What Kind of People Should You Be?
September 27, 2009 2 Peter 3:8-14
Everyone needs a pencil to do a little math.
- I need each of you to pick the number of times you have already sinned today. But I’m going to be easy on you. Pick a number more than one, but less than 10.
- Multiply your number by 2
- Add 5 to that
- Multiply that number times 50 – I’ll give you a minute.
- If you have already had your birthday this year, add 1759. If you have not yet had your birthday this year, add 1758.
- Subtract the four digit year you were born, and you should have a 3 digit number.
The first digit was your original number (Number of times you “sinned”) The next two numbers are YOUR AGE! (If you did the math right)
So what does this have to do with anything? We make a lot about our age – some folks celebrate birthdays, others try to conceal or ignore them. We are very time oriented. But what about God?
2 Peter 3:8 But do not forget this one thing, dear friends: With the Lord a day is like a thousand years, and a thousand years are like a day.
God tells us time doesn’t matter to Him: With the Lord a day is like a thousand years, and a thousand years are like a day. Time is not an issue for God the way it is for those of us whose lives are dictated by the clock and calendars and appointments. He is not bound by time as we are. But He cares about us so much that the one who is outside of time sent His Son into time. When did he do that?
Galatians 4:4-5 4But when the time had fully come, God sent his Son, born of a woman, born under law, 5to redeem those under law, that we might receive the full rights of sons.
When the time was just right, God sent Jesus to get us out of the mess our sins have caused. We don’t know exactly when that was, but we celebrate it every year in December. The time isn’t that important. What is important is that He did come.
Age and Time are not the issue with God. Repentance is. He knows exactly how many sins you have committed already today and how many you have committed in your life. And He wants you to turn from them with faith in Jesus for your forgiveness, to live holy and godly lives. Do you live as though you had all the time in the world? Do you have all the time in the world?
2 Peter 3:9 The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. He is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance.
I think people were more patient 100 and 200 years ago. They had to be more patient — they had no choice. If a man missed his stage coach, he shrugged his shoulders and said, “Oh well. Another one will be along in a couple of weeks.” Compare that to the young executive who curses and causes a scene at the airport when his flight is delayed by 30 minutes. Back then, if you ordered something through the mail, you might wait months for it to arrive. Now we expect overnight shipping. We live in a world of instant everything. We have become accustomed to having everything fast, from fast food to the Ten Minute Oil change. Perhaps communications is the place where our need for instant gratification is most obvious. Cell phones and texting and handheld devices to browse the internet and access email are the response to need for instant gratification. This does not make for patient people. Obtaining so many things in our world today without the wait has made most of us impatient. If we do not get something immediately when we want it, we think it is slow, and often times show our displeasure with tantrums of our own.
Isn’t it amazing how we can get so wrapped up in ourselves and our own importance that we fail to see those around us as people, too? We act as though our schedules and appointments are the only things that matter. Patience is for other people. We want them to be patient with us, but they better not expect us to be patient in return. And they certainly better not be slow in doing what we want done!
This was the attitude Peter addressed in here. The people were confusing slowness and patience. What they saw as God’s slowness to act was actually His patience. You and I live in the confidence that because Jesus died on the cross and rose again, we will be with Him as His sheep when He returns. God promises that our faith obtains this blessing. But when will that be? Why hasn’t He come yet? Those questions were being asked already just a few years after Jesus ascended into heaven. They knew of His promise to come again, and were anxiously awaiting that return. The non-believers also knew of this promise, and they jeered and joked about it: “Where is this coming He promised?” This made those who were faithful even more anxious for Jesus to return. They began to think that maybe God was being slow in keeping His promise. They were becoming impatient.
Peter explains here that there is a difference between slowness and patience. Yes, the Redeemer is going to reappear. But you have to understand that God is not in time. What we see as an unbearable long time is but an instant to our God. And it is not just the fact that God is outside the realm of time that has brought this delay. He is patiently giving more and more people the chance to repent and believe in Jesus. The longer He delays His return, the more chances we are given to share the Gospel message those who have not heard and those who do not believe. And you know as well as I do that there are plenty of those folk. All around us. People who need to be brought to faith. So God is being patient.
Often times when you look at the original languages of the Bible, you get a deeper understanding of the significance of passages. The word that our English Bibles translate as “patience” can also be translated as “perseverance”, “forbearance”, or even “long-suffering.” God is long-suffering the sinful world in order to allow us to come to repentance. He has long-suffered man’s rebellion, and continues to do so for the benefit of man. This is part of the marvel and wonder of our God.
Those of us who have been led to trust in the payment of Jesus for our sins need to understand this. That is what enables us to live the joyful life of the followers of Christ here and now. We are not waiting for our joy to begin. This is not something delayed until you are taken to be with Christ. No, our joy and happiness begin when we realize that in spite of being poor, miserable sinners deserving physical and eternal death, through faith in the Son of God we are righteous in His sight. God was patient with us, allowing us to come to this knowledge and assurance. We now have peace with God. We are ready for His return. But not everyone is. That is why God continues to be patient. For the sake of others.
Watch this video clip
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7JHS8adO3hM
Penn Jillette of Penn and Teller: “How much do you have to hate someone to believe that everlasting life is possible and not tell them that.”
10 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. 11 Since everything will be destroyed in this way, what kind of people ought you to be?
After describing this scene of destruction in our text, which we will avoid because of our faith in Jesus, Peter asks what kind of people ought you to be? Since you will be spared the suffering described, as you wait for Christ’s return, what kind of people ought you to be? You ought to be prepared people. And prepared people, those who have faith in Jesus, are happy in the knowledge of their salvation. They do not say, “Yeah, I’m saved,” and then sit on their hands. No, they are busily at work doing the Lord’s will, conforming their lives to God’s pattern, anticipating His return.
2 Peter 3:11-14 …You ought to live holy and godly lives 12 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. 13 But in keeping with his promise we are looking forward to a new heaven and a new earth, the home of righteousness. 14 So then, dear friends, since you are looking forward to this, make every effort to be found spotless, blameless and at peace with him.
Believers try to live holy and godly lives, not by their power, but by God’s Spirit working in them. To live holy and godly lives means not only doing good, but also avoiding sin. One of the words Peter used to describe the way we should be is blameless. What a precious thought, to be blameless in the sight of God, to be able to stand before God and know that no accusation against you would stand. You should be found blameless in the day of Christ’s return–what an awe-inspiring declaration. Until we ask, “How do I do that? How can this be? How can I, one who sins daily, hope to stand before the gaze of our righteous God and be found blameless?”
On your own, you cannot. But those who have faith in Christ do not stand before God on their own. Jesus is with you, and because of what He did, God decrees that you are blameless. Even though you are still sinful, God s you to be blameless. For Jesus’ sake, God no longer sees your sin.
Can the mind even begin to comprehend this awesome message? There is a tension and a conflict, but it is resolved by God’s decree. The very Christ who will one day return to judge the world in righteousness entered our human experience ages ago. He stepped into time and lived the blameless life we are incapable of living. He took our punishment on Himself and paid the price of death. He did that as our substitute so that you and I could be spared. And He gives His blamelessness to those who believe that He did this for them. I know I am not blameless, but God sees me that way because of my faith in Jesus. You know that you are not without sin, but God sees you that way by virtue of your faith in Christ. This is how you are to prepare for His return: Believe this Good News. This is the kind of people you should be.
