2 Peter:1-13 Why God’s “Delay” Is Mercy And How To Live While You Wait

What if God’s “delay” isn’t delay at all, but mercy with your name on it? We open 2 Peter 3:1–13 and wrestle with a hope that doesn’t wilt under headlines, mockery, or unmet timelines. From the tender way Peter addresses “dear friends” to his urgent call to remember what we already know, this teaching reframes waiting as a sacred assignment—one that forms our character while God forms His family.

We trace the logic Peter lays out: the world has never been God-free. By His word He created, by His word He judged the flood, and by that same word He will intervene again. Scoffers will always sneer, but their confidence often masks a deeper motive—autonomy that refuses accountability. Instead of getting hypnotized by sarcasm and volume, we anchor in Scripture, renew our minds, and let the truest story shape our inner narrative. Patterns in history don’t prove God’s absence; they showcase His patience.

Patience, though, isn’t permission to drift. Because the day of the Lord will come like a thief, holiness matters now. We talk about what set-apart living looks like in the real world: Scripture-saturated thinking, Spirit-led restraint, honest confession, and public integrity that matches private life. We get practical about resisting “algorithm discipleship,” cultivating sturdy hope, and sharing the gospel with courage and kindness—trusting that God’s mercy is creating space for repentance for people we love.

If your faith has felt like coping more than hoping, this conversation is for you. Come be reminded that Jesus isn’t late; He’s saving. And when He returns, you’ll be glad you remembered, resisted, and lived holy with steady hope. If this encourages you, subscribe, share it with a friend who’s waiting on God, and leave a review to help others find the message.

Transcript

Reading 2 Peter 3:1–13

SPEAKER_00 0:00

Okay. This this side seems to love you more. So I'm just I'm just I they they they told me to be at home, so this is this is home. I grew up here. So 2 Peter is our text uh 3, 1 through 13. I'm reading from the CSV. I think that's a translation that you guys use. Um and so it goes like this Second Peter 3, 1 through 13 says, Dear friends, this is now a second letter that I have written to you. 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 Lords and Savior given through your apostles. Above all, be aware of this. Scoffers will come in the last days, scoffing and following their own evil desires, saying, Where is his coming that he promised? Ever since our ancestors fell asleep, all things continue as they have been since the beginning of creation. They deliberately overlooked this. By the word of God the heavens came into being long ago, and the earth was brought about from the water and through water. Through these the world at the time perished when it was flooded. 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. Dear friends, do not overlook this one fact. With the Lord one day is like a thousand years, and a thousand years is like one day. The Lord does not delay in his promise, as some understand delay, but is patient with you, not wanting any to perish, but all to come to repentance. Verse ten But the day of the Lord will come like a thief on the 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. Since all these things are to be dissolved in this way, it is clear what sort of people you should be in holy conduct and godliness. And as you wait for the day of God and hasten its coming, because of that day the heavens will be dissolved with fire and the elements will melt with heat. But uh based on his promise, we wait for new heavens and new earth where righteousness dwells. Pray with me. Dear Lord Jesus, thank you for this opportunity to stand before your people and come and proclaim this word. God, I thank you. As one of my favorite preachers always says, the oil from heaven that makes preaching easy. God, it's it's nothing in me, God, that's that's that that's there. Um, God, though you use those things, Lord, it's because of your Holy Spirit. And so I just pray over this place, God, over these times that we have now, this moment that your word would speak. God, would you begin, as we saying, God, would you begin to mend the hearts of your people, Lord? You know what they're dealing with, God. You know the struggles, God, you know the angst, the securities, uh, the um insecurities, all the things that we are bringing here today this morning, God. Some of us are professional Christians, and what I mean by that, we come with so much brokenness, and we know how to play church, and we know how to say all the right things, and what really what's happening in our hearts is God is turmoil and chaos. And so right now in the name of Jesus, would you begin to shed light in those places in our hearts, God, including myself? Lord, I don't come to give to people, Lord. I come to, Lord, uh respond. And as a brother and sister, uh, God, as we are a body of Christ, I come to share your word. And would you do your work, Holy Spirit? As the great physician, would you mend hearts? Would you restore relationships, God? Would you reign and rule over this place? God, we ask you that you would do with that, Lord, today. And would you use me as your vessel, God? May anything I say today be only from you and about you, God, and for the uh the building up of your people. And in Jesus' name I pray, amen. Alright. It's always interesting when I preach at different churches. So I grew up here, so my national, I'm Ethiopian, so I'm used to a lot of uh I heard y'all talk back, so that's good. Amen? All right, cool, cool. I'm gonna preach, I'm biased to this side. Y'all are y'all gotta work on this side, okay? Amen. Okay, so if you guys are taking notes, the title of my message is When God Seems Slow. And by way of introduction, I want to start with this phrase, I'll be back. Y'all ever heard that? Who said that?

unknown 3:57

Arnold.

Drifting, Doubt, And Practical Atheism

SPEAKER_00 3:58

Arnold, I know we got some Gen Z. Y'all know Arnold? Bodybuilder. Yeah, not me. I'm round right now. I need to get back in the gym. I'll be back is a phrase that is often used, that uh it has it's memorable, it's simple. We use it in society, it's a simple catchphrase, but behind it, there's a reminder and a promise that something is coming. When someone says, Hey, I'm not here, but I'll be back, um, even like Rush Hour 2, one of my favorite movies, Chris Chris Tucker's like, hey, don't go no, I'll be right back. He takes the chicken and dip. If you know that, if you know, you know. Um and so, but Jesus also makes a promise to his followers. Only, it's not a catchphrase, it's not a terminal terminator, it's not a movie, it's not Hollywood, it's a real promise from a real God, a real savior that loves you and promise this. He says this, I will come again, John 14, 3. Do you guys believe that? Jesus is coming back one day, and after his ascension, the angels repeated the same thing. This same Jesus will come in the same way as you have seen him. So not only does Arnold Schwarzenegger write, Jesus said it first. Like I'll I'm I'm coming back to get y'all. But here, let's keep it, let's let's let's be real. I love that we're back in Southeast where I grew up. Living on earth is ghetto. Can I get an amen? It's not, it's it's it's rough out in these streets. Gas is a million dollars, rent is oh my, I don't know how we're surviving. Literally, you know what I'm saying? Um I thought about preaching and trapping, but that doesn't work at the same time. But here's it, here's the tension: the longer that the promise feels delayed, the easier it is for a hearts to drift. That's what I want to do the the more when Jesus promises I'm coming back, and it's been thousands of years, and you're like, is he really? Like, are you really coming back? And so we're gonna talk about that today. Now, not only does it cause us to drift, but it we can get into practical atheism, right? Sometimes it's quieter, it's spiritual sleep, slow compromise, shrinking expectation, and a faith that becomes more about coping than hoping. And so again, Jesus made this promise one day I'm coming back. And you've been praying, you've been seeking, you've been wrestling with the Lord, and God, in his own way, is being gracious to us, but he's not answering. Let me just let me just one thing you know about me, and this will be, I guess, a test for Dell if you're gonna invite me back. I'm supposed to come back two more times. So let's see. Uh-huh. I'm I'm gonna keep it a buck. I've been in the season right now where I feel like God is bullying me. That's what I mean by that. I'm a church plant, I'm planting, just got married in June, and so that's probably not the wisest thing to do. Amen. Thank you. Appreciate it, appreciate it. Uh, that might not be the wisest thing, but I know since uh uh uh since I was eight, I got saved, grew up here. There's an Ethiopian church in Marinatha where I grew up preaching, did most of my ministry from 17 to 30. Like God, God, you call me to the ministry. I'm doing everything you call me to do, but I'm all I'm seeing is obstacles, frustrations, and pain. But then you got some other folks online, just you know what I'm saying, Epstein files. Okay, we just keep it a buck, right? And nothing ain't happened to those people, but I'm a follower of Jesus and I feel like I'm getting bullied. Does that make sense? And so I'm wrestling with the Lord. I'm like, God, why? You call me to this thing, you say you're gonna provide for me, but I'm not seeing your provision, even though God has been gracious. I'm just being a baby and he's lending me vents. But like, I just want to be like it's real, but maybe some parents you're praying for for bills and diapers and rent and expense. I don't know what it is in this room, but you're really struggling. And if we're not careful of our hearts and our what we're dealing with, we can follow, fall into these things. And so 2 Peter is a gift for us this morning. God knows that the waiting season can wear people down, He knows that discouragement can make believers vulnerable to voices that sound confident, witty. Hey, be realistic, man. Like you, God really come on, man. You gotta you gotta lace up your boots, right? You gotta white knuckle it, you gotta work hard, man. Go get a job, go do that without depending on God. Go get yourself, go get the bag. Voices that don't just question Christ's return, but it mocks it.

unknown 7:49

Right?

Peter’s Shepherd Heart And Our Forgetfulness

Remember The Word Over The Noise

Meaning Making And Renewing The Mind

SPEAKER_00 7:50

That's that's where we're gonna get at. So Peter writes, not as a detached theologian, but to win an argument, but a shepherd. I love that. And God has called, and Peter, we've been talking about Peter is someone that you can trust because I love Peter. If only we had the apostle Paul, I'd be like, dang, bro, we we cooked. But Peter is a knucklehead, he talks, he made a lot of mistakes. He's the first one, he he speaks first before he thinks that's me. I'm a leader, I'm a visionary, like I dream, and I'm like, whoa, whoa, whoa. Maybe I should have thought about this before I said it. You know, one moment Peter says, Jesus, you are the Christ, you're the Messiah, you're the one who died for the sins of the world. Like, Jesus, all right, bet, man. The Father revealed this to you. And then later on, Jesus, Jesus says, What? Get behind me, Satan. And so Peter, he's like, Man, I'm gonna ride with you. We're gonna die together, bad boys for life. That's just my translation. And then Jesus goes and gets crucified, and the Bible says, Well, they all scatter. And so I'm glad for Peter that he's in this moment. So he's talking to somebody, he got his reps, and he understands what it's like to follow Jesus, and you can hear him immediately the tenderness of the as a right as a shepherd, he says, Dear friends, it's the language of affection. He's not trying to shame his audience, he's trying to steady them, he's not throwing stones, he's trying to build foundations. And Peter tells us the purpose of he says, I'm writing these things to stir up sincere understanding by way of reminder. Basically, what he's saying is like, bro, this ain't new. I'm not giving you something new. This is something that you already know. The foundation has been laid. But the issue is a lot of us uh we often forget God's goodness. Can I get amen? You pray for God to come through. Like your prayer life is trash, but when you need a job, my you can lead the prayer meeting. You know what I'm saying? And then God comes through for you and you get the job. And then what? You ain't talking to the Lord, right? We we we forget. We're so dependent only. We treat God like a like a butler, an errand boy, like a side chick, or something like, hey, I need you. Yeah, amen. Amen. Yeah, right. I need you to do these things for me and come through. And so when God does, and we don't need them no more, we we cast them off to the side. And so Peter's trying to remind us, he's like, You already know this. I'm what I'm saying to you is not gonna be news in the Bible. I'm pretty sure if you grew up in church, or maybe you didn't, God loves you and He cares for you. Let me just if you take away anything today, take away this. If you ever ask the question, does God love me? Does God care about me? Right? I thought you guys did have a cross there, right? Just look at the cross. Oh amen. That's where it is. Amen. Y'all help me preach this thing, right? Literally, this is what God has been reminding me. If I ever forget that God is going to provide for my family, does he love me? Does he see what I'm going through? Infinitely, all caps, yes. Through the personal work of Jesus, Jesus, his what his work, what he's done, the Father said, Yes, I do love you. And so in those times, what we need to remember in the light or in the dark, what God said to us in the light. And so that's what we're gonna kind of get into today. So Peter knows the threat, and the times that we're living in, with so much things on YouTube, university, TikTok theology as I call it, right? All these things that we have to deal with, so many voices. And when God has been like he ain't talking to you, some of them voices start to sound attractive, they start to sound good, and so you begin to wrestle, and they begin to ask and mock questions like where is God? If God's coming through, where's the judgment? Right? We see that in verse 4. And so, this chapter, Peter is going to put two voices side by side. What God says about return and what the world says about it. And so here's my big idea for us because Jesus will certainly return, bringing judgment and renewal, God's people must remember God's word. Refuse scoffing and unbelief, and live holy lives with steady hope. So, as we get into our text today, when it seems God's slow, there's uh three things that I want us to look at. We're gonna see, remember, um the word when the world gets uh when the world gets loud, the next one point number two is scoffing is usually lifestyle problem before it's an intellectual problem. And then the last point number three where we're gonna look at today is God's delay is mercy, and the coming day demands holiness. So if you guys can keep your Bibles open, we're gonna get to our first point today this morning. Y'all with me? Alright. Remember the word when the world gets loud. So verses one and two. So Peter begins by the simple statement, dear friends, this is now the second letter I have written to you. In both letters, I want to stir up. If you if you guys I don't know if y'all are Bible note taking church, bring highlighter. God is always going to speak, and I believe you guys are. So highlight that. I want to stir up your sincere understanding by way of reminder. So it's an important line here. Peter doesn't say I'm writing to you because you don't know, but he's reminding us because we often forget. This is one of the most consistent spiritual dangers in the Bible, not ignorance, forgetfulness. When I grew up in the in church in Sunday school, when I see God provide for Israel, I don't know about y'all. I can speak about my life, so I'm gonna speak about me. Maybe you guys will identify with this. Like, you ever see how God, like, if God parted the Red Sea, my God, I'll be the best. If I saw it with my own eyes, you ever thought about that? Like Jesus, God, Moses lifts up the staff. They literally, millions of people walk on dry land, they see their enemies be destroyed, right? Pillar cloud by fire by day. God did all these things, and then they get in there and say, you know what? Matter of fact, it would have been better if we go back to slavery. Crazy word. Like you just saw God's faithfulness in your life, but that's what discouraging hard time does. It discourages us, it makes us forget God's hand and his faithfulness in our lives. And one of my favorite uh pastors, Paul David Trippie, says, We we become gospel amnesiacs, we forget what Jesus has done for us. We're constantly preaching a Bible, uh, a gospel to ourselves. So when you feel lonely, some of y'all, if y'all sing on here and your DMs is dry and you've been praying, uh, my homie's in the back right now, so I know one person at least. He wants he wants to get married, and it feels like, man, God, you don't see me. It's like I've been trying. No, no, God loves you. He's like, man, God, you haven't provided. No, he has, and we're always you're either saying, man, no, my God is faithful, he's going to provide, or you're preaching a gospel who says, I have a deadbeat dad that does not believe, and he's distant from me. What message are you? You're preaching something to yourself. And so this is what the author is getting at. So that you recall the words, verse 2, previously spoken by the holy prophets, and the command of our Lord, Savior, given through your apostles. In other words, Peter anchors them in the whole witness of scripture, the prophets, right? Old Testament, Jesus' command, that's authority in the word of Christ, the apostles, the New Testament eyewitnesses. Peter's first move is not look around a culture. Somebody need to hear that, it's look back at the word. We need to be Bible-saturated, gospel-centered people who know the book. Not Facebook, but the book. Oh, it got it's one amen. OG, I know you know, right? It's it's it's quiet in this church. Like, we need to be people who know their Bible, especially doing ministry now. You know, I just turned 34 on Tuesday, been preaching and teaching out 17 and 34, and I know there's so many things, especially with social media, AI. Like, if y'all don't know your Bible, like I'm very good with technology. At some points, I'm like, is this real or is this you know what I'm saying? Like, I know I got discernment, I got the Holy Spirit, I got the word of God. Some of y'all, let me just keep it a buck, right? Let me, if y'all don't know your Bible, I don't know how y'all gonna get through. Thank God you got a Bible teaching church. Come to church. They want to disciple you, go into women's ministry and all those things. That's how you're gonna grow, build yourself up in the faith. Very important. And so this is why that matters so much. You never respond to life based on the raw facts alone. You respond based on what you think those facts mean. Paul David Tripp, I'm gonna quote him a few times, he says, we are all meaning makers. We're always trying to get meaning from the world. God designed humans to interpret life through connecting the dots to tell ourselves a story about what's happening, and that story, your internal narrative, often shapes you more than your circumstances themselves. So you gotta be careful about that. And he also goes on to say, No one talks to you more than you do. Your own self-preaching is consistent, you're always interpreting. I love that. Y'all probably said it meant when I said that. No, look, look, if you marry, don't look at your spouse. No one did you dirty more than yourself. You congratulations, you played yourself, right? No one has done it more than you played yourself. No one lies to you more than you lied to yourself. No one's finessed you more than you finess yourself, right? And this is what Paul Tripp is saying. I love that. We're all meaning makers. So when we're primarily our habit is scanning and looking out there instead of looking at God's word, we'll begin to take in, right? The false prophets are coming in and begin to telling lies, infiltrating the church. So when you start looking out there instead of God's word, you start to feed that narrative. Like you're saying, social media, there's so much algorithms. You're being discipled by algorithms, and y'all beefing with people in the own church, and the phone is just discipling you, and because you don't know, I'm sorry, the past the shepherd of me, because you don't know your Bible, you're not being disciple, you're not walking in holiness and community, not perfection, you're not under like walking with people who people who really know you, you only give them a surface level of you. You're never gonna grow, you're never gonna encounter or experience the life that God has for you and wants to give to every person, but it's gonna take work, and so you've been all those things. If you're just a Sunday Christian, a nominal believer, let me tell you, it's time to get in the game, family. God wants to see, He wants to use you. This church could do so much more than the leaders and people on staff here. You guys need to be involved, and I'm pretty sure I saw a lot of you guys when I came early helping out and serving. Like, come be a good, right? Be a good partner. Those of you guys, amen. You guys came and made this your covenant church. Be a good partner, be out in community, make disciples, go out in the streets, because if you don't, you start feel uh feeling anxious, everything's falling apart, you become angry, cynical, tempted to compromise. But Peter's first move uh move right again, it says, look back, look at the word, because the word of God gives you a different uh interpretation. It doesn't deny reality, it re-narrates it, it re-centers you. You know what I'm saying? You have to go back to the word of God. You're like, man, sorry, Lord, I was tripping. That's me. You good. You know what I'm saying? Like God's word, it does that. Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind daily. One of my favorite verses I pray often, Ephesians 5.18 says, Lord, fill me with your Holy Spirit. The idea is to be dominated and controlled. Some of y'all, you know what I'm saying? Like, with your kids, right? Everything's discipleship. Your kids start wilding out, you want to get the you the shankla on the belt. Please do. My wife is a social worker, she doesn't like it, but the Bible says, do not withhold the rod from the child. Amen. But when you are filled with the Holy Spirit, you you will be more sensitive. And you do, or even with your spouse, you won't clap back as much, you'll be more understanding. And so we need those things. The word of God, it recenters every part of our life, it trains us to see our life and the moments we experience through God's promises and his character. So Peter logically is basically saying, Before you interpret the times, you need to a stable land to interpret them with. Otherwise, you'll interpret God through the news instead of interpreting the news through God. Your life is always being shaped either by the loudest story around you or the truest story above you. So, in other words, remember what the Bible says. Like, family, God loves you. Like Jesus is coming back, He cares about you. Rehearse, recall those moments when you're struggling, when you're going through it. Like sometimes I gotta throw, I'm just gonna be honest, I gotta throw myself on the ground and say, God, you are faithful. Simple prayer I've been praying the last few months. The demon-possessed uh boy, the father, he said, Lord, I do believe. You know, help me preach, right? Help my unbelief. That, and then the second prayer is, Lord, give me more faith than I had yesterday. Some days it just be ghetto, I just want to give up. But even that small, honest prayer in a faithful God is more than enough, is sufficient. So I'm not telling you you have to lie and just, you know, be uh holier than thou. I'm like, oh, God is good all the time. You know, like nah, just don't lie, slow down, chill, calm down. You know what I'm saying? Be honest. And so that's my reminder to us. And so Peter moves from remembering the word to recognizing the real issue behind scoffing. Point number two, scoffing is usually a lifestyle problem before it's an intellectual problem. So you may hear hear people say, say it with your chest, or didn't it happen? In our day, skepticism has its own slang. Someone makes a big claim and people respond, right? Show me receipts. You heard that, or prove it, or I'll believe it when I see it. It's a modern way of saying, I'm not I'm not buying into I don't believe this. Is nothing new. The people who are mocking them, we're just saying in a different way in 2026, but they've been saying that all of a Peter says in verse 3, if you're still in your Bibles, above all, be aware of the scoffers. Mockers will come in the last days scoffing. You see it on social media, people just making fun of Christians, Simpsons TV show. Never seen them make fun of Muhammad.

unknown 20:49

Right?

SPEAKER_00 20:50

Always Jesus for some reason. We know Jesus, the way, the truth, and life. We know demons, you know what I'm saying? They're trying to like never Buddha, Islam, never Jesus, always Jesus. Whenever you, I'll call it the J when you drop the J-bomb, the Jesus bomb, right? Everything starts going wild. And so the phrase and the original above all isn't about sequence first this and that. It's about priority. Peter wants believers to be mentally and spiritually prepared because mockery isn't a rare expectation, it's part of the atmosphere of our last days. Like that's family, that's the days that we live in now. People are going to be hostile towards the gospel. But here it's good news. The gospel is still good news, and there's gonna be people who's gonna be transformed. That co-worker you don't like, tell them Jesus, they probably give their life to the Lord, and God wants to use you. It's both, it's not one or the other, it's both. It's people are going to be hostile, and people will respond. Even the people you don't think are going to respond, are we gonna respond to the gospel because the gospel is still good news. God is still in the saving business, He wants to draw all men and women to Himself. And so when Peter says the last day, he's talking about the whole era between Christ's first coming and then the entire age of the church, the age of grace that we're in now, meaning this isn't your sign of love. Losing is a sign that you're living in the world. Scripture told you to expect it. Jesus said, In this life, you will have suffering. Sorry if someone preached the prosperity gospel to you. Or if I just believe hard enough. If I just give. You know what I'm saying? Back in the day when I grew up on BET, they used to sell like$4.99. They used to sell low tat. You know what I'm talking about? That's not what that's not the gospel. We're not selling, you know what I'm saying? We're not selling those the gospel to you. It's free. But if you're living and you're wondering, like, man, why am I being opposition? Why am I being attacked? My sisters who just said yes to be part of the covenant family. Expect hardships. Expect the enemy to make you leave and withdraw from the covenant communion. No, that's when you need to press in even more to your body and your family. And family, you need to come around them as well. And so in the last days, it's gonna get hard. Jesus promises that. We need to lock in, as the young people say. So Peter does something pastorally here. He exposes what's underneath the scoffing, their agenda and their argument. So the church doesn't get hypnotized by confidence, sarcasm, and volume. So, verse number three, their agenda, Peter says, following their own evil desires. That's a huge line because it means scoffing is often more than intellectual, it's a moral posture. People they don't want to go to Jesus, not because the facts are not there, so much historical stuff outside of the Bible, archaeology, so many evidence that prove the historicity and validity of Jesus, that he was a real person, that he died, that like no one we're not but following a carpenter who just died. He made some big claims and he did some big things. In 2026, right, we believe in a Jewish rabbi who we believe that he died, he lived, and through the virgin birth, right? He's gonna come back one day and come back on a white horse. That's crazy. You understand? We believe in a supernatural God, that that's what he's doing, and so people don't they don't struggle with the facts. It's really a heart posture. Even Romans 1, I don't got time, I gotta move. Like it talks about that. Instead of worship at the Creator, God has revealed himself through natural revelation, right? Things we can see in the world. And so people really wrestle. Like, if I believe in God, I'm accountable. I'm not God, I'm not the captain of my own soul. My sin isn't safe, my autonomy isn't ultimate. So people, when they see that, like I had a homie um uh that my my mentor, we had the same mentor, he's like, Man, he had some of the best preachers you can think about preach to him. And he's like, Man, like the hard thing for him, it wasn't the fact it was like, man, if I go give my life to Jesus, I can't stop having sex. I don't want to do that. You know what I'm saying? Like, that's the real thing underneath it, because you have to surrender your whole life to Jesus, your whole life to the Lord. And so the next thing is their their argument. Then Peter summarizes their line of attack. Where is his coming promise? They're not trying to be honest and asking, like, they're being smirky, they're making fun of it. Help me understand, right? They're not saying that it's like, look, nothing has happened. I've been living wild. You know what I'm saying? I've been clubbing, I've been thug, you know what I'm saying? I've been doing all this stuff. Ain't nothing, ain't nothing happened to me yet. Why should I listen to you?

unknown 24:56

Right?

Scoffers’ Motives And Modern Cynicism

God Has Intervened And Will Again

Delay As Mercy And Call To Holiness

SPEAKER_00 24:57

Matter of fact, you're trying to you're trying to be a church plan, you broke. I'm rich, I'm finessing people online, right? Why would I want to live the life you live? Look, I'm I'm bro, I'm not trying to be like you, right? And so there's that reality. And so that question is really doing that, and they reinforce their it with their worldview. Verse 4 Ever since our ancestors fell asleep, all things continue as they have been. So, in other words, like, man, nothing's gonna change, it's all been the same, and they they believe the world's a closed system, how it was and how it's always gonna be. Um, verse five and six, they deliberately overlook this reality. What do they overlook? God created the world by his word, God spoke and brought things to creation. The second thing is God did intervene, God did come and judge the world, he did speak. Peter's point is the world has never been God free. The regular patterns of life are not proof that God is absent, they're proof that God is patient. That's actually grace and providential. And the future, the same word that made the world would judge the world. And so, just for the sake of time, verse 7 by the same word, the present heavens and earth are stored up for fire. The same divine authority that God spoke into creation also speaks into human history. So Peter's logic is this God has intervened before, God can intervene, and he will intervene again. And so he begins to expose all their things, and ultimately here they're like, Man, God hasn't shown up and and the Bible Peter claims, no, he has. Think about Genesis, right? The flood. Like God literally wiped out humanity, saved a few, no one is family. God intervened through the person and work of Jesus and came and redeemed and saved our soul. And one day, just in case someone is in in here and they don't know Jesus, Jesus loves you and he offers a way of grace. The Bible says, chooses they whom you're gonna serve. He's a I've come to give life and life abundantly. The enemy comes to steal, kill, and destroy. So the offer to you today is free. Receive the grace of God by faith alone through Christ alone. You ain't gotta work hard at it, right? You ain't gotta come here and get prayed. You ain't gotta say your sinner's prayer. If that you do that, that's fine. But it's ultimately putting your trust and faith in the personal work of Jesus, what he has done on your behalf, not how well you read the Bible, not how well you come to Bible study, city life, worship team, is by trusting in the finished work of Jesus that saves us. That's the invitation that's here for us today if you believe in that. But if you don't, uh-huh, let me hey, God is not Tinkerbell Disney Jesus. You know, some of us we have Disney theology. We think Jesus, Jesus is like la la la la la. You understand? Like just you get a car. You're God loves you. That's the the people believe that on the world. Jesus was the Lamb of God at his first coming, right? That was slain, that was He's gonna come back as a line of Judah, tattooed on his thigh, right? Thugged out. He's gonna destroy the enemies, speaking out the word of his mouth, and destroy every person. Right now, there's grace that God is extending, but one day the time will end. You are you're not promised tomorrow. I'm not promised tomorrow. And so that's what the argument that's being made. And so, lastly, my last point here is God delays mercy, and the coming uh day demands holiness. Just because it's late doesn't mean it's not coming. And so, again, they're asking that question, they're scoffing, they're laughing. Man, y'all been following Jesus, the ancestors, Abraham, all those people, man. We ain't seen God do nothing. We live in our lives, even sometimes as Christians, it's hard to go online and see people. I feel like if I do some of the things that people do, God will like slash my tires, I'll be broke, broke. You know what I'm saying? I was like, man, God's gonna destroy me. But I did I look like you know, if you just read the Psalms, and I'll be like, man, God, they live in better than me. And so there's that temptation, and God does intervene. Verse 8, dear friends, don't overlook this one fact. With one day, the Lord is like a thousand years, and a thousand years like one day. So it's trying to shift our perspective. I know it seems hard for us to understand and see, but God is doing something, He is involved, right? We live in minutes, God rules over the millennia, we feel delay, it's God's design. And here's the point that I want to get to, verse nine is that God is just He's patient, God wants people to get saved. Right? I want Jesus to come. Marnatha, right? Come, Lord Jesus. That's what that means. But I got family, half my family are Muslim, they don't believe in Jesus. My auntie growing up, praise God, my uncle gave his life to the Lord, been walking with the Lord. I was talking to my sister the other day. I was like how long has it been, sis? She's like, Oh, it's been 11 years. I said, Really? Praise God for that. My auntie literally said, I'd rather burn in hell than believe in Jesus. So for me, strong Muslim, I'll rather Jesus come, but then I'm like, man, my auntie's going, you know what I'm saying? Hell is crazy. I can't even imagine what that's gonna be like. And but I want Jesus to come, there's still work, but God is gracious. He wants us to go out, make disciples, and share with our coworkers. Right? If you take lifting Uber, preach the Uber driver, if you work on school, you raise your children. God does not desire people to be destroyed, he wants them to come to saving faith. God is in a saving business, but one day, God is gonna come back to judge the world. He flooded the world before, he made a promise not gonna happen, but the world will melt and be destroyed by fire, and the new heavens and new earth will come. And it says it comes like a thief. It's unexpected. We don't know when thieves are gonna come, but that's what Jesus says, and in that moment, he calls us to live holy, sanctified lives. Let me just be honest, I ain't the holiest person out there. Let me just let me, the preacher, let me be honest with you. I love Jesus. Sometimes I'm like, man, if y'all really knew the real me, y'all would even call me come preach. You ever say? That's like audacity of the outlandish grace of God. We're all broken, we all have struggles, insecurities. If, like, man, God, if people really need God's like, I know, go, I'm gonna use you still. Doesn't mean we take advantage of grace and abuse it. But like, God has called, if the world is living ratchet, we need to live righteous. We need to live holy, we need to trust in the work of Jesus and be, and so God says, be holy. That's the idea, is we need to be set apart. We're not to look like the world, right? If you grow up in a in a uh, I don't know, I want to speak for everybody, right? Black families, you know, uh special holidays. We have the couch, you put that little plastic over it. I don't know why they do that. And you have special when Thanksgiving stuff comes, you you know those nice plates that only come out once a year? Like that's what it means to be holy and set up. You need to be unique from all the other plates, common stuff. And you need to be on special. That's what God says about we are cut from a different cloth once we give our life to Jesus. We are set apart. We need to live differently. Why? Because Peter's making that as people are mocking and we're waiting, and the God's delay feels like it's not coming, Jesus said, No, I will come good on my promise. Again, the cross. And if you're a believer, he's given us the Holy Spirit as a down payment, and it's a promise, and God that means the person who made that down payment is faithful to come accomplish the payment that they made in advance, and so God is coming back, and so we need to trust uh in that reality. And so, as I get ready to close here, that promise I want to end here, uh it has a name. Jesus is coming back, and the point isn't to make you obsessed with time. I know sometimes people can get caught up a thousand years, time, what does all that mean? But it's to wake you up. A lot of us Christians, we're sleepy. Sometimes I'm like, Lord, awaken my soul, Lord. We just get caught up in the mundane and routine of life. Like, let me be honest, one of my favorite pastors, Matt Chandler, always says this is like, being Christian, we should not be bored. Some of we we if you're bored, you're doing Christianity wrong. I'm getting bullied. Anybody's this is you know what I'm saying? It's like a toxic relationship, Lord. I'm sorry, not like that, but you know what I mean? It's a lot going on, and so because maybe you're not doing it right, you're getting comfortable. Out in the other world, right? Brothers and sisters, persecution out in the world happening that uh awakes them alive. You know what the enemy does for us? It's like, no, no, no, go to silly, but relax, relax. Netflix? Uber eat it. Like, you know what I'm saying? It's just comfortable, we're creature comforts, and so the enemy is just causing us to fall, Ephesians talks about to fall asleep, but God is trying to awaken us up. Maybe you believe the voices, maybe you've been saying, Jesus, I'm coming back, I put my trust, you're not seeing it for your family, right? Maybe you pray for somebody, they died, maybe you're like, God, I want you to come through on this job. You got the eviction notice, God didn't come through. You're trying to pay this debt and do that, God didn't come through, and you're what and you're starting to believe the lie. Peter is reminding us today that we need to look to God. God's delay is not denial, it's mercy. It's literally mercy for people who are struggling. Every day you're given an open door for repentance and surrender for coming home. And if you're not in Christ, here's what Peter's saying to you in tenderness. You're hearing this because God is still inviting you. Don't make a mistake. Uh patience uh for permission to just live wild. I know people who say that. Oh, you how old are you, bro? You're too young, but live your life, then I'll give my life. You ever heard people say that? Then I'll give my life to Jesus. Foolish. You're not promised tomorrow. And so if you're here today and you're hearing this message, like you cannot stand before God and say, Oh, I never heard the message. No, you did. You're getting this gospel today. That's my job. You're gonna get this message. And so you stand before God, God's like, uh-uh-uh. City life church, right? March 1st, 2026, you 9 a.m. serve. You were there, they preached the gospel, you rejected it. And so today that there's freedom, there's rejoice. I think there's gonna be a prayer team that's gonna prayer for you. Come get prayer. If you got questions, press in, go deeper. We'll walk with you. You ain't gotta have all the answers, you ain't gotta know, but we promise that we'll be there with you. And if you are a follower of Christ, this is to anchor you and I in the reminder that our Father has not forgotten us, he's not neglected us, and he will come through, he always comes through, and it's to steady us and to sanctify sanctify us rather, so that we can grow more and more like Jesus. The same Jesus who came once in humility is returning in glory. Jesus is not slow, he's saving, and when he comes, he'll be glad. You'll be glad that you live like him. Amen. If we can all stand, let me just go ahead and close out in prayer. Dear Lord, I just thank you for this morning, God. Thank you for this message that you have given me, Lord. And I just pray up front, if there's anything that I have said today that does not match up with what you what your word says, God, that's trying to be too catchy, too funny, Lord. I just pray that they would not remember. But anything today that has real substance, Lord, that it would God be uh a seed planted in their hearts. God, they would chew on it, they would uh regurgitate, they would marinate it, they would think upon such things that they would go deep in their hearts and ask those questions, man. Are there places in my life where I believe the scoffing and the mocking? Where I have succumbed to the scoffing and believed the lies, God, would you reveal that? God, it me in me first. The Bible says, test and see, examine, Lord, search me and know my heart. There's ways and how I'm living that does not honor you, God, that's not holy, God. Behind uh closed doors, God, there's also two ways that we live. There's our public life, what people see, and we can be really good at that. But most importantly, there's our our private life. Paul told Timothy, 1 Timothy 4 16, watch your life and your doctrine first, then it will save you and those who you lead and listen to you. So, Lord, I pray that for myself. I know there's so many dark things in my life, God, so many good things, but I'm trusting in you, Lord, that you are aware of those things. God, you are by the blood of Jesus, have already purchased and paid for those things. Romans 8.1, there is no condemnation for those who are in Christ. The old has gone, the new has come. We are new creatures. And so, hallelujah, Lord, thank you for that reality this morning. Thank you for that truth. And even though we may think of a divine delay, God, may we think about it as your mercy and your grace, not just towards us, but towards others. God, would you stir in us up, God, the reminder of your word, but also for evangelism that to get on the street, to talk to our coworkers, God, to live on mission with anyone and everyone we come in contact with in our coming days. So, Lord, we surrender this time to you. Thank you for the privilege of speaking your word to this first service and what you're already doing in this church. God, I pray you continue to bless this church. Would you continue to grow them, to be faithful, to be grounded and guarded in the person and word of Jesus? God, that may the word of God richly dwell in them this morning. God, so we thank you, we love you. In Jesus' name I pray. Amen.