Deepening Our Relationship: Being 'On Call' for Christ
Summary
In this new year, we embark on a journey through the book of 2 Peter, exploring the theme of being "on call" as followers of Jesus. This concept challenges us to remain vigilant and ready, always aligned with the ways of Christ. Unlike a typical job where being on call means waiting for a summons, for Christians, it means living in constant communion with God, ensuring our lives reflect His character and teachings. Peter emphasizes the importance of not just knowing about God but truly knowing Him through a relational connection. This deep, intimate knowledge, referred to as "epignosis" in Greek, goes beyond mere facts and involves a transformative relationship with God.
Peter urges us to confirm our calling by displaying evidence of our relationship with God. This evidence manifests as an outpouring of Christ's likeness in our lives, akin to a river flowing with the fruit of the Spirit. Knowing God intimately allows us to show God to the world, transforming our hearts and actions to reflect His character. This transformation is not just about acquiring knowledge but involves a profound change in our being, driven by our faith and the grace of God.
Faith is the foundation of knowing God. It begins with trusting in His gracious offer of a relationship through Jesus Christ. This faith is not just a belief in facts but a deep trust in God's character and His desire for us to know Him. Through Christ's atonement, we gain access to this relationship, moving from knowing about God to truly knowing Him. This access allows us to experience the fullness of life and godliness, as we are transformed by His presence and His word.
As we grow in our relationship with God, we are called to show Him to the world. This involves living out the qualities of Christ, such as virtue, knowledge, self-control, steadfastness, godliness, brotherly affection, and love. These attributes are evidence of our relationship with God and serve to glorify Him and remind us of our need for His grace.
In this new year, let us commit to deepening our relationship with God, moving beyond titles and superficial knowledge to truly knowing and showing Him in our lives. May we be on call, ready to reflect His love and grace to the world around us.
Key Takeaways:
1. Being "On Call" for Christ: As disciples of Jesus, we are called to be constantly ready and aligned with His teachings, living in a state of active communion with God. This readiness involves a continual commitment to Christ and His gospel, ensuring our lives reflect His character and love. [02:04]
2. Relational Knowledge of God: True knowledge of God goes beyond facts and involves a deep, intimate relationship with Him. This "epignosis" is a transformative connection that allows us to experience the fullness of life and godliness, as we are continually shaped by His presence and His word. [09:01]
3. Faith as the Foundation: Knowing God begins with faith, a trust in His character and His desire for us to know Him. This faith is not just intellectual assent but a deep trust that leads to a transformative relationship with God, allowing us to experience His grace and love. [15:44]
4. Access Through Christ's Atonement: Our relationship with God is made possible through Christ's sacrificial work, which grants us access to His presence and knowledge. This access moves us from knowing about God to truly knowing Him, as we are transformed by His grace and love. [19:24]
5. Showing God Through Our Lives: As we grow in our relationship with God, we are called to reflect His character and love to the world. This involves living out the qualities of Christ, such as virtue, knowledge, and love, as evidence of our relationship with Him and a testament to His transformative power. [29:33]
Youtube Chapters:
- [00:00] - Welcome
- [02:04] - Introduction to Being "On Call"
- [06:44] - Understanding Relational Knowledge
- [09:01] - The Importance of Epignosis
- [11:21] - Knowing God vs. Knowing About God
- [14:25] - Faith as the Foundation
- [17:06] - Challenges to Faith
- [19:24] - Access Through Christ's Atonement
- [21:20] - The Role of Forgiveness
- [23:46] - Transformation Through Christ
- [25:39] - Jesus as the Source of Life
- [27:40] - Knowledge and Transformation
- [29:33] - Showing God Through Our Lives
- [32:43] - The Importance of Remembering Grace
- [34:15] - How God Knows Us
- [37:55] - Growing in Relationship with God
- [40:46] - Closing Prayer
Study Guide
Bible Study Discussion Guide
Bible Reading:
1. 2 Peter 1:3-11
2. John 14:6
3. Hebrews 11:6
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Observation Questions:
1. According to 2 Peter 1:3, what has God given us for life and godliness, and through what means do we receive it? [09:01]
2. In John 14:6, how does Jesus describe Himself, and what does this imply about the way to the Father?
3. What does Hebrews 11:6 say about the necessity of faith in pleasing God, and what are the two things one must believe about God?
4. How does the sermon describe the difference between knowing about God and truly knowing God? [06:44]
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Interpretation Questions:
1. What does it mean to have "epignosis" or relational knowledge of God, and how does this differ from simply having factual knowledge? [09:01]
2. How does the concept of being "on call" for Christ challenge the way believers live their daily lives? [02:04]
3. In what ways does faith serve as the foundation for a transformative relationship with God, according to the sermon? [15:44]
4. How does the sermon explain the role of Christ's atonement in granting us access to a deeper relationship with God? [19:24]
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Application Questions:
1. Reflect on your current relationship with God. Do you feel you have a deep, relational knowledge of Him, or is it more factual? What steps can you take to deepen this relationship? [06:44]
2. The sermon emphasizes being "on call" for Christ. What practical changes can you make in your daily routine to ensure you are ready to reflect Christ's character and love? [02:04]
3. Consider the role of faith in your life. Are there areas where your faith is strong, and others where it might be lacking? How can you strengthen your faith in those weaker areas? [15:44]
4. How does understanding Christ's atonement affect your view of your relationship with God? In what ways can this understanding transform your daily interactions with others? [19:24]
5. The sermon talks about showing God through our lives by living out the qualities of Christ. Choose one quality (e.g., self-control, brotherly affection) and identify a specific way you can demonstrate it this week. [29:33]
6. Reflect on a time when you felt distant from God. What were the circumstances, and how did you navigate that season? What can you learn from that experience to apply in future times of spiritual dryness? [17:06]
7. How can you incorporate regular time with God into your schedule to ensure you are growing in your relationship with Him? What might you need to adjust or remove from your life to make this a priority? [37:55]
Devotional
Day 1: Living in Constant Readiness for Christ
As followers of Jesus, being "on call" means more than just waiting for a summons; it involves living in a state of active communion with God. This readiness is a continual commitment to align our lives with Christ's teachings, ensuring that our actions and character reflect His love and grace. Unlike a typical job where being on call might mean waiting for a task, for Christians, it means being perpetually prepared to demonstrate Christ's love in every situation. This involves a conscious effort to remain vigilant and responsive to God's guidance, allowing His presence to shape our daily interactions and decisions. [02:04]
"Therefore, preparing your minds for action, and being sober-minded, set your hope fully on the grace that will be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ." (1 Peter 1:13, ESV)
Reflection: In what specific ways can you prepare your heart and mind to be "on call" for Christ today, ready to reflect His love in your interactions?
Day 2: Deepening Relational Knowledge of God
True knowledge of God transcends mere facts and involves a deep, intimate relationship with Him. This "epignosis" is a transformative connection that allows believers to experience the fullness of life and godliness. It is not enough to simply know about God; one must truly know Him through a personal and relational connection. This involves engaging with God through prayer, scripture, and reflection, allowing His presence to transform our hearts and minds. As we grow in this relational knowledge, we are continually shaped by His word and presence, leading to a life that reflects His character and love. [09:01]
"And this is eternal life, that they know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom you have sent." (John 17:3, ESV)
Reflection: How can you cultivate a deeper relational knowledge of God today, moving beyond facts to a transformative connection with Him?
Day 3: Faith as the Foundation of Knowing God
Faith is the cornerstone of knowing God, beginning with a trust in His character and His desire for us to know Him. This faith is not merely intellectual assent but a deep trust that leads to a transformative relationship with God. Through faith, believers gain access to God's grace and love, moving from knowing about Him to truly knowing Him. This relationship is made possible through Christ's atonement, which opens the door to experiencing the fullness of life and godliness. As we trust in God's character and promises, our faith becomes the foundation upon which our relationship with Him is built. [15:44]
"Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen." (Hebrews 11:1, ESV)
Reflection: What is one area of your life where you need to deepen your trust in God's character and promises today?
Day 4: Access to God Through Christ's Atonement
Our relationship with God is made possible through Christ's sacrificial work, granting us access to His presence and knowledge. This access moves us from knowing about God to truly knowing Him, as we are transformed by His grace and love. Through Christ's atonement, believers are invited into a relationship with God that is characterized by intimacy and transformation. This relationship allows us to experience the fullness of life and godliness, as we are continually shaped by His presence and His word. As we embrace this access, we are called to live lives that reflect His character and love to the world. [19:24]
"For through him we both have access in one Spirit to the Father." (Ephesians 2:18, ESV)
Reflection: How can you embrace the access to God provided through Christ's atonement in your daily life, allowing His grace to transform you?
Day 5: Reflecting God's Character Through Our Lives
As we grow in our relationship with God, we are called to reflect His character and love to the world. This involves living out the qualities of Christ, such as virtue, knowledge, self-control, steadfastness, godliness, brotherly affection, and love. These attributes serve as evidence of our relationship with God and a testament to His transformative power. By embodying these qualities, believers demonstrate the reality of God's presence in their lives, glorifying Him and reminding themselves of their need for His grace. This reflection of God's character is not just about outward actions but involves a profound change in our being, driven by our faith and the grace of God. [29:33]
"By this my Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit and so prove to be my disciples." (John 15:8, ESV)
Reflection: What specific quality of Christ can you focus on embodying today to reflect God's character and love to those around you?
Quotes
"We thank you that through Jesus we have access to you, Father, that we can really know you, Lord, in a way that is just, Lord, it's even hard to fathom at times that we get to be in this incredible relationship with you, God, this God who created us. And so this morning, God, would your spirit just speak to our hearts?" [00:00:45] (27 seconds)
"Peter is going to make this claim that we can confirm this calling of a life in Christ when there's evidence of relationally knowing God, relationally, right? Not just having knowledge of him, but our lives that have been presented with this confirmation of a connection or of the communion with God. And so because of that, we need to be on call." [00:05:12] (25 seconds)
"Meaning we have all we need for life and to live a godly life, not when we just know about God, but when we actually are knowing God on this continual relational level. So Peter, he uses epignosis because he wants to remind the church that God has given us this relational connection, this relational knowledge, this relational reality, right? The opportunity to know about, not just know about him, but actively know God as we live our lives." [00:08:47] (34 seconds)
"Knowing God is what allows us to truly find life. Knowing God allows us to truly provide life, which is exactly what Jesus, tells Peter. You look at John chapter 14, it says this, Jesus said to him, I am the way, I am the truth, what? I am the life. It says, no one comes to the Father except through me. So Jesus makes this claim that he is the way to life. Knowing him produces life." [00:09:36] (24 seconds)
"Faith is everywhere. And really knowing God, it begins the same way that we gain knowledge in all those other spaces, through taking a step of faith. It's acting in faith, right? Where disciples need to be on call is that we are clear that our devotion is to the object of faith and who God is. And God, and the beauty of who he is as the object of our faith. This God who graciously, he invites us to personally, to deeply, to intimately know him." [00:14:44] (34 seconds)
"And because of that, here's the reality that we get to recognize as followers of Jesus. We, we are indebted to Christ. Indebted to Christ. Indebted to Christ. Indebted to him for paying for what we deserve and giving us access to this, this heavenly father on a deeper level. Here's the thing, without Christ, we're only left with knowing things about God. Not truly, deeply knowing God." [00:21:28] (29 seconds)
"To glorify him by making him known to others, and to also keep us from losing sight of where we once were. And so Peter gives this list. He says, supplement. He says, meaning, strengthening. He says, furthering your faith. And he says, this is a response of being virtuous, knowledgeable. That's the gnosis before supplementing. Self-controlled, steadfast, godly, brotherly affection, loving, right? It sounds quite familiar to what Paul's list is." [00:30:16] (32 seconds)
"Maybe for some of us, it's helpful. If we find ourselves struggling to see fruit or evidence that Peter offers here, maybe it's helpful for us to know how God came to know us. Well, the reality is he's always known us. He's always known who we are, right? He's always desired for us to know him. And this is the design for this creator and creation relationship." [00:34:15] (28 seconds)
"God, as we look to our own lives, Lord, and our own declarations, God, would you just reveal places where maybe we know about you, but we're just lacking just actually knowing you, Lord, knowing your character, knowing who you are, Lord, actively being in pursuit of you and recognizing you're pursuing us as well, Lord. And God, we thank you that because of Christ, we can be known by you and we can know you, God." [00:39:59] (39 seconds)
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