II Peter 2:1-9
November 5, 2008
Pastor John L. Harper
“False Teachers and a Faithful God”
Introduction: (2 Timothy 3:1-5)
• The days that we live in are dangerous
• The men that are in this world are marked by their love by pleasure.
I. THE WORK OF FALSE TEACHERS (vs. 1-3)
A. The false teachers will introduce destructive heresies
1. They will come from among the people (I John 2:19)
2. They will deny the Lord who bought them
3. They will bring swift destruction on themselves
B. The false teachers will bring the way of truth into disrepute
1. They will follow shameful ways
2. They will have people who follow them in their shameful ways
C. The false teachers will exploit you with made up stories
1. Their condemnation has been hanging over them (Sword of Damocles)
Answer: "Judge no one happy until his life is over" is a familiar theme in Greek and Roman philosophical writing. [See Solon and Croesus.] One variant of this is the Sword of Damocles, which is used to describe a sense of foreboding and might translate into English idiom as "walk a mile in my shoes." Here’s the story about Damocles’ sword:
Dionysius was a fourth century B.C. tyrant of Syracuse, a city in Magna Graecia, the Greek area of southern Italy. To all appearances Dionysius was very rich and comfortable, with all the luxuries money could buy, tasteful clothing and jewelry, and delectable food. He even had court flatterers (adsentatores) to inflate his ego. One of these ingratiators was the court sycophant, Damocles. Damocles used to make comments to the king about his wealth and luxurious life. One day when Damocles complimented the tyrant on his abundance and power, Dionysius turned to Damocles and said, "If you think I’m so lucky, how would you like to try out my life?"
Damocles readily agreed, and so Dionysius ordered everything to be prepared for Damocles to experience what life as Dionysius was like. Damocles was enjoying himself immensely... until he noticed a sharp sword hovering over his head, that was suspended from the ceiling by a horse hair. This, the tyrant explained to Damocles, was what life as ruler was really like.
Damocles, alarmed, quickly revised his idea of what made up a good life, and asked to be excused. He then eagerly returned to his poorer, but safer life. (www.about.com)
2. Their destruction has not been sleeping
II. THE WICKED JUDGMENT (vs. 4-6)
A. God sent the fallen angels to hell for judgment
1. These were the angels who rebelled against God
2. God did not spare those whom He created
B. He brought the flood on its ungodly people
1. God protected Noah and seven others
2. Noah was a preacher of righteousness (120 years)
C. He destroyed the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah as an example
III. THE WAY OF THE LORD (vs. 7-9)
A. He rescued Lot from the company of lawless men
1. He was a righteous man
2. He lived among the wicked people daily
B. Lot was tormented by the lawless deeds of wicked men
C. The Lord knows how to rescue godly men from trials
1. He is able to hold the unrighteous for the day of judgment
2. He is able to continue their punishment
CONCLUSION:
Though there are wicked men on this earth, the way of the Lord is to reward the wicked according to their deeds.
