“The Promise of Christ’s Return” - Pt 1
Notes
Transcript
2 Peter 3:1-18
INTRODUCTION
INTRODUCTION
7 The end of all things is near; therefore, be alert and sober-minded for prayer.
There are so many QUESTIONS, and consequently much CONFUSION concerning the Return of Jesus Christ!
I. The SURETY of His Return – (3:1-7)
I. The SURETY of His Return – (3:1-7)
The REASON you can be SURE of the Return of Jesus is God keeps His Word!
A. The PURPOSE of Peter’s Letter - (vv.1-2)
A. The PURPOSE of Peter’s Letter - (vv.1-2)
WHAT? – (v.1b) – “…I want to stir up your sincere understanding”
(NAS, “…sincere mind”; KJV, “…pure minds”; NLT and NIV, “…wholesome thinking”)
How? – (v.1) – “…by way of reminder”
REMIND THEM OF What?
(v.2a) – “so that you recall the words previously spoken by the holy prophets…”
I have entire BOOKS devoted to the details of all the prophecies fulfilled by Jesus!
John Phillips - “Thirty-three prophesies were fulfilled in a single day when the Lord Jesus died. Those prophecies included details of His betrayal (Psalm 41:9; Mark 14:10), His being forsaken by His disciples (Zechariah 13:7; Mark 14:50), the actual price of His betrayal (Zechariah 11:12; Matthew 26:15), what would be done with the betrayal money (Zechariah 11:13; Matthew 27:37), His scourging (Isaiah 50:6; Matthew 27: 26, 30), His trial being furthered by false witnesses (Psalm 35:11; Mark 14:56), what would be done with His garments (Psalm 22:18; John 19:24), His death by crucifixion contrary to normal Jewish method of execution by stoning (Psalm 22:16; John 29:16), His thirst (Psalm 69:3; John 19:28), His being given vinegar to drink (Psalm 69:21; John 19:29), the piercing of His side (Zechariah 12:10; John 19:34), the mockery of the people (Psalm 22:7-8; Matthew 27:40), no bone being broken in His body (Exodus 12:46; John 19:33, 36), and His place of burial (Isaiah 53:9; Matthew 27:57-60)
“These were by no means all the prophecies fulfilled in the life and death of Jesus, but these were all fulfilled in a single day. Some of these prophesies depended for their fulfillment on the actions of His enemies, people who knew well the prophetic Scriptures and who certainly had no interest in seeing any of them fulfilled in the person of Jesus of Nazareth. Then, too, some of the prophecies depended on the actions of HIs executioners, the Roman soldiers who crucified Him, men who did not have the remotest idea that they were fulfilling prophecy.”
(v.2b) – “…and the command of the Lord and Savior given through your apostles.”
(Matthew 24) contains the most extensive, specific teaching from Jesus on His Return!
B. The WARNING in Peter’s Letter: “…Scoffers will come” – (vv.3-4)
B. The WARNING in Peter’s Letter: “…Scoffers will come” – (vv.3-4)
WHEN? – “…in the last days”
WHAT DO THEY DO?
“scoffing…”
“…and following their own evil desires” Lit., ‘according to their own lusts walking.’
In my opinion, that’s why they scoff in the first place—their love of sin!
(v.4a) – “saying…”
WHAT DO THEY SAY?
(v.4b) – “Where is his ‘coming’ that he promised?”
Questioning the Word of God is certainly not new!
18 Woe to those who drag iniquity with cords of deceit and pull sin along with cart ropes,
19 to those who say, “Let him hurry up and do his work quickly so that we can see it! Let the plan of the Holy One of Israel take place so that we can know it!”
15 Hear how they keep challenging me, “Where is the word of the Lord? Let it come!”
21 Again the word of the Lord came to me:
22 “Son of man, what is this proverb you people have about the land of Israel, which goes, ‘The days keep passing by, and every vision fails’?
23 Therefore say to them, ‘This is what the Lord God says: I will put a stop to this proverb, and they will not use it again in Israel.’ But say to them, ‘The days have arrived, as well as the fulfillment of every vision.
24 For there will no longer be any false vision or flattering divination within the house of Israel.
25 But I, the Lord, will speak whatever message I will speak, and it will be done. It will no longer be delayed. For in your days, rebellious house, I will speak a message and bring it to pass. This is the declaration of the Lord God.’ ”
26 The word of the Lord came to me:
27 “Son of man, notice that the house of Israel is saying, ‘The vision that he sees concerns many years from now; he prophesies about distant times.’
28 Therefore say to them, ‘This is what the Lord God says: None of my words will be delayed any longer. The message I speak will be fulfilled. This is the declaration of the Lord God.’ ”
An even more subtle accusation is whether or not God cares, or intervenes on behalf of His creation!
(v.4c) – “…Ever since our ancestors fell asleep, all things continue as they have been since the beginning of creation.”
The IMPLICATION is that God does not ACT; Jesus does not MATTER; and, as Lucas & Green so aptly write, “Our world, they would say, is a closed system which has no room for the intervention of God, and any such idea is ‘no more than a vulgar myth.’”
Peter is about to provide three examples that demonstrate God’s involvement—two past and one future events—all based on the Word of God!
C. Their ERROR: INTENTIONAL IGNORANCE - (vv.5-7)
C. Their ERROR: INTENTIONAL IGNORANCE - (vv.5-7)
(v.5a) – “They deliberately overlook this…”
1. It was “By the word of God” that CREATION HAPPENED IN THE FIRST PLACE! – (v.5)
“…came into being” is from συνεστῶσα – “…formed/…hold together”
15 He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation.
16 For everything was created by him, in heaven and on earth, the visible and the invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities— all things have been created through him and for him.
17 He is before all things, and by him all things hold together.
3 Then God said, “Let there be light,” and there was light.
2. It was ALSO by same “the word of God” that the world was DESTROYED – (v.6)
22 Everything with the breath of the spirit of life in its nostrils—everything on dry land died.
23 He wiped out every living thing that was on the face of the earth, from mankind to livestock, to creatures that crawl, to the birds of the sky, and they were wiped off the earth. Only Noah was left, and those that were with him in the ark.
3. It is “By the SAME word, the present heavens and earth are stored up for fire, being kept for the day of judgment and destruction of the ungodly” – (v.7)
6 Look up to the heavens, and look at the earth beneath; for the heavens will vanish like smoke, the earth will wear out like a garment, and its inhabitants will die like gnats. But my salvation will last forever, and my righteousness will never be shattered.
1 Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth; for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and the sea was no more.
LESSON: Whether or not one believes in “the promise of his coming” depends entirely on whether or not one believes in the Word of God!
1 “Don’t let your heart be troubled. Believe in God; believe also in me.
2 In my Father’s house are many rooms. If it were not so, would I have told you that I am going to prepare a place for you?
3 If I go away and prepare a place for you, I will come again and take you to myself, so that where I am you may be also.
II. The REASON for His DELAY – (3:8-9)
II. The REASON for His DELAY – (3:8-9)
Why the delay? What is God waiting for? Peter presents two reasons:
A. The NATURE of God: He is TIMELESS in His Being – (v.8)
A. The NATURE of God: He is TIMELESS in His Being – (v.8)
NOTE: This is not some cipher code used to interpret prophetic passages (used by some to negate any passages mentioning 1,000 years). RATHER, the CONTEXT of the passage suggests Peter is demonstrating the timeless, eternal nature of God!
This is either a paraphrase, or parallel passage to (Psalm 90:4)
4 For in your sight a thousand years are like yesterday that passes by, like a few hours of the night.
JOHN STOTT points out five lessons from Moses’ prayer in Psalm 90:
God is an ETERNAL God – (v.2b)
God is a CREATING God – (v.2a)
God is a JUDGING God – (vv.3, 5-10)
God is a SAVING God – (vv.1, 13-17)
God is a MORAL God – (vv.11-12)
“These five lessons are central to Psalm 90. Peter’s Christians were in danger of being distracted [by the scoffers] from recalling that God is the eternal Creator, who judges according to his moral law, and saves according to his covenant love.”
The eternal nature of God is a “fact” that can be “ignored!”
There is a second reason given to us for the reason for His delay…
B. The PATIENCE of God: He is waiting for as many as possible to be SAVED! – (v.9)
B. The PATIENCE of God: He is waiting for as many as possible to be SAVED! – (v.9)
Peter demonstrates this with two Negative/Positives (“not”/”but”) in (v.9):
1. “The Lord does NOT delay his promise, as some understand delay, BUT is patient with you…”
4 Or do you despise the riches of his kindness, restraint, and patience, not recognizing that God’s kindness is intended to lead you to repentance
2. “…NOT wanting any to perish, BUT all to come to repentance.”
God is DELAYING so that more can be saved!
CONCLUSION:
CONCLUSION:
A very difficult questions for us this morning is this: “Do we share the heart of God in relation to the Return of Christ and our work to seek and save the lost?”
Do we understand the reason for His delay is fulfill the promise of (Matt 24:14)?
14 This good news of the kingdom will be proclaimed in all the world as a testimony to all nations, and then the end will come.
NOTE: God is not dependent on us to accomplish this! – (Rev 14:6)
I remember WHEN I turned 45…I would often find myself tearing up when I look at pictures of my children (who at the time were either young adults or nearly young adults—they were still in our home, but they were no longer little kids). I tear up because I didn’t know in my twenties and thirties how fast they would grow up and I went through a time when I was constantly thinking, “If only…”
4 He will wipe away every tear from their eyes. Death will be no more; grief, crying, and pain will be no more, because the previous things have passed away.
I HAVE A FEELING THAT MANY WILL BE CRYING, SAYING, “if only I would have used the time better…to reach one more person…to love my neighbor…to love God with all my heart…”
12 Teach us to number our days carefully so that we may develop wisdom in our hearts.
“Father, give us your heart for the lost. Let us use this time of your patience to bring as many to faith and repentance as we possibly can. May we love you with all our hearts and may we love our neighbors as ourselves. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.”
