A Prepare To Remember (2 Peter 1:12-15)

A lot of things you learned before you don’t remember anymore. Though algebra 1 has been a high school requirement for decades, I doubt many of us more than 5 years removed from the classroom would be able to pass a pop quiz. 82% of adults have forgotten whatever trigonometry they’ve learned. 69% cannot correctly identify an isosceles or scalene triangle. And 61% of us cannot help our kids with long division.^[1]

60% of adults have no idea what a pronoun is, 40% don’t remember the difference between a colon and a semicolon. And one in ten admit they don’t know when to use there, their, or they’re.^[2] Though, I’ve got to say, reading people’s comments online I think that last number is much higher.

I don’t bring up any of these statistics to make any of us feel bad. I definitely fall into some of those categories. And, don’t worry, we’re not going to put any triangles up on the screen to see who remembers what. But these findings highlight the fact that human beings are a forgetful people. I mean, algebra, trigonometry, grammar – we were tested on this stuff. At some point (actually at many points) of our schooling, we proved we knew the answers to these questions – that we could work out the problems and find the solutions. But left unstimulated and unpracticed, those memories atrophy and we find ourselves unable to solve for X.

Now, I don’t really mind being rusty at long division, that is until one of my kids needs help with their schoolwork and dad is revealed to be not nearly as smart as I’d hoped they’d assume.

The truth is, we also have the capacity – actually a tendency – to forget spiritual truths as well. Peter has been discussing this very thing. He’s been encouraging us to remember the great truths of Christianity. What salvation really is, what it really means. To remind ourselves why we were cleansed from our past sins. And in our text this morning, Peter is passionately and vigorously telling us to remember, remember the truth of the Gospel, which will keep us sturdy on our feet.

2 Peter 1:12 – ¹² Therefore I will always remind you about these things, even though you know them and are established in the truth you now have.

We learned in verse 9 that there were some in Peter’s audience who had forgotten the truths of Christianity. Their spiritual amnesia left them blind and short-sighted. But Peter wasn’t only trying to remind that group of what they forgot. Here he says to the bigger group, “You know these things.”

It is never bad to be reminded of the truths contained in God’s word. This is why we dedicate much of our church life to studying the Bible systematically. It’s why we encourage you to regularly read through the Bible – all 66 books. Because, “truth needs to be repeated.”^[3]

Remember: This is Peter’s last will and testament to the world. He’s got this one chance to get one more message out. He uses the opportunity not to give himself a lifetime achievement award – not to aggrandize all he had accomplish in his life as an apostle. He uses the remaining breaths and ink he has to help us grow in our faith – to grow in the truth that we have.

The truth he’s referring to is the Gospel. He has briefly encapsulated what Christianity is about in the opening 11 verses, but of course he’s also talking about all of God’s revelation to us. In his introduction, has talked about the hope of eternal life, the glory of the coming Kingdom, our access and participation in the Divine nature, the total transformation of our lives as they continually grow in the power, the goodness, the grace, and the peace of Jesus Christ.

Well, if I already have these truths – if I’ve already learned them – if I’ve already read through the Bible cover-to-cover once or ten times, then why do I need to keep being reminded of stuff I already have and already know?

It’s because we’re a forgetful people. But also because we’re not only meant to receive this information, our lives are meant to be established in it. But what does it mean to be established?

We can think about that from two perspectives. The first is the idea of being firm on our feet. Meaning that when false teachers come with their lies, we’re not easily knocked over. That’s a major focus of chapter 2 of this letter: To be firm in the face of spiritual deception. That our feet are firmly on the “ground” of God’s truth and we won’t be misled.

The other way to think about being established in the truth is to think about a foundation upon which we build our lives. Whether you’re building a single-story house or a towering skyscraper, you have to start with a foundation that can support the weight of what needs to be built.

As we continually remind ourselves of the truths of Christianity, the truths of God’s word, we thicken the slab of our lives. And God is able to keep building story after story onto your life.

Going back to the opening research – if you’re like me you think, “I don’t really mind that I don’t remember trigonometry, because I’m not going to use trigonometry ever again.”

But when it comes to spiritual life, we actually do not know all the things that will be helpful to know in the future. The situations, the struggles, the sufferings, the opportunities, the assignments. God knows what our futures hold, and He supplies what we need to grow in every one of those situations. But if we want to stand strong, if we want to have the spiritual capacity of our lives increase, if we want new, strong boughs to grow off of the trunk of our lives so that yet more spiritual fruit can be harvested, then we need a continually strengthened foundation in the truth.

Now, I love how Peter used this term, established, because it’s actually the same word Jesus used back in Luke 22.^[4] Jesus told Peter, “Look, Satan is going to try to sift you. You’re going to deny Me, but when you turn back, strengthen your brothers.” And here we see Peter still obeying that command on the last days of his life. Peter was faithfully discipling people to the very end.

2 Peter 1:13 – ¹³ I think it is right, as long as I am in this bodily tent, to wake you up with a reminder,

Peter’s perspective on life and death is inspiring. He knows he’s soon to die. So let’s notice how he thinks about things.

First, as we’ve already seen, his biggest goal in his last days was to try to help you grow in your faith. Most of us, if we knew we had a few days or weeks to live, would probably have somewhat more personally focused goals.

But Peter was focused on the eternal impact he could make in his temporal life. Yes, we may be in bodies of flesh, but the words we say, the choices we make, the things we do can change lives – can grow the Kingdom. They can help people turn toward God and experience eternal life, themselves.

Peter didn’t just mean he thought this was a good thing to do – that’s not what he means by “I think it’s right.” He believed this to be his solemn duty.^[5] He recognized that he had been called by God to serve as an apostle and as a discipler. Discipling people was the best thing he could do with his final days. And so, he says he feels the need to wake us up with the reminders of this letter.

All of us tend to get a little drowsy in our walk with the Lord. We tend to settle. Maybe it’s not because of apathy or temptation or doubt, but the knife gets dull from daily use and needs to be sharpened again.

I remember when I was lifeguarding, our system was to rotate positions around the pool every 15 minutes, because you’re sitting in the chair, in the heat, staring at your section of the pool, and there’s a tendency for the mind to wander – the attention to dull. So every 15 minutes someone would come and tap your shoulder and then you’d move on to the next spot. The job was too serious to allow the guards to settle into complacency or slumber.

And so Peter says, “I want to stir you up!”^[6] In this case, it’s not just a quiet clearing of the throat, he’s shaking us with intensity. He doesn’t want anyone to be asleep to the truths that God is real. His power is available to you. Christianity is a life-transforming gift , but it doesn’t grow on its own. That you have been called to purposes in God’s Kingdom and providence.

2 Peter 1:14 – ¹⁴ since I know that I will soon lay aside my tent, as our Lord Jesus Christ has indeed made clear to me.

After the resurrection, Jesus had prophesied to Peter that he would be martyred for his faith. But, apparently as that moment drew near, the Lord had come and made it clear to him again. All earliest records say he was crucified and Origen (the 2nd and 3rd century Christian scholar) says he was crucified upside-down.^[7]

Would you want to know the day and manner of your death? That’s a classic would-you-rather question. Or the classic, “If you knew you were going to die next week, what would you do this week?”

You and I may not know when and how we’re going to die but let’s be honest: We know we are going to die. I’m guessing Jesus hasn’t appeared to anyone here to tell them the day of their death, but if the Lord tarries and does not come in next year, the next 10 years, the next generation, well then many of us are going to die.

How then should we live? Peter says to live in the truth. To grow to the very end. To stand and to stay awake and abound in grace and peace.

Think about the peace Peter had. Look at how he talks about his impending death: “I’m going to pack up my tent soon.” That’s how he spoke of facing the cross. You know, they invented a word to describe the horror and torment and suffering of the cross: excruciating.^[8]

But Peter knew the truth about death: For a Christian, it is simply a departure. That’s what he calls it in verse 15. A door we step through into perfect glory with our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. That doesn’t mean that the suffering of death isn’t real or isn’t, in some cases, very difficult to endure. But this is why we need the hope the Gospel. This is how the Gospel’s truth gives us strength to stand and endure. When our bodies die, it is like the folding up the tent, the tabernacle and we then move into the eternal Temple.

Meanwhile, we know we have a date with death if the Lord doesn’t return first. And so we should live accordingly by remembering what it means to live the Christian life.

2 Peter 1:15 – ¹⁵ And I will also make every effort so that you are able to recall these things at any time after my departure.

Peter notes that he’s making every effort to help us out. Remember, he’s already told us to make every effort to do our part and to grow and to serve the Lord. And he’ll tell us to make every effort again in chapter 3. But he isn’t commanding us to do anything he’s not also doing. Even as an apostle, he’s making the Godly efforts demanding of his calling.

Now, what is he referring to in this verse? What effort is he making so we can recall things? Well, there are his two letters – First and Second Peter. But church history also records that Peter was the source Mark used when writing his Gospel.^[9]

He was able to deliver the truth because he had not forgotten it himself. Now, Peter was like us – he wasn’t perfect. He made his mistakes. But he did what he’s challenging us to do. He remembered the truth of God’s word. He remembered the commands of Jesus. He lived out the reality of Gospel power day by day and he wants that for us as well.

In fact, scholars note that he’s saying he wants us to over-learn these things.^[10] He wants us to be so saturated with the truths of Jesus and the realities of Christianity that it can’t help but work in us, can’t help but fortify us, can’t help but come out of us as we move through the world. That at any time we can produce the hope of the Gospel in every situation.

One closing thought given to us about death: Peter has told us it’s like packing up your tent after a camping trip. He sees it as a departure, not a defeat. But the term he uses here is an exodus.^[11] Death is scary. For some it is even excruciating. But Peter reminds us that through it we are rescued. Like the children of Israel coming out of Egypt, so we will depart in our own exodus from mortality to immortality. From suffering to glory. From disappointment to perfection.

Christians, you may be losing health, but don’t lose heart. The outward man is perishing, but the inner person can be renewed by the love of God and the truth of God day by day.^[12]

Peter was making every preparation he could so we could remember what we already know as Christians. It wasn’t a waste of his time – it was the most needful thing for him to do. Today, we remind ourselves that the Christian life is a life alive. That we not only can grow in what we’ve learned, but we must. That as we deepen our understanding of God’s word and His callings on our lives, we’re deepening the foundation that will keep us standing upright and will provide the base for God to build higher and wider, more and more, as we walk with Him. And though we face death, and though it may be a punishing experience, we know it is not the end. Death brings us into true fellowship with the Object of our faith, Jesus Christ. And in eternity, the Lord will continue to provide for us more than we could ever ask or imagine.

So let the long division go. Don’t worry about calculating pi. You can always look up the definition of gerund. But let’s never forget the faith we’ve received. Let’s continually prepare ourselves to remember those truths we need to wake from sleep, stay stirred up, and stand strong in the Lord.