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Are You Ready to be Stirred Up?

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The Text

“Beloved, I now write to you this second epistle (in both of which I stir up your pure minds by way of reminder), that you may be mindful of the words which were spoken before by the holy prophets, and of the commandment of us, the apostles of the Lord and Savior, knowing this first: that scoffers will come in the last days, walking according to their own lusts, and saying, “Where is the promise of His coming? For since the fathers fell asleep, all things continue as they were from the beginning of creation.” For this they willfully forget: that by the word of God the heavens were of old, and the earth standing out of water and in the water, by which the world that then existed perished, being flooded with water. But the heavens and the earth which are now preserved by the same word, are reserved for fire until the day of judgment and perdition of ungodly men.

But, beloved, do not forget this one thing, that with the Lord one day is as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day. 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.

But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night, in which the heavens will pass away with a great noise, and the elements will melt with fervent heat; both the earth and the works that are in it will be burned up. Therefore, since all these things will be dissolved, what manner of persons ought you to be in holy conduct and godliness, looking for and hastening the coming of the day of God, because of which the heavens will be dissolved, being on fire, and the elements will melt with fervent heat? Nevertheless we, according to His promise, look for new heavens and a new earth in which righteousness dwells” (2 Peter 3:1-13).

What is Peter trying to stir up in his readers? (verses 1-3)

 

What were the false prophets scoffing at (verse 4)?  And, why did it require refutation?

 

Was the scoffing a surprise (verse 5)?

 

Is God constrained by time like us (verses 6-8)?

 

What is the reason for God’s delay?  (verse 9)

 

What are five reasons Jerusalem is so special?

 

Let’s define terms:  (verse 10-13)

Day of the Lord —

Elements —

Dissolved —

New Heavens and New Earth —

 

What action does Peter expect to be stirred up? (verses 11-12)

 

What one specific act of faith can I make based on Peter’s message?

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False Prophets: A Design Feature?

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The Text

“But there were also false prophets among the people, even as there will be false teachers among you, who will secretly bring in destructive heresies, even denying the Lord who bought them, and bring on themselves swift destruction.  And many will follow their destructive ways, because of whom the way of truth will be blasphemed.  By covetousness they will exploit you with deceptive words; for a long time their judgment has not been idle, and their destruction does not slumber” (2 Peter 2:1-3).

(1) False Prophets and New Testament warnings!

(2) God’s purpose (Duet. 13:3, Judges 3:1-2)

(3) What are their methods?

(4) What are they denying?

(5) What do False Teachers want?

(6) What is their destiny?

(7) What’s our job?

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God’s Sure Promises

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The Text: 2 Peter 1:1-4

 

1. Peter’s Confidence

“And so we have the prophetic word confirmed, which you do well to heed as a light that shines in a dark place, until the day dawns and the morning star rises in your hearts” ( 2 Peter 1:19).

2. Sense of Urgency

“knowing that shortly I must put off my tent, just as our Lord Jesus Christ showed me”  (2 Peter 1:14)

3. What is coming shortly?

 

New Heaven and New Earth

“For behold, I create new heavens and a new earth;

And the former shall not be remembered or come to mind.

But be glad and rejoice forever in what I create;

For behold, I create Jerusalem as a rejoicing,

And her people a joy.  Isaiah 65:25

 

End of the Age

But he who endures to the end shall be saved.  And this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in all the world as a witness to all the nations, and then the end will come.  Matthew 24:14

 

The Day of the Lord

But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night, in which the heavens will pass away with a great noise, and the elements will melt with fervent heat; both the earth and the works that are in it will be burned up.  2 Peter 3:10

 

4. What is Peter’s exhortation based on this urgency?

“For I know their works and their thoughts. It shall be that I will gather all nations and tongues; and they shall come and see My glory.  I will set a sign among them; and those among them who escape I will send to the nations: to Tarshish and Pul and Lud, who draw the bow, and Tubal and Javan, to the coastlands afar off who have not heard My fame nor seen My glory. And they shall declare My glory among the Gentiles.  Then they shall bring all your brethren for an offering to the Lord out of all nations, on horses and in chariots and in litters, on mules and on camels, to My holy mountain Jerusalem,” says the Lord, “as the children of Israel bring an offering in a clean vessel into the house of the Lord.  And I will also take some of them for priests and Levites,” says the Lord.  Isaiah 66:18-21

 

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God’s Math

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Sermon Text: 1 Peter 4:12-19

The Problem of Pain is a well known booklet written by C. S. Lewis making the argument for why a good God would allow pain in His universe.  One aspect of his argument is our culture’s confusion between kindness and love.  We prize kindness with the view that we would prefer a God with more of a benign “grandfatherly” kindness over a father’s disciplinary love.  The difference is mainly one of outcome.  The former is seen as just watching over us to keep us content and happy, the latter is focused on making us good using whatever means are necessary to achieve that benefit.  Lewis in his chapter on God’s Divine Goodness puts it this way:

“When we want to be something other than the thing God wants us to be, we must be wanting what, in fact, will not make us happy.”

Given how much Peter deals with existing and anticipated suffering in his letters, approaching this with the right calculus is extremely important.  I’ve labeled it using God’s new math.

How was Peter qualified to teach on this subject?

From verse 15, what is the one way that we are not supposed to suffer?

What Fiery Trial is Peter referencing in verse 12?

What is the timing of Peter’s letter?

How does Nero fit in?

What was the nature of the suffering/persecution? 

What does “his glory revealed” mean in verse 13?

What time stamp does Jesus give his disciples in Luke 9:23-27 and Matthew 16:24-28 related to his coming glory?

How does this coming in glory relate to Jesus’ prophecy in Matthew 24?

How was God’s glory revealed in the judgement of Pharaoh?

What is the connection between Christ’s suffering and our own in verses 13, 14, and 16?

What did Jesus accomplish in His suffering?

What is necessary if the Father is going to successfully make us like Jesus?

How are we to process God’s judgment starting with us in verses 17-19? 

Who actually goes first: us or God?

Who is clearly in control of our suffering?

What is the role of the church in the midst of persecution?

How does God’s Math apply to us in our time?

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Palm Sunday (CCD)

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The Text

“And when they drew nigh unto Jerusalem, and were come to Bethphage, unto the mount of Olives, then sent Jesus two disciples,2 Saying unto them, Go into the village over against you, and straightway ye shall find an ass tied, and a colt with her: loose them, and bring them unto me.3 And if any man say ought unto you, ye shall say, The Lord hath need of them; and straightway he will send them.4 All this was done, that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophet, saying,5 Tell ye the daughter of Sion, Behold, thy King cometh unto thee, meek, and sitting upon an ass, and a colt the foal of an ass.6 And the disciples went, and did as Jesus commanded them,7 And brought the ass, and the colt, and put on them their clothes, and they set him thereon.8 And a very great multitude spread their garments in the way; others cut down branches from the trees, and strawed them in the way.9 And the multitudes that went before, and that followed, cried, saying, Hosanna to the son of David: Blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord; Hosanna in the highest.10 And when he was come into Jerusalem, all the city was moved, saying, Who is this?” (Matt. 21:1-10)

  • What is the question that Jesus’ triumphal entry into Jerusalem raised?  Did the crowds get it right?
  • What do we believe about Jesus?  Is the gospel just about saving us from our sins or something more?
  • How does our belief or understanding about God impact our actions?

Disciples of Jesus

We want to be Jesus’ disciples in this, so let’s step back and look at Jesus seeking to make this point clear to one of his key disciples — Peter.   What lesson did Peter learn about the kingdom:

  • on his trip to Caesarea Philippi?
  • following his denial of Jesus at the High Priest’s home?
  • when Jesus spoke with him over breakfast at the Sea of Galilee?

The Nature of the Kingdom

The point of these examples is that while Christ’s kingdom is undeniable and present in heaven and on earth, it is not the political kingdom that the disciples expected.  What is it based on:

  • the disciples actions in Acts 3-5?
  • Jesus’ response to the Pharisees in Luke 17?
  • Peter’s teaching in 1 Peter 2?

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