What You Don't Expect • 2 Peter 1:1-4

39:45 Teaching begins

Notes

Peter is reminding his readers, and us, of things we already know.

This first thing we know is Christianity, how our relationship with God through Jesus works.

You think, well, I know Jesus, I know Christianity. We expect that we have to put effort into following Jesus and if we do pretty good then we will be accepted by God. Our problem is that we get tired of following Jesus because we don’t want to put that kind of effort into it. There’s lots more fun things to do.

That might be every other religion on the planet, but it isn’t Christianity.

Christianity is God working in us with divine power to do what we don’t expect.

Let’s read in 2 Peter 1 (1-4).

1. Christianity humbles everyone. We don’t expect that.

A. You see it in how Peter describes himself. First he is a bond-servant, then he is an apostle of Jesus Christ.

1. Why not just “apostle”? That’s pretty high up in leadership. We are impressed with power and position.

2. Bond-servant is as low as you can go in society. That’s a slave for life. There’s nothing impressive about belonging to another and serving Him.

B. Jesus humbled Peter as He saved him.

1. If you think about Peter he was always baffled by Jesus’ thinking. All the disciples were discussing who was the greatest, and Jesus says you have to become as a little child. How often shall I forgive my brother, up to seven times a day? No, seven times seventy.

2. At the last supper Jesus told the disciples they were all going to fall away. Peter says they might but I won’t. You will deny that you know Me three times before the rooster crows twice.

3. Jesus rose from the dead and Peter saw Him, but he didn’t feel like he was worthy. He actually went back to fishing. Jesus asks him three times, “Do you love Me?”

“You know all things, Lord, You know I love You.”

“Then tend My lambs, feed My sheep. Follow Me.”

Peter wanted to quit, and Jesus said I want you to be an apostle.

C. So Peter is an apostle not because of his own abilities, his working to get to the top. He is there because he is Jesus’ slave, and that’s what Jesus wanted him to do. That’s humility.

D. We have the like precious faith as Peter so we are going to be humbled, too. Is that happening to you? Do you expect that? I keep getting jarred by that.

2. Christianity is the same for everyone. We don’t expect that.

A. Peter says his readers have “like precious faith”. The same faith that Peter has, the same relationship with Jesus.

1. We think that the big guys get a different and better deal than us little guys on the bottom. The bug guys get all the perks. The little guys have to pay the tax increases that pay for the perks. That’s the way it works in this world.

2. But it’s not how it works with Jesus. Nobody has any advantage with God. Every person is on the same level—sinner. The Apostle Peter is a sinner the same as you and me. We’re all the same—dead in our sins and transgressions. We have nothing to pay to God for our sins. Peter didn’t have anything that Jesus needed. We can’t do anything so that God should care about us.

B. This word, “like precious faith” has two aspects, the same value, and the same honour.

1. This relationship with Jesus brings you to heaven, glory, eternal life. Everybody gets glorified. Nobody gets left out.

2. This relationship with Jesus has the same honour as the faith of the apostle Peter. You think, well, I’m not as honourable as the apostle Peter. I haven’t done as much. I haven’t seen Jesus. But to have God save you means you have the same value as Peter, as Paul, as all the big guys. God regards you, God loves you, like He loves big names like Charles Spurgeon and Chuck Smith and Billy Graham, and J. Hudson Taylor and Martin Luther. It is an honour to be saved by God.

C. God chooses you to save you. No one is looking for God. Everyone has gone away from Him. But that word in verse 2 “obtained” means to receive by lot something assigned to you. God assigns you to receive eternal life.

3. So we get saved the same way Peter got saved. It is by the righteousness of our God and Saviour Jesus Christ. We don’t expect that.

A. That is, Peter didn’t get saved because of his spirituality and goodness. It’s not your goodness that saves you. It is Jesus’ goodness that saves you. He is the sinless Son of God who is completely perfect. He completely earned the respect and favour of the Father. This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased. No spot, no blemish, nothing sinful or contrary to the Father. He has completely fulfilled all righteousness required by the law of God. The law declares Jesus Christ is perfect.

B. So because Jesus is sinless and perfect He could substitute for you in your punishment. He could go in your place, and you go free. He paid the penalty required by the law—all sinners must die. He fulfilled that part of the law on your behalf.

C. God counts that as righteousness, that the righteous should give His life to save the unrighteous. That is so generous, so merciful, so good, that the Father raised Jesus from the dead. Perfect righteousness is rewarded with eternal life.

D. And now the one who sees Jesus, and sees, He died for me, He took my sins upon Himself, that one is declared righteous. You receive the righteousness of God Himself.

1. Paul says this about the righteousness of God: Philippians 3:8-9 Yet indeed I also count all things loss for the excellence of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord, for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and count them as rubbish, that I may gain Christ and be found in Him, not having my own righteousness, which is from the law, but that which is through faith in Christ, the righteousness which is from God by faith;

2. Isaiah speaks about this righteousness. Isaiah 61:10 I will greatly rejoice in the LORD, my soul shall be joyful in my God; for He has clothed me with the garments of salvation, He has covered me with the robe of righteousness, as a bridegroom decks himself with ornaments, and as a bride adorns herself with her jewels.

3. God is righteous, and He has giving you His own righteousness as a gift.

E. God Himself is your Saviour. Did you notice what Peter says? God and Saviour. That means that Jesus is both God and Saviour.

1. There’s a Greek grammar rule there that means Peter is saying that Jesus is God. God Himself counted your life as more precious to Him than His own life.

2. You can work this out when you feel crummy like no one loves you. You look at Jesus hanging on a cross, dying in weakness. You can visible see: He loves you.

3. Your relationship with Jesus is valuable because you get to know God personally. Not facts and accounts about God. You get to know God personally. Knowing Jesus is eternal life.

F. We relate to God naturally. If I’m doing pretty good, I have confidence that God likes me and will save me. That’s not true. You’re doing terrible. You’re under the wrath of God. But because God is righteous and merciful He chooses you and gives you great honour by saving you through Jesus.

G. You get saved just like the apostle Peter—by your God and Saviour Jesus Christ.

4. Christianity is Jesus’ divine power fulfilling His divine promises as you believe and obey. This is really the shocking part that continually gets me.

A. We’re used to thinking if we get anywhere it’s by our own effort. I’ve heard lots of people say, “I’m a Catholic, but I’m not a very good one.” Christians say the equivalent and if they don’t say it they think it, which is the same thing. I’m a Christian, but I’m not a very good one. I’ve thought that.

B. Christianity is new life, eternal life, a relationship with the Father through Jesus, and no Christian is on his own. Being a Christian means living with the divine life and divine power of the Father.

C. A promise is a legally binding declaration that gives the person to whom it is made a right to expect or to claim the performance or forbearance of a specified act. God binds Himself and says I will do this for you.

D. Peter calls these exceedingly great and precious promises.

1. The first means superlative. Extreme, surpassing all others. The greatest.

2. Precious means valuable, useful, costly. A promise that isn’t kept isn’t worth anything. A faithful promise is worth everything.

3. Each of these promises of God are made sure and faithful by the death and the resurrection of Jesus Christ.

4. 2 Corinthians 1:20 For all the promises of God in Him are Yes, and in Him Amen, to the glory of God through us.

5. God can’t lie, and He won’t break His promise. That’s Hebrews 6:16-18 For men swear by one greater than themselves, and with them an oath given as confirmation is an end of every dispute. In the same way God, desiring even more to show to the heirs of the promise the unchangeableness of His purpose, interposed with an oath, so that by two unchangeable things in which it is impossible for God to lie, we who have taken refuge would have strong encouragement to take hold of the hope set before us.

E. By our believing God to fulfil His promise we share in His divine nature.

1. In the strength of God. Philippians 4:13 I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.

2. In the humility of God. Philippians 2:5-7 Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus, who, being in the form of God, did not consider it robbery to be equal with God, but made Himself of no reputation, taking the form of a bondservant, and coming in the likeness of men.

3. In the life of God. Colossians 3:3-4 For you died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God. When Christ who is our life appears, then you also will appear with Him in glory.

4. In the love of God. Romans 5:5 Now hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out in our hearts by the Holy Spirit who was given to us.

5. In the provision of God. Matthew 6:31-33 “Therefore do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ For after all these things the Gentiles seek. For your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things. But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you.

6. In the wisdom of God. James 1:5 If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all liberally and without reproach, and it will be given to him.

F. There are more promises. Peter sums them up by saying everything pertaining to life and godliness through the knowledge of Him who called us by glory and virtue. That grace and peace be multiplied to you in the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord.

5. The only alternative to eternal life is corruption in the world through lust.

A. All that’s in the world is lust. That is extreme desire that cannot be fulfilled.

B. Because the world looks to things to give them life and godliness rather than God.

1. The world looks directly to money, food, and clothing to satisfy. The world looks to relationships, to oneself, the others, to my job, to my education. All those things should supply everything pertaining to life and godliness.

2. This has never worked in all recorded history. These things are not the one true living God. There is no substitute for God.

C. To expect things to provide like they were God is idolatry. Idolatry always disappoints, always leads to dissatisfaction, death, and corruption, rot, decay, sewage, garbage.

6. So what?

A. It’s possible to forget how amazing it is to be saved. It’s possible to forget how amazing Jesus is. To forget that He chooses you, to forget that He has given you promises. You can forget that He is with you, and think that you’re on your own. You can forget that God cares about you. You can think that He doesn’t even know my name, I’m Little Orphan Robbie. Nobody cares for me.

B. If you try to be a Christian on your own, you find there is no power, no desire, no ability. There is no reason to be a Christian on your own. But you can’t go back to the world. That’s a dead end.

C. So God is reminding you today to be a Christian with Him. And in particular, remember His promises. His word is miraculous. It is His power coming into human existence. His word gives life. His word revives, gives hope, gives strength. God wants you to share in His divine life through His promises. You trust, He provides.

D. This way you get to know Him by experience.

1. This is the only knowledge that counts. Mere head knowledge is not what is meant here. It’s the knowledge of obedience.

2. You have a need. You find the promise of God to meet that need. You bring it to God. You say, “You promised.” You keep reminding Him, remembering it’s a question of timing, when God is going to fulfil His promise. You commit yourself to Him and let Him be God and Saviour in your life. Then He saves, He performs His promise. You are careful to thank God.

E. A Christian is someone who lives through God’s promises. God so loves you that He reminded you today.

Let’s pray.