2 Peter 3: 14-15, Why The Delay?..

Psalm 16:8 “I have set the Lord always before me; Because He is at my right hand I shall not be moved.”

INTRODUCTION...

if any of you have ever flown, or come upon some traffic and there’s a delay.

you get frustrated, anxious, you just get beside yourself....I am witness and a testimony to that....

but have you ever thought that the delay is beneficial for you...

think about it…you don’t want to fly into a bad storm

if everyone is taking their time and traffic is just slow and delayed, a less chance of accidents...

TALK, PREACH......

but while in the delay, we must not let our minds wonder, we must stay focused....we must keep our eye on the prize...

while everyone around us is going crazy and acting up, we must stay posed and patient...

why? because once again we know and understand that if we wonder away, sin can slip in....(repeat)..

TALK, PREACH......

and Peter as we are about to see, could see the same thing happening to the believers if they did not stay steadfast and continue to grow....

let’s look at the text...

History...

Last week, we looked at Peter encouraging us to continue to grow in grace and in knowledge of Christ Jesus, 2 Peter 3:18

the reasoning for that was so that we could stay steadfast in our faith, in Christ, 2 Peter 3:17

but if we continue to go back up in the text, we can now see why Peter is encouraging us to be steadfast..

as we prepare for the return of Christ....2 Peter 3:10–13 “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. Therefore, since all these things will be dissolved, what manner of persons ought you to be in holy conduct and godliness, looking for and hastening the coming of the day of God, because of which the heavens will be dissolved, being on fire, and the elements will melt with fervent heat? Nevertheless we, according to His promise, look for new heavens and a new earth in which righteousness dwells.”

We tend to think that the world is more enduring and will last longer than people. This is not true, and Peter reminds us of it. People will live into eternity, longer than even the earth.

Peter reminds us of a new heaven and a new earth and if i have any bible readers in so did John over in Revelation 21:1 “Now I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away. Also there was no more sea.”

TALK,PREACH......

This is where it gets interesting, at least to me...

the people are waiting on Christ’s return...

if i can shake your memory some, Jesus stayed here 40 more days

and was taken up on a cloud but the disciples were left with a message...

Acts 1:9–11 “Now when He had spoken these things, while they watched, He was taken up, and a cloud received Him out of their sight. And while they looked steadfastly toward heaven as He went up, behold, two men stood by them in white apparel, who also said, “Men of Galilee, why do you stand gazing up into heaven? This same Jesus, who was taken up from you into heaven, will so come in like manner as you saw Him go into heaven.””

stay with me....Jesus was 33 when he was crucified and ascended back to heaven..

Peter wrote his second letter sometime between A.D 61-68...

so for 30 plus the people had been waiting on the return of Christ to take them from the turmoils of the day....Roman rule, persucation...

so i can see the faithful people saying why the delay?

why doesn’t he come and get his faithful servants...

why is he letting us go thru this down here...

why the delay?

they were waiting 30 years, we have been waiting over 2000yrs….TALK, PREACH

if i can sum this up before we go deeper into the text, why the delay?

The apparent delay in Christ’s return is an opportunity for sinners to be saved. (repeat).

and because we know that this is not our home, we should make sure that we are ready for the new heavens and the new earth that God creates and over which Jesus Christ will reign..

Let’s go deeper into this text...

Points/body

2 Peter 3:14–15 “Therefore, beloved, looking forward to these things, be diligent to be found by Him in peace, without spot and blameless; and consider that the longsuffering of our Lord is salvation—as also our beloved brother Paul, according to the wisdom given to him, has written to you,”

during this delay, we as believers should expecting and looking for our reward

during this delay, we must make sure we are ready

this delay is beneficial to all of God’s people...

(REPEAT)..

2 Peter 3:14 (NKJV)

Therefore, beloved, looking forward to these things, be diligent to be found by Him in peace, without spot and blameless;

during this delay, we as believers should expecting and looking for our reward

The Bible Exposition Commentary Chapter Seven: Be Diligent! (2 Peter 3:11–18)

The key word in this paragraph is look. It means “to await eagerly, to be expectant

The Bible Exposition Commentary Chapter Seven: Be Diligent! (2 Peter 3:11–18)

It describes an attitude of excitement and expectation as we wait for the Lord’s return. Because we realize that the world and its works will be dissolved, and that even the very elements will be disintegrated, we fix our hope, not on anything in this world, but only on the Lord Jesus Christ

I’m just gonna wait for my change to come...

I’m just a pilgrim wondering this barren land..

I’m in the land of the dying trying to make it to the land of the living...

TALK, PREACH....

during this delay, we must make sure we are ready

2 Peter 3:14 “Therefore, beloved, looking forward to these things, be diligent to be found by Him in peace, without spot and blameless;”

If our hearts are really set on the glory of the new heaven and new earth, we will endeavor to walk godly in regard to our brothers and sisters (in peace) and in regard to God (without spot and blameless).

Exalting Jesus in 2 Peter, Jude Our Response Is Practical Righteousness

Peace” (eirēnē) describes the state of being right with God and entering into his presence with joy

I & II Peter, I, II & III John, Jude B. Living in Light of His Coming (vv. 11–18)

Spotless and blameless” should be understood together

I & II Peter, I, II & III John, Jude B. Living in Light of His Coming (vv. 11–18)

These terms do not suggest that the follower of Christ will live a perfect life, as did Christ; rather, they mean that what drives the Christian in our behavioral choices is a desire to be like Christ.

and as always we do not have to do this by ourselves....the only way we can be found of Him in peace without spot and blameless is to be found in Him..(repeat)..

this delay is beneficial to all of God’s people...

2 Peter 3:15 “and consider that the longsuffering of our Lord is salvation—as also our beloved brother Paul, according to the wisdom given to him, has written to you,”

The Bible Exposition Commentary Chapter Seven: Be Diligent! (2 Peter 3:11–18)

God had every reason long ago to judge the world and burn up its works, but in His mercy, He is long-suffering with us, “not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance

Exalting Jesus in 2 Peter, Jude The Exhortation to Believers (3:15a)

The idea of counting God’s patience as salvation could mean a couple of things. First, it could be a call for believers to engage in aggressive evangelism so as to reach as many people for Christ as possible before it’s too late.

Exalting Jesus in 2 Peter, Jude The Exhortation to Believers (3:15a)

A second possible meaning of the exhortation to “regard the patience of our Lord as salvation” is for professing Christians to be sure of their own salvation.

his delay is beneficial for all of mankind...

Conclusion...

Why the delay?

Wiersbe’s Expository Outlines on the New Testament Chapter 3

Why has Jesus not returned to establish His kingdom?

because He is still building His church, today...

Lexham Context Commentary: New Testament Be Righteous (3:14–16)

Peter returns to the idea that the apparent delay gives the opportunity for salvation.

It is easy for Christians to sometimes resent the longsuffering of God; after all, it in some sense delays His coming. Yet, the longsuffering of our Lord is salvation for others, and it is salvation for us.

Church, He’s coming back...

don’t when but i know he’s coming back..

Peter is letting us know, that we should be expecting it and while we do, we should make sure we are ready

we should keep growing,

we should stay steadfast

because His delay is helping us be able to grow closet to him..

TALK, PREACH, CLOSE....