MPC, 2nd July 2000.2 Peter 1-2 - Never Let Go!
Maurie Cropper MPC, 2nd July 2000.
Have you met someone who is really passionate about something?
You might be able to think of someone who is passionate about a cause, ...their job or profession, ...or MAYBE something they are just simply CRAZY ABOUT.
If your into footy - someone like the ABC's Peter Wilkins on Grandstand comes to mind.
Like him or not - ...turn on the radio to Saturday's Grandstand commentary on the league match of the day, ...and there's Peter in the commentary box, along with his off-sider Craig Hamilton, ....and they're loving it!
Peter's so passionate about the game, that sometimes his almost calling the play before it happens.
Even laid-back Len Murray on SBS soccer, ....put him in the commentary box and he loves it! Passionate about his soccer!
But if you think these guys are passionate about their sport, you should hear this commentator in Brasil. Well, ...he speaks as fast as a racehorse caller, and when a goal is scored, he lets out with this GOOOOOOOOAAALLLLLL..... that goes on forever!!!
What about the great musical conductors of the world? They're incredibly passionate about their love of music and conducting, ....going beyond arm movements necessary to conduct, ....to almost throwing their bodies off the stage. And what of the 3 Tenors, Pavoroti and his mates, ...WOW their passion for their singing just oozes from them. It almost makes you want to stand up in front of the tele and give them a standing ovation!
And there's musicians who mix their passion for music with other causes.
Peter Garret, lead singer with Midnight Oil, is incredibly passionate about the environment.
Ben Harper ......passionate about exposing racism.
Tracy Chapman .....passionate about racial issues and putting a stop to domestic violence!
When you think about the list grows and grows.
Gough Whitlam passionate about politics & CHANGE.
Martin Luther King about Civil Rights, and non-violent change.
Billy Graham and his passion for the Gospel and how it can change lives.
But being passionate about something has its risks.
I know a couple of ladies down the coast who are incredibly passionate about the environment. One just loves dolphins and whales and the care of them. She bought a house many years ago that has its back gate opening onto sand-dunes down to the beach. The other lady has a passion for the care of koalas. She and her family live about 8 kilometers from the coast on about 120 acres, and has planted hundreds of koala specific trees.
But their passions have cost them. Land developers have spread rumours and lies about them. Local councils dismiss them as crackpots. But one things for sure, ....they won't let go of the thing that they're passionate about. And they won't hide from criticism, or deny who or what they stand for!! They'll stand-up for their cause!
The Apostle Peter is also like that. He's PASSIONATE! He's passionate for the Gospel. And even in the face of criticism, he makes 'no bones' about aligning himself with faith in Jesus!
See how his letter begins. Look at the first verse.
Chpt. 1 v.1 "Simon Peter, a servant and Apostle of Jesus Christ, to those who through the righteousness of our God and Saviour Jesus Christ have received a faith as precious as ours: Grace and peace be yours in abundance through the knowledge of God and of Jesus Christ."
He'll not only stand-up for the Gospel, but also what he's meant to think and do in response to the Gospel.
This is the crux of Peter's letter. HIS PASSION FOR THE GOSPEL!
And in his passion for the Gospel, he is so concerned that believers, particularly new believers, don't get swayed from what they're meant to think and do as Christians. They CAN HAVE assurance and certainty of their salvation because it came "through the righteousness of our [their] God and [their] Saviour Jesus Christ". It didn't come by any other means that others might falsely suggest. It came to them, ...as it says in v.2 ...through knowing God and Jesus our [their] Lord".
So what are we to stand up for?
What are we meant to think? Are we to follow Peter's lead and trust in our salvation through the righteousness of God?
Even today others would want us to believe differently.
It isn't my intention to knock other ministers or other denominations, but Peter makes it quite clear that we are to be aware of false teachings, ....and to EXPOSE THEM!!
As leaders and teachers we cannot simply sit on our hands and allow our friends, you the church community, to be tossed to-and-fro in untruth.
A few years ago there was a Scottish Presbyterian minister, who was a professor on the staff of the University of Sydney's Biblical Studies department, ...who parted company from the Bible's teaching on the truth about Jesus.
Not long after, the Presbyterian Church here in Australia parted company with him. His thinking had stopped being biblical!
More recently, all the turmoil in the appointment of a certain Anglican Bishop to the position of Anglican Primate of Australia ...is about what Christians are meant to think.
4 Corners a couple of weeks ago was given over to the debate of the new Primate's teaching on the Bible and what Christians are meant to think.
Other media have also run with the question of: 'What Christians are meant to think'.
In the April 25 issue of the Bulletin, the new Primate "made the point that the physical resurrection of Jesus was not the important point. What was important was that He [Jesus] had come back to the people who had persecuted Him, ....and forgiven them ..." In the same article he "... also said that St Luke, writing that it was only through Jesus that salvation could come, was ignorant of the 'other religions'." (SMH 29 April).
What the Primate inferred, was that if Luke had known of other religions, he would have not made such a claim.
This is a load of rot!
EVEN IF certain religions have come into existince since the time of Christ, there has always been other teachings and religions 'competing' with the God of the Bible and His claim on people's lives!!
Those who believe in the 'literal resurrection' are seen by those who oppose such biblical teaching as a "..."small group" of hardliners .." (SMH 29 April), or just part of a sect ( 4 Corners, 19 June). SO ARE WE HERE AT MITCHY A SECT? NO WAY!!
Another prominent church minister is quoted as saying: "Anyone with basic intelligence would not believe it." (SMH 29 April). That is, the literal resurrection of Jesus.
So what are we to believe? What is the real truth?
We're now half-way down the outline.
The TRUTH is certainly not made known by cleverly invented stories. The REAL TRUTH comes from an eyewitness account!
Picking it up at chpt. 1 v. 16 [page 1204 of the pew bibles]
Peter says: "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 honour 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 [Peter, James & John - Mth. 17] heard this voice that came from heaven when we were with him on the sacred mountain."
Their eyewitness experience even made what they already knew from the prophets ...more certain, and having passed on this certain truth to others, it is now passed on to us. And you would do well to hang onto it.
Reading from v. 19. "And we have the word of the prophets made more certain, and you will do well to pay attention to it, as [if] it were a light shining in a dark place, until the day dawns and the morning star rises in your hearts. [Which is a reference to Jesus - Rev. 22:16, ..and his return] 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 [the prophets] spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit."
But there were people in Peter's time, ...and those in our own time as was mentioned earlier, who want to persuade us to believe something other than what the Bible teaches.
We're not to be persuaded by their "cleverly invented stories". They are false teachers who want to introduce destructive heresies into our thinking. We need to be on guard against their teaching which always denies the sovereignty of Jesus.
Pick it up once again. This time at chpt. 2.
"But there were also false prophets among the people [back in Old Testament times of prophecy], just as there will be false teachers among you [Peter says to his listeners]. They will secretly introduce destructive heresies, even denying the sovereign Lord who bought them - bring swift destruction on themselves. 2 Many will follow their shameful ways and will bring the way of truth into disrepute."
The recent public denial of the resurrection as the Bible teaches, is doing just that - bringing biblical truth into disrepute.
Peter says, that people like this are motivated by GREED.
V. 3, " ...their greed is to exploit you and influence you with stories they have made up."
And in contrast to Jesus who is the water of life, Peter says in v. 17 "These men are springs without water", they offer nothing.
They appeal to the lust and desire of sinful human nature to be king of one's own life. Rejecting and replacing Jesus as the rightful Sovereign King of their lives. They even turn on those who are attempting to escape such false teaching.
They promise you 'freedom' to be the boss of ones own life, when they themselves are enslaved in their own greed to exploit.
V. 18 "... they mouth empty boastful words and, by appealing to the lustful desires of sinful human nature, they entice people who are just escaping from those who live in error. 19 They promise freedom, while they themselves are slaves to depravity - for a man is a slave to whatever has mastered him."
Ungodly teachers they were, but their actions were condemning them.
V. 3 of chpt. 2.
"In their greed these teachers will exploit you with stories they have made up. Their condemnation has long been hanging over them, and their destruction has not been sleeping."
God is awake to their schemes!
And the better part of chpt. 2 is spent reminding us that if God didn't spare fallen angels v.4, or the world a long time ago when he flooded it v.5, or whole cities that were ungodly v.6, ....even though God did rescue those who were godly vv. 7 -9, ...those who are corrupt and desire to rule their own lives, and despise God's authority over them, and are bold and arrogant v.10, and blaspheme in matters that they don't have a clue about v.12, ...they will be made accountable for what they have done.
As it says in v. 13 "They will be paid back with harm for the harm they have done."
And at the end of v.14 "...they are experts in greed - an accursed brood!"
And the saddest thing is that they were once challenged by the Lordship of Jesus. But having turned their backs on Him, they are worse off than before.
V. 20 "If they have escaped the corruption of the world by knowing our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ and are again entangled in it and overcome, they are worse off at the end than they were at the beginning. 21 It would have been better for them not to have known the way of righteousness, than to have known it and then to turn their backs on the sacred command that was passed on to them."
And then as if with a shrug of disappointment or maybe disgust, Peter quotes Proverb 26: "A dog returns to its vomit, and, a sow [a pig] that is washed goes back to her wallowing in the mud." Harsh words indeed!
But what of godly Christians? What are they like? What do WE NEED to be godly?
Peter informs us of how God has given us everything we need to be godly.
Check-out v.3 in chpt. 1.
"His divine power has given us everything we need for life and godliness through our knowledge of him who called us by his own glory [a reference to his resurrection power] and goodness. 4 Through these he has given us his very great and precious promises, so that through them you may participate in the divine nature and escape the corruption in the world caused by evil desires."
Peter then spells out in plain everyday language, the qualities a godly Christian ought to possess.
And possessing them will keep us from being ineffective and unproductive.
Picking up at v. 5.
Because God has called us, "...make every effort to add to your faith, goodness; and to goodness, knowledge; and to knowledge, self-control; and to self-control, perseverance; and to perseverance, godliness; and godliness, brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness, love. 8 For if you possess these qualities in increasing measure, they will keep you from being ineffective and unproductive in your knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. 9 But if anyone does not have , he [or she] is near-sighted and blind, and has forgotten that he [or she] has been cleansed from their past sins.
You know, I reckon Peter is a great example of a passionate Christian.
He simply isn't content with knowing the Gospel. He lives it and he wants others to live it also.
He is as passionate about Gospel truth, and doesn't give up on people.
He simply isn't going to take someone else's backsliding, or allow their lukewarmness towards Jesus to ultimately drown them in a sea of apathy.
He's going to KEEP ON REMINDING THEM of their rich calling.
OF their definite election, into the eternal Kingdom of God. Never wanting to see them fall away. Even after he has died, he is going to make every effort for them to be reminded of the welcome that awaits them in heaven.
v.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, 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."
Do we have the passion of Peter?
Are we laying ourselves on the line to stand up for the Gospel truth?
Has the divine power of God challenged and changed us?
Do you still need to give into his authoritative claim over your life?
If so, don't wait! DO IT TODAY. Give all authority over your life to Jesus. DO IT TODAY.
And don't keep your new relationship with Jesus secret.
Tell a Christian that you respect.
And what of you Christians. Are you growing as a 'follower of Jesus'?
Growing in all that you need for life and godliness?
And are you reminding each other, especially when you see someone who YOU HAVE invested your life into, ....someone who has become a friend, slowly slipping out the back door of faith and fellowship?
BE LIKE PETER, BE PASSIONATE.
DON'T GIVE UP ON THE GOSPEL.
DON'T GIVE UP ON PEOPLE.