Supernatural Waiting
Notes
Transcript
ME: Intro - Sister’s wedding rehearsal
ME: Intro - Sister’s wedding rehearsal
I am not sure how many of you know this about me,
But I married my sister.
Yea, I married her and her husband.
I was the officiant for their wedding,
What did you think I meant?
Being a young pastor,
I have not officiated many weddings,
In fact, my sister’s wedding was the first wedding I officiated.
When preparing for the wedding,
Naturally, I was focused on the ceremony.
I wanted to have what I would say prepared,
I wanted to make sure I had their vows ready,
I wanted to ensure the safekeeping of the rings,
And I wanted to be sure of how the ceremony would be organized.
So, I had all of those things ready.
They got married on a gorgeous sunny day out on Long Island during the summer.
So, I went out a couple days early,
Feeling relatively ready for the ceremony.
My lack of experience didn’t hit me until the rehearsal the night before.
We rehearsed under a tent where the reception was going to be,
Instead of the actual ceremony location.
The wedding party did not start where they would actually start for the ceremony.
The only direction I gave them was to go to the back of the tent in a line,
And when the music started,
March to the front of the tent in order.
In my mind, that made sense.
But then the first pairing got to the front of the tent,
And you could see the uncertainty and borderline panic of what to do next on their faces.
Before they could figure out where to go and what to do,
The next pairing was already on their heels.
Suddenly, we had a logjam at the alter,
And nobody knew where they were supposed to be end up.
The chaos of the wedding party’s uncertainty may seem silly at first,
But the problem was none of them knew where they were suppose to end up.
Fortunately, they were all very gracious and flexible.
We restarted by having everyone line up where they would end up.
Once everyone knew where they were supposed to go,
We were able to start over,
Everyone marched in much more certain,
Because they knew where they were going to end up.
This works when rehearsing a wedding,
And it works in life as well.
When you have confidence in where you are going to end up,
You are able to march toward it with greater certainty.
In 2 Peter 3:11-18, Peter transitions from philosophical argument,
To practical application of Supernatural Waiting.
Three specific applications Peter gives are:
Ought to be Holy (vs. 11-14)
Make Your Days Holy (vs. 15-16)
Do Not be Unholy (vs. 17-18)
Knowing where you end up empowers you to march toward it with confidence.
WE: Ought to be Holy (vs. 11-14)
WE: Ought to be Holy (vs. 11-14)
I am sure you have heard the saying,
“If it looks like a duck, walks like a duck, and quacks like a duck,
Then it’s probably a duck!.”
Likewise,
However we look, act, and speak indicates a lot about who we are.
Throughout this letter,
Peter has been saying if a person does not look like a disciple, walk like a disciple, and speak like a disciple,
Then they are not a disciple!
They are a false teacher who rejects the idea of Christ’s return in judgment,
Resulting in a new heaven and new earth.
Their sensual lifestyle gives evidence about who they are.
They dismiss Christ’s return so that they can live however they want.
When we understand that our world is heading toward judgment day,
It will influence the way we live as we march toward that day.
For this reason,
Peter’s first point of application is that we Ought to be Holy in vs. 11-14.
Peter is telling us that if we walk like a disciple and talk like a disciple,
Then it will indicate that we are disciples.
Remember that Christ is coming,
Because understanding where we are going,
Enables us to march confidently toward Christ’s judgment,
By living holy lives.
Because we know that salvation is coming for we who trust in Christ.
Dr. Jim Shaddix summarizes;
“The basic idea of 3:11-14 is that a right view of Christ’s second coming should lead to ethical living in the present.”
In other words,
Since Jesus is coming back to judge the wicked and deliver the righteous,
Then we ought to be holy while we are waiting.
Peter approaches this idea by looking at the world around us.
In vs. 11, he says that since everything we see is going to be destroyed,
And Jesus is going to judge the living and the dead,
How should we live?
Randy Alcorn wrote a book titled Money, Possessions, and Eternity.
We should not live for money,
Nor should we live for possessions,
Material things,
Because they are all temporary,
We are going to lose all these things.
We will not be able to take them with us.
This should affect the way we look at our physical lives.
Everything here is temporary,
We are strangers and aliens in this world!
When we understand that everything we see with our eyes,
And everything we can touch and feel are temporary,
It causes us to live a certain way.
It causes us to live for the third option,
Eternity.
This makes it clear what sort of people we ought to be.
We ought to be holy and godly people.
Peter is reaching back into vs. 7 and 10,
Reiterating the promise of Christ returning as a burning fire,
Consuming everything in the world.
Since our world is only temporary,
We ought to live godly lives.
Both internally and externally.
Internally, we seek to be holy through sanctification.
We put sin to death,
We do not live for the lust of the eyes,
The lust of the flesh,
And the boastful pride of life.
Because everything here is temporary!
Externally, we seek to advance the gospel.
Because when Christ returns,
He will judge and destroy all that is evil.
But Christ’s return does not only bring destruction,
That would leave us miserable.
No, the entire gospel motivates us to live holy lives,
Because the driving force of the Gospel is God’s grace.
Until we are living the eternal conclusion of the gospel,
Peter simply says we wait.
Waiting is a repeated theme in the closing verses of 2 Peter.
Three times in three verses Peter talks about waiting.
This provides a different reason for why we ought to be holy.
Because this is not just a bland boring waiting,
Sitting in a waiting room, listening to a clock tick.
No, this is an anxious waiting.
There is to be an appropriate fear or trepidation,
Yet we ultimately are looking forward to the day when Christ returns.
We should be excited about it!
There is an eagerness for it to come.
Not looking forward to the destruction necessarily,
But looking forward to what comes on the other side of the destruction.
Similar to what Hebrews 12:2 says,
For the joy that was set before Him,
Christ endured the cross.
So, what exactly should we be looking forward to?
The earth being made new,
No more death, disease, decay, or disasters.
The redeemed in glory.
The fulfillment of God’s promises.
Wow!
That is going to be unspeakably incredible!
We long for that!
Peter is insistent that our anticipation of Christ’s return should spur us on to holy living.
As we wait for Christ’s return,
Peter says we ought to also hasten its coming.
Speed up Christ’s coming.
What is Peter suggesting when he says “hastening the coming”?
Some translations simply say eagerly awaiting.
But the original Greek word means hastening or hurrying.
What does that mean?
Okay, I want to speed Christ’s coming, let’s do it,
But how?
Peter seems to be introducing this cycle of holiness.
Holy living is spurred on by anticipation of perfect holiness in the future.
Now, Peter seems to imply that the perfect holiness in the future is somehow spurred on by holy living.
This sounds crazy!
Peter somehow seems to believe that Christians can somehow speed up the day of the Lord by living holy lives.
The day of Christ’s return is determined by God and His sovereignty.
So, what could Peter be talking about?
He is talking about Christ’s return happening after other events ordained by God.
Jesus said in Mark 13:10 “And the gospel must first be proclaimed to all nations.”
So, God’s merciful delay is waiting on the evangelization of His children.
This means we hasten its coming through evangelism and missions.
Back in vs. 9, Peter already made it clear that the Lord is waiting for all to repent.
He is waiting for His people to be saved.
So, what is our role?
Our role is to be witnesses.
The way we hasten the coming of the day of God is by sharing the Gospel,
Seeking out all who will repent.
Once the number of God’s people who have yet to repent hits zero,
Then the day of Christ’s return will come.
Again we see the call to live in this tension of the unknown sovereignty of God,
And the responsibility given to us as His people.
Above all, it is an encouraging teaching from Peter,
Because it is telling us that our actions as Christians matter.
God uses our actions for His sovereign purposes.
This is incredible!
It is unusual for Peter to refer to the day of the Lord as the day of God here.
Peter likely refers to Christ’s return as the day of God,
Because he has such a high view of Christ,
That Christ is God Himself.
Despite referring to this time as the day of God,
Do not be confused,
It refers to the same time when Christ comes to judge sin and restore creation.
We are waiting for God’s eternal righteousness to dwell in what the Bible calls the new heavens and a new earth,
Which Isaiah 65:17 prophesies;
“For behold, I create new heavens and a new earth, and the former things shall not be remembered or come into mind.
And John was given a vision of in Rev. 21:1
Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and the sea was no more.
This is a new creation!
This is what we are looking forward to!
This is what motivates us to live holy lives.
For we who are in Christ,
We long for this day with great anticipation!
We are not eagerly anticipating the punishment of the wicked,
Rather, we are anticipating the new creation,
A world where righteousness dwells.
This seems to communicate a union between heaven and earth.
As in, the eternal state is heaven on earth.
The new heavens and new earth are one.
It is when God’s throne is established on earth.
We are looking forward to this home of righteousness,
Where there is no sin.
This is God’s intention for creation.
We ought to be holy now in anticipation of the holiness we will experience upon Christ’s return.
Preparing for perfect holiness in the future produces personal holiness in the present.
The fact that we are headed for a holy eternity,
Means we ought to be holy now.
When we do not have this hope of eternal life,
How can we expect to be holy?
Why would we expect to be holy?
Without the promise of a holy eternity,
What is the point of being holy in the present?
Peter’s point is that we have that hope!
Therefore, we have every reason to be holy.
Think for a moment about all the things you are doing in your life,
And ask if this reflects how you will live in eternity.
Or think about all the things you are not doing in your life,
And as if this reflects how you will live in eternity.
If some of the things that came to mind do not reflect how you will live in eternity,
Repent!
Confess it to God!
Trust in the grace of Jesus Christ to forgive you for it!
And march toward holiness!
This is the idea Peter shifts toward in preparation of his closing exhortations and commendation in vs. 14.
Writing, therefore, dear friends,
While waiting for the new heavens and new earth,
Make every effort to be holy in God’s sight.
Exercise diligence in being spotless and blameless,
And, perhaps best of all,
At peace with God.
Without spot is a command to be diligent that you may be found without fault.
It is the description given for Christ the lamb in 1 Pet. 1:19.
It is remaining without any blemishes from the world.
This is practical present holiness Peter is talking about.
It is godly behavior,
It is the way we act and think,
It is the things we do and don’t do.
When we live this way,
We will be found at peace with God.
We will be right with God.
We will enter His presence with joy!
This also combines the tension we talked about last week.
Because Christ will come like a thief,
There is no way to know when His coming will be here.
Nonetheless, believers are still called to pursue holy living in this world in anticipation of His coming,
While not knowing when He will come.
This is a consistent message throughout the NT,
To live holy lives.
Romans 8:13 says;
For if you live according to the flesh you will die, but if by the Spirit you put to death the deeds of the body, you will live.
The deeds of the body are tied to this physical world that is going to perish.
Think differently about our physical bodies and the desires and feelings with it.
Control these physical deeds of the body with eyes of faith,
That see what is coming.
The call is to live a clear, holy, spotless life.
And going back to the beginning of Peter’s letter,
God has given us everything we need for life and godliness,
Everything we need for this!
When we are confident about where we are going,
It produces a response of practical holy living.
GOD: Make Your Days Holy (vs. 15-16)
GOD: Make Your Days Holy (vs. 15-16)
You know the movie, Dead Poets Society?
Robin Williams plays the role of John Keating,
An English professor who inspires his students at an all boys’ school to love poetry,
And to make improved changes in their lives.
There is one scene where Keating is showing his students these pictures on display in the schools trophy case.
The pictures are alumni who have since passed away.
While staring at the pictures,
Keating hopes to drive home how short life can be,
And the need to make the most of it.
So, he says to the boys,
“If you listen real close, you can hear them whisper their legacy to you. Go on, lean in. Listen, you hear it?—Carpe—hear it?—Carpe, carpe diem, seize the day, boys, make your lives extraordinary.”
Keating did not want his students to miss the chance to take advantage of the days that had been given to them.
Likewise, Peter does not want believers to miss this chance either.
His second application in vs. 15-16 is for believers to make your days holy until Jesus comes back.
He tells us to pursue salvation for both ourselves and others,
Leveraging the writings of Paul to convince us,
And he warns us about those who make their days unholy by distorting the truth.
As we wait for Christ’s return,
We ought to be holy,
And, Peter continues in vs. 15-16,
We must count God’s patience as our salvation.
Circling back to the point he made in vs. 9,
God is waiting to save people.
But false teachers say Christ’s delay is reason to doubt whether He is coming at all.
Therefore, they say you can live however you want.
Peter is exhorting believers to be different.
To recognize God’s patience as an opportunity to work out your salvation with fear and trembling,
Not as an opportunity for reckless and immoral living.
God’s patience is not only for your own salvation,
It is a call for evangelism and missions.
It is a call to reach people for Christ while there is time.
It is a call to get busy!
To get busy with the great commission,
To go into the world and multiply disciples.
This is one of the most important things believers can be doing while waiting for Christ to return.
Jesus is waiting for this,
He said so in Matt. 24:14
And this gospel of the kingdom will be proclaimed throughout the whole world as a testimony to all nations, and then the end will come.
So, pursue salvation for everyone!
Paul similarly wrote in Rom 2:4, “Or do you presume on the riches of [God’s] kindness and forbearance and patience, not knowing that God’s kindness is meant to lead you to repentance?”
The Apostle Paul understood the patience of the Lord as salvation.
He wrote much about this.
Peter talks about how Paul wrote according to the wisdom granted to him.
Peter is claiming that the Apostle Paul was inspired by God,
Making his letters God’s Word.
He continues this thought when he refers to other Scriptures at the end of vs. 16.
He is saying that Paul’s letters are on the same level of authority as the inspired writings of the OT.
To put it simply,
Peter is saying that Paul’s letters are Scripture.
Peter was not alone in this.
Paul himself suggests this in multiple letters.
When he introduces himself in Rom. 1:1 “Paul, a servant of Christ Jesus, called to be an apostle, set apart for the gospel of God,”
And Gal. 1:1 “Paul, an apostle—not from men nor through man, but through Jesus Christ and God the Father, who raised him from the dead—”
He also wrote in 1 Cor. 2:13 “And we impart this in words not taught by human wisdom but taught by the Spirit, interpreting spiritual truths to those who are spiritual.”
But just because Paul was writing Scripture,
Does not mean his writings are easy to understand.
The basics of the Gospel,
What we sometimes call milk,
Are relatively easy for us to understand.
If you read it, you should be able to get it.
But Paul does teach some things that are pretty difficult to interpret.
Some of what Paul writes is very hard to understand.
I love that Peter includes this fact.
This is such a humble and relatable encouragement!
I am not the only one who struggles to understand everything the Bible says!
Peter reveals that he,
A Spirit-filled apostle of the early church,
And likely other early church believers,
Struggled to understand some of what Paul wrote.
So, if you struggle to understand the Bible,
You are in good company.
We can be okay with not understanding everything in the Bible.
We can have confidence that even though we may not understand something,
We still have everything we need for life and godliness.
But Peter is quick to acknowledge that this does not make misinterpreting Scripture acceptable.
We are better off admitting when we do not know what a text means,
Rather than distorting a text to make it say what we want.
It takes effort to comprehend Scripture.
We must put forth the mental effort to understand.
It does not take effort to twist God’s Word to make it say what we want.
That is what the ignorant and unstable do.
Basically, Peter is saying that false teachers have taken Paul’s letters,
And distorted them knowingly into false teachings.
It is not only Paul’s letters that get twisted to justify one’s immoral behavior.
Peter is expressing a wicked manipulation false teachers use to confuse and deceive.
Friends, do not overlook how evil the influence of false teachers is.
When a person falls prey to a false teachers influence,
They will do the same horrible things with the Bible as their false teacher,
They will twist the Bible to justify their immoral living.
May God give us the grace needed to establish ourselves in the truth of His Gospel!
We must show great care with our interpretation of the Scriptures,
Because it is the inspired Word of God.
Do not trifle with God’s Word,
Never twist Scripture for your own personal gain or selfish interests.
It is no innocent offense.
To do so will end in destruction.
This is a reference to hell.
Peter is saying that twisting God’s Word to justify licentious lifestyles will lead a person to hell.
Twisting God’s Word softens the edges of the gospel,
It abuses God’s grace.
Paul’s teaching that we are saved by grace through faith does not mean that we have freedom to live immorally.
This is more than minor interpretive errors.
It is a conscious choice to make their days unholy.
In the face of these false teachers,
Believers must put forth every effort toward evangelism and missions while you have time.
Use the time of God’s patience to get the gospel to every person who has not embraced it.
In other words,
Make your days holy!
YOU: Do Not be Unholy (vs. 17-18)
YOU: Do Not be Unholy (vs. 17-18)
Do not give in to the weight of false teaching.
This is the third and final application Peter gives,
He tells believer not to cave to the pressure of the scoffers.
In vs. 17, Peter gets personal as he addresses you.
He expresses a sense of responsive urgency to you.
Bringing everything together he has written in this letter,
He says, “you, therefore,”
Do not be unholy.
This command against unholiness is broken down into two complimentary commands,
He says to guard against being carried away by false teachers in vs. 17,
And Grow in Christ in vs. 18.
At this point,
Peter has given a fair warning about the presence false teachers.
He instructed us to be on guard,
And said do not be led astray.
Bringing those warnings full circle,
Peter says, since we know the ignorant and unstable will twist God’s Word,
He again warns us to be aware and be alert,
Be careful about those who distort Scripture.
They are taking the truth and pushing it outside of God’s boundaries.
Therefore, since we know this is coming,
Do not be carried away by the error of these lawless people.
These are the false teachers,
They are characterized by their lawless and immoral living.
Peter is writing to believers who are on the solid ground of truth.
He is telling us to avoid the false teachers.
If we get carried away by them,
We lose our stability.
This is not saying believers can lose their salvation.
It is a warning against our vulnerabilities.
We are weak,
And we are surrounded by dangerous and powerful enemies;
The world, the flesh, and the devil are a threatening trio.
Flee from them.
Peter is zealous for us to never let our guards down.
You have a responsibility to watch out for false teachings.
Because false teachers, and those who follow them,
Are bound for eternal torment.
Peter wants you to fight the good fight and to finish the race.
How do you do this?
You maintain your stability.
This communicates a sense of safety or steadfastness.
It is freedom from being indecisive.
God’s Word is constant and provides you with stability.
So, you must pay attention to Scripture,
Heed the warnings given in the Bible.
If you are carried away with lawless people,
You have no excuse,
Because you have been given God’s Word.
Peter’s purpose in warning you is to motivate you toward holiness,
Toward godly living.
And it takes endurance.
But endurance does not exist in isolation.
So, Peter contrasts his warning in vs. 17,
With his final appeal in vs. 18.
Instead of losing your stability and falling from the truth,
Peter encourages us to grow in Christ.
Like he said earlier in 2 Peter,
Make every effort to add Christian virtues to our faith.
Be sanctified,
Grow ever more into Christ-likeness.
Be made holy,
As Christ is holy.
Grow in the grace and knowledge of Jesus Christ.
Grace is the ministry of God to us through Christ.
This is the amazing grace that saves a wretch like me.
But grace is not this static reality limited to when you first trust in Christ and are forgiven of your sins.
Grace is dynamic,
It infuses God’s help into every part of your being,
Empowering you to live a gospel saturated life.
This was Peter’s blessing back in 2 Pet 1:2,
That God’s grace would be multiplied in your life.
Grace is the resource of God gifted to you that you might live out the gospel.
It is the foundation of your faith,
And you must constantly grow in it,
You must be strengthened by it.
Going back to what Peter said at the start of this letter,
God has gifted you all the heavenly resources you need to grow in Christlikeness.
By contrasting this against the warning in vs. 17,
Peter is saying that you run the risk of being carried away by lawlessness if you do not grow in the grace of Christ.
In addition to growing in grace,
Peter says to grow in the knowledge of Christ.
This knowledge of Christ has been a major theme of 2 Peter.
In 1:2, grace and peace are multiplied in the knowledge of Christ,
1:3 says all things for life and godliness are granted through the knowledge of Christ.
1:8 says that growing Christian virtues keep you effective and fruitful in the knowledge of Christ.
And 2:20-21 shows that those who deny Christ after having the knowledge of Him are worse off than those who never had the knowledge.
So, Peter is purposeful in closing his letter with the need to grow in the knowledge of Christ.
The natural Christian life is an ever-deepening experiential knowing of Christ.
Knowing Christ grows you and guards you against false teachings.
Michael Green comments here;
“The more we know Christ, the more we will invoke his grace. And the more we know about Christ, the more varied will be the grace we invoke.”
Growing in the knowledge of Christ is essential for maturing in Christ and guarding against false teaching.
Yes, this knowledge is understanding the truth of the gospel in our heads.
But it is an understanding that characterizes our entire lives.
It is noticeably different from a pretentious knowledge limited to information alone.
It is growing in our conformity to Christ.
Becoming more and more like Christ as you know Him,
And apply the things He teaches.
This is the desired outcome every time you study or read Scripture,
That you would grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ,
That you would be sanctified toward holiness.
After this,
Peter closes with a doxology that ascribes the glory of God to Christ,
Both now and for all eternity.
This doxology communicates the purpose of the natural Christian life.
Just like Peter said at the very beginning of His letter,
Jesus Christ is our God and Savior.
Our lives are to glorify Him now and for all eternity,
As we long for that day with great anticipation,
We glorify Christ with our lives.
We echo Peter’s final word,
Amen!
WE: Lord’s Table
WE: Lord’s Table
I learned after doing my sisters wedding rehearsal,
That you start where you are going to end up.
Peter demonstrates the same lesson with his letter.
He started the letter where he ends it.
He prayed that grace and peace be multiplied through the knowledge of Christ.
He ended with the call to grow in the grace and knowledge of Christ.
He started by saying that God called us by His own glory and excellence,
He ends with a blessing,
Saying to Him be glory now and for all eternity.
This is similar to the gospel,
It starts where it ends.
It started with Christ coming to earth.
It will come to completion with Christ coming to earth.
Yet, these two comings are radically different.
When Jesus comes again,
He will come as the conquering Lord in all glory and honor.
He will come to punish the wicked and gather His people.
Knowing where you end up empowers you to march toward it with confidence.
When Christ first came,
He came as the suffering servant in all humility.
He came to die for the wicked, for the sins of His people.
The night Jesus was betrayed,
He gathered together with His closest friends to institute the Lord’s Table.
After teaching on the Lord’s Table,
The Apostle Paul said in 1 Cor. 11:26
For as often as you eat this bread and drink the cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death until he comes.
Until Christ comes back,
We are expected to live in a manner that is worthy of the gospel to which we have been called.
Participating in the Lord’s Table is an obedient example of this.
But it is also a blessed invitation we are accepting.
Ed Welch expresses this well,
He says the Lord’s Table is like Jesus saying,
“‘Come, live under my protection, enjoy a meal with me; it is my honor to treat you; let’s talk.’ That’s the gist of the Lord’s Table…it is a recurring event where heaven and earth meet.”
So, this morning,
All who trust Christ as their Savior are invited to partake of the Lord’s Table.
To participate is this event where heaven and earth meet,
To accept Christ’s invitation to eat and talk with Him.
If you have yet to place your trust in Christ,
Then the Lord’s Table is none of these things for you.
It is simply a small cracker and a sip of juice to you.
But that can change this moment.
You can trust in your heart that you have not followed God’s plan for your life,
Which means you have sinned.
And you can confess with your mouth that Christ died for your sins,
That He is your Lord and Savior.
If you do, you will then be welcomed to this table where heaven and earth meet,
You are invited to eat and talk with Jesus.
So, in just a moment,
I am going to lead in a word of prayer.
After I do, the table will be open.
While you come up,
We will have some music playing,
You are encouraged to just hold onto the bread and the cup for a moment.
Use that time to talk with Jesus,
Thank Him for the gospel, for His grace, for knowing Him.
Confess any sins or disobedient ways,
Ask that you might grow in grace and knowledge of Him,
Pray for His long-awaited return.
After you have some time to talk to Jesus,
I will return to the pulpit,
And we will partake of the Lord’s Table together.
Pray.
In 1 Cor. 11:24, Paul writes;
1 Corinthians 11:24 (ESV)
and when [Christ] had given thanks, he broke [the bread], and said, “This is my body, which is for you. Do this in remembrance of me.”
So, together we eat.
Paul continues in 1 Cor. 11:25;
In the same way also he took the cup, after supper, saying, “This cup is the new covenant in my blood. Do this, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of me.”
So, together we drink.