A Hopeful People

November 29, 2009

Background Scripture: 2 Peter 3:1 – 13
Lesson Passage: 2 Peter 3:1 – 13

“Don’t Lose Hope!” That was the topic of a sermon I heard preached by a Japanese clergyman in Tokyo more than fifteen years ago. I don’t remember all of the major points that he emphasized but I remember the topic vividly. The sermon was preached in the Japanese native tongue which I do not speak or comprehend. There was a young Japanese college student sitting next to me in the church service who gladly translated everything the preacher was saying for me. It was a very good message but it was the end of that sermon that was very dramatic for me. The preacher looked directly at me and he exclaimed in very good “English” diction, Don’t Lose Hope! For a moment I wondered if I had received the gift of interpretation of tongues so I asked the college student if that last statement was actually in English to which I received the reply that it was. That sermon is a very good message for all Christians. There are plenty of naysayers who would seek to discourage those who strive to live the Christian life. Then again, sometimes we may even question within ourselves, What if all of this is for nothing? Would I be satisfied with the life I have lived if I found out this is all there is to it? I thank God that those are questions that I don’t have to wrestle with or worry about. Peter’s assertion in our lesson today is that the word of God is sure. God’s word is so sure that all physical existence stands on it and is kept intact by it. Likewise, the word of God assures the fiery destruction of the physical world at the end when God will create a new Heaven and a new earth. Christians learn to look to God’s word for assurance. We don’t just depend on the word of God during our lifetimes but look even beyond the grave. What an awesome promise of God and expression of our faith that even death cannot dampen our hope. The more we learn of God the more we endeavor to walk closer to him and allow him to guide us in our daily living. Those who are not of the faith cannot possibly see or comprehend the facts that are brought forth by God’s word. They arrogantly declare Christians to be naïve even as they lean on the strength of their own ignorance. Our hope is not in what can be seen or explained by nature so the natural man cannot receive our message or understand it. God’s promises are spiritual and so too is the wisdom we receive from him. It is this wisdom that surpasses worldly understanding. We are people of hope because we are people of faith. Our day to day living continues to move more and more towards a certain future and is not constrained or restrained by a perishing world that is doomed for destruction. Our lives today should be governed by the certainty of the future that God has declared in his word. We are right in our position because we choose to believe God and trust him to deliver us to a promised future—even beyond the grave! We will encounter many naysayers on the Christian journey but we should always remember, “Don’t lose hope!”


Robert C. Hudson
November 18, 2009

A Faithful People

November 22, 2009

Background Scripture: 2 Peter 1:3 – 15
Lesson Passage: 2 Peter 1:3 – 15

Peter’s first letter encouraged Christians who were victimized by persecution from outside of the church family. He reminded them that they were partakers of Christ’s suffering whenever they were subjected to suffering because of their faith in Jesus. Peter’s second letter addresses a very different problem. Believers were being bombarded by false teachers who were seeking to lead them away from the faith. Time has shown that this problem was much more severe than the outward persecution in that it still persists today. In this letter, Peter declared a personal determination to fight against this evil for as long as he lived and to do all within his ability to leave a record of truth for believers to have even after his death. Such a statement expresses the severity of the problem faced by the apostles during the latter half of the first century. A half-truth is always more dangerous than a blatant lie. Once false teaching began to move throughout the Christian community, Satan no longer had to wage spiritual warfare by using external persecution. Even today we live in a time when persecution is not prevalent throughout the Christian community. In fact, it is nonexistent in many. The real warfare against the family of faith is internal false teaching. The Holy Ghost obviously revealed this to the apostles as they labored to lay the foundation of the Christian church and build upon it. This is evident in Peter’s letter as well as Jude’s letter, Paul’s second letter to Timothy, and John’s epistles. The common theme that runs through all of these letters is the admonition to Christians to stay with the original faith and teachings that were first delivered to them. The false teachers were instigating apostasy or backsliding by combining elements of the faith along with worldly wisdom that was not of God. Accepting Jesus Christ as one’s personal Lord and Savior does not lead to a wonderful problem-free life in this world. Rather, it leads down the same road that Jesus traveled. Jesus beckoned those that would to take up their cross and follow him. He did not invite men to accept a new status as his servant and then go and live according to the world standards. The world hated Jesus and reacts the same way towards his followers. Yet, we can still live victorious lives by following Christ’s examples. Our character should be a reflection of the Spirit of God living in us. This is an outgrowth that comes from increasing our faith by growing in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. We don’t add Christianity to what we are. We accept the character of Christ and we die out to the old person who by nature is corrupt and at enmity with God. False teachers found this too unpalatable and therefore sought to water down the message of the gospel. We continue in our old sins when we refuse to see the new life that Christ has made available to us. Peter further admonishes believers to walk victoriously through the knowledge of their election and calling. Peter’s last letter is an appeal to Christians to be faithful people.

Robert C. Hudson
November 12, 2009