IN LIGHT OF HIS COMING, WHAT MATTER OF PERSONS OUGHT WE TO BE?
jmicha...@juno.com
IN LIGHT OF HIS COMING, WHAT MATTER OF PERSONS OUGHT WE TO BE?
2 Peter 3:10-14
INTRODUCTION: In the New Testament, whenever the author writes a second epistle, he is always dealing with some heresy. Peter deals with apostates and scoffers in his second epistle. The Lord left nothing to happen chance. He wanted us to see truths of the Word of God clearly.
This chapter speaks of the Second Coming of the Precious Lord Jesus. This brings me to a thought that I feel that some times is confused. The Rapture of the church is not the Second Coming. He will not set foot of the earth at this time. He will come to meet the church in the air after He calls with the voice of the archangel, the sound of the trumpet. Yes, some people will know that He has come and took His children home. They either heard it preached and they never got saved. They will remember that truth. Or they will know some one who is missing. Some will know something amiss when they go by the graveyard and the graves of the saved are burst open. It will not be long before the devil will have his crowd deceive the world in regards to the truth of the rapture. The Lord will allow the devil to deceive folks. (2 Thess. 2:11 “And for this cause God shall send them strong delusion, that they should believe a lie”)
The second coming of Christ can be found in its splendor in Rev. 19:11-16 which says “And I saw heaven opened, and behold a white horse; and he that sat upon him was called Faithful and True, and in righteousness he doth judge and make war. His eyes were as a flame of fire, and on his head were many crowns; and he had a name written, that no man knew, but he himself. And he was clothed with a vesture dipped in blood: and his name is called The Word of God. And the armies which were in heaven followed him upon white horses, clothed in fine linen, white and clean. And out of his mouth goeth a sharp sword, that with it he should smite the nations: and he shall rule them with a rod of iron: and he treadeth the winepress of the fierceness and wrath of Almighty God. And he hath on his vesture and on his thigh a name written, KING OF KINGS, AND LORD OF LORDS.”
This Second Coming will be after the seven years of tribulation. I have talked to people who thought they were living hell on earth. They have nothing yet. The wrath of God will be poured upon sinful men who had a chance to escape like every believer by taking John 1:12 (“But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name”) at its face value and ask the Lord Jesus to save them. One gospel song I use to hear a friend sing says “The next time He won’t have to die for me”. The next time He comes, He will come as the Lamb of God but as the Lion of Judah. We will return with Him to rule and reign with Him for one thousand years. To think that every liquor store will be closed. Every lottery will be abolished. Every drug dealer will be put out of business. Every Los Vegas will be closed for eternity. Every piece of pornography will be done away. Sin will be completely out of business. The punishment for crimes will be capital punishment.
When you are discouraged, remember Jesus is coming. When you are disobedient, remember Jesus is coming. When you are depressed, remember Jesus is coming. When you are in despair, remember Jesus is coming. When you diverted, remember Jesus is coming.
There are three truths about the coming of the Lord found in this chapter:
1. His coming is scoffed. vs. 1-4
“This second epistle, beloved, I now write unto you; in both which I stir up your pure minds by way of remembrance: That ye 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 Saviour: 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.”
The world thinks we are delusional because we believe that Jesus will come again as King. They try to show evidence that man is become well. Anyone that man is becoming better ready has his or her head in the sand. Who would think we would see children murder their parents with such brutal precision as the Mendanazs brothers. Or men exploiting children for pleasure. Or that we would have a state that would recognize the union of sodomites as normal and give them the same rights as my wife can enjoy like Vermont did this week.
This world calls us fools believing this truth. If I am foolish, then I want to be fool for Jesus’ sake.
2. His coming is sure. vs. 10
We have His word upon this subject. It does not matter what you and I believe or anyone believes. He said and that settles it. Rev. 22:20
“He which testifieth these things saith, Surely I come quickly. Amen. Even so, come, Lord Jesus.”
John 14:1-3
“Let not your heart be troubled: ye believe in God, believe also in me. In my Father's house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also.”
3. His coming is sanctifying. vs. 11-14 Titus 2:11-14
“For the grace of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared to all men, Teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly, in this present world; Looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ; Who gave himself for us, that he might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify unto himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works.”
Since He is coming, we ought to live like people who really believe this truth. It will not matter how many words we speak and this subject, if our lives does not back up these words, then this world will never believe that you are expect Him to return. To sanctify something means to set that item apart from other items. Let me try to explain. On payday, my wife takes my check. She takes it to the bank and makes a deposit and receives the rest in cash. She has envelopes in which she divides up the cash. One envelope is marked tithes. She does not dip into that envelope until Sunday morning and puts our tithes in the offering. That money is sanctified for one purpose and that it is set apart for the Lord’s work. So should our lives be set apart for Him.
With these thoughts in mind and in light of His coming, what matter of persons ought we to be in these last days? We ought to be:
I. A READY PEOPLE Mt. 24:44
“Therefore be ye also ready: for in such an hour as ye think not the Son of man cometh.”
One reason that we ought to be ready is that only the Father know the day and hour in which He will have the Lord Jesus bring His children home. A charlatan will try to set dates. In 1988, one man wrote a book called “88 reasons why the Lord would come in 1988”. He sold lots of books. People have an interest in the future. OOPS, Jesus did not come in 1988. Boy, was he red faced. So to save face, he apologized and said that he made a slight mistake in his calculations and wrote another book called “89 reasons why Jesus would come in 1989”. Believe it or not people still bought his book. OOPS, Jesus did not come in 1989. Only fools and charlatans set dates. They are not the Father’s date and time.
Matthew 24:36
“But of that day and hour knoweth no man, no, not the angels of heaven, but my Father only.”
We are living this the last hours of the last days in God’s prophetic calendar. Any day now, our Lord may come. So BE READY!
How can we be ready?
1. Get saved. Only the saved people will be taken in the rapture. Salvation is not found in a church, creed or citizenship. It is found only in the salvation of the Lord Jesus Christ. John 1:12-13
“But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name: Which were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God.”
2. Live each day in a way that pleases Him.
Won’t it be a shame to taken home to glory with a curse word on our lips? Or doing that which we know is sin? Live each day like today would be the day He would come for us.
II. A REPRESENTATIVE PEOPLE
1 Timothy 4:12-16
“Let no man despise thy youth; but be thou an example of the believers, in word, in conversation, in charity, in spirit, in faith, in purity. Till I come, give attendance to reading, to exhortation, to doctrine. Neglect not the gift that is in thee, which was given thee by prophecy, with the laying on of the hands of the presbytery. Meditate upon these things; give thyself wholly to them; that thy profiting may appear to all. Take heed unto thyself, and unto the doctrine; continue in them: for in doing this thou shalt both save thyself, and them that hear thee.”
We are representatives of our King. Our affirmations should represent our King. Our actions should represent our King. Our attitudes should represent our King. Our affections should represent our King. So how do we do this? By doing those truths that Paul tells young Timothy in these verses.
We represent our King by our words.
vs. 12
They should be words of the highest caliber. It should never be said of a King’s child that he/she uses base language or gutter talk. Suppose those time that you are using those words and at that moment you finish your words in the presence of the King. You would be instantly ashamed in the presence of His Holiness. We want to have our lips to seared like Isaiah when He was in the presence of the King in Isaiah chapter six. What was the thing that bothered Isaiah the most that he wanted to the Lord to clean. Isaiah 6:5
“Then said I, Woe is me! for I am undone; because I am a man of unclean lips, and I dwell in the midst of a people of unclean lips: for mine eyes have seen the King, the LORD of hosts.”
What does Paul tell those folks in Colosse?
Col. 4:6
“Let your speech be alway with grace, seasoned with salt, that ye may know how ye ought to answer every man.”
We represent our King by our work.
vs. 13-14
Too many people think that the work of the ministry is just for those who are paid to do so. This is farthest from the truth. That is why we are all should be ministers of the Gospel in our work of life. He left us to serve Him. If we were just saved to go to Heaven, we would have gone when we were first saved. You and I are to serve our King in our work.
What kind of work should each do? All can be a witness. All do those things that are within our power to do. Everyone can pick up the trash off the ground. Everyone can distribute tracts. Those who are home bound can use their phones to call folks in the community and invite them to church.
We represent our King by our ways.
vs. 15-16
One of the greatest pieces of advice that Paul gives to young Timothy is found in verse 16. It says, “Take heed unto thyself”. We will all give an account of ourselves one day before our King. Rom 14:12
“So then every one of us shall give account of himself to God.”
We will give an account of our stewardship of our time, talents, and tithing. So we must take heed unto ourselves.
III. A REFLECTING PEOPLE
Mt. 5:13-16
“Ye are the salt of the earth: but if the salt have lost his savour, wherewith shall it be salted? it is thenceforth good for nothing, but to be cast out, and to be trodden under foot of men. Ye are the light of the world. A city that is set on an hill cannot be hid. Neither do men light a candle, and put it under a bushel, but on a candlestick; and it giveth light unto all that are in the house. Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.”
A few years back America was rocked by a scandal of the Savings and Loan people. It was called the S&L Scandal. There is a far worse scandal in Christianity today. It is Salt and Light Scandal. Most believers do not reflect salt or light to our Father. They dress as loosely as the world. They talk the same as the world. They listen to the same music as the world.
We are like salt that has lost its savour. We are basically good for nothing. Dampness causes salt to lose its savour. What dampness ruins us as salt? Worldliness is a dampness that ruins us. When we acts like, talk like, react like the world, them we are not like our Father.
Our light is more like a mere a flickering candle than a light to the world. Our light must be bright so this world can see our Father and glorify by our works. How can we more like a light in the world? By telling those around us of Jesus is one way. By living by what we say we believe is another. If this Book does not make changes in us, it is a good time to check to see if you have the genuine salvation that is offered by Christ.
IV. A REJOICING PEOPLE 1 Thess. 5:16
“Rejoice evermore.”
We have plenty in which we can rejoice. Let me name a few.
A. Name is written above. Luke 6:22-23
“Blessed are ye, when men shall hate you, and when they shall separate you from their company, and shall reproach you, and cast out your name as evil, for the Son of man's sake. Rejoice ye in that day, and leap for joy: for, behold, your reward is great in heaven: for in the like manner did their fathers unto the prophets.”
Luke 10:20
“Notwithstanding in this rejoice not, that the spirits are subject unto you; but rather rejoice, because your names are written in heaven.”
B. A Heavenly Father that cares for us.
1 Peter 5:7
“Casting all your care upon him; for he careth for you.”
Psalm 55:22
“Cast thy burden upon the LORD, and he shall sustain thee: he shall never suffer the righteous to be moved.”
C. That Jesus is coming again
Rev. 22:20
“He which testifieth these things saith, Surely I come quickly. Amen. Even so, come, Lord Jesus.”
V. A RUNNING PEOPLE Heb. 12:1-2
“Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us, Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God.”
Are we running to do His will or our will? Are running into the security of Our Saviour or are we running into a shelter that is like the house of straw in the story of the three pigs? Are we running to help folks with the Word or running in fear of the world?
We see several truths in these verses.
A. The grandstand of witnesses
vs. 1a
This is the ones who have gone before us. Our Saviour is observing our race.
B. The grief of weights vs. 1b
What are these? What does Albert Barnes tell us? The word rendered weight means that which is crooked or hooked, and thence anything that is attached or suspended by a hook--that is, by its whole weight, and hence means weight. It does not occur elsewhere in the New Testament. The word is often used in the classic writers in the sense of swelling, tumor, pride. Its usual meaning is that of weight or burden; and there is allusion here, doubtless, to the runners in the games, who were careful not to encumber themselves with anything that was heavy. Hence their clothes were so made as not to impede their running, and hence they were careful in their training not to overburden themselves with food, and in every way to remove what would be an impediment or hindrance. As applied to the racers, it does not mean that they began to run with anything like a burden, and then threw it away--as persons sometimes aid their jumping by taking a stone in their hands to acquire increased momentum--but that they were careful not to allow anything that would be a weight or an encumbrance. As applied to Christians, it means that they should remove all, which would obstruct their progress in the Christian course. Thus it is fair to apply it to whatever would be an impediment in our efforts to win the crown of life. It is not the same thing in all persons. In one it may be pride; in another, vanity; in another, worldliness; in another, a violent and almost ungovernable temper; in another, a corrupt imagination; in another, a heavy, leaden, insensible heart; in another, some improper and unholy attachment. Whatever it may be, we are exhorted to lay it aside; and this general direction may be applied to anything, which prevents our making the highest possible attainment in the divine life. Some persons would make much more progress if they would throw away many of their personal ornaments; some if they would disencumber themselves of the heavy weight of gold, which they are endeavoring to carry with them. So some very light objects, in themselves considered, become material encumbrances. Even a feather or a ring--such may be the fondness for these toys--may become such a weight that they will never make much progress towards the prize.”
It can be our feelings. It can be our families. It can be our foes. It can be our failures.
But our besetting sin is that sin that is the one that constantly drags us down. You, your Lord and your adversary know this sin. It is the one that you constantly repeatedly ask the Lord to forgive you.
C. The goal of winning vs. 2
Looking unto Jesus should be and must be our goal. Looking forward to hearing those words that we find in Mt. 25:21 “His lord said unto him, Well done, thou good and faithful servant: thou hast been faithful over a few things, I will make thee ruler over many things: enter thou into the joy of thy lord.”
Too long we run away from God. We run from His protection, power and presence. Or we run ahead of Him. He has our steps ordered. But we do not want to follow His lead. We think we know best.
Conclusion: So what kind of people should we be in the light of His coming? Are we a ready people? Are we a representative people? Are we a reflecting people? Are we a rejoicing people? And are we running people?
If you are not saved, I know that you are not ready. You need the Lord Jesus in your life to be ready. If you are not saved, you can be rejoicing in the things of God. The other truth you can rejoice is that the Lord Jesus has given you another opportunity to be saved. He has not returned for His children yet. But maybe before this service is over, He could come for His children.
You are a representative person if you are not saved. You represent the devil and his family. It does not matter how religious you are, how kind you are, how smart you are, how good you think you are. It only matters if you have taken Christ as Saviour. You also reflect your father the devil. Jesus is the only way to Heaven. Reformation does not matter. Religion does not matter. Rituals don’t matter. Only the Redeemer matters. What will you do with Jesus who died to set you and free? Make this day the day of your salvation. Run to Jesus and be saved today.
Believer, doing less than your best for Him is sin. In the light of His Coming, what kind of person are you? Can you stand right now and say I have done my best for Jesus who died and set me free? If you can not, then make today from this time forward that day you can look back and say “I decided to follow Jesus all the way!”
Pastor Mike Walls
Freedom Baptist Church Smithfield, NC
jmicha...@juno.com
Isaiah 41:10
http://freedombaptistchurchnc.wordpress.com