The Promise of God Is Sure.
Notes
Transcript
The Promise of God is Sure.
2 Peter 3:1-9
*Read the Apostle’s Creed.
Prior to reading:
Peter has been warning about
false teachers who will deceive many.
Intro: Peter is likely
addressing things the false teachers of the first century were saying.
(Remain seated but *)
Text Idea: Scoffers deny Christ’s
return to judge the living and the dead, but Peter assures us this will
happen.
The Purpose of Second Peter.
The Purpose of Second Peter.
Stir up your pure minds by reminder.
Stir up your pure minds by reminder.
a. Pure:
Sincere, not obscured.
b. Peter
has focused heavily on reminding the church of what God has already said.
Be Mindful.
Be Mindful.
a. Of the words spoken by the OT prophets.
b. Of the commands of the Apostles.
Of first Importance.
Of first Importance.
1. Scoffers will come in the last days.
1. Scoffers will come in the last days.
a. When are the “last days?”
i. The Last Days began with Christ.
1. Acts 2:14-17
2. Walking according to their lusts.
2. Walking according to their lusts.
3. Doubting Christ’s Coming.
3. Doubting Christ’s Coming.
a. What is Christ’s Coming?
i. Judgement on Jerusalem (AD 70)
ii. Final return of Christ.
Saying, all things continue the same.
a. God does/will not intervene. Ps 73:11-12
4. They Forget:
4. They Forget:
a. Creation.
a. Creation.
i. God acted in making everything.
b. The Flood.
b. The Flood.
i. God acted in judgement.
ii. The People of Noah’s time probably scoffed in a similar way.
c. Judgement will come.
c. Judgement will come.
(All things are kept for judgement.)
i. Judgement of fire.
1. Will God destroy everything and start over?
2. Common prophetic picture
a. Mal 4:1, Is 66:15-16, Matt 3:12
b. We should not have the mentality of “it’s all going to burn.” (1 Cor 3:13)
c. Fire purifies what is good and destroys what is evil.
ii.Destruction of the ungodly.
Do Not Forget This.
Do Not Forget This.
1. With God, one day is as a thousand years.
1. With God, one day is as a thousand years.
a.1,000 was like saying forever in the ancient world.
b. We do not get to manipulate this.
i. Days of creation.
ii. End times charts.
c. This means that God is not bound by time.
i. God can do an infinite amount of work in a minute amount of time.
2. A thousand years is as one day.
2. A thousand years is as one day.
a. No seeming delay is outside of God’s plan.
3. God is not slack in keeping His promise.
3. God is not slack in keeping His promise.
a. God is not delayed but is sovereign in His plan.
b. God is longsuffering toward us. (You)
i. God desires all the elect to be saved, and then the end will come.
ii. This is not Universalism.
iii. God is not blindly hoping people will trust in Christ. God is orchestrating history to see all those predestined saved.
Scoffers Still Deny Christ’s Return.
Scoffers Still Deny Christ’s Return.
1. The Lost often use this against Christians.
2. It comes even from within the church. (Hyper-preterists)
a. Preterist means “past fulfilment.”
Christ Will Return Bodily to Judge the Living and the Dead.
Christ Will Return Bodily to Judge the Living and the Dead.
1. Are you ready for Christ’s return?
2. Are you living like God will never judge you?
The judgement of God is certain. (Heb 9:27)
Today is the day to repent, not tomorrow. (2 Cor 6:2)
Conclusion:
The false teachers and scoffers acted like judgement would never come. But it did, and it will.
Closing:
May we all be ready to face judgement.
Benediction: Num 6:24-26
