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ACCEPTANCE SPEECHES

WE HEAR VICTORY SPEECHES ON A REGULAR BASIS - COULD BE MOVIE AWARDS, MUSIC AWARDS, OR (MOST OFTEN) ATHLETIC VICTORIES.

IT'S NOT UNCOMMON FOR AN ATHLETE TO THANK GOD.

I RECALL WATCHING A BASKETBALL DOCUMENTARY ABOUT A FAMOUS BUZZER-BEATER, THREE-POINT SHOT TO WIN A CHAMPIONSHIP. IN THE DOCUMENTARY THE ATHELETE NOTED SOMETHING TO THE EFFECT OF, "I DIDN'T KNOW GOD COULD BE SO GOOD."

(I'M UNSURE HOW THE OTHER TEAM FELT ABOUT GOD'S FAVOR IN THAT MOMENT, BUT THAT'S FOR ANOTHER DAY).

THERE ARE TIMES WHEN WE ARE SURPRISED AT HOW GOOD GOD ACTUALLY IS.

PETER WANTS HIS CHURCHES SCATTERED THROUGHOUT THE WORLD TO BE CHURCHES THAT EXPERIENCE THE "I DIDN'T KNOW GOD COULD BE THIS GOOD LIFE."

1 PETER 1:2C

PETER HAS JUST FINISHED WRITING ABOUT HOW THE CHURCHES SCATTERED ABROAD ARE:

  • GOD'S CHOICEST/FINEST
  • BEING SANCTIFIED BY THE HOLY SPIRIT
  • SPRINKLED WITH THE BLOOD OF JESUS AND OBEDIENT TO HIM

...AND THEN HE CLOSES HIS INTRODUCTION WITH THIS:

"MAY GRACE AND PEACE BE MULTIPLIED TO YOU" - 1 PETER 1:2C

THREE THINGS WORTH QUICKLY NOTING:

  • GRACE: GRACE WAS THIS IDEA OF:
    • HELP
    • ASSISTANCE
    • EMPOWERMENT
  • PEACE: PEACE (SHALOM) WAS THIS IDEA OF:
    • WHOLENESS
    • COMPLETENESS
    • FULL-ORBED

IT'S THESE TWO THINGS - GOD'S HELP, ASSISTANCE, EMPOWERMENT AND THEIR WHOLENESS, COMPLETENESS, AND FULL-ORBED-NESS THAT PETER WANT MULTIPLIED TO THEM.

IN OTHER WORDS, HE WANTS GOD'S PEOPLE TO EXPERIENCE THE "I CAN'T BELIEVE GOD IS THIS GOOD" LIFE.

MINIMUM V. MAXIMUM

OFTEN TIMES WHEN WE THINK OF GOD, WE THINK OF A "MINIMUM" GOD.

IN THIS CONTEXT, A GOD WHO GIVES US:

  • JUST ENOUGH SANCTIFICATION TO NOT BE A TOTAL TRAIN WRECK
  • JUST ENOUGH STRENGTH TO STAY ALIVE
  • JUST ENOUGH PROVISION TO NOT BE POOR

HOWEVER, THE WHOLE COUNSEL OF SCRIPTURE GIVES US THE PICTURE OF A "MAXIMUM" GOD.

IN THIS CONTEXT, A GOD WHO GIVES US THE MAXIMUM:

  • THE KIND OF SANCTIFICATION THAT MAKES US LIGHTS IN THE WORLD
  • THE KIND OF "I-CAN-DO-ALL-THINGS" STRENGHT
  • THE KIND OF "PRESSED-DOWN, SHAKEN-TOGETHER, OVERFLOWING" PROVISION

READING, CHEWING ON, AND REMEMBERING THE FULL COUNSEL OF GOD IS HELPFUL FOR THE FORMATION OF OUR IMAGE OF GOD WHICH IN TURN INFORMS THE DEVELOPMENT OF OUR FAITH.

IF THERE WAS ONE PIECE OF ENCOURAGEMENT I WOULD HAVE FOR YOU THIS MORNING, IT WOULD BE: GOD WANTS TO MULTIPLE HIS GRACE (HELP, ASSISTANCE, EMPOWERMENT) AND PEACE (WHOLENESS, COMPLETENESS, FULL-ORBEDNESS) IN YOUR LIFE.

LEAN INTO IT.