Malachi Pt. 3: A Call To Renewed Covenant Fidelity

Marriage Mirrors Our Relationship With God

This is the last word that God’s people would receive from a prophet before John the Baptist sets the stage for Jesus. Todd earlier talked about studying the Old Testament in order to better understand the New, to give it context and depth. As we read this, try to let the description enrich your understanding of the people who Jesus came to save.

Israel is out there finding new ways to get it wrong, as well as continuing the old things that God exiled them for in the first place. They are still not holding up their covenant with God, and Malachi is putting them on trial.

Today’s message circles around several different covenants, between God and Man, between Man and Wife, and between believers. The book of Malachi uses the word “covenant” at a higher rate than any other book in the Old Testament, so let’s ask: what is a covenant?

In the Old Testament we see that it’s exclusively a relationship with people not related involving obligations established through an oath.It is a promise or a bond. A binding agreement. Contractual; I’ll do this, and you are going to do that. The difference between a contract and a Covenant is that you do you part whether or not the other party does their part.

Last week we heard about the horrid practices that the people, and even the leaders and priests had fallen in to. Sacrificing ill or deformed animals, neglect of His laws and instructions on how to live.

The focus of the text now transitions to the ways in which the laypeople were sinning by breaking their covenant with God. We will see in today’s text how God continues to give opportunities to repent even when his people are ignorant to their mistakes and their sin.As dark as it is, this letter is an encouragement that even though the human condition remains unchanged from 2400 years ago, there is a God who will not stop seeking us, who did what we could not comprehend by taking on flesh, and what is beyond understanding that he would dwell in us through his Spirit.

Malachi 2:10-16

10 Have we not all one Father? Has not one God created us? Why then are we faithless to one another, profaning the covenant of our fathers? 11 Judah has been faithless, and abomination has been committed in Israel and in Jerusalem.

• Israel’s unity with each other is based in the common source of life.

o This is still true today. God put the breath in your enemies’ lungs.

• God brought them all out of Egypt, made his promises to their ancestors, and their faithlessness to each other profanes those covenants.

• It was their responsibility, as a community, to keep the promises God made with their ancestors.

o There is one God, who created all of us. This creates a responsibility in us to love and to care for everyone, but especially our community, our church.

• To clarify, vs 11 says Judah. Here this accusation refers to all of God’s people. Post-exile we only see references to Judah but it means everyone.

• Easy to read this and think how far Israel has fallen from the days of Moses, Joshua or David. But I was reading my son’s bible, the story of Joseph and how his brothers throw him in a pit for dead, and then go one further by selling him in to slavery. The kids’ bible doesn’t name them, but those brothers are the actual patriarchs and namesakes of the tribes of Israel. Judah and Levi themselves were murderers who left their kid brother for dead because their dad gave him a coat.

• This sinful behavior has been engrained in their DNA of Israel.

• And yet God calls these actions an “abomination”, something that causes disgust and hatred.

For Judah has profaned the sanctuary of the Lord, which he loves, and has married the daughter of a foreign god. 12 May the Lord cut off from the tents of Jacob any descendant of the man who does this, who brings an offering to the Lord of hosts!

• This seems like a very harsh punishment, if all we’ve ever been told is that God is merciful. True! His mercy is very great, however he’s also the sole arbiter of justice. There is no expiration or shortage of his mercy. But there is an end date to the distribution.

• We see Israel again continues to fall short of God’s expectations, this time in a familiar way. Taking foreign wives was one of the chief complaints Ezra had a generation ago.

• Sometimes this old language does not strike me in the way I’m sure it affected the original audience.

• God is calling for the removal of the thing at the absolute center of Jewish life, descendants and family ties.

• God does not want his people entering a marriage covenant with people who do not serve him. This was true then; it is true now.

o 2 Corinthians 6:14 “Do not be unequally yoked with unbelievers. For what partnership has righteousness with lawlessness? Or what fellowship has light with darkness?”

• This text gives me an opportunity to ask the question: are you getting serious about marrying someone who isn’t following Christ?

o If getting married means becoming one flesh with someone, how does that work with a nonbeliever?

o Is that kind of union exemplifying faithfulness to God and his community?

13 And this second thing you do. You cover the Lord’s altar with tears, with weeping and groaning because he no longer regards the offering or accepts it with favor from your hand. 14 But you say, “Why does he not?” Because the Lord was witness between you and the wife of your youth, to whom you have been faithless, though she is your companion and your wife by covenant.

• The retort in vs 14 of “why not”. Why doesn’t he regard their offering?

• God says I’ll tell you exactly why. The people who are supposed to be honoring God are defaming him by making promises in front of him and breaking them.

• In these two verses, I believe the reason God is upset is fairly straight forward. His people are making promises and not keeping them.

• The men in Judah are being faithless to their wives, their covenanted companions.

• Contrast that to God who is always faithful to his promises. It seems every time I preach, I get to circle back to this theme. God desires us to be faithful in the same way.

• In a different way, we are all covenanted together in the New Testament church. As believers we have testified our faith. As members we have covenanted to support each other in our walk with Christ. If we let it slide, we’re a part of it.

• There is ignorance in their response. A lack of awareness as to why or what God might be mad about.

• It’s not like there should be any confusion, its spelled out pretty well what God expects. They have his revealed word and commandments, his law. They have had good leaders and priests over the generations who have continually reformed the nation back towards Gods way. And they certainly have the memory of his anger and punishment through war, exile and pestilence.

• God no longer accepts their prayers and offerings, because of faithlessness in their marriage covenants.

o 1 Peter 3:7 “Likewise, husbands, live with your wives in an understanding way, showing honor to the woman… so that your prayers may not be hindered.”

15 Did he not make them one, with a portion of the Spirit in their union? And what was the one God seeking? Godly offspring. So guard yourselves in your spirit, and let none of you be faithless to the wife of your youth.

• God does the joining in a marriage covenant.

• Matthew 19:6 “What therefore God has joined together, let not man separate.”

• God is elaborating that the point of marriage is children. We have this idea that today because of science and culture that we can chose if we want to have kids. This is a biblical reminder that God created marriage “for godly offspring”.

• This is a distinct contrast with the wording “daughter of a foreign god” earlier.

• Spiritual union and faithfulness are a prerequisite to produce those spiritual offspring.

• Part of God’s plan is to create a lineage that honors him, so like Psalm 145 says we commend His works to the next generation.

• Divorce has deep-reaching consequences beyond the individual and can affect the whole community and the building up of Godly offspring.

• Notice that the back half of this verse warns us to be on the lookout.

• God is telling us here that we should guard ourselves against unfaithfulness. It is a spiritual attack that convinces us to be justified in our sin.

• We know that God is faithful and commands us clearly to be faithful.

16 “For the man who does not love his wife but divorces her, says the Lord, the God of Israel, covers his garment with violence, says the Lord of hosts. So guard yourselves in your spirit, and do not be faithless.”

• “who does not love his wife” shows this is talking about divorce based on aversion (feeling of dislike).

• God hates divorce. Different translations say this a bit more explicit.

o NLT: “For I hate divorce!” says the Lord, the God of Israel. “To divorce your wife is to overwhelm her with cruelty

• Divorce was not good for them and it’s not good for us.

• God has a picture of his people, his relationship. It’s not something to take lightly. He values it. It’s not a promise between two people, or a piece of paper, or a useless holdover from a different time. it’s a spiritual reality.

o There is a slippery slope in our culture, the devaluing of marriage in society has led to increased divorces, and a general disrespect for the covenant.

• There are a couple biblical moral reasons to get divorced, but “the man who does not love his wife” is not among them.

• All the sacraments are depictions of our relationship with God; it’s a big deal.

• To the audience, divorcing your wife is to throw her to the wolves, it is rough.

• NIV says the man who divorces his wife “does violence to the once he should protect”

• I think to cover your garment with violence happens when you do not love your wife. It invites chaos and violence says the LORD!

Humans have a sense of what is right and wrong. Innately we know what it means to be faithless. In Mere Christianity Lewis observes that we humans when we do sin, almost always try to excuse our bad behavior away. If a friend accuses us of breaking a promise, we find reasons why the rules don’t apply.

This quote is talking about people who made a marriage promise without understanding what it meant or willingly ignored the seriousness of it.

“Someone may reply that he regarded the promise made in church as a mere formality and never intended to keep it… They were imposters, they cheated. Who would urge the high and hard duty of chastity on people who have not yet wished to be honest?” CS Lewis

We can’t be faithful unless we are honest first.

SUMMARY

• God spoke a curse that the people would be cut off from his promises because of marriage to women who worshiped foreign gods

• God had stopped accepting the offerings and prayers of the people because the Israelite men were not faithful to their marriage covenants.

• God hates divorce, not the people who get divorced.

Ask yourself:

What does it mean to be faithful? o Study the real thing, God’s word!

In what ways am I not being faithful? o Romans 3:23 “For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God”

In what ways am I justifying my faithlessness?

Why should we ponder these questions?

• God has called us to be faithful.

• In order to do that we need to know what that means.

• Second, we need to identify what areas we need to improve

• Thirdly we need to remove the blockers that tell us we don’t need to change

God keeps his promises, and calls us to do the same.

/by

Malachi Pt. 2: Corrupt Worship Destroys Relationship

Sacrifice is at the core of our relationship with our Creator. True sacrifice is the giving away things you value to someone you who is more valuable to you than the thing. Sacrifice is foundational in all intimate relationships. Parents sacrifice for their children, siblings & real friends sacrifice for each other. Where does that come from?

God has modeled how sacrifice maintains & repairs relationship since the beginning.In the Garden, Yahweh sacrificed animals to atone for the 1st sin. Job offered sacrifices for himself and his children as an admission of sin. Noah, 1st thing after letting the animals out of the ark…he sacrificed burn offerings. Abraham offered sacrifices, was ready to sacrifice His son! The temple system that was part of the Law of Moses served to created a regular ‘life rhythm’ of sacrifice, making God’s people deal with their sin.

Yahweh’s people were taught to sacrifice things that really mattered, things that cost. Things that were your means of survival, your livelihood & your chance to advance. God taught His people; our most valuable things are not enough to pay for our sin. The sacrifices happened day after day, year after year…partial atonement.

Then Christ Himself, offered the sacrifice that was of enough value to cover the cost. Christ’s sacrifice on the cross pays for our sin and buys us out out of HELL! Full and complete atonement. Paid in full! We honor HIM / God by laying down our lives, sacrificing our desires and pleasures to do HIS will. The Christian expression of this is that we are called to be ‘Living Sacrifices’…

Hey God: Why all the focus on sacrifice? Why make sacrifice such an important part of the daily life of YOUR people? God’s reason & purpose of lifestyle sacrifice was and still is: SIN AWARENESS. The process of regularly dealing with your sin, having it cost you something, is the gateway to grace. You cannot lay down your life to Christ without truly needing to! It takes sin awareness to fully understand the need for a savior. God wanted to demonstrate to them & us, as HIS people we must live in recognition of our sinfulness and corruption. God has blessed us to be unique: dealing with our sin is a blessing because it is how we truly recognize our need for Christ as Lord & Savior.

Last week we ended with:

9 “Go ahead, beg God to be merciful to you! But when you bring that kind of offering, why should He show you any favor at all?” asks the Lord of Heaven’s Armies. (Yahweh Tsebaoth)

Malachi 1:10 – 2:9

10 “How I wish one of you would shut the Temple doors so that these worthless sacrifices could not be offered! I am not pleased with you,” says the Lord of Heaven’s Armies, “and I will not accept your offerings. 11 My name is honored by people of other nations from morning till night. All around the world they offer sweet incense and pure offerings in honor of my name. For my name is great among the nations,” says the Lord of Heaven’s Armies.

  • God is frustrated with the corruption and disobedience of His people
  • All over the world [at this time] other people were honoring God
  • Others Honor God while those He has chosen to be HIS, do not? That is nuts!

12 “But you dishonor my name with your actions. By bringing contemptible food, you are saying it’s all right to defile the Lord’s table. 13 You say, ‘It’s too hard to serve the Lord,’ and you turn up your noses at my commands,” says the Lord of Heaven’s Armies.

  • Your actions are what matter to God
  • Your actions say everything, they expose what you truly believe
  • The parable of the two sons [Jesus @ Matthew 21:28-31]
  • If difficulty stops you from trying, then you don’t believe in what you are doing

“Think of it! Animals that are stolen and crippled and sick are being presented as offerings! Should I accept from you such offerings as these?” asks the Lord. 14 “Cursed is the cheat who promises to give a fine ram from his flock but then sacrifices a defective one to the Lord. For I am a great king,” says the Lord of Heaven’s Armies, “and My name is feared among the nations!”

  • Take a second and recognize what they were doing is what we can be guilty of
  • God says: ‘Should I accept these ‘lame’ offerings? You know the answer
  • Taking about what you’re going to give is never a good thing [Wayne & others]
  • It is like they forget He is watching…that God is paying attention
  • He wants to remind them AND US…
  • He is beyond powerful and His reputation is honored all over the world

1 “Listen, you priests—this command is for you! 2 Listen to Me and make up your minds to honor My name,” says the Lord of Heaven’s Armies, “or I will bring a terrible curse against you. I will curse even the blessings you receive. Indeed, I have already cursed them, because you have not taken My warning to heart.

  • Pay attention those of you in charge [leaders can forget about their obedience]
  • God wants to give us a chance to clean up out act
  • Yahweh is a God of second chances, but there’s a point when His chances end
  • He says He will do it and because He knows their hearts, it’s as good as done
  • They will be cursed going forward but God will also curse past blessings!

3 I will punish your descendants and splatter your faces with the manure from your festival sacrifices, and I will throw you on the manure pile. 4 Then at last you will know it was I who sent you this warning so that My covenant with the Levites can continue,” says the Lord of Heaven’s Armies.

  • For such dishonoring of His reputation He will include descendants is the curse
  • God knows it will take something incredibly harsh to make them realize their sin
  • It will be painfully obvious that God Himself is acting against what they’re doing

5 “The purpose of my covenant with the Levites was to bring life and peace, and that is what I gave them. This required reverence from them, and they greatly revered me and stood in awe of my name.

  • They were supposed to be representatives of God’s peace & life…
  • Those who provide the spiritual infrastructure for God must be extra reverent

6 They passed on to the people the truth of the instructions they received from Me. They did not lie or cheat; they walked with Me, living good and righteous lives, and they turned many from lives of sin. 7 The words of a priest’s lips should preserve knowledge of God, and people should go to him for instruction, for the priest is the messenger of the Lord of Heaven’s Armies.

  • Those who minister must be examples, speaking and acting on behalf of God
  • From intimacy with God, they teach His principals and maintain proper doctrine
  • They are to be instruments of God’s will: Messengers [like Malachi]

8 But you priests have left God’s paths. Your instructions have caused many to stumble into sin. You have corrupted the covenant I made with the Levites,” says the Lord of Heaven’s Armies. 9 “So I have made you despised and humiliated in the eyes of all the people. For you have not obeyed Me but have shown favoritism in the way you carry out My instructions.”

  • God pronounces Judgement on the Levitical priesthood [It ends with Christ]
  • They have become ‘blind guides’ as Jesus called them [whitewashed tombs]
  • Their corruption has led others to dishonor God’s name
  • God’s human ‘spiritual infrastructure’ will be judged more strictly [Jame 3:1]
  • This is God speaking in present tense about future things…they are and will be
  • At the core of their disobedience was favoritism
  • This is still an issue amongst God’s people…see James 2:9
  • ‘If you show favoritism, you sin and are convicted by the law as lawbreakers’
  • It is like they forget God is watching!

SUMMARY:

V. 1:10-14 God is not in the business of tolerating His people’s dishonest offerings & sacrifices. He cares deeply about His reputation, so should His people. Actions are what matter to God. People act in accordance with what they truly believe, even in difficulty. God’s perfect justice means he will not let falsehoods be considered blessings.

V. 2:1-4 Those who go between Yahweh and His people are commanded to Honor Him wholeheartedly, anything less curses everything they touch. God will humiliate and degrade those who corrupt HIS worship, it will be disgustingly harsh and obvious.

V. 2:5-7 Levitical Priests were Yahweh’s instruments of peace and life for His people. They were to live reverently with Him and speak for Him. They were to instruct and convict God’s people by His Word. They were to be His messengers. All of this holds true for those who minister and lead in Christ’s Body

V. 2:8-9 When those in charge of Yahweh’s ordained spiritual infrastructure become corrupt it is like a cancer throughout the community. Lack of accountability leads to mistreatment of the relationship. The entire relational structure between Yahweh and HIS people is trashed when community wide actions create a culture of dishonoring God. It works the same in Christ’s body.

APPLICATION QUESTIONS:

How do you view God’s reputation? How do your actions enhance it? What needs to stop that degrades it?

How do you think Christ views your lack of honesty and effort in your acts of worship? How does it impact your ability to relate to Him?

If you minister to God’s people, are you convicted of your accountability to fully honor Christ? How do we strengthen our culture of accountability to honoring Christ for servants and leaders in this body?

What actions [based on Scripture] can you take to honestly support the spiritual infrastructure Christ has placed you into?

/by

Malachi Pt. 1: Unrecognized Love

MALACHI 1:1-9

To be truly Biblical Christians we not only need to be well versed in the New Testament but we also need to understand the Hebrew scriptures in light of Christ.

TEMPLE DESTROYED 586 BC / 1ST EXILES RETURNED 538 BC / TEMPLE REBUILT 516 BC / EZRA ARRIVES 458 BC / NEHEMIAH ARRIVES 444 BC

About Malachi, the man, the book and the context.

Malachi the Man: We don’t know much about him except this message. He lived in the years after the nation of Israel had return from Babylonian exile. A contemporary of Ezra & Nehemiah though probably a generation after (overlap) He lived in Jerusalem aprox. 450 – 400 BC 1st recognition of His prophetic writings is at about 400 BC. Prophetic mostly by speaking from Yahweh’s point of view.

Malachi The Book: It reads like a legal proceeding. Question and answer style. There are a number of exchanges between God and the people. An accusation or statement is made by God (through Malachi) and then the people respond (through Malachi) and ultimately God has the last word. In terms of last word this book is often refereed to as the last word from one of God’s Prophets that He sent to the Jews before going silent for 400 years [J. B. & J. C.]

Malachi The Context: The Israelites had returned from exile,, they rebuilt the temple in 516 BC. 42 years later Ezra arrives in 458 Nehemiah arrives at the beginning the year 444 BC. At the end of Nehemiah chapters 8-13 we see that unified public reading of the Torah, community wide public confession, they sign and seal a covenant to observe of the Law of Moses at the end of 444 BC. Malachi writes just 40 or so years later and whatever obedience was pledged, it seems to be lost in one generation!

Malachi’s message has the overtone of judgement because God’s people had not learned from the consequences of their past sins. The disobedience that had cause God to send them into exile was becoming their way of life again. Corruption was growing amongst their leaders and had infected the priesthood as well.In light of Christ we read this from the perspective of being God’s people, and it is timeless in detailing the human condition regarding our sin and waywardness.

1 This is the message that the Lord gave to Israel through the prophet Malachi.

  • Malachi means ‘My Messenger’ The message is to Israel / God’s People
  • Word message here can translated as Burden or Oracle…not a light message

2 “I have always loved you,” says the Lord. But you retort, “Really? How have You loved us?” And the Lord replies, “This is how I showed My love for you: I loved your ancestor Jacob, 3 but I rejected his brother, Esau, and devastated his hill country. I turned Esau’s inheritance into a desert for jackals.”

  • God declares His enduring love for His people [Israel]
  • This first reply of the people starts this pattern of arrogance and self-focus
  • From God’s point of view all humans deserve to be rejected by Him, and yet..
  • God showed His love by bestowing undeserved favor upon Jacob’s family
  • God set apart the family of Abraham, Issac & Jacob by His undeserved love

4 Esau’s descendants in Edom may say, “We have been shattered, but we will rebuild the ruins.” But the Lord of Heaven’s Armies replies, “They may try to rebuild, but I will demolish them again.

  • Contrast between what people want and the finality of God’s Will
  • This is the ultimate fate of those who don’t know Yahweh

Their country will be known as ‘The Land of Wickedness,’ and their people will be called ‘The People with Whom the Lord Is Forever Angry.’ 5 When you see the destruction for yourselves, you will say, ‘Truly, the Lord’s greatness reaches far beyond Israel’s borders!’”

  • God explains how it could be for the descendants of Jacob…
  • Knowing and trusting God is the only way to believe in HIS justice
  • You realize HE is in control of EVERYTHING

6 The Lord of Heaven’s Armies says to the priests: “A son honors his father, and a servant respects his master. If I am your Father and Master, where are the honor and respect I deserve?

  • After proving His love God turns to how Israel has responded to that love
  • When faced with their actions of disrespect they obfuscate and justify
  • ‘What did we ever do’?
  • God says you want to call me Father without showing me any honor
  • God says you want to call me Master / Lord without showing fear or reverence
  • What do you think God deserves from you?

You have shown contempt for My name! “But you ask, ‘How have we ever shown contempt for Your name?’ 7 “You have shown contempt by offering defiled sacrifices on My altar. “Then you ask, ‘How have we defiled the sacrifices?

  • Contempt for God’s name means contempt for all that HE stand for (reputation)
  • Again His people say: ‘How have we mocked and ridiculed your reputation?’
  • The hardened heart cannot even see how it rebells and disrespects God
  • How do we make sure we are not giving God our leftover devotion / sacrifice
  • God tells them they have done it and they are like; ‘how have we done it?’
  • They know better, just like we know better
  • We know we are to give to God in ways that actually cost us (sacrifice)

“You defile them by saying the altar of the Lord deserves no respect. 8 When you give blind animals as sacrifices, isn’t that wrong? And isn’t it wrong to offer animals that are crippled and diseased? Try giving gifts like that to your governor, and see how pleased he is!” says the Lord of Heaven’s Armies.

  • The offering of ‘lame’ sacrifices is a blatant show of disrespect
  • Giving to God things that don’t have value to you is not really a sacrifice
  • You would not think of blatantly disrespecting your earthly ruler…why God?
  • Notice the title God gives HIMSELF here

9 “Go ahead, beg God to be merciful to you! But when you bring that kind of offering, why should He show you any favor at all?” asks the Lord of Heaven’s Armies.

  • This speaks of how relationships work…it’s a two way street
  • We can claim to want God’s mercy but on what basis?

This thread is going to continue in the passage next week… God has more to say!

SUMMARY V.1-5: God has a burden for His people to know His heart. HE has always separated His chosen by His love & Grace. In HIS self-existent wisdom HE chose Jacob for Grace and Esau for destruction. Yahweh’s greatness is proved by HIS righteous, holy, perfect justice AND His overwhelming, everlasting, undeserved mercy.
SUMMARY V.6-8a: Obeying biblical standards is the only way to honor God as Father AND respect Him as Master, otherwise we show contempt for who HE is. It starts with sacrifice.
As people called by Yahweh / Christ we are to sacrifice the most important stuff we have. It was always meant to cost us something to honor & respect God for who He is.
SUMMARY V.8b-9: God’s chosen people are to grow [through teachable failures] in their desire to obey sacrificially, while being real about their shortcomings. In Malachi’s day they were calling something sacrificial that was not. In our lives it’s being real about the cost to follow Christ. HE deserves our honest, sacrificial efforts to obey. When we make excuses and cut corners we damage our relationship with HIM.
APPLICATION QUESTION
In what ways do you personally recognize the loving favor of Christ and display gratitude for it?
APPLICATION QUESTION
If the God of Scripture is your Father & Master, how do you specifically show Him the honor and respect He deserves?
APPLICATION QUESTIONS
What have you sacrificed in your life since becoming a follower of Jesus Christ? What will you sacrifice to become a follower of Christ?
APPLICATION QUESTIONS

How honest are you about what living sacrificially for Christ based on Scripture requires? What impact does a lack of honesty have on your relationship with Christ?

/by

2nd Peter Pt. 6: Waiting In Grace

Making The Most of The ‘Divine Delay’

Last week: Pretty intense look at ‘The Day of The Lord’. What do you believe about Jesus returning? How does it change the way you live? Do you have hope in the return of Christ… What does hope look like day after day, year after year? Lifestyle, values, behaviors and choices. We are called to recognize the grace…and then live like that grace is real important…because it is!

Christ’s second coming is Inevitable. The Old Testament Saints didn’t know it would the 2nd Advent of the Messiah… the one they kinda envisioned…

Last week we ended with this:

But the day of the Lord will come as unexpectedly as a thief… and the earth and everything on it will be found to deserve judgment. ~ 2 Pet. 3:10

Ch3:11-18 (NLT)

11 Since everything around us is going to be destroyed like this, what holy and godly lives you should live, 12 looking forward to the day of God and hurrying it along.

  • He is speaking on behalf of God: ‘It’s going to happen’
  • The audience of this message is the redeemed in Christ
  • What does it look like to live in these ways?
  • Holy
  • Godly
  • Looking forward to Christ’s return
  • Hurry it along
    • [Plural Adverb] ‘Make Haste’ = level of speed that is necessary
    • Based on being given mercy, what is our ‘Sense of Urgency’ to be like?

On that day, He will set the heavens on fire, and the elements will melt away in the flames. 13 But we are looking forward to the new heavens and new earth He has promised, a world filled with God’s righteousness.

  • ‘That Day’ Jesus had a lot to say about that day… Matthew 24 & 25
  • Contrast this destruction with the flood… the day of the Lord is by fire
  • Common idea from scripture that fire purifies
  • Once this world is purified by fire it will be where righteousness dwells

14 And so, dear friends, while you are waiting for these things to happen, make every effort to be found living peaceful lives that are pure and blameless in His sight.

  • This is repetition of V 11 & 12
  • The end is going to happen… so we live totally in light of that reality
  • Do everything you can to live at peace with Christ’s people
  • What matters is what is pure & without blame in Christ’s sight [HIS perspective]
  • HE makes us blameless when we surrender our lives to Him

15 And remember, our Lord’s patience gives people time to be saved. This is what our beloved brother Paul also wrote to you with the wisdom God gave him— 16 speaking of these things in all of his letters.

  • Why would this encouragement to remember Christ’s patience be repeated?
  • The leader of Christ’s disciples declares Paul’s writings as ‘God-breathed’
  • ‘These things’ could be described as God’s grace, mercy, forgiveness & love.

Some of his [Paul’s] comments are hard to understand, and those who are ignorant and unstable have twisted his letters to mean something quite different, just as they do with other parts of Scripture. And this will result in their destruction.

  • It is not easy to understand God’s Words spoken or written by HIS prophets…
  • Ignorant = Not enlightened by Christ’s Spirit
  • Unstable = Unregenerate (in context with use in 2:14) unsettled, without peace

17 You already know these things, dear friends. So be on guard; then you will not be carried away by the errors of these wicked people and lose your own secure footing.

  • Peter’s audience: leaders and stalwarts of Christ’s Body…they know this stuff
  • You must combine ‘Knowledge’ with being ‘on guard’
  • Without these two combined in your life you WILL be sucked into sin & struggle
  • How important is secure footing?

18 Rather, you must grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. All glory to him, both now and forever! Amen.

  • To avoid the errors of: The wicked [lawless & unrestrained] we have to GROW!
  • We have to grow [be discipled] into new ways of thinking & living
  • Laban made a great point two weeks ago about the practical application of Scripture: You have to replace sinful thinking & habits with NEW thinking and habits. It is a losing strategy to think you can just stop it what is wrong…
  • This is the way this letter began and it is how it ends (IMPORTANT)
  • The call to discipleship is the call to live as Christ desires us to live
  • Responding to the call to discipleship is how we give glory to God

SUMMARY:

Christ’s return is an essential part of the Biblical Gospel. Christ’s Body ‘eagerly anticipates’ this day to begin eternity surrounded by God’s righteousness. That conviction informs how we live: holy, godly, peaceful, pure, and blameless in His sight.

The message of God’s Word [Protestant Christian Scripture] is consistent! Peter & Paul agree with Moses & Malachi. The understanding of; The Day of The Lord, God’s ‘long suffering’ mercy & how Biblical Christian should live, is found in the historical interpretation & application of our old & new testaments together.

Growing ‘IN CHRIST’ is our job as Members of THIS Body. You gotta show up to grow up!

We must be diligent to build and reinforce Biblical Culture, based on the sound and practical application of God’s written Word. We call this: ‘Body Discipleship’.

APPLICATION:

Read and discuss Matthew 24 & 25 with someone. [Homework]

What specific ways can YOU live holy, godly, peaceful, pure and blameless? What do YOU use to define that kind of living?

What is YOUR [reading, studying, watching, researching] PLAN to grow in your understanding of the whole Bible?

“As followers of Jesus who believe that the eschatological promises have broken into the present through the work of Jesus and the outpouring of the Spirit, we don’t wait idly for Jesus’ return, nor do we live like the corrupt teachers who saw Jesus’ delay as an opportunity to indulge the flesh. Rather, like Peter, we live as new, transformed humans who take advantage of the divine delay to join in God’s redemptive purposes. We live out our days bearing witness to Jesus, continuing his mission, fighting back the powers of darkness, and hastening the day when those purposes will be fully accomplished.

So yes, we wait. But we wait patiently, knowing that God is orchestrating all of human history towards his glorious end. And we wait purposely, joining in God’s redemptive mission to make disciples of all people.” ~ Whitney Woollard

RECOGNIZE THE GRACE! LIVE BASED THE GRACE!

/by

2nd Peter Pt. 5: Word, Time & Mercy

A Worldview Based on Scripture

What is God’s Word? How does Time work for God? What are the bounds of His Mercy?

Common themes for Peter & God’s revelation… lots of repetition in scripture. We are going to hear about the ‘Day of The Lord’ an event that Christ spoke of.

Wisdom…James 1:5 ~ If any of you needs wisdom they should ask God, who gives generously to all peoples without making them feel foolish or guilty.

2nd Peter Chapter 3:1-10

1 This is my second letter to you, dear friends, and in both of them I have tried to stimulate your wholesome thinking and refresh your memory.

  • Two letters of guidance…They stand alone AND work together, sequentially
  • God [thru Peter] wants to stir up our wholesome / pure thinking
  • You cannot stir-up or stimulate something that is not there
  • We have renewed Minds. The result of the indwelling of God’s Holy Spirit
  • We CAN think in ways that honor God’s holiness… With proper directions…
  • We are called to have a refreshed memory!
  • Memory of what? Scripture! Peter’s letters echo the O.T. & N.T. that existed

Big Themes of 1 Peter:
Eternal Hope in Christ’s Resurrection life
Chosen by God alone to live for Him
Christ did the work on the cross to make us right
Jesus Christ’s disciples are to live wisely in light of eternity

Big Themes of 2 Peter:
All of Christ’s disciples are to grow spiritually
The measure of maturity is based on sacred view of Scripture
Christ’s disciples identify and oppose non-scriptural teachings
God’s Word, Time & Mercy

Still to come: God’s Word / God’s Time / God’s Mercy / How to live / Paul’s writings

2 I want you to remember what the holy prophets said long ago and what our Lord and Savior commanded through your apostles.

  • This is defining what writings are Scripture…equality of Old & New Testaments
  • To remember is to ‘revere’… Treat as valuable… Believe it and follow it!
  • The prophets are ‘Holy Prophet’ = ‘Set Apart Messenger of God’
  • Our Apostles are ‘Vessels of a Message’ …Our Lord’s Message! Christ’s Words!
  • This is our shepherd telling us to remember these writings as ‘God’s Word’
  • We recognize ‘false, non-scriptural doctrine’ by knowing the ‘historical reading’

Cultural Standards For Christ’s Body: Verses 1 & 2 are critical instructions for Christ’s Body. Pure thinking & a refreshed memory of Scripture. It is a mindset, a way of thinking…’Scriptural Thinking’

3 Most importantly, [1st thing] I want to remind you that in the last days scoffers will come, mocking the truth and following their own desires. 4 They will say, “What happened to the promise that Jesus is coming again? From before the times of our ancestors, everything has remained the same since the world was first created.”

  • Most importantly is better rendered ‘starting with’ [creates proper perspective]
  • “You have to understand 1st thing, this world is going to be opposite God’s Word”
  • The biggest threat to a God-Centric view of life is to make it seem ridiculous
  • Big Picture attacks on the God of Scripture… attempt to use the ‘weight of culture’
  • The more socially conscious people become the more ridicule & mocking hurts
  • Those who are self-absorbed need the approval of other & felling they ‘fit in’
  • The fear of man…caring too much what others think (prov. 29:25)
  • The popular culture says ‘What kind of fool would serve anyone but themselves’?
  • Denying Christ’s return is denial of Christ’s deity. HE said He was coming back!

5 They deliberately forget that God made the heavens long ago by the Word of His command, and He brought the earth out from the water and surrounded it with water. 6 Then He used the water to destroy the ancient world with a mighty flood.

  • The cultural elites, the opinion makers, they deliberately attack God’s character
  • Science says: “God couldn’t create the universe in six 24 hour days”
  • “God didn’t really flood the earth… it’s a metaphor…”
  • The ‘modern’… ‘scientific’… ‘informed’ viewpoint of our popular culture
  • The cultural consensus put forth by our Entertainment Media: Our Bible = ‘myth’

7 And by the same Word, the present heavens and earth have been stored up for fire. They are being kept for the day of judgment, when ungodly people will be destroyed.

  • The same ‘Word’… Is saying who WHO is and what HE does…
  • We believe the standard, ‘the measuring stick’ of God’s Will & Ways is our Bible
  • Word of O.T. Prophets & Christ’s Word about HIS return / Day of Judgement
  • ‘Word’ = Creation, Action, Will, Judgement, Character
  • This is contained in a form our human brains can handle in this life = Bible

8 But you must not forget this one thing, dear friends: A day is like a thousand years to the Lord, and a thousand years is like a day. 9 The Lord isn’t really being slow about His promise, as some people think. No, He is being patient for your sake. He does not want anyone to be destroyed, but wants everyone to repent.

  • This sentence is joined to the previous one. Judgement coming…when God says
  • A key aspect of understanding God: He doesn’t operate in time like us
  • Heretics love to say when God is going to do something…like they know
  • HE waits for OUR Sake…for people we love to receive eternal life in Christ
  • God coming in Christ proves HE wants everyone to be saved.
  • Repentance is clearly the doorway we must go thru to be united with Christ

10 But the day of the Lord will come as unexpectedly as a thief. Then the heavens will pass away with a terrible noise, and the very elements themselves will disappear in fire, and the earth and everything on it will be found to deserve judgment.

  • Like a thief is the same way Christ described HIS return…
  • The ‘Day of The Lord’ has Biblical Meaning…86 Scripture references to this event
  • God will bring final judgement on this age…
  • It will be a reformation of all matter as we know it
  • This entire creation will be judged

KEY STUFF TO REMEMBER:

In 1st & 2nd Peter the Holy Spirit sets the standard of ‘Scriptural Thinking’ as common practice for Jesus Christ’s disciples. ‘Scriptural Thinking’ by the Body of Christ is two things: the proper reverence for and practical application of O.T. & N. T. Based on the Church’s historical view of Scripture

With our thinking rooted in Scripture we should recognize clever and attractive attempts to pervert the Gospel of Jesus Christ and God’s Word by the popular media culture. The world around us has and will continue to mock the scriptural account of creation…the scriptural account of the Genesis flood and the idea of a ‘Judgement Day’.

God is patient for YOUR SAKE: Each day that Christ does not return is an opportunity to repent of rebellion against YOUR Creator and make Christ YOUR Lord! If Christ has become YOUR Lord, each day YOUR response is to grow spiritually & glorify God with YOUR life!

APPLICATION:

How would you characterize your level of Scriptural Thinking?

Last Resort? New Interest? Hobby? Inconsistent Effort? Regular Practice? Way of Life?

In what ways does the information / media / entertainment culture we live in mock the truth of ‘Our’ Scriptures?

What are the differences between how YOU experience time and how God does?

What is The Day of The Lord to YOU? Specifically how does it shape YOUR life?

/by

2nd Peter Pt. 4: To Seek or To Forsake

Truth Matters!

Chapter 2 is a big chunk of text, so we split it up over two sermons. Thematically, we are continuing right where Todd left off last week. In case this is your first message in the series, we’ll start with some context of 2 Peter, and a short recap of the message last week before jumping in to our text. This is a letter written to all Christians by the apostle Peter. This is not a situational letter written to specific people in a specific situation. The scriptures here speak to a spiritual truth that was evident in the first century and continues to be true today.

Throughout the ages, God has placed leaders and overseers to shepherd and guide his people. We are familiar with leaders like Moses, Joshua, Caleb, Samuel, and David; God used these men to show the Israelites how to follow Him. You might also be familiar with Samson, King Saul and King Ahab. They are noteworthy for the exact opposite reason; they opposed God and followed what they saw as their best interest. In so doing, they brought about enormous trouble for the nation of Israel, and ultimately themselves.

Things hadn’t gotten any better by the first century. From the gospel of John: Jesus answered him, “Are you the teacher of Israel and yet you do not understand these things? Truly, truly, I say to you, we speak of what we know, and bear witness to what we have seen, but you do not receive our testimony. If I have told you earthly things and you do not believe, how can you believe if I tell you heavenly things? ~ John 3:10-12

The pharisees were leading the nation poorly by not upholding God’s commands. And to make it worse they did it with confidence and pretension. Some wrong is easier to spot than others. Some false teachers will state from the outset their oppositions to the teachings of Jesus. However, there are some that will try to convince you they are following Jesus, more closely than you by the way. They will firmly state that it is YOU that has it wrong, and that in order to better understand what God actually meant, you need to listen to them, to their understanding.

Sounds pretty familiar if you know the story of the serpent in the garden. “Did God actually say…”?

Todd said last week, the common thread among false teaching is that is chips away at the deity of Christ.

In studying today’s text, I hope we come away with two distinct potential paths in our spiritual life

To seek God means to orient one’s life toward him in active faith and obedience, to be diligent in fulfilling His commands, to oppose idolatry, and to support and participate in his worship.

The converse is to forsake God, which includes apostasy and idolatry, the neglect and abuse of his church and his institutions, despising the words of his prophets.

Leaders are held to a high standard. This is repeated many times in scripture. Part of the calling of a teacher is to speak something more important and impactful than their own words and interpretations, but to speak the word of the Lord. I don’t mean a new word, a new revelation. But to speak boldly and confidently that THIS is the truth, THIS is what God has for us. This morning we will explore what it looks like to forsake him, the warnings Peter gives us about people who do, and how we might instead seek him and lead others well.

2 Peter 2:12-22

12 But these [false teachers], like irrational animals,creatures of instinct, born to be caught and destroyed, blaspheming about matters of which they are ignorant, will also be destroyed in their destruction, 13a suffering wrong as the wage for their wrongdoing.

  • Leaders have a responsibility to teach faithfully. When that obligation is neglected, the result is not neutral.
  • The things they do will brought upon themselves. They will be destroyed like their false teaching destroys faith. They will reap the wrongdoing they brought upon their flock.
  • Peter compares false teachers to animals that God gave us dominion over. Implies maybe they don’t have a personal relationship with God.
  • An example of the kind of irrationality Peter was witness to: John 12:10-11 “So the chief priests made plans to put Lazurus to death as well, because on account of him many of the Jews were going away and believing in Jesus”
  • Absolutely shocking that they refused to change their minds in the face of objective facts. Instead, they seek to destroy the evidence of the deity of Jesus.
  • Sin produces this irrational behavior

13b They count it pleasure to revel in the daytime. They are blots and blemishes, reveling in their deceptions, while they feast with you. 14 They have eyes full of adultery, insatiable for sin. They entice unsteady souls. They have hearts trained in greed.

  • The warning here is towards people who will claim to be disciples of Jesus, who are in amongst the church, even in leadership positions.
  • Peter is specifically talking about teachers who “bring in destructive heresies”
  • Normally when I sin, I do so in secret. If I craft a lie, I try to keep the audience as small as possible. This limits the number of people who can keep me honest.
  • This kind of sin isn’t done in secret; it is out in the open. Peter comments on the reality we still see today.
  • There are people who bring about a “new gospel” or false doctrine, and they do so loudly and proudly. They share their own interpretations
  • V. 13 “Feast with you”, likely a reference to the Lord’s supper. They think they share our faith, and posture as Christians to the point of partaking the sacraments.”
  • V. 14 14 “they have hearts trained in greed”. No biblical prophecy came about because a man wanted to prophesy, similarly said in 2 Pet. 1:21 False prophets have motives deeply rooted in greed and selfish ambition.

Two weeks ago: 2 Pet. 1:20-21 knowing this first of all, that no prophecy of Scripture comes from someone’s own interpretation. 21 For no prophecy was ever produced by the will of man, but men spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit.”

Accursed children! 15 Forsaking the right way, they have gone astray. They have followed the way of Balaam, the son of Beor, who loved gain from wrongdoing, 16 but was rebuked for his own transgression; a speechless donkey spoke with human voice and restrained the prophet’s madness.

  • Accursed children here are the kings and leaders of Israel whose spiritual descendants will now plague his Church.
  • Numbers 22: Balaam is a prophet known from Old and New Testament fame for disobeying God and dishonest gain, and was ultimately corrected by his own donkey.
  • He used his status as a prophet, a man of God, to benefit himself.
  • Even a prophet was corrected by a lowly creature like a donkey
  • There is accountability even with a man of God.
  • The nation of Israel has a long history of leaders taking them in the wrong direction, and mankind is still born in sin. Why do we expect it to change?
  • What does this all mean? What does it actually look like? Remember the words of the serpent “did God actually say?”
  • There are false teachers who will look you in the eye and say that the bible doesn’t mean what it says.
  • They might tell you a specific earthly desire you have is not a sin.
  • They know the truth because of their superior intelligence.
  • They might convince you it’s because they received a word from God.
  • God does not contradict himself.
  • Every time Todd or Greg or myself stands up here to teach, the word of God is at the center. We don’t come up with an agenda of what we want to talk about. We examine the word of God and let it take us where it goes.

17 These are waterless springs and mists driven by a storm. For them the gloom of utter darkness has been reserved. 18 For, speaking loud boasts of folly, they entice by sensual passions of the flesh those who are barely escaping from those who live in error. 19 They promise them freedom, but they themselves are slaves of corruption. For whatever overcomes a person, to that he is enslaved.

  • Sensual passions of the flesh are attractive! But a waterless spring promises refreshment and delivers none
  • It’s incredibly difficult to remove the passion for the world, even when we know it doesn’t satiate us. Instead, it needs to be replaced.
  • Instead, we should pay close attention to the constant reminders of the things of God, and not false teachings that please our earthly desires.

“We are half-hearted creatures, fooling about with drink and sex and ambition when infinite joy is offered us, like an ignorant child who wants to go on making mud pies in a slum because he cannot imagine what is meant by the offer of a holiday at sea. We are far too easily pleased.” – C.S. Lewis, The Weight of Glory

  • There is a reason false teachers continue be effective. Sometimes we want the heresy.
  • The truth can be uncomfortable, such as the idea that we are unable to save ourselves. That there are dreams and desires God wants us to give up on. That our earthly accomplishments don’t mean anything.
  • That our nice, but non-believing family members are eternally doomed.
  • Todd said a couple weeks ago that Jesus didn’t die so we could continue living exactly how we want to live.
  • So, when someone teaches that we can have it all, the financial security, the career goals and the white picket fence, it feels good.
  • But God has so much more for us, he wants to take us on a vacation to the beach.

20 For if, after they have escaped the defilements of the world through the knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, they are again entangled in them and overcome, the last state has become worse for them than the first. 21 For it would have been better for them never to have known the way of righteousness than after knowing it to turn back from the holy commandment delivered to them. 22 What the true proverb says has happened to them: “The dog returns to its own vomit, and the sow, after washing herself, returns to wallow in the mire.”

  • We are promised freedom, but our sin enslaves and entangles.
  • We can understand this to be about the Christians who are drawn astray as well as the teachers themselves.
  • Isn’t a little bit of Jesus better than none?
  • The knowledge of God gives more accountability before him. Their experiences in the Christian life, their exposure to the text and to biblically sound teaching and relationships with other Christians raise the bar of what is expected.
  • This is important because as individual followers of Jesus, we are accountable to what has been revealed to us. We have no excuses; we need to seek and treasure the truth!
  • And here we arrive at our earlier point, the choice we are given is to seek or to forsake. There is no such thing as a middle ground. We cannot learn just enough, and then stop or turn away. We need to continue to orient our lives towards him, and to support and participate in his worship.

If we fall in love with God’s word, we recognize that it is a powerful and bright shining light leading us in the truth. Our worldly desires get dimmer not by abstaining from them, but by replacing them with a desire for God. “Draw near to God, and He will draw near to you” ~ James 4:8 It sounds easy, but do you believe scripture or not? Look for him, talk with him. Make time for him.

False teachers are not just a thing of the past. Just because someone is in leadership does not write them a blank check to say whatever and lead however they want to. Do your homework, grow your personal relationship with him so you can identify heresy when you see it. Conversely, this does not give us believers a blank check to refuse to submit to the leaders God has placed us under. There is a balance, but we are unable to pick out the counterfeit unless we diligently study the real thing.

Lastly, everyone has a unique calling before the lord. I ask that you would prayerfully consider what your purpose is. Maybe it is to be the spiritual leader of your family. Maybe you have been called to lead people to Christ in your workplace or apartment complex.

There is no middle ground. We either seek God or we forsake him. Jesus died for his church, and only a false teacher would tell us we can neglect it.

APPLICATION:

While I am challenging the congregation with this, I am equally challenged by these questions.

Are you all in for Jesus, are you actively seeking him?

Your understanding of who God is should inform every part of your life.

Be on your guard; the enemy wants nothing more to distract you with a false understanding of who God is. Without a firm foundation we are susceptible to false teaching.

Does your life reflect a true image of Jesus? Make sure you are teaching others properly; the consequences are severe. Ask God to show you the truth, even if it is hard to hear.

/by

2nd Peter Pt. 3: God’s Justice

Understanding God’s Mercy & Judgement

What is the truth about God? What becomes of those who misrepresent Him? What is Justice? How come at times it seems like the guilty go unpunished? What is the standard we use to decide what is just or unjust? Our emotions? Can we protect our hearts and minds from being corrupted by non-Biblical ideas?

God’s people have wrestled with such questions forever. God wants us to know that HE is engaged and wants to leads us. He has given us the guidance we need, today we have some of that guidance He wants us to grow in our understanding of HIS justice…the only justice that matters.

2 Peter 1:20-21 (NLT)

20 Above all, you must realize that no prophecy in Scripture ever came from the prophet’s own understanding, 21 or from human initiative. No, those prophets were moved by the Holy Spirit, and they spoke from God.

  • THIS view of Scripture is crucial to what Peter is going to warn us about
  • THIS view of scripture gives us the standard we need

2:1-11 (NASB 1995)

1 But false prophets also arose among the people, just as there will also be false teachers among you, who will secretly introduce destructive heresies, even denying the Master who bought them, bringing swift destruction upon themselves.

  • In contrast to those who speak for God, there are always imposters (satan)
  • Don’t think that was something that just happened back in the day…BEWARE!
  • The introduction of heresy is not done openly, it is done through subterfuge
  • In subtle and seemingly small ways they will deny who Jesus Christ truly is
  • While living in the community of those Christ bought with His blood they do this
  • Their demise comes from committing the ‘Unforgivable Sin’ Matt. 12:31
  • Denying Jesus Christ is God is the same as blaspheming The Holy Spirit
  • Denying the reality of who God is = A destiny of destruction

2 Many will follow their sensuality, and because of them the way of the truth will be maligned; 3 and in their greed they will exploit you with false words; their judgment from long ago is not idle, and their destruction is not asleep.

  • Pursuing the gratification of your flesh is very attractive and everyone is into it
  • It is very popular to reimagine God in some new hip way (jesus is my homeboy)
  • All the ‘Hipsters’ call those who stick to the Biblical truth about God as ‘Haters’
  • They label the Biblical following of Jesus as laking compassion or empathy
  • They are greedy for attention and riches and will do whatever gets them both
  • God is LOVE… But HIS love is equaled by HIS holiness (if not equal, not God)
  • Spiritual / Religious exploitation has occurred since the beginning of civilization
  • it may look like they are getting away with it but God’s Justice WILL be enacted

4 For if God did not spare angels when they sinned, but cast them into hell and committed them to pits of darkness, reserved for judgment; 5 and did not spare the ancient world, but preserved Noah, a preacher of righteousness, with seven others, when He brought a flood upon the world of the ungodly;

  • We are about to be treated to a history lesson in God’s judgement & mercy
  • Peter is being prophetic speaking of what is to be the coming fate of demons
  • ‘Demons’ as they are known are fallen angels who share a future with Lucifer
  • HE didn’t judge all the Angels, HE preserved the righteous ones
  • In the flood He judged all creation except what HE determined righteous
  • Only God has perfect information… only HE can execute perfect justice
  • This passage shows us why Christ’s followers need to know Scripture

6 and if He condemned the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah to destruction by reducing them to ashes, having made them an example to those who would live ungodly lives thereafter; 7 and if He rescued righteous Lot, oppressed by the sensual conduct of unprincipled men 8 (for by what he saw and heard that righteous man, while living among them, felt his righteous soul tormented day after day by their lawless deeds),

  • The destruction of Sodom & Gomorrah was an enactment of God’s Justice
  • It was an example…even today Sodom & Gomorrah = Sensual, fleshly Evil
  • But it was not beyond God to rescue those who did not deserve that judgement
  • God knew Lot’s heart…just like He knows yours

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

  • God rescues and punishes as He sees fit
  • Old & New Testaments show how God destroys those who misrepresent Him
  • And how HE saves / rescues those HE deems righteous
  • His character is displayed in how HE enacts HIS judgement
  • From these examples & others in Scripture we can understand God’s justice

10 and especially those who indulge the flesh in its corrupt desires and despise authority. Daring, self-willed, they do not tremble when they revile angelic majesties, 11 whereas angels who are greater in might and power do not bring a reviling judgment against them before the Lord.

  • Beware of those who live for their pleasure think they are above authority
  • They do what they want, when they want… they don’t fear God’s power
  • They speak against the spiritual powers that represent God here on earth
  • And angels prove themselves superior by not condemning them (not their job)

Summary:

Beware those who twist God’s Word’s to circumvent HIS authority..

Heretics work through deception and deny the deity of Jesus Christ

Those who are against God are condemned to eternal destruction.

Many get fooled, God’s reputation suffers, but HE will have HIS justice.

Scripture teaches how God destroys & saves based on HIS will.

Application Questions:

Do you know God’s Word well enough to recognize non-Biblical ideas about God?

Are you fully convinced Jesus is God and live based on that?

Do you realize God knows exactly what you believe & will deal with you accordingly?

Do you fully trust God to enact righteous judgement is for all matters, for all time?

/by

2nd Peter Pt. 2: How Christ’s Body Values Scripture

Christ’s Disciples Pay Close Attention To God’s Word

Cultures are defined by what they value. The value of various things shape culture. What we ascribe value to here at MIDTOWN Church guides the way we live. More than anything else we value Christ Jesus, His Body & His Word.

In the opening of this letter, Peter stresses how important it is for every follower of Christ to value the gift of eternity by actively and constantly growing spiritually. And in today’s passage he is going to tell us how valuable our instruction manual for that growth is. In order to grow in Christ we need an objective source of guidance & context. We need Scripture. Left to our own devices we will value what makes us feel good and comfortable. God’s perspective is different, often opposite of ours. But we have to trust Scripture in order to make it the standard for our lives

Always consider Scripture to be the voice of your Creator, and honor the gift of His communication.

Peter is going to make a case for why we should have confidence that Scripture is truly ‘God’s Words’. He is going to remind us that He has seen Christ’s Glory and it aligns with what the prophets of Scripture foretold…and that we should pay close attention to God’s Word

2nd Peter 1:12-21(NLT)

12 Therefore, I will always remind you about these things—even though you already know them and are standing firm in the truth you have been taught.

  • Since entrance into the Kingdom of our Lord Jesus Christ is at stake…
  • ‘I’ is both Peter & The Holy Spirit
  • It is not enough to know God’s will & ways and be practicing them…
  • WE NEED REMINDERS…constant, specific reminders…
  • What are the ‘These Things’ being referenced?

‘These Things’ / 2nd Peter 1:1-11

Having received ‘Biblical / Apostolic / Christ-Given Faith’, we ask for grace & peace to grow in Christ.

By calling us & indwelling us with HIS Spirit, we receive everything we need to live for Christ.

Christ has promised to share eternity and His divine empowerment over sin with His Body so that we may respond by constantly growing as HIS disciples.

As Christ’s Body we are to grow in an intentional ‘Scripture Guided’ way. Any other way is devoid of Christ’s vision for us. We are to devote ourselves to such a lifestyle.

Where might we find details and deeper insights into ‘These Things’???

13 And it is only right that I should keep on reminding you as long as I live. 14 For our Lord Jesus Christ has shown me that I must soon leave this earthly life, 15 so I will work hard to make sure you always remember these things after I am gone.

  • God is saying we need reminders… (When God repeats Himself pay attention)
  • He is going to leave a legacy to Christ’s Church of valuing scripture
  • He is saying he is going to do exactly what God wants to help them & US

16 For we were not making up clever stories when we told you about the powerful coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. We saw His majestic splendor with our own eyes 17 when He received honor and glory from God the Father. The voice from the majestic glory of God said to Him, “This is My dearly loved Son, who brings Me great joy.”

  • The story he is referencing is found in Matt. 17 / Mark 9 / Luke 9
  • This is the only time on earth He was seen in His total Glory
  • He was not just a good Rabbi, or a great Teacher…He IS God!

18 We ourselves heard that voice from heaven when we were with him on the holy mountain. 19 Because of that experience, we have even greater confidence in the message proclaimed by the prophets.

  • The ‘Apostolic Wittiness’
  • The writings that have been shown to be ‘God’s Word’ are tied to such witness
  • That experience only made sense when viewed through the lens of the O.T.
  • The prophetic writings and who Jesus is match up

You must pay close attention to what they wrote, for their words are like a lamp shining in a dark place—until the Day dawns, and Christ the Morning Star shines in your hearts.

  • What is your idea of close attention?
  • Does God’s Word get your ‘close attention’?
  • The words of Scripture provide ‘Illumination’
  • This is everything we need to understand what is important until Christ returns

20 Above all, you must realize that no prophecy in Scripture ever came from the prophet’s own understanding, 21 or from human initiative. No, those prophets were moved by the Holy Spirit, and they spoke from God.

  • Above all that has been mentioned so far and all that will be addressed
  • What makes Scripture ‘Holy Writ’ is that God’s Spirit is the Author (not people)
  • Those prophets and the Apostles wrote exactly what God moved them to write

How Christ’s Body Values Scripture

We value it by ‘paying close attention’. This means constant study and application!

We value it by considering it ‘Essential’ to our lives. Like food, water & air.

We value it by viewing it ‘Holistically’. Using all of Scripture to understand each part.

We value it by considering it ‘God’s Revelation’. It is not of human origin.

We value it by letting it be our Vision & Guidance. Practically applying it.

We value it by recognizing how Christ’s work in our lives aligns with His Word.

APPLICATION SUGGESTIONS

Stay humble & teachable regarding Scripture. Don’t think you have it all figured out.

Filter your experience of Christ through the grid of Scripture. Scripture is the standard, not your experience and emotions.

Recognize the importance of ALL Scripture and focus where your knowledge is weak.

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2nd Peter Pt. 1: Responding To Christ’s Promises

HOW CHRIST’S BODY GROWS

This letter is a Universal or ‘catholic’ epistle / letter meant to be passed around the churches from city to city. Written near the end of his life, most likely from Rome, Peter alone had the gravitas to send a message to all the churches from there to Jerusalem. Today’s passage: Peter greets and gets right down to biz: Discipleship 101. Peter had great authority because he had lived enmeshed in a a culture of Biblical discipleship…he and others wrote the book, literally! This passage expresses some deep, and intimate insights into the ‘Development Program’ Christ Jesus has for HIS Body.

Chapter 1:1-11 (NLT)

1 This letter is from Simon Peter, a slave and apostle of Jesus Christ. I am writing to you who share the same precious faith we have. This faith was given to you because of the justice and fairness of Jesus Christ, our God and Savior.

  • He uses both names
  • This is not and evangelistic letter…
  • His audience is defined by shared values, belief and action (Peter = action)
  • Peter defines who Jesus followers are: Same faith / belief as the Apostles
  • This is something that is God given, based on God’s reasons
  • These declarations of God’s sovereignty throughout Scripture

2 May God give you more and more grace and peace as you grow in your knowledge of God and Jesus our Lord.

  • The 1st thing Peter wants for other Christians: God given spiritual growth!
  • He asks that God might supply grace & peace as we learn how to follow Christ
  • Before we DO anything we must grow in Knowledge (so we do the right things)

3 By His divine power, God has given us everything we need for living a godly life. We have received all of this by coming to know Him, the One who called us to Himself by means of His marvelous glory and excellence.

  • Provision that is perfect, good and powerful
  • We have everything we need; there is to be no scarcity for the ‘Body of Christ’
  • It all happens the instant God’s Spirit indwells the surrendered follower of Christ
  • Knowing the ‘One’ who calls… but here again we see that HE makes it happen

4 And because of His glory and excellence, He has given us great and precious promises. These are the promises that enable you to share His divine nature and escape the world’s corruption caused by human desires. 5 In view of all this, make every effort to respond to God’s promises.

  • From who HE IS flows what HE DOES…
  • He gives us hope we can bet the farm on…promises HE WILL keep!
  • He promises to be One with us, to share in who He is: Eternal
  • Once you have seen this clearly it is up to you to respond as HE desires
  • Christ defines who God is and HE defines who we are as his chosen disciples

Here is of how Christ wants us to respond to the gift of salvation

Supplement your faith with a generous provision of moral excellence, and (supplement your) moral excellence with (a generous provision of) knowledge, 6 and (supplement your) knowledge with (a generous provision of) self-control,

  • ‘Supplementing’
  • ‘Generous provision’
  • It can only start with faith…
  • Add to and give your faith what it needs through moral excellence (obedience)
  • Then add to your faith and obedience with knowledge
  • but with that knowledge you are going to need self control

Different growth areas are interdependent…

To grow in one area you need to practice other areas

and (supplement your) self-control with (a generous provision of) patient endurance, and (supplement your) patient endurance with (a generous provision of) godliness,

  • While practicing self control you then ‘provision that with some ‘long-suffering’
  • Your Patience is going to need a generous provision of sacrificial living
  • Godliness is being like God: Merciful, graceful, forgiving, righteous, just…

7 and (supplement your) godliness with (a generous provision of) brotherly affection, and (supplement your) brotherly affection with (a generous provision of) love for everyone.

  • What your godliness will need to not become legalistic is a lot of ‘Philadelphia’
  • Brotherly Love…Love that is charitable, between those of the same family
  • Then from there you supplement that kind of love with provision of ‘Agape’
  • This is the love that is deep and sacrificial
  • The kind of unconditional love God has for us in Christ, what we are to imitate
  • This is the real measure of growth… it is the end of our progression… or is it?
  • What should you supplement your ‘Agape Love’ for everyone with?
  • ‘Supplement your love for everyone with a generous portion of’…FAITH !!

8 The more you grow like this, the more productive and useful you will be in your knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. 9 But those who fail to develop in this way are shortsighted or blind, forgetting that they have been cleansed from their old sins.

  • ‘Grow Like This’: Respond To God’s Promises
  • ‘Grow Like This’: Progressively, Constantly, Intentionally…WHY???
  • To become more productive for the ‘Kingdom of God’
  • ‘Grow Like This’… growing in all of these areas together
  • If you neglect growing in the things of Christ it proves you to be without vision

10 So, dear brothers and sisters, work hard to prove that you really are among those God has called and chosen. Do these things, and you will never fall away. 11 Then God will give you a grand entrance into the eternal Kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

  • Because you share the same God-given faith with Christ’s Disciples / Apostles
  • Because Peter & Leaders are asking Christ to grow you spiritually
  • Because Christ provides EVERYTHING you need
  • Because Christ has promised to share eternity with you
  • Because Christ has given you a plan!
  • RESPOND by getting after it!
  • GROW! Like it’s your job…CUZ IT IS!
  • DOING THESE THINGS Build a lifestyle that can’t be disrupted
  • DOING THESE THINGS Demonstrates you’re among those Christ called

By the time Peter wrote this letter he was a great leader amongst Christ’s followers. He had been productive for the kingdom…which is the goal of all Christ’s followers!

When Jesus called Peter he was a good leader. He became a great leader because he learned that to be a great leader, you must first become a great follower! Peter figured out over time that to be a great follower you need four things:

You need to be sure who Christ is

You need to be sure who you are

You need to trust God to grow you

You need to respond to what God is doing w/ Bible based action / Christ Discipleship. The message of this passage is foundational to those building a culture of Biblical Christ Discipleship = MIDTOWN CHURCH

APPLICATION SUGGESTIONS:

Completely embrace that God alone decides who gets faith in Christ for His reasons.

Grow in dependence on God’s grace & peace as you learn to be Christ’s follower.

Learn how to live like God will supply everything you need to be Christ’s follower.

Become 100% sure God has promised YOU will fully share in who HE IS, forever.

Develop an intentional, progressive discipleship plan and work your plan.

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Seven Resolutions

How you can grow to Spiritual Maturity!

Resolutions: Do you make them? Do you keep them? The idea is to grow in some way. Everyone wants to grow in some way. Two key things you need to grow as a follower of Christ: Motivation and Direction I have both for you today. 1st The Motivation: Wherever you are I hope this declaration from Job would inspire you:

Job 19:25

For I know that my Redeemer lives, and at the last He will stand upon the earth. ESV
Yet as for me, I know that my Redeemer lives, and at the last, He will take His stand on the earth. NASB
But I know that my Redeemer lives, that in the end He will rise on the dust; CJB
For I know that my Redeemer liveth, and that he shall stand up at the Last, upon dust, the earth. OJB

For the direction, I offer you this passage in Paul’s letter to the Philippians. In this letter Paul; describes a life worthy of the Gospel, how we are to imitate Christ, how we are understand what He did and who He is, and that we are to put our faith in Him rather than our abilities. Then he shares his personal convictions about what he does to grow.

Philippians 3:8-17 (NLT)

8 Yes, everything else is worthless when compared with the infinite value of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I have discarded everything else, counting it all as garbage, so that I could gain Christ and become one with Him.

  • We know Paul actually lived based on the belief that knowing Christ was job 1
  • You cannot make Christ priority unless you get rid of other things
  • If you continue to value the things of this world you can’t become one with God

9 I no longer count on my own righteousness through obeying the law; rather, I become righteous through faith in Christ. For God’s way of making us right with Himself depends on faith.

  • He used to think his obeying the mosaic law made him good with God
  • No longer! Instead it is faith that creates the bond…
  • Faith makes us right & one with God

10 I want to know Christ and experience the mighty power that raised him from the dead. I want to suffer with him, sharing in his death, 11 so that one way or another I will experience the resurrection from the dead!

  • In addition to knowing Christ (redundancy) Paul wants to experience His power
  • Paul knows the only way to know Christ is to know suffering
  • Paul knows the only way to be experience HIS power is to lay down his life

12 I don’t mean to say that I have already achieved these things or that I have already reached perfection. But I press on to possess that perfection for which Christ Jesus first possessed me.

  • Because His readers know how he lives He wants to clarify his humble attitude
  • No matter what he accomplishes he see how much he still needs to grow
  • He has a vision for who God wants him to ultimately be (fully owned by Christ)

13 No, dear brothers and sisters, I have not achieved it, but I focus on this one thing: Forgetting the past and looking forward to what lies ahead, 14 I press on to reach the end of the race and receive the heavenly prize for which God, through Christ Jesus, is calling us.

  • He honestly self-evaluates… and that makes him see he needs to improve
  • He does not live for the past or is haunted by the past
  • He lives for today, tomorrow and eternity

15 Let all who are spiritually mature agree on these things. If you disagree on some point, I believe God will make it plain to you.

  • He ties spiritual maturity living as he has just detailed
  • Those who are mature agree as to what makes one mature
  • Mature Christians believe God reveals truth to His people

16 But we must hold on to the progress we have already made. 17 Dear brothers and sisters, pattern your lives after mine, and learn from those who follow our example.

  • This giving up of progress made is often called backsliding… (temporary)
  • We are to not just admire strong saints, we are to live by their example
  • We are to copy attitudes, values and lifestyle of mature Christians (specifically)

Maturing Christians have a growth plan! You can start your s for 2023 with these 7 resolutions for Biblical Living:

Resolution #1:

Resolve to make knowing Christ the highest priority in YOUR life!

  • Value the ways and words of the Biblical Christ over everything else.

Resolution #2:

Resolve to live trusting God rather than in what You can do!

  • Quit thinking you are righteous based on Your behavior, walk with God by faith.

Resolution #3:

Resolve to embrace hardship while living for Christ!

  • Christ’s resurrection power is experienced living in the midst of hardship.

Resolution #4:

Resolve to be humble and teachable as Christ’s disciple.

  • Be humble as to where you are and learn to be who Jesus bought you to be.

Resolution #5:

Resolve to live focused on future glory instead of past failure.

  • Forget the past and move forward in your life as a disciple
  • Recognize the things that God has called you to live for are eternal.

Resolution # 6:

Resolve to become mature through scripture application.

  • Resolve disagreements & promote unity by ardently seeking God in HIS Word (Common Doctrine)

Resolution #7:

Resolve to follow the example of mature Christians.

  • Study and pattern your life after the life of mature christians, don’t backslide!
  • Consistent serving of God’s people is the standard
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