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We’re continuing with the second letter that Peter wrote. Peter’s first letter, written with the help of Silas, was addressed to Messianic Jews living in the Diaspora, outside of Israel, in ancient Asia Minor – present day Turkey. This letter is written to a more general audience – to all believers everywhere.

It’s written by Peter – and we know more about him than almost anyone else in the New Testament. By nature he was bold. He often took a leading role among the other disciples. He was part of Yeshua’s inner circle made up of himself, James and John. Those three were with Yeshua for special occasions, like on the Mount of Transfiguration. In the various lists of the apostles, Peter is always mentioned first.

Peter was married. He started off as a fisherman in northern Israel. He fished in the Kinneret, the beautiful lake of the Galilee. After he encountered Messiah, Yeshua gave him a new name and a new profession. First called Simon, Yeshua gave him the name Peter – which means Rock, and changed his profession from catching fish to catching people.

Peter was the one that was given the “keys of the kingdom.” Peter used those keys to open the door of salvation for the Jewish people on the day of Shavuot/Pentecost. 50 days after Yeshua rose from the dead Peter preached a powerful sermon and 3,000 Jewish people entered the Kingdom of God.

Peter used those keys again, after the Samaritans received the Word of God. Peter and John went to Samaria, laid their hands on them, and the new Samaritan believers received the Spirit of God. It was Peter who opened the door for them to enter the Kingdom of God.

Finally, it was Peter who opened the door for the Gentiles, when he spoke to the Roman Centurion Cornelius, and his family and friends came to a saving faith in the Messiah.

Peter was one of the greatest of the apostles when it came to the way that God used him. Peter was the only one to walk on water, the only one, other than Paul, whom God used to raise the dead back to life. Peter became so powerful that many of the people in Jerusalem carried sick people into the streets, and laid them on beds and mats, so that when Peter came by, his shadow might fall on them as he went by so that they would be healed.

There is a special place in the New Jerusalem for Peter. Messiah told us that Peter, along with the other apostles, will sit on 12 thrones ruling the 12 tribes of Israel.

Peter is one of the greatest men who will ever live – yet he begins his second letter this way: This letter is from Simon Peter, a slave and apostle of Messiah Yeshua. Peter introduces himself as “a slave and an apostle of Messiah Yeshua.” What an interesting combination of terms to identify himself. Slave – the lowest position, and apostle – the highest position of spiritual authority.

The purpose of a slave is to carry out the will of his master. Peter identified himself as a slave of Messiah Yeshua. His life was completely devoted to serving his Lord.

An apostle is a representative who is entrusted with the authority of the one who sent him. Peter was a personal representative of King Yeshua, the Son of the High King of Heaven. Peter had great spiritual authority.

Is there a connection between being a slave and being an apostle? Yes. God entrusts greater responsibility and influence to those who understand that they don’t belong to themselves, but to Him; to those who are devoted to serve the Lord Yeshua and not themselves. You want greater responsibility and influence? Become God’s slave.

Peter identifies himself. Now he identifies the people he is writing to. I am writing to you who share the same precious faith we have. This faith was given to you because of the righteousness – the justice and fairness of Messiah Yeshua, our God and Savior.

The thing that Peter highlights about those he is writing to is their faith. This teaches us that faith is very important – maybe the most important thing about us. One of my favorite quotes is from A.W. Tozer: the most important thing about any human being is what he believes, deep in his heart, about God.

Faith is precious. I am writing to you who share the same precious faith. Our faith is exceedingly valuable, a priceless treasure. Some reasons why:

Our faith does not originate in human wisdom or effort. It comes from Messiah Yeshua, our God and Savior. Anything that comes from Him is precious because He is precious.

Our faith is precious because it was made possible by His sinless life and His precious blood. Our faith is based on an atonement that was exceedingly costly.

Our faith is precious because, not only does it saves us from sin and death, it results in a new, godly nature and eternal life – things that are beyond price.

This faith was given to you because of the righteousness – the justice and fairness of Messiah Yeshua, our God and Savior.

Our faith does not come from us. It comes from God. God gives us the gift of faith. If God did not give us the gift of faith, we would not have faith. Faith comes when God gives – when He opens our hearts, enlightens our minds, and draws us to Himself. God initiates faith. Our part is simply to say yes to the truth that God reveals to us.

This faith was given to you because of the righteousness – the justice and fairness of Messiah Yeshua, our God and Savior. God’s righteousness, His justice and fairness, demands that sin be judged. Messiah died so that God’s righteousness could be satisfied, and because God’s righteousness was satisfied, we are able to receive faith that saves us. It is God’s righteousness that makes faith and salvation possible.

This faith was given to you because of the righteousness – the justice and fairness of Messiah Yeshua, our God and Savior. Messiah Yeshua was not merely a man sent by God – He is God – eternal, uncreated. Messiah Yeshua is God because of His divine nature, but He is distinct from God – meaning God the Father. And He is our Savior. He alone is able to save us from the things we can’t save ourselves from: the control of Satan and the other fallen angels, sin and the sin nature, death and Hell.

If Messiah Yeshua is not our God and our Savior, then we are godless and saviorless.

We are godless: God is not our God. He is not ours and we are not His.

We are saviorless: We remain dead in our sins, sinners who are guilty, already condemned, unredeemed, unsaved, headed to death, not life – to Hell, not Heaven. We have no forgiveness, no atonement, no reconciliation with God, no salvation, and no eternal life.

I like short prayers. Next, Peter prays a short prayer for the recipients of this letter – which includes you and me. May God give you more and more grace and peace as you grow in your knowledge of God and Yeshua our Lord.

Grace is favor and help given to people who don’t deserve it. God’s grace is amazing, wonderful, abundant, beneficial, live-changing.

Peace is more than the absence of conflict. It’s wholeness, completeness, well-being.

Who doesn’t want more and more grace and peace?

Notice that there is a relationship between receiving more and more grace and peace and growing in our knowledge of God the Father and Yeshua our Lord. May God give you more and more grace and peace as you grow in your knowledge of God and Yeshua our Lord.

The more we know about God’s nature and His character – things like His sovereignty, holiness, righteousness, love, goodness, faithfulness, justice, mercy, wisdom – the more we know about Yeshua – His perfect life, His teachings, His miracles, His death and resurrection – the more we will love the Father and the Son, the closer we will be to Them, the more obedient we will be to Their will, and the more grace and peace we will receive from God.

Knowing about God the Father and the Lord Yeshua is necessary – but we need more than just intellectual knowledge. We need knowledge that is personal, relational and experiential.

May God give you more and more grace and peace as you grow in your knowledge of God and Yeshua our Lord. Wonderful things happen as we grow in our knowledge of God the Father and our Lord Yeshua. So, how do we grow in our knowledge?

By reading the Bible. God gives us knowledge about Himself through His Word. The Word of God reveals God’s nature, His character, His promises, His ways.

By listening to God‑ordained teachers. God gives teachers to His people to help them grow in their knowledge of God.

By learning from brothers and sister who are mature in the faith, who know God well, who have walked with Him and who have faithfully served Him for years.

By talking and listening to God. We can’t know a person well if we never speak to him. The same is true of God. As we learn to talk to Him throughout the day, and as we learn to listen to Him talking to us, we grow in our knowledge of God.

Knowledge grows through obedience. The more we obey, the better we will know Him. And the opposite is true: disobedience diminishes our understanding. When we are disobedient, we won’t grow in our knowledge of God.

By enduring suffering. When we patiently endure trials, we become partners with Messiah in His suffering. When Yeshua lived in this world, He suffered – a lot. When we suffer because we are His disciples and His representatives in this world, we learn things about Him. This fellowship of suffering brings us closer to Him, bonds us to Him, deepens our relationship to Him, and helps us understand Him better.

As our knowledge of God and Messiah Yeshua increases, God will give us more and more grace and peace. You want more and more grace and peace? Grow in your knowledge of God the Father and Messiah Yeshua our Lord.

By his divine power, God has given us everything we need for living a godly life.A godly life is a life that reflects who God is. It’s a life that knows God, knows His will, delights in His Word and walks in His ways.

An ungodly life is a life that’s hostile or indifferent to God. It’s a life that ignores God, that’s lived independently from God.

We want to live a godly life. The ability to live a godly life does not come from us and our efforts. It comes from God and His provision. God has given us everything we need for living a godly life.

What are those things God has given us so we can live a godly life?

His Spirit who lives in us, teaches us and empowers us to resist sin and obey God A new godly, born-again nature that is alive to God. His Word which teaches us and inspires us. Good leaders who teach us, guide us, challenge us, correct us. Our brothers and sisters who encourage us and support us. His promises that will never fail us and give us hope that sustain us.

God has given us all the resources we need for godly living. All we need to do is make use of them.

We have received all of this by coming to know him, the one who called us to himself by means of his marvelous glory and excellence.

We have received all of this by coming to know him. “All of this” refers to all of the wonderful resources God provides to live a godly life. Knowing God in a personal, relational, experiential way results in us receiving all those wonderful resources.

We have received all of this by coming to know him, the one who called us to himself by means of his marvelous glory and excellence. God calls us to Himself, invites us to Himself. It’s like a man who calls a woman to invite her on a date, so she can get to know him, and if things go well, be with him for the rest of their lives.

God is the one who calls us to Himself. We don’t call Him to us. God takes the initiative to invite us into a relationship with Himself. He calls. He invites. He reveals Himself. He reveals truth to us. He draws us to Himself. We simply respond to His call, His invitation, by saying yes.

He called us to himself by means of his marvelous glory and excellence.

Glory means weight, heaviness, honor, dignity, beauty. God is glorious. He is full of glory.

Excellence refers to moral goodness, moral excellence, virtue, noble character.

God calls us to Himself because He is glorious and excellent, and He calls us to Himself by revealing His glory and excellence to us. His invitation to be with Him flows out of who He is – glorious and excellent. We are drawn to God, not by His overwhelming power, and not by coercion, but by the glory and moral perfection of God Himself. His revelation of His glorious and excellent self, and His invitation to be with Him, awakens faith, repentance, and the desire to join Him.

Let’s pray:

Father in Heaven, thank You for the precious gift of faith You have given us through the righteousness of Messiah Yeshua, our God and Savior. Please, increase our faith. Help us grow in faith.

Thank You that like Peter, You invite us to be Your servants who represent You in this world.

Knowledge is so important. Deepen our knowledge of You – not only knowing about You, but knowing You personally, relationally, experientially. Thank You that You will give us more and more of Your wonderful grace and peace as we grow in our knowledge of You and Your Son.

Thank You for giving us everything we need to live a godly life.

Help us fully utilize all of those great provisions so we can live godly lives.

Thank You for calling us to Yourself, to be with You, now and forever – because of Your marvelous glory and excellence.