Lives of Holiness and Godliness
Sanctified: Purified for a Purpose • Sermon • Submitted • Presented
0 ratings
· 12 viewsBeing saved, cleansed, purified, and sanctified means we have no need to fear the Second Coming of Jesus. In fact, we ought to long for that day and pray that it comes quickly. Furthermore, knowing that day is coming should completely change the way we live our lives. As Peter says, “Since all these things are thus to be dissolved, what sort of people ought you to be in lives of holiness and godliness…” (2 Peter 3:11). What does a holy and godly life look like and how does the promise of “new heavens and a new earth” motivate that sort of lifestyle?
Notes
Transcript
Celebrate all the things going on at McDermott Road:
Marriages
Babies
Leadership
Church life is a taste of the age to come / world to come / New Jerusalem
but we are still living in this broken world
Introduction:
Introduction:
There was a man named Lot.
- He lived in the city of Sodom
- Sodom was incredibly wicked (immoral, violent, inhospitable)
- God couldn’t even find 10 righteous people in the whole city
Lot was…
- “greatly distressed by the sensual conduct of the wicked”
- “he was tormenting his righteous soul over their lawless deeds that he saw and heard”
As you’re trying to live the saved life…
Do you ever feel distressed by sin?
Do you ever feel distressed by sin?
Your own sin
Sins you see on TV
Sins of people you love
Immorality
Hatred
Cruelty
2 Peter 2 & 3:
2 Peter 2 & 3:
Unfortunately, these behaviors are nothing new…
Peter warned about those who would…
deny the Master who bought them (2 Peter 2:1)
promote sensuality (2:2)
indulge in the lust of defiling passion (2:10)
despise authority (2:10)
have hearts trained in greed (2:14)
promise freedom, but are slaves of corruption (2:19)
return to the entanglements from which they escaped (2:20-22)
scoff about the second coming (3:3)
follow their own sinful desires (3:3)
twist the Scriptures to their own destruction (3:16)
When people do these things…trust the Lord
7 and if he rescued righteous Lot, greatly distressed by the sensual conduct of the wicked 8 (for as that righteous man lived among them day after day, he was tormenting his righteous soul over their lawless deeds that he saw and heard); 9 then the Lord knows how to rescue the godly from trials, and to keep the unrighteous under punishment until the day of judgment,
The Lord knows how to…
rescue the godly from trials
keep the unrighteous under punishment
We need this peace of mind, because one of two things can happen:
We take matters into our own hands
We join them in their sin
chapter three
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, 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.”
Scoffers - “where is the promise”
Mock
Make fun of
Disbelieve
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.
“the world that then existed…perished”
The pre-flood world
perished
doesn’t mean that it ceased to exist
God knows how to deal with a wicked world
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.
heavens and earth that now exist
are being stored up for fire
judgment and destruction of the ungodly
on one hand, this should give us a sense of calm and peace
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.
God loves the people who cause you distress
he loves them as much he loves you
he loves them more than we can imagine
he wants them to repent
He isn’t APATHETIC, he’s being patient
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.
“heavenly bodies”
transcendent powers that are in control over events in this world (BDAG)
spiritual beings
beings in the heavenly places that are influencing things on earth
the earth and…works that are done…will be exposed (“BE FOUND” - vs. 14)
laid bare
open to God’s judgment
11 Since all these things are thus to be dissolved, what sort of people ought you to be in lives of holiness and godliness, 12 waiting for and hastening the coming of the day of God, because of which the heavens will be set on fire and dissolved, and the heavenly bodies will melt as they burn!
since all these things are thus to be dissolved
how we live is shaped by what we think the future holds
knowing that we WILL BE SAVED changes the way we live right now
…what sort of people ought you to be…
holiness
purified for his purpose
dedicated or consecrated to God’s service
godliness
aware of God’s sovereign rule over every aspect of life
commitment to honoring him in everything
13 But according to his promise we are waiting for new heavens and a new earth in which righteousness dwells.
Just like the old world perished in the flood
the fire of God’s judgment will cleanse the world
the heavens (spiritual realm)
the earth (physical realm)
will be united and will be NEW
in which righteousness dwells
justice
fairness
doing what is right / good
14 Therefore, beloved, since you are waiting for these, be diligent to be found by him without spot or blemish, and at peace.
be found by him
you’re going to be “exposed”
you’re going to be “laid bare”
you’re going to be “found”
At peace - what kind of peace?
vertical (with God)
internal (with ourselves)
horizontal (with others)
YES!
Application:
Application:
In the beginning, we asked…
“Do you ever feel distressed by the sins of others?”
When you know what’s coming, you don’t have to be distressed.
You can have peace
We’re purified for peace.
We’re purified for peace.
When you’re purified you can have vertical peace.
nothing hide
no guilt
no fear of judgment
living in holiness and godliness
When you’re purified, you can have internal peace.
no fear
no distress
When you’re purified, you can horizontal peace.
patient towards others as God was patient toward you
not angry
not fighting
Invitation:
Invitation:
Be diligent to be found by him without spot or blemish, and at peace
What sort of people ought you to be in lives of holiness and godliness
