Untitled Sermon (3)
Stuff’n’Things
1Am I not completely free and unrestrained? Absolutely! Am I not an apostle? Of course! Haven’t I had a personal encounter with our Jesus face-to-face—and continue to see him?a Emphatically yes! Aren’t you all the proof of my ministry in the Lord?b Certainly! 2If others do not recognize me as their apostle, as least you are bound to do so, for now your lives are joined to the Lord. You are the living proof, the certificate of my apostleship.
3So to those who want to continually criticize my apostolic ministry, here’s my statement of defense.c 4Don’t we apostles have the right to be supported financially?d 5Don’t we have the right to travel accompanied by our believing wives and be supported as a couple, as do the other apostles, such as Peter the Rock and the Lord’s brothers?e 6Of course we do!f Or is it only Barnabas and I who have no right to stop working for a living?g
i. We remember that Simon was his given name at birth; Peter was the special name given to him by Jesus, to call this man to “rock-like” thinking and behavior.
ii. Some have said that Peter didn’t write this letter because the subject and style is somewhat different than 1 Peter. Yet the purpose of the two letters is quite different. 1 Peter was written to encourage Christians under the threat of violent persecution; 2 Peter was written to warn those same believers of the danger of false teachers and harmful influences.