Here are the summaries of the evening meetings on 2 Peter, with a variety of speakers:
Saturday - 2 Peter 1: 1-4 Jonathan Lamb
The Christian life is a Christ-centre life. The letter begins with a description of the Christian life:
1 Knowing Christ's call
Christ's call is the foundation of the Christian life. There is only one faith, no first or second class, all are equal, benefiting equally from God's gifts. It is an unshakeable call - Jesus Christ from beginning to end.
2 Experiencing Christ's power
We can be absoulutely sure and certain because we have all the resources we need for this journey. Christ's power supplies all our needs. We can lack certainty because we feel our inadequacy to live up to the standards of the Bible. We are not left to our own devices. Christ centred renewal = Christ experienced empowering. If we have Jesus we have enough.
3 Trusting Christ's promises
We are now participating in Christ's glory and promises.
4 Sharing Christ's life
Through union with Christ we share His life. Christianity is to be 'In Christ'. Increasingly we are separated from the world and become more like Christ. True Christians have everything they need for life and godliness. Whatever we are facing if we have Jesus we have enough.
Sunday - The fruitful Christian 2 Peter 1:5-11 - Hugh Palmer
1 Faith that comes fully equipped
2 Faith that is kept effective
3 Faith that confirms your reservation
We are required to add to our faith, not the faith. It needs to be worked out in living and we must invest in our faith. The characteristics listed enable our faith to keep growing. Faith comes fully equipped, it is not just sitting back and doing nothing. God longs to give us an entrance to eternal life.
Monday - Remember, remember - 2 Peter 1:12-21 Jonathan Stephen
Peter cares so much for his people he wants to tell them he loves them and wants them to know the Lord. Peter reflects on the meaning of the resurrection and transfiguration. As Peter saw Jesus unveiled, He saw prophetically the return of Jesus. It rendered the coming of Jesus absolutely certain. Not long before, Peter was a fisherman and here He is confirming the great Prophets. Peter gives a model of understanding the old testament in the light of the new.
Peter is relentlessly Christ-centred. Our supreme incentive in Christ-centred living is the second coming. We need to see Christ in all the scriptures. Fix your mind on Jesus and you inevitably grow in holiness, Christ-centred work, leisure, church, relationships....
Tuesday - 2 Peter 2 Springs without water - Derek Burnside
Be Alert
There will be false teachers. The concept of heresy demands a belief in absolute truth. Our world bombards us with heresy. False teaching needs to be looked for in: Contempory culture, the wider church, our own denomination/church and in ourselves.
How to recognise false teachers
There catch phrase is Be Free - denying Christ's ownership of them. Freedom from Christ's return so free from God's judgement and free to do do as you please. They are condemned, having wreaked havoc. We must search our own hearts and turn around where we have been exploited by false teaching. Any shadows of fallen teachers over our lives need to be dealt with - the shadow of rebellion against the Lordship of Jesus.
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