The Day of the Lord (Part C)

Saw Jesus in the world you have to do things with that paycheck. You have to have the money but the righteous soul understands this will go into the warchest.

This helps me stay healthy so I can work serve the Lord raise my children under Christ. Do whatever it is I'm doing so maybe God will send somebody my way and say says to me what makes you distinct what makes you different. Why don't you like us.

This is cross reference radio with our pastor and teacher Rick guest Rick is the pastor of Calvary Chapel Mechanicsville. Pastor Rick is currently teaching through the book of second Peter, please stay with us after today's message to hear more information about cross reference radio, specifically how you can get a free copy of this teaching, but for now, here's Pastor Rick in second Peter chapter 3 with his continuing study called the day of the Lord.

What is so strange about the Son of Man coming from heaven as a man doing these deeds in your face, preaching righteousness and living that way.

What is so odd about anyone interested they wanted to kill him publicly in front of everybody as shamefully as they could and they achieve that on his flesh. Because Jesus said no one tells me that's wise that father in your hands I commend my spit. Nobody does that. Does that okay just turn themselves off. No one I mean you can but you need something to do it. He just dismissed his humanity come out here, simplifying I'm just trying to make it not complicated. Well anyway, back to the nutty, odd approach to Christianity that implies instability, which he will then later save is not something that belong to the righteous, but the unrighteous would you like a seatmate on the next flight to be an oddball or just nutty oboe. I don't want one like that and if if you ride the subways in New York. They have been there. Sometimes I get the whole card of themselves.

I'm trying to say that they are Christians that think somehow behaving like a weirdo is behaving as though you have the Holy Spirit and his toes are so eloquently said the Holy Spirit is not the cause of insanity. He is to cure. We are told to be and how Scripture harmless will told to be separate. We are told to be wise and here it comes, one that we all struggle with from time to time, we are told to be kind to one another.

It's really not my fault when I lose it. Somebody just kept tugging on my cape excuses excuses nothing about being screwy or aloof or arrogant or unkind whenever encouraged to be those things, nor are we as it winked at in Scripture we are to be mindful verse two second Peter chapter 3, we are not to be ignorant.

Verse eight we are to be diligent. Verse 14 and we ought to be aware of. I can lump that when in with those others in verse 17 we are to be ready to put on the armor of God, not straitjacket clothed in righteousness, not weirdness. Now if this offends you is your own conscience is your own conscience bearing witness to this truth. Toby was no need to be who you are in Christ he's given you enough.

You have to go look for cherry to put on top just be like Christ in simplicity of the word says godliness here and that's what were talking about what should he say which of these apostles, encourage us to be ungodly. It is excellence in character.

None of us make it all the way there, but I think most of us who love the Lord cover so much ground in this area that we otherwise would never have covered have we remained in the world. Just think about all the things you used to do before coming to Christ. Those of you who were once in the world and you not to do those anymore, and you may still long for some of them in your flash which is spirit knows better because your spirit does fight it out with your flesh here you are, so does make a difference contrary to the lies of hell. We must not let our view of God's love blind us to his holiness and what he wants from us. You said but I'm always failing so you're always getting up to, aren't you that order to everybody in hell is keep doing it. Verse 12, you sometimes have to tell myself these things to me. I know some you think I'm one step from perfect, as I sometimes have to say Lord I know you love me. I know you care all the Bible verses in the knowledge in the years and still there are things I struggle with and I either believe what I preach from faking that this to me repulsive. If if I failed to suck some faking because I'm weak but it's not because I didn't believe it.

I believe everything that I preach, even when I'm wrong hopefully get filtered and corrected but I work really hard not to do that as I would think you would to when it comes to sharing the gospel. She worked really hard to understand how to articulate your own faith. Verse 12 looking for and hastening the coming of the day of God because of which the heavens will be dissolved. Being on fire and the elements will melt, liquefy with fervent heat longing for their it is said we want to be in a place where there's no more curse, no more sin, but this is stabilized I have to add this, Jesus pointed out in his own ministry.

It's day right now and I have to work the night is coming, there are still souls to be saved and I want to be part of it. How would you like to get to heaven and found that you've made no contribution to the population. You've done nothing but received no on the certain circumstances it is still quite incredible that the thief on the cross, the outlaw on the cross is still quite remarkable that he got it under such difficult conditions, but want to see what if what if he had the gospel believed his whole life and just never did those of you who serve in a church you're contributing to the work of the Lord. That's why it is called ministry. It is what he is doing in a locale in your part of it and it matters because we stop having servants that did so much here. Some of you don't know how much work goes on and to making the bride of Christ attractive every time we assemble just the last week or two of our ladies. It came in and shampooed the entire carpet in his room and every other room in the building that is garbage. We have so many servants like this that step up in every ministry the ushers the love and care. The kindness you get in the chapel stores even give you candy for free which I really burns me up. Why do they do this saw Jesus in the world you have to do things with that paycheck. You have to have the money but the righteous soul understands this will go into the warchest.

This helps me stay healthy so I can work serve the Lord raise my children under Christ. Do whatever it is I'm doing so maybe God will send somebody my way and say says to me what makes you distinct what makes you different. Why don't you like us, why don't you want to go in the back and have a joint together that's putting up a building right disjointed. Everybody can go into Peter in writing this 12 verses repeating the things you said early in verse 10, and is repeating it with a force of conviction that we lose a little bit in a letter whether he dictated this or wrote it himself is irrelevant. It is still translate into St. the same passion making its way to paper, so is he speaking this way, his tone returns is is looking for the hastening of that day is coming and is going to be fired is going to melt. It is going to be cataclysmic.

That's his tone gets a little animated here is practicing moves. Verse 13. Nevertheless, according to his promise, look for new heavens and new earth in which righteousness dwells the world to come is the world we want, not this one. This once broken damages damaged beyond repair. That's why it's going to be burned up on these when I can all be sitting on the burning cooking and we don't get these silly images. Of course, God will have dealt with the souls that resisted him and he will have issued into his presence. Those who have not, and start this new eternal age, verse 14. Therefore, beloved looking forward to these things, be diligent to be found in him in peace, without spot and blameless. Well, we crossed the Rubicon here now were into verse 14. We gotta finish work hard. Peter says that's would be diligent means come up with some elbow grease and it boys put setbacks into it, lads. That's what he say and lassies. It would you going to go ahead and get from one day at destination of the other.

Put some effort into it. What did you expect to come to this church and walk away wholly on just magically, that would be sweet. I would be bragging to the other passages any people like that but is not the way it is.

Be diligent in this life, especially with each other is so hard to be diligent with people they just at the pain in the next. Not all of them all the time to some of them some of the time and that's all it takes. But Jesus says this looks gospel you think the apostles affairs listen to our Lord is is let your waist be girded and your lamps burning yourselves be like men who wait for their master. Blessed are those servants in the master when he comes, will find watching read that whole section find out how intense it gets pretty says what happens with those that aren't doing what they're supposed to do. Blessed are those servants whom the master, when he comes, will find watching.

That's what Peter is saying. Looking forward, he says it three times. He mentions to look forward and here in verse 14 and again while I'm eating up time looking. I won't do it you'll you can do it on your own will come back and I don't mean that rudely second Corinthians 11 verse 12 for I am jealous for you with godly jealousy. I remember jealousy in the context of Scripture means is something that is rightfully mine that is being taken away from me. And so it creates the spirit of jealousy, not the world kind of jealousy where I possess of you. I own you and if nobody can have you that if I can have you nobody can that's that's worldly but when this when the Scriptures speak of godly jealousy. It is saying this is my battlefield because something is trying to take what doesn't belong to them. And so when Paul says I am jealous for you with godly jealousy, for I have betrothed you to one husband, that I may present you as a chaste virgin to Christ pulses. I want you to be holy and pure. I don't want this oldest stuff coming in your life destroying the innocence and beauty of your salvation, he says, be diligent, Peter does to be found in him in peace again worked hard because he's worthy incidentally and it is worth it and he says without spot and blameless. This is what Jean Peter said of Jesus in chapter 1 of first Peter that he is the precious blood of Christ, a lamb without blemish, without spot. He also said the false teachers in second Peter chapter 2, they are spotted and blemished verse 13 of chapter 2, he says they are spots and blemishes carousing in their own deceptions while they feast with you, they have embedded themselves with you there false, they are spotted and blemished, and they don't care and so follow Christ and not them when Paul wrote to Timothy very similar thing he says in first Timothy six I heard you in the sight of God, who gives life to all things, behold, Christ Jesus, who witnessed the good confession before Pontius Pilate that you keep this commandment without spot blameless until our Lord Jesus Christ's appearing with you die or whether your rapture. That's the appearing of Christ reach individual and one of those two ways we are guaranteed to struggle with sin, and yet remain a child of God, how beautiful verse 15 and consider the long-suffering of our Lord is salvation is also our beloved brother Paul, according to the wisdom given to him as written to you.

What if God struck dead or just struck hard everyone, or anyone who misbehaved or committed some wrong act without giving any space for remorse and repentance what what what would happen would be no people. That's what would happen. He does give space. That's why we suffer those who break our hearts and pray on their behalf because we understand the war taking place again.

Jesus third said to the church of predominance.

I've giving you space to repent, you didn't take it for you.

You better take up to the individual was going to be said about the one who's been given space God is saying don't think I am enjoying this dull thing for a moment, because I haven't come upside your head that somehow I'm good with this. I'm telling you were tapping I'm suffering it because I want to reach you by giving you time and it hurts. What if he forgave all those who misbehaved and did wrong according to his predetermined plan was yesterday losing Cain and able Cain wanted to come his way.

Able came God's way. Cain was rebuked Abel was received. That's the difference between the two outlaws on the cross. The cross at Christ's cross there.

One submitted to God. In his terms and the other did not. One is in heaven as we speak. The other is not and never will be. And that is that's how it is he says is our beloved Paul, Peter love. Paul also is our beloved Paul brother Paul in verse 15. He loved Paul because Paul love the Lord so much with everything he had.

In spite of the fact that Paul publicly called Peter out and straighten him out for hypocrisy. As of this is Peter, and Paul is like I get what is wrong. He dealt with his. He gave Peter diamond fixes beaded and fix it because Christianity was in danger of stopping right there in Antioch Syria.

Paul stood by the spirit you read about in relationship to. But here's the probably as magnificent a part of the story. Paul calls out Peter front of everybody. Peter is man enough to receive the correction in the rebuked and harbor no ill feelings against Paul. In fact, is devoted enough to Jesus Christ to uphold all that Paul has said and to admit that Paul is a deep man and he does it will get to that in verse 16 and the minute one of Mandy's people were we know in the when they died, God still has other people like that to this day the just have the right stuff. When confronted with wrong things. He says according to the wisdom given to him. See if Peter is attesting that the gift of divine wisdom. Wisdom and knowledge not the same thing operated in Paul wisdom is knowing what to do with knowledge and one great part of of wisdom, and Paul admired this supported him one apostle to another and to do this.

Peter had to be a man wasn't fraught to or loaded with insult with insecurities about himself. Peter was a solid man. Make no mistake about that. He says he wrote to you, Pauline letters of talking along suffering that shows up in Romans in second Corinthians, Ephesians and Colossians, Galatians, who knows what letter Peter is talking about her 16th, as also in all his epistles, speaking in them of these things in which are some things hard to understand which untaught and unstable people twist to their own destruction as they do. Also the rest of the Scriptures as the Holy Spirit is not in the mess what he twist them, twist them to fit their own desires is ranking Paul's writings as equal with the Old Testament or at the Bible he saying Paul's writings all the word of God that is enormous. He saying that without shame or hesitation. It is a very beautiful part of our Bible to see this powerful unity amongst the apostles, he says, in which some things are hard to understand. We all wondered read Paul's letters on stuff there hard to understand even when you've been studying it for years and then you get something and forget it usually go to the back and do it again which untaught and unstable people twist their own destruction. This the false teachers of Jehovah's Witnesses being perhaps the most successful at this in our society as they do. Also the rest of the Scriptures as Scott commented on verse 17 you, therefore, beloved, since you know this before hand, beware that you also fall from your own steadfast fast is being led away with the era of the wicked, never, never do the apostles that Christians think that you can walk away from Christ in us all to be okay they just and right if you know if we just live acts 242. The act of the asked the book of acts chapter 2, verse 42.

They continued steadfastly in the apostles doctrine teachings that our Bible that the New Testament Bibles. If we continue and what they taught many says in their fellowship. If we put ourselves where they put themselves when it comes to people he says and breaking of bread that is the communion table that is the realness of the presence of Christ with the people of Christ, and he says and prayers are we doing like them were told, and asked two 2242. We have the advantage and he says with the with the era of the wicked, those he says he doesn't want them to be. Beware lest you also fall from your steadfastness being led away with the era of the witness is the judgment of Christ.

The penalty for that rejection of Christ is eternal damnation as we talk about.

I think a lot of pastors are afraid use words like damnation and condemnation in hell. Jesus was afraid use it in the bottles were we better not be either you do when you preach Christ elicited as a consequence, the telling him go away from me. All he you at a later time.

Don't trust that stuff. Verse 18 but grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To him be glory both now and forever. Amen we are to grow in knowledge, but which comes first.

Knowledge of grace, grace, grace is afflicted.

But as a form of knowledge, but this one exists, comes upon us is just like a blanket like a cool breeze of grace just hits us is one thing to be led to the person of Christ is another thing to be developed in Christ know who is arrogant enough to think that I given my life to Christ. Therefore, I know everything I need to know now. Therefore, I know how this Christian life is I don't need any development. I don't need anybody was more developed than me to help me develop to be a better me. I've got it all because after all, it's me Grace will deal with we are saved by grace through faith and that not of ourselves so that we can grow in grace. This is kindness that reflects the love of God. It is undeserved God giving it to us.

Nonetheless, so we don't confuse our struggles with our salvation. We struggle because we are saved, God will present us faultless, not because we are but because he presents us that way. June 24 now to him was able to keep you from falling at the present you faultless before the presence of his glory with exceeding joy.

Christ is delighted that you're stuck with him in spite of your failures. That's the picture painted by that stroke of Jude is abundant grace for all saints in all situations for all sins.

Jesus conquered all and Peter sought watched him do it. So I was much more I could say own accord close with a quote from Corrie 10 boom is just one of her Corrie 10 boom right ready the blood of Jesus has never cleansed an excuse while that got her some of you. It's not for excuses to people who face facts God of truth.

Grace is worn.

Love, humility, don't be the nodal. I know it all. I don't raise I know it all. He wanted to know what she messed up the grace process you visited the graves in the process of all she had to do was obey. That's all we have time for.

On today's edition of cross reference radio you've been listening to Pastor Rick Gaston of Calvary Chapel Mechanicsville in Virginia as he teaches through the book of second Peter if you'd like to listen to more messages from this series or if you'd like more information about this program please visit our website cross reference radio.com also encourage you to subscribe to our podcast so you'll never have to miss a program. Just search for cross reference radio in iTunes Google play music or your favorite podcast. What a great way to keep God's word with you wherever you go. We hope you'll tune in again next time. Is Pastor Rick continue studying through the Scripture right here on cross reference radio