Sure Hope

May 12, 2013 Background Scripture: 2 Peter 1 Lesson Passage: 2 Peter 1:2 – 15, 20, 21 Sometimes all we have to hold on to is what we hope for. The hope that is within us causes us to prepare ourselves to experience an expectant future. Hope is much more than wishful thinking. Wishful thinking is purely imaginary or within the mind of the person whereas hope is based on something tangible. Hope is engendered by something or someone beyond the person. Often, hope is based on words that form the basis of a promise. In our lesson today, Peter assures us, who have obtained the same kind of faith he had from God through our Lord Jesus Christ, that we have also received exceeding great and precious promises. Just the adjectives and the adverb used to describe the promises of God to the redeemed is enough to stir up hope in us. “Exceeding great” implies that these promises of God are beyond great. These promises exceed great. Likewise, these promises of God are also precious which indicates value. Just the description of the promises is enough to cause hope to well up on the inside of believers. For one thing, God’s promises make it possible for us to receive of His divine nature. Christians have a choice in this life. We can continue to wrestle with our fleshly nature and live frustrated in this fallen world, or we can partake of the divine nature which God makes available and live victoriously. Note that the divine nature does not exempt us from troubles and hardships in this life but rather the divine nature allows us to handle them differently knowing that they are temporary. As we have received salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ, we have likewise been called to participate in his glory and virtue. We should grow beyond merely professing faith to living a virtuous life. As we experience living as such, we grow towards a walk in divine love. We both receive divine love and allow it to be reflected in our daily living. Then, the knowledge of Jesus Christ will bear fruit in our life. When this doesn’t happen, Christians remain worldly and slaves to our passions. When we are continuously reminded of God’s expectation of us, it helps us to continue to grow in grace. Peter desired to continue to put Christians in remembrance of God’s promises even after his death. Perhaps that is one of the reasons he wrote this letter. Peter based his desire on his eyewitness account of what happened with Jesus and not on his ability to trick people into believing even as he did. Peter reminds the reader that his word of prophecy is like all prophecy of scripture. It is the result of the work of the Holy Ghost and not the will of the one speaking. This word of prophecy is made sure through its partial fulfillment that Peter and others gave witness to. It is this witness to the partial fulfillment of the precious promises that Peter based his assurance on. It was also the assurance that Peter had that by writing this letter he could constantly put the redeemed in remembrance of God’s promises long after his own death. Thanks to the eyewitness accounts of Peter and others who served along side him, today we have a sure hope. Robert C. Hudson May 3, 2013