Leaving a Legacy

“And I will make every effort so that after my departure you may be able to at any time to recall these things” (v15).

It’s not how you start but how you finish. You can come out of the chute like a lightning bolt but if you don’t end well nobody cares. There’s an old saying in college football that goes, “They only remember what you do in November.” The Apostle Peter is finishing with a flourish. In the marathon of life, he can see the end of the race ahead and he’s kicking. He wants to make his mark after he’s gone. To do so, he knows he must finish well. Pete wants to leave a legacy.

Let’s back up for just a bit of context. It’s around AD 67. The apostle is writing to a group of churches in what is modern day Turkey. This is the second time he’s sent them a note. The first one is the book of 1st Peter. There he writes to encourage the followers of Jesus to hang in there in the face of external pressures and persecution from society and the government (1Pet 4:19; 5:10). A couple of years later, he sends a second letter. This one deals with stuff going on inside the churches. False teachers have infiltrated the fellowship and are doing a terrible damage (2Pet 2:1). Pete wants everyone to remember this is about a personal relationship with the risen Jesus (2Pet 1:2-3). The best way to experience that intimacy is by taking your spiritual supplements (2Pet 1:5-7). He knows that his death is right around the corner. He wants to make sure the people he loves know what to do when he’s gone. Pete wants to leave a legacy.

In the previous verse, the apostle makes it clear that the end is near. He knows “that the putting off of my body will be soon” (1:14). History tells us that Nero executed Peter in Rome in AD 68. We also know that the former commercial fisherman didn’t feel worthy to die in the same way as Jesus, so he asked to be crucified upside down. As a dead man walking, Pete makes the most of his final moments. He tells his readers that he “will make every effort” in his finals days on this side of heaven. He uses the Greek verb spoudazo, which means to eagerly do one’s best, spare no effort, work hard and do with intensity. He’s going to give it everything he’s got! Pete’s gonna max out! Whatever he has left in the tank, he’s putting the pedal to the metal. 

Back in verse 14, the apostle used camping terminology to talk about how God is about to take down his tent. Just in case you may have thought Pete was wrapping up a weekend backpacking with the boys, he talks about his imminent death one more time. Here he calls it his “departure.” This is the term exodos. Yup, it’s the very same word where we get the name of the second book in the Bible. It describes a going out, an exit or, in the case of the Israelites from Egypt, an exodus. Jesus used it to talk about His own upcoming death at Passover when He met with Moses and Elijah at their amazing mountaintop meet up. They “spoke of His departure (Gr. exodos), which He was about to accomplish at Jerusalem” (Lk 9:30-31). Pete was right there with James and John when it happened. Jesus knew He was about to die. So does Pete. He’s about to make his final exit.

With his death right around the corner, the apostle desperately wants to finish well. Let’s face it, this dude has had some ups and downs over the years. On one hand, Pete’s not just in Christ’s inner circle, he’s the leader of the Twelve. Instead of choosing some top-of-the-class seminary grad, Jesus handpicked this uneducated fisherman to lead His team. It’s like passing up Billy Graham and selecting crew member from the Deadliest Catch. Pete’s the one who understood that Jesus is the divine Hero God has promised to send to save the world (Mt 16:16). After preaching his very first sermon, 3,000 people placed their trust in Christ. But don’t forget the other stuff on the apostle’s resume. When he tried to tell His Lord what to do, Jesus called him out as “Satan” (Mt 16:23). Pete infamously folded up like a cheap suit when challenged by a middle school girl, eventually denying that he even knew the Rabbi from Galilee (Mt 26:69-75). The resurrected Jesus personally reached out to restore Pete on the beach (Jn 21:15-19). Jesus knew He was headed home to His Dad in heaven. He wanted to leave a legacy in His apostle. 

Now Pete knows that the end is near. It’s not how you start but how you finish. He knows that the most important thing he can do before he goes is to point fellow believers back to a deep and personal relationship with Christ. You see, Pete knows that his legacy is not about Pete. It’s about Jesus. There’s no better legacy we can leave.