Pay attention to it!

2 Peter 1:12-21

Key Verse: 1:19

“And we have the word of the prophets made more certain, 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.” 

Last week we learned that we can participate in the divine nature through knowledge of God and Jesus, divine power for everything, and promises of God. Like a Christian builder Peter encourages us to make every effort to possess 8 spiritual qualities in order to have effective and productive knowledge. In this way we make forward progress daily and our calling and election is sure to receive Jesus’ rich welcome into His eternal kingdom. Peter could have ended at the last week’s passage. But he knew there are still many challenges out there. So as a good shepherd he continued with today’s passage. Peter knows how to help us further in two ways. 

Part 1. Remember these things(12-15)

Look at verse 12a. He said, “So I will always remind you of these things.” Although these things may include much of the content from verses 1 through 11, according to my observation the word “knowledge” is repeated five times. It is the intimate and personal knowledge of God and His son, Jesus our Lord who is the representation of God himself. Through an exact, complete and accurate knowledge of Jesus, we are convinced of his promised second coming and his eternal kingdom. Look at verse 12b, “Even though you know them and are firmly established in the truth you now have.” This verse shows that the recipients of this second letter are not shallow or superficial Christians, but they’re established believers. 

Look at verses 13 through 15. "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." Take notice of two verbs: “refresh,” and “remember.” We live in a culture where we are compelled to constantly innovate - a new concept or a new technology. But Peter understands the importance of repetition and for us to remember his sound teaching. When I was a trainee working in a hospital, I was asked to look at thousands of x-rays  from normal healthy individuals.  This is an effective way to be able to notice abnormal lesions in x-rays in the future.

Let’a have a practice together. This is a chest x-ray of a healthy individual.  Look at this carefully. The next. This one is not.  What is your first impression here?  What is your diagnosis for this patient?  I have a hint for you. Pay attention to the arrow. The arrow here indicates a lung cancer. Similarly, through repetition apostle Peter gives us many examples of sound teachings so that we can easily identify false teachings. In fact, it was the same way that his shepherd Jesus had done for him. He had hard time in accepting Jesus’ truthful message of the cross and resurrection. But now it shows Peter’s transformation into a servant of the truth.

As an old man, Peter is now in Rome facing death at the hands of the crazy Emperor Nero. He says in v 13, 14 again, "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." It reminds me of what Jesus had said. “I tell you the truth, when you were younger you dressed yourself and went where you wanted; but when you are old you will stretch out your hands, and someone else will dress you and lead you where you do not want to go.” (Jn 21:18) He also considers his body no more than a tent. A tent is a temporary place to live. What a different person he is here. Now, Peter views death through the hope of the gospel and the certainty of his rich welcome into the eternal kingdom. 

Look at verse 15 again. “And I will make every effort to see that after my departure you will always be able to remember these things.” Here his only concern is that scattered Christians will stand firm remembering the wonderful message of truth given to us even after his departure. Likewise we can help our Bible students to remember Jesus, making such great efforts like Peter who has the right perspective.

Part 2. Pay attention to it (16-21)

In this second part, Peter further helps us to pay attention to God’s word. Look at verse 16. Peter and the other apostles tell us that Jesus will return. Jesus will come in great glory and power. The false teachers at that time said that this is not true.  They said that Peter and the apostles made up clever stories. But Peter said that his message was based on his eyewitness experience. One of Peter’s personal experiences was the transfiguration. One day Jesus took three disciples to a high mountain where he was transfigured. Jesus’ face shone like the sun. His clothes became as bright as light. Here Jesus showed his original image and majestic glory. Peter, James and John witnessed Jesus’ splendid greatness and Majesty. In this way they had a foretaste of what Jesus’ coming would be like.

Look at v. 17 and 18. ‘"For 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."’ Peter, James and John heard the voice of God the Father giving ‘honour and glory’ to Jesus.

Look at v 19a. "And we have the word of the prophets made more certain," Here the word of the prophets is the book of Old testament. The prophets predicted the coming of the Messiah; his lineage, his birth, his ministry, his death and resurrection, and his second coming. Peter pointed out that we have the word of prophets made more certain.  Because of witnessing the transfiguration, the apostles can testify boldly and even carefully record Jesus' perfect fulfillment of Old Testament prophecies. Therefore, the apostles' message is doubly trustworthy because of the word of the prophets as well as the disciples’ own personal experience with Jesus.  

Look at v 19b. As a next step, apostle Peter encourages us to pay attention to it.  “It” is the word of the prophets.  Peter tells us this as he is leaving this life and wants us to become independent men and women of God’s word by paying attention to the Scripture in our lives. Peter also tells us that the words of the prophets concerning Jesus Christ are like a light shining in a dark place. When we pay attention to God’s word, we see through and avoid distractions in our dark place today which can come from many things; direct TV, internet, social media, cell phones, especially smart phones, ipods, and ipads. The list goes on and on. These parts of modern day life can easily distract us from paying attention to God’s word. Instead we often pay attention to what’s coming next.  The new Apple iPhone 5 announced last Wednesday is already being credited as a savior for the troubled United States economy. But the truth is, iphone 5 is not our savior. We need to pay more close attention to the Scripture.

Another dark place in our lives can exist in false teachings and the deceitful ways of the devil. Since the time of creation, our enemy Satan knows how to attack us effectively. He twists the words of God in a subtle way.  False teachings are always creeping on the walls. In Peter’s time, false teachers distort the truth about Jesus’ second coming. False teachers in our times are compromising the truth and deceive many, especially young people, with so many attractive and appealing messages.  Many TV and Radio preachers proclaim a false Gospel; focusing on things like money, success, prosperity, instant healing, and tell people what they want to hear instead of sin, repentance, self denial, Jesus crucifixion for our sins. In this way false teachers twist the meaning of the Scripture to suit themselves and have others go astray. We must pay attention to the living words of the Bible; otherwise we will easily be misled without knowing. We must study God's words so that we are familiar with and able to acknoledge the truth; becoming established in God’s word.

As the apostle Peter had mentioned in the beginning, the first readers of this letter were well established in the truth, but many of them were already in danger of being deceived by false doctrine. They continually needed to pay attention to the words until they can be stable and rely on God’s true words only as a guiding light in a dark place. Let us compare  an ancient lamp with the Scripture. It is quite small and tells us about what the Scripture is all about. It provides each person enough light to find the way without being stumbled. Again it was designed for one not for even two. So eventually each person must find and develop the familiar way to use his or her personal lamp of light in a skillful way. This was a reason for why Peter felt it necessary to write this second letter to make sure to strengthen each person so that they may be independent and mature in and through the living words of God. 

An example of “paying attention” to God’s words came with studying 2 Timothy in our recent summer Bible conference. Our growing leaders in the all nation group head started by preparing and serving messages, testimonies, and by leading group Bible studies. Praise God who had blessed us so abundantly! But it’s just a beginning. Now is high time for each of us to continue in their example and become reliable, qualified Bible teachers for this generation.

In verse 19c, “as to a light shining in a dark place.” It reminds me of what Jesus had said in John 9:5, “I am the light of the world.”  In a world darkened by sin and false teachings there is no knowledge of the truth, only God's Word has the true light of the truth: the message of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Therefore we do well to pay attention to it with humility and holy fear; then a great change come upon our hearts.

Again look at v 19d. Now notice “until the day dawns and the morning star rises in your hearts.” “Morning star” is what we call Venus. It appears just before dawn. It shows that a new day is going to start soon. Jesus said ‘I am the bright morning star’ (Revelation 22:16), just as the morning star announces the start of a new day. When we pay attention to the words in the Bible, it illuminates our hearts and removes all the confusion. It ends the darkness of sin. It brings bright hope for the future. Most importantly we meet our Lord Jesus Christ in person who is the bright morning star. So living in this last days, nothing is more important than paying attention to the Scripture speaking constantly about who Jesus is. (John 5:39) 

I have a question for you. Have you been ever wondered why we use NIV? It is because it’s a “thought for thought” version, meaning that it’s more concerned with the message of the passage than literal translation. So I think that we’re given the right version for meditation as well as personal application. So rather than reading the Bible here and there as a newspaper, we better pay close more attention to it and meditate on it. We must use the “lamp” of the Scripture that is what we have until the day that Jesus returns. And that day he will chase all darkness away. There will be no more night. Our knowledge will be made complete.

Lastly Peter is talking about the divine origin of scripture. Let’s read verses 20-21. "Above all, you must understand that no prophecy of Scripture came about by the prophet's own interpretation. For prophecy never had its origin in the will of man, but men spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit." Please notice "to be carried along."  This is term used of a ship carried along by the wind. The Scripture was written with human language with all its cultural limitations, but God moves people in and through the Holy Spirit to speak for him. So we have to humbly rely on the Spirit of God for the Spirit searches all things, even the deep things of God (1 Cor 2:10). When we study the Bible, we find a main theme of God who is actively engaged in the human history. From the creation in Genesis to the new heaven and new earth in Revelation, God is fulfilling His salvation purpose through Jesus. The Bible is his own love story. It’s the holy scripture for it comes from the holy God, contains holy words, and makes us to be a kingdom of priests and a holy nation to serve his holy purpose.

When I was young, I was wondering in the darkness without knowing the absolute meaning and purpose of my life. I just tried to please my father by achieving his unfulfilled human dream passed on to me. But as I became of my own age, I realized the fact that it was not my own life and I suffered from the emptiness of life. Also unsatisfied and disappointed at the things of this world, I turned to the people who seemed to have better ideas about life, words of counsel and inspiring teachings, or their recommended books. I went diligently to church meetings such as worship service, praise concerts and prayer meetings and conferences. But still I could not find the deep meaning of my life. Although I was a Church goer, I did not know the Bible as much as I should because I myself did not pay attention to it. When I was a freshman in college, by God’s grace I met a UBF Bible teacher on campus. Through studying Genesis 1 with him, I realized that I was supposed to please my heavenly eternal Father. And through Genesis 12:2, I personally accepted God’s divine calling to make me a great nation and a source of blessing for many young people of all nations. In this way I was able to find the meaning and purpose of my life. Especially God continued to bless me with his living words through daily bread, weekly Bible studies, and personal Bible reading. Gradually I became familiar with the Scripture and by God’s grace I am well establised with the sound teachings in the Scripture. At God’s right time based on Romans 1:5, God blessed my marriage and sent us to this beuatiful mission land in California in early 90’s. The more I think about God’s grace upon my life, the more I am thankful to him. So far by God’s grace I participate in producing quality Bible questions, notes, and messages. In this way I can participate in his divine nature through the personal knowledge in Jesus Christ who is the spotlight of the Bible. And also whenever I go out campus to invite young students and share the living words of God in me like the personal lamp of a light, I could see that a light shine in their dark souls and like me in the past they come out of their darkness to meet Jesus, the bright morning star. May the Lord help me boldly and continually to share the living words on campus and bring them in the blessed life of meaning and purpose in Jesus Christ. 

In conclusion, there is no higher calling than to remind one another of the truthful Word of God. For this glorious calling of God, we must first pay attention to His living Words until God’s truth transforms each of us into a shepherd of love and an independent bible teacher. We earnestly pray for America to be a kingdom of priests and a holy nation for all nations.

One word: Pay attention to it!

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