“Gotta Get Ready…”
2 Peter 1:12-21
Pastor John Bright
2 Peter 1 “12 For this reason I will not be negligent to remind you always of these things, though you know and are established in the present truth. 13 Yes, I think it is right, as long as I am in this tent, to stir you up by reminding you, 14 knowing that shortly I must put off my tent, just as our Lord Jesus Christ showed me. 15 Moreover I will be careful to ensure that you always have a reminder of these things after my decease.
16 For we did not follow cunningly devised fables when we made known to you the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, but were eyewitnesses of His majesty. 17 For He received from God the Father honor and glory when such a voice came to Him from the Excellent Glory: “This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.” 18 And we heard this voice which came from heaven when we were with Him on the holy mountain.
19 And so we have the prophetic word confirmed, which you do well to heed as a light that shines in a dark place, until the day dawns and the morning star rises in your hearts; 20 knowing this first, that no prophecy of Scripture is of any private interpretation, 21 for prophecy never came by the will of man, but holy men of God spoke as they were moved by the Holy Spirit.”
Hope is interesting because it depends on a person's circumstances. Around the world, there are literally millions of persecuted Christians. They often to the end of the Bible for hope: Revelation 22:20 “20 He who testifies to these things says, “Surely I am coming quickly.” Amen. Even so, come, Lord Jesus!” They have a great hope, an intense longing for the return of Jesus. They say and sing the Aramaic word “maranatha,” which appears in 1 Corinthians 16:22 and means “O Lord, come!” They have that hope because they have nothing to lose.
What about us? We are all living comfortably, middle-class, mostly retired. The difference between them and us is that we have lots to lose. I remember the handwringing during the Great Recession, when the 401 (k) became a 201 (k). Never forget that, as middle-class Americans, we are among the richest, most prosperous people in the world. About 18% of people worldwide own a car. https://www.motorbiscuit.com/number-car-owners-world-less-think/
2 Peter: WHERE & WHEN?
Exact dating of when Biblical books were written is almost impossible. If you look at all the estimates out there, you get a range of 60-68 AD. I tend to put the date earlier in that range because there are traditions in the Church that Peter was martyred during the reign of Emperor Nero around 64-65 AD. That would make him one of the thousands of Christian martyrs after Rome burned in 64 AD.
I’ll remind you, so you will remember v. 12-15
“12 For this reason I will not be negligent to remind you always of these things, though you know and are established in the present truth. 13 Yes, I think it is right, as long as I am in this tent, to stir you up by reminding you, 14 knowing that shortly I must put off my tent, just as our Lord Jesus Christ showed me. 15 Moreover I will be careful to ensure that you always have a reminder of these things after my decease.”
Peter is using these 4 verses to make a transition. He is moving from the divine nature being given to you and that list of characteristics that show you are not coasting - faith, virtue, knowledge, self-control, perseverance, godliness, brotherly kindness, and love. This is a good reminder for those who are spiritually mature and a little nudge for the rest of the church. He is reminding them that this is not a new teaching or a new truth. The “present truth” is the same one Peter shared with them before. It was consistent with the teaching of Christ and the other Apostles.
I try to do the same thing from this pulpit. So many times, I say, “let me remind you again” or “remember what I told you before.” There are some basic truths we need to get right because they are foundational and we build upon them. I know some of you disagree with me on these basic truths. That’s ok with me. It’s not a problem for me because you are not disagreeing with me – your disagreement is with God.
Peter also lets them know that he wants this teaching to remain after his death. How does he know that it will be soon? I always look for the simplest answer. If, as I shared earlier, Peter is in Rome when the persecution by Nero arose, what would be his prayer? “Lord, do I stay or leave?” Around the world today, millions of Jesus Followers decide to stay in places where they could be imprisoned, tortured, and killed. What would you do? I believe God told Peter to stay, so he knew what would happen.
Let me remind of this truth that Peter shares: this body is only a temporary dwelling place for our eternal spirits. He calls this body a tent, just like Paul in 2 Corinthians 5:4-8: “4 For we who are in this tent groan, being burdened, not because we want to be unclothed, but further clothed, that mortality may be swallowed up by life. 5 Now He who has prepared us for this very thing is God, who also has given us the Spirit as a guarantee. 6 So we are always confident, knowing that while we are at home in the body we are absent from the Lord. 7 For we walk by faith, not by sight. 8 We are confident, yes, well pleased rather to be absent from the body and to be present with the Lord.” There is a growing heresy within the Church today that there is nothing after you die. They say you just cease to exist. That means this physical world is all there is. I can’t imagine how hopeless it is to believe such a lie from the pit of hell.
Something else is coming v. 16-18
“16 For we did not follow cunningly devised fables when we made known to you the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, but were eyewitnesses of His majesty. 17 For He received from God the Father honor and glory when such a voice came to Him from the Excellent Glory: “This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.” 18 And we heard this voice which came from heaven when we were with Him on the holy mountain.”
The return of Christ seems to be a point of contention in the house churches that Peter worked with in the past. I don’t think he is breaking new ground here; he is returning to a topic that other teachers have challenged. We know that as the decades of the Early Church progress, questions arise about how soon Christ will return. When you read the New Testament, there is a clear call to get ready! Jesus Followers have been heeding that call for about 2,000 years. When is Jesus coming? You know what I always say: “I’m sure we are one day closer to Jesus’ return than we were yesterday.”
Peter offers them the witness of what he has seen with his eyes and heard with his ears. All the Synoptic Gospels include the Transfiguration of Jesus. We call Matthew, Mark, and Luke the Synoptic Gospels because they share a lot of the same content – “synoptic” means “common view.” They often include different details as any event witnessed by several people would do. Matthew 17:1-8 “1 Now after six days Jesus took Peter, James, and John his brother, led them up on a high mountain by themselves; 2 and He was transfigured before them. His face shone like the sun, and His clothes became as white as the light. 3 And behold, Moses and Elijah appeared to them, talking with Him. 4 Then Peter answered and said to Jesus, “Lord, it is good for us to be here; if You wish, let us make here three tabernacles: one for You, one for Moses, and one for Elijah.” 5 While he was still speaking, behold, a bright cloud overshadowed them; and suddenly a voice came out of the cloud, saying, “This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased. Hear Him!” 6 And when the disciples heard it, they fell on their faces and were greatly afraid. 7 But Jesus came and touched them and said, “Arise, and do not be afraid.” 8 When they had lifted up their eyes, they saw no one but Jesus only.”
We call this event a theophany, which means God is manifest. That’s what we will call the return of Christ when it happens in real time: 1 Thessalonians 4:16-18 “16 For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of an archangel, and with the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first. 17 Then we who are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And thus we shall always be with the Lord. 18 Therefore comfort one another with these words.” This event we call “The Rapture.” It’s a real thing that is coming, whether or not you are ready.
God’s Word confirms it. 19-21
“19 And so we have the prophetic word confirmed, which you do well to heed as a light that shines in a dark place, until the day dawns and the morning star rises in your hearts; 20 knowing this first, that no prophecy of Scripture is of any private interpretation, 21 for prophecy never came by the will of man, but holy men of God spoke as they were moved by the Holy Spirit.”
Peter also tells them that the events of the past and those we expect in the future are confirmed by the words written by the Prophets in the Old Testament long ago. Can we trust God’s Word as the truth? Can it be a light into the darkness we face? I want to briefly explain, again, what I believe about how we got the Bible. This is referred to as “Verbal Plenary Inspiration.” I believe the words of Holy Scripture were given to the men who wrote the original manuscripts. How did that happen? Let me ask you a question: When you hold a pen and write some words on a sheet of paper, who is writing the words, you or the pen? Are you sure of your answer? Verbal Plenary Inspiration is a way of understanding that God was the author of scripture, and God used those men like we use a pen. I put an insert in your bulletin with more information. https://www.gotquestions.org/verbal-plenary-inspiration.html
This is a picture of hope: “a light that shines in a dark place, until the day dawns and the morning star rises in your hearts.” Can we find hope and light in God’s Holy Word for all the darkness that threatens in this fallen world? YES – YES – YES! Yes, if we can trust it as God’s Word meant for you and me for today.
I usually don’t end sermons with a story, but today I want to share this story about finding hope in the hardest of circumstances:
Ravi Zacharias tells the amazing story of a young Christian in Vietnam. He writes, “I was ministering in Vietnam in 1971, and one of my interpreters was Hien Pham, an energetic young Christian. He had worked as a translator with the American forces and was of immense help both to them and to missionaries such as myself. Hien and I traveled the length of the country and became very close friends before I returned home. We did not know if our paths would ever cross again. Seventeen years later, I received a telephone call. ‘Brother Ravi?’ the man asked. Immediately, I recognized Hien’s voice, and he soon told me his story. Shortly after Vietnam fell, Hien was imprisoned on accusations of helping the Americans. His jailers tried to indoctrinate him against democratic ideals and the Christian faith. He was restricted to communist propaganda in French or Vietnamese, and the daily deluge of Marx and Engels began to take its toll. ‘Maybe,’ he thought, ‘I have been lied to. Maybe God does not exist. Maybe the West has deceived me.’ So Hien determined that when he awoke the next day, he would no longer pray or think about his faith.
The next morning, he was assigned the dreaded chore of cleaning the prison latrines. As he cleaned out a tin can overflowing with toilet paper, his eye caught what seemed to be English printed on one piece of paper. He hurriedly grabbed it, washed it, and after his roommates had retired that night, he retrieved the paper and read the words, ‘Romans, Chapter 8.’ Trembling, he began to read, ‘And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love Him. . . for I am convinced that nothing shall be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.’ Hien wept. He knew His Bible, and knew that there was not a more relevant passage for one on the verge of surrender. He cried out to God, asking for forgiveness, for this was to be the first day he would not pray. . . . After finding the Scripture, Hien asked the commander if he could clean the latrines regularly, because he had discovered that an official was using a Bible as toilet paper. Each day, Hien picked up a portion of Scripture, cleaned it off, and added it to his nightly reading collection. What his tormentors were using for refuse — the Scriptures — could not be more treasured to Hien.” Eventually, he was released from prison and fled to Thailand. Today, he is a businessman in the United States, a radiant Christian, and a living testimony to the transforming power of God’s Word. (Sermon Central, contributed by Rodney Buchanan)
May the light of God’s Word shine into all the dark corners and hope be yours until the return of Christ! Amen!
Homework:
• Look up all the scriptures in today’s sermon. Is your hope in the return of Christ or the return of the way things used to be?
• Would you be willing to have your basic beliefs challenged by God’s Truth found in the Bible? Consider joining a Bible Study or looking for an online study. The YouVersion Bible app has lots of studies you can do at your own pace.
• Next week: 2 Peter 2:1-3 / Jude 1-4 “Be Careful, Little Ears, What You Hear”
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TEACHING SHEET
January 18, 2026
2 Peter 1:12-21
“Gotta Get Ready…”
Hope is interesting because it depends on a person's circumstances. Revelation 22:20 Aramaic word “maranatha,” which appears in 1 Corinthians 16:22 and means “O Lord, come!” They have that hope because they have nothing to lose. What about us? We are all living comfortably, middle-class, mostly retired. The difference between them and us is that we have lots to lose.
2 Peter: WHERE & WHEN?
Probably the early 60s in Rome - traditions in the Church that Peter was martyred during the reign of Emperor Nero around 64-65 AD. That would make him one of the thousands of Christian martyrs after Rome burned in 64 AD.
I’ll remind you, so you will remember v. 12-15
Peter is using these 4 verses to make a transition. This is not a new teaching or a new truth. The “present truth” is the same one Peter shared with them before. It was consistent with the teaching of Christ and the other Apostles.
If Peter is in Rome when the persecution by Nero arose, what would be his prayer? “Lord, do I stay or leave?”
Let me remind of this truth that Peter shares: this body is only a temporary dwelling place for our eternal spirits. He calls this body a tent, just like Paul in 2 Corinthians 5:4-8: There is a growing heresy within the Church today that there is nothing after you die. They say you just cease to exist. That means this physical world is all there is. I can’t imagine how hopeless it is to believe such a lie from the pit of hell.
Something else is coming v. 16-18
As the decades of the Early Church unfold, questions arise about when Christ will return. When you read the New Testament, there is a clear call to get ready! Jesus Followers have been heeding that call for about 2,000 years. When is Jesus coming? You know what I always say: “I’m sure we are one day closer to Jesus’ return than we were yesterday.”
Transfiguration of Jesus. Matthew 17:1-8, Mark 9:2-13, Luke 9:28-36
We call Matthew, Mark, and Luke the Synoptic Gospels because they share a lot of the same content – “synoptic” means “common view.” They often include different details as any event witnessed by several people would do.
We call this event a theophany, which means God is manifest. That’s what we will call the return of Christ when it happens in real time: 1 Thessalonians 4:16-18 This event we call “The Rapture.” It’s a real thing that is coming, whether or not you are ready.
God’s Word confirms it v. 19-21
Can we trust God’s Word as the truth? Can it be a light into the darkness we face? I want to briefly explain, again, what I believe about how we got the Bible. This is referred to as “Verbal Plenary Inspiration.” Let me ask you a question: When you hold a pen and write some words on a sheet of paper, who is writing the words, you or the pen? Verbal Plenary Inspiration - God was the author of scripture, and God used those men like we use a pen.
This is a picture of hope: “a light that shines in a dark place, until the day dawns and the morning star rises in your hearts.” Can we find hope and light in God’s Holy Word for all the darkness that threatens in this fallen world? YES – YES – YES! Yes, if we can trust it as God’s Word meant for you and me for today.
May the light of God’s Word shine into all the dark corners, and may hope be yours until the return of Christ! Amen!
Homework:
• Look up all the scriptures in today’s sermon. Is your hope in the return of Christ or the return of the way things used to be?
• Would you be willing to have your basic beliefs challenged by God’s Truth found in the Bible? Consider joining a Bible Study or looking for an online study. The YouVersion Bible app has lots of studies you can do at your own pace.
• Next week: 2 Peter 2:1-3 / Jude 1-4 “Be Careful, Little Ears, What You Hear”
