Found Without Spot or Blemish
Sanctified: Purified for a Purpose • Sermon • Submitted • Presented
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· 13 viewsPeter’s conclusion to his final letter will be our conclusion to a year of thinking about our salvation, purification, sanctification, and justification. God’s mercy and patience—along with his coming judgment—should cause us to ask ourselves, “What sort of people ought you to be in lives of holiness and godliness?” Are we living the lives we were saved to live? Are we living lives of holiness and godliness? As we wrap up one year and head into the next, let’s reflect soberly on the lives we have been living, are living, and should be living.
Notes
Transcript
Sanctified: Purified for a Purpose
The first Sunday of this year, we used the illustration of Cadillac Ranch in Amarillo
Picture of the Cadillac Ranch
Old
Rusted
Vandalized
Trapped
Useless
AI Picture of a “saved” Cadillac
Rescued
to live
a restored life
under the reign of King Jesus
the question we’ve been asking all year (in a lot of different ways) has been…
Are you living the life you were saved to live?
Are you living the life you were saved to live?
Unfortunately, there are people in our lives who
can mislead us
tell us what we WANT to hear
rather than what we NEED to hear
2 Peter is all about guarding against these kinds of influences
choosing the truth
over the lies
Even when the lies are easier to believe
Peter warns about people who…
19 They promise them freedom, but they themselves are slaves of corruption. For whatever overcomes a person, to that he is enslaved.
Self-Indulgence
seems like freedom
but it is the bait on the trap
Give into your passions
Follow your heart
Do what feels right
20 For if, after they have escaped the defilements of the world through the knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, they are again entangled in them and overcome, the last state has become worse for them than the first.
You were set free
to live in freedom
not to become entangled again
Goes on to say
It would have been better for them not to have heard
They are like a dog returning to its vomit
Chapter 3 - The Day of the Lord
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.
For God
the last 2,000 years
has been like 2 days
Not being slow, he’s being PATIENT
because he wants everyone to repent
repentance might be an intimidating word for some of us…
Repentance is a change in allegiance, from ruling your own life to submitting to the rule of King Jesus.
Repentance is a change in allegiance, from ruling your own life to submitting to the rule of King Jesus.
Sermon on the Mount is a great place to start
Matthew 5-7, that will show you what repentance looks like
Peter makes it clear, the fiery judgment of King Jesus is coming…the entire earth will be EXPOSED to his judgment. Like the pre-flood world, this world will be completely UNDONE and REMADE
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! 13 But according to his promise we are waiting for new heavens and a new earth in which righteousness dwells.
The heavens / heavenly bodies
set on fire and dissolved
melt as they burn
the current power structure will fall
New heavens and new earth
the way things are ARE NOT the way they will be
things are about to get totally remade
But the point is…lives of holiness and godliness
Sanctified / Holy - Set apart for God’s mission and purposes
Godliness - Respect and Fear of God / Reverence
Not perfection, but LOYALTY / FAITHFULNESS / DEVOTION
Are you living like
you want him to come TODAY
you would be happy that he returned and your plans got canceled
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”
just as the whole earth will be exposed
YOU will be exposed to God
Nothing will be hidden
Everything will be laid bare
How can we possibly be without spot or blemish?
Only one way
GRACE / MERCY / FORGIVENESS
He purifies us
But you have to stop going back to the life you lived before
At peace
Shalom - Complete / Whole
At peace with God
Most likely - At peace with one another
we have a choice to make…every single day
Every day, you’re either cooperating with or resisting God’s patient effort to bring everyone under the rule of King Jesus.
Every day, you’re either cooperating with or resisting God’s patient effort to bring everyone under the rule of King Jesus.
That’s what it means to be
SAVED
SANCTIFIED
PURIFIED
REDEEMED
Some people will not submit until it’s too late
Some people are believing the lies that they can
continue to indulge their desires
avoid the consequences
Allow God to sanctify you
bring you FULLY under the rule of King Jesus
every aspect of your life
your relationships
your online activity
your entertainment
what you eat and drink
how you behave at work and school
