1. PASSION… Webster’s defines it as:
• “INTENSITY… OVERMASTERING FEELINGS… CONVICTION.”
• Other words include ZEAL, ENTHUSIASM, & FERVENCY.
Guys, that’s the kind of relationship with Jesus I want.
• Jesus changed my life… and he changed yours.
• He delivered us from the power of darkness and transferred us into His kingdom of light.
• I want a faith that overmasters my flesh, that fills me with conviction and a zeal for the lost.
• One that is enthusiastically living for him, fervently & passionately responding to the call of God thru his Son Jesus.
• So much of that passion & zeal in my life was spent in and on this world. It always led to pain & emptiness.
• But now in Jesus, He can use us for great things in His name!
Galatians 2.20 "I have been crucified with Christ; it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me.
WELL A PASSIONATE LIFE invested in the kingdom of God will bring out in others a disdain for you. What?
• Yes, not everyone will be happy that you’re living for Jesus now.
• Family members might not understand you.
• Friends might not like the new you.
• The world might discard you as another one lost.
• False teachers will come, Peter says, to steal you away.
• Mockers will come, Peter writes, to discourage you away.
• But Jesus will not leave you or forsake you… EVER!
Psalm 27.10 When my father and my mother forsake me, Then the LORD will take care of me.
I. (2:10-12) THE DAY OF THE LORD
1. (10-12) The Day of the Lord is coming.
a. We see, “Day of the Lord” throughout the Scriptures.
b. Flip back to 1 Thessalonians 5:1-3
NOTE: The church was thinking about the future & wondering when all this will take place.
• He taught them about death & dying, about the rapture, and now he begins to encourage them about the Day of the Lord.
• As we will see, the issue is not really WHEN HE COMES but truly how we live UNTIL HE COMES. Jump to v6, v8
SO THEN: What is the Day of the Lord?
• Of all the prophecies in the Bible, there is none so detailed as this thing known as the Day of the Lord.
• It’s used over and over again in the Old Testament.
Isa 2.12 For the day of the LORD of hosts Shall come upon everything proud and lofty, Upon everything lifted up--And it shall be brought low--
Joel 2.1 Blow the trumpet in Zion, And sound an alarm in My holy mountain! Let all the inhabitants of the land tremble; For the day of the LORD is coming, For it is at hand:
NOTE: It’s not a term filled with a whole lot of joy or hope.
• The Day of the Lord is a painful time, a time of judgment.
• Important to note that the Day of the Lord is not a 24 hour day.
• Rather it’s a period of time. Today, we live in the Day of Grace.
2 Peter 3.9 The Lord is not slack concerning His promise, as some count slackness, but is longsuffering toward us, not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance.
• Right now, God is patiently holding back judgment, so that many would be melted by His love and grace and be saved!
Romans 2.4 Or do you despise the riches of His goodness, forbearance, and longsuffering, not knowing that the goodness of God leads you to repentance?
But one day, we believe soon, the Day of Grace will and the Day of the Lord will come…
• A time when God will judge the world and punish the nations!
• Let’s flip over to Isaiah 13:6ff
• And so Peter describes it for us here in 3:10-13
• The Day of the Lord will be a period of final destruction and punishment upon the earth. Detail: Rev. 6-19
NOTE: The heavens will pass away with a great noise… elements will melt with fervent heat… the earth burned up.
APP: this world is not our home, we’re just passing through.
• You know that nice brand new car you bought? It’ gonna burn.
• The home? The clothes? The ipod? All going to burn!
Matthew 6.33 "But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you.
That’s what Peter asks in v11 isn’t it?
• Knowing that Jesus is coming again? Knowing that people apart from faith in Jesus will perish? Knowing that the things of this world will be dissolved & judged and burned up?
• How kind of people ought we to be? What’s the Christian to look like, sound like, live like? Jesus!
• Holy conduct… compassion care… godly lifestyles!
And v12… Hastening the coming of the day of God.
• How do we ‘HASTEN’ his coming? Sort of sounds like we control his coming… but it’s not true.
• We hasten his coming by preaching the gospel. By compelling folks to come to Jesus and receive His love & forgiveness.
We just don’t let the world go to hell in a handbasket.
• We hasten the day by praying for more laborers to go into the harvest. What a great picture. Let’s look at Mark 9:35-38
• Isn’t that great? Pray for laborers. Yes Lord.
• YOU ARE THOSE LABORERS, NOW GO! The time is short!
• We need an army, a mighty army of Christians who will live for the Lord and speak up and speak out and speak to!
• Let’s go out into the world & WIN-DISCIPLE-SEND
NOTE: Every single soul saved is one closer to the coming of His kingdom! How exciting!
• We believe there is a set number of gentiles that will be saved… and when that last Gentile is saved, the rapture!
• If you’re that last Gentile, would you please believe!!!!!?
II. (2:13-17) THE DILIGENCE OF BELIEVERS
1. (13-14) The Day of the Lord is coming.
a. Since you’re looking for these things, be diligent to be found in him in peace, spotless & blameless.
b. This is not the time to be messing around as Christians.
c. The Lord will come at any moment and you don’t want to be caught in a sinful lifestyle as a Christians.
WELL Pastor Ed… my sin doesn’t bother me. Really….?
• Is your conscience seared? Don’t you care about the name of your Lord? Are you saved?
• HEY DON’T QUESTION MY HEART!! You don’t know me.
• You’re right, I don’t know you… but I know Jesus and He never anywhere at anytime gives us permission to live in sin!
• please, please, please… REPENT and RETURN to the Lord!
• Now is the time to be living a pure life, a holy life.
You Know if Jesus didn’t come in my lifetime, I would still be glad I’m living the way I’m living.
• I would be blessed to have been used to serve you, and love you, and lay my life down for the sheep.
• I would be so excited that my kids love Jesus and have a desire to serve him and please him!
You know… I wouldn’t want the Lord to come when I’m on I-25 and that guy just cut in front of me! What did you say Son?
• I don’t want the Lord to come when I’m arguing with Marie.
• I want Jesus to come in the morning during my devotions…
• When I’m in prayer seeking His heart for Aurora! Oh Lord!
2. (15-18) Paul has some hard things to say!
a. That’s funny isn’t it? Even an apostle struggled with some of the things that Paul wrote! -- And at times we have too.
b. But notice the writings of Paul were already accepted by the Early Church as inspired by God by the mid 60’s.
c. And like today, they were twisting his words to hurt people!
And instead of falling & stumbling, v17, grow in the grace & knowledge of our Lord & Savior Jesus Christ!
GRACE – undeserved & unmerited favor & blessing from God.
• Grow in that! We don’t deserve what we have in Jesus!
• But His grace is a motivator… a compelling reason to live!
NOTE: I know that not everyone is convinced that Christians grow under the influence of God’s grace.
• Instead they believe rules & regulations will do it!
• But all it produces is works & burdens & guilt & fear.
You Know… if you put people under the law, they will go forth in work, work, work: One day I’ll make my Jesus glad!
• But tell me about His love, and His care for me, how secure I am in him, and I want live for him all the days of my life!
• Barking orders at Christians isn’t going to make them do better, they’ll actually do worse because they will go forward in flesh.
• We have to lead the people of God to the Grace of God!
We need to be a church family not just extending the doctrine of Grace of living all the time everywhere in an atmosphere of grace!
• Remember back to 1 Peter 5:10!
This is wonderful: He’s not the God of all wrath OR of all judgment.
• He’s NOT the GOD of all works & self-effort!
• He’s the God of ALL GRACE.
John 1.14 And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth.
THE ATMOSPHERE of spiritual growth is always God’s grace.
• You can’t have too much grace flowing in a church, in a home, in a marriage, with your kids, in your friendships.
• The gospel is the good news of God’s grace.
• But some say… if you teach grace, then the people will just run out and sin and life for themselves and just live recklessly.
• But that’s not the grace of God, it’s the foolishness of man.
Titus 2.11-12 For the grace of God that brings salvation has appeared to all men, 12 teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly in the present age,
I’ve LEARNED that when people really understand grace, they really begin to grow & flourish!
• It’s not a works problem. Oh just work more, that’s it. NO.
• You can work & work & never experience the grace of God.
• As I see and know and understand and nourish myself on the grace of God, I grow… I love… I serve… I hate sin even more!
• I get the victory in my life and live for Jesus with every ounce of energy He’s given me in passion and fervency!
• Spiritual growth comes not in the ROCKY SOIL of the Law, but in the fertile, lush nutritious soil of grace!
but grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To Him be the glory both now and forever. Amen.
And my friends it’s only grace that brings God ALL the glory!
