The Vain Pursuit of Pleasure

**Turn 2 Peter 2:10b

Recap

2 Peter (The King is Coming):

Addressing FALSE TEACHING

Jesus isn’t coming

Live however...

LAX ATTITUDE towards SIN showed up in both TEACHING & their LIVES (see today)

Last Week:

Based on OT EXAMPLES:

GOD WILL JUDGE the wicked

GOD WILL RESCUE those who are His

WRATH of GOD isn’t just OT doctrine!…

Good news: CHRIST = PROPITIATION for sin.

JUDGMENT is SURE to COME upon FALSE TEACHERS & FOLLOWERS...

This week: UNPACKING LIFESTYLE of sin of false teachers...

Read text & pray

Intro:

CONSIDER: What KIND of PEOPLE we WANT to BE as CHRIST-FOLLOWERS?

What KIND of FRUIT GROWING on the tree?

WHAT are we STRIVING FOR in life?

**WHAT do we HAVE TO DO today, to ACCOMPLISH THESE THINGS??

In all these things,,, we need to ask, how much of our GOALS and our STRIVING in LIFE REFLECT the BIBLICAL IDEA of SUCCESS that Jesus desires for us?

Need:

Need this text: to BE REMINDED that a TREE is KNOWN by its FRUIT.

Need to ask ourselves: DOES the FRUIT of our LIVES MATCH the PROFESSION of our LIPS?

GOD CARES about the LIVES that we LEAD, and we SHOULDN’T PRESUME on His GRACE.

This text is a challenging one today, but it’s certainly something we need to hear

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Text:

2 Peter 2:10–16 (ESV)

Thought 1: No Fear of God

Bold and willful, they do not tremble as they blaspheme the glorious ones,

11 whereas angels, though greater in might and power, do not pronounce a blasphemous judgment against them before the Lord.

Last week:

Peter CONCLUDED by sharing that those who DESPISE AUTHORITY and INDULGE themselves in lusts are ESPECIALLY CONSIDERED for JUDGMENT.

Now, Peter shows us the BOLD and WILLFUL/SELF-WILLED (SINFUL) LIVES that these TEACHERS LIVED...

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PRONOUNCE BLASPHEMIES on GLORIOUS ONES/supernatural beings:

Things UNCLEAR to US: JEWISH BACKGROUND & culture of 1st century

Peter likely REFERRING to ANGELS…common consensus, FALLEN ANGELS again.

In pride, false teachers EITHER DENIED a SPIRITUAL ADVERSARY altogether…or

DENIED any POWER/INFLUENCE of EVIL in the WORLD.

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(v11) ANGELS (GOOD angels) UNWILLING to PRONOUNCE blasphemies & JUDGMENT on them…EVEN THOUGH they’re GREATER **POWER & MIGHT.

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SPECIFICS = CONFUSING…yet the POINT STANDS

These TEACHERS were BOLD & PROUD…they felt they were BEYOND JUDGMENT…DIDN’T TREMBLE!

Again, they had NO FEAR of GOD!!

If IN CHRIST, we DON’T have to FEAR JUDGMENT...

Yet, NEVER GROW COMPLACENT regarding person of God...

**Lord don’t let me get COMPLACENT or FAMILIAR!…maintain a “HOLY AWE” REGARDING my MAKER

Example: PAUL WASHER: “Did you STOP SHAVING ??”

The presence of God invading a room and you continue on as normal??

BIBLICAL CHARACTERS: fell down as dead, decried their own sinfulness…filled with terror.

DON’T GO THROUGH LIFE with CARELESS BOLDNESS...NEGLECTING our SPIRITUAL ADVERSARY and NEGLECTING the PERFECT & HOLY GOD we serve!!!

Transition: Now, after explaining how these false teachers are bold in their blasphemy, Peter is going to further describe their sinful tendencies in verses 12 through 14.

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Thought 2: Coming Destruction for Sinful Practice

12 But these, like irrational animals, creatures of instinct, born to be caught and destroyed, blaspheming about matters of which they are ignorant, will also be destroyed in their destruction,

13 suffering wrong as the wage for their wrongdoing. They count it pleasure to revel in the daytime. They are blots and blemishes, reveling in their deceptions, while they feast with you.

14 They have eyes full of adultery, insatiable for sin. They entice unsteady souls. They have hearts trained in greed. Accursed children!

Although TEACHERS are PROUD: in their CAPTIVITY to SIN/LUST they’re LIKE ANIMALS!!

FOLLOW their INSTINCTS/DESIRES = IRRATIONAL

BORN to be CAPTURED & DESTROYED

ANIMALS follow their instincts & desires, with NO real ABILITY to REASON.

DEER killed in RUT

MOUSE TRAP illustration

CATCHING ME w/ COOKIES & CAGE- Probably (kidding)

WINNIE the Pooh & the BACKSON & Honey

As HUMANS we’re NOT SUPPOSED to LIVE based OFF DESIRES ALONE! God has given us minds with which we can reason!

LIVING to APPETITES/DESIRES = ENSLAVED…

God gives us ability to live beyond our desires…self-control & resisting temptation etc.

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ANIMALS -- BORN to be CAUGHT & DESTROYED

WILD ANIMALS, HUNTED by ANIMALS higher on food chain & HUMANS

ANIMALS BRED in CAPTIVITY for FOOD...

**Meaningless existence...

As these ANIMALS are DESTINED for the SLAUGHTERHOUSE, SO are THOSE who LIVE WICKED lives DESTINED for GOD’S SLAUGHTERHOUSE...

DESTRUCTION is SURE to COME upon the UNGODLY.

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(V13) SUFFER WRONG = WAGE for wrongdoing.

(ROM. 6:23) WAGES of SIN = DEATH.

GOD OFFERS FREE GIFT - eternal life…compared to wages of sin.

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(V13b) THEY COUNT it PLEASURE to REVEL in DAYTIME.

"PLEASURE”... GK -HEDONE = hedonism — philosophy, PLEASURE is the HIGHEST AIM in life, effectively = god.

REVEL in DAYTIME—SIN out in PUBLIC, broad daylight, BOLD!!…Many sins done under cover of darkness...

The CULMINATION of a HEDONISTIC LIFESTYLE is a BOLD, SELF-ABANDONED LIFE where sin is put forth before the entire world like this.

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NO ONE would CALL THEMSELVES a CHRISTIAN-HEDONIST....

(Q) Yet HOW OFTEN do we STRUGGLE with the VAIN PURSUIT of PLEASURE?

FOUNDING FATHERS: we have the UNALIENABLE RIGHTS of “life, liberty, & the pursuit of happiness”

(Q) Does your pursuit of happiness as an American take precedence over your pursuit of godliness as a Christ-follower?

The PURSUIT of PLEASURE and HAPPINESS through the AVENUES of this LIFE are often the CARROT at the end of the TREADMILL

…YOU’LL NEVER REACH IT. It’s just there to MAKE YOU RUN…...WHY COMPANIES ADVERTISE!

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(V13c) BLOTS & BLEMISHES…TARNISHING REPUTATION of the GOSPEL & the CHURCH....sin would even INFLUENCE FEASTS (Lord’s Supper!)

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(V14)

Eyes full of adultery

literally it says eyes full of “adulterous women”

VIEWED ALL WOMEN LUSTFULLY as POTENTIAL SEXUAL PARTNERS…OBJECTS rather than PEOPLE.

NOTHING NEW under the sun…consider PORNOGRAPHY & its IMPACT in THIS AREA!

THESE THINGS are SIN! Look @ others as image-bearers.

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FALSE TEACHERS have an INSATIABLE APPETITE for SIN.

LIFE of SIN = EMPTY…always LEAVES MORE to be DESIRED.

Sex, drugs, money, possessions, and any sin…none of these things can satisfy!

LIFE in PURSUIT of SIN & PERSONAL PLEASURE is EMPTY…BOTTOMLESS PIT!

**PEOPLE at the TOP... commit SUICIDE...

BLESSING: the SENSATION of “FULL” from EATING…imagine if you could never reach that place!

The VAIN PURSUIT of PLEASURE, NO MATTER WHERE you TRY to FIND IT, if its your god, it will NEVER SATISFY you.

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(V14b) ENTICE OTHERS,, because they have HEARTS TRAINED in GREED!

HEART (biblically) = CENTER of a PERSON…all of who they are...

TRAIN = WORKING TOWARDS something (ATHLETE)…we get our word GYMNASIUM from this GK WORD!

FALSE TEACHERS will LEAD OTHERS ASTRAY to CONSUME it on their OWN LUSTS...

Doug Moo “False teaching is often revealed in false living.”

KNOW the TREE by its FRUIT…

we should INVESTIGATE the THINGS we SEE & HEAR & CONTINUE in our OWN PURSUIT of GODLINESS!

PETER CONCLUDES: “ACCURSED CHILDREN.”

Under God’s curse...

Condemnation & judgment are sure to come!

Transition: Now, Peter is now going to conclude this thought by showing us an example of a greedy prophet from the Old Testament. Look at verses 15 and 16.

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Thought 3: The Example of Balaam

15 Forsaking the right way, they have gone astray. They have followed the way of Balaam, the son of Beor, who loved gain from wrongdoing,

16 but was rebuked for his own transgression; a speechless donkey spoke with human voice and restrained the prophet’s madness.

FOLLOWING after BALAAM…GREEDY OT PROPHET...

Prophet HIRED by another KING to CURSE ISRAEL, God’s people

Followed messengers, out of greed for potential gain...

BALAAM ENCOUNTERS an (invisible) ANGEL…DONKEY SAVES his LIFE.

After turning aside three times, Balaam hits the donkey & donkey yells at him!

DON’T WAIT for GOD to HIT YOU with a 2x4 BETWEEN the EYES BEFORE YOU’LL TURN to him OR TURN BACK to Him....

***NOT EVERYONE GETS the 2x4…

JESUS said the PROPHETS & BOOKS of MOSES WERE ENOUGH for SOMEONE to be ACCOUNTABLE to God for their sin!!

**If you’re LIVING in BONDAGE to SIN & PLEASURE today, TURN to GOD!

FIND GRACE GREATER THAN all your SIN,

& WATER where YOU’LL NEVER THIRST AGAIN!!!

**BALAAM’S STORY ENDS with his DEATH in BATTLE against ISRAEL… SURE END for the WICKED!

Big Idea:

So, we can learn from this passage today the simple idea that the result of a life of sin and blasphemy is sure destruction.

Intention:

And so, our response in worship this morning should be continuing to pursue after godliness instead of boldly presuming on God’s grace and having no fear of God in our lives as the teachers in Peter’s day.

CONTINUING ARGUMENT from CHAPTER. 1…be DILIGENT to PURSUE GODLINESS...

FALSE TEACHERS BOLDLY SINNED & blasphemed....NO FEAR OF GOD in their lives

We DON’T WANT TO PRESUME on the GRACE OF GOD ....if you live this way, you’ve NOT TASTED the KINDNESS of the SAVIOR!

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Gospel:

"I’M NOT THAT BAD”

Not boldly blaspheming

Not reveling in deception

Eyes not filled with adultery

Not consumed with greed.

**This might be true.

However, the TRUTH is, that GOD’S STANDARD is PERFECTION.

OT LAW, more than guiding a nation to be civil,, SHOWED us GOD’S PERFECT/HOLY STANDARDS

BE HOLY as HE IS HOLY! = IMPOSSIBLE FOR US...

GOD’S LAW is CONDEMNING…even if we aren’t the worst sinners, WE FALL SHORT of God’s standard.

**It DOESN’T MATTER if you FALL INCHES SHORT or a MILE SHORT, you’re STILL SHORT...

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Law says NOT TO LIE— we all probably have...

Law says NOT TO COVET—we probably all have...

NOT to KILL or COMMIT ADULTERY—Jesus said HATING & LUSTING are EQUALS.

OUTSIDE of CHRIST we’re ALL SINNERS DESERVING of GOD’S PUNISHMENT…wages of sin = death.

GOOD NEWS: God’s GIFT of ETERNAL LIFE....FREE to US, COST JESUS Christ EVERYTHING!

**NO ONE could be JUSTIFIED by WORKS of the LAW! All fell short.

Can be JUSTIFIED by FAITH in CHRIST—Christ’s RIGHTEOUSNESS IMPUTED to you BY FAITH...

Jesus Christ was the perfect image-bearer of God.

Where we all fell short, Jesus Christ excelled.

Where we sinned, Jesus triumphed over sin.

This same sinless Jesus went to the cross for you and I while we were still sinners!

He died as a perfect substitute for us.

And the good news this morning is that we don’t have to be justified by the Law because Jesus Christ was perfectly obedient to it in our place!

FAITHFULLY OBEYED the LAW HE AUTHORED!

Through FAITH we can be SAVED!

A BELIEF in his ATONING DEATH, BURIAL, and SUBSEQUENT RESURRECTION on the third day.

PROFESSION of LORDSHIP...

REPENTANCE from SIN.

It DOESN’T MATTER if you were a MURDERER, an ADULTERER, a TERRIBLE and ABUSIVE DRUNK or a SEEMINGLY “BETTER” SINNER,,,,CHRIST DIED FOR your SIN and YOU CAN BE SAVED from it through faith today!

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Takeaways:

DON’T go about PRESUMING on the GRACE of GOD.

GRACE GREATER than ALL OUR SIN…but NOT A LICENSE TO SIN...

FEAR of the LORD OVER BOLD & willful REBELLION...

The LIFE of SIN and PURSUIT of PLEASURE are INSATIABLE.

CARROT on the TREADMILL.

LIVE for a GREATER PURPOSE!!

DON’T WAIT for the DONKEY to SPEAK BEFORE you RESPOND to God.

NOT EVERYONE is GIVEN the 2x4...

If you NEED TO TURN??, do it TODAY...

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Application:

REFLECTION: WHAT are you TRULY LIVING FOR??

CULTURE of HEDONISM…always WANTING MORE, BIGGER, BETTER, etc.

SLOW COMPUTER, TECH always GETTING OUTDATED...

BATTLE for GODLY CONTENTMENT ISN’T EASY...

So, I want to ask you this morning, CONSIDER your GOALS in LIFE,

what GETS YOU OUT of BED in the MORNING,

WHAT EXCITES YOU in life,

WHAT DO YOU SPEND ALL your TIME & MONEY ON,

WHERE ARE YOUR SIGHTS SET in life?

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Are you SEEKING after the KINGDOM of GOD and HIS RIGHTEOUSNESS?

Are you seeking for the GOOD OF OTHERS?

Are you seeking to KNOW GOD and HIS WORD MORE?

Or are you PURSUING AFTER the THINGS that the WORLD SAYS will MAKE YOU HAPPY?

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Don’t live your life with a vain pursuit of pleasure…but for the higher purpose of Kingdom-building living for the Savior.

Close in prayer