The Work of the Word

For Week 27 of our ‘Stand Firm’ Series we took a diver into 2 Peter 1:5-11:

12 Therefore I intend always to remind you of these qualities, though you know themand are established in the truth that you have. 13 I think it right, as long as I am in thisbody, to stir you up by way of reminder, 14 since I know that the putting off of my body willbe soon, as our Lord Jesus Christ made clear to me. 15 And I will make every effort so thatafter my departure you may be able at any time to recall these things.

16 For we did not follow cleverly devised myths when we made known to you the powerand coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, but we were eyewitnesses of his majesty. 17 Forwhen he received honor and glory from God the Father, and the voice was borne to him bythe Majestic Glory, “This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased,” 18 weourselves heard this very voice borne from heaven, for we were with him on the holymountain. 19 And we have the prophetic word more fully confirmed, to which you will dowell to pay attention as to a lamp shining in a dark place, until the day dawns and themorning star rises in your hearts, 20 knowing this first of all, that no prophecy of Scripturecomes from someone’s own interpretation. 21 For no prophecy was ever produced by thewill of man, but men spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit.

Faith and works — grace and effort — these weren’t new themes to Peter’s readers. They knew them — they were “established” in them. But they needed to be reminded of these things. The same is true of us. As Spurgeon aptly observed, “the most important daily habit we can possess is to remind ourselves of the Gospel.” And this, Peter infers, is the work of the trustworthy and Spirit-inspired Word of God.

Give the sermon text a read and a listen and we hope to see you this week at a Family Meal and/or a DNA group to dive even deeper.