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Source: https://www.sermonindex.net/speakers/clive-barber/which-world/
Thank you one and all. Yeah, just express appreciation to you Caleb for all the hard work behind the scenes and everyone else who's involved in the refuge series brother Barbara too and Thank you to everyone who's tuned in today.
Now we're going to read the scriptures and we're going to pray and then we will consider what we've read together. So let's turn in our Bibles to 2nd Peter 2nd Peter 2nd Peter chapter 3. 2nd Peter chapter 3 and we will take our reading from verse 8 it reads but beloved.
Be not ignorant of this one thing. That one day with the Lord is as a thousand years and a thousand years as one day. The Lord is not slack concerning his promise as some men count slackness. But as long suffering to us would not willing that any should perish.
But that all should come to repentance. But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night in which the heavens shall pass away with a great noise and the elements shall melt with the with fervent heat and The earth and the works that are therein shall be burned up.
Seeing then that all these things shall be dissolved. What manner of persons ought ye to be in all holy conversation and godliness? Looking for and hasting unto the coming day of God. Wherein the heavens being on fire shall be dissolved and the elements shall melt with fervent heat.
Nevertheless we according to his promise Look for a new heavens and a new earth Wherein dwelleth righteousness. Let's pray our father we Would give thanks again first and foremost for the Lord Jesus and we bless thee that we've ever come to know him what a Change He brings to not only these little lives here below but to the great Eternity that awaits each one of us.
We thank thee that he was prepared to suffer In order that We would be benefited. Oh god, we we stop we pause this very moment To thank thee for ever sending thy son we have read thy word. We're thankful for it it Stabilizes us edifies us instructs us comforts and guides.
We pray for help by the Holy Spirit to understand something of what we've read together bless each and Everyone that has tuned in today. Encourage thy people Strengthen we pray. We ask these things in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ.
Amen. Whenever we read the Word of God Or study the Word of God. It is essential that we keep the context in mind. And so with that opening statement we want to bear in mind some of the context that we have Considered in these verses that we've read together today Peter is writing to believers who are being assailed by false doctrine and he looks ahead in the dispensation and Sees to our present day.
That we need to be fortified against the plethora the multiplicity of false teachers that abound on every hand you know, and I know that you only have to walk into a so-called Christian bookshop and you're faced immediately with a multiplicity of teachings.
One of the mainstream teachings of the present day in which we live Is to focus the minds of people upon the present world and By doing so taking the minds of the people off the world which is to come.
And what Peter wants to do in the verses that we've read together and in fact in this whole epistle is not only to identify false teachers and To warn us against them and to fortify us in the face of them but he wants us to understand that our real focus is not on the world in which we live here, but it is on the one to come and That's what I want this afternoon For us to do just for a few moments.
But I pray that it won't be just for a few moments but that as a result of reading these words together in 2nd Peter, we will be edified and Strengthened and built up in our most holy faith. So that we too will consider greatly this world to come and So the title for this message is Which world?
Which world am I focused on? Which world am I thinking about? Which world am I really immersed in and I trust by the end of these few verses just These six verses we will be strengthened and enabled to Think of this future world.
Peter in his first epistle, he writes the believers particularly about suffering and He writes concerning encountering fiery trials. In his second epistle as we have outlined already as we glean something of the context.
He writes concerning false teachers in the first epistle is persecution from without That which rages against the believers. Satan is depicted for us as a savage lion Seeking whom he may destroy. In the second epistle, however, where we've read together today.
It's pseudo teachers from within. It's Satan depicted for us as a subtle liar seeking to deceive to distort. To delude in this second epistle in chapter 1 Peter writes to immediately fortify the believers.
In the first four verses of chapter 1 he writes concerning God himself and the family that we've been brought into like precious faith. He writes the great privilege for all of us as believers to be brought into the family of God and All that God has done for us enabling us to live lives of godliness.
Life and godliness everything has been enabled by the Holy Spirit having been brought into this family and That we might live to please God and that we we might understand something of the great future that lies before us.
And so in chapter 1 Peter speaks of Various ingredients that we are to add to our faith that they may strengthen us to face the plethora of false teaching that particularly abounds now. He had this view in chapter 2.
He has the view the vision of false teachers. He speaks about their verdict the vulgarity of their lifestyle and the victims that they claim. The tragedy of what it is to be caught up under false teaching only only to perish so many to perish and So so Peter wants us to be warned against such men and such women.
Individuals whoever they may be. In chapter 3 He speaks about the philosophy of false teachers how that they they never they will never Speak to you about the great future. Their message is the here and now it's materialism.
It's to be healthy and wealthy and worldly wise. In this present moment in which you live and in fact, it's interesting I wouldn't really encourage you to go on YouTube and and look up these individuals but For those who may have done or may have been caught up in it or may have read their books.
In fact, there's one very famous false teacher Who wrote a book and it was titled something like this your life your best life now. And what you will notice that is absent from their teaching which fits completely their philosophy is.
They never speak to you about the great future. They never warn you about the great future that awaits unbelievers. Absent from their teaching is the glorious millennial reign of Christ and Beyond as God opens the door into the vast eternity.
No, they want you to think about here and now and as Peter says what actually is happening is they are making merchandise of you. Your tribute you contribute To the coffers you contribute to the purse that they hold but beloved.
I want us to stop and consider The great world that's to come. This will help us no doubt in the midst of this pandemic. Kovat 19. But you may have questions arising in your mind like I do like many others do.
Why then is God seemingly so slow in? His actions. Has he been unexpectedly held up in the great program of God? Is he out of touch with my reality as I linger maybe in a particular suffering. No, we want to consider just these few things together.
We want to see something of the comprehension of time. I Want us to comprehend? Time in some measure as God sees it. That's what Peter speaks of in these following verses. We want to see something of how God Calculates time and how he considers us within the capsule of time and.
Then finally, we'll see the conclusion of time. Really as we know it. Peter begins with a statement that is used a number of times in the New Testament. But beloved be not ignorant. In fact Paul uses this statement on a number of occasions and the Holy Spirit of God Desires us to be Christians with knowledge.
In fact, if you from the very opening statements of this epistle Peter is Encouraging the believers constantly to go in for knowledge now. We know the Apostle Paul of course is we could have all knowledge and void of love and it would profit us nothing we would be nothing but Peter wants us to go in for knowledge.
In fact, he closes the epistle in the same way about growing in the grace and knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. So knowledge is essential. That we might come into some understanding and of course as we have already Made comment on knowledge alone is not enough.
We must put this knowledge into practice as we come into some comprehension. But he says I don't want you to be ignorant. Paul writes in 1 Corinthians chapter 10. And he says I don't want you to be ignorant of things that are past.
In relation to the nation of Israel in relation to the Old Testament and we take up our Bible as we have it and we We we see crack and learn practical lessons from the history of that great nation. He writes again, and he he desires that we wouldn't be ignorant of things present Spiritual gift in 1 Corinthians chapter 12.
In 2nd Corinthians chapter 2 that we might not be ignorant of Satan's Devices of the great mystery of what God is accomplishing having set Israel aside and bringing in the church. In Romans chapter 11 he get again makes this statement.
I don't want you to be ignorant brethren and so Peter writes and he says really I Don't want you to be ignorant about this present time or how God Calculates time. Is God out of touch with your reality.
No. Has he come up against some unexpected delay in the course of events. No. His program is perfect. It's running to his schedule. Kovat 19 did not catch God by surprise and. Right where you are beloved.
Maybe in your living room in your bedroom in your home. And gather around a screen somewhere across this globe God sees you he has intimate meticulous care. Concerning your circumstances Peter says that one day 124 hour day With God with the Lord Is as a thousand years and a thousand years as one day.
Now, I don't know about you, but myself. I've often focused on the second part of that great verse. But I want us to just think about these statements that Peter is made. Really two sides to this coin that we want to think of.
Number one God is slow but not slack. Number two God is sometimes very swift. But he's not hurried or rushed. And we want to think about that in the consideration of what Peter speaks to us. He says one day with with Jehovah is as a thousand years.
You know beloved it is evident That we are limited in our three-dimensional world. Length width depth the one dimension of time. But it is equally evident that God is above these dimensions. I know that there are all kinds of possible theories That are put forth as to how many dimensions there might be above this little sphere that we find ourselves in.
Well, I that's not really my business. But what we must understand is God having created time he's beyond the capsule of this universe. He is exceedingly great and what might take us 10 ,000 millennium He can do in just one day.
The greatness of God's ability. I Want you to think of the meticulous care and interest that God has in every sphere. You think of the Heavenly sphere of which he dwells and all that is taking place in the angelic world.
Every saint that is in his presence. You think of the celestial heaven the moon the stars the Sun and the terrestrial heaven the weather patterns. And again, the Lord Jesus would teach us that not a sparrow would fall to the ground without God seeing and knowing and caring.
And You think of the earth in which we live the botanical sphere and the animal sphere the realm of humanity. Every Christian. I Wonder just as we've been on this zoom call how many Christians have prayed?
Millions of prayers ascending to God At exactly the same time. And yet he's able to take care of everyone. Oh the greatness of who God is. Creation the marvelous creatorial work of our God. Imagine if you could have sat with the Lord Jesus on a Galilean hillside.
You would be sitting there. And the Lord Jesus imagine him turning to you and looking up to the stars a starry night in the northern hemisphere of which you are. I Enjoy the stars of the southern hemisphere and I often love to look up at the Southern Cross.
One thing about that is I love to look and see that cross is empty There in the starry night sky. But in the northern hemisphere where I guess mainly The viewers are from today you look up to the starry night.
Imagine if you could have sat next to the Lord Jesus on a Galilean hillside and he points out the multiplicity the innumerable number of stars the galaxies and beyond and he would just say to you I created those in half a verse on a Wednesday the fourth day.
It just simply says this. He made the stars also. Oh the greatness of our God. Truly one day is as a thousand years. Our God can accomplish so much he can move quickly. He can move slowly. We often reflect and no doubt you have today.
Concerning Calvary itself in six hours Christ exhausted the unmitigated wrath of God. Which would have pursued you and me for eternity. That which we could not exhaust In eternity's day to the very satisfaction of our God He exhausted on our behalf in six lonely hours.
How great is our God. You remember the promise of his coming a number of times in the book of the Revelation as the scriptures closes. The hold. I come quickly. I come shortly. But then on the other side of the coin if God is able to accomplish what might take us a thousand years in one day.
If he is able to do so much Why seemingly is he so slow a thousand years or as one day with the Lord a thousand years for us. It's just like one day with the Lord. We know that in the history of mankind so far there have been 6 ,000 years 6 ,000 long years and yet with God.
It's as though it was just six days when time and circumstances seem so unnecessarily extended. Let us learn this lesson that God is running to his timetable and I and I guess that when we wrote really I guess it will be that when we're in eternity We will have a greater understanding of the program of God and just why he seemingly took so long.
I Want to consider some examples from the scriptures with you. Let's think of Abraham himself 25 years he had to wait 75 years old when he was given the promise of the seed that shall come and 25 years that man waited we know of course He began to take things into his own hands and maybe I can be a little bit like that at time I think that God is moving too slowly.
I Want to hurry things up? Maybe I take things into my own hands, but I'm not really focused on that. What I want to highlight here is Abraham he waited 25 years and when finally this promised seed this the promised son arrived He was asked to sacrifice him.
Maybe your circumstances are difficult. Maybe for you. It's loneliness. Sickness depression. Jobless. Maybe this pandemic it has rattled you and You're just wondering if God is still in control. I know that there are various believers who I know personally and you're passing through times of difficulty of bereavement.
Maybe in a wheelchair Confined with certain sicknesses. I Want to remind you? My God knows all about you. He understands if seemingly this time seems to be extended and Maybe you're tempted to think unnecessarily so extended.
Be reminded That God is in complete control His purpose. Do you remember the words of the Apostle? He says knowing that tribulation worketh patience. James he says Counted all joy when you fall into diverse temptations knowing that the trying of your faith worketh patience.
Paul the Apostle again says our light affliction, which is but for a moment it worketh for us a far more exceeding an eternal weight of glory. Beloved don't jump to rash conclusions. When God allows time to linger.
Isaac he was 40 years old when he got married and of all the women in the Middle East he married a barren woman and He had to wait 20 further years. You think of Jacob? Do you know how old Jacob was when he was married.
I'm not seeking to set a precedent here, but Maybe there's hope for someone on this call. But he was 84 years old when he married. Amazing 77 when he left home a Fairly short distance from his house to Laban's house about 800 kilometers approximately three months journey.
77 years old when he arrived at Laban's house and he worked those seven years and He obtained his bride. Well, he thought he had obtained his bride Leah and then Rachel. 84 years old and Seemingly sometimes God moves so slow.
Moses 40 years. 40 years. 40 years. God's training program. You think of the nation of Israel itself? Moving seemingly so slowly of all the various circumstances. And then the intertestamental period.
When God was silent for those 400 years. No voice from heaven. Surely now God has come up against some unexpected delay. Unforeseen circumstances have taken hold. He is delayed. He's distracted. No, no.
Just at the right time John the Baptist appears. And the blessed person of God's beloved son. Listen to these words. God at the appropriate time. Sent forth his son born of a woman. You think of the Lord Jesus.
Could you conceive of the excitement of those shepherds. For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, which is Christ the Lord. And five years passes and ten years passes. 15 and 20 and 25.
Maybe the shepherds wives say to their husbands. Are you sure that you saw on the hillside that night? The one who was announced as Christ the Lord. And 30 years pass and He emerges from that silent period.
To manifest himself in his public ministry. Beloved God does move slowly, but it's always with purpose. He has not come up against some unexpected time delay. Listen to what it says in verse 9. The Lord is not slack as some men count slackness.
He is not slack concerning his promise. You think of what Peter speaks of in the opening of this epistle? He speaks in verse 4 of chapter 1 of the Exceeding great and precious promises. In fact, if you want a little tip for this book look for the promises.
In every chapter. Peter speaks of promises in every chapter of this book. Tragically, there are promises by the false teachers which are empty. They promise you liberty while they themselves are servants of corruption.
They them slow a slave attempting to promise you freedom. No, no, and yet Peter says here. The Lord is not slack concerning his promise. The word slack is Just exactly what we have made reference to a number of times coming up against some unexpected time delay.
In fact this actual word is only used one other time in the New Testament and it's used when Paul writes to Timothy and He says look I'm writing to you. Because if I tarry long, I want you to know how you ought to behave yourself in the house of God.
Basically he's saying to Timothy look I'm writing to you because just in case I come up against some any Unexpected time delay in case I'm delayed by some unusual circumstance. I want you to have this letter.
I want you to have these instructions. So that you may know behavior in house of God. Well here it says the Lord is not slack. He has not come up against some unexpected time delay concerning his promise as Some men counts slackness.
God is not out of touch the title here referencing Adonai the supreme sovereign Lord. Earlier he had already spoken of as the the day of Jehovah. Or sorry the one day with Jehovah. One who is supreme was sorry one who is is self existence self-sufficient the eternal I am.
But now Peter speaks of one who is sovereign who is supreme. Adonai Is not slack concerning his promise as some men counts slackness. But he's long-suffering. Oh the patience of our God. Truly flesh would not be so patient.
The patience of deity That has lingered with this world. I Tell you beloved brothers and sisters. I'm thankful that God has waited. I'm glad he waited to the 21st century. I'm a 21st century Christian maybe you are too.
Maybe many of you are 20 century that Saved in the 20th century, but I'm not God. I'm glad God waited Long suffering to us ward in fact. The first time that that word is used in the New Testament is is against the background of forgiveness in Matthew chapter 18 when the Lord is speaking there and you remember Peters Peters remarks about If my brother sins should I forgive him seven times and the Lord swiftly says well Peter start with 490 times and Then he proceeds to give this illustration of a man that owed 10 ,000 talents to the king who said Lord have Patience with me.
That's the word and I will pay all and the Lord had compassion and Loosed him and forgave him his debt. But that that that man went out and found a fellow servant who owed him 100 pence. Having in crude such great debt himself he now found a fellow servant who owed him 100 pence and The fellow servant said exactly the same words Have patience with me and I will pay you all.
But he took that fellow servant by the throat and Refused to have patience he refused to be long-suffering. I suppose the lesson for me and maybe the lesson for you is this If God is so long-suffering to us ward.
Do I reflect that? Listen to the words of the Apostle Paul in 1 Corinthians chapter 13 and in verse number 4. He says this love Suffers long and is kind. Truly God is kind to this world not willing That any should perish.
Do I believe that? But that all should come to repentance. Do I preach that? Really? Do I believe that God is not willing that any should perish? Do I preach? That all should come to repentance. Some would suggest that there is a distinction between his desired will and his actual or sovereign will.
I Wouldn't conclude that for a moment. No, this is the will of God That none should perish. He does not desire any to perish. Will some perish tragically, so Do you remember Peter has already spoken? He speaks about the willful ignorance of the the scoffers earlier in the chapter willfully Choosing to ignore the great fact that God has already deluged this planet Submersed it in water in a global judgment and the same planet is reserved by the same Word from the same God under fire.
Perdition judgment the day of judgment that is fast arriving. And so Peter says here in the meantime God is patient. I remember being in New Zealand actually on one occasion preaching the gospel and and the gentleman answered the door his name was Peter.
I Prayed for Peter for a long time, but I wonder whether Peter is in eternity now. He had cancer. And I remember him saying to me Clive if your God is so great and big and wise as you say he is. Why doesn't he just come down and clean away the suffering and sin and sorrow from this earth?
With one vast Swoop and swipe can't he just cleanse this earth? But I said Peter if God was to do that The first thing he would have to do is remove the perpetrators and The first perpetrator he would have to remove would be me, but the second one would be you Peter, but he is patient.
He's long-suffering Not willing that you should perish. But it says the day of the Lord Will come. God works in distinct epochs of time. I Think there needs to be a revival of dispensational truth and teaching and in fact this is a bit of a plug for truth and tidings, but There is a number of articles presently in truth and tidings in relation to dispensational truth.
So you can read them and no doubt you'll enjoy them and you'll find their various Dispensations of God's working in the history of mankind the dispensation of innocence and connoisseur conscience and government promise law the church and What is yet future?
Millennial glory and God works in distinct periods of time and you will notice that each one of those Dispensations has concluded in failure and judgment. Dispensation of innocence Ended in expulsion from the Garden of Eden and conscience Submersion of this whole world in the deluge of the flood and in government confusion at the Tower of Babel as God confused the languages and the dispensation of promise with incarceration as the nation of Israel were carried away into Captivity and the dispensation of law and the rejection of Christ and the setting aside of Israel the Dispensation of the church period which also will end in terrible judgment with tribulation great tribulation and Sadly even the millennial reign When Satan is loosed from his pit will end in judgment for many who are deceived.
There are various days. Here we have read of the day of the Lord. I want us to consider that the scriptures speak about man's day the day of salvation in which we live it speaks about the day of Christ and We're not going to go in any detail into those particular spoken days.
But we want to think about the day of the Lord this what Peter refers to. It commences Once the church is gone. When the church goes it enters into the day of Christ the day of the Lord Jesus Christ. Which seemingly is from the period of the rapture to the revelation?
But simultaneously We understand that the day of the Lord begins it begins with the time of Jacob's trouble and. And it ends with what Peter speaks of as the day of judgment and perdition of ungodly men.
It begins and ends with a distinct period of judgment in between of course is the millennial glory of our Lord Jesus Christ that 1 ,000 year reign of righteousness. Paul interestingly he speaks about the day of the Lord at its commencement and He uses very similar terminology to Peter about it being a thief in the night.
Peter as you will understand the context from what we've read together speaks about the day of the Lord at its conclusion. He goes on to speak about it will come as a thief in the night in which the heavens will pass away with a great Noise and the elements shall melt with fervent heat etc.
So Peter refers to the day of the Lord or Peters Peters Focus on the day of the Lord is right at the end of it. Paul's focus on the day of the Lord is at the beginning of it. But both refer to them as being a thief in the night and we want to understand something of what they mean by that.
He says it will come as a thief in the night. The day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night basically. What Peter is teaching us is that when this? Next dispensation the day of the Lord the millennial day when it concludes.
It will conclude Unexpectedly for some you and I know of course that a thief Takes something from someone if they rob people of something. You remember that Peter of Paul when he speaks about the opening of the day of the Lord.
He says it will come as a as a thief in the night too because he says in 2nd Thessalonians. Oh, sorry 1st Thessalonians chapter 5 He says the day of the Lord so cometh cometh as a thief in the night when when when men shall say peace and safety sudden destruction shall come from the presence of the law and Men mankind will be robbed of apparent peace and safety it will suddenly be fleeced from them and Judgment will appear.
Peter says exactly the same thing He says for people. The conclusion of the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night. At that point the Millennium having run its course. It's almost unfathomable Unimaginable to comprehend that having had 1 ,000 years of a reign of peace Equitable righteousness justice Displayed in perfection by the Lord Jesus Christ.
That the devil having been loosed from his pit for a short season the bottomless pit that he was confined to he will be confined to for millennial days. Then having been loosed He goes about to deceive the nations and he manages to gather a number around him.
He deceives a number which is more than the sand of the sea or what is spoken of there as a Number that cannot be measured. It's extraordinary to see that there will be many born in millennial days. That having had a profession Will display this fact that there was no reality and The enemy of our souls the devil himself.
He will gather these this enumerable company around him and go up against the Holy City says the scriptures in the book of the Revelation chapter 20 and He will he will seek to attack that Holy City and And maybe at that time I suggest at least There will be the seeming understanding by those people.
They will think to themselves We've accomplished this we can overcome that city. We can remove the Christ The Lord of Glory. But it says this mark these words. It says they came down from God fire Out of heaven that devoured them.
Peter says the conclusion of the day of the Lord for some will be as a thief in the night. It will come unexpectedly. They will be unprepared. They will be robbed of something but for you and I as believers in the Lord Jesus We're not robbed of anything.
In fact, it's interesting to note this beloved that the rapture is never spoken of as a thief in the night. We're not robbed. Let me let me just make this statement. When we come to the book of the Acts The rapture of the church is never set forth as some kind of scare tactic To be preached.
It is actually I wrote this over the over the heading of the book of the Acts in my Bible if you're allowed to write on the pages of your Bible. The rapture is a truth For believers to enjoy not a terror for unbelievers to escape.
Now I want to emphasize that because sometimes I feel that we can kind of Be pretty mean to little children at times. But God wants us to understand this is a truth for believers to enjoy and you'll never find the rapture preached in the book of The Acts what you will find preached is judgment.
In fact, interestingly the book of the Acts is the only book in the New Testament not to include the word love in any form. But the theme of the book of the Acts is repentance repentance repentance and that's what we've had from Peter today.
He's long-suffering not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance. But what the book of the Acts sets forth is the ultimate judgment of God that awaits those who reject Christ and There is opportunity as soon as this Dispensation closes with the church the rapture of the church and the next one opens.
What will be preached. Peter tells us in the beginning of the book of the Acts what we preached and he takes this quotation from? An Old Testament scripture in Joel. He says this this is what will be preached.
Whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved. Thank God for that. And so the rapture is a truth for us to enjoy. The epistles of course expand on that truth but the day of the Lord it will commence and conclude with judgment that will be as a thief in the night and Peter goes on to tell us in the which the heavens shall pass away.
Not the eternal heaven where God dwells, of course, but This world would be wrapped up the Hebrew writer tells us and I quote as a Vesture thou shalt fold them up and they shall be changed but thou art the same thy years shall not fail.
The Great One who brought them into being will disband the elements. In fact, the thought is here that the the elements will liquefy they shall pass away with a rushing noise. The elements shall melt shall be disbanded with fervent heat.
Oh Beloved brothers and sisters this brings me really to the climax of the message which world This world is to be disbanded. It's to be done away with. This is not the time to be seeking fame and fortune.
This is not to be this is not the time to to be propping up this world or propping up the Systems of this world. No the world and its politics is is fast on its way downward. Even the millennial reign Peter looks beyond that while the millennial reign of Christ will be glorious.
And all that the scriptures speak concerning that and we should study it more and enjoy it more of of that which awaits those of us who are who are linked to Christ to govern this world the administration of the government of this world into the hands of Christ and his church Israel at the head of the nations a completely Transformed world.
But what Peter wants us to focus on is even to look beyond that. Look through the doorway into the vast eternal realm. Where when the doors of time are closed behind us the day of God will open. It's incomprehensible.
He says in light of this. That this present world this present universe will be dissolved. What manner of persons are we to be in all holy conversation and godliness? Conversation here. I quite like the word that the translators have used.
I know that often it has Been explained that it can mean manner of life or behavior and whatnot. But I quite like the word conversation and I think it's actually appropriate word for the translators to use.
Our lives are a conversation. That's exactly what we're doing every day with one another. We're really having a silent conversation with their lives. You speak to me By your life and I speak to you by my life.
That's why if you see someone not practicing what they preach. We're very quick to to point that out to highlight that. Your lifestyle is is is not in accordance with what comes out of your mouth. Basically, your lifestyle is speaking to me every day.
And so Peter says here in light of the great fact that this whole universe is going to be Disbanded and done away with should we be building up in this present world? Is it for me to be? Materialistic.
To be focused on the here and now. Should it be. Is it God's will for me to be completely healthy now? Not necessarily. No, it may be that he allows you to pass through sickness. Is it God's will for me to be rich now?
Not necessarily quite likely. You will experience some measure of poverty. But remember this. What is important is? Holy behavior. Distinct set apart. Is that holy behavior in the determination of that holy behavior?
Is that left to our own thinking our own standard? Well, I'm very glad it's not because Peter goes on to say godliness. We find in the Word of God the standard of behavior, you know. We could make up all kinds of rules about what behavior should that kind of that behavior should look like holy behavior.
In fact, I came from a system that tried to do that. I was born and raised in a system for the first 17 years of my life in which There were hundreds and hundreds of rules that tried to govern holy behavior.
But it wasn't godly. It wasn't godliness. It wasn't in accordance with this book. It might be man's standard. So we have to be careful that if we want to determine what holy behavior is distinct and separate from this world.
We don't go to the false teachers. We don't make up our own standard, but we go back to the Word of God. Finally he says looking for and hastening. Unto the coming day of God when the heavens shall be on fire shall be dissolved and the elements melt with fervent heat.
Nevertheless we according to his promise. Look for a new heavens and a new earth. Briefly then. What are we looking for? He speaks about a new heavens and a new earth. Isaiah alludes to a new heavens or speaks clearly of a new heavens and a new earth in Isaiah 65 and in chapter 66 you will read there in your own time of What the Prophet speaks of as a new heavens and a new earth.
But what Isaiah is focused on as far as I can ascertain is the Millennium. Is then that what Peter is referring to here? No. Peter is referring to referring to the eternal state. Peter looks beyond everything to the new heavens and the new earth, which is described for us in the first eight verses of Revelation chapter 21 where in there will be no Tears, no sorrow.
No sin. No suffering. What a blessed blessed prospect when when the dispensations of time shall close and the eternity of God. We use language like this. But really it's so much more than we can ever conceive that that the eternity of God will open before us.
Beloved the time that you had to endure now will be worth it. Whatever the circumstance you're passing through as we have spoken of already seemingly so slow. Sometimes time seems to slow right down to the millisecond and you can count it.
It did for me last night lying awake. Trying to get to sleep. Thinking about the message today. Time seemed to slow right down. Well, Peter says listen. There is a new heavens and a new earth. We're in Dwelleth that's eternally Righteousness.
One illustration. And I will close William Kelly the great expositor of scripture. He had a son that went to university. Who studied languages. The professor at the university? He spoke to William Kelly's son and He asked him how he had such ability.
Really had a head start on the rest of the class and so William Kelly's son told the professor that his father was a was a scholar. Particularly in Hebrew and Greek languages. And so the professor wanted to meet William Kelly.
They went out for lunch together and the professor asked William Kelly what he did. Became evident, of course the professor that this was a man who was of great great intelligence and William Kelly Told this professor of how that he was a preacher of the Word of God and a teacher and he moved by faith and the professor He spoke these words.
He said these words to William Kelly. He with the knowledge that this was a man of great intelligence before him. The professor said you're a fool. You could be someone in the world to which William Kelly replied Sir.
Which world let's pray now father. We give thanks For the few verses that we've been able to read together. Our prayer is that we wouldn't just have read them. But we would be transformed by them with the help of the Holy Spirit.
Help us to go in for the world that's to come. Remember the words of the Lord Jesus that where your heart is there will your Treasure be. Or where your treasure is there will your heart be. Now. God we we do pray that.
As a result of this little time together We may live lives that bring glory to they and that we may be focused on that world Which is to come? We give thanks then for every child of God. Asking these things in the name of the Lord who is Jesus Christ.
Amen.