Remember the Truth
Notes
Transcript
V.1
After having given a long exhortation on false teachers, Peter abruptly changes gears.
He now pauses to remind his readers why he penned these two letters in the first place.
It is certainly possible to have a pure mind and a bad memory, and Peter wanted to stir that memory.
We aren't really any different.
If you are a born again believer, you are justified in God's eyes, yet we still have to be reminded of things from time to time.
Not only that, lest we become complacent, we need to be stirred up!
Otherwise, Satan will find us asleep at the wheel, and will take full advantage of the situation.
This was precisely what Peter was trying to do, stir them by reminding them.
V.2
And Peter knew specifically what his readers needed to be reminded of.
They needed to be reminded of the truthfulness, authority, and importance of the Word of God.
In light of the false teachers, they needed to be reminded that the Word of God could be trusted.
Peter first makes the point that Scripture is the word of God, by saying that the words were spoken by holy prophets.
It was brought to us by prophets, but not just any prophets, they were holy prophets.
To be holy, is to be devoted to God, and God is holy, so If the prophets were holy, then they must have been of God.
Since the Scripture came from God, through holy men of God, it must be God's word.
Scripture came from God, through holy men of God.
Scripture came from God, through holy men of God.
2 Peter 1:21
2 Peter 1:21
for prophecy never came by the will of man, but holy men of God spoke as they were moved by the Holy Spirit.
2 Timothy 3:16
2 Timothy 3:16
All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness,
The prophets brought the scripture, prophesied both the first and second comings of Christ, recorded the past judgments, and prophesied the future judgment.
Because the words of the prophets are God's words, we always need to be mindful of them.
If we are to understand and believe what God is telling us about future events and judgments (which is where Peter is going with this), then we need to believe what He has told us about the past.
And we CAN believe it!
God has not called us to a blind faith! Our faith consists of substance and evidence.
God has not called us to a blind faith! Our faith consists of substance and evidence.
Hebrews 11:1
Hebrews 11:1
Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.
Notice that our hope has substance, meaning that we can count on it.
Christian hope is not some fanciful wish, it is a substantive reality.
Even the things we can't see, are evidential.
God offers evidence or proof that the unseen things exist (atoms, molecules, air, gravity, etc.)
God gives us plenty of reasons to believe.
Jesus said we should believe the earthly things He has told us.
Jesus said we should believe the earthly things He has told us.
John 3:12
John 3:12
If I have told you earthly things and you do not believe, how will you believe if I tell you heavenly things?
The Bible reveals many earthly, tangible things.
if there is any doubt in your mind, when this service is over, that the Bible is the Word of God, I really want to talk to you.
There is life in the blood
There is life in the blood
Leviticus 17:11
Leviticus 17:11
For the life of the flesh is in the blood, and I have given it to you upon the altar to make atonement for your souls; for it is the blood that makes atonement for the soul.’
As few as 200 years ago, doctors didn't understand that the life was in the blood. In fact, it was common practice to bleed people (sometimes to death) in order to heal them (that is precisely what happened to George Washington). Astonishingly, this was revealed in the Bible over 3000 years ago.
The earth is round, hangs in space, and the universe is expanding.
The earth is round, hangs in space, and the universe is expanding.
Isaiah 40:22
Isaiah 40:22
It is He who sits above the circle of the earth, And its inhabitants are like grasshoppers, Who stretches out the heavens like a curtain, And spreads them out like a tent to dwell in.
We all know the story, in 1492 Columbus sailed the ocean blue, and proved the earth was round. Actually, the Greeks believed the world to be round as early as 450B.C. However, that is still at least 300 years AFTER it was recorded by Isaiah. God was way ahead of the curve!
Job 26:7
Job 26:7
He stretches out the north over empty space; He hangs the earth on nothing.
4000 years ago, God revealed that the earth floats in space, long before man ever discovered that fact.
Only in fairly recent history did we discover that the universe is expanding.
It is apparent to us now, because we can see the “red shift” of the objects that are moving away from us.
As light moves toward you, while the source is moving away, the light shifts to the red end of the spectrum.
It is an amazing discovery, but its nothing new. God revealed it 4000 years ago.
Light has motion.
Light has motion.
Job 38:19-20
Job 38:19-20
“Where is the way to the dwelling of light? And darkness, where is its place, That you may take it to its territory, That you may know the paths to its home?
Again, it was only in fairly recent history that man discovered that light actually moves.
It is amazing that God revealed this about 4000 years ago.
There are springs in the sea.
There are springs in the sea.
Job 38:16
Job 38:16
“Have you entered the springs of the sea? Or have you walked in search of the depths?
It wasn’t until the 1960?s that man discovered springs in the ocean, yet God revealed this fact about 4000 years ago.
The hydrologic cycle.
The hydrologic cycle.
Job 36:27-29
Job 36:27-29
For He draws up drops of water, Which distill as rain from the mist, Which the clouds drop down And pour abundantly on man. Indeed, can anyone understand the spreading of clouds, The thunder from His canopy?
In the 16th century, man finally discovered the hydrologic cycle. Incredibly, God revealed this to us 4000 years ago.
The transparency of gold.
The transparency of gold.
Revelation 21:21
Revelation 21:21
The twelve gates were twelve pearls: each individual gate was of one pearl. And the street of the city was pure gold, like transparent glass.
The book of Revelation was written around 90 A.D., and it references transparent gold.
We have only recently discovered that if gold is thin enough, it is transparent.
Gold can be put into solution and applied in various means to a layer as thin as 2 molecules. At this thickness, it is transparent.
Not only that, it reflects heat.
This application would be for use as an anti-glare on items like an astronauts face shield, the cockpit windows of modern aircraft, as well as the windows of many new office buildings.
We’ve just, in recent history, had the technology to discover this, but yet again, God was way ahead of us.
He revealed it nearly 2000 years ago.
The Bible was written by 44 authors over a period of 1600 years, with perfect, seamless integration.
The Bible is better preserved than any other ancient manuscript in the world.
Christian faith is not speculative, it is tangible! It is a substantial faith!
We have every reason to believe it, it must be the Word of God.
Since it is God's word, we would do well to understand it and heed it.
The last thing Peter mentions is the Lord and Savior, because it all comes back to Christ.
There is salvation in absolutely no other than Jesus Christ.
To attempt any other method, is to accept the consequences of hell.
The Bible is true and we can believe it, and it tells us that Jesus is the only means of salvation.
The Bible is true and we can believe it, and it tells us that Jesus is the only means of salvation.
John 14:6
John 14:6
Jesus said to him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.
Acts 4:12
Acts 4:12
Nor is there salvation in any other, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved.”
Since the Bible truly is the word of God, we have no reason to doubt the saving sacrifice of Jesus Christ.
Knowing that you have before you God's very own word, that He gave you, because He desired to communicate and reveal Himself to you, the question becomes:
What does God want from you?
1. Your trust, He wants you to trust Him with your life.
God wants you to trust Him with your life.
God wants you to trust Him with your life.
2 Peter 3:9
2 Peter 3:9
The Lord is not slack concerning His promise, as some count slackness, but is longsuffering toward us, not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance.
Romans 10:9
Romans 10:9
that if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved.
God wants your obedience.
Love your neighbor, love your enemies, esteem others more highly than yourself. . .
God has given you a word that you can trust; therefore you can trust Him, and apply His word to all areas of your life: Family, work, school, car, or Wal-Mart.
God is speaking to you through His word.
Will you close the book and put it on a shelf?
If you do, you are ignoring God and shunning the sacrifice that Jesus made on your behalf.
Has His blood spilled in vain?
Will you say I'll get around to it someday?
Well, someday may never come.
Or will you seek God's will, and open your heart to His word?
The choice is yours, will you choose to know Him?
