Chopsticks and Beyond

September 1, 2024 Greg McNichols

The full video of this teaching is available at the bottom of this post and this link.

SETTING UP 2 PETER

It's been a couple of years since Peter's first letter made the rounds, offering a lifeline of encouragement to Christians feeling the heat of Nero's persecution. But now, things have taken a darker turn. The persecution has intensified, becoming life-threatening, with fear no longer just lurking in the shadows—it's right there, staring them down.

This time, Peter isn’t just writing to bolster spirits; he’s addressing a more insidious threat. External pressure is one thing, but a far more dangerous threat emerges when it comes from within. And that’s precisely what was happening. False teachers had infiltrated the church, sowing seeds of doubt, twisting the truth, and leading people away from the faith that once set their hearts on fire.

This second letter of Peter’s, written around A.D. 66 to 68, goes straight to the heart of these internal struggles. He’s not mincing words. He’s denouncing the lies, the manipulation, and greed driving these false teachers. But he doesn’t just stop there. He doubles down on what’s true—the authority of Scripture, the power of faith, and the unshakable promise of Christ’s return. This letter is Peter’s urgent plea to hold fast to the truth.

Peter knew he was going to die (2 Peter 1:13-14). This wasn't just another letter of encouragement; it was likely his final message, the last chance to speak into their lives. Peter was determined to leave them with what mattered most, knowing they might never hear from him again. So, let's lean in, pay attention, and grasp the urgency of Peter's final words.

GRACE FOR A GODLY LIFE IN A CORRUPT WORLD

Now, let’s turn our attention back to Peter’s first audience—those scattered by persecution, living on the fringes, craving safety, abundance, and peace. They longed for that deep sense of security, for grace to overflow in their lives. They wanted the blessings that come with following Jesus, but many hesitated when it came to putting in the actual work to gain personal growth.

In 1:2, Peter tells us that God is offering an incredible, limitless treasure of grace and peace, but to access it, we must put in the work. We need to grow in our experiential knowledge of Jesus.

When we accept Christ, it’s not just a fresh start; it’s a complete transformation. It’s not about trying to be godly on our own—it’s about living from the overflowing fullness that God has already poured into us. We’re tapping into His power, His strength, His holiness. And that changes everything!.

“By his divine power, God has given us everything we need for living a godly life… And because of his glory and excellence, he has given us great and precious promises. These are the promises that enable you to share in his divine nature and escape the world’s corruption caused by human desires (2 Peter 2:3-4).”

In their world, where corruption was rampant, persecution brutal, and martyrdom a constant threat, Peter wasn’t posing an abstract question. He addressed their urgent concern: How do we live in a world like this? When Peter talks about escaping the corruption of this world and living for God, he’s not setting them up for failure. He’s reminding them that even amid such darkness, they have been given everything they need through God’s Spirit to live a life that’s not just good but genuinely godly, even when the stakes are life and death.

Faith in Jesus isn’t static; it’s dynamic. It’s meant to lead to action, to growth. Peter gets this. He knows that faith isn’t just about what’s in our heads—it’s about what flows out into our lives. That’s why he lays out this roadmap for faith in action. It’s about getting to know God better, sticking it out when things get tough, aligning our lives with God’s will, and loving others in tangible ways. None of this happens by accident.

MAKE EVERY EFFORT

Let’s pick up in verses 5-7, ”In view of all this, make every effort to respond to God’s promises. Supplement your faith with a generous provision of moral excellence, and moral excellence with knowledge, and knowledge with self-control, and self-control with patient endurance, and patient endurance with godliness, and godliness with brotherly affection, and brotherly affection with love for everyone.”

When Peter says, “Make every effort,” he’s calling for a relentless, intentional pursuit of spiritual growth. This isn’t a passive suggestion—it’s an urgent, active command. It means dedicating time, energy, and focus to developing qualities that reflect Christ’s character—moral excellence, knowledge, self-control, patient endurance, godliness, mutual affection, and love. It’s about pushing through complacency, resisting the temptation to coast, and fully engaging in the ongoing process of becoming more like Jesus. Peter knew this kind of growth wouldn’t just happen by accident—it requires a conscious, daily commitment to transform our faith, attitudes, and behavior.

This transformation, these actions—they don’t just magically appear in our lives. It takes intentionality, determination, and yes, hard work. And Peter isn’t saying, “Pick one and work on that for a while.” No, he’s telling us that all of these qualities must be continuously cultivated together. This isn’t some checklist you can just tick off one by one; it’s a rhythm of life we’re called to live out, day by day.

Peter’s addressing believers who’ve grown a little too comfortable, lulled into a false sense of security by slick-talking teachers spreading dangerous ideas. These teachers said, “Hey, if salvation isn’t based on good deeds, then why not live however you want?”

But Peter’s not having it. He’s shaking them awake, saying, “Hold on a second. If you truly belong to the Lord, your life will show it. Your hard work, your dedication to growing in those qualities I mentioned earlier—those are the marks of someone who’s really accepted Christ.”

This isn’t about earning your way into God’s favor; it’s about proving you’re already His. If you’re serious about your faith, if you truly belong to Him, it’s going to show up in how you live. You’ll be working—yes, working—to develop the character traits Peter outlined in verses 5-7.

Chopsticks and Beyond

Let’s talk about where we could go next. As I studied this passage, two paths opened up before me. The first path? It’s the one you might expect—a deep dive into a word study on Peter’s list in verses 5-7. I could break down each quality, give you real-life examples, and challenge you to grow in each one. It’s solid, it’s practical, and it’s what most of us might anticipate.

But after 25 years of walking this road in pastoral ministry, I’ve learned something: sometimes, it’s not just about the word studies. Sometimes, we need something that grabs us by the heart, something that stirs up a deeper desire and passion to actually live this out. And that’s the second path—the one I believe is more helpful for us today.

So, instead of diving into a word study, I want to take us somewhere unexpected. I want to show you why making every effort matters so much, in a way that sticks with you long after reading this article. I’m calling this illustration “Chopsticks and Beyond.” Watch the video below.

You’ve seen it, right? The person at the party who sits down at the piano and plays a couple of songs. Everyone claps, they smile, and for a moment, it’s like they’re a pianist. But are they? Sure, they can play a song or two, maybe impress a crowd for a minute. But what about someone who’s truly a pianist? Someone who’s invested years into learning the instrument, who’s mastered the basics, and built upon them, improving year after year? That’s a whole different story.

See, there’s a big difference between someone who knows how to play a couple of songs and someone who’s become a piano player. It’s the difference between dabbling and dedicating, between surface-level skill and deep, practiced mastery.

Peter talks about this kind of difference, but in the context of our faith. He’s saying, “Look, you’ve been given this incredible gift—faith in Jesus. But if you’re not growing, if you’re not developing, you’re missing out on becoming who you’re meant to be.”

Think about the piano. When you first start, it’s all about learning the basics. You practice scales, learn how to read music, get your rhythm right. Your fingers stumble over the keys, your timing’s off, but with practice, you improve. And the more you practice, the better you get. Over time, you develop finger dexterity, muscle memory, a sense of timing and rhythm that becomes second nature. You start to understand the nuances of dynamics and expression, the art of playing with feeling. You move beyond just playing notes to making music.

But what happens if you stop? If you never move past those first couple of songs? Sure, you can still play them, maybe even impress a few people at a party. But you never become a pianist. You’re stuck, frozen in time, your skill never growing, never evolving.

Peter is telling us that our faith is a lot like this. It’s not just about that first moment when you believed or those few basic things you learned early on. It’s about growing, expanding, building on those foundations. He’s warning against spiritual stagnation—against becoming that person who knows a couple of songs but never becomes a musician. He’s saying that if you’re not developing in your faith, you’re like that person who only ever plays “Chopsticks.” You might know the basics, but you’re missing out on the full experience, the richness, the depth of what it means to live a life of faith.

But if you don’t grow in these areas? If you stop practicing, stop developing, you become spiritually shortsighted—like someone who forgets how amazing it is to really play, to really live in the fullness of what faith offers. You miss out on the beauty, the depth, the richness that comes from truly knowing Jesus.

So, don’t settle for just playing a couple of songs. Don’t be the person who knows just enough to get by, to look like you’ve got it together. Keep practicing, keep growing, keep becoming. Because the more you grow in your faith, the more you’ll realize just how much there is to experience, just how alive you can be in Christ. And that’s when you stop just playing music and start making something truly beautiful.