Posted by David on April 11, 2010 under Bulletin Articles
The process of aging is a sobering reality! As people of age often say, “Old age is not for sissies!” The experience of going from capability to inability is unsettling!
When we are young and energetic with a multitude of options, we rarely think of that journey. When initially that journey becomes awareness, we tend to think we “have let ourselves go.” All we need is to “buckle down,” adopt a healthy routine, and recover what we lost. Alas, the time comes for all when we must accept that the form of the body, the strength of the muscles, and the former “crazy” schedule are things of the past-they are not coming back no matter what we do or how we do it!
Suddenly, Jesus’ resurrection by God is not a philosophical approach to life. It is either reality or a lie-there is no in between, no maybe. When you realize your death is not a maybe, at that same moment you also realize resurrection is not a maybe.
Paul told the Corinthian congregation almost 2,000 years ago that Jesus’ resurrection was not a maybe. There is life after death, or there is not. There is sinless existence through divine forgiveness, or not. There is hope based in reality, or wasted effort. Life is an investment in the eternal, or life is a journey into hopeless decline, but life is not a maybe.
Is belief in the resurrection a matter of faith? Yes, and it always will be! Every lifestyle involves an essential element of faith. Indulgence hurts others! Power tramples people as obstacles. Ambition becomes blind! Accumulation views people as things! Knowledge becomes arrogance! Success becomes self-centered! However, in Christ, I learn to live for others. Physical decline and death still come, but only in Jesus do we have hope after death! Jesus Christ’s resurrection is the Christian’s guiding beacon!
We seek Christ in the conviction that life is continuous and death is an interruption! We seek resurrection in Jesus Christ! Our journey does not end when physical death occurs!
Posted by Chris on April 4, 2010 under Sermons
Slate magazine re-published an article from two years. The author, James Martin, was explaining why Easter has not succumbed to commercialization like Christmas and why, despite bunnies and chocolate eggs, it maintains its religious significance.
The Easter story is relentlessly disconcerting and, in a way, is the antithesis of the Christmas story. No matter how much you try to water down its particulars, Easter retains some of the shock it had for those who first participated in the events during the first century. The man who spent the final three years of his life preaching a message of love and forgiveness (and, along the way, healing the sick and raising the dead) is betrayed by one of his closest friends, turned over to the representatives of a brutal occupying power, and is tortured, mocked, and executed in the manner that Rome reserved for the worst of its criminals.
Martin continues by examining the meaning of the resurrection …
More shocking than the crucifixion is the resurrection. … Even the resurrection, the joyful end of the Easter story, resists domestication as it resists banalization. Unlike Christmas, it also resists a noncommittal response. Even agnostics and atheists who don’t accept Christ’s divinity can accept the general outlines of the Christmas story with little danger to their worldview. But Easter demands a response. It’s hard for a non-Christian believer to say, “Yes, I believe that Jesus of Nazareth was crucified, died, was buried, and rose from the dead.” That’s not something you can believe without some serious ramifications: If you believe that Jesus rose from the dead, this has profound implications for your spiritual and religious life-really, for your whole life. If you believe the story, then you believe that Jesus is God, or at least God’s son. What he says about the world and the way we live in that world then has a real claim on you.
Easter (The cross and the resurrection) is an event that demands a “yes” or a “no.” There is no “whatever.”
We believe that Jesus was crucified once and for all.
We believe that his body was placed in the tomb.
We believe that God raised him from the dead and now he lives and rules.
But do we live in a “whatever” sort of way with that belief? Believing these things is not simply a matter of checking a true or false on an exam. If you believe this, you acknowledge a reality that changes everything. You must live it out, or reject it outright.
Read Hebrews 10
Four Ways the Cross/Resurrection Change Us and Certainly Cannot Be a “Whatever” Event
- The Sacrifice of Jesus is “Once and For All” – 10And by that will, we have been made holy through the sacrifice of the body of Jesus Christ once for all.
- Sometimes we leave Jesus on the cross. Perhaps we want him to remain there so that he can take the punishment and we don’t have to. Maybe Jesus’ willingness to take our place allows us to get on with our own life.
- Once – Not again. The violence in our world is revealed. God has lifted the façade off of our twisted notions of civilization. There is no need to continually crucify Jesus
- For All – Too often we concern ourselves with who isn’t saved. We get caught up trying to find the limits. Let’s just leave it at “For All.” Keep yourself pure, God will purify the church.
- Gratitude, not Guilt is the Proper Response – 22let us draw near to God with a sincere heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled to cleanse us from a guilty conscience and having our bodies washed with pure water.
- The Risen Jesus has no need for us to be consumed with guilt. He died once for all so that we might be reconciled to God.
- Guilt is the proper response to our sins. Gratitude is the proper response to God’s Grace
- Too often we use guilt to control others or to excuse ourselves from right living. Don’t squander the blood of Christ on selfishness or self-doubt.
- Hold on to Hope, Let Go of Sin – 23Let us hold unswervingly to the hope we profess, for he who promised is faithful. 24And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds.
- The cross and the resurrection work together to expose the violence in the world and replace it with hope and love
- Hope is Trust in God’s justice – We have better and more lasting possessions than anything this world offers. We should not have a “whatever” attitude about this.
- Because Jesus died once for all we do not have to be angry anymore. We can live in love.
- Some of you have had some truly wicked things done to you. Real injustices not of your doing. Jesus is your friend. Look to him. He shares in your suffering. Lean on him and trust in God.
- But sometimes God’s people are the angriest people in the room. We are angry about our government We are angry about our work We are angry with school
- What right do you have to be so angry — did you go through what Jesus did?
- We get angry with one another. We are angry because the church is changing too fast. We are angry because it isn’t changing fast enough. We’re angry over worship styles. And if we don’t say angry we will say concerned.
- Look to Jesus. Look to the cross and try to hold on to your anger. Try to justify it. He chose love and God raised him from he dead. Thank God he loves and forgives.
- How can we not love others. How can we not forgive. Easter would be a good time for some of you to forgive someone. Forgive means let it go. Not to treat it lightly but to release it. Jesus trusted his life to god and god did right by him
- We Look Forward to His return – 35So do not throw away your confidence; it will be richly rewarded. 36You need to persevere so that when you have done the will of God, you will receive what he has promised. 37For in just a very little while,
“He who is coming will come and will not delay.
- We move forward
- We encourage one another until the Day comes
- We know that he is risen and alive
Jesus died once so that you don’t have to be angry anymore.
Jesus died once so that you can be free to love.
Jesus died once so that you can live forever.
Jesus died once so that you can live a life of freedom.
Posted by David on under Bulletin Articles
Life is full of questions. From the moment we wake up until we go back to sleep, often it seems there is nothing but questions. Some are small, and some are huge. Some look small, but they just keep getting bigger. Some are routine-the answer is more reflex than thought-(kids say parents say “NO!” so often that they cannot say “Yes!”) Some questions seem to be answered “once and for all time” only to keep appearing again and again later.
Your attention is called to a BIG one that is never answered once and for all time. Life asks it over and over again-new situations arise only to ask us the same old question. The question: “Why belong to and serve God?” Someone you care about dies, and you prayed to God earnestly to let him/her live … here comes the question! Someone you care about is sick, and you pray earnestly for recovery. The person does not and cannot get well … here it comes again! Problems descend unexpectedly … you are crushed! Your present is crushed! Your future seems crushed! All is immediately complicated! Dazed and bewildered, you are stunned as you watch the question coming at you again.
Yes, you have heard all the “correct” religious answers. “God sacrificed so much to provide you salvation.” “Jesus sacrificed so much for us on the cross!” “People hurt God so much for so long!” “Satan is enraged at God!” “Satan is determined to destroy us and will stop at nothing to bring the righteous misery!” Still, the question comes.
What were your expectations? A spiritual insurance policy? Special physical protection against evil “here and now”? Physical eternal life that ends disease and prevents accidents and aging? Honestly, does the question or the expectation cause our struggle?
God’s finest often suffered extensively and died horribly! Read Hebrews 11 recently? The righteous have never had a “special package for the physical here and now.”
Why do we belong to and serve God? Bottom line answer: because He is and always will be. Because He is, we shall meet him. Because He is bigger than physical life and death, we choose to serve Him. The answer to why: “because He is even when we will not be.”
Posted by Chris on March 28, 2010 under Sermons
Parables – part 1
- Jesus used parables
- Stories that communicate truth
- More engaging and compelling than simple propositions and facts.
- Facts can be debated. Stories thrust us into reality of the kingdom.
- The Parable of the Good Samaritan
- Lawyer testing Jesus
- The question of eternal life
- Deuteronomy 6:5, Leviticus 19:18 – Jesus agrees.
- “But who is my neighbor?”
- Expecting an exposition, the lawyer get a story
- The Story:
- The Traveler (Jerusalem to Jericho)
- He is ambushed, beaten, stabbed, and robbed.
- “He will die if someone does not arrive and help him.”
- The Priest:
- “Disregard for God’s commands led him to this fate.”
- “He will die if someone does not arrive and help him.”
- The Levite:
- On his way to do service in the Temple
- Levite forbidden to touch a dead body
- “Surely the man is dead.”
- “He will die if someone does not arrive and help him.”
- The Samaritan:
- The Hero. Who is it? What will he do? Anticipation!
- Shock – “It’s a Samaritan!”
- Show historical examples of the hostility between Samaritans and Jews.
- Why does Jesus use a hero that the hearers will not associate with?
- He is calling out their prejudices and showing them that love is about mercy and compassion, not the definition of neighbor.
- Hosea 6:6 – What does the Lord require?
- No penalty for killing a Samaritan. Stiff penalty for associating with one
- This is the Hero of Jesus’ story
- He stops, makes bandages from his own garments, oil and wine (his provisions for his journey), takes him to an inn where he is very likely unwelcome, pays the bill and more.
- “Which of these three became a neighbor?”
- Does Jesus answer the question? (No) He invalidates the question.
- When it comes to love, one does not choose one’s neighbor, one chooses to be a neighbor.
- Christ-like love does not ask “Who is my neighbor?” Rather, it is active. (“Go and do the same.”)
Posted by Chris on under Sermons
Three Subjects To Brush Up On That Just Might Change The World
HISTORY
Salvation history. God is in command of and working through the events in history (vs the deist watchmaker and vs the god who represents our agenda)
God’s people have chronicled history as a series of God’s creative and redemptive actions
Creation, Covenant, Exodus, Kingdom, Exile, Messiah, Cross, Resurrection, Spirit …
History teaches us that God is now doing what he has always done
The Future Is God’s History
What kind of world will the children born this year live in?
How you answer. Pessimism or optimism is largely influenced by culture and the way we feel about right now
I can recall the optimistic predictions of the future. New technology. Communication scientific advancement perspective
- Earth 2100. Largely pessimistic outcomes – It’s an idea that most of us would rather not face — that within the next century, life as we know it could come to an end. Our civilization could crumble, leaving only traces of modern human existence behind.
Our hope about the future can be misplaced. But so also can our despair about the future.
Romans 8:18-25
Past History = Future Hope
Romans 8:28 – Hope
GEOGRAPHY
Here’s a history lesson – God’s people in the past had problems with geography. They thought that salvation was limited to the boundaries, borders, and ethnic barriers of Israel.
Boundaries, Borders, and Barriers – Hostility and Separation – “For he himself is our peace, who has made the two one and has destroyed the barrier, the dividing wall of hostility, by abolishing in his flesh the law with its commandments and regulations. His purpose was to create in himself one new man out of the two, thus making peace, and in this one body to reconcile both of them to God through the cross, by which he put to death their hostility.” (Ephesians 2:14-18)
This is real political stuff … Our politics have to be Kingdom Politics – God’s geography. God’s grace does not end at the U.S. border.
- And everything outside of the US is not just mission work.
- The day will come when missionaries from Africa come preach the gospel to the US (if that thought grieves you, so be it. If it offends you, then please consider why.)
The Trip to Mexico That Wasn’t – This isn’t just a problem for Mexico. It isn’t a problem that a fence or a border
A statement on a newsite from Sir Bikesalot 8:12 – “If you overindulgent Americans would stop smoking, shooting, snorting, and inhaling your precious drugs, none of this would be happening.”
He makes a point. It isn’t just Mexico’s problem – the market for drugs is in the U.S.A.
When we say, “But there’s sin and suffering in that nation. How can that be godly?” Then we are on the verge of two mistakes:
- We assume that God is something like fortune. He is with you and things go well. If things go bad, then he isn’t (misfortune).
- That people in other nations need to become more like us (Southern? American? Middle Class?) and then they will be alright.
Geography Lesson: All mission is to the world, including our nation. All mission is sent by Christ from heaven, not from one nation to another …
This is our Father’s world! He has claimed it long before there was a U.S.A. To say this is our Father’s world is to say more than just the brooks and streams and flowers and trees. It also means the cities, the streets, the highways and byways. Those are part of God’s world, too. And if they don’t look like it, then it is no different from the fact that some of God’s children don’t live up to their birthright. Juarez, Mexico is my Father’s world. Fifth Ward of Houston is my Father’s world. Iran is my Father’s World. Hollywood, California is my Father’s world. Haiti is my Father’s world. Every Muslim nation and every communist country is my Father’s world. Nigeria and North Korea. This is my Fathers world – Satan cannot lay claim to any of it. Jesus Christ rules it all. The world just needs to know.
People don’t need to become more like us. No. What they need is what we need, to live out the story. Next subject, literature.
LITERATURE
Telling the right story.
From the movie, Walk the Line:
Young J.R. Cash: “There’s more words in the Bible than in the Heavenly Highway Hymns.”
Young Jack Cash: “Look, J.R., if I’m going to be a preacher one day, I gotta know the Bible from front to back. I mean, you can’t help nobody if you can’t tell the right story.”
2 Peter 1:16
Talking and Walking – Eyewitnesses to the story. Tell it and live it.
Our Story and The Story – Authenticity is authority. Not everyone accepts the authoritative base of the Bible – we do, but how do we communicate to those who do not? They won’t listen unless we are credible. (Peter was an eyewitness.)
Knowledge and Art – Know it. Tell it well – in many languages and many ways. Capture minds and hearts. Tell the story and tell it well … with passion, with conviction, with style, with color, with words, with deeds.
Math wasn’t on here because we’ve done too much evangelism “for the numbers” and people aren’t numbers. Leave the counting to God. We need to tell the story, tell it well, live it out, and trust God.
Posted by David on under Bulletin Articles
The paragraph previous to Romans 10:17 deals with the failure of the Jewish people to realize that God’s great agenda included extending salvation to all people-even idol worshippers who had the wrong concept of deity and no idea about godly morals. God simply wants everyone to have access to Him. God through Christ granted that access to all, in spite of where they were. It is not about one’s education, or one’s society, or one’s material success, or one’s ability to read, or one being primitive or advanced. It is about understanding the message of what God did in Jesus Christ.
This article is not about seeking to deny the message of Romans 10:17. It suggests faith begins earlier. The message begins with God’s concern forming the basis for God’s act.
To act to benefit a perceived god was not unusual in any religion. For God to initiate an act of compassion to benefit people was incredibly different. For God to act on our behalf when we had done nothing to “obligate” Him was absolutely amazing (Romans 5:6-8)! The message from an involved God was unique-but true!
Faith begins with understanding that God gave His most precious relationship to make our salvation possible (John 3:16-21). Do you understand that God made a major sacrifice to make salvation possible for us? He hurt first that we might rejoice in Christ!
Do you understand that God is even involved in our coming to Him? We are enabled to repent through God’s support (2 Timothy 2:24-26)!
Do you understand that entrance into Jesus Christ begins a continuing forgiveness for those who refuse to reject Jesus Christ (1 John 1:1-10)? God is even involved (if we permit) in our remaining in Jesus Christ. We are not “on our own “!
God is involved in our salvation from A to Z-accepting God’s concern begins our faith!
Posted by Chris on March 21, 2010 under Sermons
1 John 5:13
“I write these things to you who believe in the name of the Son of God so that you may know that you have eternal life.”
Q: How do we know God loves us?
A: He sent his one and only Son so that we might live through Him.
This is Love …
- God loved us first (4:10)
– compare John 3:16
- Jesus gave his life for us (3:16)
- We may be called God’s children (3:1)
- So, we should love God (5:2) and one another (3:11)
Q: How do we know what is true and what is false?
A: Every ‘spirit’ that does not acknowledge Jesus is false.
Recognizing the Spirit of God
- The problem with false prophets (4:1)
- They left the fellowship of believers because they did not believe that Jesus of Nazareth was the Christ, the Son of God (see 2:18-27)
- Every spirit that confesses that Jesus Christ came in the flesh is from God
- Those that do not are not (4:2-3)
(Romans 14, Colossians 2, 1 Corinthians 8-9, 2 John 9)
Recognizing the Spirit of God
- God’s truth overcomes the ‘wisdom’ of the world (4:5-6)
- We can know the truth (2:21)
- So, we can set our hearts at rest in God’s presence and know we belong to the truth (3:18-19)
– Confessing Christ (2:23)
– Remaining in the Spirit’s teaching (2:27)
– Putting love into action (3:19)
Q: How can we know that we know God and abide in Him?
A: Whoever claims to abide in God must live as Jesus did.
Recognizing the Children of God
- Confessing Christ (4:15)
– Relying on God’s love!
- Walking in the Light (1:5-7)
– Cleansing from sin (2:1-2)
- Obeying his commands (2:3; 3:24)
– Especially the command to love one another (2:7-11)
The One Who Has The Son
- Proof of God’s Love
– Jesus Christ
- Test of God’s Truth
– Jesus Christ
- Standard of a Godly Life
– Jesus Christ
Posted by Chris on under Sermons
Three Simple Suggestions That Might Just Change Your World
And if they change your world, they just might change the world. Last weekend Randy Harris spoke of revival in terms of Christians being more serious about living out the story of Christ. Changes in our attitude and spirit might give us the opportunity and credibility to speak up for Christ in a way that the world would listen.
No Whining –
How would this make church and world a better experience? Our culture whines a lot. Especially in America with our limited perspective and our sensationalist media …
Virgin America flight 404 departed LAX on time at 7:30 a.m., flew to the New York area where it was scheduled to land at 3:30 p.m. But with a storm raging and JFK closed, the flight circled and was eventually ordered to land at Stewart Airport at about 5:30 p.m. to wait it out. The storm lasted longer than expected so bus transportation was arranged and passengers eventually made it to JFK by about 1 a.m.
David Martin who runs Kontain.com was blogging the ordeal from his seat in first class.
Headlines and news leads featured the word NIGHTMARE frequently. about the HORROR! The NIGHTMARE! The STRANDING! The CRYING BABIES! The FORCED RATIONING!
Martin even noted on Kontain.com that MSNBC coached him to be mad.
Compare to other problems in the news.
We all whine. We commonly greet each other with whining. “How are you?” “Tired, worn out.” I suppose it is more acceptable to be tired than to brag about feeling good. We whine when we are kids and then we graduate to griping. (The pitch and the amount of power that we have is different)Whining and griping gets us off mission. Who wants to follow people with a negative spirit?
The antidote or alternative is gratitude. A virtue for God’s people. How would this change the world?
(I recall a brother who would greet you by saying “I’m blessed.” I paid attention to that.)
Hebrews 12:28 – We are the recipients of the Kingdom, how dare we whine?
No Worrying –
We haven’t given ourselves much confidence when it comes to salvation. Example: People who are dying and worried that they are not good enough. Fear of eternity.
Someone says: “But we shouldn’t be overconfident.” But this isn’t a confidence in our own ability. History and experience and Bible would show that we have no reason to be confident in our own ability. This is a confidence in God and his promises. Confidence comes from surrendering control to God.
That lack of confidence makes us worry. It makes us a church of worriers and gets in the way of the mission. Worry can devolve into fear.
Trust. The antidote is trust and a rich eschatology. When you turn it over to him, why worry? When we turn this over to God but we sit around and worry if we are going to make it to heaven, then that is sinful. Jesus is impatient with people who do not have trust. (See Martha and Mary.)
Someone may say, but if you don’t worry about going to heaven then someone can just live however they want. Not at all. Take away salvation on the basis of merit, and establish that salvation is on basis of trust, then you do not behave a certain way to GAIN salvation, instead trust is a matter of living within the trust we have for God and in God. It’s confidence.
If you trust God to save you, then you are going to live in a way that is going to be the substance of your trust.Everyone who hears me and puts these words into practice. Blessings have already been showered.
Matthew 6:27 and John 14 – Worry and Trust
No Wrath –
Our world is an angry world. Just think of how we could make a difference if we were a people who were less angry and wrathful than the rest of the culture.
Wrath and anger come in a variety of styles: Notice the works of the sinful nature – Galatians 5:19-21.
We are often offended by acts on either side of these. But do we understand why acts of anger and wrath have such a warning?
Anger is a “do-nothing” emotion. About the only positive benefit of anger and wrath: determination.
Imagine working on a project and you have a nagging problem. You might get angry enough to put some effort into it. But if you continue to be fueled by anger you will soon have a mess.
Anger has a way of building like a poison and it becomes more toxic. It will in time turn into resentment and passive aggression. Ultimately becoming hate. This is why wrath has a warning …
Of all the emotions, Anger is the nitrous oxide. Do you understand what I mean? N2O injectors go into the system and give the car extra speed. But it is used cautiously and carefully or it will burn up the engine.
Anger and wrath have to give way to better emotions and attitudes.
Our families, nation, and churches cannot be fueled on anger. Jesus put a limit on anger.
We have better options at the point of anger is the goal follows the mission.
“But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law.” – Galatians 5:22. The fruit of the spirit show the better options. Self-control allows us to cultivate compassion kindness (makes us active, not just a feeling) ultimately love.
Angry Church – One of the hindrances of mission is a critical spirit in the Lord’s churches. I have decided that there are certain journals and article in our fellowship that I just cannot read anymore. Not because I have a problem with the authors. Not because I have a problem with their conclusions. And it is not because I do not want to hear truth. But I have a problem with their attitude and their critical spirit. They are uncharitable and critical. They do not seek peace. Often they refuse to communicate directly with the individuals that they pillory. [Journals – Emotional Pornography]
It’s in the culture, too. I walked in the house the other day one of the news talk shows was on and people were in their little boxes arguing. Conservative vs liberal And the tone continued to become a drill that bored into my forehead. Why do we tune into these shows and watch overpaid pundits argue, and then punish our children for behaving the same way? Reveling in rantings. Outpouring of wrath.
The poison seeps into our fellowship too often. A wrathful culture spewing its poison. That poison can leak out when we sit down at table with one another. When we come together for worship.
Much of preaching has been filled with such wrath. Anger aimed at people. I pray that I have not done so – I don’t want to. Preaching may be direct, but it doesn’t have to be violent.
A pledge of support comes with this preaching. A word of encouragement that in God’s spirit and with God’s help. You and I can be people who are grateful, fearless, courageous, hopeful, self-controlled, truthful and loving. I wouldn’t say it if I didn’t believe that with Jesus’ help we could really be that.
“Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit.”
Galatians 5:25
Posted by David on under Bulletin Articles
Among the things Randy Harris discussed Sunday night with the youth was the American Christian’s preoccupation with finding our “safe place.”
What is the “safe place?” In this culture it would (a) protect us from physical death [that is the foremost concern]; (b) provide us maximum opportunity to experience our dreams; and (c) protect us from want and disaster. We want no bad surprises!
In this material existence, does this place exist? No! Can Christians die early and unexpectedly? Yes! Can Christians fail to achieve and experience material dreams? Yes! Can Christians die in man-caused or unexpected disasters? Yes!
In this world, there are no people-made “safe places.” When I consider the miles we log collectively by roadway vehicles, those who run red lights or stop signs, those who break the speed limit, those who drive with a suspended license, those who drive under the influence of medication, alcohol, or pleasure drugs, those who text-telephone-eat-“get ready”-etc. while driving, and those who “aim rather than drive,” I marvel that more of us are not “road kill.” We are rather irresponsibly confident that we can prevent death and maximize desired opportunities. We are just beginning to learn neither is true!
There is a “safe place” Christians should know well. God’s care for all people wants (a) for everyone to know about this “safe place,” (b) for this “safe place” to determine our behavior, (c) for Christians to live in danger now because of what God did in Jesus for everyone, and (d) for Christians to understand only internal values control external acts.
Where is your “safe place?” Is it God-designed or your “this world” creation?
Posted by David on March 14, 2010 under Bulletin Articles
Peter’s point is fascinating! He is writing Christians (1:1) who faced and endured struggles (1:10, 11; 2:1; 3:3-7). He did not say it would be easy to be a Christian! He was honest about the hardships! Never did he say Christianity is the “easy way to live.”
After assuring them that God knew how to rescue the godly from temptation (2:9), and stressing the importance of remembering the prophets’ words, the commandments, and Jesus’ words (3:2), he affirmed judgment’s certainty. However, he did not ask them to live in the terror of punishment. He did not try to scare them to heaven. It would have been the ideal set up for some type of message about, “You are going to pay for godless living!” or “Do you not realize what God can do to you?”
Peter acknowledged (1) God keeps His promises. (2) God’s judgment is a certain reality. (3) Judgment will be a surprise. (4) The judgment will be a devastating, destructive event for the ungodly. However, for the godly it will be a pleasant, victorious event. The godly will become part of an environment where the righteous belong and the unrighteous do not-the exact opposite of this existence!
With this reality, Peter asked a question. The question was not associated with the “turn or burn” philosophy which attempts to scare people away from hell and into heaven. The question: “Should you invest life in things you know are temporary, things you know will burn?” Or, is it wise to knowingly invest yourself in something you thoroughly understand cannot and will not last?
Heaven is not a destination for a person who goes kicking and screaming because he/she fears going elsewhere. It is a place for thoughtful, righteous people who trust God. Make the journey with us-the destination of the righteous is worth the price!
