2 Peter 3 01 10

The Certainty of Christ’s Return

2 Peter 3:1-10

Introduction:

The Christian’s greatest hope and expectation is the return of Christ

Jesus promised it:  John 14:1-3

Angel’s promised it:  Acts 1:9-11

Disciples remembered it

                           2 Timothy 4:8

                           Revelation 22:7, 12, 20 Jesus reminds John

                           This caused them to endure and push on in ministry

Peter writes (1) to stir up our minds to remembrance:

1)      It wakes us up:  Christians tend to get lulled to sleep, apathetic

                              *We live the same day after day

                              *Pray for many of the same things with not eternal value

                              *Daily grind, grinds on

      Paul said it was high time to wake up!! Romans 13:11

2)      It helps us to examine our priorities:  See what is really important

1. Scoffing at Christ’s return
2. Delay in Christ’s return
3. Manner of Christ’s return

I.                   Scoffing at Christ’s return 1-7

1.      Their walk:  They follow their own lusts

They are seeking what is good for them

To admit to the certainty of Christ’s return would condemn them

2.      Their talk:

Where is the promise of His coming?

All things are as they were!

Put yourself in their shoes:

      Many had preached that His coming was at hand

      Now 30 years later many had died, still Jesus had not come

Many use the same argument today as well

3.      Their ignorance:  Willful v. 5

They purposefully chose not to remember

With political season if full swing it reminds us how people see things

1)      God created the world:  It is His

2)      God destroyed the world v. 6

         Already referred to Noah

         How many mocked in his day?

         Yet still judgment came anyway

Assurance:  Now preserved by the same word v. 7

II.                 The delay in Christ’s return vv. 8-9

1.      God’s timing is not our timing v. 8

*This passage is not to be used to teach 6000 years of creation

*Not used to figure out that it has only been 2 days

*Is used to show God’s time is not our time.

God is eternal:  Time doesn’t have a hold on Him as it does us.

                        *Example of parent and child’s timing

We think that 2000 years is a long time:  Compared to our lifetime it is

                        But compared to eternity it is nothing

Hymn 187 Amazing Grace

2.      God’s mercy is not our mercy v. 9

Scoffers look at time and say that He is not coming

But the Lord is not slack, He is however merciful

1)      Not willing that any should perish

Ezekiel 18:23

“Do I have any pleasure at all that the wicked should die?” says the Lord GOD, “and not that he should turn from his ways and live?

2) Is willing that all would come to repentance  Ezekiel 18:32

“For I have no pleasure in the death of one who dies,” says the Lord GOD. “Therefore turn and live!”

This gives our witnessing great importance:  It was what God desires greatly!!

III.              The Manner of Christ’s return v. 10

                  Suddenly and unexpectedly

George Gallup in Religion in America from the Leadership Magazine said,

“Biblical prophecy provides some of the greatest encouragement and hope available to us today.  Just as the Old Testament is saturated with prophecies concerning Christ’s first advent, so both testaments are filled with references to the second coming of Christ.  On scholar has estimated that there are 1,845 references to Christ’s second coming in the Old Testament, where 17 books give it prominence.  In the 260 chapters of the New Testament, there are 318 references to the second advent of Christ—an amazing 1 out of 30 verses.  Twenty-three of the 27 New Testament books refer to this great event.  For every prophecy in the Bible concerning Christ’s first advent, there are 8 which look forward to His second!”