WELCOME! (2 Pet 1:10-11)
Dr. Paul Manuel—Homecoming—2002
Whether you are in a strange motel room or spending the night at some else's house, waking up in unfamiliar surroundings can be a disorienting experience.
After Jesus' resurrection, as the early church begins to grow, the movement encounters opposition. There are political forces that would destroy the church, viewing it as a threat to the status quo. There are heretical forces that would distort the church, turning it away from the truth. The pressure is on Christians to give up their commitment to God or, at the very least, to make it a less prominent part of their lives.
I. There is a necessity for great effort (2 Pet 1:10a).
After twenty-eight years of marriage, my wife is convinced she can read me like a book, especially my evasive responses when she suggests we should do this or that. She has even codified them.
Peter's response to the tacit suggestion that spiritual concerns do not need the same attention as other concerns is not at all evasive. He does not say...
We Baptists, being a product of the Reformation, are careful to stress that God accepts people on the basis of their faith and not their works, that we cannot earn our salvation. Indeed, that is true, but as Peter writes to these first century Christians, he says there is something they—you—can and should be doing...2
If you have ever served on a jury, you have experienced the distinction between these two concepts.
Like the court, God calls people to be part of His program and, like jury duty, it is a rewarding experience, an advantage the biblical authors mention often.5
Answering the summons, your calling to jury duty, is just the first step in becoming part of the judicial process. After you arrive at the courthouse...
Like the court, God chooses people to be a part of His program and, like jury duty, it is a serious responsibility, a sacred obligation the apostle Paul describes.8
inappropriate clothing.
Your initial contact with God is by faith, and some people go no further, but that is just the beginning. Peter says you must go further. There is a necessity for great effort to confirm your calling from Him and your choosing by Him.
This sounds like a tall order. Can you even know if you are doing enough? Indeed, you can, and Peter goes on to say...
II. There is a certainty of great success (2 Pet 1:10b-11).
As most of you know, I am a martial artist and, in order to advance in rank, I must take tests. As one progresses, the tests become farther apart, and the examiners qualified to give them become fewer. It has been six years since my last exam, and I am finally eligible again, but the only opportunity I will have this year is next Sunday in New York, when the chief instructor from Japan conducts his annual visit to the U.S. Consequently, I must make every effort, taking specific measures to get ready: increase the frequency of my workouts, refine my performance, watch my diet, get adequate rest. There is no guarantee I will pass, but diligent preparation can give me some assurance of success.
Are there specific measures you can take to ensure your success in God's program? Indeed, there are, and the "these things" Peter mentions in v. 10 are the recommendations he made in vv. 5-8, steps that follow faith, which he introduces with a similar exhortation.9
In preparation for the test, as I try to increase the speed of certain routines, my balance begins to suffer and my footing is not as secure. The examiner will want to see fast, sharp technique, but if I go too fast, I will fall over, which will not give him a favorable impression of my ability and almost certainly result in my failure. Going too fast is not the only problem: I could also stumble if I am the least bit nervous or if there is a lapse in my concentration. O to have the assurance from v. 10: "you will never fall."
In a far more important endeavor, your part in God's program, that assurance is precisely what you can have: "For if you do these things, you will never fall." ...There is another advantage of diligence in such matters. Peter says...
It is very nice to have so many with us today, especially those we have not seen for a while. We welcome you and hope that your time here will be as enjoyable and edifying for you as it is for us. Homecoming is an opportunity to renew acquaintances and make new friends. It is also a taste of what lies ahead.
We were worshiping God this morning because He welcomes us, and we reviewed three ways that is true. The first and second ways pertain to this life.
For much of what you do, the outcome is uncertain, leaving you to wonder: Will you succeed, or will you fail? For things in which you have little investment, the outcome may be irrelevant. For things in which you have great investment, the outcome is very relevant. For the most important thing, the outcome of your role in God's program, Peter says you can be sure. There is certainty of great success that will prevent your failure and protect your future.
If you have never really come to God in faith, and do not wish to awaken to the next life in that other place, I would be happy to explain how you can make the proper arrangements. If you have come to faith in God, but have never really moved much beyond that initial step, I encourage you: Make every effort to add to your faith the qualities Peter lists, because the result is worth the effort. If you have come to faith in God, and have been adding these qualities, rest assured that your success in His kingdom is guaranteed. When you all awaken to the next life, may you hear that most wonderful word: Welcome!
A church deacon underwent surgery in a local hospital. When he came out of the anesthesia, a nurse's smiling face greeted him. Looking around, he noticed that the shades on the windows were down and asked the nurse why. "Well," she replied, "the house across the street is on fire, and we didn't want you to wake up thinking the operation was a failure." (Adapted from Streiker 1998:84 = Hodgin 1998:159)You, of course, hope that awakening to the next life will also not be in that other place and that you will encounter a friendly face to welcome your arrival. At church this morning, I trust you will find friendly faces to welcome your arrival. As you await that awakening to the next life, is there anything you should do? ...In his first epistle, the apostle Peter speaks about how you can and should prepare now for that great event. Please turn in your Bibles to 2 Peter 1.
After Jesus' resurrection, as the early church begins to grow, the movement encounters opposition. There are political forces that would destroy the church, viewing it as a threat to the status quo. There are heretical forces that would distort the church, turning it away from the truth. The pressure is on Christians to give up their commitment to God or, at the very least, to make it a less prominent part of their lives.
There are more urgent concerns—needs in the family and demands of the job—matters that require immediate attention. Surely, those things should take priority because they are what matter now. Religion is fine in moderation, but let it run your life and it will ruin your life. Lighten up, kick back, enjoy the ride.To such advice, Peter offers this response in...1
2 Pet 1:10a ...all the more, make every effort to confirm His calling [you] and [His] choosing you.Far from recommending that his readers moderate their zeal, the apostle enjoins them to accelerate their pursuit of what God has placed before them. Part-time, half-hearted, when-convenient attempts to satisfy "religious obligations" will gain nothing in the long run...
I. There is a necessity for great effort (2 Pet 1:10a).
After twenty-eight years of marriage, my wife is convinced she can read me like a book, especially my evasive responses when she suggests we should do this or that. She has even codified them.
- If I say, "We'll see," that really means "No!—I would rather not do that, but I don't want to be quite so abrupt and just squash the idea." Linda considers this response meaningless, an indication I am probably not even listening.
- If I say, "I can't deal with it now," that means, "My limited mental powers will not let me process more than one thing at a time without self-destructing and, at the moment, I'm concentrating on something else." In computer terms, "I have only one coprocessor and don't do multi-tasking."
- If I say, "Maybe later," that means "It's unlikely, but let me procrastinate long enough and maybe it will go away."
- If I say, "I'll think about it," that means, "It's possible." She knows this answer has potential and that, with further prodding, I may eventually agree, especially if she convinces me it was my idea to begin with..
Peter's response to the tacit suggestion that spiritual concerns do not need the same attention as other concerns is not at all evasive. He does not say...
- Do this if you have time—or—
- Try this to see if it works for you.
We Baptists, being a product of the Reformation, are careful to stress that God accepts people on the basis of their faith and not their works, that we cannot earn our salvation. Indeed, that is true, but as Peter writes to these first century Christians, he says there is something they—you—can and should be doing...2
A. You must confirm your calling from God—and—What is His calling and choosing you?3 Are they the same thing or different things?4
B. You must confirm your choosing by God.
If you have ever served on a jury, you have experienced the distinction between these two concepts.
- The summons from the court for jury duty is your calling, your invitation to be part of a judicial process.
Like the court, God calls people to be part of His program and, like jury duty, it is a rewarding experience, an advantage the biblical authors mention often.5
- Paul says, God "has called you [to] the riches of his glorious inheritance" (Eph 1:18b).
- The author of Hebrews says, "those who are called may receive the promised eternal inheritance" (Heb 9:15b).
- Peter says, "you were called so that you may inherit a blessing" (1 Pet 3:9b).
Luke 14:18b The first one said..., 'I [just] bought a piece of land and I need to...look at it....' 19 "Another one said, 'I [just acquired] five yoke of oxen, and I am going to try them out....' 20 "Another one said, 'I [just got] married...'"Unlike the court, God accepts any reason people give to decline His invitation. He forces no one to accept the call.7 That may not be the best way to get participants, but it the best way to get the best participants, those who will serve Him willingly.
Answering the summons, your calling to jury duty, is just the first step in becoming part of the judicial process. After you arrive at the courthouse...
- The selection by the attorneys to sit on an actual jury is your choosing, your appointment to that elite group of twelve.
Like the court, God chooses people to be a part of His program and, like jury duty, it is a serious responsibility, a sacred obligation the apostle Paul describes.8
- He says, God "chose [you]...to be holy...in his sight" (Eph 1:4).
- He further says, "as God's chosen people, holy..., clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience" (Col 3:12).
inappropriate clothing.
Matt 22:11 "...when the [host] came in to see the guests, he noticed a man there who was not wearing wedding clothes.... 13 Then the [host] told the attendants, '...throw him outside....' 14 For many are [called], but few are chosen."Even more than defense and prosecuting attorneys, God is particular about those He accepts from those who respond to His invitation...His call. The treatment of this poorly attired guest may seem harsh, but it illustrates the point that God chooses only those who come on His terms and not as they please.
Your initial contact with God is by faith, and some people go no further, but that is just the beginning. Peter says you must go further. There is a necessity for great effort to confirm your calling from Him and your choosing by Him.
This sounds like a tall order. Can you even know if you are doing enough? Indeed, you can, and Peter goes on to say...
2 Pet 1:10b For if you do these things, you will never fall, 11 and you will receive a rich welcome into the eternal kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.Apparently...
II. There is a certainty of great success (2 Pet 1:10b-11).
As most of you know, I am a martial artist and, in order to advance in rank, I must take tests. As one progresses, the tests become farther apart, and the examiners qualified to give them become fewer. It has been six years since my last exam, and I am finally eligible again, but the only opportunity I will have this year is next Sunday in New York, when the chief instructor from Japan conducts his annual visit to the U.S. Consequently, I must make every effort, taking specific measures to get ready: increase the frequency of my workouts, refine my performance, watch my diet, get adequate rest. There is no guarantee I will pass, but diligent preparation can give me some assurance of success.
Are there specific measures you can take to ensure your success in God's program? Indeed, there are, and the "these things" Peter mentions in v. 10 are the recommendations he made in vv. 5-8, steps that follow faith, which he introduces with a similar exhortation.9
2 Pet 1:5 ...make every effort to add to your faith goodness; and to goodness, knowledge; 6 and to knowledge, self-control; and to self-control, perseverance; and to perseverance, godliness; 7 and to godliness, brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness, love. 8 For if you possess these qualities in increasing measure, they will keep you from being ineffective and unproductive in your knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.This list is not exhaustive, although it might seem exhausting. The point is not that success requires you to do these perfectly, only that you do them diligently. By doing so, Peter says...
A. You will prevent your failure before God.Have you ever started something, not knowing if you would be able to finish it successfully?
- A new and untested recipe for company that evening
- A home improvement project unlike anything you have attempted before
- A term paper that will determine your grade for the entire semester
In preparation for the test, as I try to increase the speed of certain routines, my balance begins to suffer and my footing is not as secure. The examiner will want to see fast, sharp technique, but if I go too fast, I will fall over, which will not give him a favorable impression of my ability and almost certainly result in my failure. Going too fast is not the only problem: I could also stumble if I am the least bit nervous or if there is a lapse in my concentration. O to have the assurance from v. 10: "you will never fall."
In a far more important endeavor, your part in God's program, that assurance is precisely what you can have: "For if you do these things, you will never fall." ...There is another advantage of diligence in such matters. Peter says...
B. You will protect your future with God.If we are uncertain about the outcome of temporal projects, those whose end we see in this life, how much less certain might we be about the outcome of eternal projects, those whose end we see only in the next life?
It is very nice to have so many with us today, especially those we have not seen for a while. We welcome you and hope that your time here will be as enjoyable and edifying for you as it is for us. Homecoming is an opportunity to renew acquaintances and make new friends. It is also a taste of what lies ahead.
We were worshiping God this morning because He welcomes us, and we reviewed three ways that is true. The first and second ways pertain to this life.
- He welcomes the penitent with forgiveness.
- He welcomes the weary with rest. The third way pertains to the next life. (What is it?)
- He welcomes the faithful with reward.
For much of what you do, the outcome is uncertain, leaving you to wonder: Will you succeed, or will you fail? For things in which you have little investment, the outcome may be irrelevant. For things in which you have great investment, the outcome is very relevant. For the most important thing, the outcome of your role in God's program, Peter says you can be sure. There is certainty of great success that will prevent your failure and protect your future.
If you have never really come to God in faith, and do not wish to awaken to the next life in that other place, I would be happy to explain how you can make the proper arrangements. If you have come to faith in God, but have never really moved much beyond that initial step, I encourage you: Make every effort to add to your faith the qualities Peter lists, because the result is worth the effort. If you have come to faith in God, and have been adding these qualities, rest assured that your success in His kingdom is guaranteed. When you all awaken to the next life, may you hear that most wonderful word: Welcome!
For a pdf including Bibliography and Endnotes see here.
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Jim Skaggs