Tag: watchfulness

“Living in Light of the Day” – a message from 2 Peter 3, verses 10-13, by Jim Caler

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This past weekend at Eastbrook, we continued our series “Growing in Faith: Exploring 2 Peter” with Pastor Jim Caler preaching a message entitled “Living in Light of the Day” from 2 Peter 3:10-13.

You can find the message outline and video below. You can access the entire series here. Join us for weekend worship in-person or remotely via Eastbrook at Home.

“But the day of the Lord will come like a thief. The heavens will disappear with a roar; the elements will be destroyed by fire, and the earth and everything done in it will be laid bare.” (2 Peter 3:10)

What We Can Know About The Day of the Lord (10 & 12b)

A. It Will Happen

“The day of the Lord will come.” 

Zephaniah 1:14, “Near is the great day of the LORD, Near and coming very quickly; Listen, the day of the LORD!”

B. It Will Happen Sudden and Unexpectedly 

“The day of the Lord will come like a thief” 

Matthew 24:42-44 “Therefore be on the alert, for you do not know which day your Lord is coming.  But be sure of this, that if the head of the house had known at what time of the night the thief was coming, he would have been on the alert and would not have allowed his house to be broken into.  For this reason, you also must be ready; for the Son of Man is coming at an hour when you do not think He will.”

C. It Will Involve the Destruction of the Earth and Everything in It

“But the day of the Lord will come like a thief. The heavens will disappear with a roar; the elements will be destroyed by fire, and the earth and everything done in it will be laid bare. Since everything will be destroyed in this way…That day will bring about the destruction of the heavens by fire, and the elements will melt in the heat.”

Isaiah 13:9, “Behold, the day of the LORD is coming, Cruel, with fury and burning anger, To make the land a desolation; And He will exterminate its sinners from it.”

D. It Will Lead to the New Heaven and New Earth

“That day will bring about the destruction of the heavens by fire, and the elements will melt in the heat. But in keeping with His promise we are looking forward to a new heaven and a new earth, where righteousness dwells.”

Isaiah 65:17, ““See, I will create new heavens and a new earth. The former things will not be remembered, nor will they come to mind.”

How Should We Respond to These Truths?

Since everything will be destroyed in this way, what kind of people ought you to be? You ought to live holy and godly lives as you look forward to the day of God and speed its coming.

            Live Holy Lives (Righteous Conduct)

holy is to be separate from all that is common, unclean, and mundane. Believers are called to be holy as the Father is holy (Lev. 11:44; 1 Pet. 1:16).  

            Live Godly Lives (Righteous Motivation)

                        godly is to live to please our God (2 Pet. 1:3, 6, 7; 2:9)

            Anticipate the Coming of That Day With Eagerness

                     προσδοκάω (to look for, expect) is used three times in three verses (vv. 12, 13, 14).

Dig Deeper

Consider Jonathan Edwards’ resolutions. 

Resolved, never to do anything, which I should be afraid to do, if it were the last hour of my life.

Resolved, never to do anything, which I should be afraid to do, if I expected it would not be above an hour, before I should hear the last trump.

Resolved, to endeavor to my utmost to act as I can think I should do, if I had already seen the happiness of heaven, and hell torments.

Can you affirm these resolutions for your own life?  Will you?

“Looking for the Day” – a message from 2 Peter 3, verses 1-9, by Femi Ibitoye

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This past weekend at Eastbrook, we continued our series “Growing in Faith: Exploring 2 Peter” with Pastor Femi Ibitoye preaching a message entitled “Looking for the Day” from 2 Peter 3:1-9. This message begins a new section of the letter focusing on the parousia of Christ, which links up with the journey of Advent. I would like to invite you to join in with our Advent devotional at Eastbrook that parallels our journey through 2 Peter 3.

You can find the message outline and video below. You can access the entire series here. Join us for weekend worship in-person or remotely via Eastbrook at Home.

The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. Instead, he is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance.  (2 Peter 3:8-9)

Remember God’s word as you look for the Day (2 Peter 3:1-2)

Remember the words by the Prophets (Isaiah 9:6-7, 11, Jeremiah 23:5, Zechariah 14:1a, 3-5)

Remember the words of Jesus spoken through the Apostles (Matthew 19:28; 24:3-25; Jude 15, Revelation 22:12)

Let these reminders stimulate you to wholesome thinking (Philippians 4:8)

Beware of scoffers as you look for the day (2 Peter 3:3-5)

Scoffers will come as you look for the day. They follow their selfish desires (Jude 18-19)

Scoffers will scoff at the promise of Jesus that he will come again

Scoffers will misquote, omit, belittle the word of God.

Scoffers deliberately forget the word of God.  You, however must remember

God’s view of Time is different as you look for the Day

With God, a thousand years is like a day (Psalm 90:4)

God is not slow in keeping his promise.  Jesus will come again (Acts 1:11, John 14:1-3)

Wait for the Lord (Isaiah 40:31, Matthew 25:1-13)

Judgment is coming on that day. Destruction of the ungodly by fire (2 Peter 3:7, 10; 2 Thessalonians 1:7-10)

As you look for the day, know that God is patient and long-suffering

God is patient and does not want anyone to perish (2 Peter 3:8)

God wants us to repent and be saved (Ezekiel 18:23,32)

Making it real

Watch and Pray (Luke 21:36)

Praise God for his anticipated second coming (1Peter 1:3-5)

Hope patiently (Romans 8:23-25)

Dig Deeper

This week dig deeper in one or more of the following ways:

  • Memorize 2 Peter 3:8-9
  • Listen to Christmas carols like “Come thou long expected Jesus, “Let all mortal flesh keep silence, O holy night, It came upon the midnight clear, O come, O come Emmanuel”, Ponder the words of the songs. See how Christ in the first advent, fulfilled the prophesies in these songs according to Scripture, but we also see echoes of the second advent in these songs.
  • Read Matthew 24 and 25 about the second coming of Christ.  Pray that you will be found in him. Trust in Jesus that he is mighty to save.

3 Reasons Daniel’s Visions Matter

Matt EricksonLeave a comment

image 1 - looking forward.pngAs we have been journeying through a preaching series on the book of Daniel at Eastbrook Church, “Daniel: Apocalyptic Imagination and Exile Faith,” we have come to some of the most difficult parts of the book to understand in the visions of chapters 7-12. Through these visions, God unveils the reality of what is really going on in the midst of the ordinary history of earth. God is writing a story, even in the midst of the beasts of earth.

Amongst all of this, we might wonder why God gave Daniel these visions, and what their significance is for Daniel and the other exiles of Judah. Let me share three reasons God gives Daniel these visions and why they matter:

  1. God grants Daniel these visions so that he and the rest of God’s exiled people will be prepared for what is to come. Empires will rise and kingdoms will fall. Kings will rise and kings will fall. The exiled people will ride the waves of this history and it is God’s grace that gives insight into these shifting waves so that the people can be prepared to ride the currents of these waves.
  2. God also gives Daniel these visions so that the people of God might be encouraged by the reality that God is in charge of human history and there will be an end to suffering and oppression. Many times throughout the second half of the book of Daniel, we hear that God will bring an end to the kingdoms of earth, eventually bringing the fullness of God’s kingdom upon earth. God knows how hard it is to stay encouraged in difficult times, and so God graciously encourages them with the reality that there will be an end.
  3. God, thirdly, gives these visions to Daniel so that the people of God might be watchful for not only what is happening in human history, but for how God is at work in the midst of human history. God knows how easily we as human lose our perspective and stop watching for Him, and it is God’s grace through these apocalyptic visions to startle His people to attentiveness.