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[0:00] I know that Easter is next Sunday, and we celebrate that as the day that Jesus rose from being crucified and put in a tomb for three days.

[0:16] But we also know and understand, and I want to keep it before us, every single Lord's Day that we gather, we gather to celebrate He is risen. Every single Lord's Day.

[0:28] So we'll put emphasis on it next Sunday as well, but just know that's what we're all about, isn't it? Celebrating a risen Lord.

[0:40] That's why the cross behind me is empty. He's not on it anymore. He's at the right hand of the Father. And He doesn't have to be re-crucified every time we get together.

[0:52] We celebrate Him as risen, risen again. Well, we're in 2 Peter together. If you haven't turned there already. And the title of the message for this morning, in keeping with the theme that Peter's tracing in this first chapter, remember.

[1:11] Remember. That's why we read from Psalm 77 about remembering. Remember. Pursue a godly life. Pursue a godly life.

[1:23] It is so crazy the numbers of things in our lives that draw us away from keeping a front-of-the-mind focus on pursuing Jesus.

[1:34] To pursue a godly life isn't to pursue a life of works. It's to pursue Jesus. To run hard after Jesus and know Him. That's what we'll talk about this morning.

[1:48] Well, to get into the flavor of what Peter's going to present to us. Because it's very unique today. Very unique. He didn't do this in chapter 1. And this is the only place he does in chapter 1.

[1:59] In 1 Peter. This is the only place that he's doing it in 2 Peter. And it was very interesting for me to study this out. And try to gain something of his emphasis in his heart.

[2:12] Let me ask you this. What would you say to the people you care most about if you were dying? And if you knew this would be your final opportunity to speak to them.

[2:26] Perhaps they're gathered around the deathbed, as it were. Or the hospital bed. Or wherever the setting is. Maybe you're at home. And you know that this is it.

[2:37] And you've asked the people closest to you to gather around you. And you have one final opportunity to say something to them. My guess is that you'd say something like you love them.

[2:51] You tell them that you love them. And how much you value them. You'd speak about what you desire most for them. And those final moments you'd be thinking about what's most important.

[3:07] And how you would want to encourage them to focus on what's most important in their lives. I think that's probably what you do. I know that's what I do. And I wonder if you'd say something like this.

[3:19] Remember. Remember my loved ones. Remember what matters most. Remember what I what I taught you. Remember what you saw me live for.

[3:32] Remember. Remember. And now you. You live. And you give. Your all. For Jesus Christ. Now here's the thing.

[3:47] The sobering question behind all of that is. Is that what they would remember? Because that is what they saw. You with me.

[4:02] In that moment. As you tried to direct the people that are closest to you. To what's most important. What would they say they saw you live.

[4:13] As being most important. You see. And if you said living for Jesus is most important. And you tried to call them.

[4:24] To that kind of focus in their life. Would they see that as a consistent testimony at the end of your life. By the way you lived your life to that moment. Did they see you giving your all and living your all for the Lord.

[4:43] I don't know what you're going to say. If you have an opportunity to say anything. Before you draw your last breath. But I hope that it will. Challenge and encourage you to think carefully about the life you're living.

[4:58] The only way to die well is to live well. You will not die well. If you have not lived well. Sobering isn't it.

[5:10] But it's what we're called to think about. Peter is. That's this entire section. Peter wrote this entire letter.

[5:21] With what I just said to you in mind. More specific then to our text for today. What does any true shepherd. Because Peter is a shepherd of God's people.

[5:33] What does any true shepherd of Jesus. Desire most. For those he shepherds. And here it is. It's not a mystery. The Bible makes it really clear.

[5:45] That those shepherds would be. Involved in a ministry. That would help to deeply. Root. God's people. In what is true.

[5:57] So that they would have an unshakable confidence. In God. And in his gracious provision. For what they need.

[6:08] To remain protected in. And faithful to. That truth. So everything. That I'm saying to you now. Is Peter. Coming to the end of his life.

[6:20] And putting that out to them. As a true shepherd. And saying. If there's anything. That I want to leave with you. I want to leave with you. Being rooted in the truth. I want to see you.

[6:32] Rooted and grounded. In the love that God has for you. And you living in that truth. Let's read the text for today. And see how he expresses it. We're going to reach back up into.

[6:44] Verse 5 of chapter 1. And move down through verse 15. 12 through 15 will be the focus for today. Now for this very reason also.

[6:54] Applying all diligence. In your faith. Supply. Moral excellence. What a list here. Moral excellence. And in your moral excellence.

[7:06] Knowledge. And in your knowledge. Self-control. And in your self-control. Perseverance. And in your perseverance. Godliness. And in your godliness.

[7:17] Brotherly kindness. And in your brotherly kindness. Love. For if these qualities are yours. And are increasing.

[7:29] They render you neither useless. Nor unfruitful. In the true knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. For he who lacks these qualities. Is blind or short-sighted.

[7:40] Having forgotten his purification. From his former sins. Therefore brothers. Be all the more diligent. To make certain. About his calling.

[7:51] And choosing you. For as long as you practice these things. You will never stumble. For in this way. The entrance into the eternal kingdom.

[8:02] Of our Lord and Savior. Jesus Christ. Will be abundantly supplied to you. And now for today. Therefore. I will always be ready. To remind you.

[8:13] Of these things. Even though you already know them. And. Have been established in the truth. Which is present. With you. But I consider it right.

[8:25] As long as I'm in this earthly dwelling. To stir you up. By way of reminder. Knowing that the laying aside. Of my earthly dwelling.

[8:36] Is imminent. As also our Lord Jesus Christ. Has made clear to me. And I will also be diligent. That at any time. After my departure. You.

[8:47] Will be able. To call these things. To mind. That is Peter's chief concern. As he builds his letter. Toward all of his warnings.

[8:59] About false teachers. It's coming. And they're dangerous teachings. He takes. Pains. To ground his warnings. In God's remedy.

[9:10] For false. Doctrine. For false teaching. It's not the only thing. That he's worried about. Concerning the false teachers. Their false teaching. There are many other things.

[9:21] Associated with these men. That he's concerned. Not come into the life. Of the churches. The bodies. The local bodies. That he's. Speaking to right now.

[9:31] In contrast. Then. To the false teachers. And their destructive. Deceitful doctrines. Peter. Reminds. His readers. That God.

[9:43] God alone. Has given them. Everything they need. For life. And godliness. Through. A truthful. Knowledge. Of him. A saving.

[9:55] Knowledge. Of God. Through. His word. God. So where is this. Truthful knowledge. Found. That's. That's the question.

[10:05] That Peter is. Laying before them. And saying. That's already been. Answered. For you. And it's alive. In you. So don't turn away. From it. Don't succumb.

[10:17] To all of the. Fancy. Teachings. And all of the. Charismatic. Kind of. Personalities. These guys have. You know. They're very. Charming.

[10:27] Guys. They talk. A good. Talk. But it's. Empty. Wind. Don't. Let them. Turn. You. Away. From. What. You've. Already.

[10:38] Become. Established. In. And you. Already. Own. You. Own. Everything. That you. Need. To keep. You. Faithful. In a. Life. That's. Pleasing.

[10:48] To God. Now. Don't. Let them. Try. To convince. You. You. Need. To add. To that. Anybody. That comes. Into. Your. Life. That tells. You. You. Need. To add.

[10:58] This. To Jesus. You. Need. To run. The other. Direction. Because. Again. As we like. To say. Here. You. Were. Not. Shortchanged. By. Your. Father. When. He. Gave. You.

[11:08] Christ. And. His. Word. And. This. Is. Everything. That. We've. Been. Talking. About. Through. Chapter. One. He. Peter. In. These. First. Fifteen. Verses. Is. Just.

[11:18] And. He's. Going. To. Continue. On. To. What. We. Call. Chapter. Two. He. Is. Really. Laying. Down. The. Foundation. And. Hammering. The. Reality. Of. What. They. Need. To. Put. Their. Feet. Into. In.

[11:29] Order. To. Move. Forward. In. The. Christian. Life. Because. He. Knows. What. He. Is. About. To. Tell. Them. In. Chapter. Two. As. He. Seen. This. Going. On. In. Churches. In. Local. Assemblies.

[11:39] Like. Ours. Little. Bodies. And. Pockets. Of. Believers. All. Over. Modern. Turkey. At. This. Particular. Time. This. Is. A. Circular. Letter. Going. All. Over. That. Area. Being. Read. In.

[11:49] All. These. Different. Congregations. This. Is. A. Real. Problem. And. A. Real. Issue. So. We. Come. Back. To. The. Question. Where. Is. This. Truthful. Knowledge. That. Peter.

[12:00] Is. Calling. Them. To. And. Calling. Them. To. Be. Assured. In. Where. Where. Do. We. Go. To. Find. This. Kind. Of. Knowledge. I. Want. To. Take. You. To. Several. Places. In.

[12:10] Scripture. And. Get. You. Busy. With. Me. Just. To. Remind. You. By. Way. Of. Reminder. And. In. Keeping. With. Peter's. Theme. John. Chapter. Eight. These.

[12:22] Are. Very. Very. Short. Terse. Straightforward. Declarations. Of. Where. We. Go. To. Find. True. Knowledge. For.

[12:33] Living. Our. Lives. In. This. Broken. False. World. John. Chapter. Eight. And. We'll. Look. At. Verses. Thirty. One. And. Thirty. Two. If. You're.

[12:43] Taking. Notes. So. Jesus. Was. Saying. To. Those. Jews. Who. Had. Believed. Him. If. You. Continue. In. My. Word.

[12:54] Then. You. Are. Truly. Disciples. Of. Mine. And. You. Will. Know. The. Truth. And. The. Truth. Will. Make. You. Free.

[13:06] What. Is. The. Condition. In. That. Particular. Series. Of. Verses. You. See. The. If. Then. Statement. In.

[13:16] Verse. Thirty. One. If. You. Continue. In. My. Word. Then. You. Are. Truly. My. Disciples. And. You. Will. Know. The. Truth. And. The. Truth. Will. Make. You. Free.

[13:27] And. Then. In. John. Chapter. Fourteen. Each. Of. These. Will. Be. In. John. Verse. Six. Very. Clearly.

[13:37] Jesus. Says. I. Am. The. Way. And. The. Truth. And. The. Life. No. One. Comes. To. The. Father. But.

[13:47] Through. Me. Jesus. Isn't. Saying. Here. That. He. Just. Simply. Dispenses. Truth. That. He. Tells. The. Truth. He. Is.

[13:58] Saying. Here. I. Am. Truth. I. Embody. Truth. And. So. I. Minister. When. I. Speak. I. Speak. The.

[14:08] Truth. Because. I'm. The. Truth. So. Friends. You. Understand. That. We're. Seeking. A. Person. As. We. Talk. About. This. Knowledge. And. This. Truth. We're.

[14:19] Finding. It. In. A. Person. We're. Finding. It. In. Our. Savior. Aren't. We. We're. Not. Listen. It's. Very. Important. We're. Not. Finding. It. In. A. Theory. We're. Not. Finding. It. In. In. Another.

[14:29] Book. We're. Not. Finding. It. In. Concepts. Or. Ideas. Or. Philosophies. We're. Finding. The.

[14:39] Ultimate. Source. Of. Truth. In. Our. Savior. And. Lord. Jesus. Christ. And. So. You. Are. On. Rock. Solid. Ground. As. You. Seek. Your. Savior. To. Help.

[14:49] You. Navigate. Life. You. Can't. Find. A. Better. Place. To. Be. So. Don't. Look. For. One. Stay. There. This. Is. Peter's. Heart. Oh. Beloved. As.

[15:00] I. Draw. My. Last. Breath. As. I. Realize. This. Is. The. Last. Time. I. Have. An. Opportunity. To. Speak. Encouragement. To. You. Don't. Take. Your. Eyes. Off. The. Ball. As. It. Were.

[15:11] Keep. Your. Eyes. On. Christ. Seek. The. Lord. And. Live. A. Life. That. Is. Worthy. Of. God. Look. At. One. More. With. Me. It's.

[15:21] John. 17. 17. Jesus. Is. Praying. And. He. Comes. To. This. Part.

[15:31] Part. In. His. Prayer. And. He. Says. Sanctify. Them. In. The. Truth. Your. Word. Is. Truth. Set. Them. Apart. Make.

[15:42] Them. Holy. In. The. Truth. Your. Word. Is. That. Truth. So. You. And. I. Are. Made. Holy. In. Christ. And. We.

[15:52] Are. Progressively. Growing. Like. Jesus. As. We. Obey. The. Word. Of. The. Living. God. As. We. Take. More. And. More. Of. God's. Word. Into. Our. Heart. As. Our. Minds.

[16:02] And. Hearts. Are. Renewed. In. Scripture. Then. We. Are. Put. On. A. Platform. A. Rock. Not. The. Sand. The. Shifting. Sand. But. The. Rock. Of.

[16:12] The. Lord. Jesus. Christ. We. Stand. And. Operate. And. Live. From. We. Make. Decisions. From. We. Relate. From. Standing. On. That. Rock. Who. Is. Jesus. Christ.

[16:23] No. Shifting. In. The. Lord. Whatever. Believers. Are. Being. Told. Today. About. How. To. Navigate. Life. They're. Going. To. Be. Told. A. Thousand. Years. From. Now. If. The. Lord. Tarries. It's.

[16:33] Not. Going. To. Change. The. Message. Is. Going. To. Be. The. Same. No. Matter. If. We're. Living. On. Mars. Whatever. Or. If. We're. Driving. Things. That. Don't.

[16:44] Have. Wheels. And. They. Hover. Above. The. Ground. And. It's. Nothing. I. Don't. Care. How. Technologically. Advanced. We. Get. This. Message. Will. Never. Change. Because. The. The. Need. Of.

[16:54] The. Human. Heart. Will. Never. Change. As. Long. As. Jesus. Tarries. The. Need. Of. The. Human. Heart. Is. Jesus. All. Day. Every. Day. That's.

[17:04] The. Truth. So. Truthful. Knowledge. Then. If. We. Take. Those. Three. Passages. And. Bring. Them. Together. Truth. Knowledge. Is. The. Word. Of. Christ. Christ.

[17:14] About. Christ. And. We. Can. Go. On. To. Say. It's. Christ. Himself. So. Keep. In. Mind. That's. Peter's. Major. Concern. Is. That. We. Not.

[17:24] Miss. That. We're. Seeking. Jesus. As. We. Seek. Truth. Now. Let me. Put. A. Couple. Of. Things. Up. Here. For. You. That. Help. Clarify. Maybe. A. Little. Bit. Of. This. As.

[17:35] You. Walk. With. Jesus. That's. An. Ongoing. Progressive. Continuing. Action. It's. Not. A. One-time. Thing. As. You. Walk. With.

[17:46] As. You. Move. Along. With. Jesus. According. To. His. Truth. Jesus. Is. The. Wisdom. Of. God. For. You. Paul. Said. But. To. Those. Who.

[17:56] Are. The. Called. Both. Jews. And. Greeks. Christ. The. Power. Of. God. And. The. Wisdom. Of. God. But. By. God's.

[18:06] Doing. You. Are. In. Christ. Jesus. Who. Became. To. Us. Wisdom. From. God. Jesus. Is. Our. Wisdom.

[18:18] Now. You'll. Notice. In. This. Verse. He. Speaks. Of. Those. Who. Are. Called. So. You. Have. To. Also. See. The. Unique. Aspect. Of. Who. It. Is.

[18:28] On. Earth. That. Possesses. This. Kind. Of. Wisdom. And. Who. Is. Excluded. Do. You. See. That. In. This. Verse. Believers. People. Who. Have. Turned.

[18:38] Their. Heart. To. Jesus. Own. This. Wisdom. Of. God. Everybody. Else. Doesn't. Were. You. At. A. Place. In. Your. Life. At. One. Time. When. You.

[18:48] Did. Not. Operate. From. The. Wisdom. Who. Is. Jesus. Me. Too. But. As. We. Come. To. Trust. Jesus. For. The. For. For. Our. Sins.

[18:58] Now. A. Miracle. Happens. And. It. Truly. Is. A. Miracle. God. Comes. To. Live. In. You. And. Now. You. Possess. The. Wisdom. Of. God. Because. You. Possess.

[19:09] Jesus. In. Other. Words. Man. I'm. Going. To. Hammer. This. It's. This. Is. Not. Just. Some. Outside. Body. Of. Knowledge. That. You're. Trying.

[19:19] To. Gain. Yes. That's. Part. Of. Growing. In. The. Christian. Life. I'm. Saying. To. You. You. Got. All. Of. That. When. You. Got. Jesus. Now.

[19:29] You're. Learning. To. Tap. Into. It. You're. Learning. To. Grow. In. It. You. Got. Every. Bit. Of. That. God. Didn't. Withhold. It. From. You. It. It. It. You.

[19:39] Own. It. Because. You. Own. Him. And. He. Owns. You. Now. What. You. Need. To. Do. Is. You. Need. To. Tap. Into. It. And. Begin. To. To. Live. In. It. To. Appropriate.

[19:50] It. In. Other. Words. What. Have. We. Been. Saying. You're. Learning. To. Work. Out. What. He. Has. Worked. In. You're. Striving. In. Holiness.

[20:01] You're. Striving. In. What. God. Has. Done. Inside. Of. You. To. Transform. You. And. Renew. You. And. Make. You. A. New. Creature. And. Now. You're. Learning. To. Live. That. Out. This. Is. Why. Is.

[20:23] And. They. Need. To. Learn. To. Grow. Up. In. Christ. And. Mature. In. The. Lord. Folks. That's. Discipleship. This. Is. What. This. Is. What. Peter. Is.

[20:33] Zeroing. In. On. Here. For. Us. So. Let. Me. Focus. One. Real. Quickly. On. This. And. Move. Forward. The. Call. Come. Back. To. What. The. Scripture. Says. Effectual.

[20:53] Call. That's. How. Theologians. Talk. About. This. It's. The. Effectual. Call. It. Differs. From. The. General. Call. You. Hear.

[21:03] Me. At. Times. Up. Here. And. I. Make. A. I. Make. A. General. Call. For. All. People. In. The. Hearing. Of. My. Voice. To. Come. To. Christ. And. I. Try. To. Help. Them. Understand. What. Does. That. Mean. How.

[21:13] Do. I. Do. That. How. Do. I. Come. To. Jesus. And. Be. Saved. How. Do. I. Come. And. Trust. Jesus. To. Forgive. Me. For. My. Sins. And. Become. A. Christian. And. Become. A. Child. Of. God. That's.

[21:24] The. General. Call. I'm. Talking. To. Everybody. Who. Would. Listen. To. Me. I'm. Begging. Them. Come. To. Christ. That's. The. General. Call. The. Effectual. Call. Is. How. God. Takes. The. General.

[21:34] Call. And. Applies. It. To. Your. Heart. And. Brings. You. To. Salvation. Fulfills. It. That's. The. Effectual. Call. The. General. Call.

[21:44] Goes. Out. And. God. Makes. It. Effective. For. Your. Life. That's. What. We're. Talking. About. In. All. Of. This. So. He. Chose. You. And. Marked.

[21:55] You. Out. For. Salvation. Before. He. Made. The. World. That's. What. We. Looked. Into. Last. Sermon. Last. Week. And. That. Comes. From. Verse. 10.

[22:05] Look. At. It. With. Me. Therefore. If. You. Would. Brethren. Be. All. The. More. Diligent. Certain.

[22:19] About. God's. Calling. And. Choosing. You. That. Calling. There. Is. The. Effectual. Call. That. Choice. Is. Election. For. As. Long. As. You. Practice. These. Things. You. Will.

[22:29] Never. Stumble. Peter. Is. Super. Concerned. To. See. These. People. Grounded. In. This. That's. Why. He's. Talking. About. It. God. Marked. You. Out. For. Salvation. In. Election.

[22:40] Then. In. The. Calling. Of. God. He. Effectively. Brought. Fulfillment. To. That. Electing. Grace. That. He. Showered. On. You. As. Choosing. You. Way. Before.

[22:50] He. Made. The. World. Now. He. Brings. That. Into. A. Moment. In. Time. And. You. Come. To. Trust. Christ. And. You're. For. Your. Sins. And. All. Of. That. Becomes. A. Completed.

[23:01] Action. In. Terms. Of. You. Getting. Saved. Now. You. Grow. In. The. Lord. And. When. It. Really. Is. Completed. And. Fulfilled. Is. When. You. Are. Taken. Into. Glory. And.

[23:11] You're. With. Him. It's. A. Beautiful. Picture. Of. God's. Work. And. Salvation. When. People. Ask. The. Question. Of. Me. Well.

[23:22] Why. Doesn't. God. Save. Everybody. Why. Didn't. God. Choose. Everybody. I tell. Them. I. Ask. The. Same. Question. As. I. Rustled. With. This. Please.

[23:33] Let. Me. Tell. You. In. Much. Love. And. Grace. That's. The. Wrong. Question. To. Be. Asking. The. Better. Question. That. Is. Humbling. And. So. Bring.

[23:43] Is. Why. Did. God. Save. Anybody. Not. Everybody. Anybody. Because. None. Of. Us. Deserve.

[23:53] It. Why. Did. He. Choose. Me. That's. The. Question. And. The. Only. Answer. I. Have. Is. Found. In. Ephesians.

[24:04] Chapter. One. Because. Of. The. Kindness. Of. His. Mercy. And. That's. The. Best. That. I. Can. Do. Because. That's. What. The. Bible. Tells. Me. Back.

[24:15] To. The. Issue. At. Hand. What. Is. Peter. Doing. Here. What. Is. All. This. Theology. And. All. This. Stuff. We're. Talking. About. With. Effectual. Call. And. Being. Certain. And. Being. Diligent. What. Is. All. What. Does.

[24:25] All. This. Have. To. Do. With. What. Peter. Is. Wanting. Us. To. To. To. Is. Peter. Wants. His. Readers. To. Live. In. The. Fullness.

[24:36] Of. God's. Resources. Not. The. Resources. The. False. Teachers. Are. Going. To. Hold. Out. The. World. Is. Going. To. Hold. Out. Their. Flesh. Is. Going. To. Hold. Out. No. The. World. The. Flesh.

[24:46] And. The. Devil. Have. Nothing. To. Offer. In. The. Live. In. The. Fullness. Of. God's. Resources. In. Christ. And. In. Scripture. So.

[24:57] They. Need. Then. To. Do. Their. Spiritual. Diligence. Of. Putting. Their. Feet. In. The. Theological. Cement. Of. God's. Calling.

[25:07] And. Choosing. Them. As. They. Seek. To. Live. Out. These. Virtues. Beloved. So. He's. Tying. Theological. Foundation. To. Proxy. Illogical. Faithfulness. That's. A. Fancy.

[25:17] Way. Of. Saying. They. Are. Living. Out. What. They. Understand. God. Has. Done. In. Inside. Of. Them. The. Theological. Foundation. Of. Their. Life. Is. Jesus. Saved.

[25:28] Me. And. The. Proxy. Illogical. Faithfulness. Is. And. Now. I. Want. To. Live. A. Life. Worthy. Of. Him. Saving. Me. If.

[25:44] These. Qualities. Are. Yours. In other words. If. They're. Discernable. If. These. Qualities. Exist. In. Your. Life. In. A. Way. Where. They're. They're. Seen. They're. Discernable.

[25:55] There's. No. Question. About. The. Fact. That. These. Particular. Qualities. Are. Qualities. You're. Growing. In. In. Your. Character. You. Stumble. And. You. You. Fall.

[26:05] At. Times. And. You. Sin. But. You're. Quick. To. Confess. And. Seek. Forgiveness. And. Move. Forward. And. Ask. God. To. Help. You. Walk. In. Grace. These. Things. Are. Moving. In. Your. Life. For.

[26:15] If. These. Qualities. Are. Yours. You. Own. Them. They're. Discernable. And. Are. Increasing. That. Word. Could. Be. Abounding. Overflowing. They. Render. You. Neither. Useless. Nor.

[26:26] Unfruitful. In. The. True. Knowledge. Of. Our. Lord. Jesus. Christ. So. Abounding. Abounding. In. These. Virtues. From. Verses.

[26:36] Five. Through. Seven. Involves. You. Say. Jeff. How. Does. God. Involve. Me. In. This. Process. This. Is. How. He. Involves. You. In. A. Spiritual. Process. Of. Growing.. In. In.

[26:54] In. In. In. In. In. In. In. In. This. Is. Why. Peter. Repeatedly. Talks. To. Us. About. Being. Diligent. That. Word.

[27:04] Has. The. Idea. Of. An. Enthusiastic. Energetic. Effort. You're. Being. Brought. In. To. The. Process. Of. God. Making. You. More. Like. His. Son.

[27:14] And. Listen. Now. Fitting. You. For. Heaven. You. You. For. Heaven. You. Say. Jeff. All. Of. That. Just. Sounds. Like. It's. All. About. Eternity.

[27:26] Yes. That's. Right. If. That's. Where. You're. Tracking. You're. Tracking. Right. On. This. Is. All. About. Eternity. It's. Not. About. Here. This.

[27:37] Is. Not. Your. Home. You're. Just. Passing. Through. You're. A. Pilgrim. A. Sojourner. On. A. Journey. God. Brought. You. From. Death. To. Life.

[27:47] Your. Life. Exists. With. Your. Savior. Your. Savior. Is. At. The. Right. Hand. Of. God. He. Lives. In. You. He. Going. To. Bring. You. To. Where. He. Is. And.

[27:58] So. He. Wants. You. To. Live. A. Life. Now. Worthy. Of. That. Calling. That. This.

[28:11] Is. Your. Blink. Of. An. Eye. What's. Coming. Eternity. You. Understand. I. Can't. Explain. Eternity. That's. Forever. Here.

[28:22] In. Space. And. Time. We. Think. Forever. Do. This. One. Where. God. Come. From. Try.

[28:32] That. One. On. Let. Me. Just. Sit. Here. And. Think. Don't. Do. It. Longer. In. Thirty. Second. You. Go. And. What. Does. The. Scripture. Say.

[28:43] He. Has. No. Beginning. He. He. Always. Been. Now. That's. A. Big. God. That's. A. God. You. Can't. Put. In. Your. Little. Box. That's.

[28:53] The. God. You. Want. To. Serve. And. That's. The. God. Who. Saved. You. It's. Wonderful. All. So. Energetically. Enthusiastically. Live. Out. What.

[29:03] Jesus. Is. Working. In. You. What. Does. That. Look. Like. How. What. What. Happens. As. That. Happens. Here. It. Is. Look. You. Will. Be. Useful. And. Fruitful. In. Building. God's. Kingdom. You.

[29:15] Will. Be. Helped. To. Focus. Your. Life. On. Spiritual. Things. You. Will. Be. Strengthened. To. Not. Stumble. Into.

[29:26] Sin. It. Doesn't. Mean. You. You. You. You. You. You. You. Will. Be. Helped. Not. To. Stumble. As. In. God's. Grace. Will. Be. Sufficient. For. You. So. Even. If. You.

[29:36] Do. Stumble. Into. Sin. And. You. Will. You. Know. Where. To. Turn. And. How. To. Turn. You. You. Trust. In. Him. And. Then. The. The. Alternative. Is. That's.

[29:57] Verse. Eleven. So. Each. One. Of. Those. Verses. That. We. Have. Listed. Up. There. Bear. Out. These. Spiritual. Truths. About. You. Being. In. The. Process. Of. Your. Growing. In. Christ. Likeness.

[30:07] It's. Wonderful. We. Don't. Want. Anything. To. Get. In. The. Way. Of. That. Process. Because. People. Have. Come. To. Us. And. Told. Us. That's. Not. Enough. It's.

[30:18] Not. Enough. You. Need. A. Deeper. Life. You. Need. A. Higher. Life. You. Need. A. Different. Experience. You. Need. To. Know. This. Particular. Knowledge. You. Need. To.

[30:28] Have. This. Secret. To. The. Christian. Life. There's. Only. One. Secret. And. It's. Really. Not. A. Secret. And. His. Name. Is. In.

[30:45] The. Scripture. That. Are. Hard. To. Understand. Peter. Is. Going. To. Go. On. To. Say. That. There. Are. Things. That. Are. Difficult. I'm. Simply. Saying. That. The. Answer. Is. Clear. The. Reality. Is. Clear.

[30:56] And. We. Need. To. Focus. On. That. And. Not. Be. Drawn. Away. From. It. All. So. Peter. Says. This. He. Says. Apply. To. Your. Faith. In. Christ. Diligent.

[31:07] Efforts. To. Keep. Your. Focus. On. Jesus. While. Engaging. Your. Desires. What. You. Want. Most.

[31:17] Out. Of. Life. In. A. Moral. Commitment. Of. Honoring. Him. As. Savior. And. Lord. If. I. Said. That. In. A. Different. Way. Here's. How. I'd. Say it. In.

[31:27] Other. Words. In. Other. Words. You. Desire. More. Than. Anything. Else. In. Your. Life. To. Please. Jesus. And. Then. To. Do.

[31:38] Right. Because. You. Love. The. Lord. That's. Your. Moral. Commitment. Your. Moral. Commitment. Out. Of. Love. For. Jesus. Is. To. Do. Right. That's.

[31:48] Morality. That's. Choosing. To. Do. The. Right. Over. The. Wrong. To. Live. The. Right. Over. The. Wrong. To. Live. Selflessly. Rather. Than. Selfishly.

[32:00] To. Walk. In. A. Manor. Worthy. Of. The. Calling. With. Which. You've. Been. Called. I. Think. That's. Ephesians. 5. 1. That's.

[32:10] What. We're. Trying. To. Zero. In. On. As. We. Talk. About. Desiring. To. Please. Christ. And. Doing. Right. Because. You. Love. Him. Not.

[32:21] Because. You're. Trying. To. Convince. Him. That. You. Love. Him. But. Because. You. Love. Him. He. Knows. That. We. Don't. Love. Him. Perfectly. But. We're. Striving. We're. Working. On.

[32:31] That. We're. Growing. In. A. Love. For. Jesus. Just. Like. The. People. In. This. Room. Who. Are. Are. Try.

[32:47] To. Spoil. All. That. All. Now. Let's. Answer. This. Question. Look. How. Is. This. Focus. This. Spiritual. Process. This. Commitment. Describe.

[32:58] Is. How. Is. It. Described. In. Other. Places. In. The. Bible. Well. Here's. One. But. Put. On. The. Lord. Jesus. Christ. That's. In. Romans. But.

[33:08] Be. Filled. With. The. Spirit. In. All. The.

[33:18] Treasures. Of. Wisdom. And. Knowledge. Colossians. Two. Three. In. Each. One. Of. These. Passages. We're. Seeing. How. Other. Places. In. The. Bible. Describe. The. Spiritual. Growth. Process.

[33:28] That. You're. Involved. In. You're. Looking. Unto. Jesus. The. Author. And. Perfecter. Of. The. Faith. Walking. In. Jesus. Is. The. Only. Way. Believers.

[33:39] Can. Avoid. Being. Taken. Captive. As. The. Apostle. Paul. Would. Say. In. Colossians. Taken. Captive. Through. Philosophy. And. Empty.

[33:49] Deception. According. To. The. Tradition. Of. Men. According. To. The. Elementary. Principles. Of. The. World. Rather. Than. According. To.

[34:00] Christ. That's. Colossians. Two. Six. Through. Eight. So. Look. Folks. As. Peter. Faces. Martyrdom. And. Offers. This.

[34:10] Final. Letter. Of. Instruction. To. His. Readers. He. Wants. Them. And. Then. Us. To. Have. True. Knowledge. Of. God. Sufficient. Provision. In.

[34:20] Our. Salvation. And. To. Have. An. Experiential. Knowledge. Of. God. Sufficient. Power. In. Our. Sanctification. So.

[34:31] We. Have. A. True. Knowledge. That. God. Has. Made. Sufficient. Provision. For. Us. We. Don't. Have. To. Doubt. That. We. Don't. Have. To. Look. Around. For. More. Or. Extra. Or. Plus. We. Don't. Have. To.

[34:41] Do. Any. Of. That. And. Then. He. Wants. Us. Us. To. Have. An. Experiential. Knowledge. That. Is. He. Wants. Us. To. Have. A. Knowledge. That. Grows. From. Experience. I. I. Am. Currently. Relating.

[34:52] To. My. God. I. Am. Growing. In. The. Knowledge. Of. My. God. I'm. Getting. Closer. To. My. God. My. God. Is. Making. Himself. Known. To. Me. That's. It. That's. An. Experiential.

[35:03] Knowledge. You. See. That's. Personal. He. Wants. Us. Us. To. Grow. In. That. Now. Please. Notice. With. Me. If. You. Will. As. We. Turn. More. To. The. Text. Itself. And. The. Passage. For.

[35:13] Today. Look. At. Look. At. Verses. 12. 13. And. 15. Therefore. I. Will. Always. Be. Ready. To. Remind. You. Of. These. Things. Look.

[35:23] At. 13. I. Consider. It. Right. As. Long. As. In. This. Earthly. Dwelling. To. Stir. You. Up. By. Way. Of. Reminder. Look. At. Verse. 15.

[35:34] I. Will. Also. Be. Diligent. That. At. Any. Time. After. My. Departure. You. Will. What? Be. Able. To. Call. These. Things. To. Mind. That. Is. Remember. Recall. Them. Because.

[35:44] You're. Remembering. So. Three. Times. The. Theme. Of. Remembering. Or. Recalling. To. Mind. Is. Mentioned. By. The. Apostle. Peter. And.

[35:55] Sandwiched. In. Between. All. Of. That. Is. Verse. 14. Knowing. That. The. Laying. Aside. Of. My. Earthly. Dwelling. Is. Imminent. Is. Also. Our. Lord. Jesus.

[36:06] Christ. Has. Made. Clear. To. Me. This. Is. Where. He. Tells. Them. He's. About. To. Be. Killed. So. This. Passage. Is. An. Apostolic. Reminder. A.

[36:16] Reminder. From. An. Apostle. About. What. About. What. Peter. Has. Given. His. Life. To. And. For.

[36:26] Us. To. Give. Our. All. In. Living. A. Virtuous. Godly. Christ. Pleasing. Life. So. This. Is. Peter. On. His. Death. Bed. Doing. Exactly. What. I. Said. In. My. Introduction. Earlier.

[36:38] Look. To. My. Life. Look. To. What. I. Recall. These. Things. That. I. I. I. Taught. You. And. That. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I.

[36:49] I. I. I. I. What a testimony. So Peter opens his heart to us in this passage. In these few verses we're getting a view of the heart of the apostle Peter.

[37:01] Some decades later. Several decades later after his tremendous failure in denying Jesus. And now we're seeing this opening of his heart.

[37:12] And what God has brought this man to and what God's made him. The life that he's lived for Jesus after that failure. And he's giving all the glory to God.

[37:24] Look, this is where we see characteristics of Peter's pastoral concerns for God's people. So we get a glimpse of his Savior's heart in Peter.

[37:37] This is the heart of Jesus in Peter. We see Peter's desire to fulfill Jesus' charge to him from decades ago. What did he say? Peter, do you love me?

[37:50] Shepherd my sheep. That was his calling. That was his calling. That's what Peter wants to do more than anything else, and that's what he has done in his life.

[38:02] So the first thing that we're going to look at in our passage is this, a gospel heart. A gospel heart. 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 within you.

[38:20] Friends, my entire introduction this morning has been designed to help walk us into the word therefore in verse 12. Every bit of it.

[38:32] Therefore. This word points us back to verses 3 through 11 where the truths and riches of our salvation serve as the foundation for gospel living.

[38:45] It is amazing to me how often Christians miss this and get into trouble. I'll make it more personal. It has amazed me looking on my life how often in the past of my life as I've tried to grow in the Lord, I can overlook this.

[39:03] Even as a pastor, it's easy for pastors to miss what I'm talking about right now. What are you talking about? What I just said. That all of the truths and riches of my salvation, your salvation, serve as the foundation for gospel living.

[39:19] It's not gimmicks. It's not tricks. Therefore, therefore, since God has given us all we need in Christ and in his word to live to his glory and for his purposes, Peter says, I will always, always be ready to remind you of these truths.

[39:45] You see, he's never going to get away from it. This is never going to go away. As long as I'm drawing breath for life, I'm always going to look at you and remind you, remind you, remind you.

[39:57] That's my ministry. That's what he's saying. The issue, the issue of concern that Peter has for them and for us is summed up then in one concept.

[40:09] Now, don't miss this, please. What's the concern? What's the big issue? Here it is. It's one word. Now, we could have chosen a number of words, but here's the one that I've chosen. Drift.

[40:22] D-R-I-F-T. You and I tend to drift from the truth and to bend, to be conformed toward falsehood.

[40:36] Now, that's a scary proposition, but isn't it real? Does the world you live in, does it help you grow and become more like Jesus?

[40:47] Does it pat you on the back and tell you you're doing a great job walking spiritually with Jesus and growing in the Lord? No, it does not. Everything you face when you walk outside of these walls is designed to drag you down because this world does not belong, belong in heaven.

[41:07] This world's going to, we're going to get there. Peter's going to tell us all that in chapter three. This is all going to burn and go away and he's going to make a whole new one. This world is not heaven.

[41:21] So what is he saying? We tend to drift. Apart from a concerted, a concentrated, diligent, see, that's what he's saying, energetic, enthusiastic, striving after holiness, we will all drift into complacency about the gospel.

[41:40] We will begin to major on the minors of the faith. We'll begin to do exactly what the Apostle Paul throughout the New Testament tells us not to do. Stop wrangling.

[41:51] Stop quarreling about myths and ideas and concepts and ideals that all these people are bringing in and telling you these are the things you need to focus on. Beware of anybody that tells you ten steps to a better Christian life.

[42:07] Unless every single one of them just quotes scripture verses. All right. Now read that. Beware. Be careful. There's no great secret.

[42:19] The Bible hasn't made it a secret about how our Father wants us to grow in Christ-likeness. Now just follow what I'm saying here. A potential weakness as you and I walk in the Lord and walk together in the Lord over time is a proneness to novelty.

[42:41] A proneness to new ideas. Sophisticated spins. Clever teachings. Popular fads.

[42:53] It's like every single year to 18 months the evangelical community comes up with a new focus or a new fad. And it doesn't last long and then another one takes its place.

[43:06] And so pastors are constantly answering to these fads and warning the people that they shepherd stay focused. It's almost like they're going like this. Don't jump now when I'm going to. All right. It's almost pastors are doing like this.

[43:17] In love. The ones who are genuine. It's like hey look up here now. Come on. Don't. Don't everybody. Turn away. Close those blinds. Don't look at the carnival going by. Keep focused on Jesus.

[43:30] That's what pastors do. If they care about you. If they care about you that's what they do. This is what Peter's doing.

[43:41] We don't need new ideas. We don't need sophisticated spins on the gospel. We don't need people coming in here and demonstrating their cleverness to us. We shift.

[43:55] That's the problem. We shift our focus from Jesus to look on earthly things. To listen to earthly wisdom and to fulfill earthly desires that we abandoned at one time in order to follow Jesus.

[44:11] It's like we go back and play in the mud. And it's all because people can say some very clever sophisticated sounding things to us that draw us away from a simple and pure devotion to Jesus.

[44:23] 2 Corinthians 11 3 and so pastors if they're shepherding in their role and staying alert your pastors are the ones who stand on the hills while you're grazing and drinking the pure water they're standing on the hills watching for wolves.

[44:41] Any movement that's out of character on the peripheral of the forest or whatever it is the glade that you're in. The glade is the wonderful green grass of God's word the truth the riches that you have in Jesus that's the glade that's the green grass and the good pasture and the clean water and we stand and we watch and if any of those suckers show up we take that staff and we don't play around with that.

[45:10] None. There is no mercy given to false teachers. None. Zero. You show up here and you do some false teaching and you're confronted you have two choices repent or get out.

[45:23] We're not playing games with the truth. We're not playing games with your souls. We don't have any compunction problem at all about taking an approach like that because we're told how dangerous you're going to see when we go through the second chapter of second Peter you're going to see how serious this is because of the danger then of becoming short sighted Peter's gospel heart reaches out to remind us that true knowledge of the gospel of Jesus is what we need.

[45:59] It's what we always need. If you look back at the warning that he gave us in verse 9 for he who lacks these qualities is blind or short sighted having forgotten his purification from his former sins.

[46:15] that's what we want to avoid. Peter's pastoral heart says I will always notice that in the text therefore I verse 12 I will always be ready to remind you of these things.

[46:34] That's verses 5 through 7. Peter's commitment to always remind them is based in the truth that we never outgrow the gospel. Never.

[46:44] That's good. So by preaching and teaching I'll put this up here. By preaching and teaching and counseling by working with you in the way of discipleship growing in the Lord God's pastors help God's people remain focused on and committed to what?

[47:06] The gospel. The truth. And that's what verses 5 through 7 are about. These verses tell us how we pursue the gospel. Another way to say that how we engage in gospel living.

[47:22] That's what we do. That's what we always do. And I'm going to say more about this in a minute but you know I've been I probably shouldn't be but I've been astounded over the course of the ministry that Suzanne and I have been involved with now going on three decades at the kinds of things that quote unquote pastors will pull out and want to do to motivate their congregations and to help get more people to come and stay in their churches.

[47:59] Some of it is so ludicrous ridiculous and nonsensical that I don't even want to mention it from the pulpit. Others of it is just silly. When we we have one mandate as pastors lead you to green grass clear water and watch for wolves.

[48:18] That's our job. That's our privilege. That's our responsibility before the Lord. And it just doesn't have to get complicated. Doesn't have to be.

[48:29] Now people can get complicated. But what we're called to do doesn't have to be and we need to stay focused on it in order to help you stay focused. What is it?

[48:39] What is the saying? I always get them mixed up, but I think it's something like this. A mist in the pulpit creates a fog in the pews. If I don't stay focused, how can I help you?

[48:53] If I drift off into clever ideas and thinking that I've got to come in here and wow you every Sunday, what's that going to do to you? That's going to teach you triviality.

[49:04] Why don't we use smoke and mirrors in here? Well, number one, I'm not allowed. I'm not allowed to bother technology.

[49:16] Ask those guys back there. I have to stay within five feet of the sound system. They won't let me back there. I'll mess it up. No, we don't have all of that stuff because we don't need to add.

[49:28] We don't need to wow you with that stuff. We just need to keep preaching Jesus and him crucified and raised again and listen, I know that sounds terribly unsophisticated. That sounds terribly outmoded.

[49:40] Well, I'm like, I hope I'm like Paul. I'm ready to be called a clown, an idiot, and a moron because I'm just going to keep giving you Jesus. My job is to keep reminding you because when you go out there, it's easy to drift and when you come back in here, I want to help you refocus and that's how I love you and walk with you and I understand what that's like.

[50:08] Let me give you another one as we move on. A gracious heart, that's still in verse 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.

[50:25] Man, that is such a gracious statement from Peter. It's a statement of affirmation and edification from their pastor. He's complimenting them and affirming them.

[50:38] You have the truth and the truth's in you and you've been living the truth. Keep going. Don't look behind to the side, to that side.

[50:49] Just keep looking forward unto Jesus. This is what God nurtures in the hearts of his shepherds. What? He nurtures a nurturing heart.

[51:00] For what? For building up and not for tearing down. I might have to come to you one day and rebuke you. I might have to do that. I've done it plenty of times before.

[51:11] I might have to come to you and say, hey, this needs to change. Here's why. Here's the concern and here's what the Bible says about it. It'll always be like that. It won't just be my opinion.

[51:23] But that's love. That's because I don't want you to continue in error. The idea here is not tearing down, but building up.

[51:35] And building up is not always happy clappy. Because these are serious issues of life. But I want to give you some scriptural examples. You know how I try to do illustrations with you from time to time about this stuff, but I try to take them from scripture to do it.

[51:51] So here's one. First Thessalonians, if you'll turn there with me. First Thessalonians chapter two. This is an example of this nurturing heart that God builds into his pastors.

[52:08] It's very interesting to me the way that the words that Paul uses here. For you, for a chapter, first Thessalonians two, beginning in verse one, for you yourselves know brethren that our coming to you was not in vain.

[52:25] But after we had already suffered and been mistreated in Philippi, as you know, we had the boldness of our God to speak to you, look, the gospel of God amid much opposition.

[52:40] Paul said we did not veer one iota. Even though we came off of a really hard time, we did not let that intimidate us so that we came into town scared that you might have the same reaction and watered down the truth.

[52:55] We just gave you the gospel with boldness and a heart of love. That's what he's saying. Verse three, for our exhortation, our spiritual encouragements do not come from error or impurity or by way of deceit.

[53:13] We don't have any impure motives. We don't have selfish motives as we bring you these spiritual encouragements from the Lord. No, but just, verse four, just as we have been approved by God to be entrusted with the gospel, so we speak not as pleasing men, but God who examines our hearts.

[53:33] That's a pastor's mandate. My first order of business is am I being faithful to Jesus? And then am I being faithful to you?

[53:44] verse five, for we never came with flattering speech. See, as you know, nor with a pretext for greed. God is witness to that.

[53:56] Nor did we seek glory from men, either from you or from others. Even though as apostles of Christ, we might have asserted our authority, but we proved to be gentle among you.

[54:10] Now notice his language here. As a nursing mother tenderly cares for her own children. Having so fond an affection for you, we were well pleased to impart to you not only the gospel of God, but also our own lives, because you had become very dear to us.

[54:31] For you recall, brothers, our labor and our hardship, how working night and day so as not to be a burden to any of you, we proclaim to you the gospel of God.

[54:41] How many times has he said that? The gospel of God. You are witnesses. So is God. How devoutly and uprightly and blamelessly we have behaved toward you believers.

[54:53] Just as you know how we were exhorting and encouraging and imploring each one of you as a father would his own children. Why? So that you would walk in a manner worthy of the God who calls you into his kingdom and glory.

[55:10] That's the end game. What is the end game of pastoral ministry? So that you will walk in a manner worthy of the God who calls you into his kingdom and his glory.

[55:23] That's it. I have failed if I cannot make that my mission. Now, I can't make you guys walk with God, but I can certainly continue to keep that the focus of my ministry and not be distracted.

[55:40] I can't I can't be distracted by you, by them, even by me. I can't even be distracted by myself. Did you notice how he talked about a mother, a father and children?

[55:57] This is a family. Now, what I just read to you is a picture of tender strength. That is pastoral strength in tenderness. That's what we want.

[56:10] Let me give you another one. It's in Second Corinthians. This is another biblical illustration of this idea that God is building into his pastors a nurturing heart for his people.

[56:23] Second Corinthians 12. And it's going to be 14 through 21. Paul says.

[56:36] Here for this third time, I am ready to come to you. So this is three going to be three visits. He's made to Corinth. And I will not I will not be a burden to you for I do not seek what is yours, but you.

[56:55] For children are not responsible to save up for their parents, but parents for their children. Isn't that interesting? Now, I find it so because what Paul is saying is so opposite the false teachers.

[57:05] He's saying I'm not coming to get from you. I'm not seeking yours. I'm seeking you. I want to be involved in your life.

[57:18] I want to be your pastor and your friend and come alongside you. Now, look what he says. Verse 15. I will most then gladly spend and be expended for your souls.

[57:34] If I love you more, am I to be loved less? But be that as it may, I did not burden you myself. Nevertheless, crafty fellow that I am, I took you in by deceit.

[57:47] This is irony. Paul's being a little cynical here. Right? This is a little apostolic cynicism, a little bit of irony. He said because he's had to write this letter to defend his apostleship.

[58:00] He's had to write this letter to convince them he's not the man the false teachers are saying he is. I'm the guy who's trying to bring you to Christ. Don't listen to that nonsense.

[58:12] So he says, you know, crafty fellow that I am, I gave you Jesus and tried to deceive you. No, no. Verse 17. Certainly I have not taken advantage of you through any of those whom I have sent to you, have I?

[58:26] Haven't they all been godly men? I mean, I urged Titus to go. I sent the brother with him. Titus did not take any advantage of you, did he? Did we not conduct ourselves in the same spirit and walk in the same steps?

[58:41] All this time, you've been thinking that we are defending ourselves to you. Actually, actually what's going on, it is in the sight of God that we have been speaking in Christ and all for your upbuilding, beloved.

[58:58] For I am afraid that perhaps when I come, I might find you to be not what I wish and may be found by you to be not what you wish. That perhaps there will be strife, jealousy, angry tempers, disputes, slanders, gossip, arrogance, disturbances.

[59:16] Disturbances. See, all of those things, friends, all of that is what happens when you turn away from the gospel and you start trying to add to it. I am afraid that when I come again, my God may humiliate me before you and I may mourn over many of those who have sinned in the past and not repented of the impurity, immorality and sensuality which they've practiced.

[59:41] Folks, that's a picture of spiritual short-sightedness. That's a picture of believers who have turned away from the gospel at least in a moment and become blind and short-sighted to the reality of how God saved them and what's most important.

[59:55] Paul said, I'm afraid I'm going to come and find that it's going to break my heart. I'm afraid I'm going to come and find that and I'm going to have to get. Firm with you. And so you're going to find out that I'm not being what you hoped I'd be because I'm going to get firm.

[60:11] He said, man, don't I don't want to do that. So he's writing to them. He's giving them a heads up. He's warning them. That's a picture of single minded devotion in ministry.

[60:24] So Paul's heart is to spend and be expended on their behalf. All that Paul did in serving them, he said it was for your up building. It was to build you up spiritually.

[60:36] So folks, this is not flattery. This is not cheap grace. This isn't a pastor trying to ingratiate himself to you so that he can get from you.

[60:48] This is a pastor who's saying I'm giving you the one thing that can bring life to your life. And I'll never veer from that. I'm trying to build you up in the faith.

[61:00] And it's a shame that they were short sighted about it. And then finally, look at 2 Corinthians in chapter 13. This is the way he ends this letter. Verses 8 through 10.

[61:12] For we, all of the men he just mentioned, his entourage ministering to these people, for we can do nothing against the truth, but only for the truth.

[61:23] Do you see that? That's his ministry. For we rejoice when we ourselves are weak, but you are strong. This we also pray for, that you be made complete.

[61:36] I am willing to be a fool and a clown and be weak if it means you're made strong and if you're growing. Being made complete is growing in the Lord.

[61:46] For this reason, I am writing these things while absent so that when I present, I need not use severity in accordance with the authority which the Lord gave me for building up and not for tearing down.

[62:03] That's the way he ends his letter. Once again, trying to tell them that he, his ministry, his entire ministry is about, but that's the pastoral emphasis and it's important. It's important because of how it contrasts with the false teachers.

[62:19] Peter wants us built up and established in our faith. He's painfully aware. Now, notice this. David Helm, commentator David Helm was particularly helpful here for me as I wrestled with this idea, this concept in 2 Peter about being established.

[62:37] All right, listen to this. Peter, while he wants us built up and established in our faith, it's because he is so painfully aware of the issue of spiritual stumbling in his own life.

[62:49] He knows what it's like to fail spiritually in his life. If you look with me at Matthew, for example, there's more illustration. Let's keep you busy here.

[63:00] Matthew 26. And beginning in verse 31, down through 35, Matthew 26, 31 through 35, we're looking into the life of Peter for an example of why he's so concerned about this.

[63:17] Then Jesus said to them, you will all fall away because of me this night. Fall away. It means stumble. It could also be stumble.

[63:29] For it is written, I will strike down the shepherd and the sheep of the flock will be scattered. But after I've been raised, I will go ahead of you to Galilee. Oh, but look now, Peter.

[63:40] But Peter said to Jesus, even though all may stumble and fall away because of you, I will never stumble. I will never fall away.

[63:52] Jesus said to him, truly, truly, I say to you this very night before a rooster crows, you will deny me three times. And Peter said to him, even if I have to die with you, I will not deny you.

[64:03] All the disciples said the same thing. Now, we know what happened, right? We know that he did deny him. Now, I want you to compare that with second Peter one ten.

[64:15] Look back at second Peter one ten. What's his concern? Therefore, brethren, be all the more diligent to make certain about his calling and choosing you for as long as you practice these things, you will never stumble, fail, fall.

[64:33] Wonder where he got that concern from. Those passages speak to the theme of their falling or their stumbling away. Now, if you look with me again, we're going to turn to another passage in just a minute, but if you look with me again at verse 12 of second Peter, you'll see toward the end of the verse, you have been established in the truth which is present with you.

[64:58] Now, here's here's what I want you to see. The word established here is stay rezo, stay rezo. And it means to strengthen or to be strengthened.

[65:10] This word that Peter's choosing to use has an important history of use in Peter's life as it relates to his own weakness, his falling, his own stumbling.

[65:21] And I want to show you in Luke 22. Luke 22 31. 22 31.

[65:36] Simon, Simon, behold, Satan has demanded permission to sift you like wheat. But now notice I have prayed for you that your faith may not fail and you you when once you have turned again, strengthen your brothers.

[65:59] Establish that's our word is establish your brothers in the faith. Help them. You're going to know what it feels like to fail, to stumble, to fall.

[66:11] You're going to know what it feels like to have a need to be strengthened again. Once you have been strengthened and returned to service to me, get your eyes off yourself and stop having your pity party.

[66:23] Strengthen your brothers. Strengthen your brothers. Stay rezo, your brothers. The word Jesus uses for strengthen is the same root word that he's using in 2 Peter 1 12 about our being established is the point.

[66:40] It's the same root word. If you go back to 2 Peter, it's the same root word that Peter uses in chapter 2 verse 14. Look at this.

[66:51] Having eyes full of adultery that never cease from sin, enticing. I don't know what yours says. Mine says unstable souls. Having a heart trained in greed to curse children.

[67:04] He's talking about the false teachers. This is going to be eye opening. But right here he uses the word unstable souls. That's a negative emphasis on the same root word.

[67:17] It's just used in a negative way for established. And then finally, let me show you how he closes his book out. 2 Peter 3 verse 17. You therefore, beloved, knowing this beforehand, be on your guard so that you are not carried away by the error of unprincipled men and fall from your own steadfastness.

[67:45] Don't lose your stability is what he's telling them. Here's how I'm going to put it up here for you. Peter, Peter doesn't want them to lose their spiritual footing, their stability in the truth.

[67:59] As Christ's under shepherd, he builds up God's people in the truth. And this is why this is what we're doing every time we gather. Peter is arming their spiritual focus for the fight ahead.

[68:12] Isn't that what we're doing? We're arming your spiritual focus because you're going to leave here and you're going to go out there and it's a war. We're arming your spiritual focus.

[68:23] We're helping you remember what's important. What are the majors? How should you be thinking and relating? What should your marriage look like? Your parenting?

[68:34] What should it look like for you to go out and be an employee and a manager? In all these ways, an evangelist. This is what we're reminding you of.

[68:45] All right, let me hasten to finish here. A servant's heart in verse 13. That's the next characteristic we see of his pastor's heart.

[68:55] I consider it right as long as I'm in this earthly dwelling to stir you up by way of reminder. Now, look, this work of ministry to them is a matter of righteousness with Peter.

[69:08] The ministry that Peter's doing is an issue of righteousness before the Lord. The root word for right in the Greek here, I consider it right.

[69:20] It means righteous or just. So here's what Peter's idea is here. I think, regard, or deem it an act of righteousness for me to stir you up by way of reminder.

[69:35] And that's exactly how I feel when I get in the pulpit every Sunday. It is an issue of righteousness before my God and King to preach the gospel to you and minister his truth to you.

[69:48] First and foremost, my calling and my responsibility is to God. And far be it from me, woe is me if I do not preach the gospel to you and call you to repentance and help you walk in faithfulness.

[70:03] Woe be it to me. Now, I don't want to answer to the Lord for that negligence. So friends, this is the grounding for all genuine biblical shepherding.

[70:15] Do you hear me? It's done out of love for Jesus and in service to Jesus so that when I prepare my messages, my first loyalty and concern is for faithfulness to Christ.

[70:29] Then I turn to consider how to show you that love. In other words, here's the thing. I'll say it real quickly. I don't come to the Bible and study the Bible and think about, all right, I think I know what this is saying, but if I say that, I know that this one and this one and this one, they're going to get mad.

[70:46] I'm going to get some emails. They're going to text me. They're going to have a problem. So how can I say this in a way where I can skip over that and not have to offend?

[70:57] That's not what I do. I read the scripture and say this is what it says and then I read the scripture some more and I study and dig down and I say this is what it means by what it says and then I say, okay, now, I need to craft this in a way where I can get up and say these things to these people and be clear about what it says and loving and compassionate.

[71:19] Absolutely. But what's my first concern? Am I telling you the truth? You getting Jeff or Jesus? And if you get offended and you come to me, I'll sit down with you and say, can I go over that with you again and let's talk about why that happened?

[71:36] If I said it in an offensive way or an uncaring way, will you please forgive me? I'll work on that. But if what I said to you was the truth and it was said with love and compassion in my heart for you, then you have an issue, don't you?

[71:52] And your issue is with the Lord. Who am I preparing my sermons for? Jesus. You get the drippings.

[72:07] I don't know any other way to do it. When I craft my messages, I try to craft them. I think I've told you this before. I try to craft them in a way where I think of someone in the congregation who I feel like is maybe one of the spiritual babies in the congregation.

[72:23] They're just growing. They're just starting to grasp these things and I want to be sensitive to that reality. And then I think of another person maybe or two who are very mature in the faith.

[72:34] and as I think about how to speak the truth in love, I try to bring those together and then start talking about it. You see what I'm doing?

[72:45] So that they are both brought into the mix. That's the challenge but that's also the art of preaching. There's a way of preaching that you're putting out the truth so that if me and 15 other pastors deal with this passage, we all basically ought to have the same idea of what the root is.

[73:05] But then the way that we bring it and some of the things we emphasize might differ a little bit. Why? I won't preach this message exactly like this if I go preach it over in another country.

[73:16] not just like this. I'm preaching this for you because I know you. You're my people. I'm your people. Now why am I taking time to say all this?

[73:29] This is why I constantly look you in the eye on Sunday and thank you for your affirmations and say please keep praying for me because that's my task in a nutshell and I need you to pray for me.

[73:42] I need it. I need your prayers. I'm desperate for them. Well this was how Peter showed his love for Jesus.

[73:53] He served the Lord by serving Jesus' sheep by giving them Jesus' word. He took the words of Christ to the people of Christ and he fed them on the truth. That's what he means when he says look back at the text if you would stir you up.

[74:06] I consider it right righteous as long as I'm in this earthly body to stir you up. It literally stir up means literally arouse wake up become alert.

[74:19] I try to wake you up and alert you with the truth. Life works to draw you away from Jesus. Peter knew too well the terrible results of being spiritually dull sluggish unprepared lazy laissez-faire about the truth.

[74:37] So as Christ's servant he wants to serve his spiritual family. he's committed to constantly reminding believers of their need for gospel grace and truth.

[74:48] I'll hasten to give you these last two and we're done. Verse 14 Knowing that the laying aside of my earthly dwelling is imminent as also our Lord Jesus has made clear to me.

[75:01] That's verse 14. This is his sacrificial heart. So friends nothing not even Peter's impending death can dissuade or move Peter from his love for serving Jesus and the church in the way that he's been doing.

[75:16] In other words death motivates Peter to greater urgency in his ministry. That's what this section is all about. Peter has an urgent concern and desperate desire to see these people deeply rooted and established in the truth so that they won't waver from it.

[75:34] That's what he's doing. He's willing that his earthly tent be done away with or put aside. He sees that as the will of God for him.

[75:46] He knows that's coming. So until that happens he's determined to keep God's people reminded of their treasures in grace and truth. Let me put this quote up here. This is from Tom Schreiner and I thought it was really good so I want to share it with you.

[75:59] Even though believers are already firmly established in the truth they need to be stirred up or aroused by reminders. Reminders arouse and provoke believers prompting them to prize the gospel afresh.

[76:15] Peter hoped that his words would stab the believers awake so they would reject what the opponents taught. Believers know the gospel and yet they must in a sense relearn it every day.

[76:28] That's us. That's us. That's what we do here. We do it on Wednesday night. We do it on Sunday anytime we gather. We'll do it later this evening. So that's how I understand and seek to perform my own ministry.

[76:44] I urgently seek to stir you up to awaken you to call you to put your devotion to Jesus in motion in your life. And then finally there's this last one in verse 15 a zealous heart.

[76:59] Verse 15 I will also be diligent that at any time after my departure you will be able to call these things to mind. So their ability to call all these spiritual things to mind is Peter's goal for his continuing ministry to them in his physical absence.

[77:16] I'm going to be gone soon. I want you to be able to continue to live in these things because you know them. I will also he says in the text I will also be diligent in helping them to do this.

[77:32] I will be diligent. I'm calling you to spiritual diligence until I draw my last breath I'm going to be spiritually diligent. I'll close with this quote from Dr. MacArthur.

[77:45] The leader of the twelve wanted believers to avoid the hazards of spiritual negligence. Therefore he labored diligently through his preaching and writing to reiterate the important issues.

[77:59] He desired to leave a final will and testament to remind saints of the greatness of salvation the blessedness of assurance and to make certain that false doctrine did not rob them of their rich spiritual heritage.

[78:16] Amen. And that's what I desire for us as a church family as we seek to honor the Lord and walk with him. This was Peter's pastoral heart.

[78:27] It's like he took a break for just a few verses and all that he's saying and just kind of poured his heart out to him and said I'm about to die and I love you guys so much and if I have to ask for or desire anything it isn't any different than what I've desired for you the whole time I've been with you.

[78:46] I just want you to know and walk with Jesus and make him the most precious treasure of your life and I never want to see you veer from that. Always make that the main thing.

[78:58] Let's pray together. Well dear Lord we are humbled and made joyous in the truth that you love us and you have given us everything that we need for life and for godliness as we look to Jesus and the scriptures.

[79:22] Thank you for revealing yourself to us. Thank you for making yourself known so clearly and thank you for the truths that we can live by as we seek to do your will.

[79:34] Lord we do pray. We know it's one thing for us to struggle to get it right and to preach right and teach right and we're all going to make mistakes with that and circle back around because we're growing but we do ask you to protect us from something very different.

[79:53] Protect us from unprincipled men who want to come into this congregation and deliberately seek to deceive us with false teaching because they have agendas for self.

[80:06] They don't want us and they don't want what's best for us. They want what we have. They want a following. We ask you to safeguard us against people like that.

[80:17] Against false doctrine and bad teaching and error that would lead us away from a single-minded and pure devotion to Jesus and to Jesus alone. Help our people to walk in that kind of confidence and faithfulness in Christ Lord.

[80:33] Please help us to make Jesus our all so that truly if we have opportunity on our deathbed we would be able to look everybody in the eye around us and say I know I didn't live it perfectly but please you guys try to live what I've taught you and try to live myself.

[80:53] Make Jesus everything. Live for him and you'll have no regret. We pray all of this because we want to see you glorified and people brought to your name. In Jesus name we pray.

[81:04]  Amen. Amen. Amen. All right.