According to His Promise

12-10-23

Hoonah-Hadley

2 Peter 3:8-15

Call to Worship Psalm 85:1-2,8-13

Daily Verse 2 Peter 3:13

Out of all the offerings this morning, all the verses here in 2 Peter, all the lessons, the depth, width, height, the vast, eternal measure of divine counsel, we have a Promise Maker, and, a Promise Keeper. According to the church’s planning calendar we are on the 2nd Sunday of Advent.  Advent as it concerns us is the coming or birth of Christ. Like communion, we celebrate this “coming” in memory of the event itself, we acknowledge it. But let it not begin and end with the putting up and taking down of the manger scene on the mantel, the plastic figures in the yard hooked up to an extension cord, grandma’s ornaments on a fake tree, or the painful annual family gathering where the main thing gets lost in the turkey and egg nog. 

In our hectic, wayward busy-ness we manage a quick prayer before the meal and before we know it we’re packing the figurines back in their boxes and we’re fretting over another years taxes. Listen to the psalmist at the end of 84 and a portion of 85: “Blessed is the one who trust in You…Surely His salvation is near to those who fear Him…Mercy and truth have met together; righteousness and peace have kissed. Truth shall spring out of the earth, and righteousness shall look down from heaven. Yes, the Lord will give what is good…Righteousness will go before Him, and shall make His footsteps our pathway.”  It is striking how quickly our lawn ornaments change for the seasons, how much time and money we invest in putting up, taking down and storing plastic images and how little time we take to consider that mercy and truth met together in a manger some 2,000 years ago.

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As the scarlet chord weaves its way through scripture, we see the elements of old repeated in the new. We have in Psalm 85, “salvation”, “righteousness” and “peace”. Our lesson in 2 Peter 3 has all three.  In the offering from Isaiah 40:1-11 the prophet speaks of Christ’s first coming some 700 years before His birth. This is a promise from God and that promise is fulfilled in a manger, in Bethlehem.  Our lesson in 2 Peter 3 speaks of another promise, Christ second coming. Isaiah 40:10 “Behold, the Lord God shall come with a strong hand…Behold, His reward is with Him.” His first coming painted with humility, a babe in a manger. His second coming, an unquenchable fire.  The gospel lesson for today in Mark 1:1-8 “The beginning of the gospel of Jesus Christ, the Son of God.  As it is written in the Prophets…”  These verses in Mark go on to quote Malachi (Old Testament) 3:1, and, Isaiah 40:3. 

The scarlet chord of old makes its way under a star to 3 wise men in Bethlehem, a demon possessed man on the “other side”, an old rugged cross on Calvary’s shore, an empty tomb, to our lesson in 2 Peter 3 and beyond.  2 Peter 3:8 “…do not forget this one thing, that with the Lord one day is as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day.”  The Lord’s thoughts are not our thoughts, His way is higher than ours, His timing is perfect, ours is poor at best, “do not forget” these things.  Vs. 9 “The Lord is not slack concerning His promise.”  This verse is a critical piece of the puzzle today, as far as promises are concerned. The song Way Maker by artist Leeland is a hit because its foundation is laid upon this Promise. When you come to the place that you trust in Him with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding, you’ll have no problem with either vs. 9 or Leeland’s song.  “But is longsuffering towards us.”  This is one of the fruits of the spirit, otherwise known as patience, the Lord is patient.

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Our Lord is a promise maker and a promise keeper, but who, what, where and when is He patient?  In short, He is patient right here, right now and with us. Another critical piece of the puzzle, “The Lord…is patient toward us.”  Who is that? His elect, chosen, predestined, children, those given Him. 

John 6:39-40 “This is the will of the Father who sent Me, that of all He has given Me I should lose nothing…And this is the will of Him who sent Me, that everyone who sees the Son and believes in Him may have everlasting life; and I will raise them up at the last day.” 

Imagine the only thing between you and eternal life is belief. This is what our lesson in 2 Peter 3 is talking about, the last days, Christ’s second coming, believers, “The Lord…is patient toward us.” Come along little doggy.  Vs. 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 did it with water in the days of Noah, he flooded the earth. His second coming will be a cataclysmic fire. This is scripture confirming scripture. 

Last weeks message, “They Will See the Son of Man Coming” based on Mark 13:24-37, closes with this, “But of that day and hour no one knows…watch therefore…lest coming suddenly, He finds you sleeping.  And what I say to you, I say to all: Watch!” We cannot stop it, it is on the horizon, when?  We do not know, nor are we to waste our time trying to figure it out.  What can we do about it?  Prepare your heart. Believe in the Lord Jesus Christ. Know the day is coming and then, simply watch, there is little else we can do.  Vs. 11-12 “Therefore…what manner of persons ought you to be…in conduct…looking for…the coming of the day of God…the heavens will be dissolved, being on fire, and the elements will melt with fervent heat?” The question is set before us.

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We cannot paint this picture as Don McClean did in his famous song “Vincent”. It is clear, certain, set, and unstoppable. It will come like a thief in the night.  Herein the blessing and the curse, “That everyone who sees the Son and believes in Him…I will raise up in the last day.” Psalm 1:6 “For the Lord knows the way of the righteous, but the way of the ungodly shall perish.” Sheep on the right hand, goats on the left. Matt. 25 “And these will go away into everlasting punishment, but the righteous into eternal life.” Raised in glory, or cast into utter darkness.  Remember the rich man in hell looking up to Lazarus in heaven and asking for a drop of water? Not a drop, 0. Verse 13, “Nevertheless we, according to His promise, look for a new heaven and a new earth in which righteousness dwells.”

In other words, despite this overwhelmingly complete and utterly consuming fire, one thing stands, His promise. Our God, that’s who He is. Once again, who is He speaking to?  “We”.  You and I are part of God’s plan and promise through Abraham. In Genesis 15:5 God said to Abraham “Look toward the heavens and count the stars…so shall your descendants be.” He’s talking about us.  Vs. 6 “And he believed in the Lord, and He counted it to him for righteousness.” God’s promise to Abraham was fulfilled. The same God that promised Abraham makes a promise to us. “Nevertheless we, according to His promise, look for a new heaven and a new earth in which righteousness dwells.” Deep down there is something within us that craves righteousness. 2 Cor. 5:21 “For He made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.” We can either live for our righteousness or live from His righteousness. He’s the way maker, miracle worker, promise keeper, light in the darkness, that’s who He is, that’s where righteousness dwells, According to His Promise, to us.

Amen!