1 00:00:04,700 --> 00:00:07,500 As some of you know we finished Ephesians our Series in the book 2 00:00:07,500 --> 00:00:11,500 of Ephesians and we try to make it a habit that every time we 3 00:00:11,500 --> 00:00:15,400 finish a book we want to give an interval period where we just 4 00:00:15,400 --> 00:00:20,300 really prayerfully, consider a messages that we can touch on 5 00:00:20,300 --> 00:00:23,300 topics maybe that we can speak on before we jump into another 6 00:00:23,300 --> 00:00:28,000 book and just follow it verse by verse and this is one of those 7 00:00:28,000 --> 00:00:30,700 messages. That. 8 00:00:32,299 --> 00:00:40,000 We trusted the Lord has for us. One of the unfortunate 9 00:00:40,000 --> 00:00:44,700 consequences of our daily routines and our daily 10 00:00:44,700 --> 00:00:49,900 responsibilities is that certain truths, We Believe can be buried 11 00:00:49,900 --> 00:00:53,600 in the back of our minds to a degree in which we almost 12 00:00:53,600 --> 00:00:56,600 completely dismiss. What these truths mean to us. 13 00:00:58,000 --> 00:01:01,000 This is an influence. This is something that happens 14 00:01:01,000 --> 00:01:06,700 to us because of unfortunate neglect on our part to remember 15 00:01:06,700 --> 00:01:11,600 and to continue to keep these things before us and it deflates 16 00:01:11,700 --> 00:01:14,700 the influence of these truths on the way we actually live. 17 00:01:15,500 --> 00:01:22,000 There is a draining of something in us when a truth is blanketed 18 00:01:22,000 --> 00:01:27,600 by busyness, lies different voices. 19 00:01:28,400 --> 00:01:33,900 And this happens today and it happened and Peter's Day, where 20 00:01:33,900 --> 00:01:38,500 our minds can go stale, and we are in need of a stirring. 21 00:01:39,400 --> 00:01:42,200 Look at verse 13 of chapter one with me. 22 00:01:43,900 --> 00:01:47,000 Peter says this, I think it is, right? 23 00:01:47,000 --> 00:01:53,300 As long as I am in this body to stir you up by way of reminder, 24 00:01:54,100 --> 00:01:57,800 since I know that the putting off of my body will be soon as 25 00:01:57,800 --> 00:02:03,300 our Lord Jesus Christ made clear to me, Peter had a revelation 26 00:02:03,300 --> 00:02:06,300 from the Lord. It's a Lovely Revelation, he 27 00:02:06,300 --> 00:02:09,300 knew that at any time. Now the Lord was going to take 28 00:02:09,300 --> 00:02:12,600 him into glory, the lord was going to take him home, he was 29 00:02:12,600 --> 00:02:15,600 going to stand before the son. Savior face to face. 30 00:02:16,200 --> 00:02:19,600 Now if you knew that if somehow the lord gave you Revelation 31 00:02:20,800 --> 00:02:25,400 that at any time very quickly you would slip into eternity and 32 00:02:25,400 --> 00:02:29,100 you had at the same time, an opportunity to write a letter to 33 00:02:29,100 --> 00:02:32,000 the Believers that, you know, what would you write? 34 00:02:33,900 --> 00:02:35,400 What would you include in that letter? 35 00:02:37,000 --> 00:02:40,200 Would you encourage? Would you Warren? 36 00:02:41,700 --> 00:02:46,000 Peter does both. It does a both times in his both 37 00:02:46,000 --> 00:02:49,200 letters actually. And in fact he says this more 38 00:02:49,200 --> 00:02:52,100 than once. When we come to chapter 3, this 39 00:02:52,100 --> 00:02:54,800 is now the second letter that I am writing to you in verse one. 40 00:02:54,800 --> 00:03:00,300 Beloved in both of them, I am stirring up your sincere Mind by 41 00:03:00,300 --> 00:03:04,400 way of reminder. So again, he is, he's coming to 42 00:03:04,400 --> 00:03:07,400 the Believers and say, listen, I want to get here again, because 43 00:03:07,400 --> 00:03:10,400 something here has gone stale and I want to make sure that it 44 00:03:10,400 --> 00:03:14,600 doesn't grow cold and callous to the point where it uses you in a 45 00:03:14,608 --> 00:03:18,300 certain manner of life. So I'm going to use this time 46 00:03:18,300 --> 00:03:21,700 that I have left. I'm going to make it my ambition 47 00:03:22,100 --> 00:03:25,300 to make sure that your stirred again Believers. 48 00:03:25,300 --> 00:03:30,200 We need to be stirred all the time all the time and we don't 49 00:03:30,200 --> 00:03:33,200 stir ourselves up emotionally. We don't stir ourselves up by 50 00:03:33,200 --> 00:03:36,500 just whipping ourselves up into a frenzy know, it's through the 51 00:03:36,508 --> 00:03:39,500 word of God. It's by allowing the truth of 52 00:03:39,500 --> 00:03:43,700 the scriptures to break up that drying callous ground. 53 00:03:43,800 --> 00:03:47,200 That we've built up unfortunate because of neglect and allow the 54 00:03:47,200 --> 00:03:49,200 Lord to rain righteousness upon us. 55 00:03:50,500 --> 00:03:53,600 What did Peter include? What does Peter want to focus on 56 00:03:53,800 --> 00:03:57,700 as he desires to stir up the minds of the Believers, the 57 00:03:57,700 --> 00:04:01,600 concluding chapter focuses on a truth, that not just Believers 58 00:04:01,600 --> 00:04:03,200 back. Then could forget about, but 59 00:04:03,200 --> 00:04:06,000 Believers today, especially forget about, and it is, this 60 00:04:06,300 --> 00:04:13,500 Jesus is coming back. Jesus is coming back. 61 00:04:15,300 --> 00:04:19,000 This is something that we need to really take a hold of Peter 62 00:04:19,000 --> 00:04:21,100 wants to write it in such a fashion that you and I would 63 00:04:21,100 --> 00:04:26,600 never forget this truth. What do we mean by Jesus is 64 00:04:26,600 --> 00:04:31,200 coming back? We as Christians. 65 00:04:33,000 --> 00:04:36,400 We as the Church of Jesus Christ doctrinally. 66 00:04:36,400 --> 00:04:40,700 This is our doctrinal statement. We believe we confess, we 67 00:04:40,700 --> 00:04:44,500 wholeheartedly hold to this truth that the Lord Jesus 68 00:04:44,500 --> 00:04:49,200 Christ. We'll return in a literal way in 69 00:04:49,200 --> 00:04:54,900 bodily fashion, Jesus Christ who walked on this Earth, 2,000 70 00:04:54,900 --> 00:04:58,000 years ago, who dwelt in eternity before that. 71 00:04:58,100 --> 00:05:02,200 And who is sitting at the right hand of the father will one day, 72 00:05:02,300 --> 00:05:06,400 come back and he will come back for this purpose. 73 00:05:06,400 --> 00:05:09,400 Do it can be many reasons. There are many implications to 74 00:05:09,407 --> 00:05:12,000 his return, this is the main one, he will come back to 75 00:05:12,000 --> 00:05:14,100 redeem. The faithful, those who put 76 00:05:14,100 --> 00:05:17,900 their trust in his saving work. To bring them into everlasting 77 00:05:17,900 --> 00:05:21,600 life with them and he will also come back to condemn, those who 78 00:05:21,600 --> 00:05:24,500 have not put their trust in him into Everlasting destruction. 79 00:05:24,500 --> 00:05:26,100 This is the reason why he's returning. 80 00:05:27,900 --> 00:05:34,000 In other words, this is not it. Now, this teaching, already, 81 00:05:34,600 --> 00:05:36,800 probably in some people right here are making you feel 82 00:05:36,800 --> 00:05:38,800 uncomfortable, making you feel really uncomfortable, really 83 00:05:38,800 --> 00:05:40,900 fidgety. In fact, it makes a lot of 84 00:05:40,900 --> 00:05:43,700 people feel uncomfortable, even professing Christians. 85 00:05:44,500 --> 00:05:47,300 Now, for the, for the unbelieving world, that's a 86 00:05:47,300 --> 00:05:48,800 whole nother category, why this would make them feel 87 00:05:48,800 --> 00:05:51,300 uncomfortable for believers. Why would this teaching make us 88 00:05:51,300 --> 00:05:55,200 feel squirmish? I believe one reason is, this is 89 00:05:55,200 --> 00:05:58,800 because we have plans. We have desires. 90 00:05:59,300 --> 00:06:03,800 We have things that we want to do in life and this concept of 91 00:06:03,800 --> 00:06:06,100 Jesus returning, kind of interferes with that, doesn't 92 00:06:06,100 --> 00:06:12,000 it? It's kind of intrusive. and so 93 00:06:12,000 --> 00:06:14,400 we hear it and it doesn't really make us feel uncomfortable 94 00:06:14,400 --> 00:06:16,200 because it's like, well, Lord could you just hold back a 95 00:06:16,200 --> 00:06:19,300 little bit and there's some things I want to kind of do And 96 00:06:19,300 --> 00:06:22,500 I believe that thought pattern that show, common it kind of 97 00:06:22,500 --> 00:06:24,100 Springs up. Even from time to time, that 98 00:06:24,100 --> 00:06:27,400 thought pattern is evidence that, we've unfortunately 99 00:06:27,400 --> 00:06:32,800 allowed our affections To be too tied down to this world here. 100 00:06:33,800 --> 00:06:37,000 And that we have failed to allow the word of God to renew our 101 00:06:37,000 --> 00:06:39,800 minds to such a degree where we say what it says in the end of 102 00:06:39,800 --> 00:06:43,800 Book of Revelation with with the spirit come Lord Jesus, would 103 00:06:43,800 --> 00:06:45,500 you come? Why are you holding back? 104 00:06:45,500 --> 00:06:49,300 We want you to be here now. And I believe the reason why we 105 00:06:49,300 --> 00:06:52,000 don't have that cry, come Lord, Jesus, and because we don't 106 00:06:52,000 --> 00:06:56,000 realize one who he is and to what he wants to bring with him. 107 00:06:56,900 --> 00:07:00,400 And we think that what is here is better, and that heaven and 108 00:07:00,600 --> 00:07:04,200 seeing Jesus face-to-face, is kind of like a plan B to this. 109 00:07:04,700 --> 00:07:07,500 It's kind of a downgrade when Jesus comes back. 110 00:07:07,500 --> 00:07:09,800 So Lord, just hold off because we want to have some fun here, 111 00:07:09,900 --> 00:07:11,700 and come back. When maybe, when I'm old and I 112 00:07:11,707 --> 00:07:16,000 can't move as much. We fail to realize. 113 00:07:17,300 --> 00:07:19,900 That it should actually be the Cry of the believer, the 114 00:07:19,900 --> 00:07:22,100 craving, of his heart, for the Lord to return. 115 00:07:25,100 --> 00:07:29,100 Peter says, I want to stir you up by way of reminder because 116 00:07:29,100 --> 00:07:33,100 acts 1:11 tells us And When Jesus ascended before his 117 00:07:33,100 --> 00:07:37,700 disciples, these angels said, men of Galilee, why do you stand 118 00:07:37,700 --> 00:07:40,900 looking into heaven? This Jesus who was taken up from 119 00:07:40,900 --> 00:07:44,600 you into heaven, will come in the same way as you saw him go 120 00:07:44,600 --> 00:07:49,100 into heaven This event known as the second coming. 121 00:07:50,700 --> 00:07:54,500 Is an event that has been marked to the hour by God. 122 00:07:54,500 --> 00:07:57,700 The Father this event of the second coming. 123 00:07:58,700 --> 00:08:02,600 It is so dramatic that it will be seen by every eye that is on 124 00:08:02,600 --> 00:08:05,400 Earth. This event of the second coming 125 00:08:05,400 --> 00:08:09,900 will change every aspect of our existence as it will usher in a 126 00:08:09,900 --> 00:08:13,100 new Heaven and a new Earth. This event known as the second 127 00:08:13,100 --> 00:08:17,200 coming is something to be prepared for even by Christians. 128 00:08:18,800 --> 00:08:23,400 even by Christians, And so, Peter begins, I want to stir up 129 00:08:23,400 --> 00:08:27,000 your sincere Mind by way of reminder verse 2. 130 00:08:28,000 --> 00:08:32,700 That you should remember the predictions of the Holy prophets 131 00:08:32,700 --> 00:08:35,600 and the Commandment of the Lord and Savior through your 132 00:08:35,600 --> 00:08:38,900 Apostles. Peter Begins by nudging at their 133 00:08:38,900 --> 00:08:42,799 minds and their memory by pointing them back to the book. 134 00:08:42,799 --> 00:08:45,800 And he's saying, did you forget that this was predicted? 135 00:08:45,800 --> 00:08:48,900 Did you forget that this was something that was actually an 136 00:08:48,900 --> 00:08:52,800 Old Testament theme that the prophets foretold of this 137 00:08:52,800 --> 00:08:55,100 coming? That this is something that is 138 00:08:55,100 --> 00:08:58,600 not, it's not a loose, it's not a blurry, it's not a Civic 139 00:08:58,600 --> 00:09:02,200 event, it is clear and concrete from the beginning of time. 140 00:09:04,100 --> 00:09:06,300 I'm going to read a quote to you and I want you to think which 141 00:09:06,300 --> 00:09:09,500 prophet or which man of God in the Old Testament said these 142 00:09:09,500 --> 00:09:12,700 truths just listen to this behold. 143 00:09:12,700 --> 00:09:14,400 The Lord comes with ten thousand of his. 144 00:09:14,400 --> 00:09:18,700 Holy ones to execute judgment on all and to convict all the 145 00:09:18,700 --> 00:09:21,800 ungodly of all their deeds of ungodliness that they have 146 00:09:21,800 --> 00:09:25,700 committed in such an ungodly way and of all the harsh things that 147 00:09:25,700 --> 00:09:27,900 ungodly. Sinners have spoken against 148 00:09:27,900 --> 00:09:29,000 them. Now, don't say it out loud. 149 00:09:29,000 --> 00:09:38,200 Who do you think said that? Isaiah Ezekiel, Daniel Hosea 150 00:09:38,600 --> 00:09:41,200 habbakuk. Enoch. 151 00:09:43,400 --> 00:09:48,100 Jude, 14. 15 tells us that the seventh from Adam Enoch 152 00:09:48,400 --> 00:09:54,500 prophesied of the second coming. So we get to Genesis chapter 5 153 00:09:54,500 --> 00:09:58,300 according to Jude's commentary, and Enoch has been given the 154 00:09:58,300 --> 00:10:00,900 revelation of the return of the Lord. 155 00:10:01,800 --> 00:10:05,000 And from that moment on every Prophet, almost every Prophet 156 00:10:05,000 --> 00:10:08,100 had that same Revelation that Jesus is coming back. 157 00:10:09,600 --> 00:10:13,600 And this is fascinating because even Jesus, in his Earthly 158 00:10:13,600 --> 00:10:17,900 Ministry interpreted, these prophetic statements and even 159 00:10:17,900 --> 00:10:21,900 himself to such Precision Precision said that he was going 160 00:10:21,900 --> 00:10:25,400 to fulfill these things even in ways that we can't even really 161 00:10:25,400 --> 00:10:26,900 see. Yes, we know that Jesus spoke 162 00:10:26,900 --> 00:10:30,200 about the times and the signs, but even in subtle matters that 163 00:10:30,200 --> 00:10:34,300 the Lord interpret the scriptures, Concerning his 164 00:10:34,300 --> 00:10:36,800 return. Let me give you an example turn 165 00:10:36,800 --> 00:10:52,700 to Luke chapter 4. This is after Jesus came out of 166 00:10:52,700 --> 00:10:56,900 the Wilderness journey and overcame Temptation from Satan. 167 00:11:00,100 --> 00:11:03,100 Where he came out in the power of the spirit and verse 16 of 168 00:11:03,100 --> 00:11:06,000 chapter 4. It says he came to Nazareth 169 00:11:06,300 --> 00:11:09,700 where he had been brought up. And as was his custom, he went 170 00:11:09,700 --> 00:11:13,200 to the synagogue on the Sabbath day and he stood up to read. 171 00:11:13,400 --> 00:11:15,900 And the scroll of the prophet, Isaiah was given to him. 172 00:11:16,100 --> 00:11:18,800 He unrolled the scroll and found the place where it was written. 173 00:11:19,000 --> 00:11:23,000 The spirit of the Lord is upon me because he has anointed me to 174 00:11:23,000 --> 00:11:26,300 Proclaim good news to the poor. He has sent me to Proclaim 175 00:11:26,300 --> 00:11:29,300 Liberty to the captives and recovering the site of the blind 176 00:11:29,500 --> 00:11:31,000 to set. At Liberty, those who are 177 00:11:31,000 --> 00:11:35,000 oppressed to proclaim the year of the Lord's favor. 178 00:11:36,700 --> 00:11:38,300 What does that have to do with the second coming? 179 00:11:38,300 --> 00:11:39,700 That sounds like his first coming. 180 00:11:39,700 --> 00:11:41,400 It is speaking of his first coming. 181 00:11:43,500 --> 00:11:48,500 But Jesus. Knew the scriptures and Jesus 182 00:11:48,500 --> 00:11:51,400 knew who he was. Obviously, in Jesus knew his 183 00:11:51,400 --> 00:11:53,900 ministry in the first coming and what his ministry would be in 184 00:11:53,900 --> 00:11:57,500 the second coming in light of using Isaiah chapter 61, and you 185 00:11:57,500 --> 00:11:59,900 say, well again, what does that have to do with the second 186 00:11:59,900 --> 00:12:01,700 coming? You have to turn to Isaiah, 61 187 00:12:01,700 --> 00:12:05,500 to see, turn to Isaiah 61 and see what the Lord did here. 188 00:12:09,400 --> 00:12:18,500 Isaiah 61 verse 1. The spirit of the Lord God is 189 00:12:18,500 --> 00:12:24,100 upon me because the Lord has anointed me to bring good news 190 00:12:24,100 --> 00:12:27,200 to the poor. He has sent me to bind up the 191 00:12:27,200 --> 00:12:30,700 Brokenhearted to Proclaim Liberty to the captives. 192 00:12:30,700 --> 00:12:34,200 Sounds familiar, and the opening of the prison to those who are 193 00:12:34,200 --> 00:12:36,300 bound to proclaim the year of the Lord's favor. 194 00:12:36,300 --> 00:12:38,400 Now, that's where Jesus stopped. Why? 195 00:12:38,400 --> 00:12:41,400 Because look at the next part and the day of Vengeance of our 196 00:12:41,400 --> 00:12:45,600 God. Jesus did not go to the next 197 00:12:45,600 --> 00:12:48,600 line, why? Because that is the Fulfillment 198 00:12:48,600 --> 00:12:52,900 of his second coming. He stopped it right there 199 00:12:53,400 --> 00:12:57,400 because the first verse and a half of the second speaks of his 200 00:12:57,400 --> 00:13:00,500 first coming and he goes, you know what, I'm gonna stop it 201 00:13:00,500 --> 00:13:03,200 right here because I did not come to condemn I came to save 202 00:13:03,700 --> 00:13:05,900 first time aren't you glad for the first coming? 203 00:13:06,300 --> 00:13:10,000 Because the second coming is a second part which is what the 204 00:13:10,000 --> 00:13:14,900 day of Vengeance of our God. So he stopped it right there and 205 00:13:14,900 --> 00:13:17,000 that is the fascinating thing about Prophecy in the Old 206 00:13:17,000 --> 00:13:19,900 Testament, a lot of the times. And this is why even many of the 207 00:13:19,900 --> 00:13:22,100 religious people in Jesus. They were kind of confused 208 00:13:22,100 --> 00:13:24,000 because they didn't know the scriptures as much as they 209 00:13:24,000 --> 00:13:27,600 thought a lot of the times and Old Testament prophecy you have 210 00:13:27,600 --> 00:13:31,700 first for Jesus. First coming really compiled 211 00:13:31,700 --> 00:13:35,200 them blended with his second coming and it's not so divided. 212 00:13:35,200 --> 00:13:36,700 Neat least for us to be able to see all that. 213 00:13:36,700 --> 00:13:39,200 Speaking of his first coming. That's being of us, it's kind of 214 00:13:39,200 --> 00:13:40,900 Blended. Almost seems like it's all one 215 00:13:40,900 --> 00:13:43,900 event. So it's Quite possible that when 216 00:13:43,900 --> 00:13:46,900 Jesus first came, many people were expecting the Messiah to do 217 00:13:46,900 --> 00:13:48,800 all those other things, but he said, no, you don't understand. 218 00:13:48,800 --> 00:13:56,100 That's about my second coming. Jesus knew very well who he was 219 00:13:56,100 --> 00:13:59,200 and what his ministry was all about and many Believers today. 220 00:13:59,200 --> 00:14:01,900 Maybe you even thought the solder even said this, don't you 221 00:14:01,908 --> 00:14:06,300 wish we lived in biblical times. Don't you wish that? 222 00:14:06,500 --> 00:14:09,400 It's awesome to study this word. It's awesome to look at the 223 00:14:09,400 --> 00:14:11,500 different moments in history and the different things that 224 00:14:11,500 --> 00:14:13,100 happened but it would be a whole different thing. 225 00:14:13,100 --> 00:14:16,200 If we were living in it, you are living in it. 226 00:14:17,800 --> 00:14:20,800 You and I in this technologically advanced age and 227 00:14:20,800 --> 00:14:23,200 all these things that we're seeing in this Godless 228 00:14:23,200 --> 00:14:26,000 generation. You and I are living in biblical 229 00:14:26,000 --> 00:14:28,200 times y, because there are events that are still yet to 230 00:14:28,200 --> 00:14:33,000 happen that are still to come. And we're playing in that role 231 00:14:33,000 --> 00:14:35,300 in history. And if it's up to the Lord, he 232 00:14:35,300 --> 00:14:36,700 can come back in our lifetime as well. 233 00:14:36,700 --> 00:14:37,900 That's what this message is about. 234 00:14:37,900 --> 00:14:44,400 Actually, he says, you're not just the Old Testament prophets, 235 00:14:44,400 --> 00:14:47,700 when you go back to Second Peter, He says. 236 00:14:48,700 --> 00:14:51,500 And the Commandment of the Lord and Savior through your 237 00:14:51,500 --> 00:14:54,800 Apostles. Now this automatically indicates 238 00:14:55,100 --> 00:14:59,300 that the New Testament Believers and the apostles believed that 239 00:14:59,400 --> 00:15:02,500 even though the Canon was not yet complete that their writings 240 00:15:02,500 --> 00:15:04,400 were on the same level of authority as the Old Testament 241 00:15:04,400 --> 00:15:09,200 prophets right there. And what he's saying is that the 242 00:15:09,200 --> 00:15:14,000 Lord through the Apostle's have given and echoed these teachings 243 00:15:14,000 --> 00:15:17,000 and Jesus did teach and these Jesus did prophesying. 244 00:15:17,000 --> 00:15:21,900 The apostles did very much so just like Peter is pressed on 245 00:15:21,900 --> 00:15:24,300 this reality of the second coming of Christ. 246 00:15:24,300 --> 00:15:27,800 But notice it doesn't say the predictions of the Holy prophets 247 00:15:28,000 --> 00:15:29,900 and the predictions of the Lord and Savior through your 248 00:15:29,900 --> 00:15:36,100 apostles. no, it says the Commandment the Commandment of 249 00:15:37,500 --> 00:15:39,200 The Lord and Savior through your Apostles. 250 00:15:39,300 --> 00:15:42,400 Why? Because again, Jesus did predict 251 00:15:42,400 --> 00:15:47,000 Jesus did teach, but Jesus and the apostles spoke of the second 252 00:15:47,000 --> 00:15:51,700 coming in light of you. And I living in a certain way as 253 00:15:51,700 --> 00:15:54,200 we relate to the second coming. There's a commitment, there's a 254 00:15:54,200 --> 00:15:58,200 way of life to live in knowing that the Lord is going to 255 00:15:58,200 --> 00:16:00,300 return. And so, he categorizes it as a 256 00:16:00,300 --> 00:16:04,500 commandment. He sees this as a way to posture 257 00:16:04,500 --> 00:16:07,200 yourself. Am I to live? 258 00:16:07,300 --> 00:16:11,700 If and so he says, listen. Remember what they said? 259 00:16:12,300 --> 00:16:15,200 Why is he saying to remember because other people are saying 260 00:16:15,200 --> 00:16:18,000 different things? And this is the unfortunate 261 00:16:18,000 --> 00:16:20,400 thing that the influence of other voices, the influence of 262 00:16:20,400 --> 00:16:24,800 other people's Lifestyles can unfortunately affect not whether 263 00:16:24,800 --> 00:16:27,400 or not we believe this in a Doctrine away but how it affects 264 00:16:27,400 --> 00:16:30,500 us. How it affects us. 265 00:16:31,800 --> 00:16:34,800 And so he says this verse 3, knowing the first of all that 266 00:16:34,800 --> 00:16:39,400 scoffers will come in the last days with scoffing following 267 00:16:39,400 --> 00:16:42,800 their own sinful desires. Because listen, they're going 268 00:16:42,800 --> 00:16:44,700 to, there's going to be people in the last days that are going 269 00:16:44,700 --> 00:16:46,200 to scoff. At this idea of the second 270 00:16:46,200 --> 00:16:49,000 coming, scoffers are markers. They're going to jeer, they're 271 00:16:49,000 --> 00:16:52,400 going to make fun of, they're going to continually point out 272 00:16:52,400 --> 00:16:54,900 at the fact that it's been 2000 years. 273 00:16:55,200 --> 00:16:59,600 There's going to be people that are going to mock this concept. 274 00:17:01,200 --> 00:17:03,500 And if anybody in here, mocks the concept of the second 275 00:17:03,500 --> 00:17:06,300 coming, you are evidence that we are in the last days. 276 00:17:07,599 --> 00:17:10,200 The fact that we see people mocking at Salvation, mocking 277 00:17:10,200 --> 00:17:14,300 Christ, mocking the judgment to come is proof that we are in the 278 00:17:14,300 --> 00:17:16,200 last days amongst many other proofs. 279 00:17:16,700 --> 00:17:21,900 And so he comes here to say, I want you to know that the 280 00:17:21,900 --> 00:17:25,900 scriptures tell us that there is a second coming, no matter what. 281 00:17:25,900 --> 00:17:30,400 Anybody else says we're in the last days and you might be 282 00:17:30,400 --> 00:17:33,200 asking, are we in the? Are we actually 2018 and last 283 00:17:33,200 --> 00:17:38,500 days and I say yes. Absolutely not because in my 284 00:17:38,500 --> 00:17:40,600 opinion, not because I'm predicting events and trying to 285 00:17:40,608 --> 00:17:43,100 tie them into this. No, because it's already said in 286 00:17:43,100 --> 00:17:47,200 the scriptures. You want to know one solid verse 287 00:17:47,200 --> 00:17:48,800 that tells us we're in the last days. 288 00:17:49,800 --> 00:17:53,800 In Acts chapter 2. When the Holy Spirit was poured 289 00:17:53,800 --> 00:17:55,900 out upon the church and the church was born. 290 00:17:57,600 --> 00:18:00,000 And Peter gives that magnificent sermon. 291 00:18:02,000 --> 00:18:08,700 It says in verse 16. Funny enough as people were kind 292 00:18:08,700 --> 00:18:13,200 of scoffing that they were like drunk men. in verse 16, he says 293 00:18:13,800 --> 00:18:18,100 but this is what was uttered through the prophet Joel and in 294 00:18:18,100 --> 00:18:24,100 the last days, It shall be God declares that I will pour out my 295 00:18:24,100 --> 00:18:27,200 spirit on All Flesh, and your sons and daughters shall 296 00:18:27,200 --> 00:18:29,700 prophesy, and your young men shall see visions and your old 297 00:18:29,700 --> 00:18:33,800 men shall dream dreams. The birth of the church 298 00:18:33,800 --> 00:18:38,400 inaugurated the last days. So we've been in the last days 299 00:18:38,400 --> 00:18:41,600 for the past 2000 years. Now, if it was the last days 300 00:18:41,600 --> 00:18:44,500 back, then, what do you think it's now, I'll tell you. 301 00:18:44,500 --> 00:18:49,300 It's a last seconds. We are in the last days. 302 00:18:50,200 --> 00:18:54,800 People might think otherwise, But it's true. 303 00:18:55,500 --> 00:18:57,500 Now, Peter inspired by the spirit will either give us 304 00:18:57,500 --> 00:19:00,400 insight to what these scoffers will say, their points of 305 00:19:00,400 --> 00:19:04,100 arguments of why this idea is foolishness and their site. 306 00:19:04,300 --> 00:19:06,300 They will say in verse 4 of second. 307 00:19:06,300 --> 00:19:10,700 Peter 3, where is the promise of his coming for ever since the 308 00:19:10,700 --> 00:19:13,300 father's fell asleep? All things are continuing as 309 00:19:13,300 --> 00:19:15,900 they were from the beginning. So, let's chop this up a bit. 310 00:19:16,000 --> 00:19:18,300 The first thing that they're going to say, to criticize this 311 00:19:18,300 --> 00:19:23,400 concept and this Doctrine, and this truth, this event Is that 312 00:19:23,400 --> 00:19:27,900 they will point out the apparent delay of his return. 313 00:19:28,500 --> 00:19:34,500 Why is he waiting so long? What's been happening this past 314 00:19:34,500 --> 00:19:37,000 2000 years and they might even point out the fact that the 315 00:19:37,000 --> 00:19:41,300 apostles and the early Believers at this time believe that Jesus 316 00:19:41,300 --> 00:19:43,100 was going to return in their day. 317 00:19:46,000 --> 00:19:47,400 So they believe that it didn't happen. 318 00:19:47,400 --> 00:19:49,300 So what makes you think it's going to happen in your day? 319 00:19:51,100 --> 00:19:55,000 And so they will look at the apparent delay and say it seems 320 00:19:55,000 --> 00:19:56,500 like it's not going to happen, is it? 321 00:19:57,900 --> 00:20:00,100 Every generation of Christians, have been saying that there's 322 00:20:00,100 --> 00:20:01,800 going to be a return of Christ in their day. 323 00:20:02,400 --> 00:20:04,500 It's true but one of them is going to be right. 324 00:20:06,200 --> 00:20:10,100 And here's the understanding Jesus intended for every 325 00:20:10,100 --> 00:20:12,100 generation of Christians to believe that he was going to 326 00:20:12,100 --> 00:20:14,900 return in their day. He intended that to happen. 327 00:20:15,500 --> 00:20:19,000 So you have the apostles that and Acts chapter 1 asking Jesus, 328 00:20:19,200 --> 00:20:20,900 right before he's going to ascend in verse 6. 329 00:20:21,300 --> 00:20:25,000 Lord is this the time where you're going to restore the 330 00:20:25,000 --> 00:20:28,100 Kingdom of Israel? So they're asking for the time, 331 00:20:28,500 --> 00:20:32,000 you know how the Lord answers amazingly verse 7, you can just 332 00:20:32,000 --> 00:20:34,900 hear this, he said to them. It is not for you to know the 333 00:20:34,900 --> 00:20:38,600 times or Seasons at the Others, fixed by his own authority says, 334 00:20:38,600 --> 00:20:42,100 it's not for you to know. For you to know the dates and 335 00:20:42,108 --> 00:20:43,700 the times that try to predict it. 336 00:20:43,800 --> 00:20:46,200 Don't waste your time. Don't waste your efforts. 337 00:20:46,200 --> 00:20:50,200 God knows in his wisdom. Imagine he did reveal the time 338 00:20:50,200 --> 00:20:51,700 he was coming. What would it be? 339 00:20:51,700 --> 00:20:55,100 Like for all these Generations that just passed the apathy in 340 00:20:55,100 --> 00:20:57,400 the laziness and the carelessness I would come. 341 00:20:57,700 --> 00:20:59,700 He knew in his wisdom not to reveal it. 342 00:20:59,700 --> 00:21:03,300 So what he's saying, verse verse a but the holy spirit will come 343 00:21:03,300 --> 00:21:06,300 to you and give you power. You go and preach. 344 00:21:06,300 --> 00:21:08,000 Don't get so caught up in all this stuff. 345 00:21:08,000 --> 00:21:10,700 Go and make disciples go and plant churches. 346 00:21:10,800 --> 00:21:13,200 Go and spread the good news go and bear fruit. 347 00:21:13,200 --> 00:21:14,900 That's how you. And I have to live in light of 348 00:21:14,900 --> 00:21:16,500 the revelation of the second coming. 349 00:21:17,000 --> 00:21:18,500 Not sitting in our basement, going to figure out. 350 00:21:18,700 --> 00:21:20,700 Do this event looking at the news and trying to tie it to a 351 00:21:20,700 --> 00:21:23,500 verse. Oh Jesus don't even waste your 352 00:21:23,500 --> 00:21:27,200 time. Jesus in his wisdom intended for 353 00:21:27,200 --> 00:21:29,900 every generation to live with the expectation that he can come 354 00:21:29,900 --> 00:21:36,900 back, even while you're having lunch after this service. and it 355 00:21:36,908 --> 00:21:41,100 says, here in the second part of their argument, For ever since 356 00:21:41,100 --> 00:21:44,400 the father's fell asleep, all things are continuing as they 357 00:21:44,400 --> 00:21:45,800 were from the beginning of creation. 358 00:21:45,800 --> 00:21:49,600 Next, they will point out the timeline of History. 359 00:21:50,900 --> 00:21:53,700 And they will make the observation that it's always 360 00:21:53,700 --> 00:21:55,600 been the same since the beginning. 361 00:21:56,900 --> 00:21:59,800 So Jesus said that part of the signs and part of the things 362 00:21:59,800 --> 00:22:01,900 that will show that we are near the end, is that there's going 363 00:22:01,900 --> 00:22:05,500 to be famines and rumors of war and diseases, and pestilence, 364 00:22:05,500 --> 00:22:07,600 and all these different things. And here's the counter argument 365 00:22:07,600 --> 00:22:09,600 for the scoffer, that's always been happening. 366 00:22:11,700 --> 00:22:13,600 There's always been earthquakes and there's always been natural 367 00:22:13,600 --> 00:22:15,600 disasters. We've always had bumps of 368 00:22:15,600 --> 00:22:17,500 history and history and look where we are right? 369 00:22:17,500 --> 00:22:19,300 We're just fine it's just a cycle. 370 00:22:19,500 --> 00:22:21,400 It's been the same since the beginning of time. 371 00:22:22,800 --> 00:22:26,500 And in fact, they might add to this, that there's nothing major 372 00:22:26,500 --> 00:22:28,700 that has occurred. That would indicate the Lord 373 00:22:28,700 --> 00:22:31,300 coming. Our society's developing. 374 00:22:31,800 --> 00:22:33,700 We are advancing in our technology. 375 00:22:33,900 --> 00:22:37,900 Unity amongst Nations becoming more of a reality and inventions 376 00:22:37,900 --> 00:22:40,000 are coming along that are improving the way of life. 377 00:22:41,000 --> 00:22:44,700 And so even this, cause of like Jesus, bodily returning, and 378 00:22:44,800 --> 00:22:48,800 coming to judge that sounds. So medieval That sounds so 379 00:22:48,800 --> 00:22:52,300 cinematic and so imaginative. How can you think in this day 380 00:22:52,300 --> 00:22:54,100 that there's actually going to be a return? 381 00:22:57,900 --> 00:23:00,100 Peter now wants to answer those things. 382 00:23:01,700 --> 00:23:05,300 In verse 5, he criticizes the critics. 383 00:23:07,500 --> 00:23:10,900 For they deliberately overlook this fact. 384 00:23:11,600 --> 00:23:15,600 In other words, if they really wanted proof, they have this 385 00:23:15,600 --> 00:23:19,800 proof which Peters about the described but they deliberately 386 00:23:19,800 --> 00:23:23,100 overlooked it. They don't want to believe it. 387 00:23:23,100 --> 00:23:26,100 They choose to turn a blind eye to this reality. 388 00:23:26,100 --> 00:23:30,400 That points to the fact that judgment is going to come Christ 389 00:23:30,400 --> 00:23:33,800 is going to actually return. And what is he pointing to the 390 00:23:33,800 --> 00:23:37,200 flood? They deliberately overlook this 391 00:23:37,200 --> 00:23:40,900 fact that the heavens existed long ago and the earth was 392 00:23:40,900 --> 00:23:44,500 formed out of water and through Water, by the word of God, and 393 00:23:44,500 --> 00:23:47,200 that by means of these the world, then that existed was 394 00:23:47,200 --> 00:23:49,300 they lose with water and perished. 395 00:23:50,900 --> 00:23:53,200 It's no wonder that these events in the Old Testament. 396 00:23:53,200 --> 00:23:55,700 You have even professing Believers that want to point to 397 00:23:55,700 --> 00:23:58,400 these Supernatural events and say that it's allegory. 398 00:23:59,400 --> 00:24:03,200 And say that it's just stories to give a meaning, that there's 399 00:24:03,200 --> 00:24:05,100 no way that there could have been this and that. 400 00:24:05,100 --> 00:24:07,900 Are you kidding me? And I find it amazing that the 401 00:24:07,900 --> 00:24:12,700 stories that modern-day Skeptics criticize are the stories that 402 00:24:12,700 --> 00:24:17,000 Jesus validated the most. A man being swallowed up by a 403 00:24:17,008 --> 00:24:19,100 fish. Come on. 404 00:24:19,200 --> 00:24:22,100 And Jesus says, you're going to receive the sign of Jonah. 405 00:24:22,500 --> 00:24:23,800 That's the only sign you're getting. 406 00:24:25,600 --> 00:24:28,900 What were the days of the end be like, what did Jesus say as were 407 00:24:28,900 --> 00:24:32,200 the days of Noah? Do you know why I can believe 408 00:24:32,200 --> 00:24:34,800 these stories are true as historical narratives despite 409 00:24:34,800 --> 00:24:37,100 the world mocking it? Because Jesus believed it. 410 00:24:38,000 --> 00:24:40,200 Jesus believed that these were historical narratives. 411 00:24:40,700 --> 00:24:43,800 You didn't use these as allegorical, stories and 412 00:24:43,800 --> 00:24:45,400 metaphors. No, he said these things 413 00:24:45,400 --> 00:24:47,000 actually happen. In fact, it's going to repeat 414 00:24:47,000 --> 00:24:49,500 itself. What did he say? 415 00:24:49,500 --> 00:24:52,400 Matthew 24:37, you have to turn there. 416 00:24:52,400 --> 00:24:55,400 Just hear these words for as were the days of Noah. 417 00:24:55,900 --> 00:24:59,900 So will the coming of the son of man for as in those days before 418 00:24:59,900 --> 00:25:03,100 the flood, they were eating and drinking marrying and giving in 419 00:25:03,100 --> 00:25:07,000 marriage until the day when Noah entered the Ark and they were 420 00:25:07,000 --> 00:25:09,500 unaware until the flood came and swept them all away. 421 00:25:09,900 --> 00:25:12,200 So, will be the coming of the son of man? 422 00:25:12,300 --> 00:25:16,000 What will the days of Noah be like People are going to go out 423 00:25:16,000 --> 00:25:19,900 to eat at restaurants. They're going to enjoy meals. 424 00:25:20,800 --> 00:25:22,400 People are going to be planning to get married. 425 00:25:22,400 --> 00:25:23,600 People are going to have families. 426 00:25:23,600 --> 00:25:26,800 People are going to enjoy life. But you know what, though, 427 00:25:26,800 --> 00:25:29,100 people have plans in this life, though, people are enjoying 428 00:25:29,100 --> 00:25:32,000 their life. None of that will stop what God 429 00:25:32,000 --> 00:25:35,000 had ordained in his schedule. His prophetic timeline of the 430 00:25:35,000 --> 00:25:39,300 return of Christ. Jesus pointed back to the days 431 00:25:39,300 --> 00:25:43,600 of Noah as much as it was violent it was violent as much 432 00:25:43,600 --> 00:25:47,000 as it was sexually perverse. There is normal activities going 433 00:25:47,000 --> 00:25:48,800 on. We think that when the second 434 00:25:48,800 --> 00:25:50,900 coming Santa come, it's going to be already like this. 435 00:25:50,900 --> 00:25:53,200 Apocalyptic kind of thing, things are going to go down. 436 00:25:53,200 --> 00:25:55,100 Oh no he says people are going to be marrying each other 437 00:25:55,700 --> 00:25:57,700 looking at families. They're going to go out on 438 00:25:57,700 --> 00:25:59,700 vacations. They're going to go and finish 439 00:25:59,700 --> 00:26:02,300 their degree. And this is when Jesus is going 440 00:26:02,300 --> 00:26:06,300 to come back in the midst of all your plans, in the midst of all 441 00:26:06,300 --> 00:26:09,100 your desires. In the midst of all those things 442 00:26:09,100 --> 00:26:11,500 in the middle of your pregnancy, Jesus is coming back. 443 00:26:16,000 --> 00:26:20,900 So Jesus. Validated these stories. 444 00:26:21,100 --> 00:26:26,500 And Peter wants to say, listen, if God judge the world before, 445 00:26:26,900 --> 00:26:29,200 what makes you think that he's not going to do it again? 446 00:26:30,900 --> 00:26:33,200 And the only difference between God's judgement back then and 447 00:26:33,200 --> 00:26:36,000 God's judgment to come is that he's just going to change the 448 00:26:36,000 --> 00:26:40,500 element of his judgment before it was water, but now he's 449 00:26:40,500 --> 00:26:44,400 storing up fire. In fact, what does it say here 450 00:26:45,000 --> 00:26:49,400 verse 7, but by the same word, what word the word that spoke 451 00:26:49,400 --> 00:26:54,500 water into existence. The word that created the Earth. 452 00:26:55,500 --> 00:26:59,700 he says that same word, the heavens in the earth that now 453 00:26:59,700 --> 00:27:02,900 exists are stored up for fire. The only thing that is holding 454 00:27:02,900 --> 00:27:07,700 back this world as you and I know it from being consumed in 455 00:27:07,700 --> 00:27:11,400 Flames is that God hasn't spoken for it to come to pass. 456 00:27:13,100 --> 00:27:15,600 And in the midst of all this scoffing, and all the mocking on 457 00:27:15,600 --> 00:27:18,800 all the late night, TV shows that spit in the face of Christ. 458 00:27:20,500 --> 00:27:23,500 And all the loudness of all of it. 459 00:27:24,400 --> 00:27:28,800 God is keeping his mouth shut. but then one day God will open 460 00:27:28,800 --> 00:27:33,900 his mouth and when he says the word, All for a sudden just like 461 00:27:33,900 --> 00:27:35,700 that flood. People are going to be swept up 462 00:27:35,700 --> 00:27:42,100 into judgment. It says here, that they scoffed. 463 00:27:43,900 --> 00:27:45,400 And what else? There was a second description 464 00:27:45,400 --> 00:27:47,900 of what these kind of people were they scoffed? 465 00:27:50,100 --> 00:27:52,900 And verse three following their own sinful desires. 466 00:27:54,700 --> 00:27:58,900 I'm a firm believer that the fact that we have diluted this 467 00:27:58,900 --> 00:28:03,100 understanding of the second coming of Christ has increased 468 00:28:03,600 --> 00:28:10,300 the wickedness in our day. Do you want to know why? 469 00:28:10,300 --> 00:28:12,100 There's so much murder in the city? 470 00:28:13,600 --> 00:28:15,800 Do you want to know why there's so much sex trafficking in our 471 00:28:15,800 --> 00:28:17,700 world? Do you want to know why? 472 00:28:17,700 --> 00:28:19,900 There's so much chaos. I'll give you one reason why 473 00:28:19,900 --> 00:28:23,200 there's a contribution to that because people have lost the 474 00:28:23,200 --> 00:28:29,000 fear of God. And they do not know, you know 475 00:28:29,000 --> 00:28:31,700 what they do know, they know that God is forgiving go to 476 00:28:31,700 --> 00:28:35,100 anybody on the street and ask them how they know they'll go to 477 00:28:35,100 --> 00:28:36,800 heaven. Anyway, I'm talking about people 478 00:28:36,800 --> 00:28:40,800 that don't go to church and you ask them that if you were to 479 00:28:40,800 --> 00:28:42,700 stand before God and you bring the law and you show them that 480 00:28:42,700 --> 00:28:45,800 they will be guilty even if they just lied or whatever and you 481 00:28:45,800 --> 00:28:48,600 ask them. Well, you just clearly admitted 482 00:28:48,600 --> 00:28:50,700 that you broke, you've lied. You look at a woman with lust 483 00:28:50,700 --> 00:28:52,200 that you are guilty before God. So how are you? 484 00:28:52,200 --> 00:28:53,100 How are you can have eternal life? 485 00:28:53,100 --> 00:28:56,400 You know what they'll say, take it from a guy who talked to So 486 00:28:56,400 --> 00:28:57,800 many people on the streets about this. 487 00:28:58,000 --> 00:29:00,000 They'll look at you say, well God is forgiving. 488 00:29:03,500 --> 00:29:06,400 He is forgiving but when you've reached that point you've cut 489 00:29:06,400 --> 00:29:08,200 off your opportunity to receive forgiveness. 490 00:29:09,800 --> 00:29:13,800 We've lost the fear of God, we've lost this concept of the 491 00:29:13,800 --> 00:29:17,000 god, that we worship. And because of that people 492 00:29:17,000 --> 00:29:21,100 willfully continue in their sin and part of their scoffing is to 493 00:29:21,100 --> 00:29:25,200 numb them is to numb them from the conviction of their way of 494 00:29:25,200 --> 00:29:27,900 life. So they scoff so that they can 495 00:29:27,900 --> 00:29:32,700 continue in their sin. Being kept until the day. 496 00:29:32,700 --> 00:29:36,100 The second part of verse 7 of judgment and destruction of the 497 00:29:36,100 --> 00:29:38,800 ungodly. So, this is the argument of 498 00:29:38,800 --> 00:29:43,000 these people who criticize this truth, And Peter now turns his 499 00:29:43,000 --> 00:29:46,300 attention to the Believers. So he points out what these 500 00:29:46,300 --> 00:29:47,900 scoffers will say and he goes you know what, those are the 501 00:29:47,900 --> 00:29:49,300 scoffers. Now let me turn to you 502 00:29:49,300 --> 00:29:51,500 Christians, let me give you some words of exhortation. 503 00:29:51,600 --> 00:29:55,200 Let me bring up some clarity to you concerning this idea of 504 00:29:55,200 --> 00:29:58,800 Jesus returning. Again look at verse a But do not 505 00:29:58,800 --> 00:30:02,300 overlook this one. Fact beloved that with the Lord, 506 00:30:02,300 --> 00:30:05,300 one day is as a thousand years and a thousand years as one day. 507 00:30:06,600 --> 00:30:09,600 So these scoffers look at you and they say it's been 2000 508 00:30:09,600 --> 00:30:12,000 years. These scoffers will look at you 509 00:30:12,000 --> 00:30:15,900 say it's been so long and they failed to realize amongst many 510 00:30:15,900 --> 00:30:18,100 other things. They fail to realize that our 511 00:30:18,100 --> 00:30:20,400 perception of time is not God's perception of time. 512 00:30:21,000 --> 00:30:24,000 How time affects us. Is not the way the time affects 513 00:30:24,000 --> 00:30:26,200 God. In fact, A Thousand Years them 514 00:30:26,200 --> 00:30:29,400 is like a day in a Day is Like A Thousand Years time does not 515 00:30:29,400 --> 00:30:32,700 have any influence on our God, and if we use that and we kind 516 00:30:32,700 --> 00:30:34,700 of do the math, it's been 2000 years for us. 517 00:30:34,700 --> 00:30:39,100 It feels like two days for God. All the things that has happened 518 00:30:39,100 --> 00:30:41,300 in history. All the, all the events, all the 519 00:30:41,300 --> 00:30:43,700 lifetimes that have been lived, all the saints of old, all the 520 00:30:43,700 --> 00:30:47,300 craziness, all the Wars, all of that to god, it feels like 521 00:30:47,300 --> 00:30:49,500 nothing but to use this kind of argument to use this kind of 522 00:30:49,500 --> 00:30:55,900 expression. It's been like two days. and we 523 00:30:55,908 --> 00:30:59,500 see here that he points out that these people fail to realize 524 00:31:00,200 --> 00:31:04,400 that in fact God's apparent slowness is actually the 525 00:31:04,400 --> 00:31:09,700 expression of his long-suffering They fail to realize that God 526 00:31:09,700 --> 00:31:12,600 lives in a different realm and they failed to realize that this 527 00:31:12,600 --> 00:31:14,900 apparent slowness, the fact that it has been two thousand acres, 528 00:31:14,900 --> 00:31:17,000 maybe we've even thought that ourselves, it's been kind of 529 00:31:17,000 --> 00:31:22,000 long. Why so long and Peter says, you 530 00:31:22,000 --> 00:31:24,900 want to know why it's been 2000 years after this point? 531 00:31:24,900 --> 00:31:29,800 Not 2000, but for us verse 9, the Lord is not slow to fulfill 532 00:31:29,800 --> 00:31:32,400 his promise as some count slowness. 533 00:31:33,500 --> 00:31:37,100 But is patient toward you. Not wishing that, any should 534 00:31:37,100 --> 00:31:39,900 perish but that all should reach repentance. 535 00:31:42,700 --> 00:31:45,400 You might be tired this morning. You might be weary in the flesh. 536 00:31:45,500 --> 00:31:49,100 But know this, the reason that you and I have another day to 537 00:31:49,100 --> 00:31:52,000 live today is because God desires for some people to 538 00:31:52,000 --> 00:31:55,900 repent today. Maybe in this room. 539 00:31:56,500 --> 00:31:59,500 Definitely in the city, definitely around this world. 540 00:31:59,500 --> 00:32:02,800 The only reason why there is another day amongst. 541 00:32:02,800 --> 00:32:04,100 Yes, his grace and everything else. 542 00:32:04,100 --> 00:32:07,600 But here's what I see here. God is still waiting for people 543 00:32:07,600 --> 00:32:13,900 to repent this morning. He's waiting for somebody to get 544 00:32:13,900 --> 00:32:18,300 into turn and I see here a God that doesn't want some saved. 545 00:32:18,300 --> 00:32:21,800 He wants all saved. I don't see God here. 546 00:32:21,800 --> 00:32:26,000 That's looking to judge. He is the lighting and mercy 547 00:32:26,000 --> 00:32:30,300 more than his wrath. I see God here that as much as 548 00:32:30,300 --> 00:32:34,700 he does want to be one with his bride in the fullness. 549 00:32:35,100 --> 00:32:37,500 He still waiting for people to be added to the bride. 550 00:32:38,200 --> 00:32:41,200 This is a god of compassion and here's these scoffers mocking. 551 00:32:41,200 --> 00:32:44,200 The fact that he's in return and what is the revelation we have? 552 00:32:44,300 --> 00:32:46,100 It's because he's waiting for you to repent. 553 00:32:46,100 --> 00:32:51,700 That's why And so we think it's been 2000 years it's been a long 554 00:32:51,700 --> 00:32:53,300 time. But what's 2000 years in light 555 00:32:53,300 --> 00:33:00,300 of Eternity in hell So, God knows. 556 00:33:01,300 --> 00:33:05,500 And God Waits, and there is a time in which God's justice must 557 00:33:05,500 --> 00:33:08,300 be satisfied. And he will speak the word and 558 00:33:08,300 --> 00:33:14,000 Christ will return. But that day is being held back 559 00:33:14,000 --> 00:33:19,000 by one thing, his long-suffering And he calls and appoints 560 00:33:19,000 --> 00:33:21,800 preachers of righteousness. During this time, what is it 561 00:33:21,800 --> 00:33:22,900 saying? Second Peter 2, you don't have 562 00:33:22,900 --> 00:33:25,800 to turn there. That Noah was a preacher of 563 00:33:25,800 --> 00:33:29,600 righteousness. Anybody in here that's feeling 564 00:33:29,600 --> 00:33:32,500 called to be a preacher to any degree weather, full-time, or 565 00:33:32,500 --> 00:33:34,000 part-time. Know this be a preacher of 566 00:33:34,000 --> 00:33:37,500 righteousness, we don't have much of that today, most of his 567 00:33:37,500 --> 00:33:40,100 pop psychology, most of us how you can feel good about yourself 568 00:33:40,200 --> 00:33:43,800 and what was Noah's preaching in light of knowing that the flood 569 00:33:43,800 --> 00:33:46,100 was coming righteousness. What is it? 570 00:33:46,100 --> 00:33:48,600 And let a New Covenant that you don't have righteousness that 571 00:33:48,600 --> 00:33:52,400 you need Christ's righteousness? That you need his imputed 572 00:33:52,400 --> 00:33:55,400 Perfection into your account. What is it to the believer who 573 00:33:55,400 --> 00:33:57,400 has put his faith in Christ's righteousness? 574 00:33:57,400 --> 00:34:00,900 How live righteously and live. Holy and light of the second 575 00:34:00,900 --> 00:34:04,700 coming. Righteousness was no, esteemed 576 00:34:04,700 --> 00:34:06,800 preaching and this is God's desire for those who want to 577 00:34:06,800 --> 00:34:09,800 share their faith, especially behind the pulpit. 578 00:34:10,800 --> 00:34:14,600 This is amazing. Because if we want to learn 579 00:34:14,600 --> 00:34:17,000 something about the second coming, even from Enochs 580 00:34:17,000 --> 00:34:20,300 prophecy, we learn a lot that God even from the beginning has 581 00:34:20,300 --> 00:34:24,900 uttered His desire and his set appointed moment where he will 582 00:34:24,900 --> 00:34:27,800 judge from Genesis chapter 5 through Enoch. 583 00:34:27,800 --> 00:34:30,000 But there's something else about Enochs life that we learn. 584 00:34:30,100 --> 00:34:31,300 And some of you were here last Sunday. 585 00:34:31,300 --> 00:34:33,800 When we talked about this casually after the service, go 586 00:34:33,800 --> 00:34:36,100 to Genesis chapter 5 and realize something about the life of 587 00:34:36,100 --> 00:34:38,699 Enoch. That is so very relevant for us 588 00:34:39,400 --> 00:34:44,100 in the beginning. Genesis chapter 5. 589 00:34:45,400 --> 00:34:57,300 Verse 21. Chapter 5 speaks of the 590 00:34:57,300 --> 00:34:59,400 generations of Adam to descendants of Adam. 591 00:35:01,500 --> 00:35:05,000 And only one in Genesis chapter 5 is mentioned to have walked 592 00:35:05,000 --> 00:35:11,700 with God only 1 Enoch, it says simply that Enoch had lived 65 593 00:35:11,700 --> 00:35:14,700 years. He fathered Methuselah Enoch 594 00:35:14,700 --> 00:35:19,200 walked with God, after he fathered Methuselah 300 years. 595 00:35:20,100 --> 00:35:23,500 So there's an indication here, that Methuselah after he was 596 00:35:23,500 --> 00:35:28,000 born, something there with his birth and raising him up cause 597 00:35:28,000 --> 00:35:30,500 the Enoch to want to walk with God. 598 00:35:31,900 --> 00:35:36,800 What was it about fathering Methuselah that provoked? 599 00:35:36,800 --> 00:35:41,700 Enoch to say, I want to walk with the Lord. now we know from 600 00:35:41,700 --> 00:35:45,200 Jude that clearly Enoch had received some kind of prophetic 601 00:35:45,200 --> 00:35:49,500 Revelation throughout his life And I believe here that Enoch 602 00:35:49,500 --> 00:35:53,300 had received Revelation, not just at the second coming but 603 00:35:53,300 --> 00:35:57,000 Enoch had received revelation of the flood and the Judgment. 604 00:35:57,000 --> 00:35:59,800 I was going to come in his day. How do you know? 605 00:36:00,700 --> 00:36:03,400 Remember, it's just that after he fathered Methuselah he walked 606 00:36:03,400 --> 00:36:05,000 with God. Now, here's the interesting 607 00:36:05,000 --> 00:36:08,200 thing. The named Methuselah means when 608 00:36:08,200 --> 00:36:13,600 he dies it shall come, that's what Methuselah means. 609 00:36:14,200 --> 00:36:17,500 When he dies. It shall come. 610 00:36:18,500 --> 00:36:23,900 And with that revelation, You knock says, I'm gonna walk with 611 00:36:23,900 --> 00:36:30,400 God. if you do the math, some believe that if you do the math, 612 00:36:30,500 --> 00:36:34,600 very carefully when Methuselah died is exactly when the flood 613 00:36:34,600 --> 00:36:40,200 occurred, And so, here's the, here's the application that with 614 00:36:40,200 --> 00:36:46,100 the Revelation that Methuselah was a prophetic time clock of 615 00:36:46,100 --> 00:36:50,000 God's judgment In the Flesh, it caused Enoch to say, I'm going 616 00:36:50,000 --> 00:36:55,700 to walk closely to the Lord. That is significant, that is 617 00:36:55,700 --> 00:36:58,800 very significant. Because Peter is going to use 618 00:36:58,800 --> 00:37:01,400 that same motivation for Christians to live in a certain 619 00:37:01,400 --> 00:37:04,400 way in light of the coming judgment for Christians. 620 00:37:06,500 --> 00:37:08,900 Here's the most amazing thing about Enoch and Methuselah 621 00:37:09,200 --> 00:37:12,200 Methuselah is the longest living, man recorded in the 622 00:37:12,200 --> 00:37:18,600 Bible. 969 years, meaning? What that God does not desire to 623 00:37:18,600 --> 00:37:21,100 give judgment. He prolonged it as long as 624 00:37:21,100 --> 00:37:24,000 possible through Methuselah's life. 625 00:37:25,000 --> 00:37:28,700 That he extended his years as long as possible, until he 626 00:37:28,700 --> 00:37:29,600 brought judgment. Why? 627 00:37:29,600 --> 00:37:31,100 Because he doesn't want to do it. 628 00:37:31,700 --> 00:37:34,900 Yes, he does in the satisfaction of his justice but knowing that 629 00:37:34,900 --> 00:37:38,700 those would be destroyed and Lyda he waited he waited as long 630 00:37:38,700 --> 00:37:41,500 as he could before he actually Unleashed. 631 00:37:42,300 --> 00:37:48,800 His judgment. So Enoch walked with God 632 00:37:49,500 --> 00:37:52,100 implying, what Walking with God? He didn't visit God, like so 633 00:37:52,100 --> 00:37:55,900 many Christians do today. He walked with God daily 634 00:37:56,200 --> 00:37:59,700 intimately, conversationally, including him in All matters. 635 00:38:01,800 --> 00:38:05,200 And Peter. Comes back here because he has 636 00:38:05,200 --> 00:38:09,800 some applications for us. Application for the 637 00:38:09,800 --> 00:38:13,000 non-believer. Clearly is to repent to 638 00:38:13,000 --> 00:38:16,400 recognize the love of God, and to turn towards him before. 639 00:38:16,400 --> 00:38:17,700 It's too late. Because you know what? 640 00:38:17,700 --> 00:38:23,900 You and I don't have that Enoch had, we don't have a time clock 641 00:38:24,000 --> 00:38:28,000 in the flesh, like Methuselah to realize that God could be coming 642 00:38:28,000 --> 00:38:30,900 in Judgment at any time. Can you imagine how that was 643 00:38:30,900 --> 00:38:33,500 like for Enoch that every time with Lucilla had a cold or was 644 00:38:33,500 --> 00:38:35,300 really sick? He goes oh it could be happening 645 00:38:35,300 --> 00:38:38,400 today. Methuselah sick today. 646 00:38:38,400 --> 00:38:41,500 He's not looking very well. God are you coming to walk close 647 00:38:41,500 --> 00:38:45,400 to you more than ever? You don't have that. 648 00:38:45,400 --> 00:38:49,600 You know what you have today? You only have today if you don't 649 00:38:49,600 --> 00:38:52,200 know Christ, in this place, you only have today if you're a 650 00:38:52,207 --> 00:38:53,900 professing Believer, but you're not truly born. 651 00:38:53,900 --> 00:38:58,100 Again, you only have today. There's no clues that God is 652 00:38:58,100 --> 00:39:01,300 going to give you. There's no prophetic name that 653 00:39:01,300 --> 00:39:03,100 he's going to give you for your future son or daughter. 654 00:39:03,200 --> 00:39:09,000 No, you only have today. But there's an application for 655 00:39:09,000 --> 00:39:12,200 the believer. Look at verse 17 of second 656 00:39:12,200 --> 00:39:16,500 Peter, chapter 3. Look how Peter concludes his 657 00:39:16,500 --> 00:39:20,500 letter. You therefore beloved, he's 658 00:39:20,500 --> 00:39:23,100 talking to Believers and look how tenderly this man is 659 00:39:23,100 --> 00:39:27,900 speaking to them. Beloved Knowing this beforehand, 660 00:39:27,900 --> 00:39:32,200 take care that you are not carried away with the error of 661 00:39:32,200 --> 00:39:35,200 Lawless people and lose your own stability. 662 00:39:37,000 --> 00:39:41,100 Knowing this beforehand, don't lose your stability. 663 00:39:43,000 --> 00:39:47,000 John writes it in this way and 2nd John 8, watch yourselves. 664 00:39:47,700 --> 00:39:51,000 How this is amazing, watch yourselves so that you may not 665 00:39:51,000 --> 00:39:54,500 lose what we have worked for, but may win a full reward. 666 00:39:55,700 --> 00:40:00,200 He says two things, two words that can be a sermon in itself. 667 00:40:00,400 --> 00:40:05,400 Watch yourselves. Don't let your mind gets stale 668 00:40:05,400 --> 00:40:09,900 now. Don't get carried away by life. 669 00:40:11,100 --> 00:40:16,400 Don't lose this truth. Jesus is coming back. 670 00:40:17,700 --> 00:40:19,400 Don't get influenced by other people. 671 00:40:19,600 --> 00:40:22,200 Don't believe the scoffers don't get so caught up in the way 672 00:40:22,200 --> 00:40:24,500 societies developing and how there's new things out there to 673 00:40:24,500 --> 00:40:26,400 distract you from the call of God on your life. 674 00:40:26,900 --> 00:40:31,400 Don't forfeit the full reward. Now we know in Christ because 675 00:40:31,400 --> 00:40:33,900 we're in Christ the judgment to come does not affect us know. 676 00:40:34,000 --> 00:40:36,400 But in Christ yes there is a judgment for us in the way we 677 00:40:36,400 --> 00:40:38,600 live their lives and this is what he's talking about here. 678 00:40:38,900 --> 00:40:43,400 Don't forfeit it, don't forfeit. Don't press the, here's my word, 679 00:40:43,400 --> 00:40:49,300 this morning to this church. Don't lose your stability. 680 00:40:52,900 --> 00:40:56,500 You stay close to him. You do whatever you need to do, 681 00:40:56,500 --> 00:40:59,600 to stir your yourself up and way of reminder, that Jesus is 682 00:40:59,600 --> 00:41:00,900 coming back. Can I ask you an honest 683 00:41:00,900 --> 00:41:03,000 question, how often do you meditate on that? 684 00:41:04,400 --> 00:41:05,900 In the midst of all the things that you think about in the 685 00:41:05,908 --> 00:41:08,600 midst of all your meditations, when was the last time that you 686 00:41:08,600 --> 00:41:10,600 just sat there, even for a moment, even on your way to work 687 00:41:10,600 --> 00:41:12,500 in the car. You know, Jesus can come back 688 00:41:12,500 --> 00:41:15,300 and split the sky open right now as I'm holding my coffee to 689 00:41:15,300 --> 00:41:19,100 work. Has it ever occurred to us? 690 00:41:21,400 --> 00:41:25,100 He's going to come back bodily. And we're going to see him 691 00:41:25,100 --> 00:41:27,600 face-to-face. Him become like him as he is. 692 00:41:29,800 --> 00:41:31,800 Where does that fit in our day-to-day routine? 693 00:41:34,200 --> 00:41:36,900 Don't lose your own stability. Don't forfeit the reward. 694 00:41:39,500 --> 00:41:41,300 How do I not lose my stability doll? 695 00:41:42,600 --> 00:41:46,500 By just remembering the fact that Jesus is coming back Verse 696 00:41:46,500 --> 00:41:51,200 18 is the antidote, but grow in the grace and knowledge of our 697 00:41:51,200 --> 00:41:56,100 Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. Listen, there are only two 698 00:41:56,100 --> 00:41:57,800 directions in the Christian walk, and you've heard this 699 00:41:57,800 --> 00:42:00,700 before. If you're not going forward in 700 00:42:00,700 --> 00:42:03,100 Christ, you're automatically going to lose your stability. 701 00:42:04,600 --> 00:42:07,200 You're automatically going to just just think of it this way, 702 00:42:07,400 --> 00:42:13,000 that there's only grow or go. And the moment you and I lose 703 00:42:13,000 --> 00:42:16,800 the ambition to grow in Grace and grow in the knowledge of 704 00:42:16,800 --> 00:42:20,800 Jesus is the moment. We open ourselves up to being 705 00:42:20,800 --> 00:42:25,800 pushed over and losing our centeredness and Christ losing 706 00:42:25,800 --> 00:42:29,700 our Focus, losing our ambition, losing that Zeal, it's grow you 707 00:42:29,700 --> 00:42:32,700 and I must invest in growing in Grace, not talking about the 708 00:42:32,700 --> 00:42:35,500 grace for salvation, talk about the grace for the power of God 709 00:42:35,500 --> 00:42:38,200 in our lives, the grace of the knowledge of our Lord Jesus 710 00:42:38,200 --> 00:42:41,300 Christ, knowing him more. What Paul said possessed him I 711 00:42:41,300 --> 00:42:45,700 must know him more. That is your protection from 712 00:42:45,700 --> 00:42:47,900 losing your stability. The moment. 713 00:42:47,900 --> 00:42:50,800 You feel like you've lost your desire to grow in the knowledge 714 00:42:50,800 --> 00:42:53,100 of Christ and growing grace is the moment you should have in a 715 00:42:53,300 --> 00:42:57,000 Alarm going off and fall on your face before God and say, oh God, 716 00:42:57,100 --> 00:42:59,400 this is not your will for me. I need you to help me. 717 00:42:59,800 --> 00:43:05,100 Give me that appetite again. So don't lose your aunt Cecilia. 718 00:43:05,100 --> 00:43:07,500 Well how do I do that? You just grow, you just keep 719 00:43:07,500 --> 00:43:09,700 feeding yourself, you just keep investing in your relationship 720 00:43:09,700 --> 00:43:13,100 with God and you will be protected from verse 17. 721 00:43:13,600 --> 00:43:15,600 Do you know how people get to verse 17? 722 00:43:15,600 --> 00:43:19,600 They stopped doing Verse 18. They stopped seeing the 723 00:43:19,600 --> 00:43:22,300 necessity, even the discipline of coming to the place where you 724 00:43:22,300 --> 00:43:24,200 saying I want to know more of his grace. 725 00:43:24,300 --> 00:43:27,200 I want to know more of him and the moment you lose that is the 726 00:43:27,200 --> 00:43:35,600 first step of losing stability. Enoch walked with God and it 727 00:43:35,600 --> 00:43:38,500 says something amazing about Enochs life that he walked with 728 00:43:38,500 --> 00:43:42,200 God in such a way where it says in Hebrews 11 that it pleased 729 00:43:42,200 --> 00:43:47,300 God and he was taken up. And I just I can't help but see 730 00:43:47,300 --> 00:43:51,000 that in a literal way that as she's literally Walking with God 731 00:43:51,600 --> 00:43:54,700 in a moment, he's walking with God and he walks into eternity. 732 00:43:57,800 --> 00:43:59,900 And that's how the Lord wants you. 733 00:43:59,900 --> 00:44:04,500 And I to live that you would stay close to him until you slip 734 00:44:04,500 --> 00:44:07,800 into that next life. Not to lose your instability and 735 00:44:07,808 --> 00:44:09,700 found on your face. And the Lord says what happened. 736 00:44:13,300 --> 00:44:15,600 I don't know about you but I want to walk into heaven. 737 00:44:17,500 --> 00:44:19,500 In a way in which I was conversing with the Lord before 738 00:44:19,500 --> 00:44:25,600 I got there. I don't want it to be this thing 739 00:44:25,600 --> 00:44:27,500 where I stand before him. It's like, oh Lord, I haven't 740 00:44:27,500 --> 00:44:30,400 talked to you in so long. And here I am standing before 741 00:44:30,400 --> 00:44:36,300 you I want to be translated into Glory knowing that just moments 742 00:44:36,300 --> 00:44:41,500 before that I was in the perfect will of God. and I lived a life, 743 00:44:41,600 --> 00:44:44,400 not for salvation, no, but in light of my salvation, that 744 00:44:44,400 --> 00:44:50,300 pleased him, Very short message today because I'm closing with 745 00:44:50,300 --> 00:44:58,600 this thought. The second coming of Christ. 746 00:44:59,900 --> 00:45:02,700 Has practical implications for you and me, and this is how you, 747 00:45:02,700 --> 00:45:05,900 and I know it. If you knew that Jesus was 748 00:45:05,900 --> 00:45:10,900 coming back tonight at 10 p.m. What changes would you make in 749 00:45:10,908 --> 00:45:16,400 your life right now? What changes would you make if 750 00:45:16,400 --> 00:45:19,500 you knew that Jesus Christ, gave you a Methuselah. 751 00:45:20,800 --> 00:45:25,300 I'm coming back at 10 tonight. Who do you have to forgive? 752 00:45:27,600 --> 00:45:29,400 Who do you have to forgive that? You have not forgiven you. 753 00:45:33,100 --> 00:45:35,000 What prayers? Have you not prayed yet? 754 00:45:37,200 --> 00:45:39,300 What fruit have you willingly held back? 755 00:45:39,500 --> 00:45:41,600 What gives have you held back from the Lord being used for his 756 00:45:41,600 --> 00:45:46,500 glory? What conversations should you be 757 00:45:46,500 --> 00:45:47,500 having that? You have an idea? 758 00:45:47,600 --> 00:45:50,400 Yes, I understand that. Listen, Peter is not promoting a 759 00:45:50,400 --> 00:45:52,700 way of living in such a way where you are, this Escapist 760 00:45:52,700 --> 00:45:55,300 mentality and you just hide yourself in your house and you 761 00:45:55,300 --> 00:45:56,700 don't do anything normal in society. 762 00:45:56,700 --> 00:46:00,500 No, no, the main ambition, that Peter has in mind by the holy 763 00:46:00,500 --> 00:46:03,100 spirit that you and I, in the context of our life with live, 764 00:46:03,100 --> 00:46:07,600 holy and expectant of the Lord, Go back to Second Peter and see 765 00:46:07,600 --> 00:46:11,100 how he describes it. Look at verse 11, a second Peter 766 00:46:11,100 --> 00:46:18,100 chapter 3. Since all these things are thus 767 00:46:18,100 --> 00:46:23,000 to be dissolved, what sort of people ought you to be in lives 768 00:46:23,000 --> 00:46:26,500 of Holiness and godliness such a beautiful picture. 769 00:46:26,600 --> 00:46:28,700 It's kind of terrifying, but it's beautiful the same time. 770 00:46:28,800 --> 00:46:32,800 He goes, listen, God is coming and holy fire and it's literally 771 00:46:32,800 --> 00:46:34,800 going to melt all the elements of the world. 772 00:46:35,400 --> 00:46:38,800 And he goes since these things are going to be dissolved, what 773 00:46:38,800 --> 00:46:42,700 kind of life should you live? It's kind of a humorous thing to 774 00:46:42,700 --> 00:46:44,700 some of us we might have even joked about it before but it's 775 00:46:44,700 --> 00:46:46,900 true you know that phone. That you're so obsessed with. 776 00:46:46,900 --> 00:46:51,300 It's going to burn up one day. You know, that car that you're 777 00:46:51,300 --> 00:46:54,300 living your life for to buy one day, it's going to turn into 778 00:46:54,300 --> 00:46:58,000 mush. That house that you've so 779 00:46:58,000 --> 00:47:00,800 focused on its going to turn it to powder. 780 00:47:01,600 --> 00:47:04,200 This is what he's saying. Everything in this world is 781 00:47:04,200 --> 00:47:07,700 going to dissolve. Now, again, he's not promoting a 782 00:47:07,700 --> 00:47:11,700 Hermit lifestyle, but what he is saying, is get your perspective, 783 00:47:11,700 --> 00:47:14,500 right? Get your priorities. 784 00:47:14,500 --> 00:47:19,100 Straight Christ is coming back. So what kind of lives you have 785 00:47:19,100 --> 00:47:21,000 to live? Giving yourselves over to things 786 00:47:21,000 --> 00:47:24,400 that don't matter? Yes, God wants us to enjoy. 787 00:47:24,400 --> 00:47:25,900 Yes, God wants us to invest, yes. 788 00:47:25,900 --> 00:47:29,600 God wants us to be people that are not so alienated from normal 789 00:47:29,600 --> 00:47:31,400 society that people don't even want what we have, because they 790 00:47:31,400 --> 00:47:33,800 think we're just out of there. No, but we ought to live in such 791 00:47:33,800 --> 00:47:37,400 a way in which we know how to distance ourselves enough based 792 00:47:37,400 --> 00:47:39,900 on the Revelation that Jesus is coming back and I want to be 793 00:47:39,900 --> 00:47:43,200 able to give him something to lay at his feet. 794 00:47:45,300 --> 00:47:48,400 So he says these things are going to dissolve and so many 795 00:47:48,400 --> 00:47:50,800 people are focusing on things that are going to dissolve. 796 00:47:52,100 --> 00:47:56,000 Over things that are eternal. And he says, make sure. 797 00:47:57,100 --> 00:47:59,600 That your ambition, is in Holiness and godliness. 798 00:48:02,200 --> 00:48:06,600 Make sure like Paul says in 1st Corinthians 15 in light of his 799 00:48:06,600 --> 00:48:10,200 teaching on the resurrection. Out of all the things that he 800 00:48:10,200 --> 00:48:12,100 said to prove that the resurrection was true in that 801 00:48:12,100 --> 00:48:13,500 Jesus was going to take us back up. 802 00:48:13,600 --> 00:48:16,900 Look how he ends in a verse 58. Therefore, my beloved Brothers, 803 00:48:16,900 --> 00:48:20,900 First Corinthians 15 be steadfast immovable, always 804 00:48:20,900 --> 00:48:23,500 abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that in the Lord, 805 00:48:23,500 --> 00:48:27,200 your labor is not in vain. It's everywhere in the New 806 00:48:27,200 --> 00:48:31,500 Testament. Don't lose focus. 807 00:48:32,600 --> 00:48:34,900 When things try to take your attention away from the things 808 00:48:34,900 --> 00:48:38,000 of God concerning his return and concerning his reward that he's 809 00:48:38,000 --> 00:48:41,000 bringing with him concerning the new world that is being ushered 810 00:48:41,000 --> 00:48:47,000 in. Live in light of that. now, if 811 00:48:47,000 --> 00:48:50,400 you heard this entire message and you feel condemnation, you 812 00:48:50,400 --> 00:48:54,500 feel burden, you feel fear, you've completely missed it, 813 00:48:57,200 --> 00:49:01,200 completely missed it. What they're trying to promote 814 00:49:01,200 --> 00:49:06,300 here is hope for the believer. What they're trying to promote 815 00:49:06,300 --> 00:49:11,300 here is a purpose in life that is beyond what you think is 816 00:49:11,300 --> 00:49:16,100 limited to this and he's saying you don't lose sight of it, 817 00:49:17,000 --> 00:49:19,500 don't let your mind grow stale to this. 818 00:49:20,700 --> 00:49:23,200 He can come back and you can come back at any time. 819 00:49:23,700 --> 00:49:27,600 Believe it and live it in your daily decisions. 820 00:49:28,500 --> 00:49:31,400 Let the world scoff. God will get the final word. 821 00:49:32,000 --> 00:49:37,900 Let the world mock, the Lord sits on his throne and laughs I 822 00:49:37,900 --> 00:49:40,000 don't know about you when I think of the second coming, if 823 00:49:40,000 --> 00:49:42,500 you're a born-again believer that should put a smile on your 824 00:49:42,500 --> 00:49:50,500 face, And every ache in my body. And every discouragement or 825 00:49:50,500 --> 00:49:53,700 disappointment in life is totally swallow but swallowed up 826 00:49:53,700 --> 00:49:56,500 by the reality that Jesus is the one who's going to rescue me 827 00:49:56,500 --> 00:50:03,300 from all of this. but if you're not saved in this place, even if 828 00:50:03,300 --> 00:50:09,000 you grew up in the church, He's coming, and he's waiting for you 829 00:50:09,000 --> 00:50:10,700 to make that choice to follow him. 830 00:50:11,700 --> 00:50:14,500 He's coming. And he's not wanting to judge. 831 00:50:14,500 --> 00:50:18,700 He's wanting to save. So he extends and he waits. 832 00:50:18,900 --> 00:50:21,800 But one day that that time will be cut off. 833 00:50:22,900 --> 00:50:25,600 What do we take out of this as a church as a community? 834 00:50:26,400 --> 00:50:31,000 Again, here's a stirring reminder, for us. 835 00:50:31,800 --> 00:50:34,400 Let's live in light of Eternity. Let's pray. 836 00:50:34,400 --> 00:50:36,900 Big prayers. Let's prioritize ourselves right 837 00:50:37,000 --> 00:50:39,600 and let's really believe when I Was preparing this message. 838 00:50:39,600 --> 00:50:40,900 Can I just be transparent with you? 839 00:50:41,500 --> 00:50:43,700 I looked at these verses and I said, this is great. 840 00:50:44,100 --> 00:50:46,800 I believe this stuff, but he was my prayer. 841 00:50:46,800 --> 00:50:48,200 As I Was preparing. Lord. 842 00:50:48,700 --> 00:50:53,400 I get it here, but I wanted so much more here You might be 843 00:50:53,400 --> 00:50:55,700 sitting here this morning saying, I believe it, I get it, 844 00:50:55,700 --> 00:50:58,400 I see, I understand what you're saying, but Lord, I wanted to 845 00:50:58,408 --> 00:51:00,500 come to a place where it actually grips me. 846 00:51:01,200 --> 00:51:03,200 I want to be gripped by this truth. 847 00:51:06,500 --> 00:51:09,000 I don't want to go into fanaticism like so many people 848 00:51:09,000 --> 00:51:11,500 do and and they just go into a place where there's just like, 849 00:51:11,500 --> 00:51:14,700 again, divorced from society and they don't, they're not 850 00:51:14,700 --> 00:51:16,000 relatable and there. No, no. 851 00:51:16,300 --> 00:51:20,300 But Lord, I just want to make sure that I'm actually walking 852 00:51:20,800 --> 00:51:23,400 believing daily that you can come back. 853 00:51:24,400 --> 00:51:28,900 And I want everything that I do, I want everything that I do to 854 00:51:28,900 --> 00:51:33,000 be anchored by that truth. Don't let my mind. 855 00:51:33,000 --> 00:51:34,400 Go still. More importantly though, don't 856 00:51:34,400 --> 00:51:38,200 let my heart grew still. Would you pray that prayer with 857 00:51:38,200 --> 00:52:00,800 me this morning as we close? Lord. 858 00:52:00,800 --> 00:52:06,300 We choose to say yes not just in our minds, but in our hearts 859 00:52:07,100 --> 00:52:10,700 with the spirit and we say, come Lord, Jesus. 860 00:52:13,500 --> 00:52:15,900 Well, we thank you that this is not it. 861 00:52:17,500 --> 00:52:19,800 We thank you that you're coming to bring in. 862 00:52:21,500 --> 00:52:23,300 The completion of our Redemption. 863 00:52:26,000 --> 00:52:28,200 And low with this simple message this morning. 864 00:52:29,300 --> 00:52:33,100 We pray that we would see everything in this world that so 865 00:52:33,100 --> 00:52:36,900 many people idolize and slave themselves over as dissolving. 866 00:52:38,700 --> 00:52:41,600 Help us prioritize on the treasures of Heaven. 867 00:52:42,400 --> 00:52:44,400 Help Us live for the glory of God. 868 00:52:45,400 --> 00:52:49,300 Let us not lose that reward that we've been working for and that 869 00:52:49,300 --> 00:52:52,100 reward to us more than anything. Is that one phrase? 870 00:52:52,100 --> 00:52:54,700 Well done, good and faithful servant. 871 00:52:56,500 --> 00:53:00,100 Lord of Peters audience was in need of a stirring, how much 872 00:53:00,100 --> 00:53:03,600 more we lord. We ask that by the spirit, even 873 00:53:03,600 --> 00:53:05,500 throughout this day. Our hearts would be stirred by 874 00:53:05,500 --> 00:53:08,400 the truth. O Lord that you're coming again. 875 00:53:09,400 --> 00:53:14,000 and Lord, that causes us not to fear, not to worry but to 876 00:53:14,000 --> 00:53:19,900 rejoice, To rejoice. And Lord, if you choose to do it 877 00:53:19,900 --> 00:53:22,200 in our lifetime or not, we will live in light of it. 878 00:53:23,200 --> 00:53:27,500 And we pray Lord that with this time that we have you would give 879 00:53:27,500 --> 00:53:31,400 us the wisdom. You would give us the love. 880 00:53:31,400 --> 00:53:38,400 You would give us the ambition. To walk with God and to invite 881 00:53:38,400 --> 00:53:41,700 others to do the same. Lord. 882 00:53:43,800 --> 00:53:47,400 Keep our hearts, keep our hearts and light of this truth. 883 00:53:48,500 --> 00:53:52,200 And protect us Lord from losing our stability in the faith. 884 00:53:54,700 --> 00:53:59,600 And Lord, we now worship you. Because you have redeemed us to 885 00:53:59,600 --> 00:54:03,100 the Cross, because now we are awaiting for the Blessed. 886 00:54:03,100 --> 00:54:06,600 Hope the Glorious appearing of the great God and our Savior 887 00:54:06,600 --> 00:54:09,400 Jesus Christ, receive our worship. 888 00:54:10,500 --> 00:54:13,900 Receive our worship and receive these words as a cry for your 889 00:54:13,900 --> 00:54:17,000 return. And Lord if our affections are 890 00:54:17,000 --> 00:54:19,300 not there and they're set on other things in this world. 891 00:54:19,400 --> 00:54:22,600 Renew us. If there's other things that we 892 00:54:22,600 --> 00:54:25,600 desire, if there's other things that we think are worthwhile and 893 00:54:25,600 --> 00:54:29,300 worth more of our life and our energy in this world, more than 894 00:54:29,300 --> 00:54:33,000 you coming back and having communion with you and being in 895 00:54:33,000 --> 00:54:37,900 glory with you with the Saints. Lord, forgive us and wash us 896 00:54:37,900 --> 00:54:42,700 thoroughly until it is set on those things. 897 00:54:43,600 --> 00:54:46,700 We give you our hearts this morning in Jesus name, amen. 898 00:54:43,600 --> 00:54:46,700 We give you our hearts this morning in Jesus name, amen.