2 Peter: The Power of Remembering

Welcome to Delight in Grace, the teaching ministry of Rich Powell, pastor of Grace Bible Church in Winston-Salem. What would life be like without the ability to remember? It would be chaotic and largely meaningless. Memory allows individuals to draw upon past events to frame their understanding and behavior in the present. What we remember also provides a framework for us to make sense of the present and future. Peter calls God's people to remember the gospel of Jesus as it was accomplished in history, because such memory provides stability, understanding, wisdom, and hope.

None of us can afford to leave remembering up to chance, like when a friend says to you, Well, if you happen to remember. We learn from the scriptures that worship is actually what stirs our capacity to remember the vital things. The psalmist proclaims, Bless the Lord, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits. Let's listen to this message titled The Power of Remembering from 2 Peter 1, 12-15. Let's pray over the reading of the word. Father, I pray that you would remind us of your truth this morning.

We are in need of reminder of who you are, of what you've done, of what you're doing in our lives. We need your Holy Spirit to guide us in all truth. Father, we look forward to what you have for us, to the glory that will be revealed in us. And Father, I pray now that we will be reminded of what you have done and what you will do. It is in Christ's name we pray.

Amen. Good morning, church. Good to be here together as God's family on the Lord's day. It's good to be here to make much of God. And I hope you've come together expectantly to hear from Him, to be molded by Him this morning. As we unpack the treasures of God's truth, as we consider the truths of God's self-disclosure, it is not just for our information, it is for our transformation.

May we indeed come just as we've sung with expectant hearts and minds. We're in 2 Peter chapter 1. The title of this series in 2 Peter is, Get Stirred Up.

This is actually the last sermon in this seven-part series in chapter 1 verses 3 through 15. And the title of today's message is, The Power of Remembering. To get stirred up means to be awakened, to be aware and active.

No slumbering through the Christian walk, but we're stirred up. And this comes through the power of remembering. As we were reading, as Adam read the text this morning, you may have noticed how many times he talks about remembering, bringing to remembrance, calling to memory the things of the truths of God.

Memory is so important. For example, Oliver and Dorothy Naylor of Plymouth in the UK, it's a town in the very lower part of the island of Great Britain, they were going to go from Plymouth an hour and a half drive up to Brewster. About a half hour from their destination, they pulled into a car shop to change a tire. When the work was done, proceed on to Bridgewater and eventually arriving at Bridgewater, Oliver asks his wife, where do you want to get out? Silence.

He turned to look at his wife and realized he had forgotten her at the car shop. It's really kind of puzzling to me that the half hour of silence, there was no clue there. When our memories are not engaged at the lack of a robust memory and our memories are not intentional and they're not engaged, we will mechanically plod through the day-to-day missing key elements of life. Peter understood this. Peter experienced this, and he challenges us about this, that we remember what God has done. We remember who God is.

We remember who we are. So I want to talk this morning from the text verses 12 to 15, 2 Peter chapter 1, four benefits of a robust memory. And what is it exactly that we are to remember?

If I could encapsulate it in two phrases, it's something I've mentioned before. It's the grace that has been lavished on you in Jesus Christ, and it is the grace that is laid up for you in Jesus Christ to remember those two things. Now that encompasses a lot, and that's why we have God's word in print today so that we remember these things. The four benefits of a robust memory, look at verse 12.

Let's just point these out. He says, I intend always to remind you of these qualities. He's speaking of the qualities in verses 5 through 7, that stair step of spiritual maturity.

Notice he didn't call them duties, he called them qualities. It's about who I am. It's about remembering who I am and living into that reality, living in the outflow of it. But he also says at the end of verse 13, stir you up. I think it right as long as I am in this body to stir you up by way of reminder.

Hence the title of this miniseries in 2 Peter. Get stirred up. To stir you up by way of reminder. And then again at the end of verse 15, I will make every effort so that after my departure you may be able at any time to recall these things.

Three times in these four verses he's talking about calling us to remember. It's very important that we remember and have a robust memory. So four benefits of a robust memory. Number one, strong stability.

The first benefit of a robust memory is strong stability. Look what he says back in verse 10. Therefore brothers, be all the more diligent to confirm your calling and election, for if you practice these qualities you will never fall.

You will never fall. Now, I asked this question before. Some of you thought it was a trick question. It's not a trick question.

Who wrote this letter? Peter did. What is Peter known for? Falling.

Remember? It was the night of Jesus' betrayal and the night of his illegal trial. And Peter is approached. You're one of his disciples too, aren't you? And Peter said what?

I don't know the man. That's falling. That's forgetting. So Peter knows what it is to fall. And we have a record of it in the Gospels. Aren't you glad you're not, Peter?

That your failures aren't recorded for the rest of history to read about it? Matthew 26, 33. Before this event, Peter says to Jesus, recorded in Matthew chapter 26, Peter says to Jesus, Jesus, and because Jesus had predicted this, and Peter says to Jesus, Lord, even if all the others fall away, and I quote, I will never fall away.

Jesus knew better. And it's recorded in Luke's Gospel, in Luke chapter 22. He says, Peter, Satan is asked to sift you like wheat, but I have prayed for you that your faith will not fail, and here it is. You ready for this? And when you return, strengthen your brothers.

So here it is. Peter is strengthening his brothers and sisters in Christ to stir us up by way of reminder so that we will not fall. And I think it's important that he says, again, let me point out what he says at the end of verse 15, I will make every effort so that after my departure you may be able to at any time recall these things, at any time. For example, in that moment, in the heat of that moment, when Peter was under great pressure and somebody put him in the spotlight, you're one of his followers too. What does Peter do? He collapses.

He falls. And you and I might be very soon, very quickly, or might have already faced the same kind of situation. And in whatever moment of crisis or adversity you find yourself in, at any time you can recall these things. That's why having a robust memory is so critical for us, that I remember the grace that has been lavished on me and the grace that is laid up for me in Jesus Christ. For in that moment of crisis, if I am forgetful, I will act as a practical atheist. I don't know the man.

This is why Peter is calling us to a robust memory. As one who was carried away, he is now one that is strengthening the family. Thanks for joining us here at Delight in Grace. You've been listening to Rich Powell, the lead pastor at Grace Bible Church in Winston-Salem. The Delight in Grace mission is to help you know that God designed you to realize your highest good and your deepest satisfaction in Him, the one who is infinitely good. We hope you'll join us again on weekdays at 10 a.m.