WEBVTT 1 00:00:00.720 --> 00:00:06.360 Would you pray with me for the proclamation of God's word. Lord, 2 00:00:06.360 --> 00:00:11.599 We've gathered here this morning to praise your name, to 3 00:00:11.800 --> 00:00:18.760 encourage one another in you, to bow our heads in 4 00:00:18.879 --> 00:00:25.399 prayer in repentance. And Lord, we have come that you 5 00:00:25.440 --> 00:00:28.839 would work in us by the power of your spirit 6 00:00:28.879 --> 00:00:34.200 through your word. We're counting on that, and we trust, 7 00:00:34.679 --> 00:00:37.079 we trust what you have promised, that you do your 8 00:00:37.119 --> 00:00:40.399 work by your spirit in your people, through your word. 9 00:00:40.479 --> 00:00:46.280 And so as we open up the scriptures, would you 10 00:00:46.479 --> 00:00:50.520 open up our hearts do in us what we cannot 11 00:00:50.560 --> 00:00:58.119 do ourselves, grow us, sanctify us, mature us truly spiritually. 12 00:00:58.799 --> 00:01:01.520 As we step out in faith, would you meet us 13 00:01:01.560 --> 00:01:06.760 with power? We ask in Jesus' name. Amen, Let's grab 14 00:01:06.799 --> 00:01:11.480 our bibles. Let's grab our bibles and turn to Second Peter, 15 00:01:11.760 --> 00:01:14.000 the first chapter. Second Peter, the first chapter. If you 16 00:01:14.000 --> 00:01:15.959 don't have a Bible with you, just raise your hand. 17 00:01:15.959 --> 00:01:18.159 We're passing those out. Just catch the eye of one 18 00:01:18.159 --> 00:01:20.760 of our ushers there and hold your hand and keep 19 00:01:20.760 --> 00:01:22.959 it up, and we'll find you with a bible or 20 00:01:23.000 --> 00:01:24.879 a bulletin or whatever you need. 21 00:01:25.799 --> 00:01:26.760 Pen or anything like that. 22 00:01:26.760 --> 00:01:28.599 This is a good opportunity for me to remind you 23 00:01:28.840 --> 00:01:31.280 to please fill out a connection card, use the QR 24 00:01:31.319 --> 00:01:31.599 code and. 25 00:01:31.599 --> 00:01:32.840 The bulletin or on the seatback. 26 00:01:33.120 --> 00:01:35.439 You can take the rest of this worship service to 27 00:01:35.480 --> 00:01:38.760 do that, but we just ask that everyone does that. 28 00:01:39.120 --> 00:01:42.000 Whether you're here a lot or a little, if you're 29 00:01:42.040 --> 00:01:45.120 a member or a guest, it is important to us 30 00:01:45.200 --> 00:01:47.560 that we know that you were here by name. That's 31 00:01:47.560 --> 00:01:49.359 an important pastoral tool for us. 32 00:01:50.239 --> 00:01:50.879 If you are. 33 00:01:50.920 --> 00:01:55.519 New, you can leave some contact information. We'll be reaching 34 00:01:55.560 --> 00:01:57.319 out to you, following up with you. And if you 35 00:01:57.359 --> 00:02:01.239 are somewhat new and you have questions about how could 36 00:02:01.280 --> 00:02:04.920 I become a part of this local church, what does 37 00:02:04.959 --> 00:02:07.719 that like? We have a table out in the lobby 38 00:02:07.719 --> 00:02:10.800 called Step one and where we just begin that process. 39 00:02:10.919 --> 00:02:13.879 It's the first step. It's the first step of that 40 00:02:13.919 --> 00:02:17.520 process of becoming a part of this body of believers. 41 00:02:18.479 --> 00:02:21.120 That's also a place where you can connect for all 42 00:02:21.199 --> 00:02:24.080 kinds of questions, questions about this passage of scripture or 43 00:02:24.159 --> 00:02:27.000 about the Gospel of Jesus Christ. If you're here and 44 00:02:27.039 --> 00:02:29.319 you say, you know, I've heard these songs, I've heard 45 00:02:29.360 --> 00:02:33.759 you sing about and talk about Jesus Christ and faith 46 00:02:33.840 --> 00:02:38.800 in Him and holiness before God and I don't have 47 00:02:38.919 --> 00:02:42.319 much clarity around those things. Well, we want you to 48 00:02:42.360 --> 00:02:45.719 have clarity about those things. In fact, tonight I would 49 00:02:45.759 --> 00:02:47.479 welcome you to just come over to my house. My 50 00:02:47.520 --> 00:02:49.479 wife and I are going to have dinner from six 51 00:02:49.520 --> 00:02:52.000 to eight o'clock tonight and just we're going to focus 52 00:02:52.039 --> 00:02:54.199 on a conversation like that. So if you're here this 53 00:02:54.599 --> 00:02:56.639 morning and you're like I would like more clarity, I 54 00:02:56.680 --> 00:03:01.039 would like a conversation about the Christian faith and getting 55 00:03:01.039 --> 00:03:03.479 clarity about what it means to become a Christian, well 56 00:03:03.520 --> 00:03:04.400 we'll do that tonight. 57 00:03:04.639 --> 00:03:05.319 Just come on over. 58 00:03:05.439 --> 00:03:07.039 You can meet me at the step one table. I'll 59 00:03:07.039 --> 00:03:09.680 give you my address and come over tonight and we'll 60 00:03:09.719 --> 00:03:11.240 just we'll have dinner and we'll have a conversation. 61 00:03:12.120 --> 00:03:12.479 Okay. 62 00:03:12.879 --> 00:03:18.479 So second Peter, the first chapter. If you're all there, 63 00:03:20.080 --> 00:03:24.360 I'd like to introduce someone to you. This is a 64 00:03:24.400 --> 00:03:29.520 passage of scripture. Actually that just picks up right after 65 00:03:29.759 --> 00:03:34.560 where Pastor Seamus Drake left off. If you remember when 66 00:03:34.560 --> 00:03:37.439 Pastor Seamus Drake was visiting us and preaching for us here, 67 00:03:38.080 --> 00:03:42.599 he preached the first paragraph or so of this book. 68 00:03:43.120 --> 00:03:46.479 And this morning, Scott Graham is going to pick up 69 00:03:46.719 --> 00:03:49.319 where he left off and preach for us the next 70 00:03:49.560 --> 00:03:53.039 paragraph in this letter. Now, Scott has been with us 71 00:03:53.039 --> 00:03:55.400 here at this church, serving on staff for a little 72 00:03:55.400 --> 00:03:59.400 over a year. He serves as the minister for students. 73 00:04:00.039 --> 00:04:02.800 And when he came on board here, there were two 74 00:04:02.840 --> 00:04:06.800 things that really really stuck out about his and his 75 00:04:06.919 --> 00:04:10.000 character and his qualities. The things he was focused on 76 00:04:10.080 --> 00:04:13.120 his priorities, and one of them was a high view 77 00:04:13.199 --> 00:04:17.360 of scripture. He wants to see God's word proclaimed talk 78 00:04:17.480 --> 00:04:20.199 to his people. And the other was a high view 79 00:04:20.240 --> 00:04:24.839 of discipleship. And he has been responsible for disciple making 80 00:04:24.959 --> 00:04:28.000 amongst our youth here at Crossway and leading a whole 81 00:04:28.000 --> 00:04:31.480 team of people to focus on discipling those young people 82 00:04:31.639 --> 00:04:33.079 and been doing a great job. 83 00:04:33.199 --> 00:04:33.959 And this will be the. 84 00:04:33.959 --> 00:04:35.879 First time I think that he's preaching for us as 85 00:04:35.879 --> 00:04:44.360 a church. So please welcome Scott Graham. 86 00:04:44.560 --> 00:04:53.839 Thank you, well, good morning, all right, I see you 87 00:04:54.480 --> 00:04:56.160 see you already have your bibles open. 88 00:04:56.199 --> 00:04:57.480 That is amazing. 89 00:04:58.519 --> 00:05:04.519 Why don't we just start there and make much of him? 90 00:05:04.560 --> 00:05:06.199 Therefore verse twelve. 91 00:05:06.439 --> 00:05:12.240 Therefore I intend always to remind you of these qualities, 92 00:05:12.920 --> 00:05:17.040 though you know them and are established in the truth 93 00:05:17.120 --> 00:05:20.920 that you have. I think it right as long as 94 00:05:21.000 --> 00:05:24.519 I am in this body to stir you up my 95 00:05:24.680 --> 00:05:28.480 way of reminder, since I know that the putting off 96 00:05:28.519 --> 00:05:31.639 of my body will be soon, as our Lord Jesus 97 00:05:31.720 --> 00:05:35.199 Christ made clear to me, and I will make every 98 00:05:35.439 --> 00:05:40.040 effort so that after my departure you may be able to, 99 00:05:41.439 --> 00:05:47.480 at any time to recall these things. This is the 100 00:05:47.480 --> 00:05:51.879 word of a lord. Thank y'all, by the way, for 101 00:05:52.279 --> 00:05:53.439 allowing me to be up here. 102 00:05:53.639 --> 00:05:54.560 I love you, guys. 103 00:05:54.600 --> 00:05:57.560 It is such a delight to get into God's word 104 00:05:57.600 --> 00:05:59.720 and to share God's word, but especially to share God's 105 00:05:59.720 --> 00:06:04.399 world of people that I love. So the title is 106 00:06:04.839 --> 00:06:10.839 don't forget to remember. That's what's going on in Peter's mind, 107 00:06:10.920 --> 00:06:15.920 is he's writing this, don't forget to remember? Is anybody 108 00:06:15.920 --> 00:06:21.759 here forgetful? I'm pretty forgetful. We blame a lot of 109 00:06:21.800 --> 00:06:26.720 things for our forgetfulness. I've blamed a technology. Some people 110 00:06:26.720 --> 00:06:34.560 blame their age, some people blame their their distractions. But 111 00:06:34.600 --> 00:06:40.480 I blame a very familiar culprit right here. I'll remember 112 00:06:40.519 --> 00:06:44.920 that I forgot something, but I'll forget what that was. 113 00:06:47.920 --> 00:06:52.199 Peter's final message is an urgent reminder for people who 114 00:06:52.519 --> 00:06:55.800 may forget. God's people are so. 115 00:06:55.920 --> 00:06:57.279 Prone to forget. 116 00:06:58.519 --> 00:07:02.399 Even the very base six of the Gospel, the very 117 00:07:02.439 --> 00:07:05.279 basics of grace, and how that plays out. And so 118 00:07:05.360 --> 00:07:09.839 Peter doubles down on the truths that he says they 119 00:07:10.079 --> 00:07:17.439 already know. Do we outmature these truths? When when we 120 00:07:17.480 --> 00:07:21.480 say forgetfulness, we're not talking about a lapse of memory. 121 00:07:22.000 --> 00:07:26.160 We're talking about a very spiritual forgetfulness. This is a 122 00:07:26.199 --> 00:07:32.360 condition that's preventing them from their own growth. What Peter's 123 00:07:32.360 --> 00:07:37.399 teaching us here is actually quite simple. It's we need reminders. 124 00:07:38.439 --> 00:07:43.800 We need reminders. Now, I'm a veteran and the military. 125 00:07:43.839 --> 00:07:47.120 We we love our acronyms. There are a lot of acronyms, 126 00:07:47.399 --> 00:07:49.639 and so I'm I've picked a new monic that's going 127 00:07:49.680 --> 00:07:53.360 to help us remember. It's taken from Peter from the 128 00:07:53.399 --> 00:07:56.480 text right here, and it's the word is stir stir 129 00:07:56.879 --> 00:08:02.240 s T, I, R and and four letters with four 130 00:08:02.439 --> 00:08:06.279 urgent charges that will help us trace the arguments here 131 00:08:06.600 --> 00:08:09.720 in Peter's in the text of second Peter. All right, 132 00:08:09.759 --> 00:08:14.079 so the first first main point, all right, s all right, 133 00:08:14.120 --> 00:08:14.639 this one's easy. 134 00:08:14.680 --> 00:08:18.519 We're going to keep it simple. Stir stir up. 135 00:08:19.160 --> 00:08:23.160 Peter wants to stir us up by way of reminder. 136 00:08:24.800 --> 00:08:26.000 Look at verse twelve and thirteen. 137 00:08:26.040 --> 00:08:30.279 Therefore, I intend always to remind you of these qualities, 138 00:08:30.800 --> 00:08:33.440 though you know them and are established in the truth 139 00:08:33.440 --> 00:08:36.120 that you have. I think it right as long as 140 00:08:36.159 --> 00:08:39.360 I am in this body to stir you up by 141 00:08:39.440 --> 00:08:40.279 way of reminder. 142 00:08:40.919 --> 00:08:41.799 What Peter's saying. 143 00:08:41.600 --> 00:08:45.840 Here is he's always going to be ready to remind them. 144 00:08:46.399 --> 00:08:50.320 If there's an opportunity to talk about Christ, his grace 145 00:08:50.600 --> 00:08:53.000 and how that works in our growth and our response 146 00:08:53.039 --> 00:08:58.600 to him, he's gonna take that opportunity. It's necessary. So 147 00:08:58.679 --> 00:09:04.159 he's reminding us that it's important. But they already know 148 00:09:04.240 --> 00:09:09.120 these things. They're established in these truths. And he's going, yes, 149 00:09:09.159 --> 00:09:11.960 I see that, and I'm encouraging you. Yes you do 150 00:09:12.080 --> 00:09:14.360 know that, Yes, you are established in that. And yet 151 00:09:15.240 --> 00:09:21.559 it's necessary to remind you. So he keeps reminding they 152 00:09:21.919 --> 00:09:25.080 need these reminders in these very basic truths to. 153 00:09:25.159 --> 00:09:26.559 Stir them up. 154 00:09:27.480 --> 00:09:30.360 Stir up that that word it's it's a wake up call, 155 00:09:30.600 --> 00:09:34.360 that's what it is. This isn't the wake up call 156 00:09:34.480 --> 00:09:36.879 when you call the front desk of a hotel. And 157 00:09:36.919 --> 00:09:40.639 this isn't Peter going, hey, I've got a devotional for you, 158 00:09:40.799 --> 00:09:44.679 and I've got some things I have to remind you of. No, 159 00:09:44.799 --> 00:09:50.320 he's he's saying, wake up, stay alert, your your hands 160 00:09:50.320 --> 00:09:54.240 are on the wheel, don't drift. Be reminded of these truths. 161 00:09:55.159 --> 00:09:57.639 These truths you have in Christ. You're you're going to 162 00:09:57.799 --> 00:10:01.080 need them. You're going to need them. He's reminding us 163 00:10:01.720 --> 00:10:04.559 what he's said since the very beginning of his letter. 164 00:10:05.360 --> 00:10:10.080 They must not forget God's blessings, their salvation, and their 165 00:10:10.120 --> 00:10:14.519 response to that. You see, without these reminders, they're running 166 00:10:14.519 --> 00:10:18.279 a very big risk that the stakes are high. Without 167 00:10:18.279 --> 00:10:21.080 these reminders, they can forget that they've ever been cleansed 168 00:10:22.080 --> 00:10:28.120 from their former sins. Peter earlier, he lists these qualities. 169 00:10:28.879 --> 00:10:33.799 Supplement your faith with virtue, virtue with knowledge, knowledge with 170 00:10:34.039 --> 00:10:39.799 self control, steadfastness with godliness, godliness with brotherly love and 171 00:10:40.480 --> 00:10:46.000 brotherly affection, and brotherly affection with love. It starts in faith, 172 00:10:46.759 --> 00:10:52.039 it ends in love. I do love that. But there's 173 00:10:52.120 --> 00:10:58.559 this warning, you see, as if these people lack these qualities, 174 00:10:58.559 --> 00:11:02.039 if it's not there, I'm not saying growth can be 175 00:11:02.080 --> 00:11:06.279 a messy thing, but if they're not there, what he's 176 00:11:06.320 --> 00:11:10.000 warning is they can forget that they've ever been cleansed 177 00:11:10.000 --> 00:11:11.080 from their former sins. 178 00:11:12.120 --> 00:11:13.279 The stakes are high. 179 00:11:13.879 --> 00:11:18.080 We can forget that we've ever even been given the 180 00:11:18.240 --> 00:11:21.879 very life and the godliness in it that Christ has 181 00:11:21.919 --> 00:11:27.080 supplied for us by his divine power. And Peter knows 182 00:11:27.159 --> 00:11:32.200 the value of reminders. They stir us up. We need 183 00:11:32.200 --> 00:11:34.720 this wake up call. They needed this. 184 00:11:34.639 --> 00:11:35.360 Wake up call. 185 00:11:36.120 --> 00:11:39.519 I want you to think about the daily rhythms of 186 00:11:39.559 --> 00:11:43.480 a church. One of them we just did. We were 187 00:11:43.559 --> 00:11:48.360 worshiping the Lord. That daily rhythm. You know that moment, 188 00:11:49.120 --> 00:11:53.399 that moment where the body of the church is almost 189 00:11:53.440 --> 00:11:57.720 singing louder than the worship leaders that are leading us 190 00:11:57.799 --> 00:12:08.000 in that worship. That stirs me up. Baptisms, Baptisms, that 191 00:12:08.159 --> 00:12:15.480 is a reminder that stirs me up. How about testimonies, testimony? 192 00:12:15.519 --> 00:12:17.200 You want to know what I love about testimonies. I 193 00:12:17.240 --> 00:12:21.679 love this about testimonies. It's when they're telling us this 194 00:12:21.960 --> 00:12:26.320 story of their past and we're getting and I can't 195 00:12:26.320 --> 00:12:30.120 wait to get to that moment, that moment where they 196 00:12:30.159 --> 00:12:32.000 go and Jesus showed up. 197 00:12:32.879 --> 00:12:35.399 But God, but God. 198 00:12:36.559 --> 00:12:41.639 That that is a reminder that stirs me up. Or 199 00:12:41.679 --> 00:12:45.320 participating in the Lord's Supper, it's a local body. We 200 00:12:45.840 --> 00:12:51.039 participate in this together and it reminds us of his sacrifice. 201 00:12:52.200 --> 00:12:53.120 It stirs me up. 202 00:12:55.960 --> 00:12:58.360 Another one that's real close and real dear to me 203 00:12:58.519 --> 00:13:03.600 is just living life in the church with y'all, with 204 00:13:03.759 --> 00:13:07.960 my small group, as they are constantly and persistently giving 205 00:13:08.000 --> 00:13:11.360 me these kinds of reminders, constantly saying you need to 206 00:13:11.399 --> 00:13:13.919 remember Christ, you need to have this biblical framework when 207 00:13:13.960 --> 00:13:16.879 as you're working your way through these phases in life, 208 00:13:17.720 --> 00:13:22.200 keep Him in mind. He's them stirring me up. I 209 00:13:22.279 --> 00:13:27.519 need those reminders. So I don't know about you, but 210 00:13:27.600 --> 00:13:31.399 I get pretty stirred up in these daily these habits 211 00:13:31.399 --> 00:13:33.720 that we find ourselves in, just in the life of 212 00:13:33.720 --> 00:13:40.879 the church. God's Word tells us that we need continuous reminders. 213 00:13:40.600 --> 00:13:44.240 He's saying, I will always I will always be ready 214 00:13:44.279 --> 00:13:47.799 to remind you. This is a repetitious reminder we need 215 00:13:47.840 --> 00:13:52.639 to get our reps in. God's Word tells us this. 216 00:13:53.120 --> 00:13:56.120 One of my favorite places to go for this is 217 00:13:56.120 --> 00:14:01.440 actually the Shemah. And that's not because before we're Hebrew linguist. 218 00:14:01.720 --> 00:14:02.320 It might be. 219 00:14:03.759 --> 00:14:05.639 I could read it for you in Hebrew if you'd like, 220 00:14:07.159 --> 00:14:11.919 We'll stick with English. It tells us that that we 221 00:14:11.960 --> 00:14:16.120 are to love the Lord, our God, with our whole soul, 222 00:14:16.159 --> 00:14:18.000 with our whole heart, and with all of our might. 223 00:14:18.159 --> 00:14:21.519 And how do we do that by taking all of 224 00:14:21.559 --> 00:14:26.159 these words and teaching our kids. It's in every facet 225 00:14:26.200 --> 00:14:28.360 of our lives. We're putting it on the door when 226 00:14:28.399 --> 00:14:31.200 we go outside. We're bringing this word with us when 227 00:14:31.200 --> 00:14:32.840 we go to bed, before we go tonight, that's our 228 00:14:32.919 --> 00:14:36.360 last thought on our minds when we wake up. It's 229 00:14:36.399 --> 00:14:39.440 the first thought in the morning. That his word is 230 00:14:39.559 --> 00:14:42.320 constantly when we make him the center of our lives, 231 00:14:42.360 --> 00:14:48.120 it is constantly stirring us up. But how do we 232 00:14:48.200 --> 00:14:49.320 stir one another up? 233 00:14:51.000 --> 00:14:51.320 You see? 234 00:14:51.320 --> 00:14:55.200 Because all these words here, that all the imperatives here 235 00:14:55.240 --> 00:15:00.840 are we see it as you, you, you, you, But 236 00:15:00.879 --> 00:15:04.240 they're in the they're in the plural, and we're in Texas, 237 00:15:04.279 --> 00:15:08.480 so it's okay to say this. But he's saying y'all, 238 00:15:09.120 --> 00:15:13.399 He's saying, y'all. How do y'all? And how do we 239 00:15:13.559 --> 00:15:18.240 How do we stir one another up by reminding one another, 240 00:15:19.240 --> 00:15:26.159 by taking every opportunity to remind us of these gospel truths. Also, 241 00:15:27.159 --> 00:15:32.919 this is another part welcoming these repetitive reminders, and sometimes 242 00:15:32.919 --> 00:15:36.799 that comes with a little bit of accountability. We get 243 00:15:36.799 --> 00:15:41.440 these reminders, and you know I might go, yeah. 244 00:15:40.960 --> 00:15:41.320 Thank you. 245 00:15:42.000 --> 00:15:45.120 I needed I needed to hear that I do need to. 246 00:15:45.080 --> 00:15:46.559 Grow in that area. 247 00:15:47.159 --> 00:15:49.120 Pray for me, help me, help me get through that. 248 00:15:50.440 --> 00:15:54.639 These mutual stirrings, they keep us awake, They keep awake 249 00:15:54.720 --> 00:15:57.159 the Gospel in our lives, in our in in this church. 250 00:15:59.480 --> 00:16:05.600 Reminded serves to stir us. But it's also urgent because 251 00:16:05.679 --> 00:16:10.919 time time is brief, and that time brings us to 252 00:16:11.039 --> 00:16:15.000 tea tea. So we had stir and now we're at 253 00:16:15.039 --> 00:16:21.440 tea for time, tea time. Peter has a proper perspective 254 00:16:21.639 --> 00:16:25.759 of time. Look at verse thirteen and fourteen. I think 255 00:16:25.799 --> 00:16:28.399 it right as long as I am in this body 256 00:16:28.960 --> 00:16:31.960 to stir you up by way of reminder, since I 257 00:16:32.039 --> 00:16:34.039 know that the putting off of my body will be soon. 258 00:16:36.279 --> 00:16:39.600 Peter still thinks it's right to continue to remind them 259 00:16:39.639 --> 00:16:44.799 because time is short. He repeats the word body here 260 00:16:45.320 --> 00:16:49.720 and it's painting this picture of tent, okay, of tabernacle 261 00:16:50.159 --> 00:16:53.919 of booth. And I know some of us might nerd 262 00:16:53.960 --> 00:16:57.039 out over that round, oh all these old Testament reminders, 263 00:16:57.080 --> 00:17:01.360 but we're going to keep it simple. Tent temporary tents temporary. 264 00:17:01.360 --> 00:17:06.839 This will one day roll up. It's temporary. His duties 265 00:17:06.880 --> 00:17:12.119 are almost complete, his watch is almost over. He's about 266 00:17:12.160 --> 00:17:16.720 to hear well done, good and faithful servant, and he 267 00:17:16.759 --> 00:17:23.559 won't stop reminding. He refuses to stop reminding them. Why 268 00:17:23.680 --> 00:17:29.119 because time is short and we need reminders. Our tendency 269 00:17:29.720 --> 00:17:32.400 must be toward making the best use. 270 00:17:32.599 --> 00:17:34.359 Of the time we have. 271 00:17:36.160 --> 00:17:38.599 I don't know about you, but I could use this 272 00:17:38.680 --> 00:17:43.640 warning that's coming from Proverbs, because sometimes time gets the 273 00:17:43.640 --> 00:17:48.079 best of me. It says, how long will you lie there, 274 00:17:48.559 --> 00:17:53.519 oh sluggard? When will you arise from your sleep? A 275 00:17:53.519 --> 00:17:55.640 little sleep, a little slumber? 276 00:17:56.000 --> 00:17:56.720 I love this part. 277 00:17:57.039 --> 00:18:01.279 A little folding of the hands as to rest, and 278 00:18:01.440 --> 00:18:03.519 poverty will come upon you like a robber. 279 00:18:05.240 --> 00:18:06.400 How do we lose our time? 280 00:18:07.920 --> 00:18:12.880 Through small, repeated choices, little by little. 281 00:18:13.359 --> 00:18:14.880 And then all at once. 282 00:18:15.880 --> 00:18:18.920 When we lose our time, it surprises us. We trick 283 00:18:18.960 --> 00:18:21.680 ourselves into thinking that we have more time than we 284 00:18:21.759 --> 00:18:24.839 actually do. We need to know that time is short, 285 00:18:24.880 --> 00:18:27.519 and that should motivate us to remind others and to 286 00:18:27.559 --> 00:18:33.319 stir others up. Because the time it's urgent. How do 287 00:18:33.359 --> 00:18:36.359 we fight against this? We'll call it spiritual laziness. How 288 00:18:36.400 --> 00:18:41.160 do we fight against that? Paul tells us that look 289 00:18:41.240 --> 00:18:45.319 carefully how you walk, not as unwise, but as wise 290 00:18:46.279 --> 00:18:48.640 making the best use of the time. Because the days 291 00:18:48.680 --> 00:18:54.519 are evil, this world is evil. It will do everything 292 00:18:54.559 --> 00:18:57.799 it can to distract you and to take that time 293 00:18:57.880 --> 00:19:02.319 from you. What's making the best use of the time? 294 00:19:03.960 --> 00:19:08.480 In Peter's perspective, what does that look like? Looks like 295 00:19:08.519 --> 00:19:12.559 reminding one another, reminding one another of these gospel truths. 296 00:19:14.480 --> 00:19:17.880 Don't fall into the traps of thinking that you have 297 00:19:18.000 --> 00:19:24.359 more time than you actually do. Don't postpone these gospel actions. 298 00:19:24.440 --> 00:19:27.440 If you're considering talking to that person, talk to that 299 00:19:27.480 --> 00:19:30.799 person while you still have time. Pray for that person. 300 00:19:32.039 --> 00:19:39.240 It can't wait diligently pursue opportunities to remind others of 301 00:19:39.319 --> 00:19:46.000 these basic truths. We need reminders, and time rarely sobers 302 00:19:46.119 --> 00:19:51.039 us until we realize how little we have. So how 303 00:19:51.039 --> 00:19:55.640 should we use the remainder of our time by pointing 304 00:19:55.680 --> 00:19:59.279 believers back to the precious promises that we have in 305 00:19:59.359 --> 00:20:04.559 Christ and encourage them as you see them growing in Christ, 306 00:20:04.680 --> 00:20:09.079 growing in this grace, and then pleading with others who 307 00:20:09.119 --> 00:20:12.680 may be uncertain about who they are in Christ plead 308 00:20:12.720 --> 00:20:21.559 with them. I know that uncertainty. I've lived in that uncertainty. 309 00:20:22.960 --> 00:20:25.640 So if that is you, I need you to hear this. 310 00:20:26.960 --> 00:20:30.240 Time it's short. 311 00:20:30.720 --> 00:20:31.599 It is so short. 312 00:20:33.079 --> 00:20:36.640 There is no more urgent, pressing need in your life 313 00:20:36.680 --> 00:20:43.160 than this. Stop wasting your time, stop putting it off. 314 00:20:44.119 --> 00:20:48.559 Turn to him, Turn to him that the gospel, it 315 00:20:48.640 --> 00:20:53.440 was planned before time began. But with people like you 316 00:20:53.519 --> 00:21:00.319 in mind, it means he loved you far soon than 317 00:21:00.319 --> 00:21:04.319 you were ever even capable of loving him. The Father 318 00:21:04.400 --> 00:21:07.920 planned it in love. He sent his son to take 319 00:21:07.960 --> 00:21:11.960 on human form, live the life that we could not live, 320 00:21:12.039 --> 00:21:15.400 bore the wrath that we could not we couldn't. 321 00:21:15.079 --> 00:21:17.960 Even understand, bearing that. 322 00:21:20.680 --> 00:21:24.920 He who knew no sin became sin, so that when 323 00:21:25.759 --> 00:21:28.559 the Father looked to the son on the cross, he 324 00:21:28.640 --> 00:21:31.680 saw my wreck of a life. And when he turned 325 00:21:31.680 --> 00:21:35.880 to look at me, he saw his righteousness. You can 326 00:21:35.960 --> 00:21:42.240 have that now too. Time is short, and the Holy 327 00:21:42.319 --> 00:21:46.960 Spirit today, the Holy Spirit applies it awakening dead hearts 328 00:21:46.960 --> 00:21:52.680 to enable us to trust in him. Trust him now. 329 00:21:54.000 --> 00:21:59.400 And here's the deal. Even mature believers, we need to 330 00:21:59.440 --> 00:22:03.640 hear the God Gospel. There's something about it. As we 331 00:22:03.720 --> 00:22:09.920 hear it, we experience some of our own sins and convictions. 332 00:22:10.640 --> 00:22:14.319 But then we rejoice as we're reminded of the remedy. 333 00:22:15.279 --> 00:22:19.880 We rejoice in him. So reminding is urgent because time 334 00:22:19.960 --> 00:22:26.240 is short. But even shepherds are temporary. Peter's reminding us, 335 00:22:27.279 --> 00:22:32.000 but it's imminent his departure. It's imminent, which brings us 336 00:22:32.000 --> 00:22:32.839 to our next point. 337 00:22:33.400 --> 00:22:36.200 I so st I I. 338 00:22:36.559 --> 00:22:44.960 Is imminent departure. Peter announces this imminent departure in verse fourteen, 339 00:22:46.240 --> 00:22:48.359 since I know that the putting off of my body 340 00:22:48.400 --> 00:22:51.240 will be soon, as our Lord Jesus Christ made clear 341 00:22:51.240 --> 00:22:54.920 to me. See, Peter knows that it's imminent, just Jesus 342 00:22:54.960 --> 00:22:59.720 foretold it in John chapter twenty one. He's in prisons, 343 00:23:00.119 --> 00:23:05.079 he's under persecution of Nero. His reminders here are are 344 00:23:05.160 --> 00:23:09.480 meant to remind and to guard believers against false teachers 345 00:23:09.480 --> 00:23:13.559 and scoffers that are coming in light of his departure. 346 00:23:17.000 --> 00:23:20.519 Churches in this region are experienced a great deal of 347 00:23:20.599 --> 00:23:25.839 tension and persecution, challenges. He knows the struggles, and he 348 00:23:25.880 --> 00:23:29.160 knows the drift that comes with those struggles, the doubt, 349 00:23:29.680 --> 00:23:32.920 the listening that the listening to these voices and these 350 00:23:32.960 --> 00:23:36.279 false teachers. As he describes these false teachers, he's saying 351 00:23:36.319 --> 00:23:43.119 that they are destructive, they're dangerous, they're deceptive. They're deceptive 352 00:23:43.119 --> 00:23:45.920 because they're using God's word and they're twisting it, and 353 00:23:45.960 --> 00:23:52.599 they're preaching a gospel of grace without transformation. This is 354 00:23:52.680 --> 00:23:55.480 this is a grace of Oh, I've been am I saved, 355 00:23:55.839 --> 00:23:58.880 but I don't I don't have to live that way. 356 00:23:59.039 --> 00:24:02.759 And I think that's one of the reasons why he 357 00:24:02.839 --> 00:24:06.559 lays out first what a Christian actually looks like. This 358 00:24:06.599 --> 00:24:08.960 is not a stagnant faith. It's all these qualities that 359 00:24:09.000 --> 00:24:13.160 you and me and we all should be reminding one another, like, hey, 360 00:24:13.160 --> 00:24:16.160 we're growing in these things. I see that in you, 361 00:24:17.599 --> 00:24:20.720 and it helps us when we see those that lack 362 00:24:20.920 --> 00:24:26.279 those qualities, you will know them by their fruit. So 363 00:24:26.319 --> 00:24:32.000 they're twisting God's word for their own self gain. Peter 364 00:24:32.039 --> 00:24:36.079 announces that this imminent departure and their need to place 365 00:24:36.119 --> 00:24:40.640 their hope in something beyond him, in Jesus, in the 366 00:24:40.759 --> 00:24:43.440 truths of these gospels, of this gospel that he is 367 00:24:43.480 --> 00:24:48.039 now preaching to them. So how do we keep our faith? 368 00:24:48.599 --> 00:24:54.720 As leaders go we urgently remind one another of Christ 369 00:24:54.960 --> 00:24:58.400 and his grace and the sustaining grace and this transforming grace. 370 00:25:00.039 --> 00:25:06.920 Over the years, we've lost a lot of good, faithful pastors. 371 00:25:08.599 --> 00:25:10.240 You may have a few of them on your mind. 372 00:25:10.240 --> 00:25:12.440 I will name one, Arci Sproull. 373 00:25:15.480 --> 00:25:15.920 And it's a. 374 00:25:15.880 --> 00:25:19.519 Common question that I think comes up during this time. 375 00:25:19.519 --> 00:25:21.440 And I don't know if it's because of curiosity or 376 00:25:21.440 --> 00:25:24.599 it's because of doubt, but I hear. 377 00:25:26.640 --> 00:25:27.839 Who will replace them? 378 00:25:30.039 --> 00:25:33.079 How do you restore the hope of someone that has 379 00:25:33.119 --> 00:25:38.440 such doubts by doing the same thing that those faithful 380 00:25:38.440 --> 00:25:42.400 pastors were doing, constantly reminding us and pointing us to 381 00:25:42.680 --> 00:25:48.960 these gospel truths. We remind them of the hope, we 382 00:25:49.039 --> 00:25:59.279 remind them of disgrace. But faithful and effective leaders are also. 383 00:26:00.759 --> 00:26:01.680 They also have this. 384 00:26:02.160 --> 00:26:10.079 Imminent departure perspective which motivates them to invest in the future, 385 00:26:10.359 --> 00:26:12.240 to invest in the next generation. 386 00:26:13.240 --> 00:26:14.200 Peter's no exception. 387 00:26:14.279 --> 00:26:16.160 We can learn a lot about his leadership in light 388 00:26:16.200 --> 00:26:22.160 of this imminent departure perspective. He invests in people. He 389 00:26:22.240 --> 00:26:26.319 taught them to remain stable by reminding one another of 390 00:26:26.359 --> 00:26:30.839 these truths. He discipled John Mark, who penned the Gospel 391 00:26:31.240 --> 00:26:36.079 of Mark. He invested in discipling network of churches and 392 00:26:36.359 --> 00:26:40.799 across Asia Minor, and he pastored those in Jerusalem. He 393 00:26:40.880 --> 00:26:46.960 invested in people because his departure was imminent. His departure 394 00:26:47.000 --> 00:26:49.960 didn't motivate him to get his affairs in order, No, 395 00:26:50.119 --> 00:26:54.319 it drove him more and more into this. I need 396 00:26:54.480 --> 00:27:00.039 to create these discipleship opportunities. I need to obey and 397 00:27:00.079 --> 00:27:05.400 courage others to remind them of these gospel truths. So 398 00:27:05.519 --> 00:27:09.599 as we keep our own imminent departure in mind, what 399 00:27:09.599 --> 00:27:14.279 does that look like? We need these reminders to motivate 400 00:27:14.359 --> 00:27:18.240 us to disciple those who are coming next. We need 401 00:27:18.279 --> 00:27:22.359