2 Peter 3 3-4 8-10 13 2005
Last Sunday – Sunday of Fulfillment
2 Peter 3:3-4, 8-10, 13
November 20, 2005
“Ready and Waiting”
After A Steinmann
Introduction: The last Sundays in the Church Year build to a climax with this Sunday, this also prepares us for the transition to Advent. These Sundays focus us on the second Advent, or coming, of our Lord, a theme that will shift to his first coming with the lessons for the First Sunday in Advent. The Sunday of the Fulfillment focuses us especially on our Lord’s fulfilling his promise to return and bring us into the new creation promised long ago through the prophets and confirmed by our Lord and his apostles. The basis for our meditation today are the words of St. Peter and our epistle lesson
Introduction: We all find it so easy to get caught up in our own lives and routines that many things escape our notice, even things that may prove to be important in the long run. One Christmas Eve during the Revolutionary War, with the Continental Army having been defeated at every major battle; British forces were so wrapped up in celebrating the holiday that something of great importance completely escaped their notice: George Washington had begun to move his troops for an attack that very night. Washington’s crossing of the Delaware and surprising the troops of the most powerful empire in the world not only won a victory that evening, but also was a major factor in gaining the support of France for the American cause. That eventually led to final victory at Yorktown, securing independence, several years later.
In our text today, Peter reminds us that we need to be aware of an even more important event that will not only shape human history, but also bring it to its climax: the coming of our Lord Jesus. He tells us that the world may be intentionally ignoring the promised return of our Savior, but we should ready, alert and aware that Jesus will indeed return in judgment.
I. Jesus’ promise to return should never escape our notice because it is certain to be fulfilled.
A. The world may mock and deride the Christian hope that looks for Jesus’ return. As Peter writes, “that scoffers will come in the last days, walking according to their own lusts and saying, “Where is the promise of His coming.” The world follows its own desires, not the Lord’s. The world may doubt Jesus’ promise to return. The world may claim that Jesus will not come, because things have always continued on their “natural course” ever since the world began. This has been the way of the world from the beginning of time, through the days of Noah as he built the Ark, and as the people scoffed at him.
B. We, too, may become discouraged and doubt Jesus’ promise. When the New Testament was written it sounded like they often expected Jesus return to be imminent, coming soon. Two-thousand years later we may look up the sky and hope that He will come tomorrow while wondering if it will be another two-thousand years. We face temptation. We may be seduced by the world’s apparent wisdom. Many people try to make earth into heaven by their own power. They say everything will be fine if we could just promote democracy throughout the world, bring justice, and feed the poor, end the wars. While this sounds good, and we should always promote peace, we know that injustice and poverty and war will never cease in our fallen world. When life goes badly for us, we may lose hope that Christ will ever return and make things right. It may seem like the hand of the Lord is slow to save us from the many trial that we face.
C. Still, Christ, the one who created all things, has promised us an eternal deliverance from this world. God is above all time, and his reckoning of the passing of time is always done with the welfare of his people in mind. Peter reminds us, “Beloved, do not forget this one thing, that with the Lord one day is as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day. The Lord is not slack concerning His promise, as some count slackness, but is long suffering towards us, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.” Christ’s seeming delay is motivated by his compassion. He does not want any to be lost eternally—since he died for all. He wants all to come to repentance.
Christ’s mercy is often mistaken by the world as a sign that his promise to return is untrue. Instead, Jesus calls us to daily contrition and repentance, so that, living in the forgiveness that comes from his grace toward us, we can be ready for his return—which certainly will come.
II. Jesus’ promise to return should never escape our notice because it is the joy and hope of all who are looking forward to it.
A. The Lord’s return will be unexpected, like a thief, just as Jesus told Peter and the disciples, as Jesus himself first said. A thief does not warn anyone when he is going to break into the home. Jesus does not tell us the time of his coming. And as those unprepared for a thief will suffer loss, so, when Jesus returns, those who are not looking for him will be lost eternally.
B. But when he does come, Jesus will bring a new heaven and a new earth, so, “Nevertheless we, according to His promise, look for new heavens and a new earth in which righteousness dwells.” Jesus will fulfill a promise he made first through Isaiah, “For behold, I create a new heavens and a new earth; and the former shall not be remembered or come to mind.” And, “I will rejoice in Jeruslem, and joy in My people; The voice of weeping shall no longer be heard in her, not the voice of crying.” The new heaven and earth will be a place of righteousness. Sin and its effects will be gone. We will live forever in a righteous world with the one who redeemed us. Therefore, it will be the place of perfect joy. All who are looking forward to Jesus’ return will be welcomed into this new heaven and earth. And this, then, is our hope every day in the meantime.
We want to be ready for Christ’s return. In fact, we long for it, because in the new creation God will wipe out all traces of sin and its effect, and we will live in his presence forever.
But for now we have to wait. Waiting can be hard. I for one , don’t like to wait. You can ask my wife and kids about that. When I want something, I want it now. It all stated when I was a child. I couldn’t wait until my legs no longer just dangled of the sofa when I would be tall enough for my feet to reach the floor. I couldn’t wait until my hands look like the strong hands of my Grandpa. I couldn’t wait to go fishing and I certainly couldn’t wait for my birthday and for Christmas to finally come around. But I had to wait none the less. And yes those days finally came around. Perhaps you have felt the same way at times in your life. Now I can’t wait to be with the Lord, when my journey through this veil of tears is over. That is why some of you have heard me say, 33 years and I’m out of here. No matter how long it is, I will just have to wait. We have to wait.
In the process God helps us wait. He reminds us that He always keeps His promises. He gives us His Holy Spirit for comfort and patience as He leads us to have faith in God’s promise and His Word. He helps us wait as He reminds us of all that He has done through His Son, our Lord Jesus Christ. God promised to send His Son, and He did. God promised to forgive ours sins through Jesus death on the cross, and He did. He promised to prepare a place for me in heaven, and He has. He promised to come again, so that where He is we will be also, and He will. While we wait He promises to sustain us through His Word and His own Son’s body and blood, through His love and the love that we share with each other. So the waiting isn’t as hard and sometimes it is even enjoyable.
Conclusion: so we are ready, unlike those who doubt or ignore Jesus’ promise to return in judgment, we look forward to it. Rather than being caught unaware of his return, we are ready every day as we remember the gifts of our Baptism, hope in the promises he has given us, and look forward to being delivered from this sinful world into the presence of our Savior.