February 2008

… long ago by God's word the heavens existed and the earth was formed out of water and by water. … 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.
II Peter 3:5, 8

We Face the Eschaton
1. Blessed Hope
Jesus raptures His Church prior to His return to earth (the second coming). At this future moment in time all believers who have died will rise from their graves and will meet the Lord in the air, and Christians who are alive will be caught up with them, to be with the Lord forever.
2. Millennial Reign of Christ
Jesus returns with His saints at His second coming and begins His benevolent rule over earth for 1,000 years. This millennial reign will bring the salvation of national Israel and the establishment of universal peace.
3. Final Judgment
Those who have rejected Christ will be judged for their sin and consigned to eternal punishment in a lake of fire.
4. New Heavens and Earth
We will live and dwell with Him there forever following His millennial reign on Earth.
By the same word the present heavens and earth are reserved for fire, being kept for the day of judgment and destruction of ungodly men. …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. II Peter 3:7, 10

Dear friends, this is now my second letter to you. I have written both of them as reminders to stimulate you to wholesome thinking. I want you to recall the words spoken in the past by the holy prophets and the command given by our Lord and Savior through your apostles. II Peter 3:1-2

… 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.
So then, dear friends, since you are looking forward to this, make every effort to be found spotless, blameless and at peace with him. II Peter 3:12 - 14

First of all, you must understand that in the last days scoffers will come, scoffing and following their own evil desires. They will say, "Where is this 'coming' he promised? Ever since our fathers died, everything goes on as it has since the beginning of creation." But they deliberately forget that long ago by God's word the heavens existed and the earth was formed out of water and by water. By these waters also the world of that time was deluged and destroyed. … The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. II Peter 3:3-6, 9

Lord, you have been our dwelling place throughout all generations. Before the mountains were born or you brought forth the earth and the world, from everlasting to everlasting you are God. …For a thousand years in your sight are like a day that has just gone by, or like a watch in the night. Psalms 90:1, 2, 4

You turn men back to dust, saying, "Return to dust, O sons of men." …You sweep men away in the sleep of death; they are like the new grass of the morning — though in the morning it springs up new, by evening it is dry and withered. …The length of our days is seventy years — or eighty, if we have the strength; yet their span is but trouble and sorrow, for they quickly pass, and we fly away. Psalms 90:3, 5, 6, 10

Teach us to number our days aright, that we may gain a heart of wisdom. Psalm 90:12

What is your life? You are a mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes. James 4:14-15

Be careful then how you live, not as unwise people but as wise, making the most of the time, because the days are evil. So do not be foolish, but understand what the will of the Lord is. Ephesians 5:15-17 New Revised Standard Version

Satisfy us in the morning with your unfailing love,
that we may sing for joy and be glad all our days. … May the favor of the Lord our God rest upon us; establish the work of our hands for us — yes, establish the work of our hands. Psalm 90:14, 17

Application:

This sermon was first preached by Bryan Wilkerson, pastor of Grace Chapel in Lexington, Massachusetts

As they were walking along the road, a man said to him, "I will follow you wherever you go." Jesus replied, "Foxes have holes and birds of the air have nests, but the Son of Man has no place to lay his head." He said to another man, "Follow me." But the man replied, "Lord, first let me go and bury my father." Jesus said to him, "Let the dead bury their own dead, but you go and proclaim the kingdom of God." Still another said, "I will follow you, Lord; but first let me go back and say good-by to my family." Jesus replied, "No one who puts his hand to the plow and looks back is fit for service in the kingdom of God." Luke 9:57-62

Large crowds were traveling with Jesus, and turning to them he said: "If anyone comes to me and does not hate his father and mother, his wife and children, his brothers and sisters — yes, even his own life — he cannot be my disciple. And anyone who does not carry his cross and follow me cannot be my disciple. "Suppose one of you wants to build a tower. Will he not first sit down and estimate the cost to see if he has enough money to complete it? For if he lays the foundation and is not able to finish it, everyone who sees it will ridicule him, saying, 'This fellow began to build and was not able to finish.' "Or suppose a king is about to go to war against another king. Will he not first sit down and consider whether he is able with ten thousand men to oppose the one coming against him with twenty thousand? If he is not able, he will send a delegation while the other is still a long way off and will ask for terms of peace. In the same way, any of you who does not give up everything he has cannot be my disciple. Luke 14:25-33

Selfishness

The acts of the sinful nature are obvious: sexual immorality … witchcraft; hatred, …selfish ambition Galatians 5:19-20

Each of you should look not only to your own interests, but also to the interests of others. Philippians 2:4

Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of God's mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God-this is your spiritual act of worship. Romans 12:1

I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. Galatians 2:20

But Peter insisted emphatically, "Even if I have to die with you, I will never disown you." And all the others said the same. Mark 14:31

I am ready not only to be bound, but also to die in Jerusalem for the name of the Lord Jesus. Acts 21:13

The man who loves his life will lose it, while the man who hates his life in this world will keep it for eternal life. Whoever serves me must follow me; and where I am, my servant also will be. My Father will honor the one who serves me. John 12:25-26