Rev. David Holwick A
First Baptist Church
Ledgewood, New Jersey
January 1, 1995
2 Peter 3:10-18
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I. Have you ever been robbed?
A. Robbery is one of most common crimes.
1) Pam Freund and thieves in middle of night.
They break into her garage and steal two expensive cars.
2) Unexpected, and threatening.
B. Second Coming will have an impact like this.
1) Those unprepared will be shocked.
2) God has taken his sweet time, but he won't delay forever.
II. What the Day of the Lord will be like. 3:10
A. Thrills and chills, or doom and gloom?
1) Many look forward to it, but doom to many. Amos 5:18-20
2) Bible is filled with dark pictures - for the unprepared.
3) Only "self-controlled" Christians will be safe and
aware. 1 Thess 5:4-8
B. It all burns up. 3:10
1) Whole universe is involved.
a) Exactly what is being destroyed is debated:
elements, planets, nature.
b) Earth is laid bare.
1> Nothing can hide from God. Rev 6
2> Not just judgment, but revealing of God himself.
2) God's salvation is not just personal, but covers the
universe.
a) Nature will be saved as much as we are.
b) How big is your God?
C. Condensed version of prophecy.
1) No millennium?
2) Jumps to New Heavens and New Earth.
a) Heaven is temporary.
b) Eternal, physical existence is our future.
III. How should we be living? 3:11,14
A. Difference threat of imminent danger makes.
1) Cancer patients, elderly, death row convicts.
2) Drastic events are necessary to make us take a hard look
at ourselves.
3) New Years Day kind of limp in comparison?
B. The Second Coming should be a motivation for holy living. 3:11,14
(Mrs. Snelling and fear of Rapture while in a theater.)
1) Be morally spotless.
2) Be at peace with God.
IV. Our lifestyle can speed up Second Coming. 3:12
A. Somehow God's will depends on (cooperates with) us.
1) Don't give in to determinism.
2) Our efforts make a difference. A big one!
B. What speeds up Second Coming?
1) Jews - if all righteous sinless for one day, Messiah comes.
2) Jesus:
a) Prayer. Matt 6:10
b) Witnessing. Matt 24:14
c) Repentant obedience. 2 Peter 3:12 ?
C. Is your sin holding up Second Coming?
V. New Heavens and Earth. 3:13
A. What will eternity be like?
1) Usual image is of clouds and harps.
a) We speak of "going to see Jesus in heaven.
b) But heaven is temporary.
2) Eternal will be very physical.
a) Old Testament prophesies of a New Earth. Isaiah 65:17
b) Here in 2 Peter, and also Revelation 21 & 22.
3) Principle behind concept of resurrection.
a) We cannot be all God intends without a full existence.
b) (Jehovah Witnesses and future Kingdom, contains truth.)
B. God starts from scratch.
1) Same with Christians, who become re-created. 2 Cor 5:17
2) Not just fine-tuning (resolutions), but remaking.
VI. It's not always easy to understand. 3:15
A. Paul's letters have wisdom, but are hard and easy to distort.
1) 2 Peter isn't too easy, either.
2) It seems the only "hard" message people want is emotionalism.
Rev. Jerry Hall is a fundamentalist Baptist preacher with a
large church.
He also has a reputation being a solid teacher, but not much
of a motivator.
As some of his people put it, he's too dry.
Several have left his church, saying they need some "hard
preaching."
Sermons have good content but don't excite people who want
emotional heart-wringing.
He defends his style as truly hard preaching because it
speaks to spiritual and not just emotional needs.
#167
B. Note Paul's writings are equated with Scripture. ["other"]
1) New Testament is not just human thoughts about God.
2) God used the writers to convey his message.
VII. Be on your guard, and grow. 3:17
A. Christians have a foundation. 3:17
1) Two thousand years of learning, and mistakes.
2) Is your position on sand or rock?
B. Christians must grow. 3:18
1) We have to build upon our foundation.
2) Grow in grace - be a giving, caring person.
a) Grace is free, has no strings attached.
3) We have not arrived yet.
Copyright © 2024 by Rev. David Holwick
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