2. Peter 3,8-13
8 But, beloved, be not ignorant of this one thing, that one day is with
the Lord as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day. 9 The
Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness;
but is longsuffering toward us, not willing that any should perish, but
that all should come to repentance.
10 But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night; in which the
heavens shall pass away with a great noise, and the elements shall melt
with fervent heat, the earth also and the works that are therein shall be
burned up.
11 Seeing then that all these things shall be dissolved, what manner of
persons ought you to be in all holy conduct and godliness, 12 Looking
for and hastening unto the coming of the day of God, in which the
heavens being on fire shall be dissolved, and the elements shall melt
with fervent heat?
13 Nevertheless we, according to his promise, look for new heavens and
a new earth, in which dwells righteousness.
What are you waiting for?
 That I start with the sermon?
 That I tell you the topic?
 That the sermon is over?
Waiting causes different feelings
 Pressure: a surprise for Christmas
 Pleasure: a wedding, the birth of a child
 Uncertainty / Fear: difficult examination, medical
checkup
 Hope: it will be good again
 Impatience: I've been waiting for a long time
 Discouragement / hopelessness: I wait too long and
nothing happens
Advent - a time of waiting
 Luke 2,10.11: Christ the Savior has come
 are we still waiting to Christ's birth on Christmas?
 Advent: a time of penance, reflection and anticipation
 Luke 2,13.14: Peace on earth to men of good-pleasure
 Do we have peace on earth?
 Peace in the hearts of believers
Oh, Lord, how long?
 Matthew 24,3: "Tell us, when will that be? What are
the signs?"
 Jesus said: "Do not be deceived!"
 Wars, riots, famines, earthquakes - This is just the
beginning
 Terrible events in the present time
 Psalm 6: "Oh, Lord, how long?"
What tells us Peter in his 2. letter?
 Scoffers and false teachers com (as Paul said to the
Thessalonians)
 They say that the Lord will not come back
 Peter: The prophetic word is certain!
 The day of judgment is coming - Gott is still patient
 Do not let unsettle
 Living godly an holy and expects a new heaven and a
new earth in which righteousness dwells
Faith is always challenged
 By persecutors: They shy us away
 Through false teachers: they lead us away from the
truth
 By scoffers: They make despondent
 But, look to God's perspective
2. Peter 3,8-10: God's perspektive The coming of the Lord is certainly
 God ist not subject to time. For him, a thousand years
are like a day.
 Revelation 22,7.12.20: "I'll be right" - "I'll come soon" that is possible at any time
 Converts so any time so, be vigilant an do not be
deceived
 God sees more an has bigger plans than we think
 The proclamation of the Gospel to the ends of the
earth lasts more than a mere human age.
2. Peter 3,8: But, beloved, be not ignorant of this one thing,
that one day is with the Lord as a thousand years, and a
thousand years as one day.
 »be not ignorant of this one thing«
 »one day is with the Lord as a thousand years«
»be not ignorant of this one thing«
 what is hidden to the scoffers that is revealed to you
 two reasons:
1. God ist not subject to our notions of time
2. God is patient and waits patiently for many people yet
be saved.
»one day is with the Lord as a
thousand years«
 God acts in time, but he is not subject to time
 We are mistaken if we think of him as
 God acts in his time
 What does our sense of time in view of eternity?
2. Peter 3,9: The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men
count slackness; but is longsuffering toward us, not willing that any
should perish, but that all should come to repentance.
 »The Lord is not slack concerning his promise«
 »but is longsuffering toward us, not willing that any
should perish«
»The Lord is not slack concerning
his promise«
 If we fail to comply with something, it is because we
can not, something has come between, we've forgotten
it, or we deny our promise.
 Gott is not a man. He does no such thing.
 He keeeps his promises, he does not forget them.
Nothing can stop him.
»but is longsuffering toward us, not willing
that any should perish«
 God does not wait because he was weak, forgetful, or

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indifferent
He's just friendly, not willing that any should be lost (vgl. 1.
Tim. 2,4)
This is God's desire for all people.
This ist not his unalterable decree, after everything is done,
what He commands.
His offer is fixed. If we do not accept it, we are to blame ...
... and lost (The love of God does not force us. Only
volunteers are in heaven).
2. Peter 3,10: But the day of the Lord will
come as a thief in the night
 "Day of the Lord" = "Day of Judgment" = "Day of
Eternity" = "Day of Rage" = always the same day: God's
day - People had their day
 The arrogance of the man is lowered. God will speak in
his anger.
 He comes "as a thief": Not undetected, because every
eye will see him - but unexpected and undesirable (for
the ungodly, scoffers and indifferent)
 The godless cling to this world.
 However, we hasten eagerly to this day.
2. Peter 3,10.12
10: in which the heavens shall pass away with a great
noise, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat,
the earth also and the works that are therein shall be
burned up.
12: in which the heavens being on fire shall be
dissolved, and the elements shall melt with fervent
heat.
 (Because lack of time, I skip this part)
 You can imagine that this will be very terrible for people,
when everything passes and sinners will stand before God,
 who will then create a new heaven and a new earth.
2. Peter 3,11-18: What means the
coming of the Lord to us?
 11: Seeing then that all these things shall be dissolved,
what manner of persons ought you to be in all holy
conduct and godliness!
 12: Looking for and hastening unto the coming of the
day of God
 13: Nevertheless we, according to his promise, look for
new heavens and a new earth, in which dwells
righteousness.
2. Peter 3,11: Seeing then that all these things shall
be dissolved, what manner of persons ought you to
be in all holy conduct and godliness!
»Seeing then that all these things shall be
dissolved«:
 The form of this world is passing away (1 Cor. 7,31);
while the world passes away, and the lust (1. John 2,17)
 We regret that? Then it's time that we wake up
»what manner of persons ought you to
be in all holy conduct and godliness«
 The kingdom of Christ is a kingdom of righteousness,
holiness and peace.
 This must impact to our lifestyles (moral conduct - our
"walk").
 We don't need to know the exact processes of end-time
events.
 But that the Lord comes - that we can understand.
»and godliness«
 Godliness means why we do something is (our
motivation)
 our zeal, our commitment to growth must be directed
to God
 not because we are ambitious and seek our own glory
 we seek the glory of God because we love him more
than anything
2. Peter 3,12: Looking for and hastening
unto the coming of the day of God
 We do not wait passively and sluggish, but strive
 in prayer ("Thy kingdom come!" and "Come, Lord
Jesus!")
 ... and in doing (Help for needy persons +
proclamation of the Gospel)
 the world cannot give hope
2. Peter 3,13: Nevertheless we, according to his
promise, look for new heavens and a new earth, in
which dwells righteousness.
»we, according to his promise … new heavens and
a new earth«
 The new creation is complete new in its kind
 Such a thing has never been done
 In their righteousness dwells - There will be nothing
more evel. Only God's will governs (no influence of a
foreign will)
Finish
 Fits this message to our Christmas mood?
 Or do we think we make people just to be afraid?
 I think it fits quite well here
 Christmas was just the beginning - God's plan of
salvation continues
2. Peter 3 shows us
 a God with goodness, love, patience and long-suffering
 His faithfulness - he keeps his promises and does not
break his convenants
 God's justice
 All attributes of God complement each other - we can
not ignore, otherwise we get a distorted view of God:
an idol
in 2. Peter 3 we find
 Comfort and help
 encouragement and exhortation
 Warning
 The processes from God's perspective
We have a message
 That means not merely "heaven or hell!"
 We have a Savior, a Redeemer
 Having no religion - there man needs to improve,
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achieve something earn the heaven
Our message gives hope, comfort, confidence and joy
The message has a name: Jesus Christ
Faith in him and you'll be saved
Trust in him - he will also lead you to accomplishment.
You have not to earn Jesus before - He is available free
of charge. This is grace
Sometimes I wonder
 How long does God still look on and tolerate
disobedience and ridicule of us?
 How long he has endured my disobedience and
mockery?
 Should God not intervene now?
 What about the others? Should they be empty-handed
, should they not have the opportunity to repentance
(2. Peter 3,9)
What do you think about?
 You pray "Thy kingdom come!" - Do you think maybe
"rather not so soon"?
 Do you expect the day of God, and hastening to meet
him, or rather you hit the brakes?
 Can you let got?
 Do you feel you're probably not "worthy" enough for
heaven?
Are you ready (dual standby)?
 Compared to God: "Therefore, keep watch!"
 Compared to the people: witness by word and deed
So what are you waiting for?
"Nevertheless we, according to his promise,
look for new heavens and a new earth, in
which dwells righteousness."