Table
of Contents
.Introduction
If you plant
a garden, it takes a lot of work to ensure there is a yield – that
the full potential of that garden is realized at harvest time.
Soil prop, good seeds, proper
nutrients, plenty of water, sunlight, etc. – work tending the
plants.
But you also need to be vigilant at
ensure weeds, bugs, and other types of pests don't devour the crop
and kill the plants and otherwise leave you with a fruitless garden.
– defend
.Tending (2 Peter)
1)Fruitful Living (2 Peter 1:1-15)
Justification Is of God (2 Peter 1:3-4)
God provides
all we need to be all that He wants us to be.
Look at
verse 3 with me:
3 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
and goodness.
What Peter
is getting at here is this. Everything we need for life, eternal
life, is provided by the Spirit, because of the work of the Son –
justification. Those who are justified by God will also be glorified
(Paul tells us).
But Peter
also brings in, not only life, but a godly life. This is a calling
of every justified person. To be holy because the Lord your God is
holy. This is the work of the Spirit in harmony with the believer
living out the Christian life – Sanctification.
And parallel
to justification and sanctification are participation in the
divine nature and escape of the corruption in the world (verse
4).
Fruitful Christian Living Takes Work (2 Peter 1:5-8)
We possess
none of these qualities in ourselves.
And as we
begin pursuing what Peter is saying, we realize how very impossible
it is to live this way in our own strength.
I can't have
faith apart from God working in me to produce it.
I can't grow
in goodness because in myself I am not good.
I can't
increase in knowledge of God and His word without the Spirit
enlightening me.
I can't be
self-controlled apart from the Holy Spirit's fruit in me.
I can't
persevere because I am weak and easily stumble and fall.
I can't be
godly apart from God's image being created in me.
I'm not
kind, and I don't love.
Yet, Peter
does not tell us to “let go and let God”. That is not biblical
advise.
We are to be
these things because they are what God is producing in use by His
Spirit.
And He only
produces the fruit of sanctification
in lives of people whom he has justified.
As Peter points out in verse 8, a productive life results – one
that is effective and grows in the knowledge of the Lord Jesus
Christ.
We All Need Daily Reminders (2 Peter 1:9-15)
Of Our Past Forgiveness (1:9)
By not
following through with the process of sanctification; by becoming
worldly, by neglecting spiritual disciplines; it's easy to begin
thinking of the Christian life as just a fringe benefit that one
receives when he dies.
This is a
nearsighted view, as Peter points out is verse 9. It's basically
forgetting how ugly sin is and what a high price was paid for your
redemption:
1 Peter 1:18-19 – 18 For you know that it was not with perishable
things such as silver or gold that you were redeemed from the empty
way of life handed down to you from your forefathers, 19 but
with the precious blood of Christ, a lamb without blemish or defect.
For Assurance (1:10-11)
If you are
anything like me, you have had doubts about your salvation in the
past. Maybe you are struggling with them in the present.
One thing
that can contribute to doubts is failing to live a sanctified life.
Neglect of your walk with the
Lord. By doing your own thing instead of finding out what God's
thing is for you to do.
Confess it and turn back to God in repentance and experience the
assurance of your salvation.
Life Is Short, Stir Briskly (1:12-15)
Peter knows
that he will soon stretch out his hands and go where he does not
want to go. This was what Jesus
told him in the last chapter of John.
And
so Peter wants to stir them up
(ESV) or refresh their memory.
Look at verse 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.
Peter is not
reminding ignorant people. These are people “firmly established in
the truth.”
We can
never get enough reminders about the gospel message and from whence
our salvation came.
We also
can never get too many reminders about living a life that aligns with
our great salvation.
2)The Sure Word (2 Peter 1:16-21)
Peter's Experience (2 Peter 1:16-18)
As great as
all Peter's experiences were, he isn't continually going back to
them. He is also not telling them that they really missed out.
What Peter
is pointing out is that God supplies certain people in time,
Prophets, Apostles, etc. to write down God's oracles. And that
personal experiences, as wonderful as they are, cannot supplant the
truth of Scripture.
19 And we have the word of the prophets made more certain, and you
will do well to pay attention to it, as to a light shining in a dark
place, until the day dawns and the morning star rises in your
hearts. 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 spoke
from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit.
We ought
never take an experience and try to overlay it on Scripture and use
it for an understanding of Scripture. We need to look at our
experiences God provides in the shadow of Scripture.
The
Scriptures are authoritative, not our experiences.
A More Sure Witness (2 Peter 1:19-21)
3)Why Truth Matters (2 Peter 2)
Why does
Peter point us so strongly to the Scriptures as words inspired by
God? Because the enemy of our souls has his ambassadors out in force
– he always has and always will until our Lord's return.
As he says
in 2:1, there were false prophets back then as there are among you
right now. And unless you and I are so in tune with the Scriptures
and with the Holy Spirit, we will be swayed by their persuasive
teaching.
They present
heresies and even deny the sovereign Lord who bought you.
What Attraction
Why do so
many fall prey to false teachers back then and today?
- One reason is that we have a natural sinful bent. And what they teach is attractive to that sin nature because it is coming from teachers who are teaching godless things.
- Another reason is due to the ignorance of many people in the things of God. They are not aware of sound doctrine and therefore they are swayed by the cunning teachings of men.
- Another reason is due to a lack of practical application of Scripture to one's own life. Hearing it, but having very little doing.
- Other reasons are that many who fall for such things are not believers at all and therefore do not have the Holy Spirit within them.
4)The Lord Will Return (2 Peter 3:1-13)
Remember the Prophets and Apostles
Once again,
remember what was taught by prophet and apostle. The Bible is not
optional, it is essential.
Don't Be Surprised (3:3-7)
Scoffers
have always been around. Were it not for Christ in your life and
mine, we too would be scoffers.
They cast
doubt on the Lord's words and His promises. The same way the devil
did in the garden.
But don't
let them shake your faith. They did the same thing in Noah's day and
see how far that got them.
The Lord Is Patient (3:8-10)
Besides,
they are scoffing at the Lord's word all the while experiencing the
patient mercy of the Lord. God isn't slow. He moves at exactly His
pace. And thankfully so for my sake and yours.
5)Summary (2 Peter 3:14-18)
Be Holy (3:14)
Be Patient (3:15-16)
Be Steadfast (3:17)
Be Productive (3:18)
6)Illustration
I planted a
tree last fall. I paid quite a bit for it and had a real struggle
getting it into the backyard to plant. It is a spruce and it weighed
several hundred pounds.
This winter
was so dry (as was the fall) that many branches began to shed leaves.
Mary and I kept looking at it through the winter and began to fear
that it might be dead or dying.
It wasn't until this spring,
when new buds of growth began showing up that we were so relieved to
know that it was in fact alive.
7)Principle
One distinctive mark of a true believer is spiritual growth.
8)Applications
How are your branches? Are they dry and losing needles? Or are they supple and showing new growth?
What are you doing to prepare for dry seasons ahead?
What are you planning for this summer in order to remain in God's word daily?
Memorize 1 &
2 Peter? James? Another book?
.Defending (Jude)
Contend: to
strive or vie in contest or rivalry or against difficulties
Defend: to
ward off attack from; guard against assault or injury
1)Contend For The Faith (Jude 1-4)
The Faith Remains the Same (3)
Can't add to it or subtract from it.
False Teachers Distort Truth (4)
Our defense? Know the truth well.
2)God's Response to Past Rebellion (Jude 5-7)
3)False Teacher's Disregard For Truth (Jude 8-16)
Their Own Dreams
Live According to Flesh
Rebellious
Regarding Celestial Beings
Underestimate Their Power
Because they don't understand or
accept Scripture, how could they truly understand the unseen world?
They couldn't. And so they speak, without understanding, against
powers they cannot comprehend.
Overestimate Their Power
False teachers speak about what they
do not know. If Michael didn't rebuke Satan, how can man think he
can. Arrogant and proud men think they can, but fools believe many
untrue things.
Their Doom (Jude 13)
Everlasting
darkness is reserved for them.
4)Summary (Jude 17-23)
Remember The Scriptures (Jude 17)
Don't Be Caught Off Guard (Jude 18-19)
Do...
Grow In The Faith
Pray In The Spirit
Stay In God's Love
Await Christ's Return
Be Merciful
Be Evangelists
Be Vigilant
5)Doxology (Jude 24-25)
24 To him who is able to keep you from falling and to present you
before his glorious presence without fault and with great joy— 25
to the only God our Savior be glory, majesty, power and authority,
through Jesus Christ our Lord, before all ages, now and forevermore!
Amen.
6)Illustration
Squash bugs lay their eggs on the
underside of the large, healthy squash plants. When the bugs hatch,
they begin to pierce the leaves and stems and kill the squash leaves
– wilting and eventually turning brown or black.
If you don't know they are there,
they can destroy the plant without even being detected or until its
too late.
