2 Peter Mini-Series: May 27th – 10:45a Worship Center Looking forward to this… 2 Peter Mini-Series: May 27th – 10:45a Worship Center

Today we will continue a 4 Week Mini-Series The goal will be to close out the final chapter of 2nd Peter by summarizing the main aim by looking into 4 key phrases. .

These 4 Key Phrases truly become the pillars to not only understanding the book of 2 Peter, but also to understanding living a godly life in Christ. .

Looking forward to this…

Let’s read the first half of 2 Peter 3 in order to get some context… .

 Above all, you must understand that in the last days scoffers will come, scoffing and following their own evil desires. 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.” (2 Peter 3:3-4)

 But they deliberately forget that long ago by God’s word the heavens came into being and the earth was formed out of water and by water. By these waters also the world of that time was deluged and destroyed. (2 Peter 3:5-6)

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. (2 Peter 3:7)

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. Instead he is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance. (2 Peter 3:8-9)

But the day of the Lord will come like a thief But the day of the Lord will come like a thief. The heavens will disappear with a roar; the elements will be destroyed by fire, and the earth and everything done in it will be laid bare. (2 Peter 3:10)

Since everything will be destroyed in this way, what kind of people ought you to be? You ought to live holy and godly lives as you look forward to the day of God and speed its coming. (2 Peter 3:11-12a)

That day will bring about the destruction of the heavens by fire, and the elements will melt in the heat. But in keeping with his promise we are looking forward to a new heaven and a new earth, where righteousness dwells. (2 Peter 3:12b-13)

So then, dear friends, since you are looking forward to this, make every effort to be found spotless, blameless and at peace with him. (2 Peter 3:14)

In this section Peter begins to warn the believers about the last days on earth.

Peter starts by saying that many skeptics will mock Christians who claim the truth that Christ will return.

One reason they do not believe that the end is near is because every day is just like the next…and time seems to never stop.

Another reason they do not believe that the end is near is because they intentionally suppress the truth that the world was destroyed once before.

But Peters says these people are fools because the world & the wicked are actually being kept for an incredible day of judgment & destruction.

Peter then gives two reasons as to why it appears that ‘the end is never coming’.

First, he says that Gods’ relationship to time & space is much different than our own.

Second, he says that God is being gracious by delaying, which is allowing more people to repent & be saved.

Peter then reminds the believers that this incredible day of judgment & destruction is a certainty and will come.

Three different times Peter explains that the heavens & the earth will be destroyed by fire.

Three different times Peter says that the world and everything on it will be consumed in a unimaginable attack of fire.

Peter then says that God will make a new heaven & a new earth, where the righteous will live with God forever!

It is at this point that Peter says our 2nd Key Phrase

In three different ways, Peter says the same phrase… (v 12, 13, 14)

…as you look forward to the day of God and speed its coming. (12)

…we are looking forward to a new heaven and a new earth, where righteousness dwells. (13)

…looking forward to this, make every effort to be found spotless… (14)

The fact the both the destruction of the world with fire & the looking forward of the believer are each mentioned three times makes these phrases very important.

The 1st mention of looking forward is a ‘negative’ glance.

That is; the thing that the believers are to gaze ahead at is something very awful.

Since everything will be destroyed in this way, what kind of people ought you to be? You ought to live holy and godly lives as you look forward to the day of God and speed its coming. (2 Peter 3:11-12a)

The 2nd mention of looking forward is a ‘positive’ glance.

That is; the thing that the believers are to gaze ahead at is something very wonderful.

But in keeping with his promise we are looking forward to a new heaven and a new earth, where righteousness dwells. (2 Peter 3:13)

The 3rd mention of looking forward is a ‘united’ glance.

That is; the thing that the believers are to gaze ahead at is something both terrifying & thrilling…the collective view of the destruction of evil and the joy of the righteous.

So then, dear friends, since you are looking forward to this, make every effort to be found spotless, blameless and at peace with him. (2 Peter 3:14)

Found within these three summons to look forward, is a call to action.

Twice Peter tells the church that the future destruction of the world and a future new heaven & earth should compel the believer to a life of holy obedience.

That call to holiness will be the context of our next two sessions.

2 Peter Mini-Series: June 3rd – 10:45a Worship Center Live holy & godly lives. 2 Peter Mini-Series: June 3rd – 10:45a Worship Center

June 10th – 10:45a Worship Center Confirm your calling. 2 Peter Mini-Series: June 10th – 10:45a Worship Center

However, today, we are seeing that our ability to live a holy & godly life…and our ability to confirm our calling…

…depends to a great degree on our ability to look forward to the future…

“Obedience rises and falls in proportion to our faith in what God promises to do for us in the future.” John Piper

A very important truth is that the concept of biblical faith has always been based on believing what God says regarding something in the future…

…but you must not eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, for when you eat from it you will certainly die. (Gen 2:17)

I am going to bring floodwaters on the earth to destroy all life under the heavens, every creature that has the breath of life in it. Everything on earth will perish. But I will establish my covenant with you, and you will enter the ark…(Gen 6:17-18)

“I will make you into a great nation,     and I will bless you; I will make your name great, and you will be a blessing. I will bless those who bless you, and whoever curses you I will curse; and all peoples on earth will be blessed through you.” (Gen 12:2-3)

I will bring one more plague on Pharaoh and on Egypt I will bring one more plague on Pharaoh and on Egypt. After that, he will let you go from here, and when he does, he will drive you out completely. (Exodus 11:1)

“This is what the Lord says: ‘About midnight I will go throughout Egypt. Every firstborn son in Egypt will die… (Exodus 11:4-5)

On that same night I will pass through Egypt and strike down every firstborn of both people and animals, and I will bring judgment on all the gods of Egypt. I am the Lord. The blood will be a sign for you on the houses where you are, and when I see the blood, I will pass over you. No destructive plague will touch you when I strike Egypt. (Exodus 11:12-13)

“Faith is profoundly and pervasively future-oriented.” John Piper

My argument for today is…

If we want to live a godly life in Christ, our lives must be marked with a continual looking ahead to what God promises to do and be for the believer, in the future.

A major key to success in the Christian life is a constant reminder of what awaits those who are lost…and what awaits those who are saved.

Looking ahead not only helps us orient ourselves to the grand realities of life and helps us set our priorities correctly…

Looking ahead is the essence of biblical, saving faith.

Biblical faith is trusting in what God says about the future…

Biblical faith is trusting that what God says in the future will actually happen…

Biblical faith is trusting that what God says will happen in the future to the believer is of more reward & more value than anything else in life, including life.

if not the most important, concepts in the Bible This is one of, if not the most important, concepts in the Bible and in the life of the believer…

Let’s break this down into it’s two main parts.

Biblical faith is trusting that what God says will happen in the future is true, is certain

(2) Biblical faith is believing that what God promises to do is of more reward & more value than anything else in life, including life.

Let me attempt to prove this…

Now faith is confidence in what we hope for and assurance about what we do not see…without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him. (Hebrews 11:1, 6)

Faith is confidence in unseen, yet divinely foretold, future events that we have come to hope in because of the great promised reward.

By faith Abraham, when called to go to a place he would later receive as his inheritance, obeyed and went, even though he did not know where he was going. By faith he made his home in the promised land like a stranger in a foreign country…For he was looking forward to the city with foundations, whose architect and builder is God. (Hebrews 11:8-10)

Abraham: Faith was confidence in a future inheritance promised by God. Faith is trusting in a future city, a dwelling that God himself will make.

All these people were still living by faith when they died All these people were still living by faith when they died. They did not receive the things promised; they only saw them and welcomed them from a distance, admitting that they were foreigners and strangers on earth. Instead, they were longing for a better country—a heavenly one. (Hebrews 11:13)

Old Testament Saints: Faith was living like a stranger in this world because what was promised in the future for them was a far better country.

By faith Moses chose to be mistreated along with the people of God rather than to enjoy the fleeting pleasures of sin. He regarded disgrace for the sake of Christ as of greater value than the treasures of Egypt, because he was looking ahead to his reward. (Hebrews 11:24-26)

Moses: Faith was choosing mistreatment over pleasure & power, because following God was of greater value because of the promised future reward.

 You suffered along with those in prison and joyfully accepted the confiscation of your property, because you knew that you yourselves had better and lasting possessions. So do not throw away your confidence; it will be richly rewarded. (Hebrews 10:34-35)

New Testament Saints: Faith was such a great confidence in the future reward of a better & lasting reward that they gladly accepted mistreatment & loss.

Brothers and sisters, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus. (Philippians 3:13-14)

Paul: Faith was straining toward what was ahead…and what was ahead was a prize found in the promises in Christ.

Our definition is confirmed.

Faith isn’t just believing the rationale of what God says.

Faith isn’t just believing the reality of what God says.

Faith is believing the reward of what God says.

not only believes that what God promises is true, and right Biblical faith not only believes that what God promises is true, and right and will come to pass…

Biblical faith believes that what God has promised to happen for the believer is of more worth, more value & more reward than anything promised by anyone or anything else.

What are somethings God has promised to us, in the future?

What no eye has seen, what no ear has heard, and what no human mind has conceived—the things God has prepared for those who love him… (1 Corinthians 2:9)

Faith is believing that what God has prepared in the future for those who trust him is beyond human comprehension and is of more value & reward than anything that anyone or anything in this life can hold out.

God raised us up with Christ and seated us with him in the heavenly realms in Christ Jesus, in order that in the coming ages he might show the incomparable riches of his grace, expressed in his kindness to us in Christ Jesus. (Ephesians 2:6-7)

Faith is believing that for all of the coming ages of eternity God will show us the incomparable riches of his love & grace…and the cost of trusting & obeying him now is of no comparison to what is to come.

I pray that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which he has called you, the riches of his glorious inheritance in his holy people, and his incomparably great power for us who believe. (Ephesians 1:18-19)

Faith is believing that the hope that God has called us towards, in eternity in heaven is incomparable to any and all false promises of joy & reward now.

Faith is believing the validity of what God says about the future.

Faith is believing in the superior value of the future promises of God vs. the current pleasure of the world.

Obedience occurs when we allow the hope in God’s future promises to have victory over the world’s false promises.