2nd Peter 3 • Saved by God: Our Future Hope

We're going to finish this out here this morning or time in 2nd Peter and move into a time of the summer. Just kept talking about spiritual rhythms and disciplines and we're going to preface that with an introduction to that beginning next week. It'll be really the quickest I've ever taught through a book. I believe I live in Philemon. We did that he can two weeks because I have not been able to get you everything I'd like to in here but we've kind of taken a big thing big overview of this book and one of the things that we really taken note of is Peter is going to Great Lengths to tell us to remember remember remember and in that first chapter, we really looked at heavily that the reason we're called to remember is because our hearts are so prone to be iced over to the truth. Now I'm doing what I do for a living being a pastor here at this church. I get the wonderful opportunity to do a lot of premarital counseling even over see a lot of weddings. And so it's really fun to sit down with couples and begin to kind of talk about the joys and also the struggles that are involved in marriage and one of the things as I sit a couple down and will talk to them about is I'll say remember how you feel. Now when you're engaged and on your best behavior, the other nests in your life is out of control. Beyonce's locked out of the car with the rain pouring you make the trip right hun call once we're married babe. I'm in a meeting. It's going to take a little while true story really happened. I learned from these things. However, the point is I sit down with the trust gets replaced with suspicion and mistrust something happens at a point where you go, you know me enough for they haven't put the dishes away enough and they don't do enough and we do what we are simply being reminded of all the ways in which their face and those become the truth that we speak to our hearts and we see the hard things the difficult things and the problem of the other person is bringing into our lives. And we totally neglected and forgotten. That they do care for us. They do love us that they are for us and often you never had the joy of sitting in my office cube in in a hard spot. One of the things that we do is talk about things you appreciate about your spouse. Why because I'm trying to remember they're not against you but not against you and I used this analogy. Because it's so applicable to what's going on in 1st Peter. Peter is writing Schutte 2nd. Peter Peter is writing to this church and to us and he says remember that you were saying remember that Christ for you. Remember that Christ died for you because your own heart if you're not constantly put in remembrance of this is so prone to be iced over begin to believe the lies of the enemy would want you implant in your life then in chapter 2 Desain watch out because there are Heretics there are false teachers. There is heresy that wants to creep into the church into your life and they wants you to believe these lies always sound very palatable and very nice and very good. That's why you want to believe and buy into them watch out for heresy. And then in chapter 3, he's going to move from this idea of your own heart looking at your heart and making sure that is warm to the things of the Gospel by preaching the gospel to yourself over and over again something that I hope it will be implanted in all of your brains when you're having difficult and hard weeks when you're having troubled relationships when you're lacking Joy is this idea that I need to remind myself of who Jesus is with. Jesus has done. I need to be on guard for heresy. And then he says there are going to be scoffers. There are going to be mockers who come your way. We're going to read all the chapter 3. It's my way of teaching through the whole thing here this morning. It says this is now the second letter but I'm writing to you beloved and both of them. I am stirring up your sincere Minds don't let anybody ever tell you that Christianity is a place where you just check your mind at the door because I want your cheer mind. I want you to think about this by way of reminder that you should remember all right here in this passage. If you trying to study the scriptures and you see wow right there this guy is just pointing this out at something important to be implanted in a heathen says by way of that. You should remember the predictions of the Holy prophets and the command Dance of the Lord and Savior through your Apostles knowing this first of all that's scoffers will come in the last days with stuffing in this idea of last days. Is this. In which we all live in from the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ until the return of Jesus Christ whenever you come across that phrase, that is the. That he is talking about Following their own sinful desires they will say where is the promise of his coming forever since the father's fell asleep. All things will continue as they were from the beginning of creation for they deliberately overlook this fact and that the heavens existed long ago. The earth was formed out of the water and through the Water by the word of God and it by means of these the world that then existing was to lose with water and perished but by the same word the heavens and earth that is now that now exists are stored up for fire being kept until the day of judgement and destruction of the ungodly, but do not overlook this one fact beloved that with the Lord one day is a thousand years and a thousand years as one day. Lord is not slow to fulfill his promise as some count slowly count slowness, but it's patient towards you not wishing that any should perish but that all should reach repentance. But the day the Lord will come like a thief then the heavens will pass away with a Roar and the heavenly bodies will be burned up and dissolved in the earth and the works that are done on it will be exposed since all of these things are going to be dissolved what sort of people thought you to be in lies of Holiness and godliness waiting for and hastening the coming of the day of God because of which the heavens will be set on fire and dissolved in the heavenly bodies will melt if they burn but according to his promises. We are waiting for a new Heaven and new earth in which righteousness dwells there for beloved since you were waiting for these be diligent to be found by him without spot or blemish in at peace and count the patience of Our Lord is salvation just as our beloved brother Paul also. Do you according to the wisdom given to him as he doesn't all his letters when he speaks in the them of these matters? There are some things in them that are hard to understand. Yeah, which the ignorant and unstable twist to their own destruction as they do the other scriptures there for beloved knowing this beforehand. Take care that you're not carried away with the air of Lawless people and lose your own stability, but grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ to him be the glory now into the day of eternity a man and then a couple of things this morning that we're going to kind of work through in. The first thing I want to do is look at what Peter is bringing up and what he's doing and he said all throughout this letter and I'll try not to reiterate again, but I really want this to sink into our hearts chapter 1 a heart is susceptible to attacks. The heart is pushing away the truth. It doesn't desire to hear the truth. Number to their false teachers and they're coming at you to get you off track. They dilute the truth number 3, you need to know that there will be people who are Scott first. They're going to be those who mock you they're going to be those who look at your way of life now cuz you're a follower of Jesus and they'll say how on Earth could you believe that what these stop first exist to do and what they're seeking to do. extreme plant doubt in your mind The one implant doubt of who you actually are in Christ. They want to post questions like this. Why on Earth would you waste a Sunday morning and go to church and sing songs to a god that does not even exist. Why would you try to associate yourself with some sort of culture that is so far off in the progression of society today. How come when there's pain and suffering. God does not show up. Where is your god? Where is his care? Where is his love? You are foolish for believing these things and wasting your time frame. Maybe some of you are limit further removed from when you first began to walk with Jesus and you might have to recall back 20 30 40 somebody like 60 years ago. Maybe we got some of y'all in here. Yeah. They're in the front of router some of my biggest fans.

you when you heard the call of Jesus. That he took a hold of your life and the world around you and the things people said to you. How could you believe Are you turning your back on us? Are you not going to spend time with us anymore? And what's coppers are going to do as they're going to beat you down with their words. They're going to implant doubt into your heart. And what Peter says they're doing here. Is there actually just trying to walk in for Phil and follow after their own sinful Desires in this sense in this picture if I can put it into your head there in Genesis chapter 1 God said that every tree in the fruit of the Garden in chapter to work was good to eat. There was a tree of life and then there was the tree that was a knowledge of Good and Evil for who-knows-how-long a week. Maybe two maybe 10 months. We don't know how long Adam and Eve were in that Garden, but they were able to walk by that tree and pick from every other fruit at some point. They stopped and they picked from the fruit that God said don't pick from bats. Because in Dutch and eating of it, you will surely die at that moment. They said we're going to take life into our hands. We know the way to have the good life and it's going to be independent and separate from you. We don't want anything to do with you. And in that moment. That is what she Manatee declared and cried in their hearts date people continue to go. We are going to Define and determine what is good. What is bad? What is right? What is wrong? What is moral? What is immoral? And they grab that fruits and reject the fruits of life as Christ, but is God. And then once you choose to follow after them in that it's an interesting thing to note here. What they'll do is the mock you because of their own pursuit of sinfulness. Why don't you engage in the things that we used to engage in together?

It wasn't that bad. Can you really feel like we're living it up? Ja Rule if you remember the day

man, we had a knife and if we were the life of the party and it was so exciting and so good come back to work life was happening. You're so boring. It's so mundane. We can't even stand to be around you don't you miss this old life? And so what they're going to do is hit at you because of their own sinfulness because they get a hint and smell a little bit of the lordship of Christ and they say we don't want to come under that we want to do whatever we want to do. Whatever we feel right and whatever we bring us happiness. Do anybody fool you happiness is the god of our age? Julian happiness is the god of Rh happiness puts out a lot of different ways always though in the sense when it's Rebellion to God saying me about you. I'm not saying you can't know Christ and be happy. In fact, you're going to know Christ and never be happier than in your entire life is even have perfect days and it's always going to be easy. It is going to be deep. Joy and contentment in the things of God and who got is what people do as they say. The ultimate purpose in life is to pursue happiness. And if anything gets in the way of my happiness cuz I'm going to go around it and your God gets in the way of my happiness. If what I got to not be good, and why would I want to follow him? I thought process will think I will do I will go whatever route to be happy. And they get a whiff of what it means to follow after God and they think nope not for me because I know the path to life. When they mock when they start the Lord, they will find any excuse not to believe. That's what people do. Any excuse to not believe? And the church is corrupt. So is your government's so is your leadership so is everywhere else you go in the world is called since a big problem, right? The scriptures. How could you dare believe in there? So outdated archaic ancient old thoughts. We've progressed past bats and what they do is the calm and the mark on his ideas of how can you believe let me prove you wrong and they're looking at everything Christianity and let me tell you what is wrong with it. That's what scoffers that's what mockers will do. They'll never see the things that are amazing and incredible in somebody's life has been changed by Jesus Christ and what it actually does and reordering our lives and causes us to live differently and live outwardly and live in a way where love flows from us because we now have something new inside of us that is radically changed us. There's a Christ has done as he's coming to our hearts and our lives speech changes our desires. You doesn't just simply say stop. These bad habits pretty is the fuel that changes the desires in our life. Let me give this analogy in good old Redmond, Oregon. Redneck Redmond hair we go. We all have a good diesel engine here right away Men We love a good diesel engine what happens if you put regular gas in a diesel engine. It ain't going anywhere. It's going to just simply tire out. You might get a little bit down the road. Maybe if you're lucky and you still got some fumes are running. This is what happened in the fall. God create us to live and act a certain way in to be in relationship with him. When we said us not you we took the wrong Fuel and put it into our lives and the world is now trying to run on that fuel and it is absolute chaos. It's disaster. is oppression Is abuse is mistreating of humans destroying of this good creation that God has given us when somebody becomes a follower of Jesus. The Bible says, you're not a new creation in Christ. You take that analogy that ruined engine that makes the truck go is taken out in a brand new one is put back in and the right fuel is now inside of you. That is what God has done in US And we have our entire life reordered and we live much differently now, we're not perfect at that and I understand breakdown and analogies. Nothing is perfect has changed our heart and it's working towards with Peter is talking about here becoming the new creation of what God is going to do now, why are scarf like this because they do not see The Return of Christ and judgment as reality. That is never going to happen the vast majority of the world thinks life is just cyclical is just going to keep going in circles and going in circles until we just accidentally blow this plan about somehow and now there's plans to live on the moon. Right? So we got all these different ideas and space station, but people think life is just simply going to continue as it always has

you're silly ideas and God that judges every human being hold to some form and some belief in a God that judges and it shows in which the way they live their life because if they did not they would not try to even have an ounce of morality and then they would have no care for a single human being around femme. My kids me my wife we live on a mini Farm. Look at the animal kingdom do they care about one another? No, they do not we've seen dogs ripped apart deer. We've had goats necks last we get it. We see it and if her modeling art lies after nature, it creates a massive problem nature does not declare that Justice is such a thing. We should Cry 4 or something that we should work towards and we just evolve from nothing. How is it then that we have the standard of morality place in us if we came from nature we should model life after nature, but we do not do that. We all have this desire for a charge for justice and for things to be made, right? Brillion Peter's day here. There was a group of people and they existed way back in like 363 BC area for the epicureans and have philosophical thought and they basically thought we're just a bunch of and then we die we go back to nothing and maybe that there are the gods but they have no role no play Snow Play in our lives today. We exist apart from one another they do exist as what they would say and they lived in such a way that they said judgment is not necessary do whatever you please live your life. However, you want it the same philosophy that has infiltrated culture today and it's this idea that just live it up now and be the best version of you that you can be and that didn't is the good life because there is no God returning. And what does Peter say he says live your life and light of the Ultimate Reality. The Ultimate Reality is there is a judge and your heart cries out for this judge. There is going to be Justice. And there is really truly as was she at the end of this one way of Escape. Since earlier in second Peter, he used the example of Noah. He said, you know what they were doing in the day of Noah, they were eating and drinking and marrying every living in such a way. There is no way God will judge us. There is no way anything bad is going to come our way. Get in Genesis 6 if you read The Narrative there were told numerous times that the people were corrupt that are causing pain and a hurt on one another. And Peter breathe in this example saying remember remember this God who is going to return it was going to come the best thing you can do is remember computer wants you to use your mind. There's a battle for your mind. False teachers one it's scoffers a tacit. And God says remember something really practical this morning. We're at community group this last week and somebody talked about how over the last couple of months. They just been believing lies about themselves. Mr. David, sat down and wrote out these lies, they believe and then went through scripture and replaced it for the truth of God says about us. So why is that people leave? I'll tell you what there are moments and I believe I just pathetic and worthless the dumps like that.

What does Scripture say say about us? You are God's beloved. You are fearfully and wonderfully made. That don't get you were a sinner Christ died for you. There are days when I feel like I can't get anything. Right and I've just failed and he says you are righteous You Are Holy you are mine. And we begin to see ourselves after the truth is not Oprah is amore. It's just positive thinking and all the sudden the world that just butterflies and rainbows and everything is better. Only believe the truth of the scripture to combat the lies of the world that changes how we view everything around us and every orders us. There's a battle for your mind. What lies have you believed? This last week has last month this last year. I'm telling you. They determine how you're living your life. What lies about alternate realities?

Do you believe and here specifically Peter says there are many of you who are living in such a way that you don't believe that God is going to come back. Chief we live in a way in which we actually believe Christ returns. It changes everything and how we live our lives. I'll tell you what when you go at the end of the day prices going to return and there will be Justice had twenty bucks this week. Not that big of a deal. I can forgive them those relationships. It tells me in Light of Christ coming back. I should not be a proud person. I should be a forgiving person in a loving and caring kind of person I should not be so prideful to wreck and ruin relationships, but some of us are forgetting it was not the only life you're going to have those not the only money you're going to have. These are not the only friendship you're going to have Emily for shake and neglect that we need to be reminded today. But in Light of Christ returning it ought to have a great influence and impact in our lives in that same vein. We didn't also see huge value in pursuing God. suing God spending time getting to know God anytime under the authority of his word and shirts with other believers and infellowship did all things are going to see the summer habits and rhythms that constantly put us in our place before God and said he has a reminder on our minds. He's our opportunities to remember him. We Believe really believe that Christ is coming back as Peter talks about her we actually would work like Jesus is coming back be faithful like Jesus is coming back treat others like Jesus is coming back repent like Jesus is coming back and show Grace Like Jesus is coming back it would reshape our entire lives

Holy changes, what else do we say in here? We see in the stacks at the nature of God and the plan of God, you know, I try to think about it one of those questioned mmbn5 and we're driving to Portland. I was with my mom and dad and I went to my mom and I asked her the what was before God question and that's when any parent looks dark and goes. Yeah. I don't know. I don't know that's really hard to answer child. That's difficult. Always was. Always has been. Always will be so there's your theological answer and I want to rest unlike God we are fine. I can only understand this time and this space and this place and your peter begins to answer this question on why is God moving so slow is a few things here. I don't take his kindness for weakness. Don't take this slowness. For granted but he hasn't returned yet. He says it may seem slow to you. But a day is as a thousand years is a thousand years is to add a God is outside of this time space continuum that we are placed in and he's being incredibly patients. And if you've been saved in the last six months you say amen. God has been incredibly patient and thank you and do you know sitting in this church there people that have been saved in that timeline. Is there a mocker C the why isn't he coming back? And he says because I am being slow and patient because I want you to repent and turn to Christ. I'm giving you this grace to sit in these seats today to hear the message of the gospel because you need Jesus and he's rescuing and Rance me and he's calling people to himself Fair people my wife and I are praying for right now, and I'll get to tell god with a timeline. Play desperately pleading with God to be patient with them that they may come to repentance and Christ. Jesus was an incredible invitation for everyone on the table here is that God is merciful and long-suffering and patience and he's been holding out so that you might believe. But you might believe. Also In this passage, there's a day coming when all things will be made new and he gives this analogy and he says what he'll come like a thief in the night. Anytime there's always this two-word surrounding it and it is stay awake and be alert. It's always reading into this message. Remember that he's coming be fighting than to stay awake to be alert to his coming now. If you know a thief is coming into your house at 2 a.m. I'm sorry, but you're not snuggle up to your body. Pillow. Point. Are you not one of you are okay?

Deciding which one you're going to talk first and I I get it and you already moved the kids around because you're like I know where I can shoot and it won't hit them while they're sleeping. Come on, see if I'm ready for you. If you're allergic you're ready. You're awake you're prepared with so many Christians are being lulled to sleep entertain me satisfy me feel me don't bore me here on a Sunday do something for me. I'm telling you UV active you be alert, you be awake. You pursue Christ you seek after have you evangelize to your children and Neighbors? See what we're here to equip the Saints doing courage you in all things of the Gospel. God is inviting us all into this Mission. You say wake up o sleeper. She says it's in Ephesians.

Luke be a part of this Grand drama that God has called you in to be alert. What does that look like the alert and serious about growing and Holiness in this text, but you're alive live in such a different way in the world around you there's got to be a seriousness of Leaning into his grace and your life be fueled by that Grace to walk in light as a second coming is not OG better get it all cleaned up before I step in the door. Somebody's going to know something's wrong with me know it took me into his grace and depending on it knowing you can actually come into this place to worship this job because of what he has done not what you have done. Number to close out with this this morning. It leads to love. At least a lot when we think about the second coming and being ready Hebrews 10:24 through 25. Let us consider how to stir one another up to love and good works not neglecting to meet together at the habit of some but encouraging one another and all the more as you see the day Drawing Near.

Time is Drawing Near. To be stirred up from Love and for good works. Last week I got to go to lunch with a friend of mine and we were just talking about this idea of love and and don't hear me wrong in this but please hear me this morning. When a lot of people looking at the church and they want to even maybe critique the church a lot of the thoughts are you need to be doing more in the community and you need to do more efforts to raise money to do all kinds of great things to benefit the people out there. That's all great and excellent things in good ideas. But Jesus said these words they will know you are my disciples by your love for one another. Think this through with me, he did not say by your community projects He did not say by the street corner signs at all of us kind of passed out in our like oh my goodness. He's not one of ours. I promise. right He did not say by your excellent preaching are good worship services are that you got fog lights in a fancy stage set an all the rest. He said by Your Love Good. Deeds are the fruits get when they're done in a mechanical fashion. We're not going to actually be building up and delighting in God, but they are Lovelace Deeds though. They are Deeds. We can't just put Deeds first, but we put love first Deeds or actions based on love. These are actions based on love. What would it look like if we really loved one another in here well I just want you to process that for a moment just didn't hear. I think it would change a lot about not only us but away the others perceive us from the outside when I talk to you guys about evangelism what comes to mind. I'll tell you when it's something I don't want to do like, oh my goodness. Are we going to have to go downtown and hold a track and give it to a stranger and then tell them Jesus loves them. I'm not saying that hasn't worked. All right, but we conjure up the sting. I better go do I have to go do I have this pressure on me? Let me tell you something in that early church people were looking in to see what was going on. It was written about the early Christians, but not only did they love each other so well, but they even love those who were not their own taking in the orphan and the Widow and a copy attention of writers like Josephus the recorded this in history because of the way they actually love each other. How can I be a part of that evangelism would feel less like a sales pitch and more like a proclamation when we love well. Not going to be feeling like a card salesman. Sorry no offense for anybody else in here. If I say no offense can't take offense, right? That's how it works or not this last weekend. To do this you have to in this high-pressure to let me tell you why we love each other this way.

Have to stir you up to remember this as we get so programmed into how we do life and they forget that this is not just about you. I forget that this is actually the body of Christ and where to care for one another and what to do it extraordinary. Well extremely well.

We're to love one. Another love isn't static love always moves us. How do we do that? We encourage each other and we stir each other up to love. Navigate to manifest itself in many different ways in this church. My call this morning is to stir us up to that love I want to speak into your life into my life. I want to encourage you and allow you to even encourage others to love other people extremely well and not just with our mouths, but also with our actions. The author of Hebrews goes on and says don't neglect getting together at same passage. One of the ways we're going to be stirred up and put a remembrance of this is as we gather together with one another something profoundly spiritual happens when We Gather in his name. God is stirring us up. This time on Sundays and Powerful time in community group is so important time spent just in discipleship and train with one. Another is going to fuel your walk with Christ and I want to encourage you to engage and those things and I want to remind you when you fail because every human does fail there's a human the God man who did not fail because he did not we have great. Hope that is the help of the Gospel that is the proclamation we ate today. I don't have to sell any of y'all on and I'm just telling you Jesus is so good. So kind so patient so slow not wishing that any would perish but that all would come to him in eternal life and he's extending opportunity to each and every person in here to be partakers as Peter says in the divine nature and it's an invitation. I want to want invite those of you who do not know God to To it's a reminder to those of you who do know Christ the simply just been living your days. Not in light of his return. Just going through the motions and made his fuel your heart to be encouraged by him as prime or thank you for your word for the hope that we have in Jesus. I'm working our lives change us encourage us teach redeemers to love each other. Well, the other is lookin want to be a part of that new. We simply just Proclaim power of God to the Gospel of Jesus Christ to them and see you do a mighty work in others lives. Probably desire to worship you now to praise you in Jesus name. Amen.