Good morning, today is Thursday, May 28, 2020. My name is Keith and welcome to the Worship Daily from Green Acres Baptist Church in Athens, GA.

2 Peter 1:12-21

So I will always remind you of these things, even though you know them and are firmly established in the truth you now have. I think it is right to refresh your memory as long as I live in the tent of this body, because I know that I will soon put it aside, as our Lord Jesus Christ has made clear to me. And I will make every effort to see that after my departure you will always be able to remember these things.

For we did not follow cleverly devised stories when we told you about the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ in power, but we were eyewitnesses of his majesty. He received honor and glory from God the Father when the voice came to him from the Majestic Glory, saying, “This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased.” We ourselves heard this voice that came from heaven when we were with him on the sacred mountain.

We also have the prophetic message as something completely reliable, and you will do well to pay attention to it, as to a light shining in a dark place, until the day dawns and the morning star rises in your hearts. Above all, you must understand that no prophecy of Scripture came about by the prophet’s own interpretation of things. For prophecy never had its origin in the human will, but prophets, though human, spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit.

Peter is acknowledging that he is most likely entering the last days of his life. And as his life comes to a close, he challenges the churches to whom he is writing that to follow Jesus means to never stop growing. Remember Peter’s challenge we read yesterday to add to your faith all these different things. Peter is referring to growth in knowledge but also growth in how you live your life and by what criteria you make decisions and do what you do. Remember that big list of character traits that Peter referenced in the verses just above that we looked at yesterday— add to you faith goodness, godliness, knowledge, affection for family, endurance, self- control, and love. Peter’s challenge is that to actually participate in that divine nature that he talked about, requires that the one following Jesus take on a life long pursuit of growing in these other attributes.

Peter also mentions and spends most of the rest of the book referencing a number of false teachers who were corrupting the churches. These false teachers were saying things like the apostles were lying about Jesus and his resurrection. They also were refuting the apostles’ teaching that Jesus is more than a man, he is actually God and that Jesus is coming back one day. These truths are at the very heart at what it means to be a Christian and to grow to be like Christ. So, Peter recounts some of his memories and reminds the people that Jesus is the fulfillment of every promise we find in the prophetic Scriptures. Remember, Peter is pointing out how his Bible, what we call the Old Testament, has been pointing to Jesus all along and it is in Jesus that they find their fulfillment. In other words, the Scriptures point to Jesus and it is in and through Jesus that God has spoken to us.

So, as far as an encouragement for you to go in to your day with, know that these teachings that we hold to and live in — the resurrection of Jesus, the ascension, his coming again, his divinity — these are the same teachings the apostles gave. Jesus, our great hope, is who the Bible gives testimony too. And it is in Jesus that all the promises of Scripture are being fulfilled. Maybe spend some time thinking about the promises from Scripture that have kept you going or have maybe changed your entire outlook on life— it is in Jesus that these promises are kept.