[0:00] Good morning. Good morning. Today we're concluding our study of Peter's Epistle.! We had a good time looking at 1 Peter.
[0:12] ! And it was nice for me to go over it again. When I was interim pastor several years ago over at Cameron Baptist, I taught them all the way through 1 Peter, preached them all the way through 1 Peter.
[0:25] And you're lucky because I gave them final exams. But today we're going to conclude our study of 2 Peter and reading from my mother's Bible.
[0:39] The second epistle, beloved, I write now unto you, in both which I stir up your pure minds by way of remembrance.
[0:53] I hope today we will be stirred up in our minds, remembering, remembering what Peter has shared with us in the Gospel. In his epistle.
[1:09] Have you ever heard the word eschatology? It's a word I studied in seminary, but we didn't study it a whole lot. We studied other things, but it's the study of the end of time.
[1:22] I have never been a big student of eschatology. I know people that go over and over and over these millennials, you know, pre-millennial, post-millennial, and I'm a pan-millennial.
[1:37] I believe it will pan out at the end. It's in God's hands. But the end of time, things are hard to understand in my opinion. But it's all part of God's plan.
[1:49] He's got a plan. And he's going to bring that plan to conclusion one day. But I just have always said, that plan is in God's hands, and I'm going to let him keep it that way, because I still believe it will pan out in the end.
[2:06] God's work will be brought to conclusion. It's important, but God didn't even tell Jesus. It said not even the Son knows when he will be returning.
[2:19] It's God's secret. So how in the world could I deserve it? So what passage was I assigned by my glorious pastors, John and Matt?
[2:33] One of the most important, dealing with eschatology. The last few verses, 11 through 18 of 2 Peter chapter 3. It's all about the earth melting away in fire, a new heaven, a new earth being formed.
[2:50] And it's, I'm probably going to skip over there. Because I don't understand it. And just like Matt skipped over the dog returning to his vomit, and the sow in the mud, I'm skipping over eschatology today.
[3:08] I'd much rather focus on Peter's reminders for life before Jesus returns. How should we then live, as Shaper wrote years ago?
[3:18] So my message is this. Peter's reminders for living today until he returns. I'm going to try to stir up your mind.
[3:31] It said pure mind, but none of us said pure minds. By way of reminder. Once, Pastor Rose, theologian, I said, pure can better be translated sincere.
[3:44] I think we're all sincere, but I ain't none of us pure, I'm sure. So, in order to get an understanding of where we've been, I've selected several key verses from 1, 2, and 3 Peter.
[4:03] And I want us to read it responsibly. I'll read the bold print, and you read the italic print. Alright? 2 Peter chapter 1.
[4:14] May grace and peace be lavished on you as you grow in the rich knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord. I can pray this because His divine power has bestowed on us everything necessary for life and godliness through the rich knowledge of the one who called us.
[4:36] Be His own glory and excellence. By His own glory. I didn't think, correct it. Therefore, I intend to remind you constantly of these things, even though you know them and are well established in the truth that you now have.
[4:53] Indeed, as long as I am in this tabernacle, I consider it right to stir you up by way of a reminder. Since I know that my tabernacle, His body, is getting ready to be executed in Rome, will soon be removed, because our Lord Jesus Christ revealed this to me.
[5:15] Indeed, I will also make every effort that after my departure, you have a testimony of these things. The testimony of these two letters, 1 Peter and 2 Peter.
[5:30] He wanted them to heaven and rhyme. Above all, you do well if you recognize this. No prophecy of Scripture ever comes about by the prophet's own imagination.
[5:41] For no prophecy was ever born of human impulse. Rather, men are carried along by the Holy Spirit spoke from God. But false prophets arose among the people, just as there will be false teachers among you.
[5:58] Because of these false teachers, the way of truth will be slandered. The Lord knows how to rescue the godly from their trial and to reserve their unrighteous for punishment at the day of judgment.
[6:12] These men are part of the springs and mists driven by storms. I don't know how you really talk about them. For by speaking high-sounding but empty words, they are able to entice people.
[6:27] Although that these false teachers promise such people freedom, they themselves are enslaved to immorality. I'm trying to stir up your pure, sincere minds by way of reminder.
[6:44] I want you to recall both the predictions that were told by the holy prophets and the commandment of the Lord and Savior through your apostles.
[6:55] In the last days, blatant scoffers will come and say, Where is his promised return? For ever since our ancestors died, all things have continued as they were from the beginning of creation.
[7:11] Now, dear friends, do not let this one thing escape your repos, that a single day is like a thousand years with the Lord, and a thousand years are like a single day.
[7:25] The Lord is not slow concerning his promise, but is being patient towards you, because he does not wish for any to perish, but for all to come to repentance.
[7:36] But the day of the Lord will come on his feet. Since all these things are to melt away in their manner, what sort of people must you be conducting your lives in holiness and godliness?
[7:50] While waiting for and hastening the coming of the day of God. But according to his promise, we are waiting for new heavens and new earth in which righteousness truly resides.
[8:06] Since you are waiting for these things, strive to be bound in peace, without spot or blemish, when you come into his presence.
[8:17] Regarding the patience of our Lord and salvation, be on your guard, that you do not get led astray by the error of these unprincipled men, and fall from your firm grasp on the truth.
[8:34] Grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. To him be the honor of both now and on that eternal day.
[8:45] Amen. Amen. Lord, help us to remember what we've already studied in 1 and 2 Peter, and help us to be able to put these things into practice in our lives, to conduct ourselves with holiness and godliness in this world until you come back.
[9:04] Amen. Amen. We're going to look at the third chapter of 2 Peter today, with an emphasis on verses 11 through 18, but I'm going to get a little bit into some of what John preached last time, just as a way of reminder.
[9:24] But like Peter, I am also trying to stir up your mind, your pure, sincere minds, by the way of reminder. Hopefully you've heard at least five reminders in that response of reading.
[9:37] But if you didn't, we're going to break it down now, verse by verse, as we look at this last chapter of 2 Peter 3. The first reminder is found in 2 Peter 3, 1 through 2.
[9:57] If you want to turn it to in your Bible, it's already up here. And it's the reminder that remember the basics of the gospel of Christ. He said, I'm going to leave you a testimony.
[10:09] And the testimony of these two epistles, but he's also pointing you to the work of the other apostles, Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John, and his brother in the work of Paul.
[10:24] So, why don't you read it out loud with me? 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 commandments of us, the apostles of the Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.
[10:51] He said, I'm writing you the second epistle. We've already looked at that first epistle, but it's another reminder. In 2 Peter 1, 12 through 13, He said, I'm going to remind you about this constantly.
[11:04] You could say he's a nagger, but he was nagging you about the basics of the gospel. He didn't want you to forget it because he's getting ready to be executed.
[11:15] Remember, tradition said he was crucified upside down because he didn't count himself worthy to be crucified as the Lord was. But this time, he's reminding them with emphasis and emphasizing the coming of the Lord, the second coming of Jesus, that eschatology thing.
[11:35] He said, the Spurgeon, you remember the old preacher Spurgeon from England? I'm going to use several of his quotes, but he said, the purest minds need stirring up at times.
[11:46] It would be a great pity to stir up impure minds. That would only be to do mischief. But pure minds may be stirred up as much as you please and the more the better.
[11:57] Spurgeon had a way of saying things. Pure minds, remember, can be translated as sincere minds. That makes us all feel a little better, I think. That you may be mindful of the words which were spoken by the holy prophets.
[12:15] What do you think the holy prophets were? The Old Testament writers. Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Deuteronomy, Albus, Ezekiel.
[12:29] All those holy prophets wrote the Old Testament. He was having them to remember what he was pointing to the biblical records from the Old Testament and also the commandment of us, the apostle of the Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, contemporary to his own day by him, Peter, and other disciples and the apostle Paul.
[12:56] So he was pointing them to God's Word as it had been being written in his day and time and even in years past.
[13:08] Here, the theologian Dr. Green says, Peter is referring here to the apostles of Jesus Christ. It is they and they alone who are put on the same level as the Old Testament prophets.
[13:22] Not anybody. He was not just pointing to anybody because remember there were false what? Teacher prophets. Prophets out there spewing false knowledge.
[13:33] So he said, don't listen to them. listen only to those who can be called apostles. And the apostles are only those folks who had seen and been with the Lord.
[13:46] Paul, remember, on the road to Damascus saw Jesus. Peter's epistles are his promise. His promise to provide them a detailed message.
[13:59] I will also make every effort that after my departure, my execution, you have a testimony of these things. We can trust God's word.
[14:11] That's what he's trying to say. It's reliable. You can trust God's word. The reminder here is about all you do well to recognize this. No prophecy of scripture ever comes by the prophets on the man.
[14:27] This is not something I don't thought out. This is not out of my imagination. For no prophecy was ever born of human impulse, but rather as men, the apostles, and Old Testament people carry along, inspired by the Holy Spirit who spoke from God.
[14:48] So we think our scriptures are inspired by God, and here Peter is saying it right here. It is Holy Scripture that we can depend on.
[14:59] It's reliable. Peter knew he was writing scripture, I believe, and he knew that Paul was writing scripture, and the apostles were writing scripture, and the writings of the other apostles, including Paul, were reliable and inspired by the Spirit.
[15:15] He said, reminder, these are things you need to be looking at, remembering. Verse 19 in chapter 1, moreover, we possess the prophetic word and altogether reliable things.
[15:30] He's saying what I'm writing is reliable. You do well if you pay attention to this, as you would to a light, he got poetic here, shining in a murky place, until the day dawns and the morning star rises in your heart.
[15:46] Not bad for a fisherman. Pretty good writers now. Fisherman with very little education wrote those beautiful words.
[15:57] I think the Holy Spirit had a little bit of work in there. Basic truths of the gospel of Christ. This is it. Because his divine, his power has bestowed on us everything necessary for life and godliness through the rich knowledge of the one who called us by his own glory and excellence, everything we need to live a godly life.
[16:24] Holiness and godliness. Holiness means set apart. We're not like the world that's out there. We are set apart. We're called to be different.
[16:35] And godliness growing more and more like Jesus. Reminder number one, God's word is reliable. Trust it as your guide to grow in Christ.
[16:50] Peter was reminding the church of the one-day gospel. You know that old hymn? Living he loved me, dying he saved me, buried he carried, bring our sins far away, rising he justified, freely forever.
[17:17] One day he's coming, oh glorious day. The gospel wrapped up in that little verse. That's pretty basic, isn't it?
[17:30] That's pretty basic. the ancient words of the Bible are trustworthy. And to us, they become the wonderful words of life.
[17:43] You may not know this song, but I want you to say the words if you don't know the view. It's a beautiful song. So just say the words if you don't know this.
[17:54] Oh, oh, give me a bow, three, holy words. I've got the bow. Okay, great.
[18:05] Holy words long preserved for our love and true. They resound as God's heart.
[18:20] Oh, let any ancient words impart. Words of life, words of hope, give us strength, help us go.
[18:36] In this world, wherever we roam, ancient words will guide us home. Ancient words ever true, changing me and changing you.
[18:55] true. We have come with holy hearts, oh, let the ancient earth impart. The words of day headed down to the stage, come to us to sacrifice, miracle Oh, hear the words of Christ.
[19:27] Heart and love, stately faith, they have died for us. And right through the years, even firm and bold and dear, ancient words ever true.
[19:52] Changing me and changing you, we have come with open hearts, bold as the ancient words still are.
[20:09] Sing them over again to me, wonderful words of mine. Let me more of their ears see, wonderful words of mine.
[20:24] Words of mine, the beauty, teach me, making the beauty, beautiful words, wonderful words, wonderful words of mine.
[20:38] Beautiful words, wonderful words, wonderful words of mine. On a personal note, when my dad died, I had these words printed on a sheet, really embroidered on a sheet.
[20:58] It's the, where are they? Teach me faith and beauty. Wonderful words of life, teach me faith and beauty.
[21:10] That's what my daddy did for me. Okay, I'll see. All right, this sermon is going great. All right, reminder two is found in verses three through ten of chapter three.
[21:23] And the reminder is, God keeps his promise. God keeps his promise. All right, there's a warning beginning in chapter two. Knowing this first, that scoffers will come in the last days, walking according to their own lust.
[21:41] That evil urges, another translation says. None of that's going on now. And saying, where is the promise that is coming? For since the fathers fell asleep, all things continue as they were from the very beginning.
[21:56] Scoffers will come in the last days. Back then and even now. In a sense, the last days began when Jesus ascended into heaven. With the advent of Jesus, the last chapter of human history had opened, though it had not yet been completed.
[22:14] Dr. Green wrote those words. When Jesus ascended, the last days began. People say, well, we were living in the last days.
[22:25] Well, they began 1995 years ago. Walking according to their own lust. Another translation says, evil urges. These words remind us that the scoffers didn't only have an intellectual problem with God and his word.
[22:42] They also had a clear moral problem. Wanting to reject the lordship of Christ over their lives. They weren't letting Jesus influence their lives at all. So, where is the promise, they said?
[22:56] Well, they're saying, hey, nothing is happening yet. Where's this Jesus you keep talking about coming again? This is the message of the scoffers. Hey, what's happening? When is he coming back?
[23:07] In the thinking of these scoffers, Christians had talked about Jesus, had talked about Jesus coming for 2,000 years, and he still hasn't come back yet. We have people say that today, don't we?
[23:20] They said nothing's changed. All things continue as they weren't from the beginning. Nothing has ever changed. So, the scoffers based their message on the idea that things have always been the way they are right now.
[23:35] And that God has not and will not do anything new in his plan for creation. Peter here gets into a discussion about the creation of the original earth.
[23:51] And then how it was changed and recreated following the flood. And he says what these scoffers are doing, they're ignoring the fact that God created the heavens and the earth.
[24:08] In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth. But then, when the blood came, he recreated the heavens and the earth.
[24:20] According to Peter. Peter believes that this current earth will one day dissolve into flames, not by water, as promised. Never again destroyed by water. But Peter says that it's going to be dissolved into flames and then be recreated again to God's liking in a more perfect state, as it was first intended, where God's righteousness dwells.
[24:45] That's going to be heaven. The new heaven and the earth. Revelation chapter 20, I believe, talks about the new heaven and the new earth.
[24:55] That's what he's talking about right here. He's predating John now. So, this study of eschatology, as I told you, I wasn't going to dwell on that a whole lot, it's God's plan, hard to understand, in God's hand.
[25:09] I'm simply going to pan out in the end, so I'm going to leave it in God's hands, for you to go and do your own study about eschatology, the end of time. That my finite mind cannot understand the infinite mind of God.
[25:26] Remember, he didn't give a plan to Jesus. Why should I get caught up in attempting to understand that my finite mind cannot understand the infinite mind of God? We've got this life to deal with.
[25:39] So, that's my message today. We're going to deal with this life. But we need to be sure that God keeps his promise. Remember, people, God keeps his promise.
[25:52] But we're like the scoffers. We're anxious about the return of God with Christ. We sing songs like, Come, Jesus, come. What's taking you so long? Peter puts it this way.
[26:04] Chapter 3, 8-10. But beloved, do not forget this one thing, that with the Lord one day is a thousand years, and a thousand years is one day.
[26:16] He said, The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some count slackness. They were calling the Lord slack, because he ain't here yet. But it's long-suffering or patience toward us, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.
[26:35] But the day of the Lord is coming, and it will come like a season of night, so be ready. The word long-suffering can be translated patience, the patience of the Lord.
[26:49] That with the Lord one day is a thousand years, and a thousand years is one day. What seemed like forever to us is just a short time with God.
[27:02] Now, I've got a question for you. How many years has it been since Jesus' ascension, and those angels look down at these people, looking up at the sky, Jesus ascending into heaven, and saying, Men of Galilee, read it with me.
[27:20] Because pretend you're the angels. All right? That would be hard to. All right. Men of Galilee, why do you stand here looking up into the sky? This same Jesus who has been taken up from you into heaven will come back in the same way you saw him go into heaven.
[27:37] In other words, they promised that he was coming back. They made the announcement right then. The last day started right there. So, the answer, how many years has it been?
[27:50] Well, there's been some funky work done with the Hebrew calendar, and we would think we could do 33 years back, but there's about a three or four year discrepancy in the Hebrew calendar.
[28:02] So, he ascended around AD 30. Somewhere in there. Could be more. So, from AD 30 to 20, 25, you map people?
[28:15] How many years? 1,995 years. That's almost 2,000 years. Right? And what did the Lord, the Bible just now, Peter just now say, with the Lord, what?
[28:29] I'm not sure. It's like a sin. So, it's just been two days since Jesus has sinned. It's just been two days. So what's the rush?
[28:40] You know? We're always in a hurry. The Lord is not, is not slack concerning his promise. He's not slack concerning his promise.
[28:51] The truth is that God will keep his promise. And without delay, according to his own time, it's only been two days, any perceived delay from our perspective is due to the long-suffering or patience of God who allows man as much time as possible to repent.
[29:10] reminder two, Jesus keeps his promise. And we find the promise, John 14, 1 through 4.
[29:20] If you've never been to a funeral, you've heard these words. Do not let your hearts be distressed or troubled. You believe in God, believe also in me.
[29:31] For there are many dwelling places, I like more mansions, in my father's house. Otherwise, I would have told you. Because I am going away to make ready a place for you.
[29:45] And if I go and make ready a place for you, read it with me. I will come again and take you to be with me.
[29:59] And all God's people said, Amen. So that where I am, you may be too. And you know the way where I am going. Well, they all looked down and said, how are we supposed to know the way?
[30:15] And what in memory, remember what he said? I am the way, the truth, and the life. No man comes into the body, but I need.
[30:29] So in these days before the Lord returns, we need hope. I'm going to tell you a story. Robin Mark was a worship leader in his church.
[30:42] And his pastor that morning, he was concerned about the condition of the world. It was in 1994 when the Rwandan Civil War tragedy claimed more than a million lives that year.
[30:55] That morning, the pastor preached on Elijah and the dry bones, about the, symbolizing the unity of the church, where Elijah prayed over these bones, and all of a sudden, they all became flesh and rose up into the mighty army before.
[31:11] I was like on YouTube of that. Between the services, he went to the church kitchen, good place to write a song, and he penned the song about the days of Elijah.
[31:25] How many of you have heard the days of Elijah? Good, we will sing it and has the head on its surface. So get ready to rehearse. His world was like Elijah's world.
[31:40] It was full of famine and darkness and sword, like today. Elijah stood up declaring the word of the Lord to his people, to his world.
[31:51] He thought of God's servant Moses, who restored righteousness in Israel. This people that had been in this pagan country worshiping golden calves, that needed righteousness restored, and he gave them the Ten Commandments.
[32:10] And he remembered the Lord's servant David, who had a tent outside the tabernacle where they had contemporary worship services with hand raised, who taught his people how to praise and worship Yahweh God again.
[32:29] His pastor's sermon about the dry bones would symbolize the need for unity in the church. And so he wrote the words to these, the days of Elijah.
[32:42] He said, these are the day of the harvest. The fields are as white in the world. We are the voices in the dead of crying prepare ye the way, prepare for our Lord's second coming.
[32:57] Why? Because we have the hope that one day out of Zion's hill salvation comes. Aren't you ready?
[33:07] the hope? Robin declares this message of hope. The holy God riding on the clouds shining like the sun at the trumpet call, lift your voice come, Jesus, come.
[33:27] These are the day of Elijah of Elijah. Take care of your Lord of the Lord. And these are the days of your servant Moses' righteous and speaking of the soul.
[33:45] Though these are days of great child of heaven and darkness and the Lord, you'll see on the horses that heads and cry and pray the way of the Lord.
[34:01] Behold, he comes, riding on the hills shining like the sun and out of joy and call with your voice to live and believe and how of Zion's hill salvation comes.
[34:20] And peace are the days of each of you that time comes in coming and splashes and peace are the days of the servant who came and repel in the temple of the rain.
[34:37] And these are the days of the harvest and these are as white in the world. And we are the laborers in your this year preparing the word of the Lord.
[34:54] of the miracle Oh Oh Jesus Oh
[36:25] This is our prayer board So we're willing to wait On your schedule Amen Reminder number three is found in the Verses 10 through 11 To 10 through 13 Finally getting into my sound passage Be ready to live Like he's coming back today That's how we're supposed to live Therefore Peter says since all these things Are going to dissolve what manner of person Ought you to be in holy Conduct and godliness What manner of person ought you to be In holy conduct And godliness Looking for and hastening The coming Of the day of God That sounds interesting Because of which the heavens Will be dissolved Being on fire And the elements will melt in fervent heat Nevertheless we according To his promise look For new heaven
[37:25] And new earth In which righteousness dwells And we're not ready to say it Without time Don't you think Eschatologically Eschatologically Everything's going to burn up anyway So why worry about the end of time Let's be concerned about the day That's my theology right there Let's be concerned about the day And let god take care Of what's going to be coming down On the pipes Peter says Therefore Since all these things will dissolve What manner of person Ought you to be In light of the fact that The world order And the things associated With it Will be dissolved We should live our lives Seeking first God's kingdom And his righteousness Which means holiness Set apart from the world In the world And dealing with the world
[38:26] But not of the world And godliness Meaning we're becoming More and more like Jesus God sent Jesus To show us What God was like Who God was like And who we Need to become More like So Did you know That I was a red communist Yeah Red communist Standing up here Preaching to you today That's what I was called By my seminary Preaching class You had to know My seminary In my very conservative Seminary And I'm conservative But not quite That much Most of the sermons Consisted of The vampire and hell nation And sermons And heaven Awaits for you And we just can't wait To get there John And I dared To preach a sermon With the premise That perhaps we should live As if there were no heaven Or hell With the focus Of life Live now In an intimate
[39:27] Relationship With God And I promise you God's going to take care Of heaven and hell I promise you We live Ready For him to come back Today The Greek word For salvation Soterion Soterion Indicate that Eternal life Begins In the here and now As we live In other words Eternal life In heaven Actually begins When we accept Christ As our savior When I was sitting On that second pew In home branch Baptist church Singing louder Than anybody As I always do now I came up And gave my Right hand Of fellowship To the reverend Sea where Matthew Junior And my heart To Jesus And eternal life Heaven Started right then Didn't always feel like it But heaven Eternal life Started right then Our relation With God Elevates our life Beyond the earthly Existence
[40:28] To a little taste Of heaven When we have That intimate Daily Communication With them When I go to the barn And do my Do my devotion To the prayers And the horses Waiting on their treats Our focus Is this life In this life Need not only be Of the life Hereafter Some people Can't get Headed out of The mess They're no earthly Good Because they're Too heaven Bent For preaching That sermon My seminary Brothers Laid with me A red Communist And I'll Proud to be one So our Reminder is this Be ready Live like He's coming Yet today What manner A person Ought you to be The old Preacher Spurgeon Has a word For us The king Is coming He's coming To his throne I wish I had A British accent And to his Judgment Now a man Does not go Up to a king's
[41:28] Door And there Talk treason And men Do not sit In the king's Audience chamber When they expect Him every moment To enter And there speak Ill of him The king Is on his way And almost here You are at his door He is at yours What manner A people Ought ye to be How can ye Sin against one Who is so close At hand How can we Sin When someone Is so close At hand You have to do It every day Don't we Do it every day The last second Part of that Verse was Interesting Looking for I understand that But hastening The coming Of the day Of God Of the day That he returns Peter said We can hasten The Lord's coming Make him come back Quicker And we can do it In three ways Number one By holy conduct And godliness
[42:29] By living holiness Living in holiness And godliness Set apart from the world Being put One one On Jesus Through evangelism You know Reaching out To other people That need to hear The gospel Peter says God is patient Toward us Not willing That any Should perish But that all Should come to repentance So Jesus Jesus commissions us With that in mind He says Go ye therefore And make disciples Of all people Teaching them To observe All the things I taught you already Baptizing them In my name And I'm with you Always To the end of the age Matthew 28 9 and 10 20 That's That's how we hasten The coming Of the Lord God is waiting On people Who have not yet Come To him In repentance So he says It's your job
[43:29] To hasten My coming By going out And talking to people Who need to know So The third way Is through prayer We can pray And as John On the Isle of Pappas Taught us Even so Come Lord Jesus What's the Greek word For it Marna Taught Come Lord Jesus So how should we live Until Jesus returns 2 Peter 3 11-12 says Peter says What sort of people Must you be Conducting your lives In holiness And godliness While waiting For and hastening The coming Of the day of God What is red In this behavior In my opinion Readiness behavior Is when you're Ready to say I'm going to tell The world That I'm a Christian Readiness behavior Is when you're Finally not ashamed To bear his name Somewhere Readiness behavior
[44:29] Is that I'm going to take His name everywhere Readiness behavior Is that I'm going to tell The world That he's coming And maybe Today and tomorrow And that he's Preparing a place For you And for me We'll sing Amen I'll tell the world That I'm a Christian I'm not ashamed His days are there I'll tell the world That I'm a Christian I'm not ashamed With me With me Anywhere I'll tell the world How Jesus saved me And how he gave me A life for you And I know
[45:33] That if you trust him That all he gave me He'll give me He'll give me To you I'll tell the world That he's my Savior That he's my Savior No other one Could love me so My life, my all Is his forever And where he needs to be I will go I'll tell the world That he is coming I will go That he is coming It may be near Or far away But we must live As in his son He's my son He's my son To love For me For when he comes
[46:34] And life is over For those who love him That's more to me I have never seen The wonders That he's preparing For you and me Oh, tell the world That you're a Christian Be not ashamed His name's in error Lord, tell the world That you're a Christian And take him with you Everywhere Let this be our prayer, Lord Amen Remind me, for We should be found striving One translation says it We should be found diligent Therefore, dear friends Since you are waiting
[47:35] Waiting for these things Strive Be diligent To be found At peace Without spot Or blemish One translation says Blameless When you come into his presence And regard the patience Of our Lord As salvation Looking forward to these things Strive Be diligent Paul Peter says If our hearts are really set On the glory of the new heaven And the new earth We will endeavor To walk godly In regard to our brothers And sisters In peace Anybody need to talk to?
[48:11] In regard to God Without spot Or blemish Or blameless That's high Goals Right there The patience of the Lord Is salvation It's easy for Christians To get tired Of the patience of God And he delays his coming We said Come on Come Come Yet the patience of our Lord Is salvation for others And it's salvation for us How many of you God I want you to raise your hand But just in your hearts Be thinking about it How many of you Or someone you know and love Became Christians In the last 10 years?
[48:52] The last 10 years? The last 10 years? The last 10 years? The last 10 years? 5 years? 10 years? 20 years even? You have been blessed By the patience of our Lord For when he What if he had returned 11 years ago?
[49:10] All these people out here Singing come Jesus come And here you are lost You or your loved one Will be lost and lost Without Jesus As your Savior His patience Is your salvation Because he is not willing That any should perish So we've only been gone Two years Two days So we've got some days left In God's time God's schedule But perhaps God is waiting On you today Who do you know That God might be waiting on?
[49:48] If you want to hasten His coming Go and share the gospel With them God is not willing That any should perish God is waiting on you today And God is waiting on them today We should be found diligent The old preacher's virgin Has a word to say We are puzzled At the long suffering Of patience And cause us so weary A delay One of the reasons Is that we have not Much long suffering Or patience With ourselves We think that we do Well to be angry With the rebellious And so we prove ourselves To be more like Jonah The Ninevehites Who said Love your enemies A few have learned To be patient And pitiful To the ungodly But many, many more Are of the mind Of James and John Who would have called Fire down from heaven Upon those Who rejected the Savior We are in such a hurry He said
[50:49] And it's only been two days Reminder five When Jesus returns! The best thing I'll be able to say When Jesus returns When Jesus returns Is the best thing I'll be able to say When Jesus returns Is I am His When Jesus returns, the best thing I'll be able to say when Jesus returns is, I am His, and He is mine.
[51:30] And that will be enough. Will you be able to say that with me? Sing this song. Listen to these beautiful, beautiful words. And can you sing it with your heart today?
[51:43] Long with everlasting love, let my grace that love to know.
[51:54] Spirit free me from love, not a sorrow in His soul. Oh, this love and perfect peace, oh, this transform all divine.
[52:13] In a love which cannot cease, I am His, and He is mine. In a love which cannot cease, I am His, and He is mine.
[52:33] And above His softer blue, earth around its sweeter green. Sounding lives in every dew that priceless eyes have never seen.
[52:53] Birds with planets on our flow, but with deeper beauty shine. Since I know, as now I know, I am His, and He is mine.
[53:12] Since I know, as now I know, I am His, and He is mine.
[53:22] In forever, only years, through the Lord and me shall apart.
[53:34] I want the rest of this. Christ has filled the longing heart.
[53:45] Heaven and earth may fade and flee. Earth's long light, through the divine.
[53:56] Come on, God, and I shall be. What? I am His, and He is mine.
[54:08] What? I am His, and He is mine.
[54:23] Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Peter said an astonishing thing.
[54:36] Our dear brother Paul wrote to you according to the wisdom given to him, speaking of these things in all his letters, some things in these letters are hard to understand.
[54:48] I know none of you have ever read anything about from Paul that was hard to understand. Just a little commercial in there. Reminder five.
[55:01] One we need to keep in mind. Keep growing in grace and knowledge. Therefore, dear friends, since you have been forewarned, be on your guard that you do not get led astray by these false prophets and scoffers, but error these unprincipled men and fall from your firm grasp of the truth that I and the holy prophets and the other apostles have been giving you in the scriptural word of God.
[55:32] But, read it with me, But grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, to fill me the honor both now and on that eternal day.
[55:44] Amen. What a doxology. What a doxology. He ends with it. Then you've been forewarned, then. We who know of the day of the Lord and awaited with patient expectation must persevere lest we get led astray.
[56:01] In order that they might know, Spurgeon says, how to stand and to be preserved from falling or get led astray, he gave them this direction, grow in grace.
[56:16] For the way to stand is to grow. Makes sense, doesn't it? The way to be steadfast, not to be led astray, is to go forward. There is no standing except by progression.
[56:29] Say that with me. There is no standing except by progression. So what are we supposed to be progressing in? Holiness and godliness. Away from the world, more like Jesus.
[56:43] But grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. We prevent being led astray by continual growth in grace and knowledge of Jesus.
[56:55] Grace is not merely that thing that draws us to him in the beginning. We're drawn to God by his grace. Grace is that unparalleled love that he gives to us.
[57:11] It is also the way we grow and keep a firm grasp on the truth. We can never grow apart from the grace and knowledge of our Lord and we never grow out of God's grace.
[57:24] Grace is not the thing that grows. Grace doesn't grow. It's all there already. We are the ones that grow in grace. We must also grow in our knowledge of Jesus Christ, but this means knowing more about him, yes, but more importantly, knowing Jesus in a personal, intimate, daily relationship with him.
[57:49] Going out to the barn and praying. Well, praying where you are. So, keep growing in grace and knowledge.
[58:00] Glory is what the angel sang back at his birth, and we shall forever sing it until and after he returns.
[58:10] To him be the glory both now and forever. For what? Because of his grace and marvelous grace.
[58:21] Keep growing in grace and knowledge. The word amen ends it. This final word is not included in all of the ancient manuscripts. Except in Peter.
[58:32] But yet it is appropriate for a letter affirming the truth in the face of the danger of false prophets and scoffers. It was good that he put this word in there. And we can understand it because it has four meanings.
[58:46] Number one, it expresses the desire of the heart. Amen. Amen. Don't you hear when you hear John and Matt preach that wonderful word in your heart? It's amen.
[58:58] And you can say it out loud too. Yeah. Yeah. Amen. Yeah. We need to go over the next door. It expresses the affirmation of our faith.
[59:08] Amen. I believe that. It expresses the joy of the heart when you're having this wonderful, down-the-top experience. Amen, Lord. When you hear it, Cece's saying, come, Jesus, come.
[59:24] What's the other one she sings? The goodness of God. The goodness of God. Thank you. Amen. And then it expresses the declaration of resolution.
[59:36] Amen. In other words, it is a giant and expresses it. Yes. So be it. Yes. So be it.
[59:47] Amen. How do we grow in grace? Paul puts it this way. For by grace you have been saved through faith. And that not of yourselves.
[60:00] It is the gift of God. Not of works. As any man should boast. That's what makes it marvelous. Faith is believing in something or someone that cannot be proven, no matter how much knowledge you have.
[60:16] You can't have enough knowledge. Great. Faith is believing in something or someone that you cannot prove, no matter how much knowledge you have.
[60:27] It takes faith to grow in grace. But grace is that love of God that we don't deserve that he gives to us anymore. That's what grace is. So now that knowledge of which we need to be reminded, now that's knowledge of which we need to be reminded constantly.
[60:46] And Peter says, I'm going to constantly remind you of this. Peter has done this in his second epistle. And all God's people said, Amen.
[61:00] Now you can stand up and sing about this marvelous grace. Oh, oh, oh.
[61:34] Praise, praise, God's grace. Praise the heart and the love you're swimming.
[61:47] Praise, praise, God's grace. Praise the Lord, Lord, and all our sin.
[61:58] Darkness the state that we can't deny. What is the veil of truth washing away?
[62:11] Love there is blowing up rims so tight. Wider than snow you may be today.
[62:23] Praise, praise, God's grace. Praise the world, heart and the love. Praise, praise, God's grace.
[62:41] Praise that is greater than all of our sin. more is Oh Oh Oh
[64:31] Oh