" 5 For when they maintain this, it escapes their notice that by the word of God the heavens existed long ago and the earth was formed out of water and by water, 6 through which the world at that time was destroyed, being flooded with water. 7 But by His word the present heavens and earth are being reserved for fire, kept for the day of judgment and destruction of ungodly men.
Welcome to worship this Lord's day! We're so thankful to have you here with us today. We continue to lift all of you up in our prayers. We respectfully ask that you would pray for this ministry to continue to reach the lost, the broken and the hopeless. And for us. We are so grateful for those of you who have been sharing the ministry website with all of your family and friends. Your faithfulness to share God's Word with others has brought about tremendous results. Where will God's Word be heard today? With your help, and God's blessing, it will reach those that need it most.
8 But do not let this one fact escape your notice, beloved, that with the Lord one day is like a thousand years, and a thousand years like one day. 9 The Lord is not slow about His promise, as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing for any to perish but for all to come to repentance."
In our society today, it's become somewhat of a trend, to try and alter history. Revising what is true and culturally unpopular for what is false. Everything from those who deny the Holocaust to tearing down statues, all to shamelessly warp our nations history. Our nation seems to have lost a basic objective understanding of what was true and factual. They even attack Christianity.
Today, I want to boldly proclaim, that our faith is not founded upon mere speculation, but historical fact!
It’s a historical fact Christ was born. It’s a historical fact that Christ died on the cross. It is a historical fact that Christ physically rose from the dead on the third day and ascended to Heaven. It is a historical fact that for forty days before His ascension, the resurrected Christ was seen by countless numbers of people. Furthermore, God teaches us in His Word these events actually happened. And if God's Word says it, that settles it! The reality is, it's greatest miracle in all history.
In I John 1:1-4, John says "What was from the beginning, what we have heard, what we have seen with our eyes, what we have looked at and touched with our hands, concerning the Word of Life—and the life was manifested, and we have seen and testify and proclaim to you the eternal life, which was with the Father and was manifested to us—what we have seen and heard we proclaim to you also, so that you too may have fellowship with us; and indeed our fellowship is with the Father, and with His Son Jesus Christ. These things we write, so that our joy may be made complete."
Beloved, we need to guard ourselves against the notion that history can be rewritten and can become whatever we claim it to be. Because it cannot. Like it or not, history is what it is. We cannot change it, we can however learn from it. I’ve seen this first-hand, these so-called experts, whether scientists, theologians, or philosophers, are quite selective with their data. I cringe when I hear statement like "We have more that unites than divides us. We’re all on different paths, journeying toward our Creator."
We must look to the clear evidence of Scripture, for what God has promised and already done, a reality which the false teachers deliberately ignore. By His Word, God created the heavens and the earth. And,it is all held together by that same Word. Our Lord Jesus not only created all things, He is currently sustaining all things.
Let us pray
Heavenly Father,
Father, we thank You for Your Word for us today, this great and wonderful reminder that You are the God of the universe and that all things are subject to Your authority. Thank You for giving us this time together, to study Your Word, that we might an even greater confidence in it. Lord, we pray for those who deny the Second Coming of Christ to judge the world, that they might be awakened to the truth, before it's too late. May Your true church, live in the anticipation of Christ's glorious return. And, until that time, may we live and grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. May we give all the glory to You.
In Christ's name we pray
Amen
Today's Message: Closer Than You Think
Because of society’s moral decline,our culture is losing its moral and ethical roots. Mass shootings, racial hatred, social injustice, incivility, fraud have replaced biblical standards. Our nations older Americans say that right and wrong never change. For the younger generations, however, not so much. There is an increasing significant generation gap in how Americans view morality. As a nation, we are clearly not all on the same page when it comes to morality. We also differ on whether something is legal or illegal. Whether the benefits outweigh the costs. For those of us with biblical beliefs, the Bible trumps everything, it is the ultimate authority. However, for many people today, there is no influential source of morality, except what is embraced by a majority.
We live in a society who chooses not to receive their identity from God, but rather define their existence on their own terms. You must create what you are by what you do and express your significance by living your own truth. In a consumer and media driven society, very little prevents churchgoers from inheriting the values of this broken and fallen world. Because we now see our time is far too valuable,
when our community suffers a loss, we send monetary gifts, thoughts, even prayers but not our physical presence. As we seek to achieve the life we desire through our efforts, achievements, and wealth, God increasingly has become irrelevant. The toxic leadership of false teachers leave the door wide open for a culture of abuse to take hold in the church leaving a tragic wake of destruction.
Open your Bibles with me, if you will, to II Peter chapter 3. In our ongoing study of this third chapter, we come to verses 5 through 9. I would encourage you to to be unshakable in your acceptance of the holy Scriptures for it and its message are under severe attack. Believing in Jesus Christ second coming calls for and justifies living a godly lifestyle, forsaking sin and immorality in whatever forms it presents itself.
I
invite you to follow along with me as I read to set the text in our
minds, as we prepare our hearts for a Word from our Lord. Listen for
what the Spirit of God is saying to each of us. II Peter 3:5-9.
"For when they maintain this, it escapes their notice that by the word of God the heavens existed long ago and the earth was formed out of water and by water, through which the world at that time was destroyed, being flooded with water. But by His word the present heavens and earth are being reserved for fire, kept for the day of judgment and destruction of ungodly men. But do not let this one fact escape your notice, beloved, that with the Lord one day is like a thousand years, and a thousand years like one day. The
Lord is not slow about His promise, as some count slowness, but is
patient toward you, not wishing for any to perish but for all to come to
repentance."
God alone who knows how it all began because He alone was there
when the world was created. And, it is Him alone who knows how it will all end. Therefore, in order for us to understand origins, to understand creation, and to understand ending, we must turn to the revelation that God has given to us in His Word.
Man can draw as many conclusions as he likes, however, all we can truly know about creation is what God has told us. Thankfully, in the Book of Genesis, He has given us an explicit account of the creation. By the way, the same God who created the world by His Word, can also intervene in His world and do whatever He wishes to do by His Word! God's Word is all powerful.
John tells us in John 1:1-5, "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things came into being through Him, and apart from Him nothing came into being that has come into being. In Him was life, and the life was the Light of men. The Light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not comprehend it."
Charles Spurgeon said "Admire the power of God’s Word. It was by the Word of God that the
heavens were made. It was by the Word of God the earth was drowned. It
was by the Word of God that it has been preserved ever since and will be
preserved until, by that same Word, fire shall come to devour all the
works of men. As surely as Noah’s flood came, so surely shall there be a
burning up at the appointed season."
Just as the radicals of today cannot change history, false teachers cannot change biblical history. History is His story. God's Word unmistakably clear, by the way, about the beginning of creation, it came by the Word of God. God spoke it into existence. By the way, the end will also come by the Word of God. In like manner, He will speak it out of existence.
There are a number of passages in God's Word, in which reference is made
to the destruction of the universe in which we live. One of the most notable and most detailed accounts is found in II Peter chapter 3. In very clear, ambiguous language, the Spirit of God inspires Peter to give us a record of the end of this creation.
This planet is useful to God only for purposes of accomplishing His plan of redemption. Then, it cease to exist. Those who are content living with their sin do not want to believe that. However, their disbelief, makes it no less true.
Before we begin, let's go back to where we left off, verses 3 and 4, follow along as I read those verses again to you to refresh our minds. "Know this first of all, that in the last days mockers will come with their mocking, following after their own lusts, and saying, "Where is the promise of His coming? For ever since the fathers fell asleep, all continues just as it was from the beginning of creation."
In verse 3, what we find is an assault on the individual rather than a reasonable approach to the issue. Then, at the end of the verse, we find an argument from immorality. These false teachers are driven by ridicule, mockery and immorality.
Then, in verse 4, is the argument from uniformity. "Where is the promise of His coming?" In other words, you said that Christ would return, where is He? He still hasn’t come. By the way, the false teachers capitalize on this, attempting to intellectualize their argument by saying "all continues just as it was from the beginning." This denies the Old Testament history. It denies that in the Old Testament there were the judgments of God that brought about death and
disaster, by miraculous interventions by God. It denies the supernatural judgments. Sinners find their only hope for guilt-free sinning in their belief that judgment never comes. That is their reasoning.
You know, it might be rather difficult to convince the people in Indonesia that after the tsunami hit, that all things continue the same manner. That after thousands of people died after the earthquake that all things continue the same way. That might be very hard to accomplish. Because they know better!
It might be difficult to convince the people in Manila and the nearby provinces, that after typhoon Vamco made landfall, that everything continues in the same way.
Or that after a magnitude 6.8 earthquake hit eastern Turkey’s Elazig and Malatya provinces, that everything continues, just as it always has. That might be hard to do, especially for the thousands of people who were displaced.
Now, we come to verses 5 and 6, in which Peter says "For when they maintain this, it escapes their notice that by the word of God the heavens existed long ago, that the heavens did not exist by evolution. And the earth was formed out of water and by water, through which the world at that time was destroyed, being flooded with water." False
teachers willfully ignored the historical evidence and disregarded the
biblical accounts, because they loved sin. In their self induced
blindness, they discounted two monumental God events in history; the
creation and the
Great Flood. The Bible proves God’s intervention into history, which
champions
the return of Christ.
When they endeavor to maintain the idea that everything continues exactly the same way, it escapes their notice that God, created a different ecosystem prior to the Flood, and men lived to be more than nine hundred years old. That is was ecosystem dominated by water. In fact, that it was water that became the means of destruction.
They willfully ignore that the phrase in verse 5, "existed long ago," does not imply billions of years. They deny that everything dramatically changed after the flood, from animal eating habits, to the environment of the earth, and the longevity of mankind, it all changed. They deny that after the flood, in verse 6, that "the world was destroyed, being flooded with water." And the continents as we know them today were formed. In fact, there are all over the world evidences of a universal worldwide flood.
They deny the covenant that in Genesis 9:8-17, God made that the world will never again be destroyed by water. And that He put a rainbow in the sky, as a reminder of that promise. They are willingly ignorant of all that. We don’t have to worry about the threat of polar ice cap melting and drowning everybody. Because that's not going to happen. God already did His destruction with water. So, you can’t say everything has continued exactly the same way. Because that just is not true.
We know that because in verse 7, "But by His word the present heavens and earth are being reserved for fire, kept for the day of judgment and destruction of ungodly men."
The present world system then, is reserved for future judgment, and that future judgment will come by the word of God just as the past judgment came and just as the creation came. God is the creator and He is the destroyer. And next time, He'll do it by fire. Today, the world is awaiting the destruction of fire.
In Isaiah 66:15-16, the prophet says "For behold, the Lord will come in fire and His chariots like the whirlwind, To render His anger with fury, And His rebuke with flames of fire. For the Lord will execute judgment by fire and by His sword on all flesh, and those slain by the Lord will be many."
And Isaiah 13:19-20 says "And Babylon, the beauty of kingdoms, the glory of the Chaldeans’ pride,
Will be as when God overthrew Sodom and Gomorrah. It will never be inhabited or lived in from generation to generation; Nor will the Arab pitch his tent there, Nor will shepherds make their flocks lie down there." It will be destroyed by fire and brimstone.
Will be as when God overthrew Sodom and Gomorrah. It will never be inhabited or lived in from generation to generation; Nor will the Arab pitch his tent there, Nor will shepherds make their flocks lie down there." It will be destroyed by fire and brimstone.
Paul says in II Thessalonians 1:7-8 "...when the Lord Jesus will be revealed from heaven with His mighty angels in flaming fire, dealing out retribution to those who do not know God and to those who do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus."
We're not sure where the fire comes from, it could come from the earth's core, which is filled with fire. In fact, the temperature is 12,400 degrees Fahrenheit and there’s a thin ten-mile crust that separates us from it. It could also come from above, it's filled flaming fire, the stars and sun. It could also come from a nuclear holocaust, which would incinerate the earth and heavens. Scripture doesn't tell us specifically how it will occur, just that it will. But, when this whole universe is burned to a crisp, we’re not going to be around.
Then, in verse 8, Peter says "But do not let this one fact escape your notice, beloved, that with the Lord one day is like a thousand years, and a thousand years like one day."
In other words, instead of looking at it from your viewpoint, look at it from God's perspective. It might seem like a long time to you, but not to God, because "one day is like a thousand years, and a thousand years like one day." You’re looking at time one way, and God look at it a completely different way. For you it's been two thousand years, for God its only been a couple of days. You can’t confine God to your schedule. He does what He wants, when He wants. God is sovereign, He is in complete control.
Now, look at verse 9, which I believe is a wonderful verse, which ties into verse 8. "The Lord is not slow about His promise, as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing for any to perish but for all to come to repentance."
The delay is not because God isn't keeping His promise, He's not being unfaithful to His Word. No! He is patiently waiting for people to repent, "not wishing for any to perish."
He was patient when Noah built the Ark, and that took one hundred and twenty years. God is using this time to express His patience and that by His grace, people might be saved. And, when His patience has ended, He’ll gather His church and judgement will come. God will then confirm His hatred of sin by dissolving this world in a fervent fire.Just as He did in the past, when God destroyed millions over His hatred of sin. And, so in the future, God will destroy millions more over His hatred of sin. He will create a new heaven and a new earth, where only the righteous shall live.
In Closing..
God hates sin, all of it. When Christ returns, and He will, He will bring judgement with Him. Since no man knows the day or the hour, we must be ready now. Unless you accept Christ’s death on your behalf as payment in full for your sin on the cross, you will know the burning heat of God’s wrath. If you have not already done so, I would like to encourage you to turn from your sin, in repentance and accept Christ by faith as your Savior and follow Christ as Lord. He is the only way to escape judgement and the torment of Hell.
His promise of forgiveness and eternal life is only for those who are born again. I pray that you will join us.
May it be so..
And now may the Lord bless you and keep you;
the Lord make His face shine upon you,
And be gracious to you;
The Lord lift up His countenance upon you,
And give you peace.
Now and forever, in Jesus' name
Amen
the Lord make His face shine upon you,
And be gracious to you;
The Lord lift up His countenance upon you,
And give you peace.
Now and forever, in Jesus' name
Amen
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