God is Patient - Are We Busy?

ILLUST - “Time” joke - we want instant gratification

REMINDER - the importance of remembering what Jesus Christ has done, is doing, and what He yet will do

READ: 2 Peter 3: 8-10

OVERALL SUMMARY TODAY

Jesus not appearing in a certain time frame, according to our liking, should never dampen our faith. Just because He has not arrived yet does not mean He’s not coming.

The LORD is patient in His return. When He does return, it will be suddenly, and the world as we know it will be no more, dissolved by fire.

CRUCIAL TRUTHS ABOUT THE LORD

1) With the Lord, a day is like a thousand years

and a thousand years like a day (don’t forget to finish the verse/thought)

Psalm 90:4 NASB95

For a thousand years in Your sight Are like yesterday when it passes by, Or as a watch in the night.

POINTS:

Human lives are frail, short, and God does not get weaker with the passage of our time

God created time for us - He lives outside of that realm

Psalm 90 contrasts God’s eternity and the temporary aspect of human life

Is LIKE - the passing of a thousand years to us is metaphorically compared to a day for the LORD

“Eat like a bird.” “Eat like a horse”

PROBLEM

Humans are impatient - our expectations are NOW

Peter never stated WHEN Jesus return.

Neither did JESUS!

There is an ongoing tension between the imminence of His return and the uncertainty when He will

Jesus’ point? Keep busy surrendering to Me!

ASIDE:

Theistic evolution - God created, but used evolution - thousands of years, not 6 days (and they turn the thousands into billions)

JW.org - Creation days were 1000 years, and we might be in the 7000th year now - God has been resting

This passage says LIKE - and it begins and ends with DAY

To literally be a thousand-year day, Peter would be saying that judgment lasts 1000 years - nonsensical

POINT - God does not keep time as we do - this long time to us, agonizing at times, is a mere snap of the fingers of time to Him

2) God is not slow in keeping His promise

IF - He does not keep time as we do

THEN - He is not slow, or slacking, in keeping His promises!

ASIDE: How is His coming promised?

1 Thessalonians 4:17 NASB95

Then we who are alive and remain will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air, and so we shall always be with the Lord.

2 Thessalonians 2:1 NASB95

Now we request you, brethren, with regard to the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ and our gathering together to Him,

Isaiah, Jeremiah, Ezekiel, Zechariah, Daniel, Revelation

QUESTION: Why is His coming delayed? Why wait? (Peter explains)

God is patient with people

God is not willing that any should perish (apolesthai) - referring to eternal judgment

God desires everyone to come to repentance - necessary for eternal life

False teachers used God’s patience as an argument against Him, instead of prompting them to repentance

ASIDE: What about God’s will - salvation, repentance, judgment, etc.

God desires every person to repent - but He will not force them to

God desires salvation in everyone - having provided the sacrifice necessary - yet He does not save everyone

BOOK - Love wins” - heresy - Rob Bell - God will not leave anyone in Hell, everyone goes to Heaven. After all, God is loving...

Read Revelation 20:11ff - there are people who will not be saved - even though God desires that they would have repented

Ezekiel 18:32 NASB95

“For I have no pleasure in the death of anyone who dies,” declares the Lord God. “Therefore, repent and live.”

God ALWAYS - ALWAYS - provides the answer, the remedy, to judgment

3) How and When, then, will He come

There IS a final day coming, when the LORD will judge enemies and vindicate the righteous (repentant)

“Like a thief”

When people least expect it, nobody plans to be robbed - people think they are safe from harm, that is what the normal expectation is

Not necessarily at night, obviously

God tells us to live “prepared” for this unexpected, sudden, anytime return

Luke 13 teaches us to be ready

Three things will happen when that day comes

Heavens will disappear with a roar, like Is 34:4, being rolled up like a scroll

World elements destroyed by fire

Humans will be found before God for judgment

Judgment Seat of Christ - 2 Cor. 10: 5-9 passage

Great White Throne - Rev. 20 passage

SUMMARY

We do not delight in the judgment of the ungodly - but God is a just God - He cannot and will not leave evil unpunished (Exodus, Nahum, and others)

Believers will be “found” - remembered (called to mind) by God - we have peace knowing this truth

Meanwhile - since God is patient, we must be busy, or get busy

If God is patient, waiting for people to repent, what are you doing to get the Word out?

Romans 10:14–17 NASB95

How then will they call on Him in whom they have not believed? How will they believe in Him whom they have not heard? And how will they hear without a preacher? How will they preach unless they are sent? Just as it is written, “How beautiful are the feet of those who bring good news of good things!” However, they did not all heed the good news; for Isaiah says, “Lord, who has believed our report?” So faith comes from hearing, and hearing by the word of Christ.

God’s patience - His “delay” - is not eternal

Judgment will come

So what about you?

When did you make your relationship personal?

How will you tell others about the LORD’s return?

Someone’s eternal life may depend on you telling them. What’s your plan to work while Jesus is patient in His return?