But the day of the Lord will come like a thief. The heavens will disappear with a roar; the elements will be destroyed by fire, and the earth and everything in it will be laid bare. Since everything will be destroyed in this way, what kind of people ought you to be? You ought to live holy and godly lives. As you look forward to the day of God and speed its coming. That day will bring about the destruction of the heavens by fire, and the elements will melt in the heat. But in keeping with his promise we are looking forward to a new heaven and a new earth, the home of righteousness. (2 Peter 3.10-13) We are finishing up 2 Peter today – chapter 3. Tomorrow we return to the Old Testament, to Deuteronomy 1. Peter was quite concerned that his readers be prepared for “The Day of the Lord.” His “last words” (the final chapter of this his last letter to The Church) are to encourage them to be aware and to prepare. In verse 10, Peter asserts, “The day of the Lord will come…” Make no mistake about it. Jesus Christ is returning and the end of all things is coming. And we don’t know when that will be, for that day is coming “like a thief.” A thief’s coming is not announced, rather it is totally unexpected. So, we buy alarm systems and locks and do our best to be ready in the event a thief shows up. We should take even more precautions to be constantly ready for the return of the Lord. Much more is at stake. As Peter describes the day of the Lord, it is clear that this world is destined to pass away. Nothing will be left. But, there will be a new heaven and earth; it will be the home of the righteous! God is preparing that place for us even now. We can’t stay here. Who would want to? So, what kind of people ought we to be? 1) Holy and Godly. The Bible says that without holiness, no one shall see the Lord. We need to be holy – set apart for God’s service and praise – in order to make the new heaven and new earth our home. We need to be godly – like God in behavior, disposition, and attitude – in order to abide in the home of righteousness. 2) Forward-looking. We do not dwell in the past. We know that the day coming is a grand and glorious day, a day that will outshine all days that have come before. In order to have that forward-looking attitude, then we must have peace with God, sharing in his love. Perfect love casts out fear. 3) Forward-acting. We – by our prayers and by participation in Kingdom activities – actually speed the coming of the Lord. It’s not that the day will come sooner on the calendar. But, as we are engaged in prayers and reaching the world for Christ, the days will pass swiftly. We will find that we don’t have enough time to get everything done that we wish – to win everyone that we love. Let us make every effort to be the kind of people that welcome the Day of the Lord! Pastor Scott
Posted on: Tue, 02 Jul 2013 11:51:11 +0000
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