The Bible Series 2 Peter
Notes
Transcript
Handout
It was before the Israelites entered the land that Joshua would stand before them and warn them… Joshua 24:15
“If it is disagreeable in your sight to serve the Lord, choose for yourselves today whom you will serve: whether the gods which your fathers served which were beyond the River, or the gods of the Amorites in whose land you are living; but as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord.”
You and I like them have a choice WHO WE SERVE… but we need to make a well informed choice… THINK!
Solomon, known for the wisdom God gave him would write a warning concerning those who would desire to lead astray... in Proverbs 26:23-26
Smooth words may hide a wicked heart, just as a pretty glaze covers a clay pot. People may cover their hatred with pleasant words, but they’re deceiving you. They pretend to be kind, but don’t believe them. Their hearts are full of many evils. While their hatred may be concealed by trickery, their wrongdoing will be exposed in public.
Jesus Christ Jesus while among His disciples would warn of these types of individuals and gives vivid imagery of them and their intentions...… Matthew 7:15
“Beware of the false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly are ravenous wolves.
Paul as he gave final instructions to his son in the Faith Timothy would caution to people’s desire to hear these false words… 2 Timothy 4:3
For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but wanting to have their ears tickled, they will accumulate for themselves teachers in accordance to their own desires,
Paul cautioned the church leaders to be aware and on guard even among themselves… in Acts 20:29-30
“I know that after my departure savage wolves will come in among you, not sparing the flock; and from among your own selves men will arise, speaking perverse things, to draw away the disciples after them.
If I asked you today to memorize the scriptures that say… “God helps those who help themselves.” or one of my favorites… “follow your heart, and believe in yourself”
Would you actually take time to go home and look up those passages?
Would you sit there pompous and grin saying to yourself… “no need I already have those ones memorized”?
Or… would you sit there concerned and maybe even angry knowing that such words are not scripture, nor scriptural teaching, able to recognize that something that “sounds good” in our culture and our day is actually heresy and counter to the very Word of God!!!???
Peter has recognized these wolves, false teachers, destructive individuals making their way into the church
and even people in the church giving ear to their teaching! For this urgent reason Peter writes a second letter… 2 Peter 1:1-3
Simon Peter, a bond-servant and apostle of Jesus Christ, To those who have received a faith of the same kind as ours, by the righteousness of our God and Savior, Jesus Christ: Grace and peace be multiplied to you in the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord; seeing that His divine power has granted to us everything pertaining to life and godliness, through the true knowledge of Him who called us by His own glory and excellence.
2 Peter Letter Info
2 Peter Letter Info
Writing to those he wrote before , Peter pens this letter from Rome. He is now much closer to his death in 66-67 AD. Peter writes with great urgency. He is direct and does not mince words. It is evident that Peter has expectations of his readers,
PLEASE NOTE: God has expectations of those who follow Him!
Both letters begin offering both “Grace and peace”...
In 1 Peter to “the fullest”; in 2 Peter “multiplied”!
EXTERNAL OPPOSITION INTERNAL OPPOSITION
HOSTILITY HERESY
SUBMISSION KNOWLEDGE
COMFORT CAUTION
HOPE in Lord’s Return CONFIDENCE in Return
ENDURANCE STEADFAST
Peter gives clear expectations to believers and it CENTERS ON THE SCRIPTURES:
REMEMBER the scriptures taught
KNOW what the scriptures state
GROW deeper in their knowledge of the scriptures
BE AWARE of anything NOT scripture!
2 Peter Overview
2 Peter Overview
Peter expects his readers (Believers) TO: Grow in Maturity and Understanding of Jesus Christ in order to deal with false teachings and to have an accurate Hope in Christ’s promised return.
BY: Greeting Them With Expectations.... 2 Peter 1:1-3
BY: Expecting Believer’s Personal Spiritual Growth & Maturity… 2 Peter 1:4-21
BY: Demonstrating Maturity Guards Against False Teaching… 2 Peter 2:1-22
BY: Showing Our Maturity Brings True Hope in The Promised Return… 2 Peter 3:1-13
BY: Giving Final Instruction for All Believers to Mature and Grow… 2 Peter 3:14-18
Peter right away gives meat and expects them to know and apply this knowledge.
Grace and Peace ... it multiplied?... In our knowledge of God and Jesus Christ!
The more you know and understand God... you comprehend His divine power
This POWER has granted us EVERYTHING for life and godliness!
Through what??? “The true knowledge”
Over 23 times Peter references (Remember, know, knowledge)
CHURCH… It is time we stop being mentally lazy in our relationship with Jesus Christ!
The church needs to grow in our maturity in Christ, the time is now!
Stop being complacent to take in pre-chewed Bible, work through it, chew on it
Peter states his purpose is for them to remember…2 Peter 3:1-2
This is now, beloved, the second letter I am writing to you in which I am stirring up your sincere mind by way of reminder, that you should remember the words spoken beforehand by the holy prophets and the commandment of the Lord and Savior spoken by your apostles.
DOCTRINE:
DOCTRINE:
Peter once again is foundational in his teaching that what we believe is crucial
Defined: teaching, instruction or something that is taught, a principle or position in a system of belief
*** BELIEF creates BEHAVIOR… and church BEHAVIOR has CONSEQUENCES***
Verse 5 “applying all diligence, in your faith supply...”
applying all diligence = literally ‘to bring every effort to’ to do one’s very best in attempting to do something—‘to do one’s best, to make every effort to, to try as hard as possible.’
The next word there is “Supply” = to provide something in addition to what already exists
The root of this word has the implication of “choreography” or “chorus”… A DANCE
God has given these things to us, we have to add them to our faith… (not to our salvation)
Peter has listed 7 things to add to our faith in the following verses… this dance so to speak and how beautiful it is when added!
1) Moral Excellence : to do what is right, stand firm, stand alone if necessary.
This is not being a loner, we need to be insulated NOT isolated from the world
2) Knowledge = Peter loves this word… a practical common sense of God’s Word
Taking what you know of God’s Word and applying it to life!
3) Self-Control = Giving Him control, not allowing ones self/flesh to have rule in your heart
4) Perseverance = to bear up under a heavy load, continuing even when, especially when it is difficult...
5) Godliness = appropriate beliefs… right thinking
A right view of God (REVERENCE)
A right view of Mankind (RESPECT or RELATIONSHIP)
The idea behind this is NOT an “appearance or look” but rather “BE or state of being, who you are”
Internal vs external
6) Brotherly Kindness = a genuine affection towards your brothers and sisters in Christ!
Based on who you are as a follower of Christ, NOT on what they have or have not done.
7) LOVE = agape… apply to all this “dance” God’s perfect love
Seeking the absolute highest good of the the other person
Two Optional Outcomes...
Two Optional Outcomes...
2 Peter 1:8
For if these qualities are yours and are increasing, they render you neither useless nor unfruitful in the true knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.
You will be useful and fruitful
Notice these virtues can and should be increasing in your life… we do not arrive
2 Peter 1:9
For he who lacks these qualities is blind or short-sighted, having forgotten his purification from his former sins.
This is a willful blindness, a closing of the eyes
Wrong perspective, looking to the here and now
Forgotten what Christ did and why
How Do We Do This?
How Do We Do This?
Peter tells his readers that he saw Christ Jesus glorified, he is an eyewitness!!!
This is powerful but even greater is the Scriptures!!! (God Very Word!)
Peter makes this clear statement of our scriptures… 2 Peter 1:19-21
So we have the prophetic word made more sure, to which you do well to pay attention as to a lamp shining in a dark place, until the day dawns and the morning star arises in your hearts. But know this first of all, that no prophecy of Scripture is a matter of one’s own interpretation, for no prophecy was ever made by an act of human will, but men moved by the Holy Spirit spoke from God.
“we” scripture is given to ALL for ALL to know!
Scripture is not “human will”
Scripture is given through the Holy Spirit… for God’s Glory… NOT MAN’S!!!
These truths lead Peter to WARN HIS READERS!!!
False Teachers…
False Teachers…
These individuals are AMONG THE PEOPLE...
Teaching heresy (denying Truth, opposite direction )
They even deny Christ
They polluted the doctrine of justification, promoting immorality
They heard the truth, yet refused it
Like dogs returning to vomit, or pigs in the mire
Peter compares their evil and morality to:
The disobedience of angels
The sick morality in Noah’s day
The people of Sodom & Gomorrah
Peter warns of the consequences of hearing and knowing the truth rejecting it!!!
These false teachers claim greater insight, wisdom, & revelation
Making their hears feel foolish… yet they are the real fools as they spread their LIES…
Mark Twain said… “The difference between a person who tells the truth and tells a lie is that the liar’s gotta have a better memory.”
They change like the weather, thriving on emotion, drawing with excitement and something new
YET… the Truth, the Scriptures, the promises of God are never changing!!!
Peter Reaffirms for believers the CONFIDENCE we can have in Christ’s Return… We can plant our feet into the PROMISES of God and be STEADFAST!
Notice Peter’s powerful yet comforting words in 2 Peter 3:3-9 as he addresses the mockery to come in last days…
Know this first of all, that in the last days mockers will come with their mocking, following after their own lusts, and saying, “Where is the promise of His coming? For ever since the fathers fell asleep, all continues just as it was from the beginning of creation.” For when they maintain this, it escapes their notice that by the word of God the heavens existed long ago and the earth was formed out of water and by water, through which the world at that time was destroyed, being flooded with water. But by His word the present heavens and earth are being reserved for fire, kept for the day of judgment and destruction of ungodly men. But do not let this one fact escape your notice, beloved, that with the Lord one day is like a thousand years, and a thousand years like one day. The Lord is not slow about His promise, as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing for any to perish but for all to come to repentance.
GOD DESIRES… that none perish! What Grace and Mercy… yet there will be a day and judgement is coming!
GOD DESIRES our life of FAITH… OUR BEHAVIOR lived out in a beautiful DANCE!
Peter Closes in a powerful way…
Peter Closes in a powerful way…
I tried to conclude with a great illustration for you to take, but rather as I read this letter over and over I decided I would leave you with how Peter summed up his charge to the believers… Peter ends his letter this way 2 Peter 3:17-18
You therefore, beloved, knowing this beforehand, be on your guard so that you are not carried away by the error of unprincipled men and fall from your own steadfastness, but grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To Him be the glory, both now and to the day of eternity. Amen.