 1 John 1:9.  When these things are all added up,  it is easy to see why He is called a precious Savior!<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p>  I. <strong>There Are Precious Trials<\/strong><\/p>\n<p> II. <strong>There Is Precious Blood<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>III. <strong>There Is A Precious Savior<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>IV.  2 Pet. 1:1 <strong>THERE IS A PRECIOUS FAITH<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>2 Pet 1:1, &#8220;<strong><em>Simon Peter, a servant and an apostle of Jesus Christ, to  them that have obtained like precious faith with us through the  righteousness of God and our Saviour Jesus Christ<\/em><\/strong>:&#8221;<\/p>\n<blockquote>\n<p>    A.  Now, Peter moves on to tell us that our faith, that is, our system of  belief is a precious thing as well.<\/p>\n<p>    B.  Many of us grew up hearing about the cross, the blood and the plan  of salvation made possible through the Lord Jesus Christ.  Therefore,  we often take what we have in Jesus for granted and fail to realize  how special it truly is.  You see, our faith is precious because it is the  only one that is valid in the eyes of God!  All the people involved in all  the other religious systems in the world are being deceived by their  false doctrines.  There is one, and only one, means of salvation and  that is through faith in Jesus Christ, John 14:6.<\/p>\n<p>    C.  Our faith is precious because:<\/p>\n<blockquote>\n<p>1.  It is free &#8211; Rev. 22:17; Isa. 55:1.<\/p>\n<p>2.  It is open to all &#8211; John 3:16; Rom. 10:13.<\/p>\n<p>3.  It is complete &#8211; Heb. 7:25.<\/p>\n<p>4.  It is totally the work of God &#8211; Eph. 2:8-9; Heb. 12:2.<\/p>\n<p>5.  It is foolproof &#8211; Acts 16:31.<\/p>\n<p>6.  It is eternal &#8211; John 6:37; John 10:28.<\/p>\n<p>7.  It is something that can be lived &#8211; (Ill. In all works based religions,  I would always be worried that I had left out something and that  when I got to the end of the way, I&#8217;d be left out.  Our salvation, on  the other hand, has been paid in full and we have been given an  internal guide to help us understand the road map (the Bible), and  to get us home &#8211; John 14:16-18; 26; John 16:13.)<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p>    D.  Considering the precious nature of our faith, we should never be guilty  of taking it for granted, but we should promote it and protect it against  the evils of our day.  You see, the way we believe is being attacked by  the world.  We are called intolerant and narrow-minded because we  say that Jesus is the only way a person can be saved.  However,  according to the Bible, we are totally right!  Therefore, we must  cherish our faith.  How?  By living for Jesus with every fiber of our  being!  By cherishing and seeing the value in the things He has given  to us.  By protecting the faith and passing it on to another generation.   Faith is a precious thing, therefore, let us ever seek to treat it so.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p>  I. <strong>There Are Precious Trials<\/strong><\/p>\n<p> II. <strong>There Is Precious Blood<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>III. <strong>There Is A Precious Savior<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>IV. <strong>There Is A Precious Faith<\/strong><\/p>\n<p> V.  2 Pet. 1:4 <strong>THERE ARE PRECIOUS PROMISES<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>2 Pet 1:4, &#8220;<strong><em>Whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious  promises: that by these ye might be partakers of the divine nature,  having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust<\/em><\/strong>.&#8221;<\/p>\n<blockquote>\n<p>    A.  Peter&#8217;s last statement about precious things is found in this verse.  Hetells is that there are some promises of God that are valuable and are  to be held in great esteem.<\/p>\n<p>    B.  Allow me to just remind you of a few.  Some of which I have already  touched on this evening.<\/p>\n<blockquote>\n<p>1.  There is the promise of His Love &#8211; Rom. 8:38-39; Jer. 31:3<\/p>\n<p>2.  There Is the promise of His Presence &#8211; Matt. 28:20; Heb. 13:5<\/p>\n<p>3.  There is the promise of His Provision &#8211; Phil. 4:19; Matt. 6:25-33<\/p>\n<p>4.  There is the promise of His Grace &#8211; 2 Cor. 2:9<\/p>\n<p>5.  There is the promise of His Heaven &#8211; John 14:1-3; Rev. 21:4<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p>    C.  It has been said that there are over 7,000 promises contained in the  pages of the holy Scriptures.  I have never counted them personally,  however I do know this; every promise God ever made, He will bring  to pass!  He will never be caught in a lie, because He can&#8217;t lie &#8211; Heb.  6:18.  He will never be found unfaithful, because He has the power to  do what He has promised &#8211; Rom. 4:21.  If God promised it, then you  can take it to the bank!<\/p>\n<p>    D.  In this world in which we live, there aren&#8217;t a lot of things that we can  hold on to.  People change, their promises fail, but the promises of  God are forever!  You can hold onto them for they shall never fail!   That makes them very precious and valuable to the child of God!<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p>Conc: I think it is plain for us all to see this evening that God has indeed  given us some very precious and valuable things.  Are you cherishing them  as you should be?  Are you guarding the things of God and passing them  along to others so that there will be another generation that knows God and  will walk with Him?<\/p>\n<p>Maybe you need to claim one of His promises tonight, they still work!   Maybe you need to come and thank Him for being faithful to you.  He is  worthy of your praise.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>2 Pet. 1:1-4 OUR PRECIOUS POSSESSIONS Intro: Five times in his two epistles, Simon Peter mentions possessions that are precious to the people of God. Now, when we think of something precious, we think of a thing that is valuable, of something that is to be cherished, of something that needs to be put under &hellip; <a href=\"https:\/\/www.biblia.work\/articles\/our-precious-possessions-2-peter-11-4-bible-study\/\" class=\"more-link\">Continue reading<span class=\"screen-reader-text\"> &#8220;Our Precious Possessions &#8211; 2 Peter 1:1-4 &#8211; Bible study&#8221;<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-40","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-general"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.biblia.work\/articles\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/40","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.biblia.work\/articles\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.biblia.work\/articles\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.biblia.work\/articles\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.biblia.work\/articles\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=40"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.biblia.work\/articles\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/40\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.biblia.work\/articles\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=40"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.biblia.work\/articles\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=40"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.biblia.work\/articles\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=40"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}