So I will always remind you of these things, even though you know them and are firmly established in the truth you now have. I think it is right to refresh your memory as long as I live in the tent of this body, because I know that I will soon put it aside, as our Lord Jesus Christ has made clear to me. And I will make every effort to see that after my departure you will always be able to remember these things… Dear friends, this is now my second letter to you. I have written both of them as reminders to stimulate you to wholesome thinking. I want you to recall the words spoken in the past by the holy prophets and the command given by our Lord and Savior through your apostles. (2 Peter 1:12-15, 3:1-2)
We are forgetful people. Most of us do well to make it through the day without forgetting where we put our keys, purse and glasses. Whilst misplacing household objects may not matter a great deal, it is vital that we do not forget the truth of Jesus’ teachings.
This letter is one big reminder of the gospel that Jesus made known to Peter, the foundational apostle on whom Jesus said he would build his church. The epistle contains some of Peter’s final words before he is martyred for his faith.
Peter urges his readers not to listen to the false teachers who are publicly denying the reality of judgement, deriding the idea of Jesus’ return and disagreeing with the need to live lives of service to Jesus (3 lies that resonate in a remarkably contemporary way)!
More positively, Peter wants to remind ordinary Christians like us what it means to know God, to help us trust God’s promises for the future, to strengthen us to live in light of the great day when Jesus will return, and see through the deception of those who are trying to deceive them with error.
Join us on Sunday evenings as we work through this letter which I trust will be a helpful reminder to us all!
19th February - 2 Peter 1:1-11
26th February - 2 Peter 1:12-21
5th March - 2 Peter 2:1-10
12th March - 2 Peter 2:11-22
19th March - 2 Peter 3:1-10
2nd April - 2 Peter 3:11-18