True Heroes - 2 Peter 1:12-15

1:07I want you to think ahead for just a moment. When future generations hear your name, what do you want to come to their mind? What do you want to come to their minds? People hear your name, your work, your legacy, what you've left behind. What do you want people to think about? When they hear your name, well, as we go through this, it's clear that, in light of everything that's been going on, there are two things that are on my mind. Number one, our Honduras trip, very rich experience, and number two, coming back to the coronavirus. And inevitably, these thoughts will flavor this morning's sermon just because this is where I've been all week.

2:06We came back to a very different Texas. We had a wonderful time in Honduras. In fact, after getting back, we decided it might be good. Is there any way we can get back on a plane and just head back? Come back to a new Texas, a different Texas, different world in many ways, dealing with the coronavirus. The coronavirus, as you know, it really boils down to a corruption in the flesh, doesn't it? A weakening of the flesh. And it comes about through contact with others who have it.

2:452 Peter is dealing with another virus, a sin virus that really is a corruption in the spirit. And it comes about through the transmission of lies. It's dealing with the issue of false teachers largely in the book. And what had been going on, what had been raging for a while, was Nero's persecution. And Nero was persecuting the church from the outside. And false teachers were trying to deceive the church from the inside. So the church was in the middle of both.

3:28Peter has already written to them in 1 Peter about standing firm in the true faith. And there are a couple things that undermine true faith. One is capitulating to cultural pressures. In other words, being so afraid of the pressures that are being put on you by society to capitulate or to compromise the faith and to somehow exchange biblical truth for cultural preferences. The second way that faith is compromised is through that of fleshly desires. If your flesh wants something, and God that God has clearly forbidden, then the way around that is to reread what the scripture may say so that it accommodates your fleshly desire. Both of these issues are going on.

4:30That in to these churches in Asia Minor. The pressures have brought about a compromising spirit, a capitulating spirit. Fleshly desires have brought about a compromise as well. A true hero, in my mind, is someone who strengthens the faith of others. Faith is about having confidence in unseen realities. Even much of the coronavirus, you can't see. What realities are you going to let define you? Faith is about having confidence in the unseen realities that scripture has made plain to us. Scriptural truth, realities, building your life upon them.

5:35And lies come that challenge that, that undermine that, and destroy the faith. But a true hero is somebody who strengthens the faith of others. Peter was a hero in my mind. In fact, look back at verse 11. For in this way, the Entrance into the eternal kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ will be abundantly supplied to you. You know what's on Peter's mind in the midst of Nero's persecution? You know what's on his mind? Is how his brothers and sisters are going to enter into the eternal state or into the eternal kingdom. He is very concerned about their faith, that they run their race well.

6:30And so he seeks to strengthen their confidences in these unseen realities that God has declared in Scripture. You see, we must let the Bible, we must let Scripture define our superheroes for us. There's a lot of superheroes today, but they are largely defined by man's thinking, isn't it? Aren't they? Whether it's Disney and their heroines or heroes, whether it's Marvel, whether it's sports stars, you go on and on. The world has an idea of what a superhero should be like.

7:25And you need to be somebody that doesn't let the world. World, define your heroes. There comes a time when you put the childish heroes of the fleshly mind aside, and you embrace those true heroes, the heroes of the faith, the heroes that strengthen the faith of others. And Peter was such a true hero. In fact, I met many of those heroes this week. If you were on the trip to Honduras, you met many heroes. If you're not careful, you won't be able to recognize them as such. But if you're ever going to imitate true heroes, you need to be able to recognize them. So, hopefully, in our time today, as I walk through this passage, I'll share some true heroes, not just the ones we meet in the text, the one we meet in the text, but ones we have met on our trip to Honduras. But there are three characteristics of a true hero that I want you to see this morning, and I want you to see them so that you will be one, so that you will imitate these.

8:42So, first, a true hero is somebody who is motivated by a love for people and for the truth. A true hero is motivated by a love for people and the truth. Look back at verse 12. Therefore, I will always be ready to remind you of these things, even though you already know them and have been established in the truth which is present with you. Literally, what Peter is saying here is, I will always be about reminding you. That is what I am going to be about, reminding you, even in this late hour. His occupation is about reminding people of eternal truths. And that's what a true hero is occupied with: bringing to bear the truth of God.

9:34Notice, look at the word these things. I will always be referring, I will always be about reminding you of these things. What are these things? Well, look back. Look back at some of the incredible things he's just said. In verse 3, he speaks about this grant, seeing that his divine power has granted to us everything pertaining to life and godliness through the true knowledge of him who called us by his own glory and excellence. Everything you need has been given. For by these, he has granted to us his precious and magnificent promises, so that by them you may become partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world by lust. He says, These promises have been given to you. You have everything you need in Christ, and this has been given to you as a grant, and you have now become a partaker of the divine nature.

10:30I want to remind you of these things. You belong to God. Live out your existence as one who has been born of God. Then he goes on to say, and he says, the virtues. What are these things referring to? Well, then he goes on to list a whole bunch of virtues in verses five through seven. Now, for this very reason, that you are of the divine nature. Now, apply all diligence in your faith. Supply moral excellence. And in your moral excellence, knowledge. And in your knowledge, self-control. And in your self-control, perseverance. And in your perseverance, godliness. And in your godliness, brotherly kindness. And in your brotherly kindness, love. You see how quickly he goes from faith to love. For if these qualities are yours and are increasing, they will render you neither useless nor unfruitful in the true knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.

11:24Then he goes on. Look at that. Isn't that an incredible promise? You will never be useless or unfruitful. What a promise. Look what he says again in 10, verse 10. Therefore, brethren, be all the more diligent to make certain about his calling and choosing. For as long as you practice these things, you will never stumble. What an incredible promise. No matter what comes upon planet Earth or in your life, into your world, you will never stumble if you practice these things.

12:00What an incredible promise. Then again, look at this promise of a glory, for in this way, the entrance into the eternal kingdom about our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ will be abundantly supplied to you. Excel. Be diligent about these truths, about growing in moral virtue. And there's a glorious entrance. So he's all concerned about their entrance into the kingdom. And we ought to be concerned as well. So when you boil it all down, what do these things refer to? The biblical truth that he has just related.

12:42The biblical truth. That is the antidote to sin. You want to know what shakes your confidence? Believing lies. Do you know what you want to know what strengthens your confidence, strengthens your peace, strengthens your resolve to go forward? Truth. Truth. And these truths aren't really look back at the text. They are truths they already know. You already know them, have been established in, they've been established in truth, and the truth is present with you. So much of his ministry is a reminding ministry.

13:27That's what a true hero does: reminds people. Of the truth that's been revealed. We don't have to make up truth, it exists, and so that's what a true hero does. And this is what feeding God's people looks like. This is how Peter expressed his love for Jesus. If you love me, Peter, you will do what? Feed my sheep. You will give them truth. You will continue to remind them of the truth, who I am. And this is how Peter expresses his love for one another.

14:01This is how he expresses brotherly kindness. You know what much of church is about? Why we are here this morning? Church life is about calling to mind the truths we already know to keep them alive, to keep reminding each other, as I am reminding you right now. And you know what? This is why we're having church this morning. And you know what? This is why we will continue having church. And I have, I have this, I've learned this much about the church. It will meet. The very definition of church is gathering, collective, a group. We will have church.

14:52The church will outlive the coronavirus. And any other thing that comes against. Or comes upon this world. We will have church. Even if it comes down to just one person up here speaking to a camera, we are going to have church. I doubt we'll get that low. Somehow, I just looking at how thick this crowd is today makes me think we're not in any danger anytime soon of losing our gathering. No, that's why we meet. And the good thing is, we can come in electronically. We can something that hasn't been accessible in years gone by, but it is to us today.

15:47But it's interesting to note that this is one of Peter's last actions of his life. And he brings it, he takes the last moments of his life to remind people what they already knew. Why? Why did he do that? Well, why do we have to be reminded? Well, we have a tendency to believe lies, and that's what false teachers do. Or we also have the propensity to grow lethargic, and we need to be awakened, right? When we were in Honduras, there was a student that touched our lives. His second-year student, we saw him, his first-year student. His name was Enrique, and so this year was kind of a homecoming. It was his first year over last year when he came, and he was happy to see us. He picked us up at the airport and he drove us, or picked up some of us, drove us to the ministry called Meda, M-E-D-A.

16:59And he preached last week, did an excellent job. And I would say, after even being in seminary just a couple of years, he preached far more of a skillful sermon than you would probably hear in many, if not most, of the pulpits here in the United States. But what was so impressive about him was his love for his country, Colombia, and his love for the truth. He's a young man in the prime of life that just beamed excitement.

17:38But you know what? He picked us up, he drove us back. If you're not careful, you will miss that hero because he's too, all you'll see is the mundane. You just see him going through his routine. Yet, when you stop and you listen and you focus, you realize it's a true hero. A love for people, motivated by love for people, and motivated by love for the truth. Well, a second characteristic of a true hero is that a true hero promotes that which is genuinely good for people. True hero promotes that which is genuinely good for people. Look back at verse 13. I consider it right, as long as I am in this earthly dwelling, to stir you up by way of reminder. Peter's saying, it is right, right, it is for me to remind you. He was convinced of the rightness of reminding people of biblical truth. Why? Why is he because people need to be reminded? We have a habit of forgetting, right?

18:56Gives another reason. Look down at verse 14. Another reason it is right to remind people of biblical truth is because time is short. What he says in verse 14: knowing that the laying of my earthly dwelling is imminent, as our Lord Jesus Christ has also made clear to me. Here's Peter saying, As long as I have life, it is right for me to be stirring you up by these truths to let. These truths settle into your life, shape who you are, shape your actions so that you will receive a glorious entrance into the kingdom. That's what he's about. Seeing the truth take hold in people's hearts so that they will run their race well.

19:52So that's what life's about. And he says he calls his, he speaks of his death as, I'm laying aside my earthly dwelling. Anybody been camping lately? You go out in a tent, right? What do you do? You set it up for a little bit, sleep a few nights in it, and then you take it down and off you go. Well, that's what he's describing his body. That's what our bodies, it's like a camping tent, a camping tent for the soul. And one day we're just going to, it's going to be folded up and tossed aside.

20:31And a true hero gives his or her life to helping people remember eternal truths. That's what a true hero, a true hero is about. The truth, about people, and about promoting that which is genuinely good. It's interesting just to see that here's Peter in his final period of life, and the final period of a person's. Life is often the most important, right? It's the most telling of who they are. And here he is, Peter, true hero, the end of his life, still mindful of the prize, mindful of the goal, and using his remaining days, stirring up believers to action. Oh, there's another couple, and I could go on about several, and I won't have time, but I was touched by a couple from Columbia. I believe his name was Jorge, correct? Yes. And his wife, do you remember his name? Audreana, yes. They gave their testimony, came from Columbia, same, a passion for the truth.

21:50But they had to sell everything they had. I mean, everything they had to come and to grow in their ability to handle scripture and to minister. They had already been involved in ministry, but at this point, they knew they needed to understand more. And they sold all that they had. Had two kids, right? And it was hard. They sold their car first to buy the plane tickets, and then they sold, then they started going through selling everything in their house, even and it was hard for their little boy to watch his bed being taken. Off and sold. I mean, they sold it all, right? They came with not even enough money for a return trip.

22:38Have you ever met anybody that has sold everything, given it all to be about truth and promoting that which is genuinely good in people? Well, we met some this week. And if you're not careful, what you would see is a mother, and she had a smile as big as Texas. Did she not? She just, you know, she just had sold everything and was excited and was beaming from ear to ear, happy to be there. And really, and but if you're not careful, you'd see a distracted mother that's trying to take care, keep her little child quiet while she's talking. You'd see just the mundane, and you would miss the noble. But if you dial in, if you dial into scripture and you dial into the person before you, you will see a hero.

23:36Heroes, true heroes. It's easy to miss the noble for the mundane, isn't it? But they wanted to grow in their ability to promote God's truth in their country and true hero. Well, a true hero is motivated by a love for people and the truth. A true hero promotes that which is genuinely good for people, and a true hero leaves a godly legacy. A true hero leaves a godly legacy. Look back at verse 15. And I will also be diligent that at any time after my departure, you will be able to call these things to mind.

24:25Peter knew that his time was short, and so he was diligent to make sure that we would have this record of this writing so that we could recall not just that generation, but for all future generations, we can recall these truths, call these things to mind. How does the word diligent? To be diligent is to expedite an important process or to be zealous to meet an obligation. And that's what Peter is doing. He says, I want to expedite this process of you knowing truth. I want to be zealous to make sure that my obligation is completely discharged, that I have done everything in my power so that when I am gone, you have a godly legacy, so that when my mind, when my name comes to your mind, you associate it with godly truth.

25:26You see, one of the most debilitating sins. Of our age is a failure to be diligent about the right things. I can point down to point out what I think is really at the heart of a lot of maladies of our time: that people are simply not diligent about the right things. And if you will be diligent about the right things, you'll be surprised at what that will do for your spirit. Well, again, the question I ask you: what do you want future generations to think when they hear your name?

26:14What they think. What do you want people to think when they see the monuments or the relics of your life? What do you want to come to their mind? That's your legacy. That's what you leave behind. Our time is short. We're all exiting this world. It may be on a different time frame, right? But we're all exiting this world, going into another. And it's interesting: the word for departure that Peter uses here: after my departure, after my exodus, literal exodus.

26:57Well, what's interesting is if you look back to verse 11, he says, Uses the word isodis, speaking about entrance. These two are in contrast to one another. So Peter is thinking as he is exiting this world, he is thinking about the well-being of those behind so that they will be able to enter or their entrance. He's thinking about their entrance into the eternal world or into the heavenly world. So he's got his exodus, and he's thinking about how he handles his exodus is going to impact how other people enter the kingdom of God. And that's what's on his mind.

27:45So Peter didn't cower in the face of persecution. His attention didn't turn to his own safety. And he didn't drift off into indifference. Oh, I've run. Not much I can do at this point. No, he wanted to leave behind a godly legacy because he was very concerned about how people enter the heavenly realm. His exodus was driven by his concern for people's entrance. So a true hero is diligent to leave a legacy behind that allows people to call to mind eternal truths. And I hope the word. Way you live your life. I hope the things that you do with your hands and the monuments and the relics of your life all testify to one thing: eternal truth. And I hope when people hear the name Emmanuel Baptist Church, their minds will be turned upwards to eternal truths.

28:58I could go on about true heroes I came in contact with this week. There was Carlos Montoyo, who's given 19 years to the ministry there, his family, and Rob Kensinger and family, Dr. Rob there. So many, so much could be said about them, and maybe in weeks ahead we will. There's one individual named Kenny Fuller, a young man, who is giving his youth to leaving a godly legacy behind. You know, in this country, those 20s are really important to, if you're going to go into the professional world, you need those 20s to really, really learn your trade and really become valuable. And then in your 30s, you really start making the bigger dollars. You're starting to become more and more valuable. And in your 40s, you start taking the leap.

30:00And taking over organizations and being into prominent positions. But when you give your 20s away, hosting mission groups and trying to make sure that railings are put up and trying to make sure that all is set and in order for truth to be proclaimed, you get out of that professional race. But here he is, knowing fully well what he's doing. He's giving his youth and his life to leaving a godly heritage. That's what true heroes are about.

30:56Well, not long after Peter wrote these words, he was crucified. Clement writes about this. And as he watched, or just before he was crucified, he had to watch the crucifixion of his own wife. And as he watched her being led away, Clement records that Peter called out to her by name, and he said these words: Remember the Lord. Lord. One more time. Here he is called. I want to remind you, even to his last moments, as he sees his wife being led away, remember the Lord. And that's what he did. I will be diligent so that you will remember. And then, when it was Peter's turn to die, he asked that he be crucified upside down because he wasn't worthy to be crucified as his Lord died.

32:02And there comes a time in our lives when we need to lay aside worldly heroes and let our heroes be those who conform to the pattern of Scripture. A true hero is motivated by a love for people and for the truth. A true hero promotes that which is genuinely good for people, and a true hero leaves behind a godly legacy. Well, guess what? Nero died in 68 AD. The storm of Nero's persecution passed. And so will this present coronavirus storm. It will come to an end. It will come. Pass.

33:03My concern as we are dealing with the storm of this coronavirus is how we relate to each other through the storm and how the world sees us through this storm as we go through it. You know, the church has faced issues like this in the past. In fact, in the year 1527, August 2nd, the bubonic plague struck Wittenberg, known as the Black Death. It had killed, in the 14th century, had killed one-fourth of the population of Europe, and now here it was in another one of its epidemic sweeps. And it arrived on August 2nd in Wittenberg. On August 10th, the magistrates ordered Luther to leave.

34:11They moved the university. But Luther didn't go. He stayed. And by August 19th, so just a couple weeks, there were 18 deaths. The wife of the mayor is said to have died practically in Luther's arms. His own wife was pregnant, and he housed two sick women in his home. He writes about this, and in a letter, as he's closing a letter, he says this: He's writing to a friend: So there are battles without and terrors within, and really grim ones. It is a comfort that we can confront Satan's fury with the Word of God, which we have, and which saves souls, even if that one should devour our bodies. Commend us to the brethren, and yourself pray for us, that we may endure bravely under the hand of the Lord and overcome the power and cunning of Satan, be it through dying or living.

35:31A Dominican monk mocked the way the people of Wittenberg ran from the plague. Like, do you really believe your God is in control or not? Luther writes an open letter, and this is what he says: He says, Let me tell you about the Christian pastor. He is like a good shepherd, not a hireling. He is commanded by Christ to stay despite danger of death because he is needed by his flock for the comfort and strength in the hour of death. And similarly, he said, city officials and all who are bound by responsibilities to their neighbors are not free to flee.

36:19He says, you are free to flee if you are not bound by responsibilities to others. And then he cautions against tempting God by unnecessarily exposing one to the contagion. We've dealt with this before. And what concerns me is that as we go through this and we deal with this, I'm more concerned about the church than I am that the coronavirus is going to triumph. I'm concerned about the relationships. A lot of times we will go through, you'll hit a trial in life, and this is true in marriage, that sometimes you won't even remember the situation, but you'll remember how you reacted in the situation. Permanent damage can come about through temporary trials. And so what concerns me is how we relate to one another.

37:20Let people be free to choose to stay at home, no problem, or come, no problem. And if somebody sneezes, Don't equate that to attempted murder. Don't charge them with involuntary manslaughter. Now let's bear with one another and recognize that even if this body captures a disease that wastes it away, even in that, the Lord is opening doors of ministry that you may not even be aware of. He can be trusted. He really does have all authority. Do you believe that? Do you really believe that Jesus is our good shepherd?

38:15Do you really believe all this sovereignty of God stuff? We talk about it, we sing about it. He is. I went to Sam's yesterday just because I wanted to hear. I wanted to see with my eyes empty shelves. When I went into Sam's and it was empty, it really had been a run on, I've seen her run on banks and run on other things, but on toilet paper, I turned a corner going to the milk department to see if I could get a gallon of milk. And there was this lady, and she was trying to get a gallon of milk, and they were all gone, and she. Is really frustrated and practically in tears. And she says, I just want a gallon of milk.

39:07I want to ask you: if you were in that situation and you had a gallon of milk in your cart, would you give it to her? It's really not the trial, it's how we respond to it that becomes important. I appreciate the words of Tom Askell. He sent this Luther link last night, and I also appreciate what he said. Let others see this in us. When others hoard, we share. When others steal, we give. When others hide, we serve.

39:53When others give way to fear, we comfort in the hope of knowing that our God loves us, is for us, and raises people from the dead. In our hearts, we honor Christ the Lord as holy, always, being prepared to make a defense to anyone who asks us for a reason for the hope that is in us. And we do it with gentleness and respect. Let's remember what true heroes are about. Motivated by a love for people, promoting. That which is genuinely good for people and concerned about leaving behind a godly legacy. Let's pray. Heavenly Father, thank you. Thank you for your kindness, for your grace, for your mercy, for everything.

40:51Father, thank you for these true and enduring promises.