18 June 2006: How's my walk?

TOPIC: Sanctification; Choosing, Elders, Leadership, Righteousness, Service, Walk, Works

TITLE: SANCTIFIED LIVING - How’s My Walk?

TEXT: Titus 2:11 (1:5-3:11)

For the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation to all men

FOUNDATIONAL INQUIRY: Generally speaking, what should we see while reading this postcard to an elder of the church?
CONCISE OUTLINE:

I. WE SHOULD SEE THE BIG PICTURE OF PAUL’S LETTER!

A. We Should See the Man of His Choosing!
B. We Should See the Manner of His Choosing!
C. We Should See the Miracle of His Choosing! [2:11-14]

II. WE SHOULD APPLY THE BIG PICTURE TO OURSELVES!

A. We should ask, "Would God choose me?"
B. We should ask, "Has God chosen me?"

TRUTH/CONTEXT: Charles Swindoll was fond of calling The Letter of Paul to Titus a "postcard." You can't get much message in a postcard so whatever Paul wrote to Titus must be fairly easy to see!

We are about to hear from Paul the apostle; in particular, what he has to say to an elder of the church, a man named Titus, about whom we know very little.

Titus, a young minister, is left on the island of Crete by Paul to begin the challenging task of organizing and staffing converts into local congregations.

For this reason I left you in Crete, that you would set in order what remains and appoint elders in every city as I directed you,

Titus 1:5

Remember the Cretans were considered contemptible and mock by the slur, "to act the Cretan" meaning literally, "to act the liar" [cp. 1:10-13, a loose quote of a Cretan prophet].

[SCOFIELD (paraphrased)] Titus has much in common with First Timothy. Both concern order in the church. The distinction is this: in First Timothy sound doctrine is more prominent (1 Timothy 1:3-10); whereas in Titus local church order and administration (Titus 1:5) is more prominent.

The value of these Epistles lies in a twofold application:

1. On the one hand, for churches grown careless as to the truth of God
2. On the other, for churches careless as to the order and administration of God's church

And we have a good deal of that in the church today; all one need do is look at the mess the mainline denominations in our homelands are in to see that! Why? Because they became careless with the word and the work.

Paul's brief epistle is thus a practical guide for the local church and her leaders.

Let me speak to that as my good mentor J. Vernon McGee would, "this is where the rubber meets the road" for us at SCCC, we have our homeland and our home church as well as our adopted land and adopted church.

Our job as men is to not allow our churches to grow careless with God’s word of truth, as well as assist them in keeping things in order and her machinery well oiled.

FOUNDATIONAL INQUIRY: What should we see while reading Paul's postcard to an elder of the church?
EXPANDED OUTLINE:

I. WE SHOULD SEE THE BIG PICTURE OF PAUL’S LETTER!

A. We Should See the Man of His Choosing!

Now ladies don’t get your feelings hurt; we all know the Lord loves you and has you constantly before His face ... but this is talking to elders and the Bible tells us nothing regarding women as elders so we must speak of "the man of His choosing" here!

So here's what you do, if your men (or the men around you) are not living up to the biblical standard, you let them have it and tell them, "Pastor John says the Lord says ....!" Okay?

Seriously ladies, is your man a man of God’s choosing (close your eyes, raise a hand if your man is a "man of God’s choosing"?)

1. God chooses leaders of character! 1:5-9

For this reason I left you in Crete, that you would set in order what remains and appoint elders in every city as I directed you, namely,
• if any man is above reproach,
• the husband of one wife,
• having children who believe,
• not accused of dissipation or rebellion.
• For the overseer must be above reproach as God's steward,
• not self-willed, not quick-tempered, not addicted to wine, not pugnacious, not fond of sordid gain,
• but hospitable, loving what is good, sensible, just, devout, self-controlled, holding fast the faithful word which is in accordance with the teaching,
• so that he will be able both to exhort in sound doctrine and to refute those who contradict.

2. These are not just for elders but for us all! 2:15 [2-10]

These things speak and exhort and reprove with all authority. Let no one disregard you.

Notice, let no one disregard you!

a) Not Older men 2:3

Older men are to be temperate, dignified, sensible, sound in faith, in love, in perseverance.

b) Not Older women 2:3

Older women likewise are to be reverent in their behavior, not malicious gossips nor enslaved to much wine, teaching what is good, so that they may ...

c) Not Young women 2:4-5

... encourage the young women to love their husbands, to love their children, to be sensible, pure, workers at home, kind, being subject to their own husbands, so that the word of God will not be dishonored.

d) Not Young men 2:6-8

Likewise urge the young men to be sensible; in all things show yourself to be an example of good deeds, with purity in doctrine, dignified, sound in speech which is beyond reproach, so that the opponent will be put to shame, having nothing bad to say about us.

e) Not Bondslaves/Employes 9, 10

Urge bondslaves to be subject to their own masters in everything, to be well-pleasing, not argumentative, not pilfering, but showing all good faith so that they will adorn the doctrine of God our Savior in every respect.

B. We Should See the Manner of His Choosing!

1. God inspects our fruit! [1:15]

a) He chooses - those with godly fruit!
b) He rejects - those with evil fruit!

C. We Should See the Miracle of His Choosing! [2:11-14]

1. God brings salvation! [3:4-7]
2. He brings salvation to those who would serve Him!

So you too, when you do all the things which are commanded you, say, "We are unworthy slaves; we have done only that which we ought to have done."

Luke 17:10

3. The Triune Godhead brings salvation!

He saved us … according to His mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewing by the Holy Spirit, whom He poured out upon us richly through Jesus Christ our Savior ...

3:5, 6

II. WE SHOULD APPLY THE BIG PICTURE TO OURSELVES!

[HOW’S MY] Ever see one of those stickers on commercial vehicles that asks, “How’s my driving?” Then it gives a 1-800 number to call.

God put a sticker on all His children, "How’s my walking? Call 1-777-GOD-WALK!"

Sunday I joined a small group for breakfast; I fell on the way in; immediately I looked around to see if anyone saw me fall!

Why? Because people do watch people and I'm just like you.

A. We should ask, "Would God choose me?"

1. If so, what are the characteristics evident in His choosing me? Are they not the same as for those of an elder?
2. If so, what services do I perform? Are they not the same as for those of an elder?

B. We should ask, "Has God chosen me?"

If so, have I received the gift of eternal life? [3:5-7]

If we receive the testimony of men, the testimony of God is greater; for the testimony of God is this, He has testified concerning His Son. The one who believes in the Son of God has the testimony in himself; the one who does not believe God has made Him a liar, because he has not believed in the testimony God has given concerning His Son.

And the testimony is this, God has given us eternal life, and this life is in His Son. He who has the Son has the life; he who doesn’t have the Son of God does not have the life. These things I have written to you who believe in the name of the Son of God, so you may know you have eternal life.

1 John 5:9-13

APPLICATION/CHALLENGE: It is absurd to imagine God would give leaders an ideal by which to try to live and not desire, in His heart, that all should try live to that same ideal.

God knows we'd all be fired if we had to meet the ideal perfectly.

Leaders are chosen on the basis of proven character and conduct; false leaders will lack that quality must quickly be detected and removed from leadership; church members of all ages must be encouraged to live lives worthy of the gospel they claim to believe. For if they don’t they are laying reproach at the feet of our Savior … oh friends, I grieve when I stumble for that reason alone.

Paul shares guidelines for young and old, men and women, leader and laity, employer and employed. All must demonstrate the reality of their faith by being "careful to maintain good works" [3:8]. This faith is evident … others see it by our behavior.

[McFly] In "Back to the Future" Dr. Brown and Marty are standing in the parking lot of a large mall in the future as the Doc's hopped up DeLorean races toward them.

McFly is videotaping the oncoming car and begins to move to the left; Dr. Brown raises an eyebrow and gives him a sideways glance ... Marty returns to his place beside his mentor. Later he inches left and without looking Brown reaches out and pulls him back.

So absolutely positive is Brown that his car will evaporate through an unseen time window before it hits them that he puts his life on the line to prove it. McFly isn’t so certain; but Brown’s certainty keeps McFly from fleeing.

We must have this kind of faith in our beliefs.

if any man is above reproach, the husband of one wife, having children who believe, not accused of dissipation or rebellion ... above reproach as God's steward, not self-willed, not quick-tempered, not addicted to wine, not pugnacious, not fond of sordid gain, but hospitable, loving what is good, sensible, just, devout, self-controlled, holding fast the faithful word which is in accordance with the teaching, so that he will be able both to exhort in sound doctrine and to refute those who contradict.

There is a principle of character and integrity taught in this passage and it is calling to all believers ... it is the target for the life of all Christians, the life you expose to all each day.

Won't you walk with more care than a trucker with a "How Am I Driving?" sticker on his rear window?

TAGS: Elders, Homoletics, Leadership,
Preaching, Sanctification, Sermons, Service, Titus,

11 JUNE 2006: God Cares for You!

TOPIC: Preparation; Sovereignty (God’s), Love (God’s), Will of God (providential and permissive)

TITLE: QUEEN ESTHER: God Cares For You! (Adapted from "God Cares for You: The Story of Esther," S. R. Miller; Proclaim, Summer 1998, pp.19-21)

TEXT: 4:14a

"... if you remain quiet at this time, relief and deliverance will arise for the Jews from another place ... "

COMPANION SCRIPTURE: Romans 8:26-31

TRUTH CLAIM: Even though, Martin Luther says, "the Jews more esteem the book of Esther than any of the prophets" [Gill], the Book of Esther (5th Century BC) was almost excluded in the Jewish canon (Old Testament); had it been it would be difficult to see it included in the Christian canon (New Testament).

What's the reason for the hesitancy? No mention of God! Many explanations have been offered for this … I simple ask - So what? Just because the word "god" appears nowhere in the text doesn't mean God doesn't appear in the text!

Far worse than this is the reality that many people don’t have the word God written in their hearts. They say they don't believe in God.

This is remarkably bizarre since they often are heard to refer to Him and many times think of God … e.g., "If there‘s a God, He sure doesn't care about me. Who am I that God should notice me? What are my needs to Him?”

Those who believe in God experience the same thing - even Christians! You! Me!

It's a true statement that God cares for you, profoundly! It matters not that you don't believe in Him, He believes in you!

Let me tell you a story from the past …

[KING'S VISIT] Once upon a time a great king visited a town to lay the cornerstone for a new hospital; thousands of school children greeted him and sang for him.

After the king departed, a teacher saw a young girl crying. She asked, "Why are you crying? Didn't you get to see the king?"

The little girl sobbed, "Oh, yes, teacher, but the king did not see me."

How different Jesus, the Chief Cornerstone, is from earthly kings. Not only does He give life to each one, but He is also personally interested in and personally maintains each life.

God, speaking to the Jews through the prophet Zechariah (to the Church prophetically), said: "he who touches you, touches the apple of His eye." Think for a moment how you protect your eye! Protection of the eye is one of the fast reflex movements known to man!

Royal Esther, like humble Ruth, affords ua a wonderful illustration of God's enduring and unchanging concern for His own. Her story reveals hope-filled truths for the overwhelmed spirits of all believers.

FOUNDATIONAL INQUIRY: How do we see God in the book of Esther?
EXPANDED OUTLINE:

I. WE SEE HIM IN THE PREPARATION OF ESTHER! (Chapters 1-2)

Is God caught by surprise at our dilemmas/circumstances? Never! In fact He is proactively involved in your dilemmas/circumstances! [Romans 8:28]

A. QUEEN NEEDED: consider what's required for God's people to receive His protection – He must have an inside accomplice …

• He arranged that Esther and her cousin Mordecai be taken in captivity
• Ahasuerus (a.k.a. Xerxes I) must become king
• Esther's dad, Mordecai's uncle, had to die
• Mordecai had to agree to be her kinsman redeemer
• King must have seven day, drunken bash
• Vashti must spurn king’s entertainment command
• King must hold "Miss Persia of 487 BC" contest
• Esther’s Jewish nationality and race must be hidden
• He caused Esther to be queen

Nowhere is God mentioned as having had a hand in any of this and yet His fingerprints are everywhere seen.

So God accomplishes step one in His people’s providential care and Esther is elevated from orphan to queen.

B. KING’S LIFE SAVED: consider the odds of a lowly immigrant being in the right place at the right time – a better chance of winning the Uzbekistan National Lottery.

• Mordecai must be a willing student of ethics and morality
• Mordecai must sit in the gate; a kind of judge for Jews
• He must overhear a plot against Xerxes
• Authorities, non-Jews, must receive a Jew’s report; beyond reproach
• Authorities must act (uncover plot)
• Would-be assassins must be put to death.

God accomplishes step two in His people's providential care; all players are in place, including Haman who is manipulating things to his own ends.

II. WE SEE HIM IN THE REMOVAL OF AN OBSTACLE! (Chapter 3)

Consider the complexities of halting a depraved plot by reversing the social status of two everyday good people with one highly placed immoral person.

Think of doing this while preserving freewill, while depending solely on the evil of the one and the good of the other, and while informing no one of your plans.

This is what God did … even though it nowhere says it was Him!

• Haman had to be in place
• Haman was king's prime minister; evil & vain guy
• He insisted everyone genuflect in his presence
• The king and queen didn’t have to, Mordecai wouldn’t
• Haman hated Mordecai (jealous of his morality & principles)
• Haman knows Mordecai is a Jew and plots to kill him
• Hate so evil he plots against all Jews ("troublemakers")
• By deceit ($) he gets king’s edict for ethnic cleansing
• If successful, Messianic line might possiblly expire ????
• Lots cast for date to commence cleansing
• Mysteriously, the lots fall one year hence; the obstacle is delayed

III. WE SEE HIM IN NATURE OF THE RIGHTEOUS! (Chapter 4)

God is not limited in His options.

A. Esther is raised for a purpose:

• God's providential will; must be faithful remnant
• Mordecai says:

"… who knows but that you have come to [this] royal position for such a time as this?"

Esther 4:14b NIV

• Recall, God's ways and thoughts are unlike ours, and higher [Isaiah 55:8-9]

B. She is challenged by circumstances:

• Mordecai says:

"… if you remain silent at this time, relief and deliverance for the Jews will arise from another place, but you and your father's family will perish."

Esther 4:14a NIV

• Esther had all she desired; she lacked nothing
• Going to the king uninvited was unlawful and deadly
• She invited the king to a banquet to expose Haman
• God’s timing is faultless and that night wasn’t right
• Banquet rescheduled for the following night

C. God chooses servants for what others cannot see:

• God turns the person inside out.
• She prepared for her task by preparing with God

"… assemble all the Jews … , and fast for me; don’t eat or drink for three days, night or day. I and my maidens will fast in the same way also. And thus I will go in to the king …"

Esther 4:16

• Esther sees big picture: "… and if I perish, I perish."
• Esther found favor in the sight of the king
• She demonstrated remarkable wisdom in dealings with king

Do you suppose she went alone? Our gentle and loving God held her hand throughout her pilgrimage.

IV. WE SEE HIS ABSENCE IN THE NATURE OF THE UNRIGHTEOUS! (Chapters 5-6)

Like that local toad here in San Carlos, Haman was inflated with arrogance and self-love. Haman, like most of the self-centered, missed much of what was going on.

Not only was God lacking in his life, moral qualities were as well. Your sins will reveal you:

• Haman’s ego obscured Esther’s kinship with Mordecai
• Had he spent as much time with the people he would have known Mordecai
• Rage cultivated bitterness (he saw Mordecai on way home from the queen’s first banquet)
• Wife told him to hang Mordecai; like Ahab’s Jezebel
• Orders gallows; THEN goes to king for approval

God will not allow the unrighteous to long remain hidden

V. WE SEE HIM IN THE DELIVERANCE OF THE JEWS! (Chapters 7-9)

No "thing" arises outside the reach of God’s will. There’s no good luck or bad luck! There are no disasters or circumstances He is unaware of!

A. The Incident:

• God works with more than just people and circumstance, He also works with insomnia and tradition
• Xerxes couldn’t sleep because he worried about what his delightful bride wanted to tell him
• It’s tradition of leaders to record their histories (of course God had nothing to do with that either); and read each others
• Xerxes order scribes to read from the court records
• How astonishing they should read the records which revealed Mordecai's service to the king
• King asks, "Was a reward given"? None sought, none given

B. The Irony:

• So Haman came in and the king said to him, “What’s to be done for the man that the king desires to honor?” And Haman said to himself, “Who else would the king desire to honor more than me?” (Esther 6:6)
• Haman tells the king:

“… let them bring a royal robe the king has worn, and the horse the king has ridden, on whose head a royal crown has been placed; and let the robe and the horse be handed over to one of the king's most noble princes and let them array the man whom the king desires to honor and lead him on horseback throughout the city square, proclaiming before him, ‘So it shall be done to the man whom the king desires to honor.’”

Esther 6:8-9

• Horror of horrors, Mordecai’s the man, he’s the prince!

C. The Justice:

• At the party Haman discoveries he is to be revealed
• Pleading for mercy he literally falls on Queen Esther
• In walks Xerxes; Haman is accused of accosting queen
• Esther reveals the plot
• King orders Haman hanged on Mordecai’s gallows
• King orders the Jews may chase down the plotters, destroying them as they planned to destroy the Jews
• The Feast of Purim celebrates God’s deliverance
• Jews pray and fast at Purim

"God will bring every act to judgment, everything which is hidden, whether it is good or evil."

Ecclesiastes 12:14

APPLICATION/CHALLENGE: Do you glimpse our majestic God; the One who involves Himself in our lives and who loves us more than we can conceive or imagine?

Here is a window into the nature of God, the God who cares so much He prepares in advance, so that the lowly and innocent may avoid life’s obstacles, and who deliver us from harm’s way.

Does it matter that the name of God is not mentioned in this book? No! When the person and character of God are seen at every turn, do we need to see His name to know Him? No!

This was Esther’s and Mordecai’s problem; how big is yours?

… Moses said to the people, "Fear not! Stand by and see the LORD’s salvation which He will accomplish for you this day; for the Egyptians whom you have seen, you will no more see them again forever. Today the LORD will fight for you while you keep silent."

Exodus 14:13-14

How many times have you been confronted one of life’s challenges and chose the easy way out? I can’t tell you how often I have been blessed by taking the way of faith and trust!

God may be moving His pawns around the knights and bishops of this world in order for our King to take evil’s king!

As the world, the devil, and the flesh confront us with crisis after crisis, remember our God is lovingly interested in us!

He is a God who is sovereign in all things! A God who has promised to care for us! He works in every relationship, event, and situation for His own glory and for our benefit. Rejoice! Again, I say, Rejoice!

Topic TAGS: Esther, Faith, Hope Love,
Old Testament, Peserveration, Preaching,
Preparation, Peserveration, Sermons, Will of God

4 JUNE 2006: Bad News According to Jesus!

TOPIC: Hell; Damnation, End Times, Eternity, Judgment

TITLE: HELL OF A NOTE!

TEXT: Matthew 25:46 [31-46]

These will go away into eternal punishment, but the righteous into eternal life.

COMPANION TEXT: Hebrews 9:27

And inasmuch as it is appointed for men to die once and after this judgment.

FOUNDATIONAL INQUIRY: How are we to understand hell?
CONCISE OUTLINE:
One of our great saints suggested three hells every person must deal with.

I. THERE IS THE HELL OF THE HEART!
II. THERE IS THE HELL THAT’S ALL AROUND!
III. THERE IS THE HELL THAT AWAITS!

Billy Graham, Decision Magazine, (July-August 1984) p. 2.

TRUTH/CONTEXT: Matthew 25 is speaking of the final judgment, where everything comes to a last climax after the Millennium.

This event is known as "The Sheep-Goat Judgment" … not literal sheep or goats … a metaphor ... sheep are the saved, and the goats are the lost.

"These" refers to those who "did not do it to one of the least of these" [v. 45]; whereas, "the righteous" refers to those who "did it to one of these brothers of Mine" [vv. 34, 40].

Clearly the latter are the sheep, who were placed on the King's right, and the former are the goats, who were placed on His left [vv. 33, 41].

So why did the sheep know to do good to the least of these and the goats did not? God put it in their hearts at rebirth; their new nature compelled them to do right things (righteousness).

The key players in this passage are the King/Lord and His subjects (“all the nations” of v. 32); there is only one King/Lord but the subjects are divided into two groups - those on His left, and those on His right.

RIGHT: "sheep" (v. 33); to these the Lord says, "Come, you who are blessed"; they "inherit the kingdom" (v. 34); they are those who "did it to one of these brothers of Mine" (v. 40); these are called "the righteous" who go "into eternal life" (v. 46). You over here will be the sheep.

LEFT: "goats" (v. 33); to these the Lord says, "Depart from Me, accursed ones, into the eternal fire which has been prepared for the devil and his angels" (v. 41); they are those who "did not do it to one of the least of these" (v. 45); these are not again referred to descriptively, except that they "go away into eternal punishment" (v. 46). You over here will be the goats.

This is the eternal hell we know so little about!

FOUNDATIONAL INQUIRY: How are we to understand hell?
EXPANDED OUTLINE:

I. THERE IS THE HELL THAT’S ALL AROUND!

A. Hell at home, hell in the streets, hell in our schools, hell in our government, hell at work, there’s hell all around.

B. Hell in our entertainment, our literature, our art, our technology.

C. There is hell in our personal behavior.

D. Everywhere God’s commands are trampled upon.

E. Darfur, Holocaust, Civil War, Eritrea, Belsan, the 9/11 plans, inside the towers.

F. All of this was for a season, a lifetime perhaps … but unsaved man’s hell is … well it’s forever, eternal suffering and none of the above compares.

II. WORSE THERE IS THE HELL OF THE HEART!

A. There is hell in the hearts and minds of our leaders … where can we have confidence in a leader today?

B. Millions own hearts filled with hell; one day their hearts will fill hell!

C. The world has bought “the power of positive thinking,” the wisdom of this world; the church is determined to drift that way.

D. Yesterday I read in a couple of place in church documents the term “felt needs.” This is psychobabble and out of the pit of hell. Give me my good Gospel needs anyday.

E. They teach man is inherently good, he’s just momentarily off track; the bible teaches the opposite “there’s none good, no not one.”

F. They teach if you just imagine goodness you will have it; e.g., “Imagine Peace” bumper sticker and yard signs in Claremont, California.

G. No we won’t … we’re by nature selfish, carnal, filled with lusts, lacking in simple discernment and self-control, seeking our own.

H. The heart of man is evil and filled with iniquity [Genesis 8:21]

For out of the heart come evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, fornications, thefts, false witness, slanders.

Matthew 15:19

I. Man’s heart is like the surface of the sea, never at rest, always in commotion!

J. The turmoil of our hearts is a hot finger pointing out our guilt … we call it our conscience.

III. THERE IS THE HELL OF THAT WAITS!

A. Both of the above are temporal, meaning they have an end in this earthy realm; consider the horrible nature of I. & II. … now consider … .

B. The hell of the future is eternal … ages without end!

[Barnes] “In all these places it denotes anguish, suffering, punishment. It does not mean simply a ‘state or condition,’ but absolute, positive suffering; and if this word does not teach it, no word ‘could’ express the idea that the wicked would suffer.”

C. Hell is where we’ll find the devil and his minions.

D. There’ve been numerous recent articles on the subject of hell … most confusing and unhelpful. Several complained the church is not preaching on hell anymore.

[NO NONSENSE] John Steinbeck, in Travels with Charley: In Search of America, writes his thoughts on a sermon heard while attending a New England church:

It had been long since I had heard such a good approach. It is our practice now, at least in the large cities, to find from our psychiatric priesthood that our sins aren't really sins at all but accidents that are set in motion by forces beyond our control. There was no nonsense in this church.

The minister … reassured us that we were a pretty sorry lot. And he was right.

Having softened us up, he went into a glorious sermon, a fire-and-brimstone sermon. . . . He spoke of hell as an expert, not the mush-mush hell of these soft days, but a well-stoked, white-hot hell served by technicians of the first order. [Citation: Clark Cothern, Tecumseh, Michigan; source: John Steinbeck, Travels with Charley: In Search of America (Penguin Books, 1961), p. 78 (from The Perfect Illustration for Every Topic and Occasion copyright © 2002 by Christianity Today International. All rights reserved.)]

[WHERE’S HELL?] An adult doubter was mocking a young woman who’d just become a new Christian. "Okay, Miss Smarty, tell me where hell is?" After a moment the young saint said, "Well, I guess it's at the end of your miserable life."

APPLICATION/CHALLENGE: Let’s understand we do not need to live with a heart filled with hell; God’s grace is sufficient for that purpose!

Let’s also understand we don’t have to live in a hell on earth; God’s grace is sufficient for that purpose as well!

Likewise, we don’t need to fear the hell of the future; God’s grace has taken care of that! Peter tells us …

the Lord knows how to rescue the godly from temptation, and to keep the unrighteous under punishment for the day of judgment

2 Peter 2:9

Did you ever think that the reason you don’t believe in Hell is because you are unrighteous in God’s eyes, and that He’s keeping you there “for the day of judgment.”

Yet we must admit we’ve chosen for many family members, friends, and neighbors to end in this way because we have failed to plead with them concerning their eternal state. Some have even encouraged their unrighteousness.

Verse 46 is a wonderful verse for explaining to doubters that they deny Jesus or at least call Him a liar if they say all roads lead to heaven. The word "eternal" is used for both life and punishment ... let me illustrate its importance:

[DIRECTIONS] Let’s say I’m on a sales trip and do the unthinkable, I stop and ask directions; the man says my destination is three miles North of town on the main road, at exactly three miles, I’m to make a right and head into the desert for five miles, the first building on my left will be what I’m looking for. I follow his directions and end up at the business I wanted.

On my return trip I again stop for directions only for a different destination; the same man says my destination is three miles South of town on the main road, at exactly three miles, I’m to make a left and head into the desert for five miles, the first building on my right will be what I’m looking for.

After receiving his instructions I decide he couldn’t have meant the “main” road, he must have meant the business loop bypass and he must have meant 30 not “three” miles, and it must be a right because at 30 miles there is no road to the left. I never do find my customer.

The point is simple: if the directions were from the same man in the same language, I had no reasonable justification for changing the meaning of his directions the second time, if his directions were correct in the first instance.

How can I choose to believe someone's word about one event but not another, especially when given in the same language and context?

If Jesus says, "There is eternal life!" (v. 34) and I believe, putting my hope in His word, how can I not accept His word when he says, "There is eternal punishment"? If it’s not “eternal” punishment, then it’s not “eternal” life.

The prophet Amos [4:12] told Israel, “Prepare to meet your God!” We seem to prepare for everything: schooling, marriage, career, and even burial. But little is said or done about eternity.

Do you know where you are going? I know where I am going! Not because of any thing I’ve done, but entirely because of what Jesus has done. I, like the thief on the cross, am deserving of hell but God’s grace through the shed blood of Jesus has purchased me an eternal ticket to heaven.

John wrote,

These things I have written to you who believe in the name of the Son of God, so that you may know that you have eternal life.

1 John 5:11-13

And Paul says,

Now is the accepted time; … now is the day of salvation.

2 Corinthians 6:1-2

Do you know where you are going? Are you preparation for Judgment?

Did you hear about the boy who failed all his college work? He wired his mother: "Failed everything; Prepare Papa." His mother wired back, "Papa prepared; Prepare yourself."

This is the message a lot of us need in view of the coming judgment. God is prepared. We need to prepare ourselves!

TAGS: Damnation, End times, Eschatology, Eternity,
Hell, Homoletics, Judgment, Matthew 25,
Preaching, Sermons, Sheep Goat Judgment