"The End is Near"
[I Peter 4:7-11]
September 16, 2007 Second Reformed Church
What would you do if you knew that the world was going to end today? What would you do if you knew the world was going to end soon? How would you live if you knew that you didn't have long to live? Would this knowledge change what you would do?
In the passage before the one that we read this morning, Peter argued that since Christ suffered in the flesh, purchasing our salvation, Christians ought to be putting sin to death in their lives -- we ought to be working hard to root out sin in our lives, until we come to the point where we have ceased from sin -- which will happen when we are glorified in the Kingdom. And, by the Power of the Holy Spirit in us, since we are now raised from the dead, we ought to be spending our lives doing the good works that God has set before us, to His Glory.
Then, in this morning's Scripture, Peter says, "The end of all things is at hand." What is he talking about, and how does that relate to ceasing to sin and doing all that is good and glorifying to God?
When Peter says that "the end of all things is at hand," he means that this evil, fallen world is coming to an end. The corrupted universe will soon see the Return of Christ, then the end of sin and suffering, and the restoration of all things. "The End is Near" is good news! It means that Jesus will return soon. It means that the whole Creation will be freed from its suffering and enter with us into the "freedom of the glory of the children of God" (Romans 8:23b). The fulfillment of our hope is soon: soon, we and the whole Creation, will be wholly free, perfected, holy, right, and good. Knowing this would be an encouragement to the Christians who were on the run from the armies of Nero: the time is short -- pain and suffering and sin and evil, will all be swept away from us, and we will be received into the Kingdom of our God and Savior, Jesus. Knowing that the time was short, they could endure life on the run and even being tortured to death, if it came to that.
And the skeptic will say, "But it didn't happen! It was a false hope! Jesus didn't return; the suffering and evil didn't end. They were fools, and you are fools to look to these words that were written two thousand years ago." Even the people in the first century began to question where Jesus was -- how long does it take to return "soon." Some wondered if they were wrong, and the doubt and questioning began to permeate the Church, so in Peter's second letter, he explains:
"This is now the second letter that I am writing to you, beloved. In both of them I am stirring up your sincere mind by way of a reminder, that you should remember the predictions of the holy prophets and the commandments of our Lord and Savior through your apostles, knowing this first of all, that scoffers will come in the last days with scoffing, following their own sinful desires. They will say, 'Where is the promise of his coming? For ever since the fathers fell asleep, all things are continuing as they were from the beginning of creation.' For they overlook this fact, that the heavens existed long ago, and the earth was formed out of water and through water by the word of God, and that by means of these the world that then existed was deluged with water and perished. But by the same word the heavens and earth that now exist are stored up for fire, being kept until the day of judgment and destruction of the ungodly.
"But do not overlook this one fact, beloved, that with the Lord one day is as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day. The Lord is not slow to fulfill his promise as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing that any should perish, but that all should reach repentance. But the day of the Lord will come like a thief, and the heavens will pass away with a roar, and the heavenly bodies will be burned up and dissolved, and the earth and all the works that are done on it will be exposed.
"Since all these things are thus to be dissolved, what sort of people ought you to be in lives of holiness and godliness, waiting for and hastening the coming of the day of God, because of which the heavens will be set on fire and dissolved, and the heavenly bodies will melt as they burn! But according to his promise we are waiting for new heavens and a new earth in which righteousness dwells" (II Peter 3:1-13).
Peter explains that Jesus is returning soon. But we have to understand that God is outside of time -- time is part of the Creation -- and God exists outside of time -- so God and humans have a different perspective on time. God has not lied; God is not late; God just has a different perspective on time.
Peter explains that the end is truly near, just as the prophets prophesied and their words came to pass, so will the rest of the prophets' words come to pass, because their words are the Word of God. And God Who spoke the word that caused the entire planet to be flooded, so every human, save eight, drown, this same God will speak the word and the heavens and the earth will be refined like gold and silver in the refiners' fire. The Creation will, at God's Voice, catch fire and melt, and God will removed the impurities from it and restore it, new, good, and perfect.
So, Peter says, if the end is near, and God has not lied, and God will burn up the creation and restore it in the Kingdom, we ought to be inspired with awe of our God to put away sin and pursue holiness. We ought to be focused on God and the eternal and be changing, readying ourselves for His Kingdom.
"Therefore, be self-controlled and sober-minded" -- or clear-headed. We ought to turn our backs on all kinds of lust and greed and covetousness. We are not to be building up great riches on earth -- the one with the most toys does not win. We ought not to be engaging in the sinful pleasures of the flesh. With the Word and the help of the Holy Spirit, we are to be discerning what is good and true and right and be about doing those things.
"For the sake of our prayers." That is, we always have reason to pray -- every day, every moment, in praise and thanksgiving, in repentance and sorrow, for wisdom and discernment, for others and ourselves -- we always have a reason to be in prayer, and if we are self-controlled and sober-minded, we will pray better, more after the Will of God, and thus, we shall see our prayers answered.
Peter moves from here in this morning's text to give us a general example and four specific examples of how to live knowing that "the end of all things is at hand":
First, generally, and "above all" -- that is, above everything else regarding human interaction, we ought to love each other earnestly -- fervently -- zealously. This is the second "great commandment." As Jesus said, "The second is this: 'You shall love your neighbor as yourself'" (Mark 12:31a).
And let us remember that it is not, as the songs and pop psychologists teach us, "we must learn to love ourselves." God knows that we love ourselves very well, which makes the commandment quite strong: we love ourselves and seek our preservation and pleasure. We are to love others with at least the same zeal and fervency and earnestness as we seek for ourselves.
And Peter gives us a reason to love in this way: "love covers a multitude of sins." Understand, Peter is not saying that such love makes us "forgive and forget." He is not saying that such love "merits forgiveness." No, what Peter means is that if we truly love each other in that way -- at least as much as we love ourselves -- then, when others sin, we will call them to repentance, and when others sin against us, we will forgive them, as we have received mercy and been forgiven for our sin by Jesus, and when we sin, we will quickly turn and repent.
Then Peter gives some specific examples:
First, he says to "show hospitality to one another without grumbling." That means, to the extent we have the ability to provide for the needs of others, we ought to do so, lovingly, willingly. We ought to welcome anyone who comes through the doors of this building -- everyone who has come to worship is welcome in the house of the Lord. There is no excuse for sending someone away or making someone feel unwelcome because he is not like us, or because we don't sense much financial impact. This is the house of God, and God calls every human to repentance and worship.
The author of Hebrews wrote, "Let brotherly love continue. Do not neglect to show hospitality, for thereby some have entertained angels unawares" (Hebrews 13:1-2). And Jesus said, "'Truly, I say to you, as you did it to one of the least of these my brothers, you did it to me'"(Matthew 25:40b). The words of Jesus are, "Let the hungry come. Let the thirsty come. Let the stranger come. Let the naked come. Let the sick come. Let the prisoner come. Receive the Word, the salvation of our God -- the God Who will meet all your needs."
Secondly, Peter reminds us church folk, that each one of us has been given gifts by God, and we are to use those gifts for each other. Since we are stewards by God's Grace, we are to use what we have been given for all the people of God, and especially those in this community. If God has given us much materially, God expects us to use that to make other peoples' lives better. And we are to us abilities God has given us to make other peoples' lives better.
Ministers, as a third example, have been given the ability to handle and preach and teach the oracles of God -- that is, the Word of God. The primary call of a minister is to preach and teach all of the Bible. So, ministers ought to us their gifts to teach and preach the Word of God Alone -- not their opinions, or politics, or personal stands, but the Word of God, clearly. And, if the minister is to teach and preach the Bible alone, he ought to spend the majority of his time studying and praying and preparing to teach and preach the Word of God.
And fourthly, all those who serve in the Church do so "by the strength that God supplies" -- you and I cannot do the work that God has put before us without God giving us the strength to accomplish it. And, if God gives us the strength to accomplish the work He has given us -- and God does give us strength -- then we can accomplish all that He has set before us.
And someone may be asking himself, "Why should I invite someone into my church that I don't like? Why should I work to love someone that is difficult to love? Why should I forgive him after what he did? What about doing things for myself? When am I supposed to look out for number one? Why should I live a life of self-sacrifice?"
"In order that in everything God may be glorified." You and I and everything that is exist does so to glorify God -- that is our chief end -- our most important work -- our purpose. So, if we live lives of self-sacrifice -- loving others, being forgiving, using our gifts for others, serving, doing those things we were created for -- if we do those things -- God will receive the glory and we will be filled with joy.
"The end of all things is at hand" -- it is closer today than it was two thousand years ago. Jesus is returning, and when He does, He will purify all of the Creation -- the heavens and the earth and all those who believe. Since we know that that day is soon to come, let us all the more seek to glorify God -- to show Him for Who He is, through Jesus Christ. For "to him belong the glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen."
Let us love each other, zealously, truly, as brothers and sisters, seeking the best for each other. Let us keep these doors open, calling all people to repentance and belief and worship, receiving anyone who would come to worship in spirit and in truth. Let us use all of the gifts God that we have received for the benefit of each other, and let us praise God for each other and the gifts He has given us to share. And let us do what God has called us to do -- let us each fulfill our purpose, that God might be glorified, and then we shall receive joy. Even on the run from Nero.
Let us pray:
Almighty God, it is easy to believe that everything will continue as it always has and forget about You and Your Soon Coming Return. Convict us that You are Truth and You will return as You promised. Help us to be a people for You. Help us to love and serve and forgive each other, that You would receive the glory. Give us Your Humility. Make us merciful as You have given us mercy. Glorify Yourself. In Jesus' Name, Amen.
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