LIVING IN HOPE--2 PETER 3:1-18

LIVING IN HOPE

2 PETER 3:1-18

Introduction:

Peter writes the brethren to remind them to be aware of the Word of God that came through the Apostles regarding the last days.

In His first epistle Peter had mentioned their salvation and called them to Christian dedication. In 1 Peter 1:13, he says, “Wherefore gird up the loins of your mind, be sober, and hope to the end [perfectly] for the grace that is to be brought unto you at the revelation of Jesus Christ.”

Throughout his first letter Peter refers to our conduct as believers, saying in 1 Peter 3:13-14, “And who is he that will harm you, if ye be followers of that which is good? 14-But and if ye suffer for righteousness’ sake, happy are ye: and be not afraid of their terror, neither be troubled;”

Here in this passage Peter reminds his readers of God’s plans for the future.

I. SCOFFERS [mockers] WILL COME IN THE LAST DAYS, vs. 3-7

A. These are the “latter times,” 1 Timothy 4:1-2, “Now the Spirit speaketh expressly, that in the latter times some shall depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits, and doctrines of devils; 2- Speaking lies in hypocrisy; having their conscience seared with a hot iron;”

1. The scoffers are fools and hate knowledge, Proverbs 1:22, “How long, ye simple ones, will ye love simplicity? and the scorners delight in their scorning, and fools hate knowledge?”

2. They want to see rather than trust, Isaiah 5:19, “That say, Let him make speed, and hasten his work, that we may see it: and let the counsel of the Holy One of Israel draw nigh and come, that we may know it !”

B. Many are questioning, “Where is the promise of His coming?” v. 4; Luke 12:45, “But and if that servant say in his heart, My lord delayeth his coming; and shall begin to beat the menservants and maidens, and to eat and drink, and to be drunken;”

1. Rejecting God’s promise, Acts 1:11, “Which also said, Ye men of Galilee, why stand ye gazing up into heaven? this same Jesus, which is taken up from you into heaven, shall so come in like manner as ye have seen him go into heaven.”

2. Rejecting God’s guarantee, Philippians 1:6, “Being confident of this very thing, that he which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ:”

C. They are willingly ignorant, v. 5.

1. They have no heart for the truth of God’s Word, Proverbs 17:16, “Wherefore is there a price in the hand of a fool to get wisdom, seeing he hath no heart to it ?”

2. They love their ignorance, John 3:19-20, “And this is the condemnation, that light is come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil. 20- For every one that doeth evil hateth the light, neither cometh to the light, lest his deeds should be reproved.”

3. They are ignorant of the fact that God is not limited by time, v. 8; Psalm 90:4, “For a thousand years in thy sight are but as yesterday when it is past, and as a watch in the night.”

II. THE LORD COMING IN JUDGMENT, vs. 9-.10

A. He is not slack concerning His promise, Joel 2:1, “Blow ye the trumpet in Zion, and sound an alarm in my holy mountain: let all the inhabitants of the land tremble: for the day of the LORD cometh, for it is nigh at hand;”

1. He is not willing that any should perish, Habakkuk 2:3, “For the vision is yet for an appointed time, but at the end it shall speak, and not lie: though it tarry, wait for it; because it will surely come, it will not tarry.”

2. He is willing for all men to come to repentance, Romans 2:4, “Or despisest thou the riches of his goodness and forbearance and longsuffering; not knowing that the goodness of God leadeth thee to repentance?”

III. THE DAY OF THE LORD

A. What God has planned, Luke 18:7-8, “And shall not God avenge his own elect, which cry day and night unto him, though he bear long with them? 8- I tell you that he will avenge them speedily. Nevertheless when the Son of man cometh, shall he find faith on the earth?”

B. Understanding this, what manner of persons ought you to be? v. 11;

1. Like Jesus, Matthew 8:27, “But the men marvelled, saying, What manner of man is this, that even the winds and the sea obey him!”

2. Godly, v. 14; Philippians 3:20, “For our conversation is in heaven; from whence also we look for the Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ:”

3. Looking, v. 12; 1 Corinthians 1:7, “So that ye come behind in no gift; waiting for the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ:”

a. For the coming of the Lord, Titus 2:13, “Looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ;”

b. For the new Heaven and the new Earth, Revelation 21:1, “And I saw a new heaven and a new earth: for the first heaven and the first earth were passed away; and there was no more sea.”

1) The new will be so good that we will forget the old, Isaiah 65:17, “For, behold, I create new heavens and a new earth: and the former shall not be remembered, nor come into mind.”

CONCLUSION

The scoffers may come but we will not let them discourage us from doing the will of God and looking for the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.