The End of the World: Part 2

With an attitude of worship, please bow with me real quickly as we seek our Lord's face and help

And as we now come before his throne of grace Ask mercy in time of need

Lord. We thank you Lord we praise you Our Father in heaven our

Father and our God as Jesus taught The disciples hallowed be your name

Holy is your name as we've heard this morning. Your name is holy Your name is glorious Your name is great.

But above all it's holy. Holy. Holy Your kingdom come your will be done

In earth as it is in heaven father help us this day on this Lord's Day to howl your name

May your name be howled above Above all names on this entire planet today for you alone are exalted

You're alone are holy Help us. Oh Lord to anticipate the kingdom to come but above all

Has a soon anticipate the king of kings the king himself

Will be escorted and all the holy angels of heaven will come forth in power and glory and Jesus himself

Will step forward in the sound of a great trumpet the last trumpet

Lord will sound and the king of kings and Lord of Lords will come forth in great power and glory to gather all the elect and a holy church together and Judgment will be dealt out and righteousness and truth will reign forever and ever

Lord. We anticipate this day Lord, we thank you that that's when your will will be done on earth and that's when your kingdom will come

We praise you father For the hour is coming So Lord, we praise you help us to be watching and waiting anticipating

For yours is the kingdom and the power and the glory Forever never amen.

Amen. Praise God 2nd Peter chapter 3 2nd Peter chapter 3.

We're looking at verses 10 through 13 10 through 13

Before I read the text. I want to mention to you something that happened and I'm sure you remember this day on September 11th on this

Particular day in the which the nation will never forget. I Don't know exactly where you were, but I could tell you where I was

About mid -morning as I was going to Atlanta at Kroger I was a produce manager at the time and as I arrived

I went through the store and as I arrived there and as I was entering in heading in the the produce department

There was a TV above us and with the news on That the twin towers that were hit violently by jets

This was actually when it just happened No, not

I will say no one really knew at the time what was going on or And then later on we found out the horrific news that was involved.

It was devastating that terrorist Was acting as their

Sacrificed them themselves with innocent people in jets That was loaded up with jet fuel right into the crashed into the tent twin towers

Thousands of civilians died that day in New York City There's a reason

I'm bringing this out because as I was trying to see and hear the news as I was entering in One of my co -workers actually a real big guy he was a

Christian man and he worked with me in the produce department and He looked at me in the eyes

I just walked in and he said David What's going on is really devastating.

We don't know everything and as the news is saying we're trying to find out the updates and his name was Robert and I asked him

I said what's happening Robert? I just walked in and I got the news here and he said that In the state of almost shock and panic even as a

Christian. He said David is the end of the world He really felt that He that's what he said to me.

He said this is really the end of the world what's happening right now For what has happened. These jets have just crashed into these towers these twin towers in New York City he said this could be

World War three and Of course, it didn't turn out to be that way. And of course, it was not the end of the world, right?

now with that being said I had no idea how to respond to that but But to say

God have mercy on us And of course at this time I was praying and I was coming to work and everybody's mind was on that and watching the television as everybody was trying to work and customers was coming in and so forth and We all found out of course

This was a very horrible act of terrorist to destroy the twin towers, but can

I say this God allowed that to happen? Now we we care for the innocent lives that were lost of course in the church churches in that surrounding area and across the nation reached out to the people that Lives were lost and we should do that as Christians, but at the same time clamity comes from the

Lord, too and for is almost as if what happened to Israel foreigners came within and Took those twin towers and God if you look all the way through scriptures.

God cannot stand haughtiness or pride and The love of money and that's what the twin towers.

It was the trade centers, of course of the nation the heart of What goes on and as people worship and have the love of money really that's they don't say that but that you know, that's happens and Even though this event will go down as one of the most devastating acts of war in America history

Nothing like World War two, of course that doesn't even Go on the scale and the radar on that but it does hold it it is

Interesting It doesn't hold a candle of what's going to happen That's what we're talking about today is the day of the

Lord now again, that was a judgment but not the judgment That was a judgment of God on us.

I assure you of that But did people get the message when that happened, you know

You see people waving flags and people got serious for a short time About God and then that faded away about two or three months later people were back doing the same old thing a nation that has forgotten

God and Scripture says in Psalm 9 the nations that forget

God will be turned into hell God judges those nations and when they especially if they're lifted up in pride

This nation has been lifted up in pride said and say forgotten God and again I will say this that was a judgment from God, but not the final judgment

Now what Peter speaks of here in these verses is the final judgment. This is the end of the age folks

This is the end of the world the entire world just not a nation God will

He will wipe out the entire world and nations with the sword of his mouth as Jesus comes forth and on a white

Stallion as King of Kings and Lord of Lords So we're talking about the final judgment and the judgment of Almighty God on this earth

Scripture speaks of it as the day of God's wrath as the Apostle Peter says by the

Holy Spirit But the day of the Lord will come The day of the

Lord will come Let me read it to you here God's Word verse 10 But the day of the

Lord will come as a thief in the night in which the heavens will pass away with a great noise

And the elements will melt with fervent heat both the earth and the works that are in it will be burned up Therefore since all these things will be dissolved.

What manner of persons are you to be and holy conduct and godliness?

Looking for and hastening the coming of the day of God Because of which the heavens will be dissolved being on fire and The elements will melt with fervent heat that's one long question, but it's an important question and Then he says in verse 13 nevertheless we speaking of God's people according to his promise

Look for a new heavens and a new earth in which righteousness dwells

You see now the day of the Lord This will be the end of the world now as Peter has drawn his readers attention to the great truth that God will

Most definitely keep his promise and God keeps his promises He never fails to keep his word.

He never fails to keep his promise The day of judgment is approaching very very quickly very soon very near It's very near The Lord is at hand and would it be gentle to all men and on that time?

Line, which is God's calendar not ours not man's

We have seen that God is very patient God is very long -suffering

Toward us and he's not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance and that means specifically for God's people the judgment begins in the house of God, but God is very gracious and very patient and very long long suffering now

I want you to see something very important here in Verses 7 to 9 the Apostle Peter now progresses in his argument as he reminds his audience what the day of the

Lord is Now I want you to keep in mind something very important here as I was studying this

I thought this was very important that Peter does not teach a new lesson of eschatology here It's not anything new

He is really deriving from the Old Testament prophets his Eschatology he simply is just reminding his readers of the truth that They already know

They perfectly know about the day of the Lord These great truths complete a compliment or an incompetent

I should say and the encouragement to the Saints and this is his name his aim is to encourage the

Saints in the midst of this Now look back to verse 1 beloved.

He writes to encourage the Saints beloved. I now write to you this second epistle and Both which

I stir up your pure minds by way of reminder. He's reminded them of something very important And then he says in verse 2 that you may be mindful

That we may be mindful of the words which were spoken before by the Holy Prophets. You see where he's getting his eschatology

And of the commandment of us the Apostles of the Lord and Savior They're basically passing down the commandment in which

Jesus gives and gave Verse 3 know in this verse that scoffers will come

Now before Jesus comes scoffers will come that's a fact Scoffers will come in the last days and he was thinking of the last days 2 ,000 years ago it's just like two days to God, but the last days were the last days there and they believed that and Here is the

Apostle Peter Warning them of these scoffers in verse 4. He says and they say what do they say?

Where is the promise of his cunning? What do they talk? What are they talking about? What are they denying the second coming of Jesus Christ?

And for since the father's fell asleep all things continue as they were from the beginning of creation

This is what they're saying. These scoffers are saying things has always been the way they always will be and nothing's going to change

So in other words God's not going to keep his promise there's no second coming and this is the purpose of this whole epistle

It's all about the second coming of Jesus Christ that God will keep his promise Now you could bank on this the

Apostolic Church the early church Believed in the second coming of Jesus Christ that he would immediately come at any time at any moment they believed anticipated that Now even though he did come in that time period it doesn't mean he's not going to come today

He will come back Now these scoffers were attacking What were they attacking the heart of the message was they were attacking the second coming of Jesus Christ?

his second advent That he will come in great power and great glory

They were literally scoffing at this. They were literally ridiculing it That's what it says, but as you know, and as I know

God will not be mocked There is coming a day that God will have his day

Now I want you to look in verse 5 verse 5 through 7. This is kind of a an overview To take us where we need to go and to keep us on track

The Apostle Peter reminds us to not to forget about the judgment that happened in the past He reminds them of this

Notice verse 5. Well this this day who's the day the false teachers they willfully forget

Notice that they willfully forget it They put it out of their mind That by the

Word of God the heavens were of old and the earth standing out of the water and in the water now he's speaking

About the great flood the judgment that God flooded the world in Noah's day

And then he says in verse 6 by which the world then existed perished being flooded with water but the heavens and the earth which are now preserved by the same word are reserved for fire until the day of judgment and perdition of ungodly men it's like he jumps from the past judgment of the great flood to the judgment to come and Of course and then he reminds us of the timeline of God's calendar

But beloved do not forget this one thing that with the Lord one day is a thousand years and a thousand years is one day

The Lord is not slack concerning his promise You see that he's talking about the promise of the second coming

God's not slack. He's not slow he's on time as Some count slackness or slowness

But is long suffering toward us Not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance.

Oh Beloved this is his direction in which he gives to the church and we need to heed

The same as the early church was hearing and reading this letter as well Now the day of the

Lord the day of the Lord he goes right to it in verse 10 through 13 That's what we're going to talk about.

It's what we talk about He makes the connections between the theology Notice is the theology regarding the day of the

Lord and the practice of that theology Theology for theology's sake is it good?

Theology and application is what it's all about Just to know theology.

Is it going to get us anywhere? Anybody can know it but to know it and to practice it is exactly where Peter takes us

That's the Holy Paul the Apostle does the same thing We'll look at that in a minute, but the practice of this theology what we believe now get this

This is so important what we believe about the second coming of Jesus Christ Determines the way we live our lives beloved

This is everything The way we live our lives are you and I am am

I myself Living life in the light of eternity or I like what

Luther said he lived this and he believed it and he practiced it He says

I live on a two -day calendar today and judgment day Tell people that tell them but tell yourself that and practice that because that's the way we should live our lives as Christians and Let me

I'll say this in the opposite of truth eschatology and true theology a false Eschatology can only lead to unholy living likewise a sound biblical

Eschatology supports and motivates us to live holy and godly

This is what the world needs to see. How should we then live? Francis Schaefer wrote a book about that R.

C. Sproul wrote a book on based upon Schaefer's book. How should we didn't live then? It's a good question

Peter connects eschatology to ethics He connects faith to hope

Just as the Apostle Paul did when he said in Titus chapter 2, let me read it to you could go there if you like chapter 2 and Verse 11 through 15 speaks about the second coming of Jesus Christ, which is the blessed hope of the

Lord for the grace of God That brings salvation.

Listen to what he says the grace of God has brings salvation. That's what brought the salvation

That's what brings Jesus is God's grace Has appeared to all men

Teaching us. Yes. God's grace teaches us something Listen to what he says teaches teaching us that denied ungodliness and worldly lust

We should live soberly Righteously and godly in this present age looking for the blessed hope

Notice we said looking for the blessed hope in glorious appearing of our great and God Great God and Savior Jesus Christ who gave himself for us that he might redeem us from every lawless deed and purify for himself his own special people zealous for good works and Then he says this speak these things that sort and rebuke with all

Authority let no one despise you now that's

That's a command and then if you jump to our text today second

Peter 3 verse 10 through 13 Peter speaks about the day of The Lord let's look at this.

I'm going to recap a little a few verses today There's no way we get through all these verses, but I chose a few from the

Old Testament We looked in Extensively last Lord's Day, but the great day of God Almighty the day of wrath the day of the

Lord this phrase Identifies events that will take place at the end of history the end of the age

Let me give you some scriptures from The Old Testament you can go with me like if you like and I'm just I wrote these down Isaiah 2

Verse 12 we looked at that whole chapter last week But notice it was he says in verse 12 for the day of the

Lord of hosts shall come upon everything proud and lofty upon everything lifted up and It shall be brought low

Jump to Isaiah 13 look at verse 6 Well for the day of the

Lord is at hand. It will come as destruction from the Almighty Isaiah 13 9

Behold the day of the Lord comes cruel with both wrath and fierce anger to lay the land desolate and He will destroy its sinners from it

Look at verse 10 but the stars of heaven and their Constellations will not give their light the

Sun will be darkened and it's going forth and the moon will not Cause its light to shine verse 11

This is God speaking First person I will punish the world for its evil and the wicked for their iniquity.

I Will halt the arrogance of the proud and I will lay low

Haughtiness of the terrible jump with me to Ezekiel chapter 30

Look at verse 3 Verse 3 again, he says well

Woe to the day For the day is near even the day of the

Lord is near and it will be a day of clouds and the time of the

Gentiles We looked at Joel Look at Joel Going in the same direction just flip your

Bible over and it should be right in line Joel 1 15 chapter 1 verse 15 alas for the day

For the day of the Lord is at hand and it shall come as destruction from the Almighty Look at Joel chapter 2 verse 1 blow the trumpet in Zion and Sound the alarm in my holy mountain

Let all the inhabitants of the land tremble For the day of the Lord is coming

For it is at hand Look at Joel 2 11 2 11 the

Lord gives voice before his army for his camp is very great For strong is the one who executes his word

Notice the question for the day of the Lord is great and very terrible who can endure it

Who can endure it? Look at verse 31 the

Sun shall be turned into darkness and the moon into blood before the coming of the great and awesome day of The Lord Joel chapter 3 look at verse 14 through 15

Multitudes multitudes in the valley of decision Interest the valley of decision For the day of the

Lord is near in the valley of decision Verse 15 again

Another prophet backs up The word of the Lord and as Isaiah the prophet says the

Sun and the moon Will grow dark and the stars will diminish their brightness

Now go with me to the book of Amos chapter 5

Amos chapter 5 look at verse 18 to 20 Woe to you who desire the day of the

Lord for what good is the day of the Lord to you? The good question in it

This is the day of God's wrath This is the day of vengeance and it will be darkness and not light

It will be as though a man fled from a lion and a bear met him Or as though he went into the house leaned his hand on the wall and a serpent bit him

Is not the day of the Lord darkness and not light? Is it not very dark with no brightness in it?

and then God says I Hate and despise your feast days and I do not savor

Your sacred assemblies says almost the same thing in Isaiah 1 Though you offer me burnt offerings.

In other words. God is saying what's he saying? He hates religion folks he hates

Just prayers being made to be heard like the Pharisees did on the streets to be seen a man and heard of men what he's trying to say is everything external if it's not from the heart worship and Loving God not lip service, but heart service.

He said if it's not that God hates it That's what he's saying though. You offer me burnt offerings and your grain offerings.

I will not accept them just like Cain worship Nor will I regard your fatted peace offerings take away from me the noise of your songs for I will not hear the melody of your stringed instruments but let justice run down like water and righteousness like a mighty stream

Did you offer Did you offer me sacrifices and offerings in the wilderness 40 years?

Oh house of Israel You also carried sicketh your king and chin your idols

The star of your gods, which you made for yourselves Therefore I will send you into captivity beyond Damascus says the

Lord whose name is the God is the God of host God is sovereign and he's in charge

Look at Obadiah You don't hear much from Obadiah. It's just one chapter.

It's interesting. You can read Obadiah just in the probably in a couple minutes Obadiah, but it's a whole book.

It's 21 verses. It's like the book of Jude Believe Obadiah is the shortest in the

Old Testament and Jude's the shortest in the New Testament But notice what he says in verse 15 all these prophets spoke about the day of the

Lord verse 15 for the day of the Lord Upon all nations as near as you have done.

It shall be done to you your Reprisal it means rewards shall return upon your own head

Look at Zephaniah 1 7 Just keep going and just keep turning the pages to your left and you'll run right into it

Zephaniah chapter 1 verse 7 be silent What listen to this be silent in the presence of the

Lord God That's means you keep your mouth shut and worship and and love him

For the day of the Lord is at hand For the Lord has prepared a sacrifice and he has invited his guest

Look at verse 14. The great day of the Lord is near it is near and hastens quickly

The noise of the day of the Lord is bitter There's mighty men

There the mighty men shall cry out in that day verse 15 that day is a day of wrath a day of trouble and distress a day of devastation and desolation a day of darkness and gloominess a day of clouds and thick darkness you see

You pretty much understand when you read the Old Testament prophets This is what the

New Testament apostles was based in their theology on that's what Peter was based in his eschatology on Look at Zechariah look at Zechariah 14 1

Zechariah 14 1 good to hear those pages of the scriptures this flip in there.

Don't you love it? the day of the Lord He speaks about in this whole chapter, but I'm just gonna read you one verse

Look at verse 1 behold the day of the Lord is coming how many times have we heard

God say the day of the Lord is coming and Your spoil will be divided in your midst and I will gather all the nations to the battle against Jerusalem The city shall be taken the houses rifled the women ravished half of the city shall go into captivity

But the rendement of the people shall not be cut off from that from the city One more from the

Old Testament Malachi See the direction I may I try to make this easy for us

So we're not going back for back for and the Old Testament kind of go in a flow you see Look at chapter 4 this whole chapter.

I'm gonna read this whole chapter here because it's only for six verses but if you go back in Malachi 3 and Chapter 1 let me back up a little bit because we're talking about the

First advent of Jesus Christ, but there's also speaks about the great day of God, but there's coming messenger in verse 1

Let me go back and Malachi 3 behold. I send my messenger. Who's that messenger? That was John the

Baptist This is a prophecy of John the Baptist and he will prepare the way before me

He did that didn't he? John the Baptist was the last of the Old Testament prophets prophets

This is by the way Malachi at the last Old Testament prophet that spoke the word of the

Lord then there was 400 years of silence and then John the Baptist rose up This is this was fulfilled in John the

Baptist and the Lord whom you seek will suddenly come to his temple Even the messenger of the covenant in whom you delight behold

He's coming says the Lord of hosts and then this says in verse 2, but who can endure the day of his coming?

Who will who can stand when he appears for he's like a refiners fire and like a laundries soap and he will sit as a refiner and a purifier of silver and he will purify the sons of Levi and Purged him as gold and silver that they may offer the

Lord to the Lord and offering in righteousness all because of Christ Only we can worship

God acceptably through Jesus Christ because of his perfect righteousness But if you jump now to Malachi a4 now he goes from the first advent to the second advent the great day of God Notice what he says for behold the day is coming and notice what he says.

This is the day of vengeance here burning like an oven and All the proud once again notice how

God's points out the proud would be brought low God hates pride Burning like an oven and all the proud.

Yes, all who do wickedly will stubble will be stubble and The day which is coming shall burn them up Says the

Lord of hosts that will leave neither root nor branch But to you who fear my name do you fear

God's name today? Listen to this the son of righteousness shall arise with healing in his wings

That's where Wesley got the he will come with healing in his wings. It's talking about Jesus The son of righteousness shall arise with healing in his wings

That's exactly what's gonna happen when he comes in power and glory at the second event event and you shall go out and grow fat like Stall fed calves you shall trample the wicked

For they shall be ashes under the soles of your feet On that on the day that I do this

God fights the battles remember God its battles

It's it's he fights the battle says the Lord and remember the law of Moses my servant

Which I commanded him in horror for all Israel with the statutes and judgments

Behold, I will send you Elijah the prophet before the coming of the great dreadful day of the

Lord Elijah will come back and He would die he never died

God took him up in a chariot of fire But it says right here he will come back

Before the great and coming great dreadful day of the Lord and he would turn the hearts of the fathers to the children of the

Hearts of the children to their fathers least I come and strike the earth with a curse then

After that verse 6 there is 400 years of silence beloved Silence until John the

Baptist comes and starts preaching repentance and He preached that the kingdom of God's at hand and then he points everybody to the

Christ of God The Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world

All scriptures are filled with the first advent the second advent of Jesus I only got two points this morning.

Let me just look at the first one first of all, I'd like to focus on an unexpected destruction, then we're going to look at an unreserved devotion an

Unexpected destruction and an Unreserved devotion and Lord's in the next

Lord's Day Lord willing. We're going to look at the The last of what the

Lord's going to do with the new heavens in the new earth We're not going to be able to get that far, but and then we're going to have communion

Let's look at it verse 10 There is a future indicative here

Unexpected destruction Unexpected destruction. What is it? That unexpected destruction is the day of the

Lord will come That's it You just read it all through what the

Prophet says There's going to be devastating destruction. This is just not a fairytale. This is going to happen folks

It's a this is a future indicative in other words, but the day of the Lord will come it stresses the certainty

As we looked at last Lord's Day that the day of the Lord will certainly come and it is not slowed up at all

It's right on time and what the Old Testament prophets proclaimed as we looked at now

We come to the New Testament the of what the Apostles affirmed the

New Testament Apostles affirmed it Now let's look at some New Testament Apostles I Meant to say

Apostles we looked at this last Lord's Day, but I'm gonna revisit it I think this is worth looking at again

Look at first Thessalonians Chapter 5 isn't this a great

I personally would like to encourage you if you study

Astrology and the last days if you study Revelation don't forget to study along with it first and second

Thessalonians because there's much in first and second Thessalonians that speak about the last days and Tie it in and you will see these pieces of the puzzle just come together

So beautifully notice in verse 1 but concerning the times and the seasons brethren I have no need that I should write to you that be you yourselves know

Perfectly that the day of the Lord so comes as a thief in the night It's exactly what the

Apostle Peter says. He comes suddenly. He comes unexpectedly and for when they say peace and safety

Then sudden destruction comes upon them as labor pains upon a pregnant woman and they shall not escape

I really believe when 9 -11 took place that's labor pains

Those are warning signals. It's it's like when and you ladies know us guys can't relate to this but when you carry a baby when you've carried a baby those

Contractions come and they're warning signals that that baby is going to come but the baby doesn't quite come but there's almost feels like I get this from a wife because she had five and I'm sitting there saying trying to comfort her but And I learned when contractions came not to even touch her but those contractions were like warming up to for the baby to come and that's what

Paul he gives a interesting Analogy here like this is the way the judgments going to come peace and safety

Sudden destruction comes upon them as labor pains notice that labor pains upon a pregnant woman

You could say contractions They shall not escape But you brethren are not in darkness so that this day should overtake you as a thief

Again about the thief you are sons of light and sons of the day and we are not of the night nor the darkness

Therefore let us not sleep as others do but let us watch and be sober. I pray that the church

Jesus Christ will wake up But the true church will be awake won't they

Before the Lord comes for then he says in verse 7 for those who sleep sleep at night those who get drunk are drunk at night

But let us who are of the day be sober putting on the breastplate of faith and love and as a helmet the hope of salvation

For God did not appoint us to wrath and you can assure this be assured of this that God will take his people out before he pours out his wrath in That sense.

Yes, there will be a rapture of the church What a lot of people don't want to know that and and believe that How much of the

Great Tribulation period with a church go through I there's so many different views on this folks

I'm a millennium Postmillennium pre -millennium will the church go through the

Great Tribulation where they escape it so forth all these different views

But I do know that God has not appointed us to wrath When when is this gonna happen?

I don't know what in the Bible doesn't tell us but we do know there's a lot of things That's going to happen before He he comes in that final day

The sound of a trumpet the earth is going to shake we know the Sun's gonna be put out what happens when we don't have

Heat well, it's gonna get freezing cold the stars and the constellations will fall and all these seals will be broken and the boils the bowls will be opened up and all the trumpets and the judgments will be pouring out and then finally

Jesus Christ will come back and I mean Final wrath will be poured out God will save his people

He says because you've obtained salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ who died for us whether we wake or sleep

We should live together with him therefore comfort each other and edify one another just as you as are doing now

You will see this if you go back from first Thessalonians 5 first Thessalonians 4

Speaks gives us a little detail about this And in verse 13, but I do not want you to be ignorant brethren concerning those who have fallen asleep

Basically those who died in the Lord least you sorrow as others and have no hope we have hope when

God's people died We're gonna see him again For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again notice everything is all focused on the cross

The crucifixion of Jesus Christ and none of this would be taking place unless Jesus died and rose again

And even so God will bring with him those who sleep in Jesus Now he's talking about a resurrection

For this we say to you by the word of the Lord that we are We who are alive and remain until the coming of the

Lord He's talking about a second coming Well by no means perceive those who are asleep for the

Lord himself would descend from heaven with a shout The great King comes forth folks with the voice of the of an archangel and with the trumpet of God There's a lot of different views about that trumpet of God But personally

I believe here is you study it and Paul speaks about this in 1st Corinthians 15 the last trumpet

He's not talking about a first. Well, there are a series of trumpets, but he's not talking about Skipping a first advent then a middle advent then a second advent.

No, there's just two comings. That's it And the dead in Christ will rise first.

That's we know that Then we who are alive and remain shall be caught up together

With them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air and thus shall we always be with the Lord therefore Comfort one another with these words that Jesus will snatch away his people

He's going to do that now What's interesting here is that Paul and Peter speak about the day of the

Lord is what comes as a thief in the night? Where did they get that?

They got that from the Lord Jesus himself Jesus spoke of it in Matthew 24.

Oh, that's that's another chapter. If you study Revelation you study Matthew 24 That's that's the master.

That's the king himself and he knows all about it Let me give you one verse a couple verses

Verse 43 which Jesus says but know this that if the master of the house had known what the hour the thief would come

He would have watched and not allowed his house to be broken up verse 44. Therefore you also be ready

Be ready For the Son of Man is coming at an hour

You do not expect Expect He's coming

Unexpectedly when the world will be caught off guard But God's people will be ready

God's people will be sober because God's people knows Jesus is coming at eminently at any time in any moment

Revelation 3 3 blessed is he who reads listen this who reads and those who?

hear the words of this prophecy and Keep those things which are written in it those three things for the time is near read it hear it

Keep it in that order You seen

We got to read this book We got to hear God's voice and beloved.

We got to keep it. We got to apply it We've got to live it people say yeah, but I can't do it exactly but in the power of the

Holy Spirit you can Now what does it mean? We're gonna be perfect. We're being sanctified

Well, I'm repenting you're repenting, but we're pressing onward and we're looking unto

Jesus Revelation 16 15 Jesus says behold. I am coming as a thief blessed is he who watches and Keeps his garments

Least he walked naked and they see his shame So the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night

Which the heavens will pass away with a great noise and the elements will melt with fervent heat and both the earth and the works

That are in it will be burned up. Where's he get that? Turn Isaiah to 60 to 66.

I'm telling you these Apostles knew the Word of God and they they're based their eschatology upon the prophets

Look at Isaiah 66 This is glorious Look at verse 14 to 17

I'm gonna tie some things in here Brother Keith was talking about the reign of God that God reigns let all the peoples of the earth

Tremble notice what he says here verse 14 when you see this your heart shall rejoice in verse verse 14

And your bones shall flourish like grass the hand of the Lord shall be known to his servants and his indignation to his enemies for behold the

Lord will come with fire and With his chariots like a whirlwind to render his anger with fury and his rebuke with flames of fire and this is for by fire and by his sword the

Lord will judge all flesh and The slain of the Lord shall be many.

It's like a day never seen Go to Daniel chapter 7 I'm telling you folks as I was studying this this is all over the

Bible Daniel chapter 7 I'm gonna just read you a little bit from Daniel.

This is glorious here Look at verse 9 and verse 10

This is a vision of the ancient of days that God gave the Daniel I watched till thrones were put in place and the ancient of days was seated his garment was white as snow

His and who's he saying here the glorified Christ Christ, but it's not this is before he was glorified

This is him and in his glory Before he came became flesh in his first advent

But he sees him in his glory before the throne his garment the same thing John the

Apostle saw his garment was white as snow and The hair of his head was like pure wool.

His throne was a fiery flame and its wills Don't you pay attention to that now its wills a burning fire

Fiery stream issued and came forth from before him and thousands and thousands Ministered to him 10 ,000 times 10 ,000 stood before him almost like Revelation.

The court was seated and the books were open You see that?

This is thousands of years before Christ even came now jump with me now to Ezekiel Chapter 1

I want you to see something And before the judgment comes there is what is called

I like got this phrase from pastor John McCarthy He called it the divine war machine

We see it right here in this chapter My times going by quickly, but I'm what

I'm gonna try to get through as many of these verses I can I would just try to go through all chapter 1

Look at verse 4 then I looked and behold a whirlwind was coming out of the north a great cloud with raging fire

Notice the fire God is a consuming fire Engulfing itself brightness was all around it and radiating out of its mist like the color of amber out of the mist of the fire the fire

Also from within it came the likeness the likeness of four living creatures the best he can describe it folks in the

Hebrew language Translated in our English language, but the likeness it says John even

John the Apostle Like unto it's like it's so great. The only thing that you compare it to is something like unto it

It puts like Paul says I saw things that even my words. It was unlawful for me to even utter it and He sees heaven in its glory the likeness of four creatures.

He sees it just like Isaiah saw an app chapter 6 and like the Apostle John saw in and in Revelation and he says and this was a hit their appearance and they had the likeness of a man now he speaks of these creatures

Each one had four faces each one had four wings Their legs were straight

Their soles of their feet were like the soles of calves feet They sparkled like the color of burnished bronze the hands of man were under their wings

On their four sides and each on the forehead forehead faces and wings Terrifying creatures

God made these creatures specifically to worship him their wings touched one another their creatures did not turn when they went

But each one went straight forward You know when I read things like this and pause right here and and then you read in Revelation and you read through the

Word of God how much God Inhabits the praises of his people and then praises and praises and praises and to be glorified

And he makes creatures in heaven to constantly glorify him on and on and duration is constant

How much does he love to be praised? The likeness of is their faces first hand each had the face of a man each the forehead the face of a lion on the right side each the

Forehead the face of an ox on the left side and each on the forehead the face of an eagle work

Thus were the faces Their wings stretched upward two wings each one touched one another and two covered their body

It's like your mind can't just grasp everything here and each one went but you know, why it's because it's of another world

That's what holy is it's other than anything that we know of alien to us verse 12 each one went straight forward went whenever the

Spirit wanted to go and they did not turn when they went and As for the likeness of the living creatures their appearance was like burning coals of fire

Look at the listen to this burning coals of fire Like the appearance of torches going back and forth among the living creatures

The fire was bright and out of the fire went lightning anytime you see lightning in Scripture, there's judgment and The living creatures ran back and forth in the appearance like a flash of lightning

This is what MacArthur was talking about this is the divine war machine cranking up folks

And now as I looked at the living creatures behold a wheel was on the earth besides each living creatures as four faces and appearance of wheels and they're working was like the color of barrel and All four had the same likeness the appearance of their working

Workings was and as it were a wheel in the middle of a wheel. This is like this is a war machine

They moved they went toward one at any one of the four directions They did not turn aside when they went and asked for their rims.

They were so high they were awesome and their rims were full of eyes and all around there four of them and When the living creatures went the wheels went with beside them and when the living creatures were lifted up from the earth

The wheels were lifted up Whenever the spirit wanted to go they went because the spirit went and the wheels were lifted toward together

With them and for the spirit of the living creatures was in the wheels When when those went these went and when they stood they stood and When those were lifted up from the earth the wheels were lifted toward together with them and the spirit of the living creatures was in The wheels the lightness of the firmament above the heads of the living creatures were like the color of an awesome

Crystal and stretched out over their heads. Oh, it goes on.

I'll stop right there, but I'm telling you beloved This is this it's almost like a divine war machine within and lightnings and thunders and bolts and and Glory and radiance and colors and this is heaven folks

And then this divine war machine lightning comes forth and anytime you see lightning

It's almost that you see this in Revelation right before God pours out his wrath and wham it comes

Devastates the earth so powerful. It's beyond us

My next point is unreserved Devotion there's unexpected destruction.

There's unreserved devotion. This is back to second Peter It's important That we get this because the way we live our lives is so important to this

This is a question Therefore in verse 11 since all these things will be dissolved what manner of persons ought you to be in holy conduct and godliness

Looking for and hastening the coming day of God because of which the heavens will be dissolved being on fire and the elements will melt

With fervent heat. The reason why we look for it is found in verse 13. Nevertheless, we according to his promise see that Look for a new heavens a new earth in which righteousness dwells sin will be dealt with completely all together

Jesus dealt a blow with it on Calvary's cross But he's going to finish it out. The last enemy that shall be destroyed is what?

Death Be put under his feet Then light of the coming destruction of the day of the

Lord the second coming of Jesus What kind of person should we be beloved? And now this is application here the knowledge

That the physical world will burn up beloved and dissolve brings with it application

Peter by the Spirit of God answers this question for us. He gives us the answer Don't need people to answer it.

God gives the answer Certain future destruction of the world motivates us both in godly conduct

And an attitude Of a believer in Jesus Christ notice the text with me in verse 11

What manner of persons ought you to be in holy conduct godliness? There it is Go with me to first peter three

I'm, not first peter. I'm, sorry second peter, uh chapter one. We will go to first peter though I'm, not first peter.

I'm, sorry second peter verse one notice He says this in the beginning of the epistle when he wrote that Grace be multiplied to you and to you in the knowledge of god in the jesus christ our lord

As his divine power is given to us all things that pertain to life and godliness Those all things basically mean all things in jesus christ

Through the knowledge of him who called us by glory and virtue by which have been given to us exceedingly great and precious promises

There's the promises that through these you might may be partakers of the divine nature having escaped the corruption

That is in the world through lust Then he gives the list of the fruitful growth and faith

Very very applicable very practical. Listen this but also this very reason giving all diligence

Add to your faith virtue to virtue knowledge to knowledge self -control

Don't you need this I do To self -control perseverance to perseverance godliness to godliness brother

Brotherly kindness to brotherly kindness love for these things are yours and abound

You will be neither barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our lord. Jesus christ for he who lacks these things is

Short -sighted even to blindness and has forgotten That he was cleansed from his old sins

And then he says this therefore brethren be even more diligent to make your call in election sure

For if you do these things you will never stumble And for so an entrance will be supplied to you abundantly in the everlasting kingdom of our lord and savior.

Jesus christ And that's all by the grace of god notice back to chapter three he says

He basically says What manner of persons ought you to be?

in holy conduct and godliness MacArthur notes this how? Astoundingly excellent you ought to be explanation

Can you can you give yourself ask yourself that question how? Astoundingly excellent you ought to be before a lost and dying world.

This is straightforward This is a straightforward challenge for every christian believer in jesus christ jesus christ to conform our lives to god's

Standards his holy standards in the light and the great reality of the second coming Go with me to first corinthians four.

I want you to see this paul makes a connection here chapter four

Look at this first corinthians four

I'm, sorry chapter three my mistake

I Will close aren't me? I like what paul says here

Not one person is glorified the one person that's glorified would be god In the in the watering the working and the warning first nine look at this

Let me go back to verse six. I planted but this is paul speaking apollos watered, but god gave the increase god gets the increase

So then neither he who plants is anything Nor he who waters

But god who gives the increase Don't you love that? This is the apostle paul

We're nothing but fools for christ And in verse eight now he plant he who plants and he who waters are one

They work together And each one will receive his own reward according to his own labor

God's taking account folks For we are god's fellow workers you are god's field you are god's building

According to the grace of god, which was given to me a wise master builder I have laid the foundation and another one builds on it

That's a true missionary here, but let each one take heed how he builds on it

And then he says this for no other foundation can anyone lay then which is laid which is jesus christ

He's the head of the church Now if anyone builds say the church is not built upon pastors and evangelists

The church is built upon jesus christ. He's the head cornerstone and also the apostles and prophets but Here jesus is the focus and now if anyone builds on this foundation, then he's the foundation cornerstone

Listen what he says with gold and silver and precious stones Wood hay and straw what those are jewels that are hidden beneath the ground

The wood hay and straws above the ground when the fire is laid to it what burns up The wood hay and stubble

I like what raven hill says and you knee deep in ashes when god burns it up But those precious stones you put fire to it the beneath the ground

But when you do put fire to gold silver and precious stones, it just melts and it's it's the same and just as precious and refined

It's purified. Amen. God will purify the sons of levi Then he says is each one's work will become clear for the day will declare it what day the day of the lord

Because it will be revealed by what fire And the fire would test each one's work of what sort it is not the quantity but the quality

That's what god sees If anyone works which he has built on it endures he will receive a reward if anyone's work is burned

He will suffer loss, but he himself will be saved yet as through fire Do you not know that you are the temple of god that the spirit of god dwells in you

What a question If anyone defiles the temple of god god will destroy him

For the temple of god is holy Which temple you are

That's so it reminds me of romans 12 One and two doesn't it

We're talking about holiness here folks. Listen to this But I beseech you you know what that word beseech means.

I urge you I urge you I beseech you therefore by the brethren by the mercies of god

That you present your bodies a living sacrifice holy acceptable to god, which is your what reasonable service your reasonable act of worship

Do not be conformed to this world, but be you transformed are you being transformed? By what the renewing of your mind?

That you may prove what is that good and acceptable perfect will of god first peter chapter one first peter chapter one

My time has gone by so quickly again And i'm going to close with this

Because this is so important. This is the apostle peter by the spirit of god So important how we are to live in light of the second coming of jesus christ

Amen, this is so urgent. This is so important. I cannot say enough about it but first peter look at verse 13 through a 21

Gird up the loins of your mind be sober rest your hope fully Upon the grace that is to be brought to you at the revelation of jesus christ as obedient children

Not conforming there's that word again yourselves to your former lust as in your ignorance

But he as he who has called you is holy you also be holy in what and all your conduct

There it is Because it is written. It's based upon the command of god

Not necessarily just the command of the apostles even though they gave that command, but it's the lord's command

Be holy For I am holy And as children of the living god god's children are to be different and to be holy

Come out from among them and be separate says the lord of hosts first peter

Chapter two Verse 11 through 12 beloved. I beg you again. He's begging you as sojourners you sojourners, aren't you pilgrims?

abstain from fleshly lust desires which war against the soul Having your conduct what kind of conduct we should have?

Honorable Is your conduct honorable? Among the gentiles

That when they speak against you as evil doers they made by your good works, but Good works follows the child of god.

We're not saved by good works, but it's the fruits Zealous of good work which what they observe

Glorify god in the day of visitation. By the way that day of visitation speaks about the day of judgment Some some translate as the day of salvation.

It could mean that but in light of what peter is saying the day of judgment Holy conduct godliness.

Our holy conduct refers to the way a christian should be living godliness refers To the spirit of reverence of godly fear and the fear of the lord

To cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of the flesh. Amen Christians, how about you?

The most basic idea of holiness involves the concept of separation from the world We don't see this enough in our time

May god help us To cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit perfecting holiness in the fear of god so much more can be said

The knowledge that the world is going to be burned up folks as peter says And it's going to be burned up Should motivate each and every one of us to separate ourselves from this world that's going to pass away

Everything and it's going to pass away and and the only thing that's going to endure forever is those who do the will of god what use is it become to become like the passing world accepted by the world and Pursue the world if this world is going to pass away and the lust thereof

And it's all going to be burned up Why would we even desire to strive after the vain works of this world?

And when it's all going to be exposed and burned up at the judgment If we truly believe

If we truly believe That jesus christ is going to come back in power and glory and judge the world

And this is real That he's coming And he's going to burn the world up destroy the world and then there's going to be a new heavens and a new earth our lives

Should bear witness And be evident that we are holy in our conduct and godliness this righteous conduct

Holy conduct godly living peter basically gives motivation Of what kind of people we should be

Watching and anticipating until jesus christ comes back Let's may we be ready

And may we be living holy and godly until he comes back let's pray father we thank you

Lord help us to truly gird up the loins of our mind Help us lord to be sober

Help us to rest our hope fully upon the grace that is to be brought to us at the revelation of jesus christ

Help us. Oh god To truly be obedient children Not conforming ourselves to their former lust our former desires as we once did in our ignorance

But to live holy and righteous and godly Separate from this evil world and may they see a burning light of the shining love of god

In us and may we point them to the lord. Jesus christ who came To save his people from their sins

Oh lord help us Especially in this time of the year when people are

There's a window of opportunity for us to present the gospel lord. We should be presenting it every day, but lord help us to truly

Be burning up with your fire and flame to tell people about the lord.

Jesus christ and his great love That he can wash away their sins by his precious blood and give a living hope

For the future lord help us by your spirit to be watching and anticipating of the coming day of the lord

And may we truly be sober Fill us with your spirit And may we be zealous for these good works in jesus name.