Things To Remember In The Last Days

PASTORAL PRAYER

Gracious Father, We come before You today with hearts full of gratitude and reverence. On this Father's Day, we lift up and honor the men You have called to be fathers, grandfathers, and father figures in our lives. We thank You for their love, their sacrifices, and their presence. But most of all, Lord, we thank You for the calling You have placed on their lives to be the spiritual leaders of their homes. Father, we acknowledge that this calling is sacred. You have appointed fathers to reflect Your character — strong yet compassionate, just yet merciful. Help them to lead with wisdom rooted in Your Word, with love modeled after Christ, and with courage that stands firm in truth. Lord, strengthen every father here today. In a world that often undermines godly leadership, remind them that their role is vital. Give them the boldness to pray over their families, to teach their children diligently, and to walk in integrity both in private and in public. We pray for the weary father — refresh him. We pray for the young father — guide him. We pray for the absent father — redeem him. And for the faithful father — encourage him to keep going. Let their homes be places where Your name is lifted high, where Your Word is read and lived, and where Your Spirit is welcome. May the hearts of their children be turned to their fathers, and may the legacy of faith grow strong from generation to generation. We thank You, Lord, that You are the ultimate Father — unchanging, unfailing, and always near. May every father here look to You as his model and source of strength. In Jesus’ mighty name we pray, Amen.

INTRODUCTION

On this Father’s Day, I hope you dads out there will be blessed by your families and you can enjoy being honored by those who love you.

While you may have the opportunity to pick the meal, or play a game, or watch the game, I want to call your attention to something very important.

Historically, fathers have been seen as the cornerstone of the family unit.

Ancient cultures acknowledged the father’s role in transmitting values and teaching respect for God.

The Bible presents fathers as leaders, with Ephesians 6:4 urging them to bring their children up in the training and instruction of the Lord.

In the Old Testament, Abraham taught his sons to follow God’s covenant.

Joshua declared, 'As for me and my house, we will serve the Lord.'

As stewards of spiritual legacy, fathers are called to guide their children in faith, reflecting God’s love and direction in their lives.

They are responsible for guiding them in a relationship with God.

Fathers Matter

The United States has the HIGHEST RATE of children in single-parent households of any nation in the world.

There are over 18 million Fatherless children in the US.

Fathers are absent from approximately 80% of single-parent homes.

Fatherless children are more likely to abuse drugs and show signs of delinquent behavior. 

Data suggests 90% of homeless and runaway children come from fatherless homes.

63% of youth suicides are from fatherless homes. 

85% of children who exhibit what are considered “behavior disorders” are from fatherless homes.

70% of juveniles in state-operated institutions come from single-parent homes.

In a study of 75 juvenile delinquents, 66% experienced fatherlessness, 20% had never lived with their father, and 25% had an alcoholic father.

Children living absent their biological father are 2 to 3 times more likely to be expelled or suspended at some time.

Girls who feel closeness to their father are 75% less likely to have a teen birth.

One study showed girls whose father left the home before they were 5 years old were 8 times more likely to become pregnant as adolescents.

Children who feel closeness to their father are 80% less likely to spend time in jail. 

When children have an actively involved father, they are 33% less likely to drop out of school and 43% more likely to get A’s.

Why do I share all this? To emphasize the point that fathers matter.

You matter as an influential presence in the home, especially as the spiritual leader in the home.

All fathers are spiritual leaders

The question is if you are a good one.

Turning our attention to the text today, we are starting the final chapter of 2 Peter.

In chapter 2, Peter spent 22 of the 61 verses of this letter dealing with bad spiritual leaders (i.e. false teachers).

Now, as he prepares to bring his letter to a close, he is going to turn his attention to a very important topic: the promise of the return of Jesus Christ.

In 2 Peter 3:1-4, we see 3 Things To Remember In The Last Days.

Read 2 Peter 3:1-4

Both letters from Peter to the believers who are living as exiles were written to stir up their sincere mind.

Sincere - having a pure, unadulterated motivation

Sincere mind - “wholesome thinking”

The Bible Knowledge Commentary 3:1

The English “sincere” is from the Latin words sine cera, “without wax.” Some pottery salesmen would use wax to cover cracks and weak places in pottery. Such a cover-up could be detected only by holding the jug up to the sun to see if any weaknesses were visible. Such a vase was “sun-judged”… God wants His people to have sun-judged minds, not those in which their sin spots have been covered over.

These are true believers, whose pure motivation is being stirred up through reminders of what they already know.

Do not take for granted the repetition of the Word of God in your life

Do not take for granted being reminded about the basic truths of Christianity

Do not take for granted being reminded about the gospel of Jesus Christ

What are these reminders?

PREDICTIONS OF THE HOLY PROPHETS

v. 2a, Remember the predictions of the holy prophets…

The holy prophets refers to the predictive ministries of those used by God to prepare His people for what is to come.

God used His prophets to warn His people about their erring from His ways

2 Samuel 12 - Nathan confronts King David for his plan to have Uriah murdered and marry his widow, Bathsheba, to cover up his adultery with her.

God used His prophets to warn His people about coming judgment

Genesis 6-7 - Noah was used by God to warn people of the coming judgment of the Flood (cf. 2 Peter 2:5)

Jonah 3 - Jonah warns the people of Nineveh that they will be overthrown in 40 days, which leads to their repentance

God used His prophets to prepare His people for His coming salvation

Isaiah 40:3 NASB95

A voice is calling, “Clear the way for the Lord in the wilderness; Make smooth in the desert a highway for our God.”

All these instances of predictive ministry is what Peter referred to as, the prophetic word more fully confirmed (2 Peter 1:19).

In the midst of being persecuted (1 Peter 4) and having false teachers rise up in the ranks (2 Peter 2), these believers are being reminded about God’s prophecies that have come to pass

Application:

Don’t forget God’s promises.

No matter how hard life gets… no matter how hopeless things feel… no matter who or what is against you… remember God’s promises to you.

I will never leave you nor forsake you (Hebrews 13:5)

I am with you always, to the end of the age (Matthew 28:20)

[God] will not let you be tempted beyond your ability (1 Corinthians 10:13)

COMMANDS GIVEN THROUGH THE APOSTLES

v. 2b, Remember…the commandment of the Lord and Savior through your apostles…

Because of the fact that we are forgiven of our sins in Christ and promised eternity in heaven, Christians can be guilty of developing spiritual amnesia.

What do I mean by that?

We recognize that we are not under Law, but under Grace.

We don’t contribute anything to our salvation, except the sin that requires it

Isaiah 64:6 NASB95

For all of us have become like one who is unclean, And all our righteous deeds are like a filthy garment; And all of us wither like a leaf, And our iniquities, like the wind, take us away.

We cannot keep the Law and we cannot earn our salvation

We recognize that God’s grace alone is what saves us

Ephesians 2:8–9 LSB

For by grace you have been saved through faith, and this not of yourselves, it is the gift of God; not of works, so that no one may boast.

Because of that, we can feel like we don’t need to live righteously.

“Oh, well since I am saved by the grace of God for all eternity, I don’t need to worry about the way I live my life.”

“Get out of Hell free” card

But Peter is reminding his readers to remember the predictions of the holy prophets and to remember the commandment of the Lord and Savior through your apostles.

And in his reminding them of these things, he is going to point them to one of the greatest promises we have, which is given to us through the apostles:

If I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and will take you to myself (John 14:3)

the Son of Man is coming at an hour you do not expect (Matthew 24:44)

This Jesus, who was taken up from you into heaven, will come in the same way as you saw him go into heaven (Acts 1:11)

For yet in a very little while, He who is coming will come, and will not delay (Hebrews 10:37)

Jesus Christ is coming back!

Nathan Busenitz, Living A Life Of Hope The hope of Christ’s coming was of paramount importance for the early church. In fact, its certainty was so real that first-century believers would greet one another with the term “maranatha,” meaning “Lord, come quickly.” Instead of being frightened by the possibility, they clung to it as the culmination of everything they believed. Not surprisingly, the New Testament reflects this intense anticipation by referencing Jesus’ return, whether directly or indirectly, in every New Testament book except Philemon and 3 John.

One of the most exciting teachings of the Christian faith is the Second Coming of Jesus Christ.

It is a doctrine that can bring fear to the heart of the unconverted or believers who are not serious about their walk (cf. Hebrews 10:25-31)

It is a doctrine that brings excitement and anticipation for those who struggle against the present evil age (Galatians 1:4).

2 Peter and Jude: The MacArthur New Testament Commentary Chapter 8: The Certainty of the Second Coming (2 Peter 3:1–10)

when believers forget about the second coming and begin focusing instead on the things of this world, they become absorbed in the temporal and grow apathetic and cold toward the eternal. Satan knows that if he can get the church to discount the importance of Christ’s return, or even completely deny its reality, he can remove a very significant source of Christian hope and motivation

The Second Coming of Christ ought to motivate us to live to the glory of God.

It ought to cause us to desire to warn people of the judgment to come

It ought to cause us to put to death the sinful desires in our flesh

It ought to cause us to hate the things of this world and to cling to the eternal promises of Christ even more

THE PRESENCE OF SCOFFERS

v. 2c, Remember…that scoffers will come in the last days with scoffing, following their own sinful desires

While believers are called to proclaim and live the truth of the Word of God, we also live with the realization that there will always be deniers of the truth.

Psalm 14:1 ESV

The fool says in his heart, “There is no God.” They are corrupt, they do abominable deeds; there is none who does good.

Romans 1:18 ESV

For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who by their unrighteousness suppress the truth.

Looking here at 2 Peter 3, we see in verse 4 the suppressive statement of the denier: Where is the promise of His coming?

This question is their denial that it is ever going to happen. 

Their reason for denying it: for ever since the fathers fell asleep, all things are continuing just as they were from the beginning of creation.

ILLUSTRATION:

In 2011, while I was working at Target, there was a lot of talk about the end of the world and the coming judgment of Christ.  Harold Camping, a Christian radio host and evangelist, was in the spotlight for his prediction that the rapture and final judgment would take place on May 21, 2011 (which was then adjusted to being October 21, 2011 when nothing happened). 

I remember going into work on the 23rd, and all that was discussed that morning was the failed prediction.  This was not all that bad of a development, as it opened the door for opportunities to talk about the gospel.  However, one conversation that was taking place in the break room involved a guy, who literally said, “If Jesus was coming back, He would have come already; but everything just carries on as usual.”

I took him to this passage in 2 Peter and said that he was a literal fulfillment of Scripture.

ever since the fathers fell asleep, all continues just as it was from the beginning of creation (a.k.a. uniformitarianism)

Uniformitarianism: the view that cosmic processes of the present and the future can be understood solely on the basis of how the cosmos has operated in the past.

We are going to unpack that belief next week, as Peter will tackle this objection in the verses that follow.

NOTE: people who scoff at the revelation of Scripture are forced to try and come up with an explanation of miraculously divine occurrences apart from the divine.

And when they separate themselves from divine revelation, they remove all hope they have of forgiveness and deliverance from the consequences of sin

Romans 3:23 & 6:23 for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God…the wages of sin is death…

Romans 5:8 God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, [Jesus] Christ died for us.

Romans 10:9–13 if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved… For the Scripture says, “Everyone who believes in him will not be put to shame.” for the… Lord is Lord of all, bestowing his riches on all who call on him. For “everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.”