Teaching with Pastor Brent Sanders

The call to stay in the wall sets the tone. The wall holds a disciple in place with Jesus leading in front, goodness and mercy following, the Spirit within, the hand of God under and upon, angels all around, and the church strengthening, building up, and encouraging. The image of the wall says belonging is placement, not performance, and help is already arranged.

Second Peter’s virtue chain then takes the floor. The text calls a believer to add, supplement, exercise, and develop. Faith gets virtue. Virtue gets knowledge. Knowledge gets self control. Self control gets perseverance, godliness, brotherly kindness, and love. The promise lands strong. If these qualities are present and increasing, a disciple will not be barren or unfruitful in the knowledge of Jesus and will not stumble. Fruit shows up for others. A tree never eats its own fruit. A river never drinks its own water.

The question if your toys could talk presses the conscience. The phone or the Bible in a hand is telling a story already. The remote, the truck, the stereo, the golf club, or the rod and reel is only saying what the holder gives it to say. The practice of surrender asks, what story is being handed to these tools.

The Lord’s word to Moses, what is that in your hand, becomes the key. A simple rod, once surrendered, becomes the rod of God. That rod could tell of seas parting, plagues confronting Pharaoh, manna falling, even water from the rock. Yet the same story warns. When Moses hit the rock in anger rather than speaking to it, the miracle still happened, but obedience was violated and consequences came. Controlling self matters. The tongue steers like a rudder. The heart chooses who is Lord. Permissible is not always profitable.

Obedience keeps telling the right story. The chain shaking off Paul and Silas came after praise. David’s sling would tell that faith did it. The little boat became a pulpit when made available. The net broke with fish when someone said, nevertheless at your word. The lunch pail fed thousands when it left a small hand. Even the nails on the cross would say, we held up the Savior, but we could not hold Him there.

The life God uses is not mainly the tools. The life God uses is the surrendered heart, tongue, temper, time, and whole self. Christ in a believer becomes the reason a room lights up, the reason blessing replaces cursing, and the reason a testimony overcomes by the blood of the Lamb and the word spoken in truth.

Key Takeaways

• 1. Stay in the wall, stay supplied. The wall image announces that placement in Christ comes with provision already arranged. Jesus leads, the Spirit indwells, goodness and mercy follow, and angels surround, with the church standing shoulder to shoulder. Security grows as a disciple stops wandering and stands where God set him. Stability is not stuckness, it is traction. [31:29]
• 2. Let your toys tell surrender. Objects preach by the way they are used. A phone, a truck, or a remote can carry honor or harm, prayer or profanity, kingdom purpose or idle drift. The holder writes the script, so surrender writes a better one and idolatry gets no lines. [41:38]
• 3. Supplement faith with practiced self-control. Second Peter ties growth to habits that are added, exercised, and developed. Knowledge is not a trophy, it is fuel for controlling self, enduring with godliness, and loving without a hook. Fruit comes for others when faith refuses to coast. [43:35]
• 4. Give God what’s in hand. God starts with what is already there. When an ordinary rod becomes God’s rod, seas part and captives walk free. Availability beats impressiveness, and ownership turns into stewardship the moment a disciple surrenders what he holds. [52:10]
• 5. Obedience steers outcome, not impulse. Moses striking the rock shows how anger can hijack a holy moment and still leave a scar. The Word trains the will so action matches assignment, not mood. Obedience guards the story the tools will tell and keeps a disciple from stumbling. [55:05]

Youtube Chapters

• [00:00] - Welcome
• [29:29] - Stay in the wall
• [31:29] - Angels and companions in the wall
• [32:42] - Highway mercy and God’s care
• [38:32] - Guess Who and talking toys
• [42:51] - Add to faith virtue and knowledge
• [44:40] - Fruit is for others
• [51:11] - What’s in your hand
• [52:10] - Rod becomes the rod of God
• [54:10] - Moses, anger, and obedience
• [55:05] - Controlling self by the word
• [65:44] - Nevertheless at your word
• [67:32] - Cross, nails, and true surrender
• [70:50] - Permissible or profitable
• [75:46] - Prayer and sending

1. According to 2 Peter 1:5-8, what specific qualities are believers called to "supplement" their faith with, and what is the result of growing in these qualities?
2. In Exodus 4, how does Moses’ staff change in identity and purpose after he surrenders it to God?
3. The sermon mentions that "a tree never eats its own fruit" and "a river never drinks its own water" [44:40]. What does this imagery suggest about the purpose of spiritual growth?

1. Why does 2 Peter emphasize the practice of qualities like self-control and brotherly kindness rather than merely knowing about them? How does this connect to the idea of being "fruitful"?
2. Moses’ staff became a tool for miracles when surrendered to God, but later, his disobedience in striking the rock (Numbers 20:9-12) still produced water yet brought consequences. What does this reveal about God’s priorities in using surrendered tools?
3. The sermon states, "Your toys can tell the story. What story are you giving them to tell?" [41:38]. How do everyday objects like phones or vehicles reflect the state of a person’s surrender to God?

1. What "toy" (phone, car, hobby, etc.) in your life could most clearly reflect whether it’s being used for God’s purposes or your own? What small step could you take this week to surrender its use to Him?
2. The "virtue chain" in 2 Peter starts with faith and ends with love. Which quality in this chain (e.g., self-control, perseverance, godliness) feels hardest for you to practice right now? What habit could you start to grow in that area?
3. Moses’ anger led to disobedience even while God still provided water [54:10]. When have you seen a moment of frustration or impatience "hijack" a situation where God was at work? How can you prepare your heart to respond with obedience instead?
4. The sermon asks, "If your Bible could talk, what story would it tell about your relationship with God?" [42:31]. How would your Bible describe its role in your daily life—dusty, referenced in crisis, or actively shaping your choices?
5. What ordinary "rod" (skill, resource, or possession) do you already have that God might be asking you to surrender for His use? What fear or hesitation holds you back from handing it over?
6. The phrase "permissible is not always profitable" [10:50] challenges believers to evaluate their freedoms. What’s one activity or habit in your life that, while not sinful, might not be helpful for your spiritual growth or witness?