A Daily Walk

Guest (Male): We need good reminders in our daily walks and we'll have some for you from 2nd Peter next.

John Randall: For years, throwing batting practice to my sons in order that they might be able to recognize a ball in the strike zone and be prepared to hit it and then go on to play professionally and then care for me.

But repetition is one of the best teachers. Folks, if you know this, we have the tendency to forget what we should remember and remember what we should forget. And this section of the epistle, Peter provides first of all powerful reminders of the truth.

Guest (Male): From birthdays to medical or dental appointments, names of people we haven't seen in a while or phone numbers, the list is a mile long of things we tend to forget. And before I forget to mention it, this is A Daily Walk.

Pastor John Randall has a study in 2nd Peter chapter 1 prepared for us today. And among other things, we'll discuss the importance of reminders and repetition with an emphasis on verses 12 through 21. Here is Pastor John.

John Randall: 2nd Peter chapter 1 this morning, picking up in verse 12 with a message entitled A Good Reminder.

2nd Peter chapter 1, beginning in verse 12, if you'd look at your Bible with me as we read these verses. "For this reason, I will not be negligent to remind you always of these things, though you know and are established in the present truth. Yes, I think it is right as long as I am in this tent to stir you up by reminding you, knowing that shortly I must put off my tent, just as our Lord Jesus showed me. Moreover, I will be careful to ensure that you always have reminder of these things after my decease."

The Apostle Peter was called by Jesus to be a shepherd among the flock of God. And within that calling, he bore the responsibility of tending and caring for the sheep. There were false teachers who had come into the flock and they were posing as wolves in sheep's clothing. And they were attempting to undermine the truth of the gospel and lead the believers astray. Peter felt compelled to protect the people he loved and so the Apostle penned this letter warning the church to be on guard.

He made it a priority in the opening of the letter to be sure that the faith of the believers was genuine and sincere. Also, that their faith was growing and not stagnant and that they were grounded and strong in biblical truth. Every good pastor, teacher, coach, instructor knows that the best way to have their students or players learn is through consistent repetition.

Repetition strengthens neuroconnections in the brain, allowing for better memory retention and mastery of skills by reinforcing learning through repeated exposure to information or a practice of a task. Essentially, what it does is it cements the concepts in your mind and then improves your ability to recall it later on.

I remember many days coming into practice where my coaches would have us drill certain things over and over again at the beginning of every practice. I didn't always see the point or even enjoy it until it was time to compete. And because of the consistency in practice, those things that we had drilled became second nature and instinctive in competition.

I gave up my shoulder for years throwing batting practice to my sons in order that they might be able to recognize a ball in the strike zone and be prepared to hit it and then go on to play professionally and then care for me. But repetition is one of the best teachers.

Folks, if you know this, we have the tendency to forget what we should remember and remember what we should forget. And this section of the epistle, Peter provides first of all powerful reminders of the truth. That is why he says in verse 12, "For this reason." That phrase "for this reason" in verse 12 is in reference to all of the verses previously.

And what did Peter say previously? He reminded the church of all the things that had been provided for them in Christ Jesus. Everything that pertained to life and godliness was theirs. All the virtues that he encouraged them to add to their faith that would enable them to be useful and fruitful. They would have a clear unhindered vision as well as solid footing in their faith; they would not stumble.

And then in verse 11, Peter said to the church that they could look forward to this abundant supplied entrance into the kingdom of Jesus Christ, which was a reference to heaven. And so it is for that reason, all of the things that he had mentioned, that Peter now made it a priority to remind them. In fact, this became his commitment and responsibility.

The reason that these reminders were so important to the Apostle is because it is easy to become negligent of the truth. That is why Peter says, "For this reason, I will not be negligent to remind you always of these things." Peter himself knew the temptation to become negligent or inattentive or careless or indifferent to truth, and therefore he said, "Listen, I'm not going to be negligent and I'm not going to allow you to be negligent and therefore I am going to continue to remind you so that that doesn't happen."

If we're not careful, we can get to the place where we become so familiar with the truth but we don't live the truth. You can develop the attitude that says everybody knows that. Well, everybody might know that, but not everybody does that. Let me ask you, have you ever made a mistake of doing something that you knew beforehand you should not do? But you did it anyway, even though you knew better?

Why is that? One of the reasons is because we are negligent. We took for granted what we knew, even purposely forgot, perhaps thought we were the exception. So one of the many ways to not forget or become negligent is to be consistently reminded. The nation of Israel found that it was extremely necessary to consistently remind themselves of the things that God said.

In fact, Moses told the people in Deuteronomy these things. Deuteronomy chapter 6: "Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one! You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your strength. And these words which I command you today shall be in your heart. You shall teach them diligently to your children, and shall talk of them when you sit in your house, when you walk by the way, when you lie down, and when you rise up.

You shall bind them as a sign on your hand, and they shall be as frontlets between your eyes. You shall write them on the doorposts of your house and on your gates." They wanted the truth consistently in front of them. Therefore, we're going to talk about it when we go on a walk. We're going to converse about it at the table. We want it to be so close to us that it's like on the frontlet of our eyes.

In fact, they have these things called phylacteries. They took it quite literally. They put the law in a little box and tied it to their head and they still do it to this day. They walk around with these things on the front of their head. This is from this passage. They would wrap it around their arm so that they could see it. They put it on the doorposts of their house, the mezuzah. You walk up and you touch it before you go into the house.

You'll see these little things in Israel and you're supposed to touch it. It's a reminder of the law. In other words, they wanted to consistently be reminded of God's Word in order that they wouldn't forget it. They didn't want to be negligent. Peter not only wanted the people not to be negligent, thus he reminded them, but also to remain established in the truth.

You'll notice here: "I will not be negligent to remind you always of these things, though you know and are established in the present truth." Peter wasn't reminding the believers of some new truth. Rather he was reminding them of the truths that they already knew and had been established in. The word "established" means that these believers had become stabilized in the truth.

They were in a state of being set fast, placed firmly on it. Their knowledge of the Word of God and the essential doctrines of the Christian faith were set in their thinking. They were fully convinced. Even though they were established in them, Peter said, "I'm going to keep reminding you of them. I'm going to ensure that you don't forget them."

Every effective, faithful pastor in the body of Christ will be doing their job well if we continue to remind God's people of what they already know but what we're prone to forget. Sometimes, and I speak on behalf of preachers everywhere, if I may, being one myself, we can make the mistake of seeking originality as the goal.

Preachers talk about something no one's ever talked about before. We're going to talk to you about the Christmas story from the donkey's perspective. What was the donkey actually thinking on that day? Was there a drummer boy? Let's say there was. Just trying to be original in this whole thing rather than being anointed. Save the originality and remind people of the truths that are foundational in their walk with the Lord.

That's what we want to do. I'm not here to entertain you. That would be sad for all of us. But the thing is Peter saw his ministry as a ministry of remembrance. The Apostle Paul felt very much the same way. When he wrote to the Philippians, he said, "Finally, my brethren, rejoice in the Lord. For me to write the same things to you is not tedious, but for you it is safe."

It is safe to be reminded of these things. It was essential to have these reminders, not only to not become negligent of the truth but be established in the truth. But Peter also said, "I want you to be alert in the truth." Look at verse 13. "Yes, I think it is right as long as I am in this tent to stir you up by reminding you, knowing that shortly I must put off my tent, just as our Lord Jesus Christ showed me."

Seen as one important task while he was still living, Peter was determined to stir up by way of reminder. The word "stir up" means to keep awake. I am here to stir some of you up as you are fading, to be vigilant, to stay alert. Peter knew by personal failure what it was to fall asleep when you were supposed to be awake.

Jesus had told them, "Peter, the spirit is willing but the flesh is weak. Stay with me. Pray with me." And you remember, more than once he fell asleep. He had forgotten the truth that Jesus spoke to him. And therefore, Peter was determined not to let the church go to sleep on his watch.

"I'm going to keep reminding you. I'm going to keep you alert. I'm going to keep pointing you to scripture. I'm going to keep leading you in that direction so that we don't lose sight of what is necessary, what is foundational, what we stand on." In freezing temperatures, people are advised to stay awake. "Don't go to sleep on me." Why do they say that?

Because there's an increased risk of hypothermia, a dangerous condition when the body begins to lose its core temperature. The core temperature drops and you get so tired and you just want to go to sleep, but you'll die. So staying awake allows you to actively monitor your body temperature, take steps to stay warm by moving around and seeking shelter.

The point is that there is a real devil who is doing his very best to cause the core temperature of your heart for Jesus not to be on fire but to go cold. But the fiery faithful preaching, faithful teaching, reading, praying, worshiping, reminding ourselves, that keeps the fire going.

This week I was reading through Leviticus and there's a passage there in scripture where it says that the priests had to consistently keep the fire going. They had to keep putting wood in the fire so that it would continue to burn. Peter could see himself like that. I just keep throwing wood on this fire right here by reminding you so that you'll stay alert, you'll stay awake in the truth.

In fact, the Bible says in Hebrews chapter 10, verse 24, "And let us consider one another in order to stir up love and good works." Same word. It was Charles Spurgeon that said, "A good fire sometimes becomes a better one by a little stirring up." And that is the goal. That's exactly what Peter was doing. And not only Peter, but also Paul. That was his heart as well.

In Romans chapter 13, Paul said this: "And do this, knowing the time, that now it is high time to awake out of sleep; for now our salvation is nearer than when we first believed. The night is far spent, the day is at hand. Therefore let us cast off the works of darkness, and let us put on the armor of light." He's saying, "Hey, listen up. Stay awake. Don't go to sleep."

Another reason why Peter felt so strongly about reminding the church is that he knew that his time was limited. Time is short. Life is a vapor. Thus, there was an urgency in the truth. You'll notice the next passage there in verse 13. He said, "Yes, again, I think that it's right as long as I'm in the tent, this tent, to stir you up by reminding you, knowing that shortly I must put off my tent, just as our Lord Jesus Christ showed me."

Make note of the fact that Peter refers to his physical body as a tent. He was in a tent. A temporary dwelling place. Not made for eternity. It was a matter of time before his tent would have to be packed up, put away, which is a reference to his death. A tent, like our bodies, is nothing more than a temporary dwelling place.

The older that you get, the more the tent begins to wear out, fall apart, sag, tilt, develop leaks, holes. People do a lot of work to try to keep the tent rolling. You can get replacement parts. You can try to patch it up. You can try to elevate it. You do whatever you want to try to keep the tent together. But the tent eventually is going to wear out.

During his ministry, Jesus had informed Peter that one day he would die. And he even told Peter the way in which he would die. It was in John's gospel. Jesus had restored Peter to the ministry. And Peter having been restored, Jesus gave him insight into his future.

In John chapter 21 and verse 18, Jesus said to Peter, and he's recalling it: "Most assuredly, I say to you, when you were younger, you girded yourself and walked where you wished; but when you are old, you will stretch out your hands, and another will gird you and carry you where you do not wish." This he spoke signifying by what death he would glorify God.

And when he had spoken this, he said to him, "Follow me." Jesus said to Peter, "Listen, when you're a young man, you go where you want. But there's coming a day when you get older and you're going to die for Me, and they're going to literally stretch out your hands." Did you know Peter died being crucified? But he was crucified upside down. He didn't feel like he was worthy to be crucified like Jesus. But he knew this was coming.

There was just an awareness that I know where this ends. And because he knew, and it seems that he was even given a greater indication that his time was even shorter. He's now in his seventies. This letter is his last letter written before his martyrdom. So he knows his time is short.

Therefore, having to put off this tent, he wanted to be sure that he kept reminding people as long as he had opportunity to do so. Let me just say this. There's a glorious mansion waiting, a body built for heaven. It doesn't wear out, it doesn't rust. It's going to be something that is incredible. To be absent from this body is to be present with the Lord.

So you can be encouraged that you can take care of the tent, but eventually you're going to pack it up. I'm talking about myself. But let me also say this. In light of the urgency of the truth, I want to remind us of something. We won't always have the opportunity to say what needs to be said. You won't always have the chance to communicate to those people that you need to communicate with.

Why not now? We're not even promised the rest of this day. There's no guarantee. I don't know what tomorrow holds. There should be an urgency as it relates to the truth. Richard Baxter, who was a preacher, said concerning his preaching, "I preached as never sure to preach again, as a dying man to dying men."

Just the incentive, the understanding that life is a vapor, that there's going to come a time when I won't be standing here. I'm not always going to be able to do this. There's going to come a day, if the Lord tarries, when that will no longer be a possibility. And such is the case with you when you won't be able to communicate perhaps the way that you have opportunity to do so right now.

Thus, it's time. We ought to be urgent with this truth. We don't know how much time these other people have that we're supposed to be talking to. You never want to get to the place of wishing you would have told them. In 2nd Corinthians chapter 6, Paul said it this way: "In an acceptable time I've heard you, and in the day of salvation I've helped you. Behold, now is the accepted time. Now is the day of salvation."

Maybe there's things that God is wanting you to say, wanting you to share that you haven't done yet. Don't put it off. There has to be an urgency, a sense of the brevity of life which causes us to communicate what needs to be said. Paul and Peter were so intentional with providing reminders while they were living.

They wanted to be sure. Peter wanted to be sure that important reminders of the truth would be there even after his passing. Therefore, there is an endurance of the truth. Look at verse 15. He says, "Moreover, I will be careful to ensure that you always have a reminder of these things after my decease." The word that he uses there for decease is the word Exodus.

Even after my departure, even after I leave this earth and go home to be with the Lord, I want to be careful to be sure that there are things that are put in place in order that the truth would continue to go forward even after I'm gone. There's a difference between transfer and termination. Peter said, "I'm going to be transferred."

There's a difference between dying and perishing. Peter's been in heaven for a long time. But guess what? There's still a reminder right now. He said, "Even after I'm gone, I want to be sure the truth keeps going." Well, it's still going. We're still preaching it. We're still proclaiming it. And that is because of the endurance of the truth.

The Bible says in Matthew chapter 24, verse 35, Jesus said, "Heaven and earth will pass away, but My words will not pass away." They endure forever. I think of what Isaiah said in Isaiah chapter 40, verse 8 when he said, "The grass withers, the flower fades, but the word of our God will stand forever." It lasts forever.

These were the important reminders of truth that the Apostle was committed to sharing in order that the church would not be negligent but remain established, stay alert and awake in the truth with a sense of urgency, understanding the enduring nature of the Word of God.

Guest (Male): Powerful reminders of the truth here today on A Daily Walk from 2nd Peter. Pastor John Randall will share the rest of this message next time. You can hear it again at adailywalk.org or wherever you get your podcasts. Or download our church app so you can listen through your mobile device. Just search for Calvary South OC.

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