Living For the Day of the Lord.

Opening:

Introduction of the Passage:

Reading of the Passage:

2 Peter 3:10-18

The New King James Version Chapter 3

10 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. 11 Therefore, since all these things will be dissolved, what manner of persons ought you to be in holy conduct and godliness, 12 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? 13 Nevertheless we, according to His promise, look for new heavens and a new earth in which righteousness dwells.

14 Therefore, beloved, looking forward to these things, be diligent to be found by Him in peace, without spot and blameless; 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, 16 as also in all his epistles, speaking in them of these things, in which are some things hard to understand, which untaught and unstable people twist to their own destruction, as they do also the rest of the Scriptures.

17 You therefore, beloved, since you know this beforehand, beware lest you also fall from your own steadfastness, being led away with the error of the wicked; 18 but grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

To Him be the glory both now and forever. Amen.

Behold, the Word of the Lord.

Prayer:

Introduction/ Opening Illustration:

Need:

Text Idea:

Christ will return to judge the wicked and make all things new.

Sermon Idea:

Interrogative:

Transition:

These Things Are Hard to Understand.

2 Peter 3:15–16 “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, 16 as also in all his epistles, speaking in them of these things, in which are some things hard to understand, which untaught and unstable people twist to their own destruction, as they do also the rest of the Scriptures.”

Explanation:

We live in an age where anything relating to Christ’s return is pulled out of context and used to sell a particular end times view.

We must recognize these things are difficult to understand and easily manipulated.

How do we understand confusing passages?

Context is key. Scripture interprets Scripture. The Clear governs the unclear. Don’t interpret Scripture woodenly but naturally.

1 Context is key.

What argument is the author making? Don’t disconnect one verse from the context around it.

2 Scripture interprets Scripture.

We must allow the whole of Scripture to speak.

This means we cannot create contradictions where there is not any.

3 The clear governs the unclear.

4 We do not interpret Scripture woodenly.

Wooden interpretation would look at John 10:7 “7 Then Jesus said to them again, “Most assuredly, I say to you, I am the door of the sheep.” and look for a door handle and hinges.

We instead interpret Scripture naturally.

For example:

Psalm 78:65–66 “65 Then the Lord awoke as from sleep, Like a mighty man who shouts because of wine. 66 And He beat back His enemies; He put them to a perpetual reproach.”

God is not a heavy drinker. God was not sleeping. The Psalmist is saying God delivered the people of Israel in a dramatic and dynamic way.

There are various genres of Scripture. Historical narrative, Instruction, poetry, or apocalyptic language.

Argumentation:

Things to remember going into this passage:

Peter is speaking at length about false teachers.

His last passage is clearly speaking about God’s judgement against false teachers.

He emphasized that there would be a judgement day coming where God would judge these false teachers and all who follow them.

Transition:

The Lord Will Judge the Wicked and Save the Righteous.

2 Peter 3:10–13 “10 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. 11 Therefore, since all these things will be dissolved, what manner of persons ought you to be in holy conduct and godliness, 12 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? 13 Nevertheless we, according to His promise, look for new heavens and a new earth in which righteousness dwells.”

Explanation:

Will God Annihilate the Universe and Make a New One?

Lots of destructive and fire language. (Heavens pass away, elements melt in fervent heat, earth and the works in it will be burned up, heavens being on fire, elements melt.)

-elements could mean heavenly bodies.

-“burned up” in some manuscripts is “disclosed/manifested”

What does this all mean?

On the surface it seems like Peter is saying God will destroy everything and start over.

The Bible talks about what will happen to the heavens and the earth quite a bit.

How does this harmonize with language elsewhere in Scripture that seems to say the earth/heavens will endure forever?

Ecclesiastes 1:4 “4 One generation passes away, and another generation comes; But the earth abides forever.”

Psalm 104:5 “5 You who laid the foundations of the earth, So that it should not be moved forever,”

Psalm 119:90 “90 Your faithfulness endures to all generations; You established the earth, and it abides.”

We do not create a contradiction where there is not one.

Peter is using what is commonly called “De-creation” language. It is a type of apocalyptic language.

This is common language in Scripture.

God’s judgement against Babylon: Isaiah 13:10 “10 For the stars of heaven and their constellations Will not give their light; The sun will be darkened in its going forth, And the moon will not cause its light to shine.”

God’s judgement against the northern kingdom of Israel: Amos 8:9 “9 “And it shall come to pass in that day,” says the Lord God, “That I will make the sun go down at noon, And I will darken the earth in broad daylight;”

God’s judgement against Egypt: Ezekiel 32:7–8 “7 When I put out your light, I will cover the heavens, and make its stars dark; I will cover the sun with a cloud, And the moon shall not give her light. 8 All the bright lights of the heavens I will make dark over you, And bring darkness upon your land,’ Says the Lord God.”

God’s judgement against Edom: Isaiah 34:4–5 “4 All the host of heaven shall be dissolved, And the heavens shall be rolled up like a scroll; All their host shall fall down As the leaf falls from the vine, And as fruit falling from a fig tree. 5 “For My sword shall be bathed in heaven; Indeed it shall come down on Edom, And on the people of My curse, for judgment.”

(Peter seems to be quoting this one)

The heavens were not literally rolled up like a scroll and dissolved when God judged Edom. The stars did not literally fall when Babylon or Egypt were judged by God.

This is prophetic language to demonstrate the severity of God’s wrath against those who oppose Him.

Peter’s main point, in context, is that the wicked and all their works will be judged by God.

He is saying that His full wrath will fall on the wicked during the day of judgement. The Sun moon and stars will burn because of His wrath.

Argumentation:

Peter is clearly using this form of writing called Apocalyptic writing. He is almost quoting from Isaiah.

But the question remains, what will happen to the heavens and earth when Christ returns? Is there anything literal in this language?

Maybe.

The heavens and the earth will not be annihilated but restored.

Creation will be delivered from corruption.

Paul makes it clear that creation itself will be delivered from the curse. This is not annihilation language.

Romans 8:21 “21 because the creation itself also will be delivered from the bondage of corruption into the glorious liberty of the children of God.

Paul is not using apocalyptic language. He is using clear teaching language. The clear governs the unclear. Creation will not be annihilated but in some way restored, freed from the corruption of the curse.

Creation will be changed.

The Psalmist says God will change creation.

Psalm 102:25–26 “25 Of old You laid the foundation of the earth, And the heavens are the work of Your hands. 26 They will perish, but You will endure; Yes, they will all grow old like a garment; Like a cloak You will change them, And they will be changed.”

Evidently there will be some change. But again, this is not annihilation language. Creation is dying because of the curse. It is groaning. But it will be changed.

Paul says that the works will be declared in 1 Corinthians 3:9–15 “9 For we are God’s fellow workers; you are God’s field, you are God’s building. 10 According to the grace of God which was given to me, as a wise master builder I have laid the foundation, and another builds on it. But let each one take heed how he builds on it. 11 For no other foundation can anyone lay than that which is laid, which is Jesus Christ. 12 Now if anyone builds on this foundation with gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, straw, 13 each one’s work will become clear; for the Day will declare it, because it will be revealed by fire; and the fire will test each one’s work, of what sort it is. 14 If anyone’s work which he has built on it endures, he will receive a reward. 15 If anyone’s work is burned, he will suffer loss; but he himself will be saved, yet so as through fire.”

Here Paul shows how the fire of God’s judgement will be applied to the works of Christians. Good works will endure and be purified. Evil or worthless works will be burned up.

Paul’s encouragement is to focus on good works. If we work for Christ, our works will endure the fire.

Ultimately we don’t know. We can confidently say God will not annihilate the universe and make a new on.

Instead, He will remove the stain of sin and the curse from creation itself.

He might use physical fire to burn up all the works of evil, or it could be symbolic. I do not know.

What I do know is that when Christ returns, He will judge the wicked, and He will remove the stain of sin from all the universe.

Transition:

This changes the context of Peter’s question.

Peter’s Question.

2 Peter 3:11–13 “11 Therefore, since all these things will be dissolved, what manner of persons ought you to be in holy conduct and godliness, 12 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? 13 Nevertheless we, according to His promise, look for new heavens and a new earth in which righteousness dwells.”

Explanation:

If God will judge the wicked and all their works, what manner of people ought we to be?

Many have taken this question and twisted it. They look at the question and ignore Peter’s answer.

They re-frame the question as “since God will destroy everything on earth, you should not be concerned with anything earthly.”

It is a gnostic re-framing of the issue. It paints everything earthly or physical as evil

But this is not what Peter is saying.

In Context, Peter is saying that we should do two things.

1. Be holy in conduct and godliness.

Knowing that Christ will return in judgement should cause us to be righteous in all we do.

We should want to work in a way that our works will endure the judgement of Christ.

This does not remove our physical concerns, it purifies them.

Grace does not destroy nature, it perfects it.

Illustration:

Coming to faith in Christ does not make a husband stop loving his wife and kids, it makes that love deeper and better.

A Christian husband and father does not say, “sorry family. I cant love you because I love Jesus now and I need to lay aside my earthly love for you.” That is antithetical to Christianity. Instead, the Christian husband and father actually loves his family more and better because of his faith.

Same with work.

Same with friendships.

Peter is saying that knowing Christ will return and judge all should make us want to work in such a way that our works will endure judgement.

Transition:

Second thing Peter says this knowledge should cause Christians to do is:

2. Long for Christ’s return.

Peter says we are to look for, and hasten the coming of Christ. We should look forward to it.

We should eagerly long for it.

Why should we long for Christ’s return?

Finally sin and death will be utterly removed. No more death. No more pain. No more stain of sin.

Imagine how amazing this world will be when sin and ALL of it’s affects are done away with.

We should long for the restoration of all things.

Christ will return to judge all wickedness and restore all things to righteousness.

Argumentation:

We should long for this. No more in. No more death. No more stain of sin even on the universe itself.

This should excite us.

Transition:

But Peter closes with some final warnings.

Peter’s Final Warnings.

2 Peter 3:15–18 “...as also our beloved brother Paul, according to the wisdom given to him, has written to you, 16 as also in all his epistles, speaking in them of these things, in which are some things hard to understand, which untaught and unstable people twist to their own destruction, as they do also the rest of the Scriptures. 17 You therefore, beloved, since you know this beforehand, beware lest you also fall from your own steadfastness, being led away with the error of the wicked; 18 but grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To Him be the glory both now and forever. Amen.”

Explanation:

I’ve already covered Peter saying these things are confusing.

We’ve seen how Paul addressed these things as well.

Peter warns:

The wicked will twist these things.

I’ve tried to be clear, but some doctrines are just confusing.

know that the wicked will try to twist the confusing passages of Scripture.

Be on guard.

Reminder of the rules for understanding Scripture. (Clear governs the unclear. Scripture interprets Scripture. Context is king.)

Be steadfast: Do not be lead astray.

Peter closes with another reminder that false teachers will lead many astray.

So remember this:

Closing charge:

Christ is coming again. Remain steadfast (be immovable on the truth) Grow in the knowledge of Christ. Do not be dullards in the faith. Always seek to know Christ more. Know that Christ will return to judge the wicked.

Peter closes in a common and often overlooked way:

To Christ be the Glory, Now and Forever.

This is the goal of the Christian life. Yes we should avoid false teachers. Yes we should long for Christ to return. But in it all, seek to glory Christ.

Closing Prayer:

Offering:

Offertory Prayer:

Benediction:

Romans 11:36 “36 For of Him and through Him and to Him are all things, to whom be glory forever. Amen.”