The Lord Is Not Slow in Keeping His Promise

In one paragraph

This message came from 2 Peter, continuing a weeks-long walk through the letter. The pastor worked through what the text says about the patience of God and the coming day of judgment, and what that means for how Christians live right now. A short original courtroom drama performed by members of the congregation opened the door for that conversation. The sermon picked up where last week left off,...

Read together

1. Romans 15:13 opened the service as a prayer for the congregation
2. Isaiah 53:5-6 quoted by the Jesus character in the courtroom drama to explain substitutionary atonement
3. John 3:16 quoted by the Jesus character in the drama and referenced again in the sermon proper
4. Acts 16:31 quoted by the Jesus character: believe in the Lord Jesus Christ and you shall be saved
5. John 14:6 quoted by the Jesus character: no one comes to the Father except through me
6. 2 Peter 3:9 the Lord is patient, not wanting anyone to perish but everyone to come to repentance
7. 2 Peter 3:10 the day of the Lord will come like a thief
8. Matthew 24:43 if the master of the house had known when the thief was coming he would have stayed awake
9. 1 Thessalonians 5:2-3 the day of the Lord comes like a thief in the night while people say peace and security
10. 1 Thessalonians 5:4 you are not in darkness for that day to surprise you like a thief
11. Revelation 16:15 behold I am coming like a thief, blessed is the one who stays awake
12. 2 Peter 3:11-12 what kind of people ought you to be, living holy and godly lives as you look forward to the day of God
13. 2 Peter 3:13 looking forward to a new heaven and a new earth where righteousness dwells
14. 1 Corinthians 3:10-15 Paul laid a foundation as a wise builder; fire will test the quality of each one's work
15. 2 Peter 3:14 make every effort to be found spotless, blameless, and at peace with Him
16. John 14:2 in my Father's house are many dwelling places, I go to prepare a place for you
17. Jude 1:24-25 benediction: to him who is able to keep you from stumbling and present you without fault

Talk about it

1. The pastor talked about how Little Miss Gossip started by minimizing her guilt, saying things like 'who hasn't let a few words get away from them.' In what ways do we tend to minimize our own sin, and what makes that so easy to do?
2. Mr. Lost said he felt like he was 'right on the edge of something big' even before he understood what it was. Have you ever had a moment like that, where you sensed you needed something but couldn't name it yet? What did that feel like?
3. The pastor made the point that you cannot remain neutral, that we all start out guilty and any guilt is enough to separate us from God. How does that land with you, and how does it change the way you think about the gospel offer?
4. The sermon described two kinds of Christians: those who can't wait for the Lord's return, and those who are praying 'tarry a little longer so we can pull more people out.' Which camp do you find yourself in most naturally, and why?
5. The pastor used the passage from 1 Corinthians about building with gold, silver, wood, hay or straw, and said it is possible for a Christian to be ineffective or even cause harm to the kingdom by the way they live. What does it look like in everyday life to build with gold rather than straw?