That was Neil's request. We just didn't get to it this morning.
Wrote that yesterday, Neil. All right. Well, a lot of great music this morning. It was wonderful. I Love it and more importantly God does he loves when his people sing In fact, there's a wonderful verse and Hebrews. Oh, I think it's in 13, but I'll call me on this about Christ singing in the midst of this Congregation. So as we sing we sing not just to him, but with him So sing well now this morning This past week I had the privilege of having lunch with a younger friend just an outstanding man serving in this This country's armed services and he's not only an outstanding young man and an outstanding young officer But he's a very serious Evangelist he takes evangelism seriously we're talking and he said that he's come and he's half my he's not even half my He's realized something that a lot of us probably haven't he said normally when we evangelize when we tell people they need to become Christians We present it to them in terms of here's what's in it for you forgiveness and love and peace and heaven and that's all true praise God every bit of it's true The problem comes in when after being presented with the gospel in terms of here's what's in it for you When the day comes as it always does when I don't feel forgiven or loved or Peaceful or heavenly at that point I look around and I say you know This is this is not quite what they told me it was gonna be and if all we've told people in presenting the gospel to them is just What's in it for you then when the day comes when it demands something of us? Then we're left wondering what did I get myself into? It is time and I'm not saying we abandoned that by the way that we abandoned telling people the good stuff of the gospel It's all true and people need to hear it People need to know they can be forgiven they need to know they're loved they need to know about peace that goes beyond understanding They need to know there's a heaven and you can get there through Christ and Christ alone I'm not saying we abandoned that but we must begin to think or actually must recover The manner of thinking that says to people when you become a Christian You join something you join the church for the big city all over Hopefully you join a local church, but you become part of a movement. You become part of the great grand Glorious movement of God down through the ages. You become part of something is so big and so deep and so powerful and so old You join something you become part of something that is the most Powerful movement for good the world has ever seen We're gonna read this form second Peter chapter three verses 10 through 13 just by way of quick review the letter of second Peter This is these are Peter's last words his last will and testament if you will these are his final admonitions to these younger Christians in Asia Minor Couple it's been about a month since we were actually in second Peter the last thing we read First Peter 3 verse 8 said, but do not forget this one thing dear friends with the Lord a day is like a thousand years and a Thousand years are like a day the Lord is not slow in keeping his promise as some understand slowness He is patient with you not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance so we get the clear message God is patient but verse 10 The day of the Lord will come like a thief the heavens will disappear with a roar the Elmus will be destroyed by fire in the earth and everything in it will be laid bare Since everything will be destroyed in this way what kind of people ought you to be You ought to live holy and godly lives as you look forward to the day of God and speed it's coming That day will bring about the destruction of the heavens by fire and the Elmus will melt in the heat But in keeping with his promise we are looking forward to a new heaven and a new earth the home of righteousness We pray with me Father we thank you that you are present with us as we sing and as we affirm our faith and as we give our ties in our offerings And now father, I ask that you would be with us and be with me in particular as I bring now the word of God to the people of God and Perhaps a sum here who are not yet part of the people of God But whom you might add to the family to the church to the movement of God down through history even today Well, I pray that that would happen for your glory For the building up with the body of Christ and the advance of your kingdom and And ask it in Jesus name I'm in Somebody said that most evangelicals think church history began with Billy Graham We don't have a really good long-term view of the breadth and the depth and the length of God's work in this world when I study church history and seminary I will tell you very honestly that our professor of church history was not the most Centrelating lecturer to have from 8 to 12 on a Tuesday morning as we've been up late the night before with systematic theology We did get a break though for chapel and I will tell you that he was not the best lecture on the planet Lovingly we referred him as Dr. Sominix today. I guess it would be Dr. Ambien or Dr. Lunestra, but that's this was a long time ago But the man new church history he was encyclopedic and what a new church history and even though he wasn't the most Centrelating captivating speaker. I'd never heard man. I loved that class. I loved what he taught us about it About the great unfolding plan of redemption down through the ages As God redeems his fallen planet and his fallen people So if you look at this text this morning I want to ask three questions Addressed by this text the first question is what is the impact of this movement this movement of God on this planet? What is the impact of this movement in this life? I occasionally remind you of the global impact of Christianity And I do that fairly often because I know you don't hear this otherwise You don't get this Positive message of what God has done through his people down through history much of anyplace else It's also pretty timely that I do this week because this very past week noted theologian and philosopher Rosie O'Donnell Made a comment on her Program that she's co-host on called the view on ABC and on Tuesday, September to the 12th the day after the fifth anniversary Of the day the 3,000 of our fellow citizens were murdered by islamic terrorists The day after that the following took place on the view Elisabeth Hasselbeck observed that militant islam poses a threat to free people You would think that would be a slam dunk no-brainer. You would think that would be self-evident to most people you would be wrong Just a minute, Mizo Donald interrupted radical Christianity is just as threatening as radical islam in a country like America Well, we have separation of church and state Now in the interest of full disclosure, I did not see this take place. I've never seen the view But I read this on several websites in quotes. I trusted this is accurate I also looked at the views website to see if they would publish some sort of a post some sort of an apology or attraction They did not so I wrote Mizo Donald and I emailed her and here's what I said to her. I give it to you for his worth Dear Mizo Donald, I read with interest and amazement your comment this past week that quote Radical Christianity is just as threatening as radical islam in a country like America We have separation of church and state if this was intended to be humorous it is not if it was serious Is it best woefully ignorant and at worst hateful and intolerant? I stuck the I word in there intolerant because I know oh man That's a heat seeker that goes to the heart of the politically correct hateful and intolerant I Know it's dirty, but you know Now you know who I am what you're dealing with all right back to my email at Worst hateful and intolerant Neither ignorance nor intolerance are considered assets in your line of work. I presume Can you think of any instance in which radical Christians have high decked airlines? Floan them into buildings or exploded bombs aboard those planes while they were in flight Can you think of any instance in which radical Christians have blown up themselves and dozens or even hundreds of Innocent bystanders can you recall radical Christians ever seizing an elementary school and murdering 344 innocent people including 172 school children Can you recall ever seeing radical Christians torture and behead anyone on the internet? Setting aside for the moment that the United States is hardly a radically Christian country and that the federal government is Hardly in the hands of radical Christians Consider the following if you lived in a nation that was ruled by a radical Islamic regime You would not have made critical comments about Islam on your television show You would be sitting at home quietly wrapped up in a burqa awaiting instructions from your father or your husband Radical Islamic terrorists would happily behave you and your co-host live on your television program The reason you can openly and freely without fear of reprisal make these comments critical of the majority religion of this country It's precisely because this country was founded upon such radical Judeo-Christian principles as individual freedom and in particular freedom of speech This is not a I'm sorry. There is not a Christianized and I use that term loosely Nation in the world today Where anyone's life liberty or property are in danger because he or she is not a Christian The same cannot be said of countries ruled by radical Islamic regimes Nizodon I hope you will have the character and integrity The issue and apology and a retraction on your television program It would say only good things about you if you would I will be praying that you will and for you sincerely can't color I have not received a response from this O'Donnell if I do I will tell you about it But I I tell you about that just to illustrate the popular mindset or much of the popular mindset about who and what Christians are and about what Christianity is Now like I said a few more words about the global impact of Christianity for many of you this will sound familiar I hope I hope you were called that I've talked about these things before But I hope it will help Reinforce in your minds exactly what it is that we believe and what we are to be about the American notions of Equality democracy and even the American identity are products of the Bible and especially the Reformation These ideas grew from the seas planted by Augustin by Luther and particularly by John Calvin They blossom during the first great awakening What people learn from preachers like George Woodfield blossom as we have the American Revolutionary War the impact of the second great awakening was even more pronounced the revivals and mass conversions of Thousands upon thousands in the early 19th century Produced the movements in this country That outlawed slavery gave women the vote Introduced child labor laws and other reform movements the civil rights movement in this country of the 1950s and the 1960s Was led by men like Martin Luther King Doctor Martin Luther King the reverend doctor Martin Luther King Whose famous I have a dream speech is loaded with biblical references and illusions as is his letter from the Birmingham jail We're a quote scripture after scripture after scripture and he references the great thinkers of the past Like Augustin and Aquinas. I would urge you again soon This is why God created the Internet folks so that you can access things like Martin Luther King's speech. I have a dream and his letter from the Birmingham jail. I would urge you to read those Christian's impact is not limited to America or the West or even nations But they have a majority or a sizeable amount of Christians in India for example Christians comprise only three percent of India's population and Yet their impact has been way beyond their size Christians in India have led the fight For women's education health care and providing equality regardless of the caste for all Indians in fact It could be said the Christianity is responsible for India's independence to this very day It was from reading a sermon on the mount that Gandhi embraced the principles of non-violent Resistance and that's why the only picture in Mahatma Gandhi's home was a picture of Jesus A little more historical perspective on the global Transforming power the gospel message and when reference again, Dr. Kenneth Scott Latter-Ett's work the history of Christianity a professor at Yale And here's what he wrote and let me quote from its beginning with Jesus of Nazareth in a group of 12 and then 11 rather unimpressive followers Christianity grew out of its status as a small sect within Judaism until today It is the largest faith planet earth has ever seen Let me add here. I see a number of whom 1.2 and 2.2 billion Christians people who profess to be Christians Where they are and I was known to God not to us. I don't know if it's 1.2 Or 1.5 or 2 or 2.2, but I don't know but I know it's the biggest faith Planet earth has ever seen and it's growing faster than any faith has ever grown and faster than it has ever grown You don't hear that in the West because of the slant of the media and the fact that Christianity has been the Sort of the status quo for so long, but it is still true Christianity is growing rapidly almost everywhere else except the West back to Dr. Latter-Ett Not only has it produced a staggering number of spiritual converts is made an impact on the world like nothing else Across the centuries Christianity has been the means of reducing more languages to writing than all other factors combined He's created more schools more theories of education and more systems than any other one force More than any power in history it has impelled men and women to fight suffering Whether that suffering has come from disease war or natural disasters It has built thousands of hospitals Inspired the emergence of nursing and medical professions and further mooms for public health and the relief and prevention of famine And then later at right to the role of Christians like William Wilberforce The role they played in abolition of slavery and in this country and advancing the cause of human rights for the native peoples of the new world and the rights of Women and children and other minorities You know press peoples not that we batted a thousand folks the church has not batted a thousand We've had our crusades or inquisitions. We have those chapters in our history. We need to be ashamed of But then we'll also have reformations We repent revivals where we were renewed before God we put aside our shameful old ways and we were reformed But ever reforming Dr. Latter-et-conclused by saying By its name and symbol the most extensive organization ever created for a relief of the suffering caused by war the Red Cross bears witness to its Christian origin Don't ever let anybody make you feel ashamed or inadequate Because you name the name of Christ the only reason they have the freedom to do that in this country It's because this country was founded upon such biblical principles as that each individual was created in the image of God not the King Not the royalty but everyone the image bearer of God Almighty Our society was built on Christian principles with its roots in the soil of Judaism and We believe that freedom is an essential part Of being an image bearer of God. Anyone who looks down on Christianity is an oppressive or repressive force is simply showing his or her ignorance When a non-Christian says to you that Christianity is a repressive force in the world. You need to say as compared to what as Compared to communism Marxism Hinduism or Islam. What would you offer in place of Christianity? I'll stand on our record and perfect as it is For the most powerful force for good the world has ever seen the gospel has gone forth and it continues to go forth and everywhere it goes It lifts up and it liberates and it ennobles Men and women young and poor rich and old Slave and free everywhere the gospel goes Life is better for those who will hear it and who will respond and those around them So when a person becomes a Christian he not only receives great blessings for himself of forgiveness and love and peace and heaven and so forth all true He now receives those great blessings for himself Becomes part of a movement as by far the most positive force Ever seen on planet earth. That's my first question. What is the impact? What is the impact of this movement in this life? Second question. What's the destiny of this movement? Where does it end up? Look at verse 10 with me again, but the day of the Lord will come like a thief Heavens will disappear with a roar the elements will be destroyed by fire and the earth and everything in it will be laid bare That day will bring about the destruction of the heavens by fire and the elements will melt in the heat The day of the Lord that phrase appears either 19 or 22 times in your Bible depending on which Translation you use the day of the Lord it occurs primarily in the books of the prophets of the older Testament But also in the letters of Paul and now here in second Peter in verse 3 Now I'm not gonna try to give a comprehensive treatment of the doctrine of the day of the Lord this morning Somebody says yes. Thank you Lord We'll be here talking until he comes but let me just point out a couple of his aspects first of all comes suddenly Peter says it comes like a thief Paul says the same thing back in first Thessalonians 5 in verse 4 he says But you brothers are not in darkness so this day should surprise you like a thief And therefore behooves us to get ready and Stay ready. There's a website you can go on called worldometers worldometers It shows you approximated of course in running time the amount of things that are happening in the world right now If you go on worldometers You will see that Approximately 100 people die every minute I've often wondered how many of them died during sermons How many of them how many of them just expired on a sermon and nobody knows it because they were sleeping anyway, you know I heard a pastor. I won't name him. He's a rather well-known pastor in this community black pastor her pastor say one day a Woman passed out in his church called 911. He said the pyramids came so they carried out six people before they found the right one I don't know if that's true. It makes a good story 100 people every minute that's 6,000 per hour 144,000 people every day it behooves us to be ready Crike We got to be ready Second thing about it not only that comes suddenly it comes Company by fire the heavens will disappear with a roar elements will be destroyed by fire the earth and everything in it will be laid bare It will be laid bare it will reveal what it truly is What it truly was made to be by God's grace the last will become first The meek and the lowly Will be exalted the valleys and the plains will be lifted up as mountain peaks and the common people We proclaim as royalty. So why fire? Well, I think it's because fire tests fire reveals fire purifies and yes Fire destroys Jonathan Edwards the religious affections rights if we put true gold into the furnace We shall find its great value in preciousness So that the truth and the truth and inestimable value of the virtues of a true Christian appear when under these trials True and pure gold will come out of the furnace and full weight So true saints when tried come forth as gold Christ distinguishes true grace from counterfeit by this That it is gold tried by the fire So the day of Lord come suddenly it comes by fire and third it will we actually have something to do With when it comes listen to this Verse 12 as you look forward to the day of God and speed it's coming How do we speed it's coming? We don't we pray the Lord's prayer. We pray Thy kingdom come We ask God to send it soon act three verses 90 to 20 Peter preaching Repent then and turn to God so that your sins may be wiped out the times of refreshing they come from the Lord and That he may send the the Christ Who has been appointed for you even Jesus something about our repentance Urges God to send Jesus Matthew 24. This is Jesus talking and this gospel the kingdom will be preached in the whole world as a Testament to all nations and then the end will come in Some manner beyond utterance our understanding our obedience and our prayers and our evangelism Have something to do with when God
And he's factored into that day actually into that day Our prayers So when will be is anybody else? No guys on TV Your son you all the books making tons of money They don't know either very integrity. I hope they're taking their profits I hope the fire right into you Roll the bandages And ask his mercy to come son it comes by fire. We have something to do it For today Lord we're not just the Global Universal not just on this thing
All the stars they have will be dissolved and the sky rolled up like a scroll all the starry host will fall like with at least in the vine Like trivel takes from the fig tree Profit jewel rights before then the earth shakes the sky trembles the sun and moon are darkened And the stars no longer shine In the revelation chapter 6 John writes the sky receded like a scroll rolling up and every mountain in island was removed from its place And from Matthew 24 again Jesus writing Jesus speaking Immediately after the distress of those days the Sun will be darkened and the moon will give it Will not get it's light the stars will fall from the sky and the heavenly bodies will be shaken You know it makes sense We consider the symmetry between God's first creation And his new creation Genesis 1.1 in the beginning God created the heavens and the earth Later on in Genesis 1 we read how he created the lights in the skies the sun the moon and the stars Then you come to the other end of the Bible in Revelation 21 Apostle John says then I saw a new heaven and a new earth For the first heaven the first earth had passed away And then we come back to Peter second Peter 3 verse 13 But in keeping with this promise we are looking forward to a new heaven and a new earth the home of righteousness We don't know exactly when it's coming. We don't know exactly what it's gonna be like, but we know this When the testimony of Moses and Isaiah and Joel and Peter and Paul and John and even Jesus himself when they all say the same thing when they all line up We know it's coming Who's us to be ready? We're part of a movement It's movement of God's work of redemption What's the impact of this movement in this life? What is his destiny and a final question very briefly? What kind of people ought we to be? in the meantime It's past week. I was thinking of a speech. I read of Winston Churchill's he delivered on December 26th 1941 19 days after Pearl Harbor he addressed the Joint Houses of Congress It's a speech called a long and hard war I would urge you to get it and read it also and I mentioned to you before in that speech to the Joint Houses of Congress Speaking specifically about what the Japanese have done at Pearl Harbor Churchill says this What kind of a people do they think we are? Is it possible they do not realize that we shall never cease to persevere against them? Till they've been a taught until they have been taught a lesson which they in the world will never forget And then four days later speaking to the Canadian parliament Remember Canadians are part of the Royal British Empire To the members of the Canadian parliament Churchill said the peoples of the British Empire may love peace They do not seek the lands or wealth of any country, but they are at tough and hardy lot We've not journeyed all this way across the centuries across the oceans across the mountains and across the parries Because we are made of sugar candy Now it's thinking about those words of Churchill when I read again here in verse 11 Since everything will be destroyed in this way. What kind of people ought you to be? You ought to be holy live holy in God their lives as you look forward to the day of God And speed is coming. What kind of people are we to be? Amen and now we see the benediction Going the love of God the Father the grace and compassion of God the Son the fellowship and companionship of God the Holy Spirit and Live the life I'm in