The Surety of the Second coming
Stand FIrm: 2 Peter • Sermon • Submitted
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Transcript
Opening Comments:
Opening Comments:
Please meet me in your copy of God’s Word in 2 Peter 3 as we are inching our way toward the end of the 2 epistle of the Apostle Peter. The subject of the final chapter of 2 Peter is the second coming of the Lord Jesus and the end of the world. It is a subject that fascinates many people but God is not after fascination but preparation for his return. Every generation of believers has proclaimed that Jesus is coming soon, but it has been 2000 some odd years since Christ’s ascension.
Does that mean this is a false teaching?
Have we gotten it wrong?
Is soon a relative term? Can thousands of years be classified as soon?
All of these questions are answered by our text this morning. This is the Word of the Lord.
1 Beloved, I now write to you this second epistle (in both of which I stir up your pure minds by way of reminder), 2 that you may be mindful of the words which were spoken before by the holy prophets, and of the commandment of us, the apostles of the Lord and Savior, 3 knowing this first: that scoffers will come in the last days, walking according to their own lusts, 4 and saying, “Where is the promise of His coming? For since the fathers fell asleep, all things continue as they were from the beginning of creation.” 5 For this they willfully forget: that by the word of God the heavens were of old, and the earth standing out of water and in the water, 6 by which the world that then existed perished, being flooded with water. 7 But the heavens and the earth which are now preserved by the same word, are reserved for fire until the day of judgment and perdition of ungodly men.
8 But, beloved, do not forget this one thing, that with the Lord one day is as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day. 9 The Lord is not slack concerning His promise, as some count slackness, but is longsuffering toward us, not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance.
10 But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night, in which the heavens will pass away with a great noise, and the elements will melt with fervent heat; both the earth and the works that are in it will be burned up.
Introduction:
Introduction:
At the beginning of chapter 3, Peter is now returning to his reason for writing this second epistle. In v.1-2 he tells us his purpose is to “stir up our pure minds so that we remember the God’s word.”
A pure mind is the mind that been cleansed by Christ. It is possible to have a pure mind, but a bad memory. Peter’s desire is to awaken or arouse the believers mind so that they will remember what they have been taught from scripture. Peter is giving us a call back to the Bible.
Before a person can remember something, he has to first study and learn the facts. There is a necessity placed upon every believer to study the Word of God to learn all you can about Christ. This also speaks to preachers like me to study and rightly divide the scriptures and teach them to you.
Heritage is a Bible centered church. Week after week we read it together, explain what it means and apply it to our lives. We are a Bible preaching/teaching church. We care not about tradition for traditions sake or opinions but, what does the Bible say. It must always be our guide.
So in stirring up our pure minds in v.1-10 Peter tells us that :
There is something we need to realize. (v.3-7)
There is something we need to recognize. (v.8-9)
There is something we need to prioritize. (v.10)
Let’s dive into the text before us.
1.) We need to realize scoffers will come. (v.3-7)
1.) We need to realize scoffers will come. (v.3-7)
v.3 Last days- The first coming of Christ to the earth was a pivotal point in human history. He came at just the right time. Ever since Christ ascension back into heaven, history has been in its’ last stage. We are living in what is called “the age of grace,” that is to say we are living in the age where God’s mercy and grace are flowing out to the world through the gospel of the Lord Jesus. The final chapter of human history is upon us and soon Jesus will return to earth. We don’t know when, we’ve been in the last days for 2,000 years.
So, in v.3 Peter tells us that in the last days, scoffers will come.
A.) What is a scoffer?
The word scoffer means mocker.
Lust here means their own desire.
A scoffer lives like they want to live and to do their own thing. They desire only the pleasures and possessions of this world. They treat lightly what should be taken seriously.
They live a lifestyle that contradicts God’s Word, so instead of repenting and changing, they mock and reject. They do away with the guilt of their sin by doing away with that which pronounces them guilty.
B.) What does a scoffer do?
They mock the second coming of Christ. (v.4)- They say it’s been thousands of years since Jesus first came, where is he? Christians have been preaching His return for thousands of years and it hasn't happened. If He is returning back to earth, surely it would have happened by now? In other words, they declare the teaching of the second coming to be false.
After all, the world continues on as it always has. The laws of nature have kept the world going. God is not in control, we control if the world ends or keeps going.
They are willfully ignorant. (v.5-7)- They choose to unreasonably ignore and reject that God is the creator and sustainer of the universe.
Scripture declares that the world is not self-creating or self-sustaining. (v.5)- The earth was not made, nor is it sustained by the laws of nature. This world and all that is in it were created by the very Word of God. He spoke it into existence. As the supreme power and intelligence in the universe He can simply will and speak and His Word creates whatever He wills. The world only still continues today because God wills for it too. Scoffers willingly choose to reject and ignore this truth. Why hasn't Christ returned yet? Simply put he hasn't decided too. When God wills for it to happen, he will speak his word and it will happen.
3 By faith we understand that the worlds were framed by the word of God, so that the things which are seen were not made of things which are visible.
6 You alone are the Lord;
You have made heaven,
The heaven of heavens, with all their host,
The earth and everything on it,
The seas and all that is in them,
And You preserve them all.
The host of heaven worships You.
b. Scripture declares that the world has not always continued as it presently does. (v.6)- The earth has been destroyed before. God spoke the Word and judged the World. He destroyed the world with a flood in the days of Noah . He did not let the world go on and continue in sin forever, he judges it severely only preserving the righteous few. These scoffers are willingly ignorant and choose to ignore the fact that God has already judged the world. But, if God has destroyed the world before by the power of His word, then he can do it again. In fact, the only reason the world has yet to be destroyed again is it is not yet God’s time. But, God has spoken: Jesus is going to return and the world will once again be judged and permanently destroyed.
36 “But of that day and hour no one knows, not even the angels of heaven, but My Father only. 37 But as the days of Noah were, so also will the coming of the Son of Man be. 38 For as in the days before the flood, they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day that Noah entered the ark, 39 and did not know until the flood came and took them all away, so also will the coming of the Son of Man be.
c. Scripture declares that the heavens and earth are being kept, reserved, and stored up for destruction by fire. (v.7)- How are they being kept? By God’s Word. God is in complete control of this world and the universe. They haven’t been destroyed because God hasn’t spoken it yet. Sinful mankind and those who would mock God are still accountable to him.
31 “When the Son of Man comes in His glory, and all the holy angels with Him, then He will sit on the throne of His glory. 32 All the nations will be gathered before Him, and He will separate them one from another, as a shepherd divides his sheep from the goats.
Scoffers are willingly ignorant. They are a lot like an ostrich. Like an ostrich, they have chosen to hide their heads in the sands of denial.
Legend has it that the ostrich overheard Chicken Little say the sky was falling. Fearing for his life, the ostrich hid his head in the sand. Thinking to himself, the ostrich said, “I’ll be safe if I do not see anything bad.”
And so, the ostrich kept his head in the sand. One of his animal friends walked by and said, “Ostrich, why is your head in the sand?” With a voice muffled by the sand, the ostrich said, “Chicken Little said the sky is falling. If I can’t see it I’ll be safe.”
“But Ostrich” said the animal friend, “I think Chicken Little is wrong. The sky is not falling. Why don’t you look up for yourself and see?” And the friend walked on.
Another animal came upon the ostrich who still had his head hidden in the sand. “Ostrich, why is your head buried in the sand?” said the animal. Again, with a muffled voice, “Because if I can’t see the end of the world, I won’t get hurt.” “Great idea” said the lion. Then he took a vicious bite and had the ostrich for his dinner.
The scoffer is a lot like this ostrich. Denying that he is in eternal danger does not change a thing.
2.) We need to recognize how God works in this world. (v.8-9)
2.) We need to recognize how God works in this world. (v.8-9)
A.) Time is different for God. (v8)
To God, a thousand years is as a day. God is eternal.
Think of a million years, piled on top of a million years, and then multiplied by a million years and then keep on multiplying forever.
That is eternity.
To God, time has no span, it’s relative.
Mankind measures time by days and years, we live minute by minute. Because of this time stretches on and on, But to God, who is eternal, a day is no different than 10,000 years.
To ask why Jesus hasn't returned after 2000 years is ridiculous, because that is only like a drop of water in a bucket to God.
We must not get discouraged that Christ has not returned yet, God may have more he wants accomplished here before Christ returns. Our job is not to question when Christ will return, but to be ready when He does return.
This is both a call to patience for the believer and a warning to the scoffer. God will not hold off his coming forever. HE will not allow evil men to go unchecked forever at any moment, God the Father will speak and Jesus will return.
B.) The Lord is not slow, but longsuffering. (v.9)
Christ hasn’t returned yet because of his love for the eternal souls of men. He wants as many as possible to be given the chance to repent and place their faith in Christ.
Why?
God is longsuffering.
Long-suffering- Patient, he is stead fast and enduring in his patience. In other words, He is slow to judge and condemn.
God desires for the sinner to come to repentance so much that He sent Christ and is willing to suffer long for the sinner to be saved.
He wants no one to perish.
Perish- utterly lost or destroyed.
To perish is to suffer the judgement, condemnation, and punishment of being separated from God for eternity. To be in a state of suffering forever apart from God. (Hell)
30 Truly, these times of ignorance God overlooked, but now commands all men everywhere to repent, 31 because He has appointed a day on which He will judge the world in righteousness by the Man whom He has ordained. He has given assurance of this to all by raising Him from the dead.”
8 But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.
God’s desire is for all mankind to come to repentance. (Explain repentance)
3. We need to prioritze because the Day of the Lord is coming. (v.10)
3. We need to prioritze because the Day of the Lord is coming. (v.10)
The Lord is going to bring about the glorious day of redemption, giving all those who are his children the wonderful privilege of dwelling in his kingdom forever.
We must be ready! We must not delay coming to Christ for salvation!
A.) The day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night.
A thief doesn't announce their coming because if you knew, you would make preparation.
The Lord Jesus has forewarned that he is coming but he hasn't told us when He’s coming. We must remain vigilant.
But the fact remains the day is coming.
35 Watch therefore, for you do not know when the master of the house is coming—in the evening, at midnight, at the crowing of the rooster, or in the morning—
The urgency of the return of Christ should compel us to preach the gospel and do whatever we can to reach the lost.
B.) Heave and earth will pass away.
It will dissolve with fervent (intense) heat. Peter is allluding to the final destruction of the earth. On that day, Jesus said that all of man’s great works will be burned up and destryed. All mankind will then stand before holy God and have nothing to point as evidence for their accomplishments. It will all be gone.
Conclusion
Conclusion
So this section of 2 Peter 3 draws to an end with a solemn reminder to not be disheartened by the scoffers, to trust in the Lord’s promise and to be ready for his coming.
Watch and prepare. If you do not know Christ, repent and turned to Christ to avoid coming destruction.
Next week we will finish 2 Peter with Peter’s parting words.