The Day of the Lord — Thaddeus Barnum

Almighty God, Almighty Father, we come before you this morning in the humility of soul to understand and to know these things that are in your Word to us, that we might know you and your beloved Son, our Lord, our Savior, Jesus Christ.

And so grace us with your Holy Spirit, that our ears might hear and eyes might see and our calloused hearts might understand and know all that we have and that we all that we are, that we might honor you today.

We pray it in Jesus' name. Amen. Good morning. It is always such an honor for Erilyn and for me to be part of this All Saints family and to be under the remarkable leadership of Rob and a joy to be able to come this morning to bring the Word to us.

The Doctrine of the Second Coming and the Day of the Lord

I want to look specifically at this text of 2 Peter chapter 3, if you've got your Bibles. And if you don't, then I would say get one in the pew, and if you still can't find one, steal one. I hardly recommend it.

2 Peter and chapter 3. I want to speak today on this great doctrine of the second coming, the day of the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. Typically in the church, this has been a day when spoken this gospel, it is a message of encouragement and a message of hope and a message of comfort.

And as you look at the world stage today and listen to the media and all that's going on in the world today, I don't doubt that this day is not but fast approaching, would you agree? So we need to pay special attention to it.

And I would ask you, what is your relationship to the day of the Lord? When you think about it, what grabs your heart and mind? Do you make decisions differently because you know this? Does this day bring joy to your heart or does it bring scare or confusion?

Kind of not sure what will happen and when will happen and what will happen to you in the midst of it. I hope this morning to give a general review of this day of the Lord and the way we approach it coming to 2 Peter 3, you're going to find in verse 2 coming to verse 3 that scoffers or mockers in the last times, the last days will come, they see through the lens of lust, they deny God, they deny His Word, and they in particular deny this particular promise of His coming.

Where is His coming? It's been all these years, where is His coming? And Peter rises up, he is strong in his response and he defends the Word of God as being sure and tested. It is by the Word of God all things came into being at the beginning.

God in His power, God in His might, God in His majesty spoke and all things came into being. In the same way in the days of Noah the Lord spoke and judgment came on the world. And so what you find is that same word, verse 7, by the same word the present heavens are being reserved for fire and kept for the day of judgment and destruction of the ungodly by the same word.

The Authority of God's Word and the Certainty of Judgment

You see what is so hard for sometimes, our passion, Erlen and I have always had a passion to say this, the devil keeps us from the Bible. He doesn't want, this book is published all over the world, the single most published book of the whole world, but people are utterly illiterate of it.

The devil wants to keep us from understanding and Christians in particular from reading and meditating and digesting and letting the Spirit of God breathe upon the Word of God that we might be born again in Christ.

That we might find ourselves changed day by day and renewed. Dear friends, do you have a love for the Word? Are you in the Word? Do you soak in it? Do you know His promises? I tell you this, if you come to 2018 and make a New Year's resolution I'm gonna do what Barnum said, I promise you it will die on the vine.

As all New Year's resolutions die on the vine. But if you ask O Lord give me an unquenchable thirst for your Word that I might know you. An unquenchable thirst inside of me that this Word might point to the Word Himself, Jesus, that I might walk my days always.

Listen to the power of this Word said from Jesus Himself. Heaven and earth will pass away but my Word shall never pass away. Ask for the hunger for it. It is because of this Word that you and I know the future.

We know what's going to happen. There is coming a day when our Lord is going to return riding on the clouds with power and great glory. Listen to the way it said in Acts 17. Therefore having overlooked the times of ignorance God is declaring to men all people everywhere should repent because he has fixed a day in which he will judge the world in righteousness according to the man whom he has chosen having furnished proof to all men by raising him from the dead.

The Historical and Appointed Day of Christ's Return

It's an historical day. That's number one. It's an historical day. A day the father has fixed by his own authority. Jesus has a day when he was born we're about to celebrate it on Christmas. A day when he died on Good Friday.

A day when he rose on Easter morning. A day when he ascended 40 days later. And a day when he returns. It's going to be in the calendar. Now it will be the last day of the calendar. And I say it because that's how Jesus said it.

On the last day I will raise you up. On the last day. There will be. Oh yes. Make certain of it. A last day. It's called the coming of the Lord Jesus Christ. It's called the appearing of the Lord Jesus Christ.

It's called the blessed hope in Scripture. It's called the revelation or the word that terrifies everybody. The word revelation in Greek is apocalypse. It's apocalypse. It's revelation. It's the unveiling of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

The day of the Lord. It's called the day of judgment. It's called the day of wrath. It's called his day. In the Old Testament it's called the great and dreadful. The great and terrifying. The great and awesome day of the Lord.

Oh the Bible wants us to know there's alpha and omega. There is an end. There's a last day. And on that day there's going to be an event. And that event again just giving you general headings of that day.

That event is going to be the physical, literal, and personal coming of the Lord Jesus Christ himself. So in as much on the day of his ascension two angels were next to, or two men, two angels were next to the Apostles as he was lifted up in a cloud in glory and taken to his father's right hand.

So the angels say in Acts 1 11, this Jesus whom you have seen taken up from you will come in the same way he is gone. This Jesus. This one. He is the personal, the physical, the resurrected Lord Jesus Christ.

You cannot miss it. It is his day. So it is said in 1 Thessalonians 4 verse 16, the Lord himself will descend from heaven with a shout. He's not Anglican. Can you hear that already? He's coming with a shout.

The voice of an archangel. He's coming with the trumpet of God and the dead in Christ will be raised. No, this is he himself who is coming. Just as he said on Easter night, touch my hands, see my feet, it is I myself.

And so it will be on that day. It will be him himself. And so down through Catholic history, 2 ,000 years, our creeds have picked up this subject. He will come again in glory. He will come again in glory to judge the living and the dead and his kingdom will have no end.

Christ Alone as Judge and Lord of the Last Day

He. And this is why the world out there is so infuriated by us Christians. Because it sounds like we're utterly exclusive. They're always talking about Jesus. And they say, no, no, it's all religions.

It's all religions. All religions lead to God. I'm sorry, on that day it belongs to him. It is not Mohammed coming down. I'm terribly sorry to tell you this. It's not Mohammed. It's not Buddha. It's not Hinduism.

It's not humanism. It's nothing of the kind. No other religions on that day. That day belongs to him. And the Father has appointed him to judge the living and the dead. Of that day, categorically, it is a glorious day.

As Jesus himself said, that he is coming in the glory of his Father with the holy angels. It is a sudden day. Behold, it says here in our text of 2 Peter, where it speaks of the day of the Lord is coming.

Verse 10, will come like a thief. So many times we find people always trying to figure out when it's going to happen. And you find this on the newspaper. You'll find this in Christian media. Somebody has finally decoded the Bible and they've got the day.

Well, my friends, don't listen to them. They're just a bother. They have nothing else to do. Watch soap operas and figure the code. If they actually read the Bible, they would know that the Father has fixed a day.

And it's not for us to know the seasons and epics that the Father has fixed. But make sure you know from this text of 2 Peter 3 that the Lord is not slow about his promise. As some count slowness, he is patient toward us, not wanting any of us to perish, but for all to come to repentance.

This is his heart for us. But that day will come sudden. It will come like a thief. We need to be ready. And that's always been the message of the Second Advent, to make sure we are ready for the day of the Lord.

The Global and Universal Appearance of Christ

Let me continue in these general heading points. This one I completely can say to you, I don't fully comprehend the depth of this, but I can just tell you what the Bible says. On that day it is global.

The way Jesus described it for us to get a picture is that when lightning comes and flashes, that lightning appears to both ends of the sky. Well, so it will be in the day of the Son of Man. When he appears, everybody will know on the face of this earth at the same moment, at the same time.

They're going to hear the sound of his shout, the voice of the archangel. They're going to hear the trumpet of God. They're going to know that that day has come. Everybody on the face of this earth at that moment when he comes again.

And if that's hard for you to understand, oh let me push it farther. On that day it is a universal day. On that day every person that has ever been born from the beginning of time to that last day will see his coming.

The way it is described in Revelation and chapter 1 in verse 7. Behold he is coming with the clouds and every eye will see him, even those who pierced him. And all tribes of the earth will wail and mourn on account of him.

Even so, amen, every eye will see him. Even Job knew this. Job in the Old Testament, Job way back, he cried out a famous passage from the book of Job. I know that my Redeemer lives and at the last he will take his stand on the earth.

Even after my skin is destroyed, yet from my flesh I shall see God, whom I myself shall see, whom my eyes shall behold, and not another. My heart faints within me. He knew that when that day come he would see it.

Before his accusers our Lord Jesus said to those at his trial, and you will see the Son of Man coming in the clouds of heaven with power and great glory. I don't pretend to understand this. You'll find it in John 5.

You'll find it again at the end of the book of Revelation chapter 20. On that day all will stand before him. The dead will give up the dead. Hades will give up the dead. The oceans will give up. All will stand before him when he comes in the glory with the holy angels and sits on his glorious throne.

All the nations shall be gathered to him. All people for all time. You and me. And no doubt is it not here where we can actually say it's just simply true. Some by choice and some not by choice. They will hear the name of Jesus.

And upon hearing the name of Jesus every knee shall bow in heaven and on earth and under the earth and every tongue shall confess Jesus is Lord to the glory of God the Father. Some to their judgment and some because of joy.

The Father Appoints the Son to Judge

The Father by design. John 5 22 tells us by design has given judgment to his Son. That he is the one. Acts 10 42 tells us he is the one appointed by God to be judge of the living and the dead. Again from Acts 17 he has fixed a day.

The Father has fixed a day in which he will judge the world in righteousness according to the man he has appointed. Having furnished proof to all men by raising him from the dead the Father has appointed the Son.

And so I say to you is it not true from the scriptures do you not know this? Every one of us will stand before the judgment seat of Christ. That each one may be recompensed for his deeds in the body according to what he has done whether good or bad.

And I cannot take the sting out of that. I can't take the sting out of that. We're going to stand before the judgment seat you and I. Now having said that John the Baptist comes to prepare us to meet the Lord.

John the Baptist, Prophetic Warning, and the Wrath to Come

Now listen to me. He is a second advent preacher. He has taken the great passages. I wish I had time today to go back to Isaiah 66 verse 15. I do. I'm gonna take it. I'm just gonna do it. Isaiah 66. Don't go there because by the time you're there I will so be gone.

In Isaiah 66 listen to the thunder of the prophets who said behold the Lord will come and fire his chariots like the whirlwind to render his anger and fury and his rebuke with flames of fire. But by fire will the Lord enter into judgment and by his sword with all flesh and those slain by the Lord shall be many.

If I could I would take you to Joel. If I could I would take you to Malachi. We're in Malachi chapter 3. It says he is coming says the Lord of hosts. But who can endure the day of his coming? Who can stand when he appears?

Chapter 4 verse 1 of Malachi. Behold the day is coming burning like an oven when all the arrogant and all the evildoers will be stubble. You see this is Peter's message. By his word the present heavens and in earth are being reserved for fire kept for the day of judgment and destruction of the ungodly.

And that becomes John's platform of speaking. Fleeing the wrath of God to come. He sees the one coming the Lord's coming. He's the one that has an axe in his hand who will who will take that axe and he will cut down the trees that are not bearing fruit on good fruit but bearing bad fruit and toss them into the fire.

He will take his winnowing his winnowing fork and he will clear his threshing floor. The wheat he will gather into his barn but the chaff he will burn with unquenchable fire. This is John. This is John.

Christ's Holy Justice and His Saving Work at Calvary

We understand why because God is holy. His nature, his character is antithetical to sin. It's opposite completely opposed to sin as light is opposed to dark. And so when he comes justice must reign. When he comes justice undiminished.

Justice uncompromised. Which is why we say that our God is a consuming fire. That it is a terrifying thing to fall into the hands of the living God. And just as you hear John preaching and your soul begins to tremble suddenly he beholds Jesus and suddenly all of a sudden he becomes an advent one preacher.

He says behold the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world. And you start reading the Gospels and you think John where's the fire? Where's the judgment? John, John you said he's coming with fire, with judgment, with an axe, with a winnowing fork.

Where is it? He keeps healing the sick, raising the dead and finally we come to this passage in the Gospels that is so deeply and profoundly moving to the soul when Jesus he prays to his father he says now John 12 verse 27 now is my soul troubled what shall I say father save me from this hour but for this purpose I have come to this hour father glorify your name.

And then he says in verse 31 listen to this unthinkable unimaginable he says now is the judgment of the world what's he saying what's he doing. This is why his point is to go to the cross isn't it looks like all the circumstances of us of throwing him out it's us who are motivating it but by God's perfect design and plan he's come to take away the sin of the world.

Yes but what does it mean. It means this. It means that on the cross of Calvary on the cross of Calvary the Lamb of God our Lord our Savior the sinless one what would he do. He would take the judgment do us to himself the justice for our sin the justice undiminished justice must reign justice uncompromised.

And he says yes it is due but I've not come to judge the world. I have come to save the world. Do you know what that is. John 3 16. Everybody's memorized it. Have you not. God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten Son that whoever believes on him should not perish but have everlasting life for God.

Verse 17. God did not send the Son into the world to judge to condemn. He came to save the world. And suddenly on the cross of Calvary there he is taking the justice the judgment the wrath of God against sin all sin all time for all people.

He's taking it into his body himself. This is why Calvary shall never be tired from preaching Calvary in our lips. It's unthinkable it's unimaginable. It's incomprehensible what he did for us the justice that was due us he took to himself.

Assurance of Salvation Through Christ

So he could say John chapter 5 verse 24. Truly truly I say to you whoever hears my word and believes him who sent me has eternal life. He does not come into judgment but has passed from death to life.

Can you hear this. Oh Christian Oh Saint. Do you understand the wonder the good news of this message. Let me say it to you so clearly so you can know it for sure and always. Judgment day is not coming for you.

Judgment day has already happened two thousand years ago. This is what it means to be a Christian. He did it for me first. Thessalonians chapter 1 verse 10. We wait for his son. We wait for his son from heaven whom the father raised from the dead.

Jesus who delivers us from the wrath of God to come again. Chapter 5 of 1st Thessalonians. God has not destined us for wrath but to obtain salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ. This is his heart for us.

This is why he has not returned. Because he's still today with the world in its condition. He's still patient. He's not slow about his coming. He is still patient toward us not wishing that anybody should perish but all to come to repentance.

As the world digs deeper into its rebellion we cry out. This is the heart of the church. It's the heart of the prayer of the church. Amen. Come Lord Jesus Maranatha. We are a people who eagerly await our Savior to come from heaven.

That is the second coming. We are a people who call it to the blessed hope. But it is a day of judgment. Listen to how Noah would say it. So I can make this really clear. Because some of you just kind of dazed out on me.

I saw it. You dazed out on me. I want let me put it in simple terms. Noah day of judgment. It's going to rain. I'm saying rain. You need to get inside where it's safe on judgment day. There's a party in the ark outside.

No fun. It is judgment. What is the gospel message for 2 ,000 years. Get inside. Be reconciled to God who through Christ did not count our transgressions against us. He took it himself. Get inside. See it again from the Israelites perspective the Passover lamb.

The blood shed upon the door. The blood shed. Get inside before the destroying angel comes. Get inside under the blood of the lamb. Be safe. Because once you're safe you and I have a gospel message to preach to go out into that world and begs a world.

There is no reason for you to perish on that day. There's no reason that the day of judgment should harm you. Because your bill has been paid by a Savior. No no. They're diving into the fleeting pleasures of sin.

The world is spinning in its immoralities and lusts. And laughing mockers laughing at the church. He's coming. He is coming. Oh laugh all they want. But we're not going to stop. Because we want you for whom the Savior died to get inside inside the house.

Because our Lord has saved us first. Thessalonians 110. He has saved us from the wrath of God to come. There is no reason for you to be outside. So the New Testament preachers all give their exhortations and they all sound the same the way Peter says it in 2nd Peter 3.

Holy Living in Expectation of the Lord's Return

You know these things. You know the judgment that's coming that the heavens will burn and melt away like a like a with a with a roar and the elements will be destroyed with intense heat. The earth and its works it's all going to be burned up.

You know what's coming. What sort of people ought you then to be in holy conduct and godliness looking for and hastening the coming of the day of God. What sort of people ought you to be knowing this beforehand.

Paul says it in Romans like this salvation is nearer to us than when we believed. The night is almost gone. The day is at hand. Let us therefore lay aside the deeds of darkness and put on the armor of light.

Let us behave properly as in the day not in carousing and drunkenness not in sexual promiscuity and sensuality not in strife and jealousy. But put on the Lord Jesus Christ and make no provision for the flesh in regard to its lusts.

Put on the armor of light. This is what we do as Christians. We are longing for the day of our Lord's appearing. And when it comes it's going to be utterly miraculous. The way it's described is because you know all I can say is I don't know about you but this body is just getting older by the day.

But I can tell you I'm from Philippians 3 20 and 21. The promise is clear. Our citizenship is in heaven and we eagerly await a Savior from there the Lord Jesus Christ who by the power that enables him to bring everything under his control he's going to transform this lowly body so that it will be like his glorious body.

Oh even a Pentecostal would say amen to that one. Wouldn't. I mean listen I tell you a mystery. We will not all sleep but we will all be changed in a flash in the twinkling of an eye at the last trumpet.

The trumpet will sound. The dead will be raised incorruptible. And we shall be changed. And you and I we shall be with the Lord forever. And so we say encourage one another with these words. Let us go into our days of dying and death with the blessed hope in front of us.

The Church's Mission to Call the World Into the Light

Let's go forth into mission. Because we've got a gospel to preach. Oh yes we've got a gospel to preach. Be reconciled to God. I hate what's going on in the world today. I hate it. These powerful men with their big jobs and their big titles.

And suddenly we're finding a light hits them and we finding harassment charges and and all kinds of ungodliness. And they they come to the microphone and they don't even blush with shame. It's a callousness of our light the callousness of our days.

But I can tell you what the Christian is like. The light has already come. We don't keep things hidden in darkness. Please tell me you don't have things in darkness. Believe what we said Almighty God to you.

All hearts are open. All desires known from you. No secrets are hid here. I am a sinner. Here I am. See me as I am. I confess my sin. I repent of my sin. Lord thank you for what you did on Calvary for me.

Wash me clean in the blood. O Lord save me and rescue me. O Lord that I might stand today and help my brothers and my sisters all across the face of this earth be rescued from the fire to come. Because when we're right with him we've got a gospel to preach.

When we're lazy and only doing this for ourselves then we're just simply we're simply lost in the culture. But when we wake up and realize we're under the blood we're in Christ. My friends you and I've got a day to stand a day to live and a day to be able to give this message to our children and our grandchildren.

So all that we have the friends and all the people in our life. Oh dear friends come into the light. Give yourself fully to Jesus Christ who gave himself fully to you. And let us with expectation cry the cry of the Saints for 2 ,000 years.

Lord Jesus come. Lord Jesus come. Let the new heavens and earth come and let us be with you forever. Almighty God. Almighty Father for the promises that you've given us for the work of your Son on Calvary.

We thank you. We praise you. We worship you. That justice that judgment that was due us that you took off and gave to your Son on our behalf. Behold we give you our life all our days our very breath save us and in saving us.

Lord let us live every day for you. We love you. We praise you. And here we stand with one voice Lord Jesus Savior. Come.