Let Me Remind You To Remember Series

Let Me Remind You To Remember

II Peter 1:8-15

Someone has said "The only thing faster than the speed of thought is the speed of forgetfulness." Many of us would agree that this is certainly true. For the most part, forgetfulness is insignificant. But there are times when we forget things and it has serious consequences. For example, it is quite awkward to be preaching a funeral and to forget the name of the deceased, I am ashamed to say that I have been there. It is also very embarrassing to officiate a wedding and forget the name of the bride. On one occasion I asked “Jason, will you take Michelle to be your wedded wife?” And he responded “no, because her name is Ashley!”

Many of the things that we forget will not have a lasting impact, but there are some that have eternal implications. If we forget or disregard what we have been taught concerning how we should live for the Lord, this will have an eternal impact. There are people that we could have reached for Christ who will be neglected. There are rewards we could have received that we will miss out on and there is spiritual growth that we could have experienced that will pass us by.

Peter realized the importance of his readers remembering those things that they had been taught. As a result he sought to remind them of some very important truths. In verses 12-15 he says:

“Therefore I will always remind you of these things, even though you know them and are established in the truth you now have. I think it is right to refresh your memory as long as I live in the tent of my body, because I know that this tent will soon be laid aside, as our Lord Jesus Christ has made clear to me. And I will make every effort to ensure that after my departure, you will be able to recall these things at all times”.

Peter declares that he would continue to remind them of "these things" as long as he lived. What are “these things”? This is a reference to the attributes that he describes in verses 5-7. There he speaks of certain things Christians are to “add to” their faith. Those verses describe such characteristics as virtue, knowledge, self-control, perseverance, godliness, brotherly kindness, and love.

It was Peter’s desire that the brethren would remember these truths even after his death. Some 40 years earlier, Jesus had revealed to Peter that a day was coming when he would die a martyrs death. The aged Apostle knows that at this point in his life that the end is drawing near.

A truly devoted pastor will possess an innate desire for the people under his care to know, believe, apply, and remember the truths of God’s Word. Even a long tenured minister of the Gospel only has but a short time to equip those who have been entrusted to his care. I have had the honor and privilege of standing in this pulpit for fifteen years and proclaiming the word of God. To be honest, this journey has lasted four times longer than I initially expected. I do not know how much longer God will allow me to serve you, nor do I know how much longer I will “remain in this tent” (to quote Simon Peter). Therefore, I am consistently reminded of the importance of equipping you to the best of my ability while I have this opportunity.

I can honestly say that my desire is the same that Peter had when he penned this Epistle. I genuinely hope to “to stir you up by reminding you” of the truths of God’s Word. I would like to walk through these verses and preach on the subject “Let Me Remind You To Remember”.

- There are several things that are necessary for the people of God to keep at the forefront of their minds. Therefore:

I. LET ME REMIND YOU TO REMEMBER YOUR INSTRUCTION

v8 For if these things are yours and abound, you will be neither barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.

Peter points out that if the qualities that he described in verses 5-7 are present and increasing in the lives of the brethren, they will be fruitful in their ministry efforts and in the Christian life as a whole. In contrast to this, if one has knowledge unapplied their knowledge is ineffective, useless and their lives will be unfruitful.

As Christians we have received ample instruction. We have attained knowledge through Biblical preaching, scripture-based teaching and the personal discipleship of faithful brothers and sisters in Christ.

We live in an age where we have more access to Biblical knowledge and legitimate Christian teaching than any other generation at any point in history. Whether we use the vast tools at our disposal, or simply study a single physical Bible, we are able to learn everything that we need to know about the Christian life through the inspired Word of God.