Today we turn to Peter’s second letter to the universal Church of his day. In this letter, Peter focuses on correcting heresy or false teaching. He also reminds us to live faithfully as we’re waiting for Jesus’ return.
In 2 Peter 1, Peter exhorted his readers to continue in the faith and to grow in the faith they had received from Jesus Christ. Peter also appealed to his experience of the transfiguration as evidence Jesus is truly Lord. He tells his readers he is going to be dying soon, and he wants to ensure that after he is gone, they will continue in the faith. He reminds them the prophetic word must be interpreted faithfully in accordance with the truth of God.
In 2 Peter 2, Peter rehearses many types of false teaching and false teachers who were seeking to lead people away. Peter offered a “laundry list” of the types of false teaching and immorality they faced. He reminded his readers of God’s protection from the evil we face, using Lot as an example of how God has protected His people since ancient times. As we seek to follow Jesus in our lives, we must remember the importance of holiness and godliness, which come from learning the truth of God and living it out in the power of the Holy Spirit.
In 2 Peter 3, Peter reminds everyone to prepare for Jesus’ return, because He is returning. Some had told the believers Jesus wouldn’t be returning, because He hadn’t returned yet. Peter reminded them for the Lord a thousand years are as a day, and He wasn’t being slow in returning, but patient. My prayer is for the Lord’s patience to continue, because I don’t want the billions of people in the world who don’t know Him to miss the opportunity to be saved. Peter closes by reminding the folks the importance of the Scriptures and includes the Apostle Paul’s writings in the list of the Scriptures. That is important to us, because in Peter and Paul’s day, the Scriptures were the Jewish Scriptures, what we call the Old Testament. Peter’s own words help us to see Paul’s writings are God’s word, too.
As we return to Luke 17, Jesus reminds us how important it is for us to be faithful to Him, and particularly important not to lead one of His “little ones” to sin. Then Jesus heals ten lepers, but only one returns to give Him thanks. The one was a Samaritan. Jesus asked why only one of ten returned to say, “Thank you.”? It’s a great question. Sometimes, we take so much for granted, and forget every good and perfect gift comes from God. When we remember, it leads us to have a heart of gratitude. The chapter closes out with Jesus talking about the time of His return and the importance of being ready. So often, I remind us more important than when Jesus will return is thatHe will return, so we must be ready when He comes!