Pass It On

PASS IT ON

I love church picnics. They remind me of going to camp as a kid. One of the things I loved about camp was the chapel services. There is an old song that we used to sing. It said, “It only takes a spark to get a fire going. And soon all those around can warm up to it’s glowing. That’s how it is with God’s love, once you’ve experienced it. You’ll share His love with everyone. You’ll want to pass it on.” What do you want to pass on to others? As a father, one of the most important things I am called to do is to pass on my faith to my children. Who are you passing on your faith to?

2 Peter 1:12 So I will always remind you of these things, even though you know them and are firmly established in the truth you now have. 13 I think it is right to refresh your memory as long as I live in the tent of this body, 14 because I know that I will soon put it aside, as our Lord Jesus Christ has made clear to me. 15 And I will make every effort to see that after my departure you will always be able to remember these things. 16 We did not follow cleverly invented stories when we told you about the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, but we were eyewitnesses of his majesty. 17 For he received honor and glory from God the Father when the voice came to him from the Majestic Glory, saying, "This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased." 18 We ourselves heard this voice that came from heaven when we were with him on the sacred mountain. 19 And we have the word of the prophets made more certain, and you will do well to pay attention to it, as to a light shining in a dark place, until the day dawns and the morning star rises in your hearts. 20 Above all, you must understand that no prophecy of Scripture came about by the prophet’s own interpretation. 21 For prophecy never had its origin in the will of man, but men spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit.

1. Remember (vs. 12-15) – passing it on

Peter knew that his life was coming to a close and wanted to make sure that everything which he had been entrusted with was passed on to the next generation. He says here 3 times – “remember”. In verse 12 - “I … remind you of these things”. In verse 13 - “it is right to refresh your memory”. In verse 15 – “remember these things”. Like Peter none of us is here forever. We need to do everything we can to pass on that which we have been given while we are still able.

Before the children of Israel entered the promised land, Moses took the time to remind them again – to pass on everything that had been spoken.

Buckling your seatbelt after a car crash does no good. Putting on the helmet after you have fallen off the bike does not help. Word unspoken before the funeral cannot be spoken after. It is too late. In order to pass on what you have seen and heard about Jesus it must be done now since tomorrow may be too late.

So what is that Peter wanted to pass on before his death. What was it that he was so eager to share and what is it that we likewise should share. He wants to share 2 things:

2. Subjective Experience (vs. 16-18) – sharing your testimony

A testimony is a story about how God has worked in your life. Peter shares briefly here his experience of Christ. He had walked and talked and lived with Jesus. He had heard the voice of God on the mount of transfiguration. He was an eyewitness to the majesty and glory of God.

Our English word WITNESS comes from the Old English word WIT which means knowledge. A WIT was a knowledgeable person. A person was called a HALF-WIT if they were considered to not be smart. In this way a WITNESS is someone who knows something and testifies to it. In the Greek the word eyewitness comes from the word TO SEE. Peter says he saw the truth. Testimonies are very powerful things. Often we do not have the time in church to have them but they are powerful because in a testimony we SEE the power of God at work. People can dispute theology but there is no debating a changed life.

John was born in London on July 24, 1725. His father was the captain of a merchant ship and his mother died of tuberculosis when he was young. In 1744 he was forced into military service on a man-of-war, the H. M. S. Harwich. Finding conditions on board intolerable, he deserted but was soon recaptured, publicly flogged and demoted to common seaman. Finally at his own request he was exchanged into service on a slave ship, which took him to the coast of Sierra Leone. He became the servant of a slave trader and was brutally abused. Early in 1748 he was rescued and ultimately became captain of his own slave trade ship.