IN GOD’S OWN TIME--2 PETER 3:1-10

IN GOD’S OWN TIME

2 PETER 3:1-10

Key verse: v. 8, “But, beloved, be not ignorant of this one thing, that one day is with the Lord as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day.”

Introduction:

The Lord has His own time set for accomplishing His will in our lives. The Scriptures teach that it was God’s will that Jesus Christ die for the sins of mankind, before the world began. Revelation 13:8 says, “And all that dwell upon the earth shall worship him, whose names are not written in the book of life of the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world.”

In this message we will look at various events in the life of Christ and see the time that they came to pass.

I. THE HOUR OF HIS BIRTH

A. The prophecy of His birth, Isaiah 7:14, “Therefore the Lord himself shall give you a sign; Behold, a virgin shall conceive, and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel.”

1. 700 years before His birth.

2. The purpose was to encourage Israel to depend on God and not the world.

B. The time of His birth, Galatians 4:4, “But when the fulness of the time was come, God sent forth his Son, made of a woman, made under the law.”

1. God’s timing was when He was ready.

2. “Made of a women,” refers to the humanity of our Lord, John 1:14, “And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth.”

3. “Made under the law,” refers to the fact the Jesus was a Jew, John 1:11, “He came unto his own, and his own received him not”

A. God’s purpose in the death of His Son was to redeem man from the condemnation of sin, John 3:17-18, “For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved. 18-He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.”

1. Jesus came to save man.

2. Man’s part is to believe what God has said and trust Christ.

A. John 12:23-24, And Jesus answered them, saying, The hour is come, that the Son of man should be glorified. 24Verily, verily, I say unto you, Except a corn of wheat fall into the ground and die, it abideth alone: but if it die, it bringeth forth much fruit.

1. “The hour is come,” in God’s time.

2. The necessity of the death of Jesus, “Except a corn of wheat fall into the ground and die, it abideth alone: but if it die, it bringeth forth much fruit.”

III. THE HOUR OF HIS RESURRECTION.

A. Just as the hour of the Lord’s death was in God’s hands, so the hour of His resurrection, John 2:19, 21, “Jesus answered and said unto them, Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up. But he spake of the temple of his body.”

B. Jesus rose from the dead on the third day, Luke 24:46, And said unto them, Thus it is written, and thus it behoved Christ to suffer, and to rise from the dead the third day:

IV. THE HOUR OF HIS SECOND COMING

A. As in the days of Noah, Matthew 24:37, “But as the days of Noe were, so shall also the coming of the Son of man be.”

1. Eating and drinking, Matthew 24:38, “For as in the days that were before the flood they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day that Noe entered into the ark.”

2. Marrying and giving in marriage until….

B. We don’t know the hour, Matthew 25:13, “Watch therefore, for ye know neither the day nor the hour wherein the Son of man cometh.”

1. He will come when you think He won’t, Matthew 24:44, “Therefore be ye also ready: for in such an hour as ye think not the Son of man cometh”

2. He will come as a thief in the night, Matthew 24:42-43, “Watch therefore: for ye know not what hour your Lord doth come. 43-But know this, that if the goodman of the house had known in what watch the thief would come, he would have watched, and would not have suffered his house to be broken up.”

CONCLUSION

God has everything timed according to his schedule. Until now everything has gone according to His purpose and plan.

What if Jesus should come back today or this week, are you ready to meet Him? Have you trusted Jesus as your Savior? If not, don’t delay! Trust Him now!!