2 Pet. 3:8-14

The End of the World as We Know It!

2 Pet 3:10 & 12 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. looking for and hastening the coming of the day of God, because of which the heavens will be dissolved, being on fire, and the elements will melt with fervent heat?

I have always found it interesting what people try to hold on to in this life!•Primarily we try to hold on to what we

find of value! This might be time , talents or treasures!

•We often have a hard time letting go of the people or pets we love!•I have met people that carry around

ashes of their loved one with them.•I have seem a cat that was taken to a

taxidermist after it was hit by a car and then was kept in the living room.

Learning to let go of this life!

•This is not an easy lesson to learn and I am not sure any of us will ever completely understand this need!

•We that are Christians have no need to get bent out of shape over the things of this life. We are to be more concerned about the life that is coming!

•This is a lesson about what we should be holding on to and what we should be letting go of!

I. Not Held By Time!2 Pet. 3:8 But, beloved, do not forget this one

thing, that with the Lord one day is as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day.•God is in fact “the timeless One!”

•Ps 90:4 For a thousand years in Your sight Are like yesterday when it is past, And like a watch in the night.

•Ps 90:2 Before the mountains were brought forth, Or ever You had formed the earth and the world, Even from everlasting to everlasting, You are God.

This should be seen as a blessing!•Rom. 8:28 And we know that all things work

together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose.

•Do you remember Joseph? (Gen. 37-50)•Gen 45:5 But now, do not therefore be grieved

or angry with yourselves because you sold me here; for God sent me before you to preserve life.

•Gen 50:19 Joseph said to them, Do not be afraid, for am I in the place of God?

II. Not Hoping that We Perish!2 Pet 3:9 The Lord is not slack concerning His

promise, as some count slackness, but is longsuffering toward us, not willing that any should

perish but that all should come to repentance.•If I was going to have a favorite verse,

this would be in the running!•God has done everything heavenly

possible to save us from ourselves!•1 Tim 2:4 who desires all men to be saved

and to come to the knowledge of the truth.

If one is lost it is not because of God, it is in spite of God!

•One must become a fool to miss out on Him!•Ps. 19:1 The heavens declare the glory of

God; And the firmament shows His handiwork. Cf. Ps. 14:1 & 53:1 The fool hath said in his heart, There is no God.

•One must distort their mind to not believe and receive God! (Rom. 1:18-25)

•God has done His part, now we must be willing to do our part and accept the gift of His Son!

From a life of sin to the Savior!“That all should come to repentance!”•Lk 13:3 I tell you, no; but unless you

repent you will all likewise perish.•Act 17:30-31 "Truly, these times of

ignorance God overlooked, but now commands all men everywhere to repent, "because He has appointed a day on which He will judge the world in righteousness by the Man whom He has ordained. He has given assurance of this to all by raising Him from the dead."

III. Live Holy Lives! 2 Pet 3:10, 11 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. Therefore,

since all these things will be dissolved, what manner of persons ought you to be in holy

conduct and godliness.•This world will not last forever!•There will be an end to the world as

we know it!

The elements melt away and the earth burned up!

•The very building blocks of this world will be no more!•This is as vivid as one might get to

describe that the world will no longer be here! Things are going to really change!•With us understanding that this is “not”

the end of us but only the end of the world we are in, we must learn to live accordingly!•There is still more to come!

Hag-ee-os = to be morally blameless, to be pure, to be set apart

•We are called to be “holy!” •1 Pet 1:15-16 but as He who called you is

holy, you also be holy in all your conduct, because it is written, "Be holy, for I am holy."

•We must learn to live life “for” Jesus knowing that one day we will forever be “with” Jesus!

IV. Await Home in Heaven!

2 Pet. 3:12-14 looking for and hastening the coming of the day of God, because of which the heavens will be dissolved, being on fire, and the

elements will melt with fervent heat? Nevertheless we, according to His promise, look for new

heavens and a new earth in which righteousness dwells. Therefore, beloved, looking forward to these things, be diligent to be found by Him in

peace, without spot and blameless;•“This world is not my home!”

“Looking for and hastening!”

•Notice the longing and urgency of this!•This is far different than what we often

find in the world today!•“Everyone want to go to heaven but no

one want to go right ______!”•This was something Peter & Paul both

felt very strongly about!•The truth is that the “best is yet to come

for the Christian!”

I want to be with Jesus!(Jn. 14:1-3; 1 Thess. 4:13-18; 2 Cor. 5:1-2)

•2 Cor 5:1-2 For we know that if our earthly house, this tent, is destroyed, we have a building from God, a house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens. For in this we groan, earnestly desiring to be clothed with our habitation which is from heaven.

•2 Cor 5:6 So we are always confident, knowing that while we are at home in the body we are absent from the Lord.

•2 Cor 5:8 We are confident, yes, well pleased rather to be absent from the body and to be present with the Lord. (Cf. Phil. 1:21)

Conclusion:•What we find of value has a great deal to

do with how we live our lives!•Mt 6:21 For where your treasure is, there your

heart will be also.•One day this world as we know it will end!

•Either we will die and face the judgment (Heb. 9:27) or the Lord will return!

•Are you ready for your journey into eternity? Have you come to believe in Jesus? Have you trusted Him with your salvation?