WEBVTT 00:00:03.120 --> 00:00:14.000 Ministering to the heart of Western Arkansas's River Valley for over 165 years, welcome to Chapter and First, the Bible teaching ministry of Fort Smith's First Baptist Church. 00:00:14.160 --> 00:00:19.440 You'll find sermons and teachings from Pastor Greg, our ministry staff, and guest speakers. 00:00:19.679 --> 00:00:21.120 Thank you for listening. 00:00:21.359 --> 00:00:23.120 How's everybody tonight? 00:00:23.440 --> 00:00:24.800 Y'all doing well? 00:00:25.280 --> 00:00:28.879 Thank you for not leaving when you saw that I came back tonight. 00:00:29.440 --> 00:00:31.359 That's a blessing that you didn't leave. 00:00:31.440 --> 00:00:32.479 So thank you for that. 00:00:33.119 --> 00:00:35.119 Man, it's been this has been fun, right? 00:00:35.280 --> 00:00:37.039 This is our last night. 00:00:37.600 --> 00:00:39.039 That's sad, isn't it? 00:00:39.359 --> 00:00:42.479 No, y'all are all excited about getting to go back with Roger next week. 00:00:42.560 --> 00:00:43.359 That's what's happening. 00:00:43.439 --> 00:00:44.799 So I know that's true. 00:00:45.359 --> 00:00:46.719 But it has been really fun. 00:00:46.799 --> 00:00:48.719 It's been a great uh experience. 00:00:48.880 --> 00:00:53.920 Matt and I kind of doing this together, and then we got a chance to bring David in and got a chance to bring Jared in. 00:00:54.079 --> 00:00:56.320 And uh and so it's been a really fun time. 00:00:56.399 --> 00:01:02.399 So uh I appreciate y'all jumping in and uh finishing the summer with us and and uh and working through it. 00:01:02.479 --> 00:01:07.120 So let me pray and then we'll kind of uh get started and finish up uh 2 Peter. 00:01:07.280 --> 00:01:08.480 Lord, we thank you for tonight. 00:01:08.640 --> 00:01:11.519 We thank you for the food that we've had and those that prepared it for us. 00:01:11.680 --> 00:01:16.640 Lord, I thank you for our time as we are concluding um the book of 2 Peter. 00:01:16.799 --> 00:01:25.120 What a joy to uh think about eternity and the coming again of Jesus and what all of that means to us in our lives. 00:01:25.200 --> 00:01:39.280 And as we study this last chapter, I pray, Father, that you'll help us grasp how the sure promise and return of Jesus calls us to the spiritual habits we've been studying this summer. 00:01:39.519 --> 00:01:40.879 Bless our time together. 00:01:40.959 --> 00:01:44.400 Uh, we pray you'll bless the things going on around our campus. 00:01:44.480 --> 00:01:48.959 Uh, and we thank you most of all for the gift of Jesus and salvation in his name. 00:01:49.120 --> 00:01:56.560 And we pray these things in his name, and everybody said, We are here to finish 2 Peter chapter 3, so let's do that. 00:01:56.799 --> 00:02:00.159 I want you to think about this. 00:02:00.400 --> 00:02:07.280 Here is the big idea for what the book is about and what the last chapter is about. 00:02:07.840 --> 00:02:12.560 This is the ending of the book of 2 Peter. 00:02:12.639 --> 00:02:21.919 It is the ending of chapter 3, and it is the big idea for us that we've been studying in this whole book about spiritual habits and all of the themes here. 00:02:22.080 --> 00:02:22.879 Here's what he says. 00:02:23.039 --> 00:02:28.479 Therefore, dear friends, since you know this in advance, know what in advance? 00:02:28.639 --> 00:02:36.240 The coming again of Jesus, the ultimate judgment of God, and the creation of heaven and eternity and living with him. 00:02:36.719 --> 00:02:49.439 Therefore, dear friends, since you know this in advance, be on your guard so that you are not led away by the error of lawless people and fall from your own stability. 00:02:49.919 --> 00:02:54.080 But grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. 00:02:54.240 --> 00:02:58.080 To him be the glory, both now and to the day of eternity. 00:02:58.319 --> 00:02:58.800 Amen. 00:02:59.039 --> 00:03:13.039 And so what he tells us, because we know Jesus is coming again, our response to the sure return of Jesus, our response to the promise and hope of heaven is what? 00:03:13.759 --> 00:03:24.400 It is work our spiritual habits so that we are protected from false teachers, we don't fall away from our faith, and we grow in the grace and knowledge of the Lord Jesus. 00:03:24.639 --> 00:03:39.759 What we've been studying, and that's why we chose this book as the textbook for spiritual habits, our response to the return of Jesus is to dig into our spiritual habits and grow in our walk with Jesus. 00:03:39.919 --> 00:03:40.879 That's our response. 00:03:41.039 --> 00:03:43.599 So we talk about, we'll talk about that some more in a moment. 00:03:43.759 --> 00:03:50.400 Let me review for you what we know about the first two chapters, and then we'll read chapter three together tonight. 00:03:50.639 --> 00:04:01.599 What we know about the first chapter is he calls us to live for Jesus because he wants us to experience salvation and eternity with Jesus. 00:04:01.759 --> 00:04:12.639 Remember, all that stuff about stirring up and add to your faith and all that stuff so that you will not be found useless when Jesus returns again. 00:04:12.800 --> 00:04:14.159 That's what chapter one was about. 00:04:14.240 --> 00:04:15.680 So he sets up for us. 00:04:15.919 --> 00:04:20.959 I want you to do these spiritual things because Jesus is coming back. 00:04:21.040 --> 00:04:24.639 And I want you to experience the joy of that salvation. 00:04:24.879 --> 00:04:31.040 In chapter two, we talked about false teachers and how to recognize what false teachers were. 00:04:31.360 --> 00:04:37.920 And in chapter three, he's going to talk to us about why he warned us about false teachers. 00:04:38.079 --> 00:04:52.240 But ultimately, he warned us about that because he wants us to know that scripture we can always count on, and we always need to return to scripture, and our spiritual habits are based in what we do with Scripture. 00:04:52.480 --> 00:05:00.000 Chapter 1, the great and precious promises of God, and that that helps us filter out false teachers. 00:05:00.319 --> 00:05:01.360 Why is that? 00:05:01.680 --> 00:05:13.839 Because we're going to see in chapter 3, Jesus is returning, and our response to eternity is to deepen our walk with Christ through our spiritual habits. 00:05:14.079 --> 00:05:15.519 Have your Bible with me turned. 00:05:15.600 --> 00:05:19.759 It's 2 Peter chapter 3, and let's read this chapter together. 00:05:20.800 --> 00:05:23.439 Here's what he says in chapter 3, verse 1. 00:05:23.680 --> 00:05:28.000 Dear friends, this is now the second letter I have written to you. 00:05:28.240 --> 00:05:44.240 In both letters, I want to stir up your sincere understanding by way of reminder, so that you recall the words previously spoken by the holy prophets and the command of our Lord and Savior given through your apostles. 00:05:44.720 --> 00:05:47.680 Above all, be aware of this. 00:05:48.000 --> 00:05:57.600 Scoffers will come in the last days, scoffing and following their own evil desires, saying, Where is he coming? 00:05:57.920 --> 00:06:00.560 He promised to come and he hasn't come. 00:06:00.800 --> 00:06:02.319 Where's your Jesus now? 00:06:02.480 --> 00:06:04.240 I thought he told you he's coming. 00:06:04.399 --> 00:06:08.399 How long has it been since Jesus went into heaven and he still hadn't come? 00:06:08.720 --> 00:06:11.120 That's what scoffers are going to be telling us. 00:06:11.360 --> 00:06:18.720 Ever since our ancestors fell asleep, all things continue as they have been since the beginning of creation. 00:06:19.279 --> 00:06:22.000 They deliberately overlooked this. 00:06:22.399 --> 00:06:29.279 By the word of God, the heavens came into being long ago, and the earth was brought about from water and through water. 00:06:29.439 --> 00:06:35.279 So you'll remember there, Genesis chapter 1, the earth was without form and void. 00:06:35.519 --> 00:06:38.800 God spoke, separated from the waters and all that, right? 00:06:38.879 --> 00:06:40.639 So he's talking about creation. 00:06:40.879 --> 00:06:43.120 And it happened by the word of God. 00:06:45.439 --> 00:06:52.399 And then he says in verse 5, they deliberately are, or they deliberately overlook this, creation, verse 6. 00:06:52.720 --> 00:07:01.759 Through these, the word of God, through these, the world of that time perished when it was flooded. 00:07:01.920 --> 00:07:04.079 And now he goes to the flood. 00:07:04.319 --> 00:07:09.120 So he reminds us, God spoke and creation occurred. 00:07:09.519 --> 00:07:14.959 God spoke and pronounced judgment, and he sent the flood and brought that judgment. 00:07:15.360 --> 00:07:28.800 By the same word, verse 7, by the same word, the present heavens and earth are stored up for fire, being kept for the day of judgment and destruction of the ungodly. 00:07:29.040 --> 00:07:32.000 Dear friends, don't overlook this one fact. 00:07:32.319 --> 00:07:37.040 With the Lord, one day is like a thousand years, and a thousand years like one day. 00:07:37.279 --> 00:07:47.920 The Lord does not delay his promise as some understand delay, but is patient with you, not wanting any to perish, but all to come to repentance. 00:07:48.160 --> 00:07:50.800 But the day of the Lord will come like a thief. 00:07:50.959 --> 00:08:00.160 On that day the heavens will pass away with a loud noise, the elements will burn and be dissolved, and the earth and the works on it will be disclosed. 00:08:00.639 --> 00:08:08.480 Since all these things are to be dissolved in this way, it is clear what sort of people you should be. 00:08:09.040 --> 00:08:15.920 You should be holy in conduct and godliness as you wait for the day of God and hasten its coming. 00:08:16.160 --> 00:08:27.920 Because of that day the heavens will be dissolved with fire and the elements with melt, with heat, but based on his promise, we wait for new heavens and a new earth where righteousness dwells. 00:08:28.160 --> 00:08:42.159 Therefore, dear friends, while you wait for these things, make every effort, we saw that phrase in the first chapter, make every effort to be found without spot or blemish in his sight at peace. 00:08:42.480 --> 00:08:50.559 Also regard the patience of our Lord as salvation, just as our dear brother Paul has written you according to the wisdom given to him. 00:08:50.799 --> 00:08:53.200 He speaks about these things in all his letters. 00:08:53.360 --> 00:08:55.840 There are some matters that are hard to understand. 00:08:56.000 --> 00:09:03.039 The untaught and the unstable will twist them to their own destruction, as they also do with the rest of the Scriptures. 00:09:03.279 --> 00:09:16.879 Therefore, dear friends, since you know this in advance, our big idea, be on your guard, so that you are not led away by the error of lawless people, and fall from your own stable position. 00:09:17.120 --> 00:09:21.519 But grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. 00:09:21.600 --> 00:09:26.320 To him be the glory both now and to the day of eternity. 00:09:26.720 --> 00:09:29.759 So here's what you get in those three chapters. 00:09:30.080 --> 00:09:38.320 It is incredible the thematic, the clear thematic elements that Peter has written and is building this on. 00:09:38.720 --> 00:09:42.960 He is building it on eternity, and he's calling us to see eternity. 00:09:43.039 --> 00:10:16.559 And he's telling us our response to eternity is to trust Christ as our Savior, rest in his salvation, and then when we are saved, to engage in these spiritual habits which make us useful for him, and also protect us from things that are in the world and false teachers and all of that that would damage our faith, cause us to doubt, cause us to struggle, make us useless as followers of Christ because we are not bearing fruit. 00:10:16.879 --> 00:10:27.200 And so that those themes are woven all the way through the book, and you see them brought together as a conclusion in this last chapter. 00:10:27.440 --> 00:10:36.240 Now, one of the exercises that we did was inductive Bible study, and I taught you about who, what, when, where, why, and how, and all that. 00:10:37.120 --> 00:10:38.000 Raise your hand. 00:10:39.200 --> 00:10:42.000 Raise your hands if you don't want to do that again tonight. 00:10:44.720 --> 00:10:45.200 All right. 00:10:45.360 --> 00:10:53.759 If you are doing that when you study, and uh Charlene was great enough to give you that third chapter, so you will have that one to do that as well. 00:10:54.000 --> 00:11:07.279 This is a beautiful picture of how things jump out at you simply by slowing down and reading scripture and paying attention to things like repeated words and concepts. 00:11:07.519 --> 00:11:15.600 Now, when we break down this chapter of chapter three, it's very easy to see how it breaks down. 00:11:15.840 --> 00:11:19.600 It breaks down into three main sections, okay? 00:11:19.840 --> 00:11:22.799 Look at what happened, look what happens and what is repeated. 00:11:23.039 --> 00:11:26.240 You have chapter three, verse one, dear friend. 00:11:27.679 --> 00:11:29.679 Then you get down to verse eight. 00:11:29.919 --> 00:11:31.840 Raise your hand if you don't have some sheets. 00:11:33.039 --> 00:11:33.679 Up the front. 00:11:34.000 --> 00:11:35.600 Thank you guys for doing that. 00:11:37.360 --> 00:11:38.240 Back over there, Roger. 00:11:39.200 --> 00:11:39.600 Over there. 00:11:40.320 --> 00:11:41.919 Coach, right up here. 00:11:46.480 --> 00:11:47.600 Everybody good? 00:11:48.000 --> 00:11:48.480 All right. 00:11:48.720 --> 00:11:59.200 So if you're doing that process and you are and and you're repeating those things, you're looking for those repeated concepts, look how easy it is to break down this chapter and begin to understand it. 00:11:59.360 --> 00:12:05.120 Because there's a lot of rich stuff in here, and there's a lot of deeper kind of stuff. 00:12:05.279 --> 00:12:10.240 There are a lot of phrases that can be confusing if you're not paying attention to them. 00:12:10.399 --> 00:12:11.519 So look in what he says. 00:12:11.679 --> 00:12:15.679 First thing we do is we break down this chapter, dear friends, in verse 1. 00:12:15.840 --> 00:12:19.440 And then you get a very parallel deal statement in verse 8. 00:12:19.600 --> 00:12:22.080 Dear friends, don't look over this fact. 00:12:22.240 --> 00:12:30.399 And then you get verse 14, therefore, dear friends, and verse 17, therefore, dear friends. 00:12:30.559 --> 00:12:34.720 And so you have that last phrase repeated, therefore, dear friends. 00:12:34.879 --> 00:12:39.840 When we see the question, therefore, we ask, what is it therefore? 00:12:40.000 --> 00:12:40.399 Right? 00:12:40.559 --> 00:12:43.039 So that means something when you see therefore. 00:12:43.200 --> 00:12:50.559 And so you get three distinct sections to this chapter, which help us break down this chapter and understand it. 00:12:50.639 --> 00:12:54.159 And it's laid out right there for us as Peter wrote it. 00:12:54.320 --> 00:12:59.200 Dear friends, section one, dear friends, section two, therefore, dear friends, section three. 00:12:59.279 --> 00:13:00.240 Does that make sense? 00:13:00.480 --> 00:13:02.559 Like, even I was smart enough to figure that out. 00:13:02.639 --> 00:13:03.600 I was kind of proud of myself. 00:13:03.759 --> 00:13:05.600 Like, hey, I figured this out. 00:13:05.840 --> 00:13:10.399 Um, and so we'll break down those three sections, right? 00:13:10.879 --> 00:13:12.960 And so here's what you get in the first section. 00:13:13.200 --> 00:13:21.519 Dear friends, this is now the second letter I've written you in both letters, and then you get a very parallel description of the way he started the book. 00:13:21.679 --> 00:13:24.080 He's going to pursue the book in the same way. 00:13:24.399 --> 00:13:32.799 I am stirring up your sincere understanding by way of reminder so that you recall the words. 00:13:32.960 --> 00:13:46.399 Now, if you'll remember, in the first chapter, I talked about the fact and pointed out after he goes through all that stuff about great and precious promises and make every effort to add to your faith and all that, he comes back to the point. 00:13:46.480 --> 00:13:48.720 He says, Y'all, I'm not going to be here very long. 00:13:49.200 --> 00:14:00.720 And so I'm going to remind you of these things over and over and over and over so that even after I'm gone, you hear my voice in the back of your head reminding you of these things, right? 00:14:00.960 --> 00:14:02.320 You remember that in chapter one. 00:14:02.639 --> 00:14:04.639 You get the same thing right here. 00:14:04.960 --> 00:14:09.679 I am stirring up your sincere understanding. 00:14:09.840 --> 00:14:14.159 Now, this is a powerful phrase right here and a powerful description. 00:14:14.320 --> 00:14:16.639 He is driving home this conclusion. 00:14:16.879 --> 00:14:22.159 So the first thing he does, he says, Dear friends, and in that, that's a good English translation. 00:14:22.399 --> 00:14:25.120 This is a deep statement of love. 00:14:25.360 --> 00:14:29.919 This is when I tell y'all I love you as a church, I really do. 00:14:30.000 --> 00:14:32.240 And it's in my heart, and I love y'all. 00:14:32.320 --> 00:14:35.039 And what he's saying is, I love y'all. 00:14:35.279 --> 00:14:37.440 I'm not writing this to the masses. 00:14:37.679 --> 00:14:38.879 I care about y'all. 00:14:39.039 --> 00:14:42.080 These are terms of endearment that are very rich. 00:14:42.320 --> 00:14:44.480 In fact, your version may say beloved. 00:14:44.799 --> 00:14:49.360 If it says beloved, that word in the original language is one of the words. 00:14:49.519 --> 00:14:56.960 It has its root in the same word that happens when you're describing the love between God the Father and God the Son. 00:14:57.200 --> 00:14:59.360 That's how rich that word is. 00:14:59.679 --> 00:15:01.600 He cares about them that deeply. 00:15:01.759 --> 00:15:09.600 And so it's like you grab your kids and you get them by the shoulders and you're saying, kids, listen to me. 00:15:09.759 --> 00:15:11.279 It's that kind of a deal. 00:15:11.440 --> 00:15:16.159 Our son Grant, when he was young, he was like wild, right? 00:15:16.240 --> 00:15:20.000 I mean, he was he was fun, life and party, crazy guy. 00:15:20.159 --> 00:15:21.360 He's running around all over. 00:15:21.519 --> 00:15:22.720 He's doing stuff all the time. 00:15:22.799 --> 00:15:24.399 He's cracking everybody up. 00:15:24.559 --> 00:15:27.759 When he was one, he talked like he was in high school. 00:15:27.919 --> 00:15:31.519 I mean, he never had baby words, huge concepts. 00:15:31.679 --> 00:15:34.240 He just, I mean, it was, he was just that kid, right? 00:15:34.320 --> 00:15:35.840 I mean, he just was that kid. 00:15:36.080 --> 00:15:45.919 And because he was running around all the time, he was always happening and he was having fun and everybody was a friend and everything was fun, and he's running around all that, and I'd say, Grant, son, come here and do this. 00:15:46.000 --> 00:15:52.240 And he's running around and doing whatever, and say, Grant, and he'd whatever, and then I'd go grab him and I'd whip him, you know, or swat him or whatever. 00:15:52.320 --> 00:15:54.879 And, you know, Grant, you're gonna sit down a timeout and all this. 00:15:54.960 --> 00:15:55.679 He's like, What? 00:15:55.840 --> 00:15:57.440 I mean, that's kind of the way this did. 00:15:57.519 --> 00:15:59.279 And it took me a while to understand. 00:15:59.440 --> 00:16:03.200 Like, I would say, Grant, I need you to stop and bring that over to me. 00:16:03.360 --> 00:16:08.240 He's like, you know, it never dawned on me, like he never heard me. 00:16:08.799 --> 00:16:10.399 He wasn't being rebellious. 00:16:10.639 --> 00:16:13.679 He literally never knew that I spoke. 00:16:14.000 --> 00:16:21.759 And the way that I figured this out was I'd go over there and grab him by the shoulders and I'd say, Grant, and he's he was still going like this. 00:16:21.919 --> 00:16:26.000 He was trying to look at his buddies in the plays over there, and he's like, you know, and I'm here trying to talk. 00:16:26.320 --> 00:16:29.919 He's like, you know, and he's he like his attention was gone. 00:16:30.080 --> 00:16:30.879 Does that make sense? 00:16:30.960 --> 00:16:42.000 And I'd get him and I'd get his hands and I'd go like this and I'd say, Grant, and I would I would stay there until his eyes would finally go, Oh, well, gee, dad's talking to me. 00:16:42.559 --> 00:16:46.480 And then I would tell him I need you to do this, and he'd go, okay. 00:16:47.360 --> 00:16:53.679 And I'm thinking, all this time I thought he was rebellious, and he just was like on the move, right? 00:16:53.759 --> 00:16:55.679 He was going 90 miles an hour on the move. 00:16:55.840 --> 00:17:02.240 And so this is Peter grabbing us, waiting till our eyes lock. 00:17:02.799 --> 00:17:05.200 Okay, now I've got your attention. 00:17:05.680 --> 00:17:11.359 Dear friend, now I want to stir you up. 00:17:11.680 --> 00:17:14.480 And this word, it means light of fire. 00:17:14.640 --> 00:17:16.960 It means he is trying to engage us. 00:17:17.119 --> 00:17:25.759 It is what we've been doing all summer long, trying to get, I'm gonna stir up, challenge, equip, get you excited, motivate. 00:17:25.920 --> 00:17:31.599 I'm trying to get you into these spiritual habits where you are adding to your faith. 00:17:31.759 --> 00:17:39.599 You are growing because you're getting closer to Jesus, you're exercising these muscles, you're being useful in your faith. 00:17:39.839 --> 00:17:40.799 That's what he says. 00:17:40.960 --> 00:17:42.319 I'm trying to stir you up. 00:17:42.400 --> 00:17:44.319 I'm trying to motivate you. 00:17:45.599 --> 00:17:47.920 If you knew, I'm gonna give you an example. 00:17:48.000 --> 00:17:55.279 So we were talking about evangelism on in uh on Sunday mornings and last week, Matt and some of you were sharing your testimony. 00:17:55.759 --> 00:18:10.960 If I told you Jesus is coming back Friday, and I can prove to you from God that Jesus is coming back Friday, what would your response be? 00:18:13.680 --> 00:18:20.880 Your love list would have a whole different motivation if you knew Jesus would come back on Friday. 00:18:21.200 --> 00:18:22.079 Wouldn't it? 00:18:23.359 --> 00:18:27.200 Like, some of us that didn't have one would get one in a hurry. 00:18:28.160 --> 00:18:35.839 And some of us who filled it out because we were in the moment excited at church and then sort of forgot where it is, we'd go find it. 00:18:36.559 --> 00:18:41.839 You'd go find somebody and you'd go, listen, you got till Friday. 00:18:42.559 --> 00:18:44.240 And you need Jesus. 00:18:44.480 --> 00:18:46.079 And we'd get serious about it. 00:18:46.319 --> 00:18:57.680 And so what he's trying to set up here is listen, I'm trying to stir you up to where you sincerely understand what we're talking about. 00:18:58.160 --> 00:19:09.680 Like when I told you to add to your faith, and I told you I was going to repeatedly remind you of this until you heard my voice in the back of your head, even after I've gone, that's what I'm trying to get your attention to do. 00:19:10.960 --> 00:19:15.119 I am stirring you up to understand what I'm about to tell you. 00:19:15.920 --> 00:19:19.519 And it is, this is our response to eternity. 00:19:19.839 --> 00:19:30.799 Now, he reaffirms by way of reminder so that you recall the words previously spoken by the holy prophets and the command of our Lord and Savior given through your prophets. 00:19:30.960 --> 00:19:41.279 You remember in chapter 2, when we talked about, at the end of chapter 1 and into chapter 2, when we talked about false prophets, he said, listen, you need to know about your scripture. 00:19:41.599 --> 00:19:44.319 Guys weren't making up scripture. 00:19:44.640 --> 00:19:53.839 They were holy men of God who only wrote and spoke as they were directed by the Holy Spirit, and it is the infallible, inerrant word of God. 00:19:54.079 --> 00:19:59.920 And he's saying, Now I've got your attention, and I'm trying to stir up your passion to understand what's going on. 00:20:00.000 --> 00:20:04.559 I am going to remind you that this is all based on Scripture. 00:20:04.799 --> 00:20:09.359 That this is all the promise and the work and the instruction of God. 00:20:09.519 --> 00:20:14.799 And then he goes in and says, okay, above all, in verse 3, be aware of this. 00:20:15.039 --> 00:20:21.599 People are going to come and they're going to challenge your faith by telling you Jesus is not coming back. 00:20:22.079 --> 00:20:26.240 And that's a problem because Jesus promised that he is coming back. 00:20:26.480 --> 00:20:39.680 And so if Jesus promised that he is coming back and he doesn't come back, then Jesus is a liar, and then that undercuts the entire strength of our salvation testimony and what we've trusted in in the gospel. 00:20:40.079 --> 00:20:41.200 Does that make sense? 00:20:41.359 --> 00:20:45.359 And so he's saying, listen, you have got to stir up and add to your faith. 00:20:45.519 --> 00:20:47.039 You have got to be in the Word. 00:20:47.200 --> 00:20:49.920 You have got to be establishing these spiritual habits. 00:20:50.079 --> 00:21:01.519 You've got to be working your way through all of this because people are going to come and they're going to tell you that Jesus is not real, or Jesus lied to you, or Jesus wasn't really the Savior, and Jesus is not really coming back. 00:21:01.599 --> 00:21:04.319 And he was just a teacher and he's still dead in the grave. 00:21:04.559 --> 00:21:07.200 And you say, what about the empty tomb and the rolled away thing? 00:21:07.279 --> 00:21:12.319 And they're going to go, his people all rolled the stone away and they took his body out, and you get all that kind of stuff. 00:21:12.400 --> 00:21:14.240 That's where all these weird theories come up. 00:21:14.319 --> 00:21:26.480 Jesus didn't really die, he was just in a coma or whatever, and you know, all this weird stuff that all through history people have tried to make up because they're trying to undercut, and literally, this is the scoffer part. 00:21:26.880 --> 00:21:28.559 He's not really coming back. 00:21:28.880 --> 00:21:31.359 You say, yeah, he is, he said he was coming back. 00:21:32.079 --> 00:21:33.119 You go, okay. 00:21:33.519 --> 00:21:36.400 When was Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John written? 00:21:37.359 --> 00:21:38.640 In the first century. 00:21:38.880 --> 00:21:40.240 And what year is this? 00:21:41.119 --> 00:21:42.240 2023. 00:21:42.799 --> 00:21:43.440 Like, seriously? 00:21:43.680 --> 00:21:44.799 You still believe he's gonna come back? 00:21:45.039 --> 00:21:46.160 All these thousands of years? 00:21:46.400 --> 00:21:46.799 Really? 00:21:47.359 --> 00:21:50.720 I mean, like, he's not coming back. 00:21:51.039 --> 00:21:53.200 And that's what he's gonna that's what he's gonna tell us. 00:21:53.440 --> 00:21:58.880 And when you think about it, what Peter says is this challenge to our faith. 00:22:00.240 --> 00:22:13.839 Of all the ways people could challenge of our faith, what Peter tells us to be on watch for above all things is actually causing doubt that Jesus is coming back. 00:22:14.240 --> 00:22:16.640 I mean, there's a lot of attacks on our faith. 00:22:17.440 --> 00:22:18.799 Word of God's not real. 00:22:19.599 --> 00:22:25.440 Church people are just they're mean and that's all fake because they're the meanest people on the planet and all that kind of stuff. 00:22:25.599 --> 00:22:28.160 And I always tell them, that's not us, that's a Methodist. 00:22:34.559 --> 00:22:38.319 All the attacks, all the different ways they challenge of our faith. 00:22:39.599 --> 00:22:45.839 The one Peter is most worried about is people are going to tell you that Jesus is not coming back. 00:22:46.559 --> 00:22:47.200 Why? 00:22:48.160 --> 00:22:55.920 Because the book of Proverbs explains it this way Hope lost makes the heart sick. 00:22:57.200 --> 00:23:02.400 If we have no hope of Jesus' return, what is the point of any of this? 00:23:03.519 --> 00:23:04.160 Right? 00:23:05.119 --> 00:23:19.279 The anchor and foundation of our trust in Jesus, of our whole reason we got saved, is because we're going to be in heaven one day with Jesus, and it's going to happen because Jesus is coming back. 00:23:19.519 --> 00:23:27.920 When my I've told this story before, so forgive me, but when my dad went to heaven almost two years ago, Thanksgiving would be two-year anniversary. 00:23:28.000 --> 00:23:29.440 When my dad went to heaven, it was a shock. 00:23:29.519 --> 00:23:30.720 It was a stunning thing. 00:23:30.880 --> 00:23:38.720 We were sitting down to dinner the week of Thanksgiving with our family, and my brother called, and I'm on the way to the hospital, and Dad, it's bad, Greg. 00:23:38.960 --> 00:23:46.319 Okay, tell me what's going on after you, you know, eight o'clock at night, I'm getting a car to drive from Nashville to go to Memphis to be with all family off. 00:23:46.880 --> 00:23:49.440 And when we got there, dad was dead. 00:23:49.680 --> 00:23:50.480 We got there. 00:23:51.200 --> 00:23:53.119 Here's what I told my brother and sister. 00:23:54.240 --> 00:23:58.720 He spent 82 years teaching the Bible. 00:23:59.359 --> 00:24:02.079 And he taught us about heaven our whole life. 00:24:04.000 --> 00:24:07.759 And he believed he was going to be in heaven, and there was no question in his mind. 00:24:07.839 --> 00:24:08.799 And he taught us that. 00:24:08.880 --> 00:24:10.480 And you guys are Sunday school teachers. 00:24:10.559 --> 00:24:11.440 My brother's a deacon. 00:24:11.519 --> 00:24:13.200 My brother-in-law's a deacon. 00:24:14.400 --> 00:24:18.319 My sister thinks she's smarter than all the other pastors in the world. 00:24:19.200 --> 00:24:20.240 Thinks she should be one. 00:24:20.400 --> 00:24:21.279 They're all Bible teachers. 00:24:21.359 --> 00:24:22.160 They love Jesus. 00:24:22.400 --> 00:24:27.440 I said, listen, we are going to act like we believe heaven is real. 00:24:28.400 --> 00:24:31.759 And I don't want y'all wailing and doing all this kind of stuff. 00:24:31.920 --> 00:24:33.680 Fine, cry, your heart works like that. 00:24:33.759 --> 00:24:37.039 But we are not going to act like heaven is not real. 00:24:37.200 --> 00:24:40.079 We're going to act like we believe heaven is real. 00:24:41.839 --> 00:24:43.759 Because what do you have? 00:24:45.039 --> 00:24:49.359 What does all this mean if there's not heaven on the other end of it? 00:24:50.160 --> 00:24:53.119 And the only way to get there is when Jesus comes back. 00:24:53.359 --> 00:24:58.720 And if Jesus said, Let not your heart be troubled, you believe in God, believe also in me. 00:24:58.960 --> 00:25:03.599 In my father's mansion or in my father's house or maybe mansion, I'm going to prepare a place for you. 00:25:03.680 --> 00:25:07.680 And if I go to prepare a place for you, then I will come again to receive you to myself. 00:25:07.839 --> 00:25:13.440 He's like, what's the point of going to heaven to prepare you a place if I don't come back and take you home? 00:25:14.079 --> 00:25:19.279 Nothing Jesus told us is true if he's not coming back. 00:25:20.240 --> 00:25:20.880 Right? 00:25:21.200 --> 00:25:23.920 I mean, what is the whole point of the gospel? 00:25:24.880 --> 00:25:32.079 Jesus paid the price for your sins, so you won't be separated from an eternity from a holy God who has to judge sin. 00:25:32.400 --> 00:25:37.839 And he died on the cross, he could be forgiven, so you could spend eternity in heaven with him, and he's not coming back. 00:25:38.000 --> 00:25:39.279 None of that is real. 00:25:40.000 --> 00:25:46.640 In 1 Corinthians chapter 15, Paul says, here's the gospel, and it is all built on the resurrection. 00:25:46.720 --> 00:25:53.039 And if we don't, if if Jesus didn't raise from the dead, then we are the sorriest people in the world. 00:25:53.359 --> 00:26:06.799 Because we have faced our, we have placed our entire life on the truth of resurrection from the dead, which is also the picture of what happens when we are resurrected and salvation, we spend eternity in heaven. 00:26:06.960 --> 00:26:07.279 Right? 00:26:07.440 --> 00:26:16.480 And so Peter says, listen, if you lose this, if you lose the hope of Jesus' return, it's going to mess you up in every part of your life. 00:26:16.720 --> 00:26:18.880 It's going to mess you up in every part of your life. 00:26:19.039 --> 00:26:20.720 And so here's what he says. 00:26:20.960 --> 00:26:23.039 I need you to understand the promise of God. 00:26:23.119 --> 00:26:27.039 And that's why he gives this lesson here about the word of God. 00:26:27.440 --> 00:26:37.119 And this is not just scripture, but this is the word of God attached to his character that he spoke it. 00:26:37.279 --> 00:26:39.680 And if he can't make it happen, he's not God. 00:26:39.839 --> 00:26:43.440 And if he won't make it happen after he promised it, then he's not God. 00:26:43.680 --> 00:26:55.359 And so here's what he's saying: the word of God, and he's trying to give them a confidence that the promise of God means something foundational, tangible, and substantial to us. 00:26:55.519 --> 00:26:56.720 And so here's what he says. 00:26:56.960 --> 00:27:08.559 In creation, they are deliberately overlooking when they tell you Jesus is not coming back, he lied to you, he's not real, he doesn't have the power to say that. 00:27:08.880 --> 00:27:11.839 What they're doing is attacking the word of God. 00:27:12.960 --> 00:27:14.160 And so here's what he says. 00:27:14.319 --> 00:27:21.920 Remember, by creation, the Bible says, the spoken word of God created the heavens and the earth. 00:27:23.440 --> 00:27:32.640 And so, in the same quality and power as the God who spoke creation into being, it's the same word that says Jesus is coming back. 00:27:35.039 --> 00:27:45.599 When he called the flood and he said, It is going to rain, and I'm going to destroy and judge everyone but Noah's family. 00:27:45.839 --> 00:27:47.279 It was the word of God. 00:27:47.519 --> 00:27:51.440 And he says, Listen, we all know the flood happened. 00:27:52.720 --> 00:28:11.519 The same word of God that spoke the flood and spoke the creation that we know happened as a fact in the past, by that same word, he says in verse 7, the present heavens and earth are stored up with fire, being kept for the day of judgment and destruction of the ungodly. 00:28:11.759 --> 00:28:18.240 It is the same quality and confidence that it will happen that we know it did happen. 00:28:18.400 --> 00:28:20.079 It's exactly the same word. 00:28:20.319 --> 00:28:27.839 Judgment will happen and salvation will happen, and we know it will happen in the same way that we know creation happened. 00:28:28.160 --> 00:28:39.359 It has the same level of tangible credibility of the word of God that judgment will happen, eternity will happen, and heaven will happen as the flood happened. 00:28:40.720 --> 00:28:46.079 I mean, it's an incredibly powerful message right here that he gives. 00:28:46.319 --> 00:28:54.960 And it is the greatest frontal assault on scoffers who say Jesus won't come back as there is in Scripture. 00:28:55.119 --> 00:28:56.000 Does that make sense? 00:28:56.480 --> 00:29:03.599 It's unbelievable when you think about that argument that he makes about the quality of the promise of God. 00:29:03.839 --> 00:29:06.799 And so that's that first, that's that first section. 00:29:07.039 --> 00:29:08.160 Y'all listen. 00:29:08.400 --> 00:29:10.880 I'm stirring you up to understand. 00:29:11.200 --> 00:29:14.720 Don't let anybody tell you that Jesus is not coming back. 00:29:15.119 --> 00:29:17.759 Don't let them tell you that judgment is not real. 00:29:18.000 --> 00:29:22.079 And he's saying, listen, eternity will come about. 00:29:22.319 --> 00:29:23.359 That's the first chapter. 00:29:23.440 --> 00:29:24.799 That's the first section of the chapter. 00:29:24.960 --> 00:29:26.720 Now look at the second chapter. 00:29:26.960 --> 00:29:27.680 Let me stop. 00:29:27.839 --> 00:29:28.880 Any questions about that? 00:29:29.119 --> 00:29:30.240 Thoughts about that? 00:29:30.960 --> 00:29:32.000 Y'all got that? 00:29:32.240 --> 00:29:32.640 All right. 00:29:32.720 --> 00:29:34.160 I'm going to preach in this next part. 00:29:34.319 --> 00:29:35.359 So y'all get ready. 00:29:36.799 --> 00:29:38.799 Dear friends, there's our second second. 00:29:38.960 --> 00:29:40.480 Now we've moved to another thought. 00:29:40.640 --> 00:29:42.559 He's grabbing you to a second thought. 00:29:42.720 --> 00:29:44.160 He's calling your attention again. 00:29:44.319 --> 00:29:47.759 Just like I grabbed Grant, a little face, got his eyes. 00:29:48.000 --> 00:29:50.960 Dear friends, don't overlook this fact. 00:29:51.359 --> 00:29:53.200 Again, he's built off this. 00:29:53.279 --> 00:29:55.119 Don't let anybody tell you it's not real. 00:29:55.200 --> 00:29:56.079 It's real. 00:29:56.400 --> 00:29:57.920 Don't overlook this fact. 00:29:58.079 --> 00:30:02.079 With the Lord, one day is like a thousand years, and a thousand years like one day. 00:30:02.319 --> 00:30:11.920 The Lord does not delay his promise as some understand delay, but is patient with you, not wanting any to perish, but all to come to repentance. 00:30:13.279 --> 00:30:14.799 So there's the first part. 00:30:15.039 --> 00:30:16.000 Second part. 00:30:16.559 --> 00:30:20.160 Patience is not a broken promise. 00:30:21.119 --> 00:30:25.359 God's patience is not a broken promise. 00:30:25.599 --> 00:30:30.480 Yes, this was written in the first century, and yes, it's 2023. 00:30:30.880 --> 00:30:33.119 What are we supposed to understand about that? 00:30:33.440 --> 00:30:39.599 We are not supposed to have our faith challenged and doubt whether he's going to return. 00:30:39.920 --> 00:30:52.079 As people of salvation, of people who believe in the Word of God, we are supposed to understand He has given us this window in which to share the gospel. 00:30:53.359 --> 00:31:00.400 He is patient because he wants everyone to have an opportunity to be saved. 00:31:00.559 --> 00:31:01.759 Look at what he says. 00:31:02.000 --> 00:31:12.160 The Lord does not delay his promise, as some understand delay, but is patient with you, not wanting any to perish, but all to come to repentance. 00:31:18.160 --> 00:31:24.319 God is waiting one more day for whoever else is going to get saved to be saved. 00:31:24.559 --> 00:31:30.799 He is waiting one more day to give the opportunity to share Jesus with one more person before he comes back. 00:31:31.039 --> 00:31:36.000 Don't forget, he is coming back as surely as creation happened. 00:31:36.319 --> 00:31:39.599 He is coming back as surely as the flood happened. 00:31:39.920 --> 00:31:45.680 And he is waiting right now to give you an opportunity to share Jesus with somebody. 00:31:46.480 --> 00:31:53.359 Why is it that we are supposed to be adding to our faith, building spiritual habits, stirring up our understanding? 00:31:53.519 --> 00:31:55.839 Why are we supposed to be responding to all this? 00:31:56.079 --> 00:32:04.720 Because it is all about eternity, and right now is the last window that we have to help other people end up in heaven and not go to hell. 00:32:06.240 --> 00:32:07.839 That's what that says. 00:32:08.400 --> 00:32:24.720 And so our response to the delayed return of Jesus is not to doubt that he's coming again, it is to call people to look for his return and to place their faith in him as our Savior. 00:32:25.119 --> 00:32:26.559 I mean, it's incredible. 00:32:27.440 --> 00:32:32.400 The incredible wisdom and power that he builds together, the structure of this argument. 00:32:32.559 --> 00:32:36.880 Now, here's what he goes, and here's a couple of things about interpretation that'll help you in this moment. 00:32:37.200 --> 00:32:40.799 But the day of the Lord will come like a thief. 00:32:41.119 --> 00:32:50.400 On that day the heavens will pass away with a loud noise, the elements will be will burn and be dissolved, and the earth and the works on it will be disclosed. 00:32:50.640 --> 00:33:00.000 Since all these things are to be dissolved in this way, it is clear what sort of people you should be in conduct and godliness as you wait for the day of God returning. 00:33:00.720 --> 00:33:07.440 And so now what he's talking about is the second point of this judgment and redemption will occur. 00:33:07.599 --> 00:33:13.200 And now he is stating, restating, there is going to be judgment, and this is what's going to happen. 00:33:13.359 --> 00:33:23.920 Now, this is a little bit convoluted if you're a new student to the Bible, if you've not studied a lot of these things, and it has some terms in here that you need to sort of learn to recognize as you're studying through this. 00:33:24.160 --> 00:33:31.839 When you see something like the day of the Lord, or if you read down there, the day of God, that's kind of a weird phrase. 00:33:31.920 --> 00:33:33.759 And you go, what day is that? 00:33:34.000 --> 00:33:39.119 If you're doing your who, what, where, when, why, and how, you're going to get when. 00:33:39.519 --> 00:33:42.400 Like when, day of the Lord is a when. 00:33:42.559 --> 00:33:44.079 Day of God is a when. 00:33:44.559 --> 00:33:46.000