Waiting for Christ’s Return

Knowing God Personally

2 Peter 3:11-16

Biblical waiting is not .

Peter draws on the prophetic poetry of Isaiah and Zephaniah to describe the day of God’s justice as a consuming fire.  The sky will be peeled back before the God who sees all and the earth and all its works will be exposed.  Peter is saying that the Second Coming of Christ should be all the motivation we need to put our confidence in what is lasting and eternal and to live a holy life.

1.  Be (vv. 11, 12a)

Peter gives us a lot of examples in his first letter of being godly and productive for God’s Kingdom:

–       Working on your own sanctification (1 Peter 1:14-21)
–       Showing practical love for your Christian family (1 Peter 1:22-2:3)
–       Being submissive to those God has placed over you (1 Peter 2:11-18)
–       Embracing suffering for the gospel (1 Peter 4:1-6)
–       Serving others (1 Peter 4:7-11)

2.   Be (vv. 12b – 14)

3.  Be diligent (to ) (vv. 15, 16)

Here’s what we can learn:

·      It shows that had already begun to be collected by various churches.

·      Peter clearly brings into line Paul’s writings with .

1 Timothy 5:18

2 Timothy 3:16

2 Corinthians 5:14

“God desires all men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth.”                                                                                                  1 Timothy 2:4

“Do you think lightly of the riches of His kindness and tolerance and patience, not knowing that the kindness of God leads you to repentance?” Romans 2:4

“We commonly associate patience with lying down. . . . Yet there is a patience that I believe is harder—the patience that can run. . .. It is the power to work under stress, to continue under hardship, to have anguish in your spirit . . .. This is a Christian thing. The hardest thing is that most of us are called to exercise patience, not in the sickbed but in the street.”        -George Matheson

Some questions we can use
to reflect on our own lives:

1.    What areas of your life require some ?

Galatians 5:19-21

Galatians 5:22, 23

1 John 1:9

2.    How can you live each day in constant expectation of ?

3.    With whom can you share Christ before ?

Daily Meditations

 
Memory verse: “But in keeping with his promise we are looking forward to a new heaven and a new earth, where righteousness dwells.  So then, dear friends, since you are looking forward to this, make every effort to be found spotless, blameless and at peace with him.”                               2 Peter 3:13, 14
 
 
Monday
Read 2 Peter 3.  What reason did Peter give his readers for living holy and godly lives in verses 11 and 12? 
 
 
How have you personally benefited from God’s patience? 
 
 
Tuesday
Read 2 Peter 3.  What will the day of God bring?  See verse 12.   
 
 
When have you thought that God was either not patient enough or too patient with you or someone else? 
 
 
Wednesday
Read 2 Peter 3.  According to verse 13, what reason did Peter give his readers to hope for the future? 
 
 
Why is it easy to spend little time looking forward to the new heaven and new earth? 
 
 
Thursday
Read 2 Peter 3.  What did Peter urge his readers to make every effort to do in verse 14? Why? 
 
 
How can we guard against falling into error in what we believe? 

 
Friday
Read 2 Peter 3.  What does the Lord’s patience mean?  See verse 15.  
 
 
How can you change your routine to reflect your hope for Christ’s return? 
 
 
Saturday
Read 2 Peter 3.  What did Peter say about the apostle Paul’s writings in verse 16? 
 
 
What will you do this week to stimulate wholesome thinking?