EXCEEDINGLY GREAT AND PRECIOUS PROMISES

By David J. Riggs

Intro.
   A. God has given to us exceedingly great and precious promises. 2
      Pet. 1:2-4
   B. The children of Israel were spoken of as having the promises.
      However, the Christians, the called of God, are the ones who   
      now have the promises of God. Heb. 9:15
      1. We are under a better covenant built upon better promises.
         Heb. 8:6
   C. Let's examine carefully what these promises are. 
      1. A consideration of the promises does us good. By them we
         become "partakers of the divine nature."

I. GOD HAS PROMISED US AN INHERITANCE WHICH LASTS FOREVER. 1 Pet.    
   1:3-5
   A. Look at the nature of the inheritance.
      1. It is free from corruption or decay. 
      2. It is free from contamination or defilement.
      3. It will never fade away.
         a. The word "fade" in this verse comes from a word which
            means, "fading flower."
         b. All the lovely things of this world fade away within     
            time, but our heavenly inheritance will never fade away; 
            it lasts forever.
   B. Heirs of the kingdom. James 2:5

II. GOD HAS PROMISED ETERNAL LIFE. 1 John 2:25; Titus 1:2
   A. Death is a sad and inevitable part of this world, but God has
      promised everlasting life.
   B. Consider our earthly existence:
      1. We were formed out of the dust of the ground. Gen. 2:7
      2. We were given an eternal spirit after God's likeness. Gen.
         1:27; Heb. 12:9; Zech. 12:1
      3. We will live about seventy or eighty years. Psalm 90:10-12
      4. Our bodies will return to the dust and our spirits to God.
         Eccl. 12:7
      5. What is the purpose of our existence? Consider Eccl. 12:13-
         14.
   C. Death is the end of our earthly existence, but God has promised
      eternal existence. Rev. 21:4; Luke 20:35-36

III. WHEN ONE DIES, HE GOES TO BE WITH THE LORD.
   A. "May be with Me where I am." John 17:24
   B. "Depart and be with Christ." Phil. 1:21-23
   C. "Absent from the body and to be present with the Lord." 2 Cor.
      5:6-10
   D. "Before the throne...the Lamb will shepherd them." Rev. 7:13-17
   E. "They lived and reigned with Christ." Rev. 20:4

IV. GOD HAS PREPARED A BEAUTIFUL PLACE.
   A. It has room for all of God's people. John 14:2 - the expression
      "many mansions" is literally, "many abodes." Jesus is showing
      there is plenty of room for all of the faithful.
   B. It is a city built by the living God. Heb. 11:10,16
   C. It is a marvelous, spacious, beautiful city. Rev. 21:10-11;    
      22:3-5
   D. It is a place of rest. Heb. 4:9; Rev. 14:13
   E. The righteous will have a joyous entrance into it. 2 Pet. 1:11;
      Matt. 25:21,34

V. WE WILL HAVE NEW BODIES TO DWELL IN.
   A. We will have a new building from God. 2 Cor. 5:1-8
   B. Our bodies will be fashioned anew. Phil. 3:20-21
   C. Our mortal bodies will put on immortality. 1 Cor. 15:50-53
   D. Rom. 8:19-23
      1. All creation is personified and pictured as earnestly       
         waiting for the deliverance of the sons of God.
      2. The sin of man brought a curse upon the earth, and mortality
         and death came upon all creatures.
      3. When the deliverance comes, the whole creation will be freed
         from the bondage of corruption.

VI. IN VIEW OF THESE PROMISES, WHAT KIND OF PEOPLE SHOULD WE BE?
   A. "Therefore we make it our aim." 2 Cor. 5:9
   B. "Patient continuance in doing good." Rom. 2:6-11
   C. "Who through faith and patience inherit the promises." Heb.
      6:11-12; 10:36-39
   D. "Therefore...be steadfast..." 1 Cor. 15:58
   E. Strive to enter in; lay hold on eternal life. Luke 13:24; 1    
      Tim. 6:12
   F. Rely on the Lord. John 6:66-68
      1. Not only does the Lord have the words of eternal life. He is
         the eternal life. He is the giver of it; it comes from Him. 
         John 11:25; 1 John 5:11-12, 20
      2. Follow the Lord. John 10:27-28

VII. REMEMBER, GOD NEVER FAILS IN HIS PROMISES.
   A. The reason we hold fast our confession. Heb. 10:23
   B. The heirs of promise have strong consolation. Heb. 6:17-19
   C. In view of the promises which He has made, it is impossible for
      Him to lie. Titus 1:2
   D. He is a faithful creator. 1 Pet. 4:19
   E. As Abraham, we have confidence that what God has promised,
      He is able also to perform. Rom. 4:21

Concl.
   A. God has given to us exceedingly great and precious promises,   
      and He never breaks His promises.
   B. Through faith and perseverence, we will someday be recipients  
      of those promises.
   C. There is an illustration handed down from the pioneer days of a
      man who was traveling in the dead of winter and came upon a
      frozen river. He was afraid to cross on the ice, and as he was
      turning away, another man drove up with a team of horses       
      pulling a wagon. The fearful man said, "You are not going to   
      cross this river, wagon and all, are you." The man said,       
      "Friend, I live near this river; I know how deep it is; and I  
      am familiar with the cold weather we have had." He then drove  
      his team across the river.
      Application: many today are not familiar with the promises of
      God. They have no faith in them. They will not be recipients of
      them.
      1. In the words of Peter - 2 Pet. 3:13.

Chart #1
EXCEEDINGLY GREAT AND PRECIOUS PROMISES

1. An Inheritance that Never Fades.
2. Everlasting Life.
3. In the Lord's Presence.
4. A Beautiful Place.
5. New bodies to Dwell In.

IN VIEW OF THESE PROMISES, WHAT KIND OF PEOPLE SHOULD WE BE?

Chart #2
Our Earthly Existence
                               
We were formed out of the dust of the ground.
We were given an eternal spirit after God's likeness.
We will live about seventy or eighty years.
Our bodies return to the dust and our spirits to God.
What is the purpose of our existence?

Chart #3
Present With Christ

"May be with Me where I am"
"Depart and be with Christ"
"Absent from the body and to be present with the Lord"
"Before the throne...the Lamb will shepherd them"
"They lived and reigned with Christ"