Remember to Live for Jesus' Return

Thanks, Aaron and Danny and the band.

Before we turn to God's word,

please do have that passage open in front of you

as we walk through it,

but let us come to God in prayer.

Let's pray together.

Our Heavenly Father, we come before you this evening

and we thank you for the joy it is

to be able to open your word together.

And Father, we pray that you would bless

the words of my mouth

and the meditations of all of our hearts

and would it all be pleasing to you,

our rock and our Redeemer.

And it's in his name that we pray.

Amen.

Now, one of the things that you may

or may not know about me

is that I have a terrible memory

and it is unbelievably annoying.

So we all know that feeling, right?

You remember something as you're sitting on the couch,

probably on a Friday night.

You're really comfy, but you've remembered

and so you traipse upstairs to the room

or to the office and you open the door

and something magical happens

in a negative sense of the word.

You completely forget what you wanted to do.

You forget why you entered into the room

and you stand amazed that your brain

has just simply stopped working.

Or you leave the house with a shopping list

of one thing, a pint of milk.

You walk around the shop,

you get distracted by everything else on the shelves,

you pick up a few bargains here or there,

you remember a few things.

And then you get home to realize

the one thing you went for

is the thing you forgot to get.

Now, I know that that isn't just me.

People forget things all the time

and we know it,

which is why you get reminder letters

from the dent or texts

from dentists and doctors offices.

It's why there are tons of different apps

that ping you notifications on your phone

to remind you of deals or upcoming events

that may interest you.

And it's why we have strings on our glasses

because we know if we put them down,

we will never find them again.

We are a people who need to be reminded.

And as we turn to 2 Peter 3 this evening,

Peter gives us and his readers,

original readers, a reminder.

Peter says, remember that Jesus is coming back.

So live holy and godly lives.

Now, why did his first readers need this reminder?

Well, because there were false teachers,

as we've seen through this series,

who were saying, forget about Jesus.

He hasn't come back.

He isn't coming back.

So you can live as you please.

And so out of love for his fellow Christians,

Peter turns his attention

to the return of Jesus,

which he's already touched on before in the letter.

Remember chapter 1, verses 16 to 18.

Peter said that he was an eyewitness

of the majesty of Jesus at the transfiguration,

which points us to the future return

and glory of Jesus.

And in chapter 1, verses 19 to 20,

Peter told us that scripture teaches us

that Jesus will return.

And in chapter 2, verses 1 to 10,

he told us that there are real historical stories

that tell us of a time where God will judge the wicked

and save the righteous.

These have all been building blocks,

pointing us to this part of the letter

where Peter speaks about the return of Jesus

and why it is so important that we remember

Jesus is coming back.

So Peter says,

remember that Jesus is coming back

and so live holy and godly lives.

That's the main message for tonight

and that's the sentence that we'll use

to think about these verses.

So the first thing we see

is Peter's call to remember

in verses 1 to 7.

Remember.

Peter begins his reminder in verse 1.

Read it with me.

Dear friends,

this is now my second letter to you.

I have written both of them

as reminders to stimulate you

to wholesome thinking.

Now the NIV says,

Dear friends,

but a better translation of that word

is beloved.

Like a close friend or family member,

Peter calls his readers his loved ones,

which reminds them of both his love for them,

but also of God's love for them

shown in Christ Jesus.

And this is Peter's second letter to them.

We talked about that

in the first sermon in this series.

The first letter was either 1 Peter

or a lost letter that we no longer have.

I think it's probably 1 Peter.

And the good thing is

that Peter doesn't leave us guessing

why he has written to them.

The end of verse 1.

Both letters are reminders

to stimulate the readers

to wholesome thinking.

So Peter wants his readers

to think sincerely

and properly

about their faith

and to not have any

hidden motives or agendas

like the false teachers did.

Now how do we do this?

Well, we remember.

Peter says to remember

two things in verse 2.

Do you see them?

The words spoken in the past

by the holy prophets

and the command given

by our Lord and Saviour

through your apostles.

The words spoken

by the holy prophets

refers to the whole Old Testament

which points forward

to the coming of Jesus

and the forgiveness

and reconciliation with God

that is only to be found

through him.

Peter says that these words

continue to testify today.

serving believers

as they point us

to the good news

of Jesus Christ.

And the command given

by our Lord and Saviour

through the apostles

is most likely

a reference to the gospel.

Peter's reminding his readers

of Jesus' command

to repent

and follow him.

That same message

was passed down

from Jesus

to the apostles

and to all churches

ever since

through their testimony.

And it spread

as people became Christians.

As fallible human beings

we need reminders.

Peter isn't telling

these people

anything new right now

but he's saying

remember what you have been taught.

Remember

what Jesus said.

And then in verse 3

we see why it's so important

to have this reminder.

Now there are

degrees of importance

in reminders

aren't there?

For example

this past month

I've had two reminders.

One was to sign up

to the gym

and the other one

was to be a witness

in a court case.

Both reminders

but with varying degrees

of importance.

One is good

for my health

and my ever-expanding

waist.

but the other

is important

because

only if I show up there

will justice be served.

Both reminders

with very different degrees

of importance.

But I still needed

reminding of both things.

And so Peter helps

his readers

see why it's so important

for them to remember

the truth of the gospel

and to remember

that Jesus is coming back.

Read verse 3 with me.

Above all

you must understand

that in the last days

scoffers will come.

Scoffing and following

their own evil desires.

Now scoffers get a kick

out of mocking people

or ideas

and the dangerous thing

that these particular

scoffers were doing

is that they are

toying with

and mocking ideas

and promises

that Jesus Christ gave.

And by doing so

they are showing

their arrogance

and contempt

for the truth.

Peter says,

remember these people

will come

in verse 3

in the last days.

Now the last days

is a term

that the Bible

uses to describe

the time between

Jesus' birth

or the New Testament

uses to describe

the time between

Jesus' birth

and his second coming.

Which is a future date

when Jesus will come

and will judge

the wicked

and save those

who believe in him

as verse 13

tells us.

But following

their evil desires

as the end of verse

3 says,

what will these

scoffers say?

In verse 4

they will say,

where is this coming

he promised.

Ever since

our ancestors died

everything goes on

as it has

since the beginning

of creation.

Do you see

how flippantly

these scoffers

were responding

to promises

that Jesus said?

They're basically

calling Jesus

a liar.

Saying,

well,

if he said

he would come

where is he?

Also saying

that from the beginning

of time

things have just happened.

God has had no hand

in anything.

He hasn't intervened

at all in creation.

And so Peter sets them

right in verses

5 to 7

because these scoffers

are deliberately

forgetting.

They are deliberately

intentionally

ignoring the truth

that verse 5

God created

the world

by his word

in Genesis 1 and 2.

And they continue

to ignore the truth

that verse 6

God also judged

the world

by water

in the flood

in Genesis 6 to 8.

See,

these scoffers

are mocking

these truths

and deliberately

ignoring

the warnings

that the Bible

gives.

Both in the Old Testament

and in the teaching

of Jesus

that judgment

will fall

on all those

who reject him.

That's why Peter

says in 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 the ungodly.

Do not be ignorant

of this fact

that scoffers

will come.

Do not be ignorant

that people

will mock the truth

and stand up

and say that judgment

doesn't exist.

And people

will say

that a loving

God

wouldn't judge

people

that hell

is just

a creation

of the church.

All of these

things are lies

that act like

a comfort blanket

to people

whilst they walk

on their path

to hell

and judgment.

Deliberately

forgetting

truths

that the Bible

makes abundantly

clear.

Friends,

if you're flirting

with these ideas,

if you're flirting

with preachers

and people

who promote

these ideas

in any form

whether that's

sermons,

books,

blog posts,

whatever,

be careful.

And remember

the truth of Scripture.

Remember the gospel

of Jesus Christ

and run a mile

from all teaching

that would seek

to distract you

from Him.

As Christians

we need to be able

to discern

the truth.

We need

to know the Bible

because doing that

we will remember

what we need to.

We need to get

into our Bibles

to know God's Word

well and that way

we can discern

what is true

and what is false.

So Peter says

remember.

And the second thing

we see Peter saying

is that Jesus

is coming back

in verses 8 to 10.

Jesus is

coming back.

See one of the things

that these false

teachers were using

as their so-called

evidence for Jesus

not coming back

is that it hadn't

happened yet.

But Peter was a witness

of Jesus' promises.

Peter saw the amazing

miracles that Jesus

did.

He was a witness

of all Jesus said

and did

through his time.

and Peter

saw some of the

things Jesus said

come true

in his life.

So Peter says

in verse 8

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.

Instead

he is

patient with you.

Not wanting

anyone to perish

but everyone to come

to repentance.

Peter says

don't be like

the false teachers

and the scoffers

who deliberately

forget in verse 5

but instead

remember

that God's timing

is not our own.

Timing has been

a distraction

for people

for thousands

of years.

In every generation

there is normally

at least one person

somewhere on the planet

who

says that they

have a specific date

that they know

Jesus will come back on.

The day comes

the day goes

and nothing happens.

That doesn't mean

we aren't waiting

eagerly for that day.

See realistically

I think many of us

would like Jesus

to return now

wouldn't we?

We turn on our news

and we see news

we see reports

of war in Ukraine

not to mention

the ongoing wars

in Syria

Yemen

Mozambique

war crimes

hatred

murder

bombing

school shootings

we see all of these events

and we think

Jesus

why have you not

come back yet?

And because of our

natural

good

God-given

desire for justice

we want to see

Jesus come

as judge

and because

people are eager

for Jesus'

return

when we read

verses like

verse 8

that with the

Lord a day

is like a thousand

years and a thousand

years are like a day

the temptation

is to read that

like a mathematical

formula

and to pin down

a day when we

think Jesus

will return

but that's not

what Peter's saying

remember he was

there

physically with

Jesus in act

1

where Jesus

said about his

second coming

it is not for you

to know the times

or dates

that the father

has set by his

own authority

Peter is saying

that God's

relationship

with time

goes beyond

what our finite

minds can imagine

because

God has always

existed

as Psalm 90

Psalms 90:4

verse 4

tells us

which Peter's

alluding to

here

see the reason

Jesus hasn't

returned yet

is not because

he's slow

or reluctant

it's not because

he isn't planning

on coming through

on his promises

but Jesus

hasn't returned

yet because

God is merciful

God's patience

is evident

in verse 9

God is patient

with you

not wanting

anyone to

perish

but everyone

to come

to repentance

God's patience

is a common

theme throughout

the Bible

but God

isn't just

God isn't

being patient

because he

doesn't want

to come

and judge

God's

patience

is intended

to lead

people to

repentance

as Romans

Romans 2:4

chapter 2

verse 4

says

because whilst

God is

merciful and

wants people

to be saved

he is just

and his

sovereign

he is sovereign

over creation

and judgment

is coming

verse 10

but the day

of the Lord

will come

like a thief

the heavens

will disappear

with the roar

the elements

will be destroyed

by fire

and the earth

and everything

done in it

will be laid

bare

the day

of the Lord

is a term

used in the

Bible

to describe

that final

day of

judgment

that final

day when

all of

humanity

will stand

before God

and be

judged

and that day

will come

like a thief

meaning that it

will be sudden

but it won't

be a secret

it cannot

be missed

and it

cannot be

avoided

you don't

get a save

the date

card through

the post

and you

leave it

sitting on

the sides

do you

thinking

or questioning

whether the

day is going

to actually

happen

if you do

that you'll

probably miss

a party

or a wedding

or some

kind of

special event

no

if you're

told that

something's

coming up

you prepare

for it

don't you

you make

sure you're

free

you look

forward to

you plan

around it

well whilst

we do not

know the

date

we can be

certain

that a

day is

coming

where this

world will

be transformed

and everything

in it will

be laid

bare

verse 10

that means

that all of

humanity will

stand before

God and

give an

account of

their actions

in this

life and

how they

responded to

Jesus

so this

is your

save the

date card

that day

is coming

are you

ready for

it

the false

teachers

weren't

they mocked

God

they distorted

the truth

they lived

as they

pleased

deliberately

ignoring the

truth that

Jesus was

coming back

friends please

please do

not be like

them

do not go

through the

motions but

remember that

Jesus is

coming back

and let that

truth challenge

your heart

and how you

respond to

Jesus but

also make it

challenge your

heart as you

look out to a

world that is

dying without the

saving knowledge

of Jesus

do you love

this world

as God

does are you

actively sharing

the gospel or

are we simply

playing lip

service to a

belief system

without actually

caring about

people's eternal

state before

God

Jesus is

coming back

the day of

the Lord

the day of

judgment is

coming

what are we

doing about

it

and that's

what Peter

touches on in

the last section

of our passage

tonight he

says remember

that Jesus is

coming back

and so live

godly lives

in verses

11 to 13

live holy

and godly

lives

Peter is

saying to

these Christians

in light of

the knowledge

that one day

Jesus will

judge the

world that

all the actions

of people will

be laid bare

then we are

to live holy

lives

so the reality

of the day of

the Lord demands

us to live a

certain way

not because a

moral life makes

us right with

God but because

our salvation

through Jesus

and his death

and resurrection

should result

in us

wanting to

live the way

God created

us to live

and so Peter's

summary is

live holy

and godly

lives

we see the

same Peter

making the same

call in 1

1 Peter 1:15–16

Peter 1

verses 15

to 16

that Christians

should live

holy lives

why

because Christians

are called to

be holy

because God

is holy

1 Peter 1

15 to 16

because God

has made us

into a holy

priesthood

1 Peter 2

1 Peter 2:5

verse 5

and a holy

nation

1 Peter 2

1 Peter 2:9

verse 9

therefore the

life of every

Christian

the life of

every church

should be

different

set apart

for God

following his

will

following his

word

following his

plans

living this

kind of life

is necessary

for every

Christian

but it is

also the

fruit of

looking forward

to the day

of the

Lord

with eager

anticipation

so it is

looking forward

to the day

of the Lord

is waiting

but it isn't

passive

now we're all

used to waiting

for things

but it doesn't

mean that we

like it

but we know

what it means

to wait

maybe you're

like me

and you get

impatient

you're standing

at the bus

stop

you've got

the app

open

with the

live updates

on when

the bus

will arrive

constantly

checking the

app

refreshing

constantly

looking around

the corner

waiting

this happened

to Sabina

and I

this week

we were

standing

waiting

for the

bus

that just

decided

it wasn't

going to

show up

but we

kept

looking

waiting

doing a

little bit

of complaining

too

but apart

from that

we could do

nothing

else

all we

could do

was stand

there

we were

passive

in our

waiting

but Peter

says that

doesn't work

with the

Christian life

but it's a

whole life

orientation

Christians should

be living

for the

day of

the Lord

when judgment

will fall

as verse

12

reminds us

but also

the day

as verse

13 says

that in

keeping with

his promise

we are looking

forward to a

new heaven

and a new

earth

where

righteousness

dwells

see the

day of

the Lord

isn't only

about judgment

but it is

the day

where salvation

is complete

the day

where all

Christians

will be in

the new

heavens

and the

new earth

the place

where

righteousness

dwells

that righteousness

refers to

those who have

been made

righteous

who are

right with

God

through

Jesus

but the

new creation

will be a

place of

righteousness

the place

that righteousness

dwells because

ultimately

God is there

and he is the

very definition

of righteousness

so what would it

look like for us

to live holy

and godly

lives as we

eagerly look

forward to the

second coming

of Jesus

well it means

living a life of

holiness that the

Bible calls us to

it means standing

out for Jesus

it means relying

on him

as we live in a

broken world

in our broken

bodies

it means living a

God orientated

life

living for his

glory

it means taking

our faith

seriously

investing time

to know the

truth

it means having

our whole life

shaped by our

new identity

in Jesus

it means gathering

with your brothers

and sisters in

Christ

encouraging them

building one

another up in

the faith

worshipping God

as a local

church and it

means taking

the good news

of Jesus to a

world because a

day is coming

where the

opportunity to

repent and

believe will

no longer be

there

so Peter says

to his readers

and to us this

evening remember

that Jesus is

coming back

so live holy

and godly

lives

we're a people

who constantly

need reminding

of things

that's why we

have shopping

lists

doctors and

dentists

appointment

reminder text

to-do lists

and so on

but the most

important thing

that we can

and should

remember in this

life

is that as

Christians we

are not our

own

we live for

God and we

should be

constantly reminding

one another of

the truth that

Jesus is coming

back and

discipling one

another living the

Christian life

together in

eager anticipation

of the day when

we will meet

Jesus face to

face

brothers and

sisters remember

that Jesus is

coming back

and live holy

and godly

lives

let us pray

together

heavenly father

we come before

you and we

ask for forgiveness

for the times

where we coast

through the

Christian life

where we don't

think about the

second coming of

Jesus and we

go about our

day to day as

if it will

never happen

but by your

spirit I pray

that you would

give us the

strength and

the ability to

fix our eyes on

Jesus

to eagerly await

the day when he

will come

and would that

day change the

way we live

would it give us

a burden for

those around us

to come to know

Jesus Christ as

their own Lord and

Savior would it

give us a burden

for our own lives

that we would live

in a way that

glorifies him

and father we pray

for that day

and we look

forward to the

day where there

will be no more

tears no more

pain no more

suffering and no

more death and

that you will dwell

with your people

that glorious day

when we will meet

you face to face

help us to

eagerly expect

that day in

Jesus name we

pray amen