Mockers wil Mock

ILLUST: Predictions

We love predictions - Israel, worldwide events - FORGET THEM

Look at actual Biblical predictions, clearly spelled out

MOCKERS - clearly prophesied as an end times sign

Should not be surprised or concerned

-annoyance, heckler, in a repeated manner

Mockers base their assertions/annoyance on the lack of God’s intervention in the world (past, present, future)

But they forget or ignore:

Creation

Flood

End of history - coming judgment

Dealing with Mockers

1) 3:2 - return to teaching, doctrine, remembering what God has done

Why does the OT speak so much about Day of the Lord?

So that people would remember! Guide their lives

2) 3:3 - Realize that the very presence of mockers is assuring!

Evidence that His coming is near!

False teahers/prophets among the flock is not new

1 Tim 4:1-5, 2 Tim 3:1-9, Jude 18, Acts 20:29-30

Acts 20:29–30 NASB95

“I know that after my departure savage wolves will come in among you, not sparing the flock; and from among your own selves men will arise, speaking perverse things, to draw away the disciples after them.

3) 3:4 - See what they say, specifically

“Where is the promised coming?” (parousia)

(they know it was promised, clear then)

That’s THEM, what about us?

If WE say it, doubting God, it wears God out (see Malachi)

They deny past intervention by God

THEREFORE: they deny any future action

So live for now, it’s fine - don’t want to miss out, you know?

People also us the fear of dying to prompt you to forsake Godly ways and live for now, for yourself...

POINT: God has indeed intervened personally - FOR YOU

and He will again! (More on that in a bit)

SUMMARY POINTS from the passage

TRUTH - believers have died, they “sleep” and temporarily are dead in bodily form

Death - temporary

Life - forever

Mockers talk, talk, talk, and don’t pay attention to what they say

Invoke Creation, and then say He never did anything, for example

TRUTH - God formed the world from water, by water

KEY TRUTH - HOW? He spoke! His very Word

My debate with a modern day mocker

Fair - table/booth, introducing and inviting people

Ridiculed me for believing in literal Creation, literal Flood

His argument - I am a fool for trusting the Bible, when “science” is clear pointing to an old earth, evolution,

I pointed out that science actually points to truth of God’s Word

Reflecting what God has already done

Science can never explain how the universe came from nothing - by faith they believe it spontaneously came about

“Yeah, but OK, you say God did it. How?

HE SPOKE!

His Word explained EXACTLY how he did it!

God was an eyewitness to Creation, and He wrote it down for us

Presupposition - God is, and He revealed Himself to us

Anyway, this man at the fair

Really upset with me - called me a fool

So…I asked him if he accepted, believed in, Jesus’ literal Resurrection (1 Cor. 15, gospels, etc.)

YES

I told him that is scientifically impossible, science cannot possibly support a literal resurrection from the dead

So why believe that? He got mad and left

His mocking me was great assurance of what Peter is talking about, proof of this prophecy!

JESUS is coming back for believers!

CLOSING SUMMARY

God took action with Creation to bring about human life

We are special - that’s not arrogant - HE said it!

Creation is real - waters above and below

Flood was real - evidence abounds - waters below and above

Not a “natural disaster”

Not “local” - Gen. 7:20, 15 cubits above mountains (22 feet)

Judgment will come

Not by some natural disaster or man-made war

Not some metaphor/symbol

GOD INTERVENED IN THE PAST

Creation, Flood, JESUS!

And He will intervene again, judgment by fire

When? (tune in next time, Peter has an answer)