Simeon Peter, a servant and apostle of Jesus Christ, to those who have obtained a faith of equal standing with ours by the righteousness of our God and Savior Jesus Christ: – 2 Peter 1:1 ESV

GREEK
ἰσότιμον/isotimon: equally precious as

CONSIDER
Clarks Summit, Pennsylvania is famous for a few things. It’s home to the Anthracite Heritage Museum, the Clarks Summit University Defenders, and Karen Shemonsky. Karen, a self-proclaimed “sports nut,” purchased Ty Cobb’s dentures in 1999 for $7,475. Why would someone spend that kind of money on false teeth? Shemonsky’s father was a dentist, and she saw them as “a piece of history.”
As Peter introduces himself to his readers, he does so in a unique way. He refuses to list his accomplishments or reasons to be respected in the Christian community. Rather, he refers to himself as a servant and apostle of Jesus, whose audience has obtained a faith isotimon (equally precious as) his and those he worked with. The man who was one of Jesus’ closest friends is not feigning false humility here. Peter is specifically pointing to the righteousness that Jesus earned on the cross and conferred to all those who trust in him. The adjective he uses is only seen here in the entire Bible and literally means to find equal value in two things. Not many people would equally value a used vehicle and decades-old teeth, but Karen Shemonsky and her family loved both baseball and dentistry enough to spend thousands on some interesting memorabilia. And in much the same way, you may be shocked to learn that your faith in Christ is isotimon the apostle Peter’s, but that’s the power of the gospel! Because God loved every single human he created, there is no one for whom the work of Jesus isn’t effective. So from the very first verse of his epistle, Peter wants us to take our eyes off of the obstacles of sin and shame and see the big picture of Christ’s righteousness and grace.

APPLY
What will I stop carrying?

To listen to songs from this week’s worship set and the series on Spotify click here!

For if these qualities are yours and are increasing, they keep you from being ineffective or unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. – 2 Peter 1:8 ESV

GREEK
ἀργοὺς/argous: lazy, unprofitable

CONSIDER
What will I stop carrying? In the 1840s, the men and women of Ireland carried with them the notion that the work of their hands would be their salvation from the poverty that living under English rule brought with it. And yet, that decade saw Ireland devastated by the potato blight that would end up seeing millions of Irish people either emigrate or starve to death. The rocky soil and perpetually damp seasons meant that only one or two strains of potatoes could grow well there. So when the blight decimated this crop, there was nothing else to fall back on and disaster ensued. The farmers worked harder than ever, and yet the ground returned nothing for their labor.
The imagery of agricultural catastrophe is at the heart of an adjective Peter used in today’s verse. After listing several qualities that we should develop as a result of God’s grace, he tells us that if we do so, they will keep us “from being argous (lazy, unprofitable) or unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.” Outside of scripture, this word was used to describe a field that was sown with seed, cared for and cultivated, but yielded nothing as a result. And Peter seems to be using it similarly by reminding us that much like that prepared field, knowing Jesus will create the ability for health and fruitfulness to mark our lives. Will we lean into the work of Christ so that the qualities Peter speaks of will keep us from being argous? Or are we content with being so busy working on unprofitable things that we miss out on the bounty that the knowledge of Christ brings with it? Sometimes the decision to stop carrying certain things in our lives is made simpler by acknowledging that they were never designed to bring us the health and wholeness we crave in the first place.

APPLY
What will I stop carrying?

To listen to songs from this week’s worship set and the series on Spotify click here!

For whoever lacks these qualities is so nearsighted that he is blind, having forgotten that he was cleansed from his former sins.- 2 Peter 1:9 ESV

GREEK
μυωπάζων/myōpazōn: only able to see what is right in front of them; myopic in sight

CONSIDER
“It’s the best strikeout I ever had.” Typically, a quote like this would come from a pitcher, not a hitter. But for 33-year-old infielder Drew Maggi, striking out was the culmination of a dream he had his entire life. For as long as he can remember, Maggi dreamed of becoming a major league ballplayer, and yet for parts of 13 minor league seasons he worked and waited for a chance to prove himself. All that changed on April 26th, 2023 when Drew was finally called up to play for the Pittsburgh Pirates. With his parents crying tears of joy, the crowd chanting his name and his teammates celebrating, Maggi left his first major league game not with anger that he struck out, but with the joy of realized dreams.
So what does a lifelong minor leaguer have to do with the writings of Peter? Maggi’s story reminds us that there are bigger things to focus on in life than the temporary disappointments we face, and in today’s verse Peter expresses a similar sentiment. He tells his readers that whoever lacks these qualities [those that grow us in the grace and knowledge of God] is so myōpazōn (unable to see beyond what lies directly in front of their eyes) that he is blind. Although this is the only time in the Bible this verb is used, myōpazōn is likely familiar to us because it is where we get the English word myopic. When we forget that we owe every good thing we have to the goodness of God, we risk experiencing a sense of entitlement and sometimes get upset when life isn’t lived on our terms. As a result, it’s easy to fixate on every imperfection set before us and myopically see disappointment as an insurmountable obstacle. But God invites us to lift our eyes up toward him to reveal the big picture that his grace provides. So if you’ve ever found yourself overly upset at a situation that won’t matter much in the coming hours, Peter encourages us to not be so myōpazōn that we close our eyes to the panorama of God’s compassion.

APPLY
What will I stop carrying?

To listen to songs from this week’s worship set and the series on Spotify click here!

Therefore, brothers, be all the more diligent to confirm your calling and election, for if you practice these qualities you will never fall. – 2 Peter 1:10 ESV

GREEK
σπουδάσατε/spoudasate: speedy, eager

CONSIDER
One of the Because and Therefore statements that we consistently reference at Centerway says Because God sees what we can’t, we value GOD-RISKStherefore we respond when God speaks, pursue efforts that require supernatural intervention to succeed, and – while we aren’t irresponsible – we resist the comfort zone and don’t maintain or play it safe out of fear.
Responding when God speaks might seem like a logical and even sensible thing to do, since we can clearly trust him to lead us in the right direction. However, stepping out in faith isn’t as easy as it sounds. Case in point: when God called Israel to live in the Promised Land, he assured them that he would fight on their behalf. The Israelites who spied out that land were amazed at the abundance they saw there. And yet most of the spies couldn’t see past the size of the obstacles before them, and as a result the nation roamed the wilderness for 40 years before they took their God-risk and entered the land. Imagine a whole generation trading the blessing of God’s promises for life in the desert!
When we claim to put our faith in Jesus but are unwilling to follow his lead, we run the risk of something spiritually similar. Peter wraps up his teaching on leaning into the qualities of God’s divine nature by challenging us to “be all the more spoudasate (speedy, eager) to confirm your calling and election.” By using this Greek verb tense, Peter is teaching us to work on developing these qualities quickly and consistently. Think of spoudasate as the opposite of Israel’s response to the report from their spies; instead of passively waiting for what God has assured, Peter wants us to actively respond to his voice. We can focus on the obstacle to be overcome, or we can focus on the blessing that spoudasate obedience will uncover. Because God sees what we can’t, we can trust that he will supernaturally intervene for his glory and our joy.

APPLY
Where is God asking me to be more diligent?

To listen to songs from this week’s worship set and the series on Spotify click here!

I think it right, as long as I am in this body, to stir you up by way of reminder,  – 2 Peter 1:10 ESV

GREEK
Διεγείρειν ὑμᾶς/diegeirein hymas: to rouse you from sleep

CONSIDER
The day started with a life-changing encounter with Jesus; it nearly ended with blaming him for their impending death. Jesus’ disciples listened with excitement as he shared parable after parable with a spiritually hungry crowd. Then as evening approached, they got in a boat and headed to the other side of the sea. When a storm quickly materialized, these men became so afraid that they woke Jesus up to ask him if he even cared that they were about to die. But rather than being afraid himself, or even angry at his friends for their accusations, Jesus commanded the wind and waves to calm down. When the storm obeyed his voice the disciples were again filled with fear, but this time it was because of Jesus’ miracle-working power.
It’s meaningful to note that the same word the Gospels use to denote Jesus being awoken by his disciples is the same Greek verb used in 2 Peter 1:10. When he tells us that he “thinks it right… to diegeirein hymas (to rouse you from sleep) by way of reminder,” Peter is not claiming that his hearers are so forgetful that he needs to constantly nag them. Rather, Peter here is expressing the truth that even the most seasoned Christ-follower needs to be consistently reminded of the truth of the gospel. It’s the power of the gospel of God that rescues us (Rom. 1:16) and rouses us from the slumber that believing the lies of the evil one can bring with it. When the disciples roused Jesus from his sleep, it was for a task that only he could accomplish. And according to Peter, that’s similar to what a Gospel-centered reminder from a caring friend can do in you also! By giving a trustworthy person in your life permission diegeirein hymas with the truth of the gospel, your life will declare the truth that God has made you on purpose and for a purpose. And there is great joy in discovering just how your unique purpose will glorify God and contribute to his kingdom.

APPLY
Where is God asking me to be more diligent?

To listen to songs from this week’s worship set and the series on Spotify click here!

And I will make every effort so that after my departure you may be able at any time to recall these things. – 2 Peter 1:15 ESV

GREEK
μνήμην/mnēmēn: to have a lasting remembrance of

CONSIDER
Where is God asking me to be more diligent? If that question is tough to answer, it might be wise to take a cue from the life of David. When he was discouraged, daunted, and searching for answers he spoke to his soul and reminded it to “Hope in God; for I shall again praise him, my salvation” (Ps. 42:5). For many of us who can relate, it can be refreshing to read David’s admonition to be more diligent in remembering God’s goodness despite less than ideal circumstances. Peter, too, seems to understand the importance of recalling what matters most. As he came to the end of his life, he recognized the pain that his death may cause his readers and the challenges that would face the young churches he wrote to. For this reason, he labored “so that after my departure you may be able mnēmēn (to have a lasting remembrance of) these things.” Here, the Greek implies far more than mere recall: mnēmēnspecifically means to have an eidetic (photographic) memory. In this regard, a person could call up at will any memory or piece of information they needed at any moment. And as we strive to glorify God in the fallen world we find ourselves, being diligent in recalling God’s character and faithfulness may just be one of our top priorities.

APPLY
Where is God asking me to be more diligent?

To listen to songs from this week’s worship set and the series on Spotify click here!

For we did not follow cleverly devised myths when we made known to you the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, but we were eyewitnesses of his majesty. – 2 Peter 1:16 ESV

GREEK
μῦθος/mýthos: myths, fables; false accounts posing to be truth

CONSIDER
When you envision a helmet with horns protruding from it, what group of people come to mind? Just about all of us likely visualize a group of Vikings, perhaps in a long rowboat on their way to explore and conquer an unsuspecting land. This imagery has been etched into the collective consciousness of many cultures, and yet there is absolutely no evidence that Vikings wore these helmets. We have no eyewitness accounts, historical written references, or authentic artwork depicting them. Many historians trace the myth of Viking helmets back to the costume design of a Richard Wagner opera in the 1870s.
Viking helmets are just one example of how pervasive fables can become. When a culture believes a fictional idea to be grounded in some degree of truth, the people living within that culture often accept its validity without much thought. So as a safeguard against the assumption that the deity and resurrection of Jesus were simply inspiring fictional legends, Peter addressed the issue head-on. “For we did not follow cleverly devised mýthos (myth, fable; false account posing to be truth) when we made known to you the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, but we were eyewitnesses of his majesty.” Greek mythology was not only a central element of the culture, in many places these mýthos were critical to the financial well-being of the people. The fictitious stories were pervasive throughout the Greek and Roman world, and their validity was often either assumed or ignored. So when Peter proclaimed the miraculous nature and work of Jesus, it was important for him to explain that these were not mýthos, but were instead eyewitness accounts. This mattered to Peter’s hearers because they were engaged in persecutions that erupted largely because of their faith in Christ. And in much the same way, we can take comfort in the reality that the faith to endure hardships can be substantiated by those eyewitnesses who came before us. Have you witnessed God move in your life? Your story just may prove to be the thing God uses to draw someone else closer to Him!

APPLY
Journal and tell someone what you’ve witnessed God do in your life.

To listen to songs from this week’s worship set and the series on Spotify click here!

And we have the prophetic word more fully confirmed, to which you will do well to pay attention as to a lamp shining in a dark place, until the day dawns and the morning star rises in your hearts, – 2 Peter 1:19 ESV

GREEK
προσέχοντες /prosechontes: maintain focused attention on; keep from straying from the intended course

CONSIDER
There is some argument about the specific author, but there’s no dispute about the events that inspired it. The hymn “I Have Decided to Follow Jesus” was penned when a revival in 19th-century India caused a wave of conversions throughout a region known as Assam. Local leaders threatened one of the earliest converts with death if he and his family didn’t renounce Christianity. Unwilling to do so, this disciple of Christ declared, “I have decided to follow Jesus, there can be no turning back.” That martyr’s words became a rallying cry for Christians in India, and the hymn was written as a reminder of where our hope lies.
Despite the difficulties that living in a fallen world creates, the work of Jesus is so compelling that everything else pales in comparison. This is what the apostle Peter is referring to when he teaches us that “we have the prophetic word more fully confirmed, to which you will do well to prosechontes (maintain focused attention on; keep from straying from the intended course) as to a lamp shining in a dark place, until the day dawns and the morning star rises in your hearts.” He uses the metaphor of being in the dark when a lamp is lit – in this scenario, it’s impossible for our focus to be on anything else! In much the same way, as the light of the gospel illuminates the darkness we are called to walk through, our prayer at Centerway is that it will cause us to prosechontes to the hope that Jesus cultivates in us.

APPLY
Journal and tell someone what you’ve witnessed God do in your life.

To listen to songs from this week’s worship set and the series on Spotify click here!

For no prophecy was ever produced by the will of man, but men spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit. – 2 Peter 1:21 ESV

GREEK
φερόμενοι/pheromenoi: publicly brought forth

CONSIDER
One of Jesus’ most unique miracles is recorded in Mark and took place in the seaside village of Capernaum. It was there that a group of buddies displayed both their faith in Christ and compassion for their paralyzed friend by carrying him on a stretcher to the house where Jesus was staying. The crowd was too large for this group to physically connect with the Messiah, so they carried the paralytic to the roof, cut a hole in it, and lowered him down in front of their Lord. Jesus saw their faith, told the man that his sins were forgiven, then healed him so thoroughly that he picked up his mat and walked out of the house.
Mark’s account of this miracle has a direct link to Peter’s teaching on prophecy. He points out that no prophecy was ever produced by the will of man, but men spoke from God as they were pheromenoi (publicly brought forth) by the Holy Spirit. Peter’s verb describing the action that the Spirit exerts on the prophet is the same verb Mark uses when describing the action of the paralytic’s friends. They publicly carried him to where they knew life change could happen, just like the Spirit pheromenoi the prophets of old. These truth-tellers were unable to muster up the wisdom to impact the world in their own strength, and they had no ability to publicize their message for everyone to see. And therein lies the true impact of telling someone what you’ve witnessed God do in your life. When the tapestry of your story is intricately woven together by the power of God’s grace, the truth that you have been publicly carried along by Jesus’ goodness and not your own capability will be clearly evident.

APPLY
Journal and tell someone what you’ve witnessed God do in your life.

To listen to songs from this week’s worship set and the series on Spotify click here!

And in their greed they will exploit you with false words. Their condemnation from long ago is not idle, and their destruction is not asleep. – 2 Peter 2:3 ESV

GREEK
πλαστοῖς/plastois: plastic; fabricated or fictitious

CONSIDER
At the start of the 20th century, Yonkers became the epicenter of the chemical world. That’s where an inventor named Leo Baekeland beat his Scottish rival James Swinburne to the patent office by a single day, ensuring that his product Bakelite would be the market’s first fully synthetic plastic. In fact, it was Baekeland who first coined the term “plastics,” and because his invention was so moldable and dark in color, many people were fooled into thinking that Bakelite products were made of wood.
Although Baekeland had managed to dupe many people with his brand-new fabrication, the ability to fool people with a fabrication is nothing new. In this week’s passage, Peter warns his readers of the power of false teachers to “exploit you with their plastois (plastic; fabricated or fictitious) words. Taken from the same word Leo Baekeland used to describe this category of organic and synthetically fabricated polymers, plastois describes communication designed to trick people into believing something that is not authentic. When these false teachers speak, there may be a measure of reality to their words, but they are always attempting to deceive others with a fabrication. Make no mistake – there will be a day when their deception will be dealt with by the One whose very word is truth! By focusing on God’s word and the truth of the gospel, we will be able to distinguish between real and plastois hope.

APPLY
How will I put trust on display this week?

To listen to songs from this week’s worship set and the series on Spotify click here!

if he did not spare the ancient world, but preserved Noah, a herald of righteousness, with seven others, when he brought a flood upon the world of the ungodly;  – 2 Peter 2:5 ESV

GREEK
κήρυκα/kēryka: town crier; proclaimer of public news

CONSIDER
He’s at the center of one of the most well-known and best-loved stories in the Bible, and yet there are parts of Noah’s story that we may not be familiar with. Regardless of upbringing, many of us know that Noah was the patriarch of a family who was spared by a flood that destroyed the rest of humanity. But although Genesis 6 records how Noah was upright and walked with God, he was certainly not perfect (see Genesis 9, Romans 3). God leveraged Noah’s story to proclaim salvation and preserve a remnant for his glory.
This is the impetus behind Peter’s language in today’s verse when he shares that God “preserved Noah, a kēryka (town crier; proclaimer of public news) of righteousness…” Peter uses a noun that simply describes a town crier – a news reporter in today’s culture. This kēryka has one job: to proclaim the events that matter to the general public. So Noah wasn’t heralding his own righteousness with his life, but rather he was pointing to the One who gracefully and righteously saves. Peter’s point is that God is worthy of our trust because of his goodness, not ours. So if we ever sense that we are not worthy of the rescue we so desperately need, it will serve us well to remember who Noah was a kēryka for and the message of grace he was heralding.

APPLY
How will I put trust on display this week?

To listen to songs from this week’s worship set and the series on Spotify click here!

then the Lord knows how to rescue the godly from trials, and to keep the unrighteous under punishment until the day of judgment,  – 2 Peter 2:9 ESV

GREEK
ῥύεσθαι/rhyesthai: deliver out of trouble for the benefit of the deliverer

CONSIDER
How will I put trust on display this week? Anyone who is wrestling with this question might find considerable encouragement from the words of the Lord’s prayer. When his disciples implored Jesus to teach them to pray, he replied, in part, to ask God to “lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil” (Matt. 6:13). It would be natural to assume that this phrase means to ask God to steer us around evil while he’s leading us through life. But the Greek verb for deliver employed by Matthew specifically means to remove someone out from the midst of danger and bring them to himself! In other words, Jesus indicates that God just might allow us to be in the middle of difficulty before he delivers us from evil. So, what does this have to do with putting trust on display? Jesus reminds us in this context that trusting requires need. If we could meet all of our own needs without God’s help, we would have no reason to trust him for anything. But when we experience pain and adversity beyond our control, it often serves as a reminder both that we need a rescuer and that we have a reason to put our faith in the One who can deliver us from evil.
This is the point made by one of Jesus’ closest disciples in today’s verse. Peter seems to be echoing the prayer he learned from Christ himself when he tells us that “the Lord knows how to rhyesthai (deliver out of trouble for the benefit of the deliverer) the godly from trials.” Taken from the same word Matthew uses, Peter had experienced firsthand the power of Jesus to rhyesthai – deliver him out from the midst of painful trials. And even though this Greek word contains no promise of living a carefree life, it does carry with it the promise that the Lord desires to draw us to himself as he carries us out of the struggles we face. This good news gives us the ability to put trust on display through our willingness to declare that his presence is the remedy to any situation we could ever face.

APPLY
How will I put trust on display this week?

To listen to songs from this week’s worship set and the series on Spotify click here!

But these, like irrational animals, creatures of instinct, born to be caught and destroyed, blaspheming about matters of which they are ignorant, will also be destroyed in their destruction, – 2 Peter 2:12 ESV

GREEK
φυσικὰ/physika: instinctual, natural urges; lit. the physics of our internal life

CONSIDER
The Alaskan interior can be a difficult place to survive. Even in the best conditions, the terrain is challenging and natural predators are seemingly everywhere. The notable exception, however, is the Kodiak Bear. This species has no natural predators (besides humans) and is uniquely equipped to hunt and raise its young in the wild. Kodiak bears have another advantage over some other species: they hibernate for up to seven months per year! Hibernating consists of lowering their body temperature 8 – 12 degrees and triggering an internal mechanism that allows fat reserves to be used for energy rather than protein. Pregnant Kodiaks even give birth two months into their hibernation period! The process of hibernation is the innate, physical process that allows bears to survive some of the harshest conditions on earth.
Before we as humans experience the change that Jesus’ atoning work provides, we were very much like the Kodiak bear. We followed our instincts and were impulsively led by urges that were seemingly beyond our control. Just like no one has to tell a Kodiak to drop its temperature and remain in a lethargic state throughout the winter, no one has to tell us to live life on our own terms (See Romans 3). Peter, in speaking of false teachers, refers to them as creatures of physika (instinctual, natural urges). They instinctively point away from the gospel and toward anything else. These false teachers will even convince others of the validity of their position, in part because it’s natural to want to indulge our senses. But in the end, this personal survival mechanism can only serve to deter us from the hope and peace that the gospel provides. May we resist the physika to do life on our own and instead approach the life-changing power of Christ’s work with humility.

APPLY
Who will I ask to tell me about my spiritual blind spots?

To listen to songs from this week’s worship set and the series on Spotify click here!

They have eyes full of adultery, insatiable for sin. They entice unsteady souls. They have hearts trained in greed. Accursed children! – 2 Peter 2:14 ESV

GREEK
ἀκαταπαύστους/akatapaustous: possessing sheer determination; relentless

CONSIDER
In the days when classroom jobs included starting a fire in the pot belly stove before school, 8-year-old Glenn Cunningham was passionate about the role. He would arrive at the little country schoolhouse before his teacher and meticulously prepare the kindling, ignite the flame, and ensure there was enough wood to feed the fire all day. One day, Glenn’s teacher arrived at the school and found a raging inferno. Volunteers rushed in and dragged out little Glenn’s burned body, at this point more dead than alive. Doctors told his mother he wouldn’t survive long, but miraculously this brave boy made a recovery. The fight for survival was long and painful, and although his legs were burned so badly that they didn’t function, Glenn’s wheelchair allowed his mother to take him for walks around their property. It was on one of these walks that Cunningham’s determination bubbled over into action. He threw himself out of his chair, crawled across his yard to the fence, and with great effort lifted himself into an upright position. He did this day in and day out – so much so that he wore a path along the fence that supported him. Over time, strength and vitality returned to his legs and he progressed from limping to walking to jogging and ultimately to running. The rest is history – Glenn Cunningham’s deep desire to overcome life’s obstacles and run for sheer joy afforded him the opportunity to race in the 1932 Olympics and even break the world record for running the fastest mile.
Glenn Cunningham is a good example of the results that come from being relentless. Things that seem impossible are routinely achieved through such a mindset. But Cunningham’s story could also serve to shed light on why false teachers are so dangerous. Peter says that they have eyes full of adultery, akatapaustous (possessing sheer determination; relentless) for sin. With a determination akin to that young boy in the wheelchair, these people not only hope to lead others away from the gospel, they are relentless in their pursuit of pleasing their senses. As we heard on Sunday, this kind of sensuality causes a subtle but deadly focus on hedonism and pleasure. It certainly isn’t wrong to enjoy life and find pleasure in the gifts God provides, but this hedonism is the fruit of rejecting the hope that Christ provided and instead attempting to place our hope in the experiences of life. The most effective way to combat this sin is to run to Jesus, fix our eyes on him, and allow his presence to remind us where our ultimate joy can be found.

APPLY
Who will I ask to tell me about my spiritual blind spots?

To listen to songs from this week’s worship set and the series on Spotify click here!

but was rebuked for his own transgression; a speechless donkey spoke with human voice and restrained the prophet’s madness. – 2 Peter 2:16 ESV

GREEK
παραφρονίαν/paraphronian: irrational behavior

CONSIDER
At Centerway, we have a Because and Therefore that in part says, “Because he loves to do new things we value INNOVATION therefore we hold loosely to the way it’s always been.” A great Biblical example of this is God’s use of a donkey to accomplish his will. Numbers 22 recounts the story of a false prophet named Balaam who was hired by the Moabites to curse God’s people. As Balaam was on a journey to do so, his donkey not only saw an angel guarding the road to block their way, he also spoke with a human voice to share that reality. Peter comments on this passage of scripture by saying that, in doing so, the donkey restrained the prophet’s paraphronian (irrational behavior). Talk about innovation! To keep someone from irrational behavior in regard to his plans, God will use whatever it takes. When he does, God is putting his hope on display through creatively delivering us from our paraphronian. Chances are we can all recount an experience of God’s creative ability to rescue. And while it’s unlikely that it involves a donkey, it invariably involves him doing a new thing to uniquely position us to see Christ more clearly. The cross is God’s goodness on display as he found us in our paraphronian and sent his Son to die the death that we deserved. Some may consider that irrational behavior, but those with an awareness of his love simply call it grace.

APPLY
Who will I ask to tell me about my spiritual blind spots?

To listen to songs from this week’s worship set and the series on Spotify click here!

These are waterless springs and mists driven by a storm. For them the gloom of utter darkness has been reserved. – 2 Peter 2:17 ESV

GREEK
πηγαὶ ἄνυδροι/pēgai anydroi: a source of water that in reality contains no moisture

CONSIDER
He’s known to history as the Angel of Marye’s Heights. Legend has it that at Fredericksburg during the Civil War, Richard Kirkland was so moved by the cries for aid from his wounded enemies, that under the cover of night he crossed over to where they lay groaning and traded the full canteens he had gathered for their empty ones. It was an unmatched act of humanity in the midst of our nation’s deadliest war. The same men that were his adversaries only hours before were now targets of Kirkland’s compassion. Ultimately, Kirkland lost his life during the Civil War, but the empathy and courage he displayed as he quenched the thirst of desperate men lives on to this day.
Each of us knows what it’s like to be thirsty. In varying degrees we’ve all felt the agony and hopelessness that comes from thinking that our thirst – physical or spiritual – can be quenched by something that fails to deliver on the promise to satisfy. Peter refers to these false promises as pēgai anydroi (a source of water that in reality contains no moisture). There is anticipation and optimism when a person is dying of thirst and comes near to a place where a spring is supposed to be. But if that spring turns out to be waterless, frustration and despair can easily set in. Spiritually speaking, anything we put our hope in to satisfy our thirst apart from the gospel is nothing but pēgai anydroi. When we find ourselves like those desperate troops at Fredericksburg, may we remember that there was One who willingly entered the place of desperation in which his enemies found themselves. He offered hope to the hurting and life to the dying. His name is Jesus, and because of his sacrifice, we have access to an endless supply of living water – the only thing that can deliver on its promise to satisfy our thirsty souls.

APPLY
Where do I need to be honest before God?

To listen to songs from this week’s worship set and the series on Spotify click here!

For, speaking loud boasts of folly, they entice by sensual passions of the flesh those who are barely escaping from those who live in error. – 2 Peter 2:18 ESV

GREEK
δελεάζουσιν/deleazousin: allure, entrap with bait

CONSIDER
Just about all of us have seen some portrayal in popular culture of a mouse being lured into a trap by cheese. This imagery has become so ingrained in our minds that we often assume it’s the food of choice for these unwanted rodents. The truth is that mice are primarily nut and seed eaters, and, as a result, an effective mouse trap will more often contain peanut butter or hazelnut spread. Not only are these options more appealing to mice, they are also sticky, helping to ensure that the bait isn’t gobbled up before the trap is activated.
It would be wrong to assume that the best way to catch a mouse is with cheese simply because that is what is most often portrayed. Those with experience and expertise will be able to show you a better way. Unfortunately, sin is not too different. False teachers know that they can “deleazousin (entrap with bait) by sensual passions of the flesh those who are barely escaping from those who live in error.” These people are experts in the kind of sensual passions of the flesh that can trap Christians, and particularly newer believers. The Greek verb that Peter employs here is specifically used in the context of hunting. A trapper would deleazousin their prey using the most effective means possible. Peter’s warning is a firm reminder that we should continually guard against sinful and fleshly passions, not because God hates this sin more than any other, but because on the other side of these particular acts is a trap that is designed specifically and intentionally for us! Our spiritual enemy uses these false teachers to divert our attention away from Jesus and deleazousin us to remain focused on our own flesh. But as we’re honest before God and confess to him our temptation to be lured into these traps, he will come to our rescue with the power of the gospel to set us free. We need not struggle through the guilt and condemnation of Satan and his tactics. Because of Jesus’ finished work we are able to walk in forgiveness and freedom that trusting him has provided for us.

APPLY
Where do I need to be honest before God?

To listen to songs from this week’s worship set and the series on Spotify click here!

They promise them freedom, but they themselves are slaves of corruption. For whatever overcomes a person, to that he is enslaved. – 2 Peter 2:19 ESV

GREEK
ἥττηται/hēttētai: defeats, subdues, creates inferiority in

CONSIDER
Tuesday, October 5, 2004 stands out as a culturally significant day in history. No, it’s not because that’s when Rodney Dangerfield died or because NBA star Scottie Pippen retired that day. And it isn’t because Tiger Woods got married on this date. What stands out about October 5, 2004 is that this is the date of the last playoff win by the Minnesota Twins. Since then, they have been swept in every series they have played, going 0-18. To make matters worse, 13 of their 18 losses have come at the hands of one team – the New York Yankees. For Twins fans, the past 19 seasons have often felt like a roller coaster. The team sometimes shows so much promise that they make the playoffs, but then seems to be so far out of their league that victory is nowhere near their grasp.
Peter said it quite well, “for whatever hēttētai (defeats, subdues, creates inferiority in) a person, to that he is enslaved.” Spiritually speaking, when we allow the corruption of sin to impact our freedom, it can create a sense of inferiority in us. We can find ourselves trapped in an endless loop of inadequacy and negativity that leaves us feeling defeated. According to Peter, the false teachers in question promise that hedonistic sensuality will lead to freedom, but in the end their promises are empty and enslaving. But rather than tell us to do better at getting ourselves free, Peter expresses that the best response to whatever hēttētai us is to seek the knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ (v. 20). The apostle reminds us that Christ is the ultimate source of freedom and victory, and when we place our hope in him we begin to experience newness of life. For many of us, the very best place to begin being honest before God is to admit where we have sought freedom apart from Jesus, and then allow ourselves to rest in the grace that he provides.

APPLY
Where do I need to be honest before God?

To listen to songs from this week’s worship set and the series on Spotify click here!

This is now the second letter that I am writing to you, beloved. In both of them I am stirring up your sincere mind by way of reminder, – 2 Peter 3:1 ESV

GREEK
εἰλικρινῆ/eilikrinē: uncontaminated; lit. judged by sunlight

CONSIDER
One of our most beloved Because and Therefore statements at Centerway says, Because he first loved us we value LOVE FIRST therefore we say “come as you are” and welcome people to belong before they believe. Because we truly love people, we will speak the truth in love. The Gospel reminds us that repentance, not perfection, is the criteria for being accepted by God! As a result we’re freed up to love imperfect people and welcome them into an environment where they can receive all that God has for them. We don’t need to be distracted by lesser things that try to keep us separated from each other. In the parlance of Peter, Jesus’ work allows us to care for people with eilikrinē love.
When Peter began writing out his thoughts on the hope of Christ’s second coming, he told his readers that the entirety of his teaching had been to stir up their “eilikrinē (uncontaminated) mind by way of reminder.” Reminding people why there is reason to hope in Jesus is important work for sure, but why would their minds need to be eilikrinē – literally judged by sunlight – in order to do so? This adjective is intended to bring to mind a pure, uncontaminated, piece of glass that has complete clarity as a person looks through it. No matter how bright the sunlight, the glass is so flawless that the light filtering through it doesn’t change in the slightest. As Peter presents his case that the day of the Lord will be filled with hope, he wants his readers to process the spiritual light of this reality with a mind that isn’t distracted by the hedonism of this world. God is patiently waiting for the day when Jesus will return in glory, and because of that hope our minds can be released from the tyranny of putting our trust in what this temporary life has to offer.

APPLY
Where do we need God to replace despair with hope?

To listen to songs from this week’s worship set and the series on Spotify click here!

The Lord is not slow to fulfill his promise as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing that any should perish, but that all should reach repentance. – 2 Peter 3:10 ESV

GREEK
βραδύνει/bradynei: delayed

CONSIDER
If you get irritated when you receive a notification that the package you were expecting is delayed, consider this: the Guinness World Record for longest elapsed time between mail being posted and being delivered is 89 years. In 2008, a letter arrived in a plastic bag via Royal Mail to an address in Weymouth, Dorset, UK. Inside was an RSVP to a Boxing Day party that took place in 1919. The Royal Mail never gave an explanation as to what happened, and the mystery has yet to be solved. The mail service could boast that the letter was eventually delivered, even though it was far from the expected time frame.
When it comes to waiting, expectation is a tricky thing. Often, the expectations that we carry are rooted in our own perception of how things should play out. We rightly expect to measure the timeframe in which a letter is delivered in days, not years. We expect the meal we ordered to arrive in minutes, not days. These forecasts are not arbitrary; because we have much experience waiting in similar circumstances we can safely predict it will happen this way again. But when it comes to the promise of Jesus’ return, we as humans can be guilty of expecting something for which we have no frame of reference. For Peter, it would be wrong for us to base our faith on a feeling that the Lord is not bradynei (delayed) to fulfill his promise as some count slowness. It might be easy for us to assume that this delay can be attributed to a lack of care or concern on God’s part. We might even perceive his bradynei return as proof that Christianity is false. But Peter is a man who walked side-by-side with Jesus for years and even witnessed his transfiguration. He knows the character and heart of the One who is promising to return. So when Peter says that it is because of the patience of the Lord that he hasn’t returned yet, we can be encouraged and take heart! Everyday we live is one day closer to seeing Jesus face to face. We may see him fulfill his promise in our lifetime, or we may have this encounter when our last breath is breathed (2 Cor. 5:8). No matter the circumstance, the gospel allows us to place our hope in the reality of Christ’s love for and patience with flawed people like us.

APPLY
Where do we need God to replace despair with hope?

To listen to songs from this week’s worship set and the series on Spotify click here!

waiting for and hastening the coming of the day of God, because of which the heavens will be set on fire and dissolved, and the heavenly bodies will melt as they burn! – 2 Peter 3:12 ESV

GREEK
προσδοκῶντας/prosdokōntas: anticipating, expecting

CONSIDER
When Jesus began his ministry on earth, John the Baptist went before him proclaiming that the kingdom of God was breaking into the world. John’s role was to prepare the way for the Lord’s coming. His was a message of anticipation; a proclamation of expectancy. But as time went on, things weren’t progressing the way John had expected. The political landscape was fraught with turmoil and he was in prison with little hope of escape. So while there, he sent a message to Jesus asking if he was the One to usher in God’s kingdom, or if he and his disciples should anticipate someone else. Because John’s reality didn’t match his hope, he questioned whether waiting with expectation was really worth it.
As humans, it’s easy to relate to the question that John relayed to Jesus. Our hope so often seems to hinge on what our senses tell us. But Peter indicates in this week’s passage that we are changed when we are found prosdokōntas(anticipating, expecting) and hastening the coming of the day of God. Taken from the same Greek word John used, prosdokōntas the blessed hope of Jesus’ promised return reminds us that our confidence doesn’t stem from how easy our lives become. Rather, as we trust in what the Lord has done and said, we are freed to rest in the Good News that, one day soon, Jesus will ultimately and permenantly replace despair with hope.

APPLY
Where do I need to be honest before God?

To listen to songs from this week’s worship set and the series on Spotify click here!

And count the patience of our Lord as salvation, just as our beloved brother Paul also wrote to you according to the wisdom given him, – 2 Peter 3:15 ESV

GREEK
μακροθυμίαν/makrothymian: waiting sufficient time before expressing anger

CONSIDER
Although the Hoover Dam may be more famous, the tallest levee in the United States is the Oroville Dam. Located in the Sierra Nevada region of California, it stands 770 feet tall and creates a lake with over 15,500 surface acres of water. The Oroville Dam was considered an engineering marvel when it was completed in 1968, largely because it reliably supplies water to over 4 million people in the San Joaquin Valley. When it’s working properly and holding back the Feather River, the dam is a source of vitality and joy. However, in 2017 a flood caused a breach in the spillway, and the tallest dam in America could no longer restrain the water in its reservoir. Nearly 200,000 people had to be evacuated from their communities because of the destructive power of the very water they relied on.
As Peter’s second epistle draws to a close, he spends a good deal of time on God’s perspective of time. In today’s verse, he teaches us to “count the makrothymian (divinely regulated patience) of our Lord as salvation.” Continuing his instruction on the day of the Lord, we are reminded that we should receive the torrent of judgment that our sin warrants. But the Gospel declares that our punishment has been nailed to the cross of Christ, and now we are free to experience the vitality and joy of the makrothymian of our Lord. When Peter originally wrote this, false teachers seemed to be twisting the truth of Jesus’ return in Paul’s letters. Peter indicated that they were leveraging Christ’s perceived delay for selfish gain. But he says that God is patiently holding back the flood of his judgment, even though in his holiness God has every right to leave humanity to suffer the fate of those who fall short of his glory (Rom. 3:23). Thank God we are given the gift of time to share the truth of the Gospel to those in our spheres of influence! How long do we have? Jesus says that no one knows the day or the hour (Matt. 24:36), but we who have responded to him should now view each day as an opportunity to proclaim the salvation of our Lord.

APPLY
How will I vet what I listen to and watch?

To listen to songs from this week’s worship set and the series on Spotify click here!

You therefore, beloved, knowing this beforehand, take care that you are not carried away with the error of lawless people and lose your own stability. – 2 Peter 3:17 ESV

GREEK
συναπαχθέντες/synapachthentes: tied together & led astray, fate-bound

CONSIDER
Hubert and June Malicote have quite the love story. While both at the age of 100 and after 79 years of marriage, the Malicotes passed away within hours of one another. According to their son, when June fell ill enough to require hospice care, Hubert just couldn’t bear it, and without much warning deteriorated to the point of needing hospice care himself. Both spent their last days barely responsive but holding hands in bed next to each other. Hubert passed first, with June following behind roughly 20 hours later. Theirs was a love story of connection and closeness to the very end.
Strange as it may seem, Peter devotes his final words on false teachers to a similar idea. However, his is a message of warning not to be synapachthentes (tied together and led astray, fate-bound) with the error of lawless people and lose your own stability. He uses a Greek verb that is designed to paint a picture of unavoidable connection. Synapachthentes is taken from a root word that means to merge identities with, implying that false teachers can purposely leverage their heresy toward steering us in any direction they want us to go. Peter’s warning couldn’t be more dire: if we don’t want our fate to be directly connected to theirs, we must steer clear of their teaching and refuse to entertain their conclusions. How can we ensure this happens? Peter’s response is by looking at Jesus. He concludes his letter by encouraging us to grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. When we do, we will more accurately distinguish the real from the fake, and become more and more sensitive to the stabilizing voice of the Spirit at work in our lives.

APPLY
How will I vet what I listen to and watch?

To listen to songs from this week’s worship set and the series on Spotify click here!

But grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.  To him be the glory both now and to the day of eternity. Amen.- 2 Peter 3:18 ESV

GREEK
αὐξάνετε/auxanete: progress, increase, mature

CONSIDER
What a trip this has been through 2 Peter! As this book concludes, it ends with a very familiar theme. The final thought that Peter gives the readers of his second epistle effectively sums up the teaching in the rest of his work: “but auxanete(progress, increase, mature) in the grace and knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.” Reflecting on the scope of Peter’s work, he has encouraged us to grow in our calling and ministry effectiveness (ch. 1), in our spiritual discernment (ch. 2), and in our anticipation of Christ’s return (ch. 3). And now in this final verse of 2 Peter, the apostle leverages this profound Greek verb to explain what growing actually means. To auxanete suggests far more than to get larger; it implies progress toward an intended goal. We can gain information about what grace means and who Jesus is, but when we auxanete in these areas we are growing into who he intends for us to become! For Peter, this kind of maturity changes everything, because it indicates that the gospel is taking root in our hearts. We can rejoice in the truth that we don’t need to focus on doing more. Being the person God intends us to be is the natural byproduct of our willingness to auxanete in the grace and knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. To him be the glory!

APPLY
How will I vet what I listen to and watch?

To listen to songs from this week’s worship set and the series on Spotify click here!

For certain people have crept in unnoticed who long ago were designated for this condemnation, ungodly people, who pervert the grace of our God into sensuality and deny our only Master and Lord, Jesus Christ. – Jude 1:4 ESV

GREEK
παρεισέδυσαν/pareisedysan: crept in secretly, settled in alongside

CONSIDER
There was a time when the phrase “a Trojan Horse” conjured up images of daring warriors hiding inside a wooden steed. In the internet age, however, a Trojan Horse likely brings to mind corrupted files and menacing viruses. Back in the year 2000, as email attachments were coming to prominence, one such trojan horse impacted 50 million users and caused an estimated $15 billion in damages and cleanup costs. It was so successful because it looked so harmless: the attachment simply read ILOVEYOU. But once opened, it sent an email to everyone in the victim’s contact list and spread across the world in a matter of days.
With only a limited understanding of how computer viruses spread, many people assumed that the ILOVEYOU Trojan Horse was harmless because of who sent it. But in reality, the virus was merely posing as a love letter. Jude shares with his readers that false teachers do the same thing by perverting the grace of God into sensuality. They have pareisedysan(crept in secretly, settled in alongside) those who share in the hope of the gospel, and yet maliciously lead people astray to damaging consequences. How do they remain so hidden? By teaching something that appeals to one’s senses. In doing so, these false teachers attempt to link the grace of God to gratifying our fleshly urges. Jude’s point is that, although this could seem so appealing that it becomes believable, it completely removes the lordship of our master Jesus. So don’t be fooled – if those you listen to are teaching the grace of God without pointing to Jesus and the Good News of the gospel, you may be accepting the spiritual equivalent of malware. It’s only when Jesus is in his rightful place as Lord that our lives fall safely into place.

APPLY
What next step will I take?

To listen to songs from this week’s worship set and the series on Spotify click here!

But you, beloved, building yourselves up in your most holy faith and praying in the Holy Spirit, – Jude 1:20 ESV

GREEK
ἐποικοδομοῦντες/epoikodomountes: building upon the (solid) foundation

CONSIDER
When Peter declared that Jesus was the Christ (Matthew 16:16), Jesus replied that he was blessed for recognizing this truth, and that on this rock I will build (oikodomēsō) my church. The revelation that Jesus was the promised Messiah come to reconcile the world to God was the bedrock on which his church would be built. Centuries later, the reality of who Jesus is still comprises the foundation of his church, a foundation that is strong enough to hold up billions of Christ-followers from his resurrection to today. In Jude’s letter to the church, he uses similar language to encourage those who love the Lord to be epoikodomountes (building [yourselves] upon a strong foundation) in your most holy faith and praying in the Holy Spirit. So does Jesus do the building or should we be building ourselves? As you might expect, the answer to both questions is an emphatic yes. Epoikodomountes expresses the idea that a builder is working on their construction project with the advantage of building on top of an already existing and sturdy foundation. Jude’s point in using this compound Greek verb as a metaphor is that Jesus has already done the work of creating a solid foundation for us as a church to grow upon. And he continues to build his church through the supernatural revelation of who he is while linking our hearts and lives as Christians together as a result. But personal spiritual growth cannot be a spectator sport – we are responsible to be epoikodomountes in our most holy faith! Both this Greek verb and the phrase Jude writes it in are plural, indicating that we as a church have a responsibility to each other. We must refuse to sit idly by while we and the Christ-followers in our community are in need of building up. Thankfully, because of who Jesus is and what he has done for us, the foundation that we are to build on will never lose its strength or stability.

APPLY
What next step will I take?

To listen to songs from this week’s worship set and the series on Spotify click here!

Now to him who is able to keep you from stumbling and to present you blameless before the presence of his glory with great joy, – Jude 1:24 ESV

GREEK
ἀγαλλιάσει/agalliasei: wild joy; exhilaration, ecstatic delight

CONSIDER
As this incredible series comes to a close, there’s no better time to reflect on the question: what next step will I take? Both Peter and Jude have led us to recognize the dangers of our steps being driven by sensual desire, and yet both authors show where ultimate joy can be found. In fact, Jude concludes his letter by speaking a benediction over his readers that, in part, says that Christ is able to present you blameless before the presence of his glory with agalliasei (wild joy, ecstatic delight). When we begin to grasp this reality, we can see that God isn’t a cosmic bully who wants to keep us from enjoying ourselves; rather, he’s a loving Father who longs for us to refrain from cheap, knock-off versions of the wild joy our hearts long for! One day, we will all stand before God, and those who are found in Jesus will be presented blameless because of his righteousness conferred to us. In that moment, Jude says that our joy will be uncontainable and ecstatic. Why would any of us not want to pursue that reality with every step we take? Because of Jesus, we are free to steer clear of anything that tries to lure us into pursuing agalliasei apart from his extravagant love.

APPLY
What next step will I take?

To listen to songs from this week’s worship set and the series on Spotify click here!