Advent 2 - What Sort of People?

Psalm 85:1-2, 8-13 / 2 Peter 3

Don’t Be Willingly Ignorant

Overlooking creation

Overlooking the flood

Overlooking history

Overlooking The Word

Overlooking the present signs

The Patience of God

Patience with Israel - Exodus

Patience with Nineveh - Job

Patience with us -

What Sort of People?

Since all things are to be dissolved - Seeing the world as temporary

1 John 2:15–17 “Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. 16 For all that is in the world—the desires of the flesh and the desires of the eyes and pride of life—is not from the Father but is from the world. 17 And the world is passing away along with its desires, but whoever does the will of God abides forever.”

Lives of holiness & godliness - Sacrificially searching the Word of God

Romans 12:1–2 “I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship. 2 Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.”

Waiting for the Lord - Being assured of our salvation and looking to its completion

Romans 8:22–24 “For we know that the whole creation has been groaning together in the pains of childbirth until now. 23 And not only the creation, but we ourselves, who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly as we wait eagerly for adoption as sons, the redemption of our bodies. 24 For in this hope we were saved. Now hope that is seen is not hope. For who hopes for what he sees?”

Philippians 1:6 “And I am sure of this, that he who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ.”

Without blemish - apart from the worldliness that stains you

Philippians 2:14–16 “Do all things without grumbling or disputing, 15 that you may be blameless and innocent, children of God without blemish in the midst of a crooked and twisted generation, among whom you shine as lights in the world, 16 holding fast to the word of life, so that in the day of Christ I may be proud that I did not run in vain or labor in vain.”

Not Carried away - Maturing in the community of a local church

Ephesians 4:11–14 “And he gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the shepherds and teachers, 12 to equip the saints for the work of ministry, for building up the body of Christ, 13 until we all attain to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to mature manhood, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ, 14 so that we may no longer be children, tossed to and fro by the waves and carried about by every wind of doctrine, by human cunning, by craftiness in deceitful schemes.”

In the season of Advent, we remind one another of the certain return of Christ, as we prepare to celebrate His first arrival; the Virgin Birth. This kind of focus both leads us to repentance, and positively shapes us to be more like Christ. Let us be mindful of these truths.