A Timely Reminder?

Posted on by korgrocker

“Therefore, I will always remind you about these things—even though you already know them and are standing firm in the truth you have been taught. And it is only right that I should keep on reminding you as long as I live.”
2 Peter 1:12-13 NLT

We all need Peters in our lives. Faithful men and women who are diligent in reminding us about the wonderful truths and promises in the Bible, and how we must be equally as diligent in applying them to our lives. But do we know a “Peter” who has a spiritual input into our lives? Are we listening when a fellow believer provides some encouragement? Or have we cut ourselves off from contact with other Christians, adopting an “I’ll do it my way” attitude? Peter said to his readers that they, of course, know the truths he is reminding them about, and that, although they probably don’t need any reminders, he is doing so anyway.

We pilgrim believers in our journey through life are constantly dealing with conflicts between two kingdoms. The Kingdom of God, and the kingdom of the world. God has provided all the resources we need in these situations, but sometimes we get a bit wobbly in our faith. The enemy will seek out our weak spots and try and capitalise on them to destroy our faith. The Holy Spirit will guide us to the right truths and promises of course, but we have to go and look for them, examining the Scriptures if we are not sure about something. And sometimes the Holy Spirit will use a “Peter” to help us, particularly if we have gone a bit spiritually deaf.

At the present time, with war in Eastern Europe and, as I write, the conflict in Palestine, we can lose sight of the fact that God is in control of His creation, His world. To think that human beings can destroy something that He created is arrogance in the extreme. In our community Bible Study yesterday we read Psalm 2, and came across verses 4-6, “But the one who rules in heaven laughs. The Lord scoffs at them. Then in anger he rebukes them, terrifying them with his fierce fury. For the Lord declares, “I have placed my chosen king on the throne in Jerusalem, on my holy mountain.”” This is the reality – God will rebuke the nations who fight against Him, and He will one day in the future instal Jesus in His rightful place as ruler of the world. 

We pilgrims must always be open to the “Peters” who cross our paths. Our loving Heavenly Father is very faithful and He will often lead us to green pastures where we can find the spiritual nourishment we need. A word from a brother or sister at just the right time will often help us when we need help, but we must keep our spiritual ears open. One practical help is the use of a notebook. When we hear a sermon, write down what we are hearing and go over it afterwards. If the preacher quoted Scriptures, check them out. and the truths and promises we find may be just what God wants us to hear. And we must pray for discernment, to filter out the noise that so easily can divert us from the course. If we find a “Peter”, we may want to journey with him for a bit. But in it all, God loves and cares for us, just as He did for the people who read Peter’s message all those years ago.

Father God. Thank You for the faithful men and women who so often provide a word of encouragement when we need it. We pray today for them, and ask for Your blessings to be with them. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

Purposes

Posted on by korgrocker

“I have written and sent this short letter to you with the help of Silas, whom I commend to you as a faithful brother. My purpose in writing is to encourage you and assure you that what you are experiencing is truly part of God’s grace for you. Stand firm in this grace. Your sister church here in Babylon sends you greetings, and so does my son Mark. Greet each other with a kiss of love. Peace be with all of you who are in Christ.”
1 Peter 5:12-14 NLT

Peter explained why he wrote his “short letter”. Someone has estimated that 1 Peter contains nearly 1700 words, so that would take around 20 minutes or so to read out loud. Peter may have considered it to be “short” but each word was inspired and delivered by the Holy Spirit, who told Peter just what the people in the five churches in Asia Minor needed to hear. And in the process we have in the Bible a letter that contains truths and much encouragement for us pilgrims today.

But Peter had a “purpose”. Apart from a few high profile and significant appearances recorded in the Book of Acts, we know little about what he did “under the radar”. But having spent time with Jesus and the rest of the Twelve, he became a man with a mission. Peter was a man who knew all about being ill-treated for the sake of His Master, Jesus. He was beaten, insulted, and imprisoned. And from his own experiences he was able to offer help and advice to his readers who were suffering as he did and who probably included some believers who had fled from persecution in Jerusalem.

We pilgrims have a purpose in our short lives here on Planet Earth. In fact we have more than one. Jesus left us with a Commission, which we can read in Matthew 28:18-19, “Jesus came and told his disciples, “I have been given all authority in heaven and on earth. Therefore, go and make disciples of all the nations, baptising them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit”. The early believers were so diligent and zealous in evangelism, that they turned the societies of their day into a new world order, and Christianity has grown in numbers ever since. 

Jesus also gave us a Commandment, which was recorded in John 13:34-35, “So now I am giving you a new commandment: Love each other. Just as I have loved you, you should love each other. Your love for one another will prove to the world that you are my disciples”. The agape love shown by Christians in their relationships with each other transcends all national and racial barriers that otherwise would exist. In fact, it was such a strong bond, foreign to anything experienced before, that caused the early Christians to sometimes be mistakenly accused of incest and other sexual acts. Christian love is unique to our faith and it binds us together across otherwise insurmountable barriers. 

But the Commission and Commandment were directed at those around us, both inside and outside our faith. We also have a purpose in Changing who we are. No more for us the old sinful practices that used to blight our lives. Paul wrote in Ephesians 4:21-24, “Since you have heard about Jesus and have learned the truth that comes from him, throw off your old sinful nature and your former way of life, which is corrupted by lust and deception. Instead, let the Spirit renew your thoughts and attitudes. Put on your new nature, created to be like God—truly righteous and holy“. We have a new nature, one that brings us to a righteous place before God. Note that Paul used an action phrase – “throw off” – to describe how we are to bring about change in our lives. We will not become more like Jesus through something benign like osmosis. We have to decide that we want to change and take the necessary steps to make it happen. Jesus said, and as recorded in John 14:6, “ … I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one can come to the Father except through me“. There is no other way, in spite of what many will claim, to find God and be with Him forever.

Dear Father God. Thank You for Jesus and what He did for us in making it possible for us to come into Your presence. We praise and worship You today. Amen. 

Peter

Posted on by korgrocker

“This letter is from Peter, an apostle of Jesus Christ. I am writing to God’s chosen people who are living as foreigners in the provinces of Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia, and Bithynia.”
1 Peter 1:1 NLT

We start looking at a different New Testament author today – the Apostle Peter. A man who led a life of change, transitioning from a coarse fisherman to an Apostle who probably preached one of the most successful evangelistic sermons ever recorded. But his “career” didn’t stop there – we now look at his influential words as recorded in his two epistles. 

The gospel of Luke records that Peter was a dejected fisherman, who had caught nothing all night, when Jesus asked him to push his boat out a bit from the shore so that He could use it as a pulpit. We pick up the story in Luke 5:4, “When he had finished speaking, he said to Simon, “Now go out where it is deeper, and let down your nets to catch some fish””. Peter basically said to Him that there was no point because there were no fish around but he obeyed Jesus anyway and was rewarded with a huge catch of fish. Peter’s response was recorded in Luke 5:8, “When Simon Peter realised what had happened, he fell to his knees before Jesus and said, “Oh, Lord, please leave me—I’m such a sinful man””. A pivotal moment for Peter that started him on an amazing journey because of Jesus’ response, recorded in Luke 5:10-11, “His partners, James and John, the sons of Zebedee, were also amazed. Jesus replied to Simon, “Don’t be afraid! From now on you’ll be fishing for people!” And as soon as they landed, they left everything and followed Jesus”. The fisherman became a fisher of men. He entered a life marked by highs and lows as he followed Jesus, learning from Him and making the transition to the “rock” of the early church. We read in Matthew 16:18, “Now I say to you that you are Peter (which means ‘rock’), and upon this rock I will build my church, and all the powers of hell will not conquer it”. 

Peter’s authority took a severe dent when he denied Jesus three times before His trial and crucifixion. But Jesus gently restored him with a conversation recorded in John 21. Something significant happened to Peter, and the rest of the disciples, on the Day of Pentecost. You know the story, I’m sure, but Peter was transformed by the Holy Spirit within him, and went on to preach a sermon at the end of which 3000 men were saved. And all without a microphone and a PA system! But there is one pivotal verse that is foundational for anyone seeking, or called, to become a Christian – Acts 2:38, “Peter replied, “Each of you must repent of your sins and turn to God, and be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. Then you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit“. Three things a potential convert must do, and then one amazing gift from God.

But back to 1 Peter 1:1. Peter is writing a letter to God’s people in five provinces, all locations in what is now modern Turkey. In the following blogs we will unpick what he said to these people, and particularly, what Peter has to say to us pilgrims today.

Father God. We thank You for the fisherman Peter, and for the foundational impact he had on the early church in the power of the Spirit. As we consider his words in these letters, please help us to hear what You have to say to us. In Jesus’ name. Amen.