"Countdown to Judgment"

In 1980 a young ladies body was found in Colorado / After a lengthy investigation her case was unsolved / 45 years later they had a hit on DNA that was found at the scene / And they located a likely suspect named James Clanton and it was a perfect match / Sheriff Whitehead said “Your past will always come back to haunt you” Investigators said when they went to arrest him / He saw them and hung his head “It was as if he knew his past had finally come to catch up with him. 40 YEARS / How slow Justice was / BUT THEN ONE DAY JUDGMENT / In our text Peter is addressing the issue that many people reject judgment simply because of the slowness it which it comes. He says that is a mistake !

2 Peter 3:3–15 NKJV

3 knowing this first: that scoffers will come in the last days, walking according to their own lusts, 4 and saying, “Where is the promise of His coming? For since the fathers fell asleep, all things continue as they were from the beginning of creation.” 5 For this they willfully forget: that by the word of God the heavens were of old, and the earth standing out of water and in the water, 6 by which the world that then existed perished, being flooded with water. 7 But the heavens and the earth which are now preserved by the same word, are reserved for fire until the day of judgment and perdition of ungodly men. 8 But, 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. 9 The Lord is not slack concerning His promise, as some count slackness, but is longsuffering toward us, not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance. 10 But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night, in which the heavens will pass away with a great noise, and the elements will melt with fervent heat; both the earth and the works that are in it will be burned up. 11 Therefore, since all these things will be dissolved, what manner of persons ought you to be in holy conduct and godliness, 12 looking for and hastening the coming of the day of God, because of which the heavens will be dissolved, being on fire, and the elements will melt with fervent heat? 13 Nevertheless we, according to His promise, look for new heavens and a new earth in which righteousness dwells. 14 Therefore, beloved, looking forward to these things, be diligent to be found by Him in peace, without spot and blameless; 15 and consider that the longsuffering of our Lord is salvation—as also our beloved brother Paul, according to the wisdom given to him, has written to you,

I. The Principle of Judgment

A. The Mistake many people make about God / That is an uninvolved spectator

a. Bette Middler: God is Watching us from a distance

1. Conclusions People come to / We can live anyway we want W/O Consequence

a. VS 3 … They are walking according to their own lusts =Intense Desire / Whatever I want / Feel

b. Woody Allen left his wife / Ran off with his adoped daughter / Asked Y? “The heart wants what it wants”

c. That's Bible “Walking according to his own lusts!

B. So our text speaks about the principle of Judgment

VS 7… There being kept for the day of judgment when ungodly people will be destroyed

1. Judgment in this case is -= PUNISHMENT for doing wrong

2. Peter is making a logical argument to people who may be reading this

a. There are people who are objectual = ‘I don’t believe in it because its mean”!

3. But is you think about it there is an in built desire for Judgment

a. Small children “Its not fair”! - Where do they get that? Its in there

b. In society / We read about a judge who lets off a rapist or murderer “Not fair”!

e. Demonstrations and riots “No Justice no peace”

f. So in the world we understand there should be justice / People punished

g. But GOD Is a God of Justice / He is the one who put it in there!

4. We sing songs about God / The word we use is HOLY!

a. Holy means PURE = That means He ALWAYS DOES RIGHT

b. Ladies can identify = My Wife cant handle dirty / Mess “What you do today”

c. The Bible says God is pure = He sees things that aren't right and says This needs to be sorted out!

5. He determines the rules

a. When He sees people doing wrong it says IT GRIEVS HIM = Emotional pain!

C. If that is true / Back to our text / Uses the phrase DAY OF THE LORD

VS 10… The Day of the Lord will come as a thief in the Night

1. The Day of the Lord is when God enters this world and turns the focus to HIM

a. DOTL = Simply means “Its His Day” / On your birthday “Its your day” Focus!

b. When people life in sin and rebellion against God / Its ALL ABOUT THEM!

c. But on that day god says “NOW its going to be about ME”!

2. The Day of the Lord is speaking specific about a time frame of judgment

a. We refer to this as the Day of tribulation / 7 Year period

b. For thousands of years I have allowed things to go without justice / NOW~!

c. Between 2/3 and 3/4 of the earths population of the earth will die!

3. Then the day of the Lord USEHERS in the final judgment of all mankind

Vs 7… They are reserved for fire until the day of judgment of perdition ungodly men

a. The God of Justice has created a PLACE of Justice

b. A place where people who insist on living by their own lusts / Will be repayed

c. The Bible calls this the LAKE of FIRE

Revelation 20:12 NKJV

12 And I saw the dead, small and great, standing before God, and books were opened. And another book was opened, which is the Book of Life. And the dead were judged according to their works, by the things which were written in the books.

Revelation 20:15 NKJV

15 And anyone not found written in the Book of Life was cast into the lake of fire.

d. The Bible tells us EVERYTHING you and I do is being Recorded! -CCTV

e. Those who insist to live in rebellion against God / There is a place they will be repaid for ALL the wickedness they have done

1. Reading about a man in a coffee shop / having coffee with some friends who were Not Christian / He asked the wife “Whats the most important thing I can pray for you” She was shocked by the idea of praying / She said “Well health I guess” He said to her “Health isnt the most important thing in life .. Eventually your health is going to go no matter who prays for you, there must be something morse important than health” she thought what? He said “What about your relationship with God” She said “never thought about that, You mean God will pull us into court?” He said yea !

II. Slowness

A. Time goes by / That cause people to missread Judgment

Vs 4 … Where is the Promise of His coming For since the fathers fell asleep, all things continue as they were from the beginning of creation.”

1. IOW Because it hasn't happened yet Its not going to!

a. in the last days Scoffers will arise mocking the truth following their desires

2. The picture of the old man looks homless with a sign “The end is near”

3. Look at that foolish old way of thinking

4. They think “Because I got away with it so far / It isn't going to come

Ecclesiastes 8:11 NKJV

11 Because the sentence against an evil work is not executed speedily, therefore the heart of the sons of men is fully set in them to do evil.

Ecclesiastes 8:11 NLT

11 When a crime is not punished quickly, people feel it is safe to do wrong.

5. The problem is people who think they will get away with it DON’T!

6. I hear all the time “Remember that person” They DIED!

a. you hear that / Thats the day ofJudgment

B. 2nd Part of slowness is Goids slowness to Avenge violation

a. Someone in the past - Hurt us / Violated us / Lied about us / SEEM to get away

1. Psalms 73:2-3

Psalm 73:2–3 NKJV

2 But as for me, my feet had almost stumbled; My steps had nearly slipped. 3 For I was envious of the boastful, When I saw the prosperity of the wicked.

2. People Look at injustice and they wait and wait / Then get bitter with God!

b. Both of those are completly missreading the facts

C. Peter says God slowness is not evedence He doesn't care!

1. Actually His slowness is Proof of His LOVE

2 Peter 3:9 NIV

9 The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. Instead he is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance.

2. Some of you think “Greaqt hes preaching about hell” .. He doesnt want to!

3. HE is deliberatly SLOW and Patient!

a.When my kids were small Id be playing around / Tell them ok Counting to 3 / 1…2…2 1/2 .... 2 3/4 … 2 7/8… WHY? Because I wanted them to make it!

4. I hear people say “I feel empty inside” WhY? Because He loves you

a. People who violated us.... Why arent they destroyed ? Because He loves Violators too!

3. The secont thing about Judgment is when time goes by it simply means that its CLOSER than before!

a. Think: God has a TIME! Lets says its today at 12 noon .... People say its 1145! Nothing happened / Not coming.... NO! It it CLOSER!!

James Clanton / When he was arested he enjoyed hanging on the beach / 40 years / He thought / It isnt coming / NOT WHAT IT MEANT AT ALL!!

III. Perfect Balance

A. Or text give the perfect balance / LOVE and the JUSTICE of God

VS 9 but God is Patient toward us, not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance. 1. God WILL judge sin - That irrelevent - its going to happen

2. However thats not what He wants! Our scripture says He desires repentance

3. He doesnt WANT to send anyone to hell

B. The PERFECT Blent of Justice ND LOVE IS JESUS CHRIST

Psalm 85:10 NKJV

10 Mercy and truth have met together; Righteousness and peace have kissed.

1. JESUS CHRIST BLENDS BOTH OF THESE

John 3:16 NKJV

16 For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.

2. Here is God- He came out of Heaven / Why ? TO SAVE YOU!

a. Hew lived Perfect / The life you have no hope of living

b. Then He took our place /

1 John 2:2 NKJV

2 And He Himself is the propitiation for our sins, and not for ours only but also for the whole world.

b. Both of theswe are at work In jesus /

C. 2 Aspects we see here of salvation

a. Those who repent get rescued from the 7 years

1 Thessalonians 5:9 NKJV

9 For God did not appoint us to wrath, but to obtain salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ,

1 Thessalonians 4:17 NKJV

17 Then we who are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And thus we shall always be with the Lord.

b. Caught Up / Snatched away / Removed

c. People who are right with Him will be saved from coming Judgment

D. then you can be rescued from Judgment in Hell

a. I lived with Fear before I got saved....

b. I remeber playing MING GAMES / Jesus will Come back TODAY!

c. After… I AM READY!!! IF I DIE TODAY!

D. BIBLE SAYS ABOUT DEath / And they went to sleep ....

E. Lastly the Date is not known! / No one knows INtentionally / Its a surprise !

a. In school 2 teachers / 1 would tell you about the test / The other POP!

b. For many people KNOWING WAS REALLLY BAD! I can party until the night before

e.

VS 14 Therefore, beloved, looking forward to these things, be diligent to be found by Him in peace, without spot and blameless;

- Ther Answer is to be BLAMELESS ! Be Ready!