Rooted 9 - Remember

Two thousand years ago, Peter promised that in the last days, scoffers would come and mock the faith of Christians. We see that in our day. How should we respond to that? Open with me to Second Peter, chapter 3, and follow along as we discover that together.

Good morning! Would you open your Bibles with me to Second Peter? If you don't have a Bible, you can raise your hand, and one of our ushers will bring you one. Second Peter is near the very end of your Bible. Open to the last book, Revelation, and turn to the left. You'll pass Jude and First, Second, and Third John, and then you'll find Second Peter.

Second Peter, chapter 3, is where we're going to be, so let's stand for the reading of the Word. If you're not standing, if you can, please stand.

Second Peter, chapter 3, verse 1. There, Peter writes, "Beloved, I now write to you this second epistle, in both of which I stir up your pure minds by way of reminder, that you may be mindful of the words which were spoken before by the holy prophets and the commandments of us, the apostles of the Lord and Savior."

Knowing this first, that scoffers will come in the last days, walking according to their own lusts, saying, "Where is the promise of His coming? For since the fathers fell asleep, all things continue as they were from the beginning of creation."

For this, they willfully forget 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 existed perished, being flooded with water. But the heavens and the earth which are now preserved by the same Word are reserved for fire until the day of judgment and perdition of ungodly men.

But, beloved, do not forget this one thing: that with the Lord, one day is as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day. The Lord is not slack concerning His promise, as some count slackness, but is long-suffering toward us, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.

But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night, in which the heavens will pass away with a great noise, and the elements will melt with fervent heat. Both the earth and the works that are in it will be burned up.

Father, we just sang a prayer. Holy Spirit, You're welcome here. We pray that You would be here in our midst. We believe.

We trust that you are, and we ask that you would give us wisdom and understanding. The Scriptures are spiritually discerned, and so we pray that you would help us to see the application of your word to our lives today. We want to be able to follow you and live in a way that brings glory to you, shining as a light in a dark place. God, teach us and transform us by the renewing of our minds, that we would be able to show in our lives what is your good and perfect will. Make us more like you. We ask this in Jesus' name, and all those that agreed said, "Amen." You can be seated.

This week, my wife and I, along with our three oldest kids, took a few days off and went out to Lake Powell to camp with my wife's parents for a little while. This meant that we had about an eleven-and-a-half-hour drive yesterday to get back here this morning. As we were driving on I-40 West through Arizona, just outside of Flagstaff, we came upon one of those big orange signs that said, "Rough road ahead."

We've all seen those kinds of signs before. Of course, when we see that sign, it's kind of a bummer because it means that it might be a little bit slow, there might be more traffic, and the ride is not going to be as smooth.

As Peter, two thousand years ago, was looking forward from where he was in the city of Rome, it is believed this was in the mid-sixties A.D. It was not too far from the time that he would actually be martyred for his faith and witness of Christ. As he looked at the conditions of things in the city of Rome and in the known world of his day, he could see and prophesy, "Rough road ahead." Those aren't the kinds of words that we want to hear.

Unfortunately, as we go through the Scriptures, we see that quite frequently. Jesus prophesied that this would be the case; Matthew 24 is a perfect picture of that. Luke 17 and Paul speak clearly about this to Timothy and Titus, indicating that in the future, difficult times and tough days would come. Paul sought and told the Ephesian elders this very thing in Acts chapter 20.

Here, we see clearly in these three chapters of Second Peter, chapters 1, 2, and 3, that there is a rough road ahead for the church. We would much rather see smooth sailing, with everything going just fine, but that's not the case. Peter writes, "Beloved," in verse 1 of Second Peter 3, "I now write to you this second epistle, in both of which I stir up your pure minds by way of reminder."

Peter is saying here that he is writing this second letter. The term "epistle" means letter, and he could be referring to First Peter, a book that we studied earlier this year. Those are the only two letters of Peter that we have in the canon of Scripture. However, that doesn't mean he didn't write other letters; he could be referring to a different letter. I tend to think that he is talking about First Peter, as it seems likely and probable. But whatever the case, that's not really the point. The purpose of his writing is what matters.

He states that he writes in this letter and in the one that he previously sent to them, both of which are intended to stir up their pure minds by way of reminder. These words, specifically "to stir up" and "to remind," should call to our memory what we've already seen in Second Peter chapter 1. Just a couple of pages over to the left, in verse 12, he says, "For this reason, I will not be negligent to remind you always of these things, though you know and are established in the present truth. Yes, I think it is right, as long as I am in this tent, in this body, to stir you up." There it is again, "by reminding you," knowing that shortly I must put off my tent, just as our Lord Jesus Christ showed me. Moreover, I will be careful to ensure that you always have a reminder of these things after my decease.

When we look at those verses in chapter 1, it is very clear that Peter sees this letter as his final word, his last word to the church and to those he leaves behind. He calls them "beloved" twice in the passage we are examining, which comes from the root of the Greek word "agape," the highest form of love defined for us in First Corinthians chapter 13. You may want to read through that passage later if you haven't before. He says to this group of people whom he loved, "This is my last word." I wonder, and I think we all have a sense that a person's final words carry significant weight.

Words, their last words, seem to have weight to them. If you knew that you only had a thousand words, which is roughly the amount of words that we have in this letter, to write your last thoughts to someone you love—your spouse, your children—you would take more time than just quickly scribbling out your thoughts. There might be an edit, a rewrite, or a draft or two before a final letter is sent off with those final words. You would think that those words would have some sort of weight to them; they would be substantial.

Peter is going through his last words here. He is writing his very last words to his beloved brothers and sisters in the church. His parting exhortation, his final instruction, is this: "I now write to you the second time to remind you" (verse 2) "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 our Lord and Savior."

Point number one: there is a sermon guide in your bulletin. We must remember to be mindful of the Word. This is a simple but essential point for followers of Christ. We must always remember to bear in mind the words spoken by Peter, the holy prophets—those same holy prophets that he referred to previously in 2 Peter 1:21. Those holy prophets were holy men of God who spoke as they were moved by the Holy Spirit. Peter says we need to be mindful of the words that were inspired by God. Holy men of God were moved to write these things; we must be mindful of those words.

But not only those words, we must also be mindful of the command of us, Peter says, the apostles—the followers, those who were sent and dispatched by our Lord and Savior. You see, the early church, in the very earliest days, was focused upon the Word, the teaching of the apostles. In fact, at the very founding of the church, Acts 2 is where the church is birthed on the day of Pentecost. As the church was birthed, it says in Acts 2:42 that the...

The church continued steadfastly in the Apostles' doctrine, the teaching of the Apostles. Here, Peter says, some 30 to 40 years later, that we need to be mindful of the words spoken to us by the prophets and the commands of the Apostles of our Lord and Savior. This begs the question: what does it mean to be mindful of the words?

It's interesting because this idea, or concept, of mindfulness has become a trendy topic in our day, particularly in 2016 here in the United States of America. If you ever listen to, read, or watch any of the materials coming from consulting groups or self-help gurus, you will find that they often discuss developing a pattern of mindfulness in your life. Mindfulness has essentially replaced the term meditation. Instead of talking about meditative practices, they now refer to mindfulness. You can even get apps for your smartphone that will help you develop a pattern of mindfulness.

Peter emphasizes that we need to be mindful. The word he chooses has a connection to the concept of meditation, but the meditation prescribed in the Scriptures is wholly and completely different from the meditation typically found today, which often has Eastern or Asian roots. The modern concept of meditation focuses on trying to remove all the stressors from your mind, clearing away the clutter and distractions to achieve some form of self-awareness.

While we can all agree that there are many distractions in our day, the mindfulness or meditation of the Scriptures is different. It is not about emptying the mind; rather, it is about filling the mind with Scripture and thinking on those things. What Peter is prescribing here is that we need to have our minds full of the teachings and truths found in the Word of God.

The words of the prophets and the doctrines, the teachings of the Apostles, emphasize the importance of having our minds filled with both the Old and New Testaments. At the time that Peter wrote this, I don't think he was fully aware that the words he was writing, inspired by the Spirit of God, would become Scripture. The words being penned by his friend and brother Paul were already starting to seem that way. As we reach the end of this chapter, Chapter 3 of 2nd Peter, he makes a comment about the words of Paul, referring to them as Scripture. They were writing at that very moment, inspired by the Spirit of God, the New Testament.

Here, Peter indicates that we, as followers of Jesus, need to meditate upon and be mindful of the Scriptures, both Old and New Testaments. But why should we be mindful of the Word? Why is this even important? I can think of four reasons, and we could probably come up with many more, but four come to mind.

Number one, we need to be mindful and meditate upon the Scriptures because, as we have seen previously in the last chapter, 2nd Peter Chapter 2, there are false teachers among us. Jesus said that wolves would come in, not sparing the flock; savage wolves would come in, as Paul describes in Acts Chapter 20. They would come in as wolves in sheep's clothing. Jude says that they would come in secretly, creeping in unnoticed. Peter refers to this, and Paul does as well. Throughout the New Testament, there is an expectation that false teachers will infiltrate the church. We, as followers of God, need to be mindful of the Scriptures, both Old and New Testaments, so that when such false teachers come in, we are aware of it.

If your mind is not filled with the Scriptures, you will not be conscious enough of what they say to combat the false teachings that creep in. Therefore, we need to be mindful of the Scriptures primarily because there are false teachers.

Second, we need to be mindful of the writings of the prophets and the commands of the Apostles because our faith is built upon the foundation of the Apostles and prophets, with Jesus Christ being the chief cornerstone. That's exactly what Paul said in Ephesians.

Chapter 2, verse 20 states that the church, the household of God, has been built upon the foundation of the apostles and the prophets, Jesus Christ Himself being the chief Cornerstone. We need to be mindful of the words of the prophets and the commands of the apostles because our faith is built upon these things—the things we trust in, the things we hold to as doctrine and truth. Those things come from the prophets and from the apostles. Therefore, our minds should be full of these things, and we should meditate upon them.

A third reason we need to be mindful of or meditate upon the Scriptures is that this is a path to blessing and fruitfulness. How so? The psalmist writes in Psalm 1, "Blessed is the man who walks not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor stands in the path of sinners, nor sits in the seat of the scornful. But his delight is in the law of the Lord, and in His law he does meditate day and night. He shall be like a tree which is planted by the rivers that brings forth its fruit in season, whose leaf shall not wither, and whatever he does shall prosper."

We need to be those who are mindful of the Scriptures because that is a path to blessing and fruitfulness, to success spiritually in the life that God has called us to. I am assuming, by the very fact that you are here this morning, that you desire to be spiritually successful before God. Therefore, a path to that is to meditate on His word, to think on these things day and night, and to be mindful of them.

Fourth and finally, we need to be mindful of the Scriptures because of what we read in the next verses. In 2 Peter, chapter 3, verse 3, it says, "Knowing this first, that scoffers will come in the last days, walking according to 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 creation.'"

We need to be those who are mindful of the Scriptures, meditating upon them, because scoffers will come—not just false teachers, but scoffers. False teachers come in secretly and covertly; they don't announce their presence.

Coming in their intent, scoffers are wholly and completely different. Peter, two thousand years ago, foresaw a rough road ahead in which not only false teachers would come in, but scoffers would arise.

Point number two on your outline: not only must we be mindful of the Word, but we must remember that scoffers will mock our faith. Scoffers will mock our faith. They did so two thousand years ago during Peter's day. He himself was well-versed in the mockery and scoffing of the faith that he had.

Paul the Apostle, as you travel with Peter and Paul through the Book of Acts, the history book of the New Testament, you will see mocking and scoffing of the followers of Christ. One point that comes to mind is found in Acts chapter 17, when the Apostle Paul is in that great Greek city of Athens, standing on what is called Mars Hill. He is speaking with the philosophers, the wise guys of the day. As he speaks with them about these things, he comes to the point of discussing the resurrection from the dead, and they just mock him out the door. "Really? You believe these things?"

So, there were scoffers mocking two thousand years ago, and Peter foresaw that it would increase. There is a very specific nature or kind of scoffing and mocking that he is speaking of here. He says scoffers will come in the last days, saying, "Where is the promise of His coming?" Peter could see an escalation, an increase of mocking because, as the time gap expands between the Ascension of Christ and His promise to return, it just seems like, "Well, really? Come on, is it really going to happen?" He could see the escalation, the increase of this mockery.

It's interesting because back in 2005, Greg Laurie, the pastor of Harvest Christian Fellowship and evangelist with Harvest Crusades, a sister church within the Calvary Chapel movement, was on CNN's Larry King Live. There was Larry King sitting across the desk, looking like he's about a thousand years old. During the call-in portion of Larry King's show, they were live on air.

CNN featured a woman who called in to make a comment about the Second Coming of Christ. Larry King interrupted her, saying, "Okay, come on now. You guys have been saying for two thousand years that this is going to happen. The Second Coming—where is he?" He had that look on his face that conveyed disbelief, as if to say, "Come on, really?"

One of the reasons we need to be mindful of the words of the Apostles and the prophets is so that we are not taken by surprise by the mockery and scoffing that comes towards us in the world. This certainly happens. Peter foresaw this, and it is something we experience day by day. Christians are mocked for their views on creation. They are mocked for their views on the last days. I will admit that we have given off a lot of fodder by saying many wacky things about the last days, which makes it easy for people to mock us.

Christians are also mocked for their views on heaven and hell, salvation, and the belief that Jesus Christ is the only way. They face ridicule for their views on marriage, sexuality, sexual ethics, child-rearing, and morality in general. We must remember that scoffers will mock our faith. Peter states that such mocking from these scoffers is an indication that we are in the last days. He says it right there: scoffers will come in the last days.

I do want to point out that based on passages like Hebrews 1:2, we have been living in the last days since the first coming of Jesus. This entire period of time, from His first coming to His second coming, is described by the Scriptures as the last days. Hebrews 1:2 says that God, in these last days, has spoken to us by His Son, whom He has appointed the heir of all things.

From the time that Jesus came, and especially from the time that He ascended into heaven—recorded in Acts 1—His apostles stood on the Mount of Olives, just east of the city of Jerusalem, gazing into heaven as He ascended. The clouds caught Him away from their presence, and they could no longer see Him. Two men clothed in white, whom we believe to be angels, stood next to them and said...

Men of Galilee, why do you stand here gazing up into heaven? Don't you know that the same Jesus who ascended into heaven will come in like manner? From the Ascension until the time that He returns in like manner, we are living in the last days.

Now, of course, you could probably make a good case that we're living in the last of the last of the last of the last of the last days, as many people have done, but we are living in the last days. Larry King looks at Greg Laurie across the table and says, "So what about it?" With a great smile on his face and good tact, Greg responds, "Larry, we are two thousand and five years closer." This is very similar to the words of the Apostle Paul in Romans chapter 13, verse 11, where he says that our salvation is nearer than when we first believed—nearer today than it was yesterday or last week.

We look forward to the great and glorious appearing of our God and Savior, Jesus Christ, as the Apostles did two thousand years ago, and as the Church has done in every age for the last two thousand years. We live in expectation of the second coming, and that's why we say here at Cross Connection that we have an optimistic vision for the future. Our future is Jesus Christ ruling and reigning, and that's what we look forward to.

So, we have a joyful optimism in looking forward to the future. It's hard to see that if your eyes are on this place. It’s hard to be optimistic at the moment when looking at the news or the debates coming up. Such pessimism surrounds us, but Jesus is on the throne.

Some scoffers say, "Where is the promise of His coming? For since the fathers fell asleep, all things continue as they were from the beginning of creation." This is a very modern argument that Peter addressed two thousand years ago when he said this would be the word of the mockers: "Where is the sign of His coming? Where is the promise?" Because since the beginning of creation, everything has been the same. Here in the 21st century, that is the statement of the modernist and postmodernist mind. Uniformity has been...

Everything has flowed the same since creation. All the constants have been constant since the Big Bang, or so they tell us. Everything has remained just the same. They think they have it all figured out. They say Jesus is coming back one day in some cataclysmic reappearing when He judges all the earth. However, everything has just gone on normally for all these centuries, for all these millennia. They mockingly scoff at the thought of the second coming of Jesus Christ and the judgment that will come with Him.

This mockery, as Peter points out, is really a wishful mockery. It reflects a sure hope that He doesn't come back. Why? Peter explains that these mockers and scoffers walk according to their own lusts. They are living in the very things that the Scriptures say God will judge when He comes. They are following a pattern of behavior that will bring about God's wrath. Therefore, it is in their best interest to bury their heads in the sand and deny that He may come again. They say, "Oh, come on! Everything has just continued the same way as it always has. We're going to be okay; He's not going to come back, right? I hope so."

For since the fathers fell asleep, all things have continued as they were from the beginning of creation. But Peter reminds us in verse 5 that they willfully forget. Another way to say "willfully forget" is that they are wishfully ignorant. They wishfully put out of their minds the possibility of the second coming, encouraging themselves with the belief that everything has been just the same way it always has been. They can read the history books and see that everything is just fine. Yet, they are willfully forgetting, wishfully ignorant that by the Word of God, the heavens were of old, and the earth standing out of water and in the water, by which the world that then existed perished, being flooded with water.

Point number three on your outline: we must remember our faith.

Is not fiction. Listen here, Christian. We must remember that our faith is not fiction. Peter talked about the more sure word of prophecy. Previously, he reminds us of the prophetic word of Scripture, which goes back to the very beginning. That very thing is what scoffers are wishfully ignorant of. He takes us back to the book of Genesis.

They will say, the mocker will say, "Everything has gone on as usual, just as it's been since the beginning. The sun comes up, the sun sets. The sun comes up, the sun sets." We have seasons going on and on. Summer moves to fall, just as it did this last week, and then fall moves to winter, and winter to spring, and summer all over again. It has done this day by day, week by week, year by year, decade by decade, and century by century. Millennia have gone on just as it always has. It has always been uniform in the way things have gone.

But Peter reminds us that which they wishfully forget: things haven't always been uniformly continuous. God spoke, Peter says, everything into existence. Go back to Genesis chapters 1 and 2, the very first book of the Bible, and read through it later on. You'll see that God, by His word, created the heavens and the earth. The earth was without form and void, and waters covered the deep. But by His word, the earth came and parted the waters.

By His same word, in Genesis chapters 6, 7, and 8, His words spoke, and those waters came and covered the earth once again in a judgment called the flood. All life ceased upon the face of the earth by the Word of God, saved Noah and his family and those that were on the ark. Peter says things have not always continued as they were. There was a time when God spoke it into existence and a time when God destroyed the world with judgment upon those who turned from Him.

Now, of course, the mocker will say, "Come on, you believe this stuff? You think that actually happened? Oh, you probably think the world is flat," right? The mocking continues. But Peter says that happened. What does this show us? It shows us that Peter, two thousand years ago, firmly believed in a literal creation. God spoke.

Everything came into existence because he believed in a literal flood. God spoke, and the earth was flooded. He held dearly to these things. Why? Because he had met Jesus, who died on a cross and rose from the dead. He said, "If Jesus believed it and Jesus taught about Noah, and Jesus taught about creation, and he rose from the dead, I'm going to take him as authority."

Peter reminds us in verse 7 that the heavens and the earth, which now are preserved by the same word, are reserved for fire until the day of judgment and perdition of ungodly men. Point number four on your outline: we must remember that God will be just. We must remember that God will be just by His word. God spoke the earth into existence by His word. He spoke the flood into existence, and by His word, Peter says, He has preserved all things as they are at this moment.

Physicists, both experimental and theoretical, in the south of France, on the border of Switzerland, are at the CERN project with a particle collider. What are they so enamored with? What are they amazed by? How is this all held together? Well, scripturally, it says that God has preserved it by the word of His power. He holds all things together by the word of His power. The same voice that spoke the earth into existence, the same voice that spoke the flood to come, is the same one that holds all these things together. It is the same word by which they are reserved for fire until the day of judgment and perdition of ungodly men. God will be just.

In verse 8, Peter says, "But beloved, do not forget this one thing." These are Peter's final words as he is closing everything up. Do not forget this one thing. There is kind of an anticipation: what is he going to say? This is going to be really important. This one thing is then given to us in a poem: "With the Lord, a day is as a thousand years, and a thousand years as a day."

Don't forget this one thing, church: with the Lord, a day is as a thousand years, and a thousand years is as a day. The mockers and scoffers willfully forget this; they are wishfully ignorant. But he says, "Don't forget this one thing: God sees time differently than you and I do." That's the big point Peter wants to make.

It's important to understand what this is not. These words of Peter are not some Bible code or eschatological key to figure out when He is going to come back. Whole books have been written using this idea. They say, "Well, you see right here in Second Peter, chapter 3, verse 8, a day is as a thousand years, and a thousand years is a day. He said He rose again the third day, so it's been two thousand years; the third day is coming."

No, Peter is simply saying that God sees and experiences time differently than we do. We understand this at a micro level. We all comprehend this at a micro level. I spent eleven and a half hours in a car with three young children yesterday, and it was very clear that they see and experience time differently than I do.

To a six-year-old, an hour is like a thousand years, even if they have an iPad and a DVD in the car. You see, we have a different experience of time. The more time we experience, the more we realize that time is subjectively relative according to age. I'm almost 37 years old, so one year is one thirty-seventh of my life. For my seven-year-old son, one year is one-seventh of his life. To him, a week is like forever.

I have to wait three weeks for my birthday party, and oh my gosh, it's terrible for him! His birthday is coming up; he's going to be eight at the end of October.

Goodness gracious, it's October! How did that happen? Time just seems to fly away. God has seen all time; He was there at creation. He spoke everything into existence and has watched all the thousands of years that have gone by. He is eternal.

Some people believe and teach that He is outside of time. He sees and experiences time quite a bit differently than you and I. The mocker says, "It's been two thousand years, Greg Laurie. Where is the promise of His coming?" Yet, to God, a thousand years is as a day. It's been a couple of days; it's like a weekend. Why is He taking so long?

Look at verse 9: "The Lord is not slack concerning His promise, as some count slackness, but is long-suffering toward us, not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance."

Point number five: We must remember that God delays because He is gracious. Why two thousand plus years? Because God is long-suffering. He is not slow; He is patient. The New International Version says, "The Lord is not slow in keeping His promise." He made a promise thousands of years ago through the prophets. Two thousand years ago, Jesus Himself said, "If I go, I will come again to receive you to Myself, that where I am, there you may be also" (John 14).

He made a promise, and He will make good on His promise. He has made good on every other promise, and He will make good on this one. Now, it just seems like it's been an awful long time. Why so long, Lord?

He is not slow in keeping His promise; instead, He is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish but everyone to come to repentance. You see, there is this idea, this picture in the minds of some, of God up in heaven, kind of like the key is in the ignition, the codes are in the computer, and He is just ready to push the button. But it says He is not desirous that any would be destroyed. How many of you today are grateful that Jesus didn't come back in...

In 1981, he didn't come back as the book said. In 1988, he didn't come back. At Y2K, I still had some generators, but he didn't come back then either. Harold Camping predicted he would return in 2012, and there was also the end of the Mayan calendar. Right now, he didn't even come back at the end of the last Blood Moon.

How many of you today are grateful that the Lord has delayed? If he had come even five years ago, you would not have been ready. One of my favorite verses is in the Book of Isaiah. God is speaking through the prophet Isaiah about 2,800 years ago, telling him to inform the people of Israel that they would be judged by God because of their sin. In the midst of this, Isaiah records in Isaiah 30:18, "The Lord will wait that he may be gracious to you."

The Lord will wait that he may be gracious to you. God is slow to anger; he is long-suffering. He waits and waits, extending grace to any and all who repent. Notice that he is not willing that any would perish, but that all would come to repentance. God's desire is that all would come to repentance, but we must not mistake the grace and patience of God for weakness, impotence, or indifference.

However, verse 10 states, "But the day of the Lord will come." I want you to underline that in your Bible. It seems like he has delayed for so long, but the day of the Lord will come. When will it be? What can you tell me from the Scriptures? Jesus said it is not for you to know the times or the seasons that God has placed in his hand. He will take care of it; we leave that with him.

Every single time people have claimed to have it figured out, they sell a whole bunch of books until the date comes and goes. Then those books often end up on used bookshelves somewhere for a penny, inviting more mockery. They say, "See, what you said would happen didn't happen." Jesus warned us about this.

Do not listen to them. They will say, "See, He is there in the desert," or "See, He is over here in the secret place." When He comes, every eye will see it. The Scripture says it will not be secret. He will come, and all will see. The day of the Lord will come, and it will come as a thief in the night. What does that mean? It means it will come suddenly, in which the heavens will pass away with a great noise, and the elements will melt with fervent heat. Both the earth and the works that are in it will be burned up.

Point number six: we must remember that the day of judgment will come. It will come suddenly, as a thief upon those who are not ready. Read 1 Thessalonians chapter 5. I don't have time to go into it today, but 1 Thessalonians chapter 5 is the encouragement to those who are in Christ that you will not be taken unaware.

The question that comes at the end of all of this is: Are you ready for the day of His return? Are you ready? As we're going to see as we close this book next week, down in verse 14, look at 2 Peter 3:14. Therefore, beloved, looking forward to these things, be diligent to be found in Him in peace, without spot and blameless. Consider that the long-suffering, the patience of our Lord, is salvation.

Be diligent to be found in Him in peace. Are you ready for the day when He returns? How can you be ready? Be diligent to be found in Him in peace, without spot and blameless. How do you do that? By putting your trust and faith in Jesus Christ, who took all of God's wrath and all of God's punishment upon Himself on the cross two thousand years ago, so that you and I, who put our trust in Him, would be rescued. For He has not appointed us to wrath, but to obtain salvation through our Lord, as stated in 1 Thessalonians 5:9. To obtain salvation—that's good news! Amen.

Let's stand and pray. Father, I thank You for the good news.

That Jesus, you died for our sin according to the Scriptures. You rose again the third day according to the Scriptures, and through your death on the cross, you have made a way for salvation.

Lord, I pray that every single person here in this room at this moment would be ready for the day of your return. However, I know that in a room this large, there may be some who are not quite ready. If you want to receive the grace and forgiveness of God today, and you want to be diligent to be found in Him in peace, if that's you today, would you just lift up your hand high so I can see it? God bless you; I see you right there. Anyone else? God bless you in the middle. Anyone else here today on the side? I see you; God bless you.

If you want to be ready for that day and receive His grace, it's a free gift that He has offered to you. You can simply take hold of that gift by putting your trust in Jesus today. Pray with me out loud where you're at:

Dear Jesus, I recognize that I have failed. I have not kept your commands, and I need your grace and forgiveness. Would you come into my life, forgive me of my sin, and help me to follow you by faith until I see you on that day? In Jesus' name, amen.