Sermon: Sunday, 10th May, 2026
Speaker: John Johnstone
Scripture: 2 Peter 3:14-18
Our studies in 2 Peter are drawing to a close with just five more verses to go. And these last five verses contain five exhortations – five things which God is urging us to do in our lives. All of these commands of God flow out of the truth that our lives are not our own to do with as we please; rather, we are made by God, and for God, and will be held accountable to God on the day when Jesus returns to earth at his Second Coming. We looked at these great truths before; God will judge the living and the dead; the earth will be purged with fire and then God will renew the earth with a magnificent and perfect world – heaven on earth. This will be the home of righteousness, and no impurity or sin will ever enter it. This future world, our forever home, ought to shape our present lives now.
1. Pursue holiness
Because we are destined to live in a world of perfect righteousness, we should prepare for that life by pursuing holiness now. ‘So then, dear friends, since you are looking forward to this, make every effort to be found spotless, blameless and at peace with him.’ (2 Peter 3:14) We’ve seen this phrase before in Peter’s letter; ‘make every effort.’ This means we need to give ourselves fully to the lifelong pursuit of becoming more and more like Jesus each day in our characters. We’re not supposed to be lukewarm in following Jesus, or moderate or just follow him when we feel like it or when his views align with our own. This is something full-on and God calls us all to follow Jesus with rigour and energy and enthusiasm and diligence. Make every effort. Do you do this? Will you do this?
Before take-off, an astronaut prepares and trains hard because he is going somewhere with entirely different conditions. Astronauts spend long hours in enormous underwater training pools because water partially simulates weightlessness. They practice movements that would seem unnatural on earth because they are preparing for another environment. The Christian learns holiness now because we are preparing for a world where righteousness is natural and sin is foreign. Astronauts follow disciplined routines: exercise, endurance training, technical study, repeated simulations. They do this, not because discipline earns them a trip to space, but because they are going there. Christians do not pursue holiness to earn a place heaven (we cannot earn that), any more than an astronaut trains to earn a trip to outer space. They train because the destination is already set. Holiness is training for our eternal home.
Yes, we know we can never reach perfection until Heaven. But Peter says we are to strive to ‘be found spotless, blameless.’ This is another way to command us to be like Jesus, by following him closely and doing the things he did. He is our example. Peter describes Jesus in the same way: ‘For you know that it was not with perishable things such as silver or gold that you were redeemed from the empty way of life handed down to you from your ancestors, but with the precious blood of Christ, a lamb without blemish or defect.’ (1 Peter 1:18-19) This means that in every area of our lives, at work and home and church and at leisure, we are to continuously practice getting rid of things which displease God and implementing that which pleases him. Peter describes false teachers as ‘blots and blemishes’ who just follow their own evil desires. (See 2 Peter 2:13) Friends, just because you have a desire to do something does not make it right. We all have evil desires and when they come, they must be resisted, and resisted in the strength of God.
‘… make every effort to be found spotless…’ (2 peter 3:14) We will be found by God himself, when he returns. How will he find you? What sort of person will you be? Will he find you pursuing selfish desires building up your own empire? Or will he find you busy with the Kingdom of God? Imagine you are going to a wedding in a week’s time and come out with a massive spot on your face. You’d do all you could to get rid of it. You don’t want to spoil the photos! Or the grey hairs come and we might dye them. How much more should we get rid of moral spots in our lives!
Imagine students in a flat getting an inspection from their landlord. Wouldn’t they want to impress so that they can get their deposit back, or stay there the following year? The person in charge is returning, and they want things to be in order when he does come. ‘And now, dear children, continue in him, so that when he appears we may be confident and unashamed before him at his coming.’ (1 John 2:28)
Michael Green: ‘All down through the ages it has normally been the case that men who have their hope set on the returning Christ have lived holy and attractive lives.’
Michael Green: ‘There is, moreover, one further quality which the expectation of Christ’s return should bring, a deep sense of peace. The Parousia (2nd Coming) will be a day of vindication. It is by allowing his mind to dwell on the return of Christ that the Christian will regain a sense of balance and proportion, however difficult his present circumstances, and the peace which passes all understanding will take root deeply in his heart’.
In other words, we can enjoy peace now knowing that when Jesus comes back, he will right all wrongs and set things straight. We don’t need to carry that burden.
2. Make the most of your opportunities to tell others about Jesus
‘Bear in mind that our Lord’s patience means salvation…’  : (2 Peter 3:15) As we saw last time, the reason Jesus’ return has been delayed is not because of slowness on God’s part, but to give sinners the space and opportunity to turn from their evil ways and seek God’s forgiveness through Jesus Christ. So, when you go to work tomorrow, and interact with unbelievers, God is giving you an opportunity to share with them, before it is too late for them. This is a sobering thought and a considerable responsibility for us. ‘And this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in the whole world as a testimony to all nations, and then the end will come.’ ( Matthew 24:14)
Here is a simple question: are you praying for opportunities to speak to other people about Jesus? What about the 10 people we are praying for on our bookmarks?
Angus Macleay: ‘Peter’s priorities are godliness and the gospel. We are to get ourselves ready to meet Christ and help others get ready to meet him too’.
3. Be lifelong students of the Bible
Peter mentions the writings of the apostle Paul in such a way that it is clear they were already regarded as part of holy Scripture: ‘… our dear brother Paul also wrote to you with the wisdom that God gave him.’ (2 peter 3:15) It’s also fascinating to read that Peter found some of Paul’s writings hard to understand – perhaps he is thinking of parts of Ephesians or Romans! This should make us think, if even the apostle Peter had to wrestle with Paul’s writings in order to truly understand them, how much more ought we to do the same.
We need to have a life-long devotion to deep Bible study. We will get very little from the Bible if we merely dabble in its teaching now and then. If we want to grow in any field of expertise, whether at work or a hobby, it always takes a lot of effort. It requires work and study. Why should growing in the knowledge of God be any different? We don’t just wake up one morning with an amazing Bible knowledge. This is another reason why the practice of family worship is so key for our children, so they grow up with a broad understanding of the Word of God.
4. Don’t get sucked in to false teaching
‘His [Paul’s] letters contain some things that are hard to understand, which ignorant and unstable people distort, as they do the other Scriptures, to their own destruction.’ (2 Peter 3:16) Be warned: many people twist the Bible. They all offer all kinds of things in order to justify their own positions, and repeat arguments they’ve heard, but to distort God’s truth is a serious business. For example, people say things like ‘Jesus never said anything about gender dysphoria or homosexuality or premarital sex’ as if that means Jesus approves of such things. This is twisting Scripture. Why? Because Jesus says, ‘Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them but to fulfil them. For truly I tell you, until heaven and earth disappear, not the smallest letter, not the least stroke of a pen, will by any means disappear from the Law until everything is accomplished.’ Matthew 5:17-18) In other words, Jesus agrees with all the Old Testament teaching on gender and sexuality. ‘Therefore, dear friends, since you have been forewarned, be on your guard so that you may not be carried away by the error of the lawless and fall from your secure position.’ (2 Peter 3:17) Let’s be honest, we are surrounded by moral teachings which are contrary to Jesus’ teaching and Biblical teaching and are under enormous pressure to cave into the popular views of the age. Peter is saying to us – the Bible is God’s Word, so study it closely and do not deviate from it. Be steadfast in the truth of God.
5. Grow in grace and knowledge
‘But grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ.’ (2 Peter 3:18) When babies are born, there is a natural expectation that they need to grow and develop. They need milk and love and exercise and warmth to do so. They experience different things, learning to crawl and then walk. The same is true in the spiritual realm. We are born again as brand-new Christians. But then we must grow and continue to grow. And to do so we need spiritual nourishment, protection, exercise and knowledge.
Ultimately, this growth comes from God, but we need to consider what makes us grow, what conditions are necessary, and then ensure that we are found in places which will nurture our growth. If we do not take this seriously in an ongoing way, then we will stagnate spiritually and experience stunted growth.
We don’t often think about this, but even Jesus had to grow in grace as a human being. This means we can look to see how he developed and model ourselves on that. He is both our example of spiritual growth and our source of power (by his Spirit) for growth. ‘And Jesus grew in wisdom and stature, and in favour with God and man.’ (Luke 2:52) As Jesus grew in grace, he developed more and more of the fruit of the Spirit in his life. And we also see him developing in his obedience. Yes, he always obeyed his Father, but this obedience culminated in his obedience to death, even death on the cross. This leads to a crucial question – how did Jesus grow in this way?
In one sense, the answer is not ‘rocket science’. Jesus grew as he searched the Scriptures, as he devoted himself to prayer to his Father and through Christian fellowship. Of course, if we are to grow in grace, we must focus on exactly the same things. Jesus’ grasp of the Bible is seen in his temptation in the wilderness. As Satan tries to tempt and trap Jesus, how does Jesus respond? With Scripture! He quotes again and again from Deuteronomy.
It is clear he loved the Word of God and memorised it. Most of us will be familiar with the way Jesus had regular periods of prayer in his own life, in spite of being busier than any one of us here.
S Ferguson: ‘There were times of intercession – there was so much for which he had to pray. But there were also times of fellowship and loving communion with his Father… in prayer, Jesus drew on the resources of God… As he kept his heart in tune with God, his love and devotion to him gained in energy and power.’
And through the gospels, we see Jesus choosing 12 apostles to be his companions, taking them with him, asking them for prayer support and sharing his life with them. We also see Jesus enjoying the Christian company of Mary, Martha and Lazarus.
S Ferguson sums up the channels of Jesus’ growth beautifully:
‘Knowledge of God’s Word; communion in God’s presence; fellowship with God’s people. These are the means by which Jesus grew in grace. Have we begun to use these same means?’
‘But grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. To him be glory both now and for ever! Amen.’ (2 Peter 3:18)