1. When I think of our beloved pastor Peter, he’s so encouraging to me in my walk with the Lord.
a. He encourages me both in his letters & especially by his life.
FIRST OFF: I notice that I’m so much like him.
• I talk instead of listening. I sleep when I should be praying.
• I step out when I should stand still.
• AND I stand still when I should step out!
• Peter made huge mistakes, yet loved Jesus so much! That’s me!
• And, well that’s Pastor Peter, the author of this letter.
SECONDLY: Peter reminds me not of my failures, but of God’s faithfulness and GRACE through the good times & the bad.
• Flip back to Luke 22:31-34
• You know, Through it all, Jesus is praying for me too!
• And for you, and your homes, and your lives…
• So that our faith would not fail!
Peter made it, steadied on, because Jesus prayed for him!
• And it’s the same for us.
• We’re people that want to do what is right, holy, & good.
• But we mess up much more than we want!
• We understand that our spirit is willing but flesh is weak!
• But even now, right here, Jesus knows the things we’re facing in life, the situations swirling around us…
Hebrews 7:25 Therefore He is also able to save to the uttermost those who come to God through Him, since He always lives to make intercession for them.
I. (1:1-4) Precious Promises
1. (1) Peter the servant.
a. Peter says, I’m a bondservant, a ‘doulos’. Jesus is my master
b. I voluntarily give up my rights & privileges to devote my entire life to serve someone else.
c. And here he is, in the last days of his life steadying on.
d. And I’m an apostle, one sent out! I go where He tells me.
NOTE: It is so encouraging to know God has called us & has a specific will, a powerful plan, precious purposes for our us! (1:10)
• It so inspired Peter and really, every other believer after him!
• I am what I am, and I do what I do by the will of God!
We’re reminded too that in the church, there are only servants.
• We don’t have super Christians and non-super Christians.
• We don’t the celebrities and the commoners.
• We’re just servants. That’s all. Servants of the Lord!
Mark 10.45 "For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life a ransom for many."
2. (2-3) Knowing Jesus.
a. Peter says the way to peace is knowing Jesus!
b. If you spent your entire life getting to know Jesus better through His Word, through prayer, through service…
c. He’s given us ALL THINGS (mark that) pertaining to life & godliness! ALL THINGS covers it all!
d. The Christian life is the complete package guys!
SO we don’t need Jesus AND the psychologists.
• We don’t need Jesus AND drugs… or Jesus AND alcohol.
• When you have Jesus, you don’t need anything else!
NOTE: The world’s methods & the world’s advancements have definitely infiltrated & confused the church today.
• Oh, they say, the Word of God isn’t enough… you need this.
• Well, you know, we have this new technique, this new finding.
LOOK, it’s in Jesus that a life is change, BORN AGAIN!
2 Cor. 5.17 Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new.
• In Jesus we have principles that will change your life!
• That knowledge that is in Jesus will transform you!
• There is power, great power in the gospel!
• Everything we need to live a life of godliness is provided for us by God. We can’t live that life in our own strength.
Zech 4:6 So he answered and said to me: "This is the word of the LORD to Zerubbabel: ’Not by might nor by power, but by My Spirit,’ Says the LORD of hosts.
3. (3-4) Called Out & Given Promises.
a. The Bible is filled with God’s wonderful promises… OR AS
b. Peter says, EXCEEDINGLY GREAT & PRECIOUS promises.
At every turn, there are great promises from the Lord for our lives that we can cling to, hold on to, and embrace!
HELP: Psalm 50:15 Call upon Me in the day of trouble; I will deliver you, and you shall glorify Me."
COMFORT: Psalm 27:10 When my father and my mother forsake me, Then the LORD will take care of me.
ENCOURAGEMENT: Psalm 138:8 The LORD will perfect that which concerns me; Your mercy, O LORD, endures forever; Do not forsake the works of Your hands.
FORGIVENESS: Psalm 86.5 For You, Lord, are good, and ready to forgive, And abundant in mercy to all those who call upon You.
• They’re true! A Promise is only as good as the One who gives it!
• God’s promises are sure… steadfast… reliable & trustworthy!
Psalm 119:89 Forever, O LORD, Your word is settled in heaven.
AND NOTICE at the end of v4, it’s through the promises of God that we partake (or share) in God’s nature…
• AND WE ESCAPED the corruption of this world!
• That God that we are IN THIS world but NOT OF it!
• Flip over to James 4:1
AND SO THE COUNSEL from Jesus makes so much sense in helping us grow in His grace… grow in His knowledge.
Matthew 6.33 "But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you.
• Jesus is saying to be freed from the corruption, we’ve got to live with new values, new goals, new hopes…
• That are based on eternity & His righteousness.
• AND AS we invest in eternity, God will take care of the things that are needed in this world, His way, not man’s way!
• SO THANK GOD, a true child of God has escaped the corruption that is destroying this world… and we truly live freely!
II. (1:5-11) Powerful Additions
1. (5-7) Add to your faith.
a. For what reason? We’re to give all diligence because we’re new creations in Christ, we’ve escaped the corruption of this world, and we’re now investing our lives eternally!
b. THOSE ARE GREAT REASONS TO GROW!
‘GIVING ALL DILIGENCE’ reminds us that there is a lot of effort & energy spent in our Christian lives.
NOTE: It’s possible to be a Christian, to love Jesus & His word but still be useless & unprofitable for His kingdom.
• It’s a discouraging time for sure.
• We need to be careful in times like that not to kick people out of the kingdom… or even ourselves.
• I’m not doing what I’m supposed to do. I don’t feel like it.
• Well, I guess I must not be a Christian. SOME CONCLUDE.
• NO, it doesn’t mean you’re not a Christian, it just means you’re not bearing fruit. It’s time for the Lord to do some pruning.
SO maybe you’re there right now… not much fruit on the vine.
• You’re discouraged, beat up, wrestling over it.
• Peter, having been there himself says… ADD TO YOUR FAITH.
VIRTUE – Righteous excellence. That as Paul told young Timothy, you live your life above reproach. We stay away from the dirty jokes, course jesting, the funny but borderline songs, movies, etc.
+ KNOWLEDGE – Righteous Info. Our minds are so cluttered with the junk of this world that we need to renew our minds with the purity of God’s word.
Romans 12.1-2 I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service. 2 And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.
+ SELF-CONTROL Righteous Restraint. This is key because now that I know more I must be careful to use it wisely by the Spirit.
+ PERSEVERANCE – Righteous Tenacity. God would have us to extend patience to others who are growing in grace!
+ GODLINESS – Righteous Living. When there comes a point where I’m faced with a decision to follow God or man, I follow God by living a life that is pleasing to Him!
+ BROTHERLY KINDNESS – Righteous Kindness. This helps to keep us from being harsh and insensitive. But we seek to live that life of kindness & goodness through His Spirit.
+ LOVE – Righteous Love. A yielding to His work in our lives allowing His love to flow through us. (1 Corinthians 13)
NOTE: This demonstrates the powerful work of His Spirit in us.
• See Galatians 5:22-25
2. (8-11) If these are yours…
a. That makes sense. If this is your life, you will see fruit!
b. Your life will be solid. We won’t falter, won’t stumble!
c. BUT If they are not, then what you see is so limited.
d. And sin can so easily creep in to destroy us.
SO Peter says in v10… be EVEN MORE DILIGENT to make your call and election sure…
NOW that can be misunderstood for sure.
• You mean I’m the one that saves myself or loses myself?
• No, no, that’s not what he’s saying.
• God chooses. God saves. God secures. God works in us.
REMEMBER, Peter is speaking to those who seem to have gone through a dry spell spiritually.
• They see fruitlessness, difficulty, and discouragement.
NOW If I see uselessness, barrenness, and I’ve forgotten what Jesus has done for me, am I still saved? If that’s where you are…
• Then ask yourself the question, and make sure he’s chosen you and called you and be sure about it!
• It’s essential to your spiritual growth.
When you follow the ministry of Jesus you see that he was very gentle & careful with those afflicted with their own sins..
• The woman caught in the middle of adultery… he was gentle in grace. Others were ready to stone her, Jesus ready to forgive.
• But with the religious, those who said they knew but didn’t really know anything, he was stern and strict!
• The afflicted He would comfort. Comfortable he would afflict!
That’s a model of ministry in sharing the word through counseling.
• To those that come repentant & broken… comfort.
• Jesus heals the broken hearted, restores the relationship.
• To those that come self-righteously & haughty… affliction.
• I’ll ask them if they are saved? Are you sure? Here’s what the world says about a believer & sin.
• There are Christians with such soft & gentle consciences.
They need to know about God’s love and grace.
• But to those that are fruitless & barren & living like the world, then Jesus would come gently, but firmly, are you sure you know Jesus?
As these things are yours, are ours… we won’t stumble, we’ll walk in Jesus steady & secure & strong… even through the toughest of times!
