The Great Patience & Mercy of God

Turn to 2 Peter 3:1

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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

Last week:

TRUE FREEDOM in life is freedom FROM SIN, not freedom to sin.

WHATEVER someone is CONQUERED BY, to that they are a SLAVE...

Peter is showing us again and again:

CHRIST is COMING

There WILL BE a DAY of JUDGMENT

We should be DILIGENT in PURSUIT of GODLINESS...

CONFIRMING our CALL & ELECTION, NOT CAUSING!

NEW CAPACITY for GODLINESS (ch. 1)…so we should be DILIGENT in these things...

Now Peter is going to begin this final chapter by showing us how Christ is sure to come, that God is not passive in regard to the world He has created, and that God’s timing is not like our own.

Read text & pray

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Intro:

ALL of US: LOOKING FORWARD to DOING SOMETHING for the 1ST TIME...

The WAIT SEEMS like FOREVER

There’s A DAY you FIRST EXPERIENCE IT

**Going to BAHAMAS…SWIMMING with FISH.

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Peter begins CONCLUDING COMMENTS: CHRIST WILL RETURN & PEOPLE WILL SCOFF @ this idea...

The WAITING FEELS LIKE FOREVER

THAT DAY = FIRST TIME

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Prophets testified- future judgment

Christ promised he’d come again

Apostles echoed this message.

**PROPHECY looks through WINDOW to the FUTURE...

**Yet WE APPREHEND by FAITH, until they become sight...

The wait seems like forever, but the DAY IS SURELY COMING

**God doesn’t function on our time-table.

He’s the ALPHA & OMEGA,…beginning & end...

OUTSIDE of TIME...

**No one can put a date on the calendar, but God has it on His!

Need:

See, we all need to be REMINDED at TIMES to TRUST GOD’S TIMING, knowing that in His SOVEREIGN PLAN He KNOWS BEST and OUR ROLE is to TRUST and BELIEVE in HIM.

WE DON’T HAVE TO FIGURE IT ALL OUT!, we’re called to a LIFE of FAITH for a reason!

CHRIST is COMING, DESPITE what SCOFFERS say…we WAIT by FAITH!

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Text:

2 Peter 3:1–10 (ESV)

Thought 1: Peter’s Aim to Remind (v1-2)

1 This is now the second letter that I am writing to you, beloved. In both of them I am stirring up your sincere mind by way of reminder, 2 that you should remember the predictions of the holy prophets and the commandment of the Lord and Savior through your apostles,

Ministry (Peter’s) = REMINDER!

Oftentimes WE KNOW the TRUTH…just NEED to be REMINDED.

Married couple.... “You never tell me you love me anymore...”

“When we got married I said I love you, if anything changes, I’ll let you know.”

REMINDERS = NECESSARY

I’m BIBLICALLY AUTHORIZED to TELL YOU THINGS YOU ALREADY KNOW!

Doug Moo: “Peter knows that no Christian can ever be so secure in his or her faith as to pass beyond the need of exhortation to holy thinking and living.”

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Peter’s reminder (V2)

CONCERNING the PREDICTIONS of the holy PROPHETS—DAY of JUDGMENT.... in NT (Coming of Christ in judgment)

To remember the COMMAND of CHRIST that was given through the apostles.

The general CALL to MORALITY---be HOLY as GOD is HOLY!

DILIGENCE in CONFIRMING CALL & ELECTION!...Pursuit of godliness...

**As believers we must always remember WE’RE CALLED TO LOOK DIFFERENT!

Transition: Now, after Peter explains that his purpose in writing is reminder, he is going to REMIND them of the COMING OPPOSITION as well, which is the very reason that the reminder is needed.

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Thought 2: The Coming of Scoffers (v3-4)

3 knowing this first of all, that scoffers will come in the last days with scoffing, following their own sinful desires. 4 They will say, “Where is the promise of his coming? For ever since the fathers fell asleep, all things are continuing as they were from the beginning of creation.”

MINISTRY of REMINDER: SCOFFERS will COME!

SCOFFERS-SCOFF…HATERS-HATE…POTATOES-POTATE

** People DENYING CHRIST’S COMING= OBVIOUS, not unexpected...

EXISTED THEN, exists NOW, & WILL CONTINUE until he comes!

WHY DENY the LORD’S COMING??

(V3b) PURSUIT of SINFUL DESIRE

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A lot of PEOPLE will DENY GOD’S EXISTENCE, GOSPEL, CHRIST’S COMING...

DON’T WANT IT TO BE TRUE!

People DON’T WANT to be held ACCOUNTABLE for their SIN!

If CHRISTIANITY is TRUE,,,then MANKIND STANDS CONDEMNED…so people RESORT TO DENIAL, because they love their sin.

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(V4) 2ND CLAIM- THINGS are CONTINUING on as is SINCE the Jewish PATRIARCHS!!

No concern for Christ’s coming & judgment because LIFE STAYS THE SAME

Wake up

Go to work

Eat a couple times throughout the day

Sun goes down

Go to bed

It all happens again...

**This is TRUE UNTIL IT ISN’T!

ONE DAY CHRIST WILL COME again!

***You can’t appeal to the regularity of things & deny the words of the prophets & apostles

Transition: So, now after INTRODUCING these SCOFFERS, Peter is going to COUNTER their CLAIMS of a DISTANT and UNINVOLVED GOD with some examples from biblical history.

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Thought 3: The Former Judgment Predicts the Future (v5-7)

5 For they deliberately overlook this fact, that the heavens existed long ago, and the earth was formed out of water and through water by the word of God, 6 and that by means of these the world that then existed was deluged with water and perished. 7 But by the same word the heavens and earth that now exist are stored up for fire, being kept until the day of judgment and destruction of the ungodly.

THOSE WHO DENY GOD’S providential WORK in the world, DELIBERATELY NEGLECT a few things

They NEGLECT CREATION ITSELF (God’s miracle working power) (V5)

All the things we see, hear, taste, touch, smell, had a start date!

Planet EARTH had a BIRTHDAY.

GOD is ETERNAL…but NONE of CREATION IS

**HOW can you make a CLAIM that THINGS go on AS IS, and GOD ISN’T INVOLVED, when CREATION ITSELF SPEAKS to the INVOLVEMENT of GOD?!

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GOD FORMED the WORLD through WATER & His WORD!

EARTH WITHOUT FORM & void…SPIRIT of God HOVERED over the face of the WATERS...

GOD SEPARATED above from waters below...

WATER going BACK & LAND APPEARED...

The point is NOT to give us a STEP BY STEP on CREATION…but to INTRODUCE us to the FACT that the SAME WATER that was INSTRUMENTAL in CREATION was INSTRUMENTAL in DESTROYING CREATION...

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2ND MAJOR ACT of activity in CREATION: The FLOOD

(V6) The SAME WATER & the SAME GOD & the SAME WORD of God were all used in BOTH CREATION & DESTRUCTION of the world.

GOD is ACTIVE amongst His creation...

He’s a GOD AT HAND, not far away, He’s watching over us

He’s INVOLVED.

SEARCH the SCRIPTURES, you’ll find countless miracles! GOD’S PROVIDENTIAL WORKING in the world he created!!

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(V7) God by His Word:

MADE the WORLD

FLOODED the WORLD

Has KEPT the WORLD for FUTURE JUDGMENT by FIRE…

& JUDGMENT & DESTRUCTION of the UNGODLY

GOD is FAITHFUL to His WORD…WON’T RETURN VOID!!

There’s a DATE on the CALENDAR when CHRIST will COME & all MANKIND will have to GIVE an ACCOUNT for the WORKS WE DID in the body!

We can be CONFIDENT this will HAPPEN…

Peter shows us that the APPEAL to a CONTINUING CREATION ISN’T SUFFICIENT to OVERTURN the WORDS of the PROPHETS and APOSTLES who spoke of a day of judgment when Christ comes again.

Transition: Now, Peter is now going to finish today’s text by showing us that GOD’S DELAY is NOT HIS DENIAL, and CHRIST IS SURE TO COME at the appointed time.

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Thought 4: The Great Patience and Mercy of God (v8-10)

8 But do not overlook this one fact, beloved, that with the Lord one day is as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day. 9 The Lord is not slow to fulfill his promise as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing that any should perish, but that all should reach repentance. 10 But the day of the Lord will come like a thief, and then the heavens will pass away with a roar, and the heavenly bodies will be burned up and dissolved, and the earth and the works that are done on it will be exposed.

SCOFFERS OVERLOOKED GOD’S PAST ACTIONS....

LIKEWISE, WE AREN’T to OVERLOOK the fact that GOD’S TIMETABLE is DIFFERENT than OURS!!

Literally we are not to let these things escape our notice (BDAG).

DAY as 1000 YEARS....1000 years as a day.

NOT EXACTLY/LITERALLY, 1,000 years

NOT USED to CALCULATE…BUT to SHOW US GOD’S TIMING = DIFFERENT!

The NT was WRITTEN (& all events) about 2 DAYS AGO!!

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(V9) The POINT is, GOD ISN’T SLOW CONCERNING His PROMISE!

In looking @ history…PEOPLE might WONDER what has taken so long...

GOD’S DELAY is NOT DENIAL, NOT NEGLIGENCE…it’s GREAT PATIENCE & MERCY!!!

If you THINK he’s been WAITING TOO LONG....it’s because of your HUMAN PERSPECTIVE!

GOD’S THOUGHTS & WAYS are so MUCH HIGHER

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GOD is PATIENTLY WAITING for PEOPLE to REPENT and TURN to HIM.

There WILL BE A DAY when the OPPORTUNITY to TURN to CHRIST will be NO MORE...

The DOOR will be SHUT…everything will be finalized...

The DELAY = ACT of MERCY…He’s taking His time…DRAWING MEN & WOMEN to REPENTANCE every day!

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(v10) CONCLUDING (common theme): DAY will be like a THIEF in the NIGHT.

NO ONE KNOWS WHEN a THIEF is COMING!

IF you KNEW, YOU’D be WAITING at the DOOR, armed & ready.

But you can’t live like this every day...

BECAUSE the THIEF DOESN’T GIVE you a HEADS UP....you SHOULD be READY IF they COME or if they don’t....

BLESSING of 2ND AMENDMENT...

DON’T have to WORRY,, because in a sense, YOU’RE READY

There’s NO GUARANTEE the THIEF is COMING...

Yet, there IS a GUARANTEE CHRIST is COMING…so we SHOULD ANTICIPATE His coming.... & BE READY!!

ARE YOU going to be READY WHEN that DAY COMES as a thief…or not?

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We SHOULDN’T LIVE in DENIAL…we should LIVE IN PREPARATION...

Ensuring you’re SAVED…FAITH in CHRIST alone...

PURSUING GODLINESS (Peter’s whole argument)

Because WE DON’T KNOW THE DAY, we’re to be PREPARED EVERYDAY...

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PETER CONCLUDES...the DAY will SURELY COME...

Heavens pass with a roar

Heavenly bodies dissolved

Earth & its works will be exposed...

These are all FUTURE TENSE THINGS…NOT an “IF” idea here...

All these things WILL HAPPEN....expect them. TAKE to the BANK!

AQUARIUM/ZOO VISIT: My EXPECTATION of the SLOTH…FORGETTING it’s a SLOTH.

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When Christ comes, it won’t be done in a corner, it will be a cosmic upheaval in anticipation of new creation.

Then the WORLD & ALL ITS WORKS will be EXPOSED...

All our WORKS will be EXPOSED...

we WILL have to GIVE ACCOUNT for the LIVES we LED…the WORDS WE’VE SPOKEN,, etc...

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Big Idea:

Even though scoffers will come and deny the Lord’s coming based on his present delay, we can be confident Christ is coming and his delay is a sign of God’s patience with us, not his negligence.

Intention:

And so, our response to God this morning should be CONTINUING to ANTICIPATE CHRIST’S COMING no matter what people might say, because the Lord’s delay is not denial, it’s a sign of both His great mercy and patience towards a His broken creation.

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Gospel:

CONSIDER the AMAZING PROVIDENCE of GOD…how He works in His creation...

SCOFFERS CLAIMED that GOD HADN’T BEEN UP TO MUCH…world remained the same since patriarchs...

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Consider the GREATEST MOMENT of GOD’S ACTIVITY in the world: the INCARNATION.

So MANY RELIGIONS have MANKIND STRIVING to ATTAIN to their god...

Our God came down to us.

He BECAME ONE OF US!

He submitted himself to natural limitations, His own Law!

He came DOWN to LIVE a SINLESS LIFE to go to CALVARY’S CROSS for you & me!

This is the furthest thing from an uninvolved & negligent God!!!

GOD GAVE His SON...

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THINGS CHANGE in A DAY

BELIEVERS: DAY you CAME to CHRIST...

TRANSLATED…FROM DOMAIN of DARKNESS...

NAME WRITTEN DOWN...

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DAY FIXED BY GOD…CHRIST WILL RETURN

We CAN’T SEE GOD’S CALENDAR…we just have to TRUST the PROMISE & BELIEVE...

MUST BE SAVED, PRIOR to DOOR SHUTTING...

ARK DOOR SHUT…NO MORE OPPORTUNITY…ONLY 8 SAVED...

TRUMPET SOUND = DOOR SHUT

AT PRESENT....OUT of MERCY…GOD HAS DELAYED!

***Each day is an opportunity for a nonbeliever to repent & believe the gospel...

GOD is DRAWING PEOPLE to SALVATION in this HOUR by His SPIRIT, & HE’S PATIENT

His DELAY is NOT DENIAL, it’s NOT NEGLIGENCE...it’s MERCY. But THERE WILL BE A TIME that the DOOR is SHUT...

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If we are IN CHRIST…HIS COMING should FILL US with HOPE & joy!

All of us should be challenged…are you ready for that day?

**Speak after service...

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Takeaways:

Biblically, WE NEED REMINDED

Part of GOD’S PRESERVING/keeping in our lives!

NONE of US ARE BEYOND IT!

COME to CHURCH!

GOD’S TIMING is NOT like OUR TIMING...

God’s DELAYS AREN’T DENIALS...

DELAY in CHRIST’S COMING = PATIENCE & MERCY...

The DAY of JUDGMENT is SURE to COME.

CHRIST will COME and JUDGE the WORLD in RIGHTEOUSNESS.

Continue to PURSUE GODLINESS...not sinful desires as false teachers did!

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Application:

End-times theology…OFTEN UNHEALTHY...

Some throw out BABY with BATHWATER...

Some get into DATE-SETTING...

ROAD W/ DITCH EITHER SIDE!

Christ’s coming should encourage us…but we shouldn’t try to figure out the day!

COULD COME @ ANY TIME! BLOMBERG on MATTHEW...

STUDY SCRIPTURE…TAKE POSITIONS/BELIEFS on these things, sure…but REMEMBER the MOST IMPORTANT THING is that YOU’RE READY...

Dan Reno on eschatology/positions on the millennium, “It’s probably going to be something we never thought of and God chuckles at our silly arguments.”

**We must LIVE with a SENSE of the IMMINENCE of CHRIST’S COMING...

AVOID teaching/books/ etc. that are into DATE-SETTING....

Also, AVOID any that say it DOESN’T MATTER...

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Continue to make it a matter of prayer that Christ would come & live like you believe it...

Specifically, good to REMIND YOURSELF,

“Jesus might come back today, and for me this is good news.”

Close in prayer