2 Peter 1:1-2 Simeon Peter, a slave and an apostle of Jesus Christ:
To those who have obtained a faith of equal privilege with ours through the righteousness of our God and Savior Jesus Christ.
2 May grace and peace be multiplied to you through the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord. Holman Christian Standard Bible (HCSB)
Our men's Bible study this morning was in 2 Peter 1 where we go for today's verse. All too often it is easy to "blow past" the introduction of a letter to get to the body, the meat of the letter without giving it much thought. To do so in this instance and other letters in the New Testament is to skip an important part of the meal.
Think of just who Peter was. A fisherman, personally called by Jesus to follow him, to join and exclusive group, to learn, follow and know Jesus, the long expected Messiah. You can think of his boldness, his denials, his restoration, his final boldness.
Quite often someone in such an introduction would start out by saying "president" of, ambassador to, leader of, author of or some other self promoting distinction. What does Peter say "a slave" or other translations say "a servant", then a follower. Even in his introduction he was thinking less of himself and more of his Master and others. This attitude is borne out in the second line "to those who have obtained a faith of equal privilege with ours". He wasn't putting himself on some pedestal, before the cross the field is level. And what was first and foremost on his mind? That God's grace and peace would be multiplied to them through the knowledge of God and Jesus our Lord.
When I read that word grace I often think of how John Piper describes it as not just being pardon for sin, but pardon with power, power to persevere in hope, power to serve, power to endure, power to comfort, power to challenge, power to encourage .... the list goes on, fill in the blanks for what you need in your life.
It is my prayer for you today, in whatever situation you may find yourself in, "May grace and peace be multiplied to you through the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord."
It may be found "At Calvary"
- Years I spent in vanity and pride,
Caring not my Lord was crucified,
Knowing not it was for me He died
On Calvary.- Refrain:
Mercy there was great, and grace was free;
Pardon there was multiplied to me;
There my burdened soul found liberty
At Calvary.
- Refrain:
In Christ,
Mike
Mike
Follow the Verse of the Day blog at http://mikesvotd.blogspot.com
Eph 1:7 In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God's grace NIV
Eph 1:7 In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God's grace NIV
2 Peter 1:1-2
The Message (MSG)
1 1-2 I, Simon Peter, am a servant and apostle of Jesus Christ. I write this to you whose experience with God is as life-changing as ours, all due to our God's straight dealing and the intervention of our God and Savior, Jesus Christ. Grace and peace to you many times over as you deepen in your experience with God and Jesus, our Master.
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