Now that I have your attention, I heard I need a new battery for that hearing aid. On this Memorial Day weekend, I chose the theme, Timely Reminders, from 2 Peter chapter 3. I invite you to turn there with me, please. I'm going to be using the King James Version this evening for this study. I hope it doesn't throw you into a dizzy. One does not have to be an intense student of our times to realize that there is not much fear of judgment in our world today.
The television stations have in recent days exposed this to us among those who are involved in the drug trade in our country. They can be arrested one night and be out on the street selling it again the next night in many cases. One of the stations recently exposed how ineffective the drunk driving laws are in the state of Minnesota, showing that a person can be arrested over and over and over again for drunk driving and still be out on the highways, endangering the lives of other people.
There is not much fear of judgment in our world. Sometimes we wonder, as did the thinker a generation ago who asked, will wrong forever be on the throne and right on the scaffold? Sometimes that's the way it seems, but we are reminded in 2 Peter chapter 3 that in fact judgment is coming. There are four reminders for believers in this hour. The chapter easily divides into four paragraphs. 1-7 begins with the word beloved, as does each of the paragraphs. We are told here, Beloved, be mindful.
The second paragraph begins in verse 8 and concludes with verse 13, Beloved, be not ignorant. The third paragraph in verses 14-16, Beloved, be diligent. And the final paragraph, verses 17 and 18, Beloved, beware. I'd like for us to think about these four reminders this evening before we go on our way. The first reminder is to be mindful. The second epistle, Beloved, I now write to you, and both of which I stir up your pure minds by way of remembrance.
That you may be mindful of the words which were spoken before by the holy prophets and of the commandment of us, the apostles of the Lord and Savior, knowing this first that there shall come in the last days scoffers, walking after their own lusts and saying, where is the promise of his coming? For since the fathers fell asleep, all things continue as they were from the beginning of the creation.
For this they willingly are ignorant of, that by the word of God the heavens were of old, and the earth standing out of the water and in the water, by which the world that then was being overflowed with water, perished. But the heavens and the earth which are now by the same word are kept in store, reserved unto fire against the day of judgment and perdition of ungodly men. The first thing that he wants to tell us is to be mindful that judgment is coming.
The fact that judgment is coming in the last days was prophesied by revelation. In the Old Testament through the prophets as well as through the apostles of the Lord Jesus Christ, we have been told that judgment is on its way. It may not come when we think it should, or as quickly as we would wish. Sometimes we are glad it doesn't come. But the fact is that judgment is coming. We need to be mindful of that lest we be discouraged. We are living in what the Bible calls the last days.
The last days are defined by one writer as the terminal period in the history of a particular group of people or nations. It is the consummation of God's dealings with them. In this case we are talking about with all of the peoples of the world. We are to be mindful that judgment is coming in these last days. It has been prophesied by the Old Testament and by the New Testament apostles. But he tells us that not only is it prophesied by revelation, it is preceded by scoffers.
Know this first, he says, there shall come scoffers walking after their own lusts. The word scoffers comes from a verb that means to play with. The idea is that there are people who will play with the concept of judgment. In other words, it becomes a joke to them. They kind of bat it around and smile at it. It becomes sort of a game that they play. I talked to a friend of mine recently who is divorced and who is presently living with a young lady.
I pretended as though I didn't know that, although I did. I asked, are you going to be married soon? Because I had heard they were being married in June. He said, well yes, we are planning to be married in June of next year. He said, we thought about doing it this summer, but you know we are so busy. So we decided to put it off a year. He says, we are just living in sin. Then he waited for my reaction. And frankly, he caught me flat-footed.
I didn't quite know what to say to his boast that we are living in sin. But that is the attitude of people regarding judgment. People scoff about it. Well, he speaks about a particular group who have an argument. Their argument is that God has never intervened before. There is no judgment now. He says, where is the promise of His coming? Since the fathers fell asleep, all things continue as they were from the very beginning.
This is a first century statement of what is now called uniformitarianism. It is a basic part of the theory of evolution, and that is the uniformity of history. That nothing has ever intervened before to dramatically alter things. Things have just kept on going the way they always have from the very beginning. But they have a certain ignorance, says Peter in verses 5 and 6. And it is a willful ignorance. It is an ignorance they choose to have, and that is that God has before intervened.
God who by His Word created the heavens and the earth also judged the earth. By His Word, the world that was perished, He says. And so God has intervened before, but they are willfully overlooking that fact when they say nothing has ever happened to intervene before our generation. Therefore nothing will ever intervene and bring judgment. Not so, says Peter, not so. For God has judged before, and as He has judged before, He will judge again. He mentions that in verse 7.
He says, be mindful that judgment is coming. It is prophesied. It is preceded by scoffers, and we are living in that day now, perhaps as much or more than ever before. And thirdly, He tells us that judgment is prepared. Prepared by God Himself, who by the same Word with which He judged before is now keeping in store the heavens and the earth. He is preserving them or reserving them unto a coming day of judgment and perdition of the ungodly. It is a day that He describes as one of fire.
God has prepared a day in which He will ultimately and finally judge the universe tainted by human sin. It is the ultimate judgment of fire, just as the entire earth was flooded and the ungodly were judged and destroyed before in the days of Noah. So there is coming a day at the end of time when God again will judge the next time by fire. Well, we'll see more about that in a moment. He says, reminder number one, be mindful that judgment is coming at the end of the last days.
But then He moves ahead to a second reminder. He says, be not ignorant, verses 8 through 13. He says, stop allowing this to escape your notice, you Christians. He says, be not ignorant in the first place of God's person, of what God is like. What is God like? Well, He says, one day is with the Lord is a thousand years. A thousand years is one day.
The Lord is not slack concerning His promise, as some men count slackness, but is long-suffering toward us, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance. That's what the Lord is like. The fact that judgment has not come does not mean that God overlooks sin, but it means that God is eternal and that He is faithful and that He is long-suffering. And the reason He is all of that is that He might save. He desires to save, not to condemn.
God is not willing that any should perish. That is, God does not desire for any man to go to hell, but that all should come to repentance. It doesn't mean that all will, sadly, but that's the heart of God. God does not delight in the death of the wicked. That's what God is like. Don't be ignorant of God's person. God is patient with sinners. But then He says, be not ignorant of God's program, verses 10-13. Look at God's program. It involves two things, really.
The destruction of the old and the creation of the new. You know, that's always been God's program, hasn't it? It was that way in the days of the Flood. God destroyed the old. He created the new, earth as it is today. It's that way in our salvation. The old is set aside. God does a new thing. The old is passed away. Behold, all things will become new. Heaven will be that way at the end of time. God is going to destroy the old heavens and earth and create a new one.
He speaks about the destruction. And here He elaborates further upon the fire that is mentioned back in verse 7. He says, the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night. We talked about that phrase this morning. In which the heavens shall pass away with a great noise, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat. The earth also and the works that are in it shall be burned up. Seeing then that all these things shall be dissolved. And He goes on to pose an important point, a question.
Notice the language here that describes the roar, the noise that will be involved in the ultimate judgment when the old passes away and is destroyed. A great noise along with a hissing sound is suggested by the words that Peter is led to use here by the Holy Spirit. It's difficult for us to imagine what this might be, except that it seems to be the release of the energy within the atom.
That God instead of holding the atom together simply at this point releases that energy unto the destruction of the basic elements of the universe as they are now constituted. And all of that will happen, it will be like one great atomic explosion throughout the universe. Maybe we could say. All of this will happen with a great roar and the sound of hissing as everything melts into the basic elements and everything is dissolved and nothing is left of the creation that is now.
He says don't be ignorant of God's program. That day is coming. And God is reserving everything that is until that day. And just as surely as once before he intervened, so again he will intervene by his word and bring final judgment. But that's not the end of it. He goes on to say verse 12, looking for and hastening unto the coming of the day of God in which the heavens being on fire shall be dissolved and the elements shall melt with fervent heat.
Nevertheless we according to his promise look for new heavens and a new earth in which righteousness is at home. That's what he really says. And so God is not only going to destroy the old, God is going to create something brand new. Something that will not be tainted by sin as is the present creation. That will be a creation of a new heavens and new earth in which righteousness will be perfectly at home throughout the whole realm of that universe that God will create. That is God's program.
God sets aside the old, he establishes the new. God is always up to something new. It's wonderful to belong to a God who not only purposes that, but who has the power to bring it to pass. Not just in the universe, but in my life and in your life. God sets aside the old. He sets aside the old patterns of what we were before we came to Christ and replaces those patterns with something new, a new creation that reflects the likeness of the Lord Jesus.
Our memory verse for next Sunday by the way deals in part with that plan of God as we walk in newness of life. Let's go on to the third reminder. The first reminder, he says, beloved be mindful, judgment is coming. It was predicted in the Old Testament as well as by those of us who are apostles of the Lord Jesus and is preceded by scoffers. But he says don't be ignorant of God's person. God is patient. He's long suffering with sinners. He's faithful.
And God has a program that he's faithful to and someday he's going to destroy what is and bring something brand new and even better. Reminder number three, he says be diligent. Now he begins to apply what he said to us thus far. Be diligent, verses 14 through 16. Beloved, seeing that you look for such things, are you looking for them? Be diligent that you may be found of him in peace without spot and blameless. And account that the long suffering of our Lord is salvation. Be diligent.
Be diligent in the first place to be looking right. What are you looking for? The word looking found in verse 14, verse 13, and verse 12, all the same word means to think towards something. I remember when I was a kid and grandpa and grandma were coming on Sunday as they often did for Sunday dinner.
When we got home from church, we would change clothes and we would stand at the west window of our house looking down the hill toward the corner of that old gravel road about a quarter of a mile away. And we would just wait for grandpa and grandma to turn around that corner and head up the hill. And as soon as we saw them, we would begin yelling, grandpa and grandma are coming. And we would go running out of the house and meet them in the yard. Why? Because we were thinking toward their coming.
That was something that was exciting to us as children. He says that you and I ought to be looking right. We ought to be thinking toward the things that are coming. Oh, we get so bogged down in the way things are. For we grieve over the things that have been that we can't even change. He says be looking right, looking ahead, expectantly, looking forward. Then we're also to be diligent to be living right. He describes it three ways in verse 14.
That we might be found of our Lord in peace without spot and blameless. Be living right. What do you mean, Peter? Well, in the first place, be in peace. That is, as I look at myself and I look at my circumstances in life, to be in peace. That's sometimes tough, isn't it? When your world seems to be crumbling around you. That's tough when you go through disappointments or uncertainties about the future. How easily worry raises its head and we become anxious.
But Peter says look, all of those things that trouble you are really nothing when you look at the broad picture of what's coming. So looking right, looking ahead, thinking toward the coming of the Savior, be found in peace. As you look at your life, even though you're passing through difficult times, let your faith in the sovereignty of God in your life bring peace to your heart. A peace that passes understanding. Be in peace. And he says be without spot. That's as God sees me and sees you.
Let there be no spot or dark blemish within our hearts that would embarrass us. No filthiness, no jealousy, no bitterness, no sin. God is dominating our lives. He says be without spot. That's what it means to live right. If you had an x-ray taken of your life this evening, what would that expose? I suppose most of us here have had x-rays. I've been having some pain in my hand, which admittedly is a little large, brother. In that knuckle and in that knuckle.
And so a couple of months ago I went to a doctor who specializes in knuckles and other joints. That isn't where he hangs around. That's what he does. And he took an x-ray of my hand and he showed me what my joints look like and the fact that I have arthritis at my age. Can you imagine this? Arthritis is setting into my joints. I am deteriorating before your eyes. Not quite as fast as the wicked witch of the west, but I'm getting there. I am deteriorating my knuckles.
He showed me a picture of them and I could see what the problem is. Well, if God did an x-ray of your life tonight, would it be without spot or would there be some spots in there? There ought not to be there. To be living right means to be living in peace as I look at myself and my circumstances, trusting God. It means as God sees me to be without spot and then as men see me it means to be blameless.
It doesn't mean that I won't be accused of something or that you won't, but it means let there be no basis for anyone bringing accusation against us. To be blameless. That's what it means to be living right. To be diligent, brother. To be looking right and to be living right. And in verses 15 and 16 he suggests that we ought to be diligent to be thinking right. Scauffers are thinking wrong. They think that because judgment has not come yet, it's not going to come. That is a big mistake.
He says if we think right, we will understand that judgment has not come yet because God has chosen to save rather than to judge. He says the long suffering of our Lord is salvation. Peter's not the only one who believes that. Paul does too. It's a comfort to me to know that Peter had a hard time understanding some of the things Paul wrote, because I do too. As much as we know that when God delays, he's got a purpose in it. It's a good purpose. Be thinking right.
The Lord's long suffering means salvation for people. There is going to come a day when the door is shut and no more salvation. But now the door is open, God is merciful and patient. We need to think right about that. Then he gives us a final reminder, he says, beware, verses 17 and 18, ye therefore, beloved, seeing that ye know these things before, beware, lest ye also, being led away with the error of the wicked, fall from your own steadfastness.
But grow in grace and in the knowledge of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. To him be glory both now and forever. Amen. Beware, he says, number one, to keep from falling. Even the steadfast can fall. Peter is writing the steadfast folks, people like you. And he says that we must be careful, even we who are steadfast, lest we fall from that. All of us can recount tragedies that we know about where people who have stood for Christ, who have even preached the gospel of Christ, have fallen.
We need to beware lest we be led away with the error of the wicked. Interesting thought, the wicked, that is those who are lawless, those who have no restraint. He's talking about the world in which we live, our society, the culture in which you and I are immersed. He says be careful lest you be deceived by that. And somehow, even though you are a steadfast Christian, you end up falling flat on your face. Beware. If tonight you are playing with error.
If tonight you are tempted to just walk out of the way a little bit, to wander, beware. Beware. You say it can never happen to me. A lot of people have said that. Beware. I don't know if any of you heard Erwin Lutcher last night on conference pulpit on KTIS at 9 o'clock. If you didn't, you ought to see if you can buy a tape of it. It was a message that he preached at Bethel's Founders Week back in January. An excellent message that I would love to preach to you tonight, but I'm not going to.
But it's on this subject of being pure and being careful not to play with sin lest we fall. Beware to keep from falling and be on guard to keep on growing, he says, in grace and in the knowledge of Jesus. Keep on growing to be more like Jesus. Keep on growing to know more of Jesus. But keep on growing. That's what he says. Don't allow yourself to stagnate. Don't allow yourself to coast, but keep on pressing on. Keep on growing, he says. Keep on becoming.
What an important reminder that is to us in these last days. These are good reminders for us anytime, including on this Memorial Day weekend. That we who are the beloved of Peter and of the Lord Jesus might be mindful, that we might be not ignorant, that we might be diligent, that we might also beware. So as we go from here tonight, let's be reminded of these things so that when Jesus comes, we'll be found of him living the way we ought to.
And maybe it's today, maybe it's this week that we'll see him. Would you bow with me please as we close? Has the Spirit of God touched a nerve in your heart tonight? In the application of this chapter to your life, has the Holy Spirit said something in your ear that you need to respond to? Are you growing? Are you taking steps to grow? Are you being careful? Or are you playing with sin? Despite the turmoil that exists around you, are you in peace?
If you get the big picture in view, if you're looking right, you'll live right, you'll be in peace. A peace that passes understanding. Are you spotless? As others see you, are you blameless? Lord Jesus, we pray tonight that should you come before the sun rises on Monday morning, that we might be found of you in a way that you would be pleased and we would not be ashamed. Thank you for the blessed hope that we have, for the assurance that you're going to return.
And for that further assurance that one day wrong will no longer be on the throne and truth on the scaffold, but righteousness and truth will reign and wrong will be judged. Give us a heart like yours, a heart of long suffering and patience. May we not delight in the death of the wicked. May our heart be like yours. We would desire all men to repent and come to a knowledge of salvation.
Lord send us forth from this place to enjoy tomorrow, should you tarry, but to be above everything else, your beloved one, who has been well reminded on this Sunday evening. In Jesus' name, amen.