Remember - 2 Peter 1:12-15

Intro

Key Observations about the text

Before we get into the specifics of the text this morning, I want to show you some significant words that show up in these 4 little verses.

From these observations, we can draw some preliminary conclusions about Peter and what he is doing with his writing.

Personal pronouns - 7x

“I” v.12, “I” v.13 (2x), “my/me” v.14 (2x), “I/my” v.15 (2x)

Peter is writing a very personal statement to his readers.

Thinking words - 5x

“remind” v.12, “know” v.12, “reminder” v.13, “knowing” v.14, “call to mind” v.15

Peter wants his readers to be reminded of something.

The repeated use of those 5 thinking words makes it clear that Peter is bringing things back to their memory, things that they already know and have experienced.

His reminder includes the previous 11 verses, but the content of what they know extends beyond that. They have experienced redemption and forgiveness of sin prior to his writing, and they have been established in the truth.

“These things” 2x - v.12, 15

Peter draws upon their experiential knowledge/understanding of Christ

Peter is reminding them of ‘these things’ that they already know, AND that they have been established in the truth. They have both the data/information of Christ, but also the relational experience of walking with Christ.

There are two different words for know

One word simply refers to information, knowing data, knowing something. We will see this in vv. 12 and 14.

The other word for know has a much deeper richer meaning to it - it is knowledge with understanding, comprehending, in a relationship setting. Knowing experientially, rather than merely data.

Peter will use this word 14 times in this letter

“diligent” 1x - v.15

Each of the 5x that Peter uses this word it is connected to a significant movement of God and an appropriate response.

Peter is motivated by a personal relationship with Christ for the good of others.

Peter’s desire through this letter is that they grow in the true knowledge of God and Jesus our Lord. He is going to express that desire in three distinct punchy sentences:

I will always be ready to remind you

I consider it right to stir you up

I will be diligent that you be able to call to mind

Ready to Remind v.12

2 Peter 1:12 NASB95

12 Therefore, I will always be ready to remind you of these things, even though you already know them, and have been established in the truth which is present with you.

This is the first of three sentences that Peter uses in this personal appeal.

Peter’s attitude is one of being eager to serve his fellow believers.

“I will always be ready” - ‘to intend constantly’

Peter is ready at a moment’s notice to serve his friends by reminding them of truth.

“remind” - we get our word ‘mnemonic’ from this root. ‘mnemonic device’ is a little mental trigger that you create or use to trigger a memory and remember something.

Peter has specific content that he is ready to remind them of

v. 12 points to v. 10 “for as long as you practice these things, you will never stumble”

v. 10 points to v. 9 “whoever lacks these is blind, short-sighted”

v. 9 points to v. 8 “if these are yours and increasing”

v. 8 points to v. 5-7 - the supplying of godly virtues: faith, moral excellence, knowledge, self-control, perseverance, godliness, brotherly kindness, love

But these godly virtues are not self-generated or mustered up from an individual.

Rather, vv.5-7 points to v. 4, where Believers are invited by God to become partakers in the divine nature, through God’s precious and magnificent promises.

But v. 4 points back to v. 3, where God’s divine power has granted to us everything that we need for life and godliness, through the true knowledge of Him who called us by His own glory and excellence.

Beloved, this salvation that we so richly enjoy has been given to us by God’s grace - He moved first in creating us, He moved first in forgiving our sin through His Son, Jesus the Christ, and God is the one who moved first in justifying us through the imputed righteousness of Christ. And this salvation is ours through faith.

May we never forget the author and finisher of our faith, Jesus Christ.

Just as Peter was intent on reminding his audience of these things, we too need the continual reminder of God’s grace and mercy in our lives.

“even though you already know them”

Peter’s audience already knew these essentials of the faith.

They had the data and information about God’s work in salvation,

But they also had experienced the full fruit of living out the grace of salvation.

“you know them, and have been established”

The truth of God’s grace in salvation had taken root in their lives and resulted in them being established in the truth.

this is so much more than simply knowing the facts of salvation. When faith in God and the truth of God work together, God will establish us; fix us firmly in place; support us.

The phrase ‘have been established’ is in a verb form that we call a Divine Passive - It is an action that has occured in the past but has continuing present results.

Not only that, it is an action that has happened to them. They were established by someone else - God.

Salvation is an act of God that has been completed in the past, and yet has wonderful continuing results.

Again, it all points back to God - He is the one who moved first, and those who trust in Christ for salvation continue to reap the rich eternal rewards of His faithfulness

Right to Stir Up v.13-14

2 Peter 1:13–14 NASB95

13 I consider it right, as long as I am in this earthly dwelling, to stir you up by way of reminder, 14 knowing that the laying aside of my earthly dwelling is imminent, as also our Lord Jesus Christ has made clear to me.

Peter continues with his theme of reminding with this assessment - he considers it right to do this

‘right’ - morally upright, good, just. Same root word as righteousness.

Peter is doing the right thing by reminding his audience of these things.

He is doing the right thing by stirring them up, waking them up for action, getting their attention with this reminder.

It is good that they be reminded of the basics of their faith which they already know (v.12).

“as long as I am in this earthly dwelling”

The word for dwelling means habitation, used metaphorically for the body

for as long as Peter is in his body, he believes it is right to stir them up by way of reminder.

Peter has made it a right priority - for as long as he is able - to stir them up with reminders.

We use this kind of phrase when we are saying something that we believe is really really important. “As long as you live in this house, you will X”

“ I’m going to keep saying this as long as I have breath in my lungs....”

And in v. 14 we see what has caused Peter to bring up this sense of the finality of his life “knowing that the laying aside of my earthly dwelling is imminent”

the word knowing is the same as above, referring to data, information, facts.

Peter knows information about the shortness of his life, the removal of his earthly dwelling, and that it is coming soon.

‘imminent’ has the idea of something that is quick, soon, speed of action, taking place without delay, or swift.

It is good for Christians to always have an attitude of thankfulness to God for the very moment we are in, because we are not promised the next one. There is no guarantee of tomorrow.

[PPT - Psalm 90:12]

Psalm 139:16 “Your eyes saw me when I was inside the womb. All the days ordained for me were recorded in your scroll before one of them came into existence.”

Peter knows that his life is coming to an end soon because the Lord Jesus Christ has made it clear to him.

This may be a reference to John 21:18-19 Turn there

John 21:18–19 NASB95

18 “Truly, truly, I say to you, when you were younger, you used to gird yourself and walk wherever you wished; but when you grow old, you will stretch out your hands and someone else will gird you, and bring you where you do not wish to go.” 19 Now this He said, signifying by what kind of death he would glorify God. And when He had spoken this, He said to him, “Follow Me!”

verse 18 and the final statement in 19 is all that we have recorded of Jesus’ statement to Peter regarding this topic. John’s commentary, ~60 years after it was said by Jesus, and ~30 years after Peter died, are given for clarity and as a point of historical record.

Peter may not have understood precisely what Jesus was talking about in John 21.

But he certainly knows what’s coming in 2 Peter 1. Why? Because Jesus had made it clear to him.

Whether Jesus revealed something that was previously unknown, or Jesus explained and clarified to Peter what was coming (the word can support either meaning) - Jesus in his grace and kindness made it clear to Peter that his life was coming to an end - soon.

Knowing that Peter’s life is coming to an end soon, he considers it right and fitting that he would stir up his audience while he still has time.

Being faced with the finality of his life has given Peter a zeal, urgency, desire, and perspective that it is right to stir them up with these reminders.

Able to Call to Mind

2 Peter 1:15 NASB95

15 And I will also be diligent that at any time after my departure you will be able to call these things to mind.

Now we see the impact of the previous verse.

Knowing that he is going to die soon, Peter makes it an urgent priority, with zeal and haste, that he diligently make it possible for his audience to recall what he has written.

One of the reasons that Peter is writing (aside from being moved along by the Holy Spirit, see v.21) - is so that his reminders would be easily accessed and read.

Death brings a sense of urgency, and it is common that people would feel a need to write down memoirs, family history, stories of identity, and keep record of life-shaping events.

For Peter, it drove him to a pen and parchment, in order that future generations of faithful Believers would be able to recall these things.

We are reading this letter because of that man’s faithfulness and desire that we be reminded of Jesus Christ.

We are reading this letter because of the bold, decisive, clear, and obedient action of a fisherman - a construction worker on the sea. A man who said he was ready to die for Christ and then denied the Lord when the pressure became too great.

Now the pressure is greater still, and Peter is looking at the end of his life. What does he do in the face of death? He writes down the oracles of God, the truth of the Gospel, the power of Christ, his eye-witness testimony, the admonition to watch for false prophets, the reminder of the coming Day of the Lord!

Thank you Lord Jesus for your friendship with Peter! Thank you Father for the grace and strength you gave this man to stand boldly for the Lord.

The Holy Spirit knew that Peter’s audience would need these reminders, and He knew that we would need them too.

Remember - Reminder

We saw from Peter’s use of Personal pronouns -

Peter is making a very personal statement to his readers, and his desire was that grace and peace be multiplied to them in the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord.

In the same way, I make a personal appeal to you, that you grow in grace and peace, increasing in your true knowledge of the Lord Jesus. [PPT]

We have stated that our mission here at Sherwood is ‘Knowing the Savior, and Making Him Known’ - my desire for you is that you continue to grow in your understanding, relationship, fellowship with the Lord Jesus. There is nothing more important than knowing Jesus, remaining in Him, walking with Him, and sharing Him with those who are far from God.

Nathan, I appeal to you as an older brother in the Lord, that you find no greater satisfaction in your life than growing in grace and Christlikeness.

I appeal to you as a fellow laborer, that you fight the good fight, commit your ways to the Lord, and always seek wisdom from God Almighty rather than leaning on your own understanding.

I appeal to you as a fellow man, that you hold me to the same standard that Peter would hold us to - that of the Lord Jesus Christ.

We saw from Peter’s use of Thinking words -

Peter wants his readers to be reminded of something.

It is by God’s grace and through His precious promises that we have been invited to be a partaker of the Divine Nature. [PPT] This salvation that all of us enjoy is not of our own doing - it is not by works, that any of us should boast. But it is by God’s grace through faith that we have received this precious salvation.

It is through the God-Man Jesus, the Christ, that we have eternal life.

We must always be reminded of the work of Christ, the Gospel, which has made us alive together with Christ. As He was resurrected, we too are brought to new life in Him.

It is good that we be reminded of these things.

Nathan, I want to remind you that there is nothing more powerful, attractive, dynamic, life-changing that you can incorporate into your ministry than the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

Do not be ashamed of the Gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes - to the Jew first and also to the Greek. For in it the righteousness of God is revealed from faith to faith.

I am excited that you are going on for further study at Calvary Seminary - but you must never let the new become more important than the old. That old, old story, of Jesus and His love. Always come back to the written Word of God and the Lord Jesus Christ.

We saw from Peter’s use of “These things” -

Peter drew upon their experiential knowledge/understanding of Christ

We have a true experience of life transformation in the true knowledge of Jesus our Lord. [PPT] If we have trusted Christ as your Savior, then we have knowledge of who He is - data, information, facts. But don’t ever let your faith in Christ remain simply a matter of your head without it also affecting your heart and your hands.

Let the word of Christ dwell richly within you - not merely information, but transformation - a deep and meaningful understanding of Christ, walking by the Spirit in faith and power.

Follow the Lord in your life and in the Scriptures, and you will be established by God in the truth that is present with you.

Nathan, it is obvious that you have been instructed in the ways of godliness and Christlikeness. It is clear that you have been taught the Word.

Duane and Cristina, I know that you have taught your sons the ways of God, the truth of Christ, the life-changing power of the Word of God. You provided Nathan with the information that He needed in order to know and understand who Jesus is, but you also provided an environment for your sons to experience the goodness and kindness of the Lord. Your faithfulness to the Lord has reaped the reward of seeing Nathan established in the faith.

Nathan, as you move forward into this next chapter of your life, be assured that it is the Lord Jesus who has established you. You are at this point in your life because of the faithfulness of God, and He has used the faithfulness of your parents who instructed you.

We saw from Peter’s use of the word “diligent” -

Peter was motivated by a personal relationship with Christ for the good of others.

The highest good that we can do for someone is to love as Christ loves. Agape love, self-sacrificing, seeking the highest good for the other.

A godly motive of loving others, considering them as more important than yourselves. [PPT]

The single greatest thing we can do to reflect the nature of God is to love one another. “By this all men will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another”.

Nathan, the very best thing that you can do in your ministry career is love the Lord your God with all of your heart, soul, mind, and strength - and love your neighbor as yourself.

Let your love for Christ be the motivation for your study, your planning, your communication, your ice cream outings with the youth, your phone calls of encouragement, your teaching. These are precious children of ours, and we trust them to the Lord’s care - part of that care now includes you. Let your love for Christ shape your love for children, youth, and families.

Do not fall into the trap of loving the world nor the things of the world - they are all fading away. There are only three things that will last forever - the Triune God, His Living Word, and People.