II Peter 3:1-18

1. Intro.
1. our world is in a terrible condition
1. the moral depravity of our day is enough to make us sick
2. the Homosexuals are coming out, the sexual revolutionists are coming in
3. immorality and perversion is everywhere from the classroom to the boardroom
2. is this time for discouragement – NO
1. the darker the night the more opportunity the light has to impact the darkness
2. the conditions of the world just tell me to get ready because Jesus is coming
3. it seems obvious that Peter knew his time was not long upon this earth – II Peter 1:14
1. Peter was concerned because even in his day he could sense a lost zeal among Christians
2. the theme idea of this book is being alert, having knowledge of what is happening because Jesus is coming
3. knowing what is happening around us is of utmost importance
4. reading the times and knowing the lateness of the hour is vital
4. notice several things that Peter shares with us from this 3rd chapter about the fact that Jesus is coming
2. the Bible ought to stir us – 1-2
1. Peter's intention in writing was to "stir up"
1. the word "STIR" means to "awake fully, to arouse"
2. this is not a passive word, it usage speaks of vigor and urgency
2. the Word is better than an experience, it more sure, it is inspired of the Holy Ghost – II Peter 1:13-21
3. people have often been stirred by the Word of God
1. Noah was stirred by God's promise of deliverance
2. the people of Israel were stirred and revived in the days of Nehemiah at the reading of God's Word
4. what is it that stirs us
1. preachers and seminary professors don't help when they can't stand and say with conviction that this book is the Word of God
2. men are setting in judgment on the Book instead of the Book setting in judgment on men
3. the thing that ought to excite us and stir us is that Jesus is coming again
4. if we feel beat, all we have to do is turn to this Book and realize that Jesus may come today
5. this is not a time for discouragement, but excitement and anticipation
1. we should get excited when we read Paul lists of things that will be characteristics in the days just before Christ returns – II Timothy 3
2. we should get stirred when we read about the fact that the world will be unconcerned and so caught up with living that this day will catch them unprepared – Luke 17:26-30
3. scoffers ought not hinder us – II Peter3:3-8
1. scoffers are all around us - 3-5
1. they scoff about the Bible – "Hath God said"
2. they scoff about separation - you bunch of legalists
3. they scoff about our independent status
1. they say, "We need to get rid of the Hymn books and the King James, get rid of the name Baptist
2. I’ve seen their product and I’m not interested in having a Burger King Church "Have it your Way"
3. I don't want rock music in our youth dept, whether it comes under the guise of Christian or not
4. I'm not taking men to Promise Keepers where they learn to accommodate the culture and hug the Catholics
5. I am not participating in Billy Graham who does not know that a Muslim faith is different than a faith in Christ, who does not know if Hell has fire or not
6. this soft and fluffy Christianity stands for nothing and falls for everything
4. they scoff at His coming, the deniers – 4
5. they scoff about His creation -- Peter says in v. 5 they are willingly ignorant
2. scoffers did not hinder Noah – 6
1. can't you just see them in Noah's day, what a lunatic, talks about a flood, and rain, and building a boat
2. I wonder what they thought when the sky grew black and first drop of water fell
3. can't you see them clawing and pounding at the door, open up let us in, but it was too late
3. God’s promises are sure – 7-8
1. let the scoffers ... scoff, it ought not bother us or hinder us, for we know the truth
2. God is never late, He is never early, He is always right on time
4. sinners ought not to perish because of us – 9-15
1. God’s longsuffering gives us opportunity to work – 9-10
1. the word "SLACK" means to delay; God is not haphazard, or careless concerning His promise
2. He is longsuffering - not willing that any should perish
3. His coming will catch the unsuspecting and unprepared sleeping, we need to be rousing them
1. our goal is not to infiltrate city hall, our goal is to impact our area for Christ
2. we don’t need to survey our area to find out what their felt needs are, we know what their needs are
3. we will never have two types of church services: contemporary and traditional
4. we will major on preaching – Romans 1:16-17, Romans 10:13-14
2. this truth is designed to motivate us to holiness and outreach v. 11-15
1. Peter's intent was to motivate holiness and soul winning
2. we are to be awake realizing the lateness of the hour
1. too many of us more concerned about Wall street and how well our retirement programs are doing then the highway and hedges where the lost dwell
2. there are some who think God's plan doesn't work in our day; it is not that His plan does not work but that we are not willing to work His plan
3. it is time that our area knows that there is a church in the area that cares about their soul
5. Satan ought not to detour us – 16-18
1. Satan is a master at getting to God's people
1. Adam and Eve were whole lot smarter than we are, they did not have minds messed up by sin
1. Satan is smooth, subtle, & slippery
2. if we give him any room at all in our life, we are in trouble
2. he tried to get to Daniel to sell out to the pressure and pleasure of Babylon
3. Peter fell into a backslidden mode, denied the Lord, and said I am going fishing
4. his tactics have not changed, what we need is a good dose of commitment to the cause of Christ
2. we need to determine while we wait for Jesus that we will not be detoured
1. we are going to keep the main thing the main thing
2. we are going to change the face of society with our message instead of letting society’s message change us
6. Conclusion
1. are you looking for, and excited about the return of Christ
2. does the Bible stir you, or does the scoffers discourage you
3. are you concerned about the perishing
4. are you on your guard against Satan