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The Twenty-Fifth Sunday After Trinity
November 25, 2007
The End of the World

NKJ 2 Peter 3:3 knowing this first: that scoffers will come in the last days, walking according to their own lusts, 4 and saying, "Where is the promise of His coming? For since the fathers fell asleep, all things continue as they were from the beginning of creation." 5 For this they willfully forget: that by the word of God the heavens were of old, and the earth standing out of water and in the water, 6 by which the world that then existed perished, being flooded with water. 7 But the heavens and the earth which are now preserved by the same word, are reserved for fire until the day of judgment and perdition of ungodly men. 8 But, beloved, do not forget this one thing, that with the Lord one day is as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day. 9 The Lord is not slack concerning His promise, as some count slackness, but is longsuffering toward us, not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance. 10 But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night, in which the heavens will pass away with a great noise, and the elements will melt with fervent heat; both the earth and the works that are in it will be burned up. 11 Therefore, since all these things will be dissolved, what manner of persons ought you to be in holy conduct and godliness, 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 with fervent heat? 13 Nevertheless we, according to His promise, look for new heavens and a new earth in which righteousness dwells.
 
On the last Sunday of the church year—we traditionally speak of the end-times—the time when this world will end and a new world begins—how do we know this—God told us in His Word
 
NKJ Revelation 21:1 Now I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away. Also there was no more sea. 2 Then I, John, saw the holy city, New Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. 3 And I heard a loud voice from heaven saying, "Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and He will dwell with them, and they shall be His people. God Himself will be with them and be their God. 4 "And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes; there shall be no more death, nor sorrow, nor crying. There shall be no more pain, for the former things have passed away." 5 Then He who sat on the throne said, "Behold, I make all things new." And He said to me, "Write, for these words are true and faithful."
 
This is what we pray for each week when we pray “Thy Kingdom come”—Lord God establish Your Kingdom here on the new earth—let us all spend eternity with You in Your perfect world—now let us consider the things of God’s Word in our text
 
TEXT:  NKJ 2 Peter 3:3 knowing this first: that scoffers will come in the last days, walking according to their own lusts, 4 and saying, "Where is the promise of His coming? For since the fathers fell asleep, all things continue as they were from the beginning of creation." 5 For this they willfully forget: that by the word of God the heavens were of old, and the earth standing out of water and in the water, 6 by which the world that then existed perished, being flooded with water.
 
Peter gives us a glimpse of the history of the creation—and the history of mankind—God created this world—and it was perfect—when all things were done God said it is good
 
NKJ Genesis 1:31 Then God saw everything that He had made, and indeed it was very good. So the evening and the morning were the sixth day.
 
As we discussed last week—we—man—have the power to decide not to obey God or to do the will of God—man originally was Adam and Eve in the perfect Garden of Eden—walking and talking with God every day—until they chose not to obey the one rule that God gave them
 
NKJ Genesis 2:15 Then the LORD God took the man and put him in the garden of Eden to tend and keep it. 16 And the LORD God commanded the man, saying, "Of every tree of the garden you may freely eat; 17 "but of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat, for in the day that you eat of it you shall surely die."
 
As we remember from our Bible classes—God sent man out of the garden and into the world—man was now separated fro, God—and man was living in the world with the devil—what is worse is that the devil has tasted success in tempting and alluring man into sin—man is vulnerable to sin again—and the devil works tirelessly to lure men into sin—the devil’s success can be seen in Scripture—Cain killed Abel—and that was just the beginning—things continued to get worse and worse—until finally God is sorry He ever made man—and God decided to destroy the entire world
 
NKJ Genesis 6:5 Then the LORD saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every intent of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually. 6 And the LORD was sorry that He had made man on the earth, and He was grieved in His heart. 7 So the LORD said, "I will destroy man whom I have created from the face of the earth, both man and beast, creeping thing and birds of the air, for I am sorry that I have made them." 8 But Noah found grace in the eyes of the LORD.
 
And God saved Noah and his family because Noah stood righteous in an unrighteous and corrupt world
 
NKJ Genesis 7:1 Then the LORD said to Noah, "Come into the ark, you and all your household, because I have seen that you are righteous before Me in this generation.
 
Recently we discussed the Reformation and Martin Luther—how Luther translated God’s Word into the language of the people—how one man can make a difference in this world—oh how that pales in comparison with the difference Noah made—God saved mankind because Noah did not behave like the rest of the world—what a lesson this gives us—but has man learned from this lesson?—look at the world today—the filth man writes—the filth man produces on television and in movies—the way people behave in public and their lack of respect for authority—much less their respect for God—do we think God is pleased?—could the end be far away?—Peter didn’t think it was
 
TEXT:  NKJ 2 Peter 3:7 But the heavens and the earth which are now preserved by the same word, are reserved for fire until the day of judgment and perdition of ungodly men. 8 But, beloved, do not forget this one thing, that with the Lord one day is as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day. 9 The Lord is not slack concerning His promise, as some count slackness, but is longsuffering toward us, not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance. 10 But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night, in which the heavens will pass away with a great noise, and the elements will melt with fervent heat; both the earth and the works that are in it will be burned up.
 
God will destroy this world again—but this time it will be with fire and fervent heat—Jesus was sent by God the Father to show us the proper understanding of God’s Word—Jesus departed to return to sit on the right hand of God the Father in heaven—and Jesus asked God the Father to send us the Holy Spirit to teach us when He was back in heaven—God wrote the Law on our hearts so we have understanding of how to obey Him
 
NKJ John 15:26 " But when the Helper comes, whom I shall send to you from the Father, the Spirit of truth who proceeds from the Father, He will testify of Me.
 
NKJ Romans 2:12 For as many as have sinned without law will also perish without law, and as many as have sinned in the law will be judged by the law 13 (for not the hearers of the law are just in the sight of God, but the doers of the law will be justified; 14 for when Gentiles, who do not have the law, by nature do the things in the law, these, although not having the law, are a law to themselves, 15 who show the work of the law written in their hearts, their conscience also bearing witness, and between themselves their thoughts accusing or else excusing them) 16 in the day when God will judge the secrets of men by Jesus Christ, according to my gospel.
 
Peter is saying that Judgment Day is approaching—and God will destroy the earth with fire—but for now God’s grace and mercy are still holding—and just as God did not destroy all men but preserved Noah and his family—God may be delaying His destruction of the earth because of a minority of men He considers righteous in their lives—every day God gives us before executing the destruction we all deserve—is a day that should be used to witness to others that Jesus is the only way to salvation
 
TEXT:  NKJ 2 Peter 3:11 Therefore, since all these things will be dissolved, what manner of persons ought you to be in holy conduct and godliness, 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 with fervent heat? 13 Nevertheless we, according to His promise, look for new heavens and a new earth in which righteousness dwells.
 
Peter asks “How should we live our lives as the day approaches?”—and of course we all know that every moment and every day should be lived in obedience to Christ our Lord—and what do we have to look forward to?—the new heaven and the new earth will come—it seems as if God will bring His garden paradise back to the earth after He melts away the filth of evil man has brought upon this world—we’ve already read the teaching in revelation concerning the new heaven and the new earth—but let us now consider the description God gives us of His eternal home for us
 
NKJ Revelation 22:1 And he showed me a pure river of water of life, clear as crystal, proceeding from the throne of God and of the Lamb. 2 In the middle of its street, and on either side of the river, was the tree of life, which bore twelve fruits, each tree yielding its fruit every month. The leaves of the tree were for the healing of the nations. 3 And there shall be no more curse, but the throne of God and of the Lamb shall be in it, and His servants shall serve Him. 4 They shall see His face, and His name shall be on their foreheads. 5 There shall be no night there: They need no lamp nor light of the sun, for the Lord God gives them light. And they shall reign forever and ever. 6 Then he said to me, "These words are faithful and true." And the Lord God of the holy prophets sent His angel to show His servants the things which must shortly take place. 7 "Behold, I am coming quickly! Blessed is he who keeps the words of the prophecy of this book."
 
Yes the end of this world will come—and God said it will come quickly—and listening to the picture painted into our minds by the Apostle John—it cannot come quickly enough
 
ALL GLORY BE TO GOD!