Pastor Jann Braaksma
Let’s just start today by hearing our entire reading through once. OK boys, read it loud and proud. Thank you.
Now like carving the Thanksgiving Day turkey, let’s slice this up a bit so it’s easier to digest.
First off, any guess who wrote Second Peter?
The Apostle Peter, the rock.
Knowing that his time on earth was limited, he wrote about what was on his heart, warning believers of what would happen when he was gone—especially about the presence of false teachers. He reminded his readers of the unchanging truth of the gospel.
Verse 1 reads; “Dear friends, this is now my second letter to you.”
It is believed that 2 Peter was written three years after 1 Peter and was addressed to the church at large. Soon after writing this last communication Peter would die, martyred for his faith.
Verse 1 continues; “I have written both of them as reminders to stimulate you to wholesome thinking.”
Plato had used the phrase ‘wholesome thinking’ to refer to pure reason uncontaminated by the senses. The thinking and intentions of God’s people must be able to stand up under scrutiny and not be led astray by immoral desires.
Verse 2: “I want you to recall the words spoken in the past by the holy prophets and the command given by our Lord and Savior through your apostles.”
Recall what?
All the times you feel God was unfair to you? The bad grades you got on a test? The Christmas presents you didn’t receive and really wanted?
No, we are to remember the words spoken in the past.
Quickly now, what are the eleven commandments?
1) You shall have no other gods before me.
2) You shall not make for yourself an idol
3) You shall not misuse the name of the Lord you God
4) Remember the Sabbath day by keeping it holy
5) Honor your father and your mother
6) You shall not murder
7) You shall not commit adultery
You shall not steal
9) You shall not give false testimony
10) You shall not covet
11) Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another.
(John 13:34)
Verse 3 begins; “First of all, you must understand that in the last days….”
Yes, we are living in the last days. They began with Christ’s resurrection and will continue until His return. And we have to be closer now to His return than ever before. But the hard part is, are we 9/10’s of the way, or only half, or God forbid, on 1/100th of the way to Christ’s return?
Verse 3 continues; “scoffers will come, scoffing and following their own evil desires. They will say, “Where is the ‘coming’ He promised? Ever since our fathers died, everything goes on as it has since the beginning of creation.”
Notice it’s not IF scoffers come, but when they come. Like ticks to a dog, they will come. And are they following the commandments? No, they are following their own evil desires.
Verse 5; “But they deliberately forget that long ago by God’s word the heavens existed and the earth was formed out of water and by water.”
How was the world created? God spoke it into being. Let’s hear portions Genesis 1.
In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. Now the earth was formless and empty, darkness was over the surface of the deep, and the Spirit of God was hovering over the waters. And God said, “Let there be light,” and there was light. And God said, “Let there be an expanse between the waters to separate water from water.” And God said, “Let the water under the sky be gathered to one place, and let dry ground appear.”
I had never noticed it before, but the earth was birthed from water.
Separate water from water and let dry land appear.
Verse 6; “By these waters also the world of that time was deluged and destroyed.
What is Peter referring to here?
Yes, Noah; the ark; and the great flood.
Verse 7: “By the same word the present heavens and earth are reserved for fire, being kept for the Day of Judgment and destruction of ungodly men.”
In Noah’s day the earth was judged by water; at the Second Coming it will be judged by fire.
Why not water again?
Gen. 9:11 – Never again will all life be cut off by the waters of a flood; never again will there be a flood to destroy the earth.
God promised. What is our visible reminder of this promise?
The rainbow
Gen 9:12-17 – And God said, “This is the sign of the covenant I am making between me and you and every living creature with you, a covenant for all generations to come; I have set my rainbow in the clouds, and it will be the sign of the covenant between me and the earth.
Whenever I bring clouds over the earth and the rainbow appears in the clouds, I will remember my covenant between me and you and all living creatures of every kind. Never again will the waters become a flood to destroy all life.
Whenever the rainbow appears in the clouds, I will see it and remember the everlasting covenant between God and all living creatures of every kind on the earth.”
So God said to Noah, “This is the sign of the covenant I have established between me and all life on the earth.
I always thought the rainbow was to remind us of God’s promise. The holy word of God says it’s to remind God of His promise. Interesting isn’t it?
Back to 2 Peter, Verse 8; “But do not forget this one thing, dear friends; With the Lord a day is like a thousand years, and a thousand years are like a day. The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. He is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance.”
Could the Lord come today? Of course He could.
If He did, would some people go to hell?
Unfortunately yes.
Is God perhaps delaying the return of Jesus so one more person might have an opportunity to be saved?
Yep.
Who’s job is it to evangelize?
Ours.
Are we being about it?
God may have seemed slow to the believers as they faced persecution every day and longed to be delivered. But God is not slow; He just is not on our timetable.
Jesus is waiting so that more sinners will repent and turn to Him.
We must not sit and wait for Christ to return.
We should live with the realization that time is short and that we have important work to do. Be ready to meet Christ any time, even today; yet plan your course of service as though he may not return for many years.
We close today with Revelation 22:12-16
“Behold, I am coming soon! My reward is with me, and I will give to everyone according to what he has done. I am the Alpha and Omega, the First and the Last, the Beginning and the End.
Blessed are those who wash their robes, that they may have the right to the tree of life and may go through the gates into the city. Outside are the dogs, those who practice magic arts, the sexually immoral, the murderers, the idolaters and everyone who loves and practices falsehood.
I, Jesus, have sent my angel to give you this testimony for the churches. I am the Root and the Offspring of David, and the bright Morning Star.”
Let us pray
Resources: Life Application Bible & Life Application New Testament Commentary.