Call to Commitment

  

Destroying demonic literature in Ephesus

Verses 12-21 

 Spiritual benefits from memories

12.   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. 

13.  Yes, I think it is right, as long as I am in this tent, to stir you up by reminding you, 

14.  knowing that shortly I must put off my tent, just as our Lord Jesus Christ showed me.

15.  Moreover I will be careful to ensure that you always have a reminder of these things after my decease. 

In verse 12, Peter begins to show the importance of remembrance in spiritual life. David put himself in a compromising, hypocritical position, when he allied himself with one of Israel´s enemies. This was Achish of Gath, one of the five kings of the Philistines. His fault was in putting his trust in this man, instead of looking to the Lord for protection. Living a lie, finally caught up with him. He found himself with Achish, about to begin a major battle against his own people, Israel, as the Philistines mounted a major offensive against them. King Saul and David’s friend, Jonathan, died in this battle. God freed him from this dangerous situation, but things soon went from bad to worse.

 After a two-day’s journey, his army of 600 soldiers arrived at the city of Ziklag, which Achish had given to them. They discovered that the Amalekites had ransacked and burned the city, while they were absent, stealing the wives and children. David’s men were at the point of stoning him and he had absolutely no one to turn to. David was greatly distressed, the biblical account relates, and it is at this point, when David’s memory began to function. He remembered the hand of the Lord so heavily upon his past life, all the way back to his youth and “David strengthened himself in the Lord his God.” He went on to recover every one of the wives and children, but David won a greater battle in his soul, recognizing the grace of God in the victory. Grace became a ruling principle in his future kingdom. Read this valuable account in 1 Samuel 30. Memory strengthened and restored David with His Lord.

  Peter sees the need, on his part as a teacher of the gospel, to be faithful to remind the churches of things they already know. It is a great lesson for all Bible teachers that they should not be concerned about being repetitious. We have seen Peter, in the first part of this chapter, preoccupied with the possibility of stunted growth, short vision and stumbling in their walk of faith. Here, however, he sees people with experiential knowledge, presently living and established in the truth that has come into their lives.

  

Warren Wiersbe, pastor of Moody Church

 Verses 1-11 

A powerful introduction

           1.     Simon Peter, a bondservant and apostle of                 Jesus Christ, To those who have obtained                      like precious faith with us by the                                   righteousness of our God and Savior Jesus                                                                                                                Christ: 

2.      Grace and peace be multiplied to you in the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord, 

There are times, when we have to hold a verse of Scripture under a Spirit-inspired microscope to be able to bring out every small detail of significance. Other times, we do better to see the overall picture that the verse intends to convey. There is a detail, concerning Peter’s presentation in the first verse of each of his two epistles. I am not sure why the apostle uses his original name in his second epistle, while he does not in the first. We do learn one fact, however, concerning this difference, which perhaps is small, but it certainly shows us that, when Jesus gave Peter a second name, which signified a stone, he did not wish to eliminate his given name, Simon. It can be safely said that, as we begin a new Christian life, the Lord has no intention of erasing all natural biography from our past, nor removing our unique personality, which He created from conception.

 Not only does Peter add his given name in his second epistle, but also adds servant to his title of apostle. Translators may have good reason for changing the literal Greek word to servant, which simply and quite definitely means slave. Slave accurately describes our relationship to Christ, Whom we have received as absolute Lord. Paul teaches that “you are not your own… you are bought at a price; therefore glorify God in your body and in your spirit, which are God’s” (1 Co.6:20). It is hard for me to understand that people, who have been bought and are not their own, can be anything, but slaves. The very same word is translated slave in the next chapter, 1 Corinthians 7:22: “Likewise he who is called being free is Christ’s slave.”

 In calling himself a bondservant, the apostle is referring to a situation in the Old Testament in the law of Moses in Exodus 21:2-6 and in the second recitation of the law in Deuteronomy 15:12-18, when a Hebrew, due to duress, sells himself as a slave. He was to serve for six years and then, by law, in the seventh year, he must be released. Not only is he to go free, but his master must liberally grant him sheep, grain and grapes, and other supplies, to help him to get a new start in life. There was a clause in the law, that the slave, because of love for his master, could choose to stay under his mastery. His new position was marked by piercing an ear with an awl, and it meant that he would be a voluntary slave for the duration of his life. It was a wonderful picture of New Testament voluntary surrender to Christ, motivated by love. Not only Peter, but Paul, James and Jude, considered themselves bondslaves. 

 

Your adversary, the devil

 

Shepherd the Flock of God

 1.      The elders who are among you I exhort, I who am a fellow elder and a witness of the sufferings of Christ, and also a partaker of the glory that will be revealed:    

       2.      Shepherd the flock of God which is among you, serving as overseers, not by compulsion but willingly, not for dishonest gain but eagerly; 

3.      nor as being lords over those entrusted to you, but being examples to the flock; 

4.   and when the Chief Shepherd appears, you will receive the crown of glory that does not fade away. 

 The words that Peter heard directly from the mouth of Jesús form the background for his message to the elders of the churches, to whom he is writing. Jesus taught, "You know that the rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and those who are great exercise authority over them. Yet it shall not be so among you… do not be called 'Rabbi'; for One is your Teacher, the Christ, and you are all brethren. Do not call anyone on earth your father; for One is your Father, He who is in heaven... whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted” (Mt. 20:25, 26; 23:8, 9, 12).

 I have heard a few leaders say that the charges that are under their care are rowdy and rebellious and, therefore, require a firmer grip and demand more authority, than that to which Jesus limited his disciples. I would suggest then, that they would start over and build something Christian. There are no rules in Christianity, besides those which Jesus laid down, and there are no exceptions to those rules.

 There is no wiser advice in Scripture than that which Peter gives in this letter. This rough fisherman has been broken and gentled. He writes to the elders in the churches and equalizes himself to them. He places himself among them and not over them in the least.