Anticipation II Peter 3:14-18
II Peter • Sermon • Submitted
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· 152 viewsOur anticipation of Christ's return should result in a walk of Peace, purity, proclamation, perspective, and progress.
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I. Introduction
I. Introduction
Peter has been encouraging a life of commitment to the Lord while challenging us to beware of false teachers. He has made clear that we can trust God’s promise that Jesus Christ will return and that there will be a final judgment of the earth and all the wicked as well as a new creation of the heavens and the earth.
Illustration: Lisa was off this week and had the opportunity to visit her mom in IL. So she flew out on Wednesday. Wednesday night, as Zoey talked to her, Zoey kept asking, “When are you coming home?” Lisa told her, “Sunday night.” So Zoey is anticipating Lisa’s return. Her anticipation is just in seeing her mom. For the boys the anticipation of mom’s return brings about responsibilities...
Verse 14 begins with “therefore”, because the judgment of God is coming and because we are looking forward to the “day of God” we have responsibilities. Peter continues, “beloved”, his love for these people, his relationship with these people drives him to share these truths and challenge them in their walk and obedience to Christ. Our love will drive us to do the same for others as well.
“Looking forward to these things” This is anticipation. We should be looking forward to Christ’s return and the blessing that follows.
This anticipation should produce a diligence in us. “Diligence” is a eager, or zealous desire, “to be especially conscientious in discharging an obligation, be zealous/eager, take pains, make every effort, be conscientious”. (William Arndt et al., A Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament and Other Early Christian Literature (Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 2000), 939.)
Since Peter has made clear that Jesus Christ will return. He goes the next step in today’s passage and tells us how the anticipation of Christ’s return will affect us. We have responsibilities Anticipation of Christ return should result in a walk of peace, purity, proclamation, perspective, and progress.
II. Anticipation of Christ’s return should result in a persistent walk of Peace. (with God, with man, in ourselves)
II. Anticipation of Christ’s return should result in a persistent walk of Peace. (with God, with man, in ourselves)
Our awareness and anticipation of Jesus return challenges us to be found by Him in peace.” vs. 14
A. One aspect of peace is “peace with God”. Rom. 5:1 “1 Therefore, having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ,” This peace is only available through faith in Jesus Christ and what was accomplished in His death and resurrection. Peter has addressed these individuals as “beloved” so most of them are believers.
B. A second aspect of peace is “peace with others”. Rom. 12:18 “18 If it is possible, as much as depends on you, live peaceably with all men.” Indeed, we would not want to be found in the midst of a quarrel or a church split when Christ returns.
C. But the primary focus here in “being found by Him in peace” is likely more centered on a “peaceful life”. My trust in God in the midst of the trials of the opposition gives peace. My trust in God when others are attacking His word realizes that He is trustworthy. He is truth. He is all-powerful to fulfill His promises. I don’t have to allow the chaos around me to rob me of my peace. As a believer, I am confident of my future because of my position in Christ.
III. Anticipation of Christ’s return should result in a persistent walk of Purity. (of our life) vs. 14
III. Anticipation of Christ’s return should result in a persistent walk of Purity. (of our life) vs. 14
A. My excitement , anticipating Christ return drives me in my diligence to be pure in my life. Living a life that is set apart to God in each area. I desire to be found by Him “spotless and blameless”.
B. “Without spot” or “spotless” when applied to the OT sacrifice was without any physical defect. The lamb could have nothing wrong, no scars, no broken leg, no limp, no torn ear… “Without spot” in this context is the idea of moral purity or moral defects.
This is a life “being of untainted character, pure, without fault of inward condition, as of character” (William Arndt et al., A Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament and Other Early Christian Literature (Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 2000), 144.)
Remember the false teachers were referred to as spots and blemishes. II Peter 2:13 “13 and will receive the wages of unrighteousness, as those who count it pleasure to carouse in the daytime. They are spots and blemishes, carousing in their own deceptions while they feast with you,”
We don’t want the false teachers or the false philosophy of this world to cause us to be spots or blemishes. We are anticipating the coming of Jesus Christ for his bride. Our study on Wednesday hit this concept as well. Rev. 19:7-8 “7 Let us be glad and rejoice and give Him glory, for the marriage of the Lamb has come, and His wife has made herself ready.” 8 And to her it was granted to be arrayed in fine linen, clean and bright, for the fine linen is the righteous acts of the saints.”
We certainly are imputed with the righteousness of Christ at salvation, but we are also expected to live lives that represent Christ as we strive diligently to be spotless.
C. “Blameless” deals being morally blameless. It is best represented in our “reputation”. How do people see me. What “baggage” have a produced in my life that goes before me.
Our reputation can greatly hurt our witness for Christ and our ministry. In a previous ministry a man came and started attending our church. He was extremely knowledgeable of the Scriptures, he had quite a bit of previous experience, but when it was discussed with the elders whether he should have the opportunity to teach or not they explained that he just a couple years before had made a public spectacle of himself on a float in a parade before the whole county. This choice, had given him a reputation that would take much time to live down until he could gain the respect of others to publicly teach...
Please make note. One can be “spotless” and because of opposition be accused of things and on earth may not be “blameless”. Though before God they are.
One can be “spotted” but because they are good at hiding their sin they are thought to be “blameless”.
Thankfully Christ is all knowing. We will not have any false attacks on our character or reputation that he won’t see through. But our prayer should be as David’s as we walk through this life diligently desiring to please God. Psalm 19:13-14 “13 Keep back Your servant also from presumptuous sins; Let them not have dominion over me. Then I shall be blameless, And I shall be innocent of great transgression. 14 Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart Be acceptable in Your sight, O Lord, my strength and my Redeemer.” and Psalm 139:23-24 “23 Search me, O God, and know my heart; Try me, and know my anxieties; 24 And see if there is any wicked way in me, And lead me in the way everlasting.”
IV. Anticipation of Christ’s return should result in a persistent walk of Proclamation. (of the gospel) vs. 15
IV. Anticipation of Christ’s return should result in a persistent walk of Proclamation. (of the gospel) vs. 15
This anticipation of Christ’s return when met with having to wait is a reminder of God’s longsuffering. His patience in bringing judgment so that people may repent of their sin. It should be a reminder to us of our need to be sharing the gospel, proclaiming the truth not only of God’s judgment but the love of God in sending Jesus Christ that we might have eternal life. Romans 2:4 “4 Or do you despise the riches of His goodness, forbearance, and longsuffering, not knowing that the goodness of God leads you to repentance?” We have the privilege of letting others know of God’s kindness, longsuffering, mercy, and grace.
V. Anticipation of Christ’s return should result in a persistent walk of Perspective. (regarding the truth) vs. 15-17
V. Anticipation of Christ’s return should result in a persistent walk of Perspective. (regarding the truth) vs. 15-17
A. Peter here shares that Paul’s writings affirm the same principles regarding the salvation of God through faith in Jesus Christ, the coming judgment, and false teachers that Peter has taught them.
He is calling Paul beloved. But remember Peter had been rebuked by Paul, yet there is still a loving relationship! This is important in living a life “being without spot and blameless.”
Peter is also once again prioritizing the role of Scripture.
While prioritizing the role of scripture he is letting people know that Paul’s writing are inspired as well and are on par with, equal with the OT scripture. The statement “wisdom given to him” reveals that these were not “cleverly devised fables” but rather of divine origin.
He acknowledges that some of the things that Paul writes are difficult to understand.
Then Peter reminds us that there are people who are untaught and unstable that twist the scriptures to their own destruction. Not only do they bring judgment on themselves but they pull the deceived along with them.
One writer put it this way, “Those complexities opened the door for the untaught and unstable—namely, the false teachers—to distort what Paul taught about the future. Untaught denotes a lack of information, and unstable a vacillating spiritual character. Distort speaks of wrenching someone’s body on a torture rack. The term vividly pictures how the false teachers manipulated certain prophetic issues, twisting them to confuse and deceive the undiscerning. Such distortion often continues today regarding prophetic revelation.” (John F. MacArthur Jr., 2 Peter and Jude, MacArthur New Testament Commentary (Chicago: Moody Publishers, 2005), 135.)
They bring this destruction on themselves. Jude 10-13 “10 But these speak evil of whatever they do not know; and whatever they know naturally, like brute beasts, in these things they corrupt themselves. … 13 raging waves of the sea, foaming up their own shame; wandering stars for whom is reserved the blackness of darkness forever.”
Peter warns them to beware of being led away by these false teachers. “The word translated “beware” means “be constantly guarding yourself.” Peter’s readers knew the truth, but he warned them that knowledge alone was not sufficient protection. They had to be on their guard; they had to be alert. It is easy for people who have a knowledge of the Bible to grow overconfident and to forget the warning, “Wherefore let him that thinketh he standeth take heed lest he fall” (1 Cor. 10:12).” ( Warren W. Wiersbe, The Bible Exposition Commentary, vol. 2 (Wheaton, IL: Victor Books, 1996), 469–470.)
We cannot remain “without spot and blameless” if we are deceived and led away to the lawlessness of the false teachers. We must be persistent in our perspective of the truth of God’s Word.
VI. Anticipation of Christ’s return should result in a persistent walk of Progress (in the grace and knowledge of God)
VI. Anticipation of Christ’s return should result in a persistent walk of Progress (in the grace and knowledge of God)
A. Illustration: Every now and then I hear someone say something to a child or about their children. “I wish you were still...” Little enough to pick up and hug, sit on my lap and cuddle. or “I miss those days”. In reality one does not wish their child to quit growing it is not healthy. There would be great concern. Likewise, as believers we are not simply to put our faith in Christ and say, “I’m good! I don’t need to know anything else about God.”
B. Peter challenges us that we are to grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.
The purpose of this growth is to glorify God both now and in eternity.
A young child grows when they receive nutrition and they exercise. Peter told us earlier in the book that God has supplied us with everything necessary for life and godliness. II Peter 1:3 “3 as His divine power has given to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of Him who called us by glory and virtue,” So, we as believers need spiritual food and exercise while we keep ourselves clean. Where is the best place for this? Wiersbe stated, “We grow best in a loving family, and this is where the local church comes in. A baby needs a family for protection, provision, and affection. Tests prove that babies who are raised alone, without special love, tend to develop physical and emotional problems very early. The church is God’s “nursery” for the care and feeding of Christians, the God-ordained environment that encourages them to grow. (Warren W. Wiersbe, The Bible Exposition Commentary, vol. 2 (Wheaton, IL: Victor Books, 1996), 471.)
This spiritual growth brings protection for us and the body of Christ. “Eph. 4:14-16 “14 that we should no longer be children, tossed to and fro and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the trickery of men, in the cunning craftiness of deceitful plotting, 15 but, speaking the truth in love, may grow up in all things into Him who is the head—Christ— 16 from whom the whole body, joined and knit together by what every joint supplies, according to the effective working by which every part does its share, causes growth of the body for the edifying of itself in love.”
C. The clarity of stating that Jesus is Lord and Savior is stated by Peter. When one puts their faith in Christ they should understand the idea of Savior, but it may take time to understand what it really means that He is Lord. I may confess Him as Lord but do not fully understand what that means to my life. As I walk through life I begin to study the scriptures and I better understand who God is. Through this I understand what I am called to be and do as a follower of Christ. When I face difficulties and I lean on God by trusting in His promises I grow in my knowledge of Him, my fellowship with Him...
D. To Him (Jesus Christ) be the glory, both now and to the day of eternity. Amen vs. 18b
Our worship of Christ begins now and will extend through eternity. “Clearly the pronoun Him refers back to Christ and is a sure affirmation of His deity and equality with God. After all, the Old Testament declares that divine glory belongs to God alone: “I am the Lord, that is My name; I will not give My glory to another, nor My praise to graven images” (Isa. 42:8; cf. 48:11; Deut. 5:24; 28:58; Neh. 9:5; Pss. 93:1–2; 104:31; 138:5; Ezek. 11:23). Yet various places in the Gospels attribute that same glory to Jesus Christ: “And the Word became flesh, and dwelt among us, and we saw His glory, glory as of the only begotten from the Father, full of grace and truth” (John 1:14; cf. Matt. 16:27; 25:31; John 17:24). The only possible conclusion, then, is that Christ is worthy of the Father’s glory because He Himself is God (cf. John 5:23; Rev. 1:5–6). Peter began this epistle with an affirmation of Christ’s deity in 1:1, and he now ends with the same.” ( John F. MacArthur Jr., 2 Peter and Jude, MacArthur New Testament Commentary (Chicago: Moody Publishers, 2005), 137–138.)
VII. As we begin each day we should be anticipating the return of Christ.
VII. As we begin each day we should be anticipating the return of Christ.
Illustration: Zoey - I told you Zoey is anticipating seeing Lisa. What I didn’t tell you is that every night she asks if mom is coming tonight. Every morning she asks, “Is mom home?” Mom’s arrival is constantly on her mind. Shouldn’t we feel the same about the return of Jesus Christ. “Maybe today!”
In light of this we should be living a life of...
Peace - Do you know Christ as savior so that you have peace with God.
Are you living your life trusting in His promises so that you are experiencing His peace.
Purity
Proclamation of the gospel
Perspective of the truth
Progress - as we grow in the knowledge of Jesus Christ.
Strive to keep this mindset so that Christ is glorified!