Welcome to this posting of the Weekend Sermon. Thank you for taking the time to read the sermon. I hope that everyone is having a good day.
It was my birthday this week, and I had a good time. My brother took me out for dinner, and I received some nice presents. I have had a lot of writing work to do this week.
I thank you for your prayers about the storms. The storms have been bad in my area this week, but they haven't been bad right where I live. There is severe weather predicted for the next two days, so I would ask that you pray that these storms will not be bad and cause damage and flooding. Thank you.
In other prayer requests, I would ask that you pray for refugees and migrants in this world. There are so many people facing so many difficulties. Please pray that they will get the help that they need.
Please pray for those in the United States and those in Mozambique who are recovering from the storm damage. Pray that those who are hurting will receive the assistance that they require.
Let us all continue to pray for peace in the world. Please pray that there will be peace between the US and Iran. This is a frightening situation. Please pray for peace. Let us also pray for peace in Syria, Yemen, Libya, South Sudan and Afghanistan.
For our prayer focus countries this week, let us pray for those in the United Arab Emirates and Singapore. Pray that many will hear about the grace and mercy of the Lord Jesus.
Today, we are continuing with our series of messages on false teachings that the New Testament refutes. These were teachings that were beginning to crop up during Jesus' day and in the early days of the church.
For this message, I want to focus on an idea that Peter refutes in II Peter 3. Much of II Peter has to do with Peter condemning those who do not teach what is correct. In the third chapter, Peter speaks about those who deny the Second Coming of Jesus Christ.
II Peter 3:3-4 states, "Above all, you must understand that in the last days scoffers will come, scoffing and following their own evil desires, ' They will say where is this coming he promised? Ever since our ancestors died, everything goes on as it has since the beginning of creation."
There were some in Peter's time who didn't believe that Jesus would return. It had been several years since Jesus had ascended into Heaven, and the scoffers and false teachers were saying that Jesus was not going to return again.
Peter defends the Second Coming very forcefully. Peter says that just as there was a delay before the judgment of the flood, there is a delay before the coming Day of Lord. Why this delay? Peter says that it is because of the mercy of the Lord. II Peter 3:9 says, "The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. Instead he is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance."
What Peter is saying is that one reason that the Lord is delaying His coming is that He wants everyone to have the chance to believe in Him. The Lord is loving and merciful. He desires all to be saved and to come to a knowledge of the truth.
Peter also tells us that even though it seems that the Lord has not come for a long time, our reckoning of time and the Lord's is quite different. A day is like a thousand years to the Lord, and a thousand years is like a day.
The Apostle Peter makes it abundantly clear that Jesus will come again. Peter says that the day of the Lord will come like a thief. Wickedness will be judged. II Peter 3:13 tells us that we can look forward to a new Heaven and a new earth where righteousness dwells."
Peter says much the same thing in one of his sermons recorded in the book of Acts. Acts 3:21 states, "He must remain in Heaven until the time for the final restoration of all things, as God promised long ago through His holy prophets."
When the time to restore all things comes, Jesus will come again. Every knee will bow and every tongue will confess that Jesus Christ is Lord. Jesus will rule and reign in righteousness and there will be peace throughout the universe forever and forever.
Peter will tell us that in light of the fact that we know that Jesus is coming again, we should conduct ourselves as good followers of Jesus Christ. We should be living holy and godly lives.
Now, what is the application of this in a more modern context. First of all, there are some in the church who deny the literal Second Coming of Jesus. I have heard a prominent minister in my area state that he believes the Second Coming is when Jesus comes to take you to Heaven when you die. This is absolutely not what the Bible teaches about the Second Coming as we have just seen from Peter's words in his epistle.
Many in the church today do not believe that Jesus will literally come again. I do not understand this at all. Many seem to believe that things will just keep going on as they always have.
I've actually been in a church recently where the whole idea of Christ's return was mocked. I was really upset by this. The return of Jesus is the hope of the universe. He will come again and return all things to the way that they existed before sin entered into the universe.
The Second Coming of Christ is the glorious hope of the world. Paul says in Romans 8:19-23 that all of the created order is groaning and waiting for the day when the coming Christ will be revealed. That is the day when all will be made new.
I hope that you are living in anticipation of the coming of Jesus. He could return at any time. We are to be watching and ready for His coming. As John states in Revelation 22:20. "Even so, come, Lord Jesus."
Next week, we will continue with our current series looking at a false teaching that John had to deal with. I will post the sermon on Saturday next week. On Monday I will post the verses. I hope to post a review on Wednesday. May bless you all. Amen.
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