Title: The Promise of His Coming
Text: 2 Peter 3:4-13
Introduction: I have an announcement. "I received a phone call before entering the pulpit. In 20 minutes the Lord will be returning to earth to take those prepared to go with Him, back to heaven."
‒ What would that mean to you?
‒ Are you ready?
‒ Do you have your house in order?
‒ Would you be excited or scared?
‒ How important would this sermon be to you were that the truth?
‒ To some it might be really important.
‒ To most, there would be something elsewhere to take care of.
‒ Maybe a friendship to mend.
‒ Maybe a friend to tell about Jesus.
‒ Maybe you need to settle a quarrel with a parent or a child.
As surely as Jesus took care of the promise of the crucifixion and the promise of resurrection, He will take care of the Promise of His Coming!
Listen to 2 Peter 3:4-13.
1. Where is His coming? (2 Peter 3:4 NCV) They will say, "Jesus promised to come again. Where is he? Our fathers have died, but the world continues the way it has been since it was made."
A. They had the attitude of many people today.
1. Where is Jesus? He hasn’t shone His face for 200 years!
2. Why worry about the end. Let’s party!
3. I was in a class once with a brother that said, “I don’t think Jesus will come back for a million years.” Another spoke up in the class and said, “Well you had better wake up....”
2. People who don’t want to believe based on idea that things have not changed forget 2 things.
A. They forget that the world was spoken into existence and spoken out of existence by the power of the word of God! (2 Peter 3:5-6 NCV) But they do not want to remember what happened long ago. By the word of God heaven was made, and the earth was made from water and with water. {6} Then the world was flooded and destroyed with water.”
1. And according to verse 7 in the same passage, it will happen again. Not by water, but fire next time.
B. They also forget that God does not count time as we do. Time is not important to God. He is not bound by it.
1. (2 Peter 3:8 NCV) But do not forget this one thing, dear friends: To the Lord one day is as a thousand years, and a thousand years is as one day.
1. Peter is not making a point about evolution, but is making the point that what seems a long time to man is just a small time with God.
1. Therefore, to God, whenever He comes will be soon to Him.
2. In our text, Peter is making the point that some men may think it is slow, but God will keep His promises in his own time! (2 Peter 3:9 NCV) The Lord is not slow in doing what he promised--the way some people understand slowness. But God is being patient with you. He does not want anyone to be lost, but he wants all people to change their hearts and lives.
3. How do some people “understand slowness?”
A. In there day in time, people were wondering when God would keep His promise of coming.
B. In our day, people say, “I’ll become a Christian later. I have plenty of time.”
1. We must be careful to understand that God will come back, and it could be anytime. THE LORD IS NOT SLOW IN DOING WHAT HE PROMISED.
C. In our day, people are saying, “I’ll wait on my husband or wife to become a Christian.” Wait in the Lord, because THE LORD IS NOT SLOW IN DOING WHAT HE PROMISED.
D. Young especially, and old too say, “I’ve got plenty of time.” Don’t waste the best years of your live on the devil and his ways. THE LORD IS NOT SLOW IN DOING WHAT HE PROMISED.
4. God is patient. (2 Peter 3:9 NCV) “...But God is being patient with you. He does not want anyone to be lost, but he wants all people to change their hearts and lives.”
A. God does not want anyone to be lost. (Ezekiel 33:11 NCV) “’The Lord GOD says: As surely as I live, I do not want any who are wicked to die. I want them to stop doing evil and live.”
1. God wants to save, but the changing is up to us.
5. We will not know until He is here. Verse 10 “But the day of the Lord will come like a thief.”
A. We simply do not know when He is coming.
1. Have you ever thought of why God chose to do it this way.
1. It is about loyalty.
2. It is about faith.
3. People who are lazy about the work of the church do not think about the second coming of Jesus much.
2. (2 Peter 3:10-11 NCV) But the day of the Lord will come like a thief. The skies will disappear with a loud noise. Everything in them will be destroyed by fire, and the earth and everything in it will be burned up. {11} In that way everything will be destroyed. So what kind of people should you be? You should live holy lives and serve God”
1. What kind of people ought we to be?
Conclusion:
The Lord is coming back.
We do not know the time.
We must trust Him.
We must be ready.
Peter ends this section in a positive way. 11 “...You should live holy lives and serve God, 12 as you wait for and look forward to the coming of the day of God. When that day comes, the skies will be destroyed with fire, and everything in them will melt with heat. 13 But God made a promise to us, and we are waiting for a new heaven and a new earth where goodness lives.”
What kind of day would this be for you if God came back?
