All Rise for Judge Jesus

“I charge you in the presence of God and of Christ Jesus, who is to judge the living and the dead, and by His appearing and His kingdom” (2Tim 4:1).

Turn on TV late in the afternoon and you can’t miss them. Usually one local independent station airs every single one of them. We’re talking about court shows. The list is long. The People’s Court. Judge Judy. Judge Mathis. Divorce Court. Even something called Hot Bench, which sounds like a problem with the courtroom thermostat.

These are tremendous train wrecks of American culture. Folks losing their ever-loving minds and dragging each other to court over the silliest stuff. Neighbors suing neighbors. Customers suing business owners. Parents even suing their own kids. Over what? Cell phone bills. Dog poop. Dry cleaning. Throw in a countersuit and things get crazy!

My wife can’t wait to turn them on when she gets home. She absolutely loves them. Okay, I admit it, I do too. So what’s the secret sauce behind the appeal of these TV court shows? Pretty simple really. Justice. We all want it. We all have a burning desire for truth to come out. For the good guy to win. For evil to be punished.

Justice in Our DNA

Where does this deep sense of right defeating wrong come from? Well, I have a sneaking suspicion there’s actually a supernatural reason behind it. When God creates each and every one of us in His image (Gen 1:26-27), He places a healthy dose of heaven in our hearts (Ecc 3:11). As part of that deposit, God inserts a powerful passion for justice deep in our DNA.

Paul mentions the idea of supernatural justice in a letter to his protege Timothy. “I charge you in the presence of God and of Christ, who is to judge the living and the dead, and by His appearing and His kingdom” (v1). Just before giving the young pastor important instructions about what to do next, the apostle basically makes this announcement in open the open court of Heaven.

Justice in the Real World

It’s at this point that you might ask what does a First Century preacher like Paul know about justice in the real world. That’s all well and good for the squeaky clean ivory tower of religion. But, dude, it’s just won’t do it in the day-to-day. It’s just not practical. If I don’t stand up for myself right here and right now, who will?

Well, the apostle isn’t exactly writing to Timothy from the comfort of a quiet church office. Far from it. The scene is a dark, cold dungeon in Rome (2Tim 1:16; 2:9). Paul knows he won’t be there long. He’s on Death Row and the clock is ticking (2Tim 4:6-7). He fires off what will be this one last letter with a pair of purposes. One, to pass the baton of ministry to the young Ephesian minister (2Tim 2:1-4:5). Two, to beg Tim for one final visit (2Tim 4:9, 21).

The Righteous Judge
When it comes to justice, we need to realize Paul lives in a period of history where there is very little. Nero rules the Roman Empire and the rest of the known world with an iron fist. Forget good defeating evil. This is all about might makes right.

But the apostle can face whatever Caesar throws his way because of one very important truth. He may be wrongfully convicted now, but his case will eventually go before the Righteous Judge. He worships the One who makes the final ruling on everyone’s eternal fate.

Paul knows that God presides over in the highest court in the universe. More specifically, the Son of God. The One who will eventually decide the everlasting destination of every single person who has ever lived. The One who’s coming back for a jaw-dropping and not-to-be-missed encore. The One who will establish a spectacular kingdom which will be, to borrow a familiar phrase, “on earth as it is in heaven” (Mt 6:10).

All rise for Judge Jesus.

Getting Everything on the Table
The apostle has something important to tell his man Tim. So important that he wants to go on court record. “I charge you in the presence of God and of Christ Jesus, who is to judge the living and the dead” (v1). In doing so, he pulls out a word in the original language of the New Testament that the ESV translates as “charge” (Gr. διαμαρτθρομαι/diamarturomai) which should cause his spiritual son to pay close attention, if he’s not already.

This verb means to strongly urge, earnestly insist, emphatically warn, or forcefully command. It carries the idea of making an incredibly serious declaration on the basis of presumed personal knowledge. Other than possibly is own flesh and blood, nobody knows Tim as well as Paul. After all, the apostle calls him “my beloved child” (2Tim 1:2).

The former Pharisee needs to get some out on the table. He can’t simply assume Timothy knows what to do once Jesus calls Paul home. He makes it clear. He puts it on paper. He says what needs to be said. In this case, we see the specifics in the very next verse. He tells Tim to “preach the word” no matter when or where (2Tim 4:2). But that’s for another time.

Truth in Love

Ever have someone close to you sit you down, look you in the eye, and tell you exactly what you need to hear? Not what you WANT to hear. What you NEED to hear. There is a BIG difference. There come those critical moments when those we love need to hear critical information. While we certainly need to drench those crucial conversations in grace and love, they must contain truth.

Maybe it’s a married friend who’s gotten a little too cozy with a coworker of the opposite sex. Maybe it’s loved one who’s filling their wine glass one too many times. Maybe it’s just before your child heads off to college. In whatever situation God places you, there will come a time for a frank and honest conversation.

There’s a relationship that allows you personal knowledge of the situation and leverage to speak into it. Don’t assume. Don’t hope they know. Say it. Out loud. Or on paper. That’s exactly what Paul is doing for Timothy right here.

Jesus is Watching

In the case of this conversation, the apostle knows that he and Tim aren’t the only ones taking part. It’s all “in the presence of God and of Christ Jesus” (v1). Paul makes it clear that God is watching. “In the presence” is the Greek word ενοπιον/enopion. It’s a compound term which literally means “in the sight of” or “in the eyes of.”

The apostle drops this seven different times in his two notes to Pastor Tim. Twice he uses in when talking about how others are present who are watching and listening to what’s going on (2Tim 5:20; 2:14). Every other time, Paul makes it clear that nothing is hidden from God’s all-seeing eyes (1Tim 2:3; 5:4, 21; 6:13; 2Tim 2:14).

Don’t think that Jesus missed what you just did. He saw it. No matter where you are, He’s right there. King David wrote an entire worship song about God sees everything we do and knows everything we think because He’s there wherever we go (Ps 139). To paraphrase the old saying, “Wherever you go, there HE is!” And He’s watching.

Forget Santa Claus. Christ truly does see you when you’re sleeping and knows when you’re awake. Don’t let this idea freak you out. The good news is that Judge Jesus loves you and wants His best for you. Does He me when I sin. No questions. How ‘bout when I goof up, mess up, and slip up? You betcha. But He’s also right there when I do something nice that nobody else notices…like putting down the toilet seat.

Knowing that Judge Jesus is watching leads to integrity and transparency. Integrity is living the same way all the time. There’s no reason to live one way at work, another at church, or another at home. Since Christ sees not just my actions but the heart behind them, I have the incredible freedom to live transparently. It allows me to be an open book with no hidden agenda.

Are You Ready?
Paul makes the point that Jesus is the One “who is to judge the living and the dead” (v1). Actually, a better understanding of the literal translation here is “who is ABOUT to judge” (v1 YLT, emphasis added). The Lord is ready and waiting to enter the courtroom and take a seat behind the bench. It’s imminent. We could hear the announcement to “all rise” at any moment.

As the judge, our Savior will make the call on every single eternal matter. “Judge” (Gr. κρινω/krino) means to evaluate, determine, decide, and ultimately administer justice. It describes coming to the correct conclusion based on all the evidence. At the end of the day, Jesus is the Decider. He sees everything. He knows everything. He has all the evidence. All the testimony. There’s absolutely no one better. No one more qualified.

You’re in Someone’s Seat

Okay, it’s time to put on our big boy and big girl pants. If Judge Jesus is the only one qualified, authorized, and empowered for the position of Decider, guess where that leaves you and me? Let’s put it this way, there’s only one seat behind the courtroom bench and it’s not yours. There’s only one gavel and it belongs to Someone else. Only Judge Jesus makes the call. Not you. Not me. So take off the robe and step away.

I’ll let Carey Nieuwhof take it from here. “Judgment is grounded in arrogance…Judgment always says I’m better than you, I know more than you and I’m also superior to you.” Those of us who constantly deliver verdicts on the lives of others eventually find ourselves alone. We’ve run everyone away. Let’s face it, who really wants to hang out with somebody who’s always telling you you’re wrong? Anyone? Bueller? No, I didn’t think so.

As we said earlier, this doesn’t mean we can’t be discerning. But when we do, let’s gently speak the truth wrapped in love like bacon around a filet (hmm, bacon!). We’re NOT to judge someone’s eternal destination. Only Christ is qualified to do that. Leave that to Judge Jesus.

Living or Dead…Please Check One

Paul reminds Tim that nobody gets off without their court appearance before Christ. We see that in the phrase “the living and the dead” (v1). You can lump every human being in history into one of two categories. Living. Dead. Please check one. You’re either one or the other. There are no other categories. Pretty much covers everybody who’s ever fogged a mirror.

Judge Jesus will make a decision on everyone who’s ever lived. The apostle made that clear to in one of his correspondence to the Corinthians. “For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, so that each may receive what is due for what he has done in the body, whether good or evil” (2Cor 5:10). Every single person without exception has their case scheduled on the heavenly docket.

How did the resurrected Rabbi get the job as judge in the first place? Just like the President has the privilege of appointing justices to the Supreme Court, God the Father has even more authority to name His Son to the position of Righteous Judge. No Senate approval needed for this appointment! Jesus Himself says His Dad is behind it (Jn 5:22).

Paul’s good buddy Peter told folks that this is the whole reason Jesus’ followers are spreading His Good News of grace. “He commanded us to preach to the people and to testify that He is the one appointed by God to be the judge of the living and the dead” (Acts 10:42). There’s that idea of Jesus ruling over anyone who’s ever livd again. Pretty solid evidence that Paul didn’t go rogue with the idea.

A Court Date on the Calendar

So just when will the heavenly court be in session? While the apostle can’t point to a specific date and time on the calendar, he does say it will all go down at “His appearing and His kingdom” (v1). Christ will take a seat behind the bench at His Second Coming. He’s talking about Jesus’ awesome encore when He establishes His kingdom fully and finally.

Our Savior won’t just be making a quick and inconspicuous cameo. There’s something pretty spectacular behind the word “appearing” here in verse one. The original Greek term (Gr. επιφανεια/epiphaneia) means an outward show, something clear and obvious, a brightness, or a shining forth. It literally means “a shining upon” or “a dazzling brightness over.” Picture the razzle and dazzle of Times Square.

Paul only uses it to describe Jesus’ return (2Th 2:8; 1Tim 6:14; 2Tim 1:10; 4:1, 8; Titus 2:13). He should know. The risen Lord blinded the former Pharisee with His brilliance just outside Damascus (Acts 9:3-5). Don’t worry. Nobody will miss Christ’s final appearance. It will be impossible to miss. Judge Jesus will be dazzling.

Remember Judge Wapner?

TV judges and court shows come and go. Hard to believe Judge Wapner stepped down from The People’s Court in 1993. Judge Joe Brown last slammed the gavel in 2013. You can bet there will be a constant stream of new TV court cases no matter who’s wearing the black robe. That’s because we want justice. God has wired us to want good to triumph over evil. And one day, it will happen.

All rise for Judge Jesus.

Resurrection Airball

“Among them are Hymenaeus and Philetus, who have swerved from the truth, saying that the resurrection has already happened. They are upsetting the faith of some” (2Tim 2:17-18).

 

Ever totally missed something you had really looked forward to? Maybe you completely forgot about that awesome party until you saw the pictures later on Facebook. Possibly you totally blanked on the concert by your favorite band that you paid too much for tickets to see. Did you drop the ball on your spouse’s birthday or your anniversary (If this is you, I pray that either the couch has been somewhat comfortable or at least Duke has snuggled you in the doghouse)?

Those are nothing compared to the garbage a couple of troublemakers tried to stir up in the Ephesian church. Two fellas freaked out the followers of Jesus by telling them they totally missed resurrection of the dead. Paul writes to his protege Timothy all about it. “Among them are Hymenaeus and Philetus, who have swerved from the truth, saying that the resurrection has already happened. They are upsetting the faith of some” (v17-18).

Hymenaeus and his sidekick Philetus are spreading a destructive rumor that’s driving folks to doubt their trust in Jesus. According to them, He’s already come back and they totally missed it. They missed Christ’s countless followers walking out the cemetery in their resurrection bodies. That would be hard to ignore. Imagine being a lifelong Cubs fan and finding out they’ve won the World Series while you were out of town last weekend. Okay, I apologize. Let’s keep this grounded in some sort of reality. In other words, the event you’ve built your entire faith around has come and gone…and you missed it.

Let’s back up a bit for a little context. What we know as the New Testament is actually a collection of First Century documents written to the people who placed their trust in the resurrected Rabbi/Carpenter from Galilee as God. A handful are biographies written by some of His inner circle we call the Gospels (Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John). Many are letters. Some to local churches who needed help getting past sticky situations. Others are notes to individuals who either need encouragement, specific guidance, or correction.

Second Timothy is a letter from the Apostle Paul to his spiritual son Timothy from Death Row in Rome (2Tim 1:16; 2:8; 4:6-7). On one hand, he desperately wants Tim to do everything he can to get his tail to the Mamertine Prison for one final visit (2Tim 4:9, 21). On the other, he frantically scribbles down as much critical information as he can to help the young pastor shepherd the flock in Ephesus and keep God’s tsunami of grace rolling throughout the world (2Tim 2:1-4:5). In other words, don’t forget that this is a REAL letter from a REAL person about REAL problems in a REAL place. So as we read, we’d better get ready to get REAL.

It’s at this point that the apostle introduces us to a pair of rabble rousers by the names of Hymenaeus and Philetus. His mention of the H Bomb is a big hint that Tim is still in Ephesus when he gets this letter. Hymenaeus was a big problem in E City back in the day when Paul first planted this church. The man from Tarsus kicked this goober to the curb along with his buddy Alexander so they might learn their lesson not to talk trash about Jesus (1Tim 1:20).

Apparently the apostle’s plan for their remedial education didn’t work. He’s baaa-aaack! Once again, Hymenaeus is patient zero for the spiritual cancer that’s spreading throughout the body of Christ in Ephesus (2Tim 2:16-17). He’s returned and he’s brought along a new partner in crime named Philetus. This is the only time we see his name in the Bible. There are a couple of main ways to get your name in Scripture. One is to be a broken and repentant sinner that God uses to humbly make an impact in the lives of others. The other is to be the bad example. Don’t be Philetus. Don’t be the bad example.

Paul tells Tim that this despicable duo has “swerved from the truth” (v18). In others words, they were originally headed in the right direction. They used to be rolling on the straight and narrow. But something happened. The apostle uses a word here the ESV translates as “swerved” (Gr. αστοχεω). It literally means to aim at the wrong target. It's missing the mark because you put the wrong bullseye in the crosshairs. You may be a crack shot but if you nail the wrong target, you lose.

Unfortunately Matt Emmons knows what it’s like to hit the wrong target. Rewind to the 2004 Olympics in Beijing. He’s one shot from winning the gold medal for the good ol’ US of A in the air rifle event. Shooting in lane two, Emmons’ final pellet headed for the target in…um…lane three. Uh oh. As a result, the American marksman didn’t win the gold. As a matter of fact, he didn’t even medal. With just one bad shot he finished in eighth place. Just like Hymenaeus and Philetus, he swerved. It doesn’t matter how accurate you are if you’re aiming at the wrong target. These two goofballs shoot the ultimate airball when it comes to the resurrection. 

They've aimed at the wrong target by “saying that the resurrection has already happened” (v18). They’re NOT talking about Jesus’ spectacular return after three days in the graveyard. The apostle formerly known as Saul saw that firsthand outside Damascus a few years back (Acts 9:3-8; 22:6-11; 26:12-18). Hymenaeus and Philetus are describing the resurrection of the dead that Jesus predicts would occur at His Second Coming.

An angel named Michael (NOT played by John Travolta!) told Daniel about it 600 hundred years before Christ made the scene (Dan 12:2-3). Jesus said a glorious day is coming when He will personally call everyone back from the dead and sort out who’s on His team and who’s playing for the enemy (Mt 25:31-33; Jn 5:28-29). Right before His murder, our Savior told His posse He was headed to heaven to get things ready for when He makes His spectacular curtain call and takes us back with Him (Jn 14:1-3).

The resurrection of the dead was a big idea all throughout Paul’s teaching and preaching. He tells the Corinthians that the Lord’s resurrection is living proof that Jesus’ followers are guaranteed to do the same (1Cor 15:35-54). In a letter to the church in Thessalonica, the apostle says a blast from the heavenly horn section will make sure we won’t miss it (1Th 4:16-17). But the resurrection is such a controversial topic that Paul knows it’s a big reason he got in hot water with the religious elite (Acts 23:6; 24:15, 21).

Yeah, the resurrection of the dead is kind of a big deal.

But according to the H Bomb and his toady Phil, Jesus has come and gone when we weren’t looking. You can imagine that’s a punch in the neck to those who follow Christ. Oops! You missed it! You’re not really saved. You were sold a bill of goods. Stinks to be you. So it’s no surprise that Paul writes how these two “are upsetting the faith of some” (v18).

The original Greek verb here we translate as “upsetting” (Gr. ανατρεπω) describes turning something over completely. John uses it when painting a picture of Jesus epic beatdown of in the temple courts. Our Savior “poured out the coins of the money-changers and overturned (Gr. ανατρεπω) the tables” (Jn 2:15). These knuckleheads are turning people’s lives upside down. They’re causing them to doubt everything they’ve come to believe. It case you haven’t been paying attention, God calls us to draw people closer to Jesus, not run them away!

Whacky teaching on the Second Coming of Jesus and the resurrection of the dead is alive and well in the 21st Century. Spiritual snake oil salesmen are still making a boatload of money selling books and DVDs with all sorts of cockamamy doctrine. Just take a walk through the Christian section at Barnes and Noble. Books about Bible diets, Bible codes, blood moons, and dinosaurs.

I’m not saying they’re all heretical. But they’re shooting at the wrong target and not focusing on Jesus. Take the advice of the writer of Hebrews and keep your eyes locked on “Jesus, the Founder and Perfecter of our faith” (Heb 12:2). When we swerve from the truth, we stand a serious chance of turning the lives upside down. Instead of swerving, let’s be serving and loving. That’s exactly what our Savior has called us to do. Love God by serving others (Mt 22:27-40; Mk 12:29-31; Jn 13:34-35).

A big part of the application is actually in the previous verses in Paul’s letter to Timothy. First, do what you can to keep folks from getting into a destructive War of the Words (2Tim 2:14). Second, give it everything you’ve got right now to learn how to use God’s Word as both a sword and a scalpel (2Tim 2:15). Third, keep the cancer from spreading by performing a “babble-ectomy” in the body of Christ (2Tim 2:16-17).

So if you’ve placed your trust in who Jesus is and what He’s done for you, you don’t have to worry about missing the big event. He’ll make sure you aren’t left out. Think about it. If Christ went to all the trouble of leaving heaven and coming to our sin-filled planet to live a perfect life, die a substitutionary death, and rise to new life, do you REALLY think He’s leaving you behind? Don’t worry. If you’re His, He won’t let you miss it. But that won’t stop goofballs from shooting airballs.

Our Great Big God

“which He will display at the proper time—He who is the blessed and only Sovereign, the King of kings and Lord of lords” (1Tim 6:15).

Ever been in an intimidating situation? You know, the kind that makes your knees knock, palms sweat, and bladder nervous. It just seems too big, too nasty, too hard to pull off. Folks try to help you with little gimmicks. If it’s public speaking before a large group or an intimidating boss, imagine them in their underwear. But then do you have to choose between boxers or briefs? These are kind of things I worry about.

Let’s take a page our Timothy’s playbook. The young pastor is up to eyeballs with trouble at a church in Ephesus. He’s putting out a blazing dumpster fire ignited by a destructive team of false teachers. They’ve totally distracted the followers of Jesus with a crazy combo of urban legends, boundless bloodlines, the old bait-and-switch, and downright demonic doctrine (1Tim 1:4; 4:1-2). This was going to be tough enough when the legendary Apostle Paul was in charge, but he’s off to his next divine assignment up the road in Macedonia (1Tim 1:3). 

But in a little letter we’ve come to call 1st Timothy, the mentor encourages his protege that the King of the Universe has his back. He reminds Tim that our Heavenly Dad is in complete control of the Son of God’s guaranteed return, “which He will display at the proper time—He who is blessed and only Sovereign, the Kings of kings and Lord of lords” (v15). Yeah, you might have 99 problems but Almighty God ain’t one. Anything compared to our Great Big God gets really, really small.

First of all, I need to always remember who’s in charge of the calendar. As the Creator of time, God is in total control of it. That includes the timing of Jesus’ spectacular encore,“which He will display at the proper time” (v15). Only God the Father knows exactly when that’s going to go down (Mark 13:32; Acts 1:7). In case you forgot, Christ arrived precisely at the right moment the first time (Gal 4:4-5). Our Savior also was on schedule at Calvary when He “gave Himself as a ransom for all which is the testimony given at the proper time” (1Tim 2:6). You see, when you’re in complete control, you’re always right on time. Whether it’s false teachers in Ephesus or an 800-pound gorilla in my own life, our Great Big God’s great big hands have a firm grip on the clock.

Next we see that immense Maker is immensely happy. Paul uses the Greek word makarios, which the folks at the ESV translate as “blessed” (v15). It literally describes someone who is transcendently happy and full of joy. It’s the very same term Jesus uses in His most famous sermon during what has become known as the Beatitudes. You might remember that from Sunday School. The radical Rabbi/Carpenter from Galilee tells the big crowd about nine kinds of people who are “blessed (Gr. makarios)” (Mt 5:3-11). God will bless everyone from those who realize they’re spiritually bankrupt to those on the receiving end of persecution for doing the right thing. He’ll make sure they have a supernatural joy no one can ever take from them.

Do you think of God as transcendently happy? Or do you picture a grumpy God standing on the edge of heaven locked and loaded with lightning bolts ready to zap you when you get out of line? Now we can’t be sure that our Heavenly Father has Pharrell’s “Happy” on endless repeat on the cosmic iPod. But Paul wants us to know we worship a joyful God. This is exactly what Nehemiah wanted God’s people to know when they got down in the dumps over their own sin. “Do not be grieved, for the joy of the LORD is your strength” (Neh 8:10). He’s certainly not angry at those who place their trust in His son. As a matter of fact, our Great Big God has a great big smile on His face when He thinks about His kids.

The Almighty isn’t just transcendently happy, He’s the “only Sovereign” (v15). The original language here (Gr. dunastes) literally means the one with the most power or the powerful one. It’s from same Greek word that we get words like dynamo and dynamite. Listen, when you can create absolutely everything from less than nothing with just the sound of your voice, you’ve got serious power. There may be no way I can do something on my own, but having God and His limitless power on my side is total game changer. Or as Jesus told His crew, “With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible” (Mt 19:26). What appear to be enormous problems become microscopic when I compare them to our Great Big God and His great big power.

Paul tells Timothy that God the Father is “the King of kings and Lord of lords” (v15). Now that sounds VERY familiar, doesn’t it? The Apostle John uses those very same words to describe the resurrected Jesus (Rev 17:14). As a matter of fact, that’s Christ has on the back of His jersey and tattooed on His thigh when He roars back to earth at His Second Coming (Rev 19:16). But the man from Tarsus is clearly talking about the First Person of the Trinity here. He wants us to be sure that every Person of the Godhead sits at the top of org chart. Father. Son. Spirit. Every single person on the planet answers to Him. Kings. Lords. Presidents. Prime ministers. Regional managers. Dog catchers. You. Me. Our Great Big God is the king-sized “King of kings and Lord of lords” (v15)!

We’re all going to face some incredibly tough situations in life. We’ll be intimidated. We’ll be tempted to turn and run. But remember the One who didn’t back down when He stared down death itself and punched it in the throat. Remember you worship the One who is in total control of the calendar. One who is transcendently happy. One who possesses limitless power. One who sits at the top of the universe’s org chart. I might have 99 problems but Almighty God ain’t one. Anything compared to our Great Big God gets really, really small.

What's Your Rep?

“Let your reasonableness be known to everyone. The Lord is at hand” (Philippians 4:5).

For Thomas Edison, it’s the light bulb. The Wright boys Wilbur and Orville made a name for themselves for powered flight. We’ll always remember Rosa Parks for her courage to keep her seat on the bus. Cameron Crowe's film tells the story of a wannabe writer who was "Almost Famous." And who can forget the Kardashians who are famous for…famous for…famous for what exactly?!? Famous for being famous? How about you? What’s your rep? What are you known for? 

Paul tells us we should be famous for not wanting to win. “Let your reasonableness be known to everyone. The Lord is at hand” (v5). I realize this wasn’t how Dale Earnhardt earned his nickname as the Intimidator. He’s famous for saying, “Second place is just the first place loser.” That might be how you get to Victory Lane at the track, but not in life. Just like Jesus who’s encore is right around the corner, we should be well known for helping others to succeed and be first.

You might think the apostle writes from a pie-in-the-sky-sweet-by-and-by perspective. All that consideration for others stuff may work for him as a pastor and missionary, but not in the real world. Slow your roll and remember where Paul is when he writes to his friends in Philippi. He’s behind bars in Rome and he’s been in the joint for about five years since his original arrest in Jerusalem at the temple riot (Acts 21:30-36). So the man from Tarsus isn’t writing this call to graciousness from an ivory tower. Despite being  an innocent man, the apostle is in the slammer. I don’t know about you, but I’m pretty sure I wouldn’t be telling my friends to be reasonable if I were doing hard time in Caesar’s supermax. A cake with a file? Yes. Now THAT would be reasonable!

What exactly does the apostle mean when he says, “Let your reasonableness be known to everyone” (v5)? Well, a closer look at the original text would probably help us out. Where the ESV translators give us “reasonableness” is the Greek word epieikes. This term has a boatload of meaning. Everything from gentleness, graciousness, fairness, forbearance, consideration to moderation. According to MacArthur, it can mean contentment with generosity toward others, or mercy toward others’ faults and failures, and even patience when suffering unjustly. Think graciousness and humility. A willingness to yield despite having every right to be first in line. Hmm, Who does THAT sound like? (Feel free to flip back to Philippians 2:1-11 just in case it slipped your mind.)

Check out how the writers of the NT use this word epieikes. Paul tells his boy Tim how “an overseer must be…not a drunkard, not violent but gentle (Gr. epieikes), not quarrelsome, not a lover of money” (1Tim 3:2, 3). Later he encourages Titus to tell folks in his congregation “to speak evil of no one, to avoid quarreling, to be gentle (Gr. epieikes), and to show perfect courtesy toward all people” (Titus 3:2). Jesus’ kid brother James writes how God’s wisdom “is first pure, then peaceable, gentle (Gr. epieikes), open to reason, full of mercy and good fruits, impartial, and sincere” (James 3:17). Peter tells us to be good employees whether our bosses are “good and gentle (Gr. epieikes) but also to the unjust” (1Pet 2:18). 

Don’t mistake “gentle” for “doormat.” You may have the ability to fight for first place doesn’t mean it’s the best thing to do. Paul says just because you can doesn’t mean you should. God gives the followers of Jesus an inner strength and power to step back and let others get the win. Check out how the Message puts this part of the verse. “Make it as clear as you can to all you meet that you’re on their side, working with them and not against them” (v5 The Message). Instead of a wimpy weakling, picture a 300-pound pulling guard ready to pancake a linebacker so his teammate can get to the end zone. “Doormat?” I think not!

If we’re going to be in the headlines for something, it should be for clearing the way for others to succeed. “Let your reasonableness be known to everyone” (v5). The Kardashians may be famous for simply being famous (how in the world does THAT happen?!?), we’re to earn a rep for unselfishness. Let the watching world see just how gentle and gracious you are. “Let all men know and perceive and recognize your unselfishness (your considerateness, your forbearing spirit)” (v5 AMP).In other words, Paul wants his readers to become famous for following Jesus by being Jesus to their friends and neighbors.

Take a look around. Who needs your help? Who’s struggling to just to stay in the race much less finish first? Who has Jesus placed in your life that you can assist and get the win? And think back to those people who’ve been there for you when you were down for the count after life sucker punched you. Where would you be without these folks who weren’t worried about winning and came to your rescue?

The apostle seems to drop a phrase out of nowhere that initially doesn’t make any sense. “The Lord is at hand” (v5). This can mean a couple of things. He’s either saying that Christ is just about to make His long-promised encore or He’s closer than we realize. In other words, the word here (Gr. eggus) can mean refer to either time (about to arrive) or space (right around the corner). Well, our Savior did say once everything was in place, He would make His spectacular comeback (Mk 13:3-31). In the meantime, “Be on guard, keep awake. For you do not know when the time will come” (Mk 13:33). Or Paul could be talking about how our risen Lord is right here with us. Just before He physically headed home to heaven, Jesus promised, “I am with you always, to the end of the age” (Mt 28:20). Whether we’re talking time or space, Jesus is right around the corner. 

Until Christ comes back, let’s do what we can to earn a rep for reasonableness. Let’s be known for humbly helping others win in life. Let’s be known for Christlike unselfishness. Let’s be famous for serving others. Isn’t that reasonable?

Heavenly Citizens

“But our citizenship is in heaven, and from it we await a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ” (Philippians 3:20).

In the United States, we blow it out for our nation’s birthday on the Fourth of July. Fireworks. Hot dogs. Fireworks. Cookouts. Fireworks. Picnics. Did I mention fireworks? We celebrate the day our founding fathers put their John Hancock on the Declaration of Independence back in 1776. But sixteen centuries before the American colonies revolted against King George of England, Paul gives us a heavenly civics lesson. He reminds us that patriotism is great but there’s one allegiance that takes priority for every follower of Jesus. “But our citizenship is in heaven, and from it we await a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ” (v20). As heavenly citizens, we anticipate Jesus’ jaw-dropping encore. While we wait, we devote ourselves to shining His light and spreading His salt until He swings back by. 

It’s a mistake to think Paul takes his Roman citizenship lightly. As a matter of fact, it came in VERY handy when a lynch mob tossed him and Silas into the joint during their trip to Philippi (Acts 16:37). The fact that he’s behind bars in the capital of Rome is evidence of his citizenship. The apostle leveraged his rights as a Roman citizen to appeal his case to Caesar (Acts 25:11). And citizenship is a really big deal to the Philippians. The city may be in first century Macedonia (what we know as modern day Greece), but it’s an important Roman colony. Historians describe this seaport as Rome’s Macedonian Mini-Me. You see, Roman citizenship was something very special. Unlike America, Roman citizenship is a privileged political and legal status to free individuals. Just because you are born and raised in the empire doesn’t mean you’re a citizen. 

Paul tells us that as followers of Jesus “our citizenship is in heaven” (v20). He contrasts the I-want-it-and-I-want-it-now of the “enemies of the cross” (Phil 1:18-19) with the eager waiting of heavenly citizens. If God’s opponents are known for their demand for instant gratification of the god of their gut, heavenly citizens wait patiently and expectantly. The apostle talks about our greater “citizenship” (v20), which is the Greek word politeuma. It actually describes a civic entity, a location in which one has the rights of a citizen, a commonwealth, state, government, and even a homeland. We’ve all known somebody who grew up somewhere else and all they ever talk about is “back home”? For all I know that might be you! That’s kind of the idea. Right here and right now may be nice, but it’s not home. It’s not where you’re supposed to be.

The Bible is all about strangers in a strange land. God calls his boy Abraham to pack his bags and head to the “land I will show you” (Gen 12:1). Joseph gets sold out by his big brothers and sold into slavery in Egypt (Gen 37:26-28). Moses is on the lamb for murder and hides out (Ex 2:15). He even named his boy Gershom, which literally means “stranger in a strange land” (Ex 2:22). God rescues His people from 400-plus years of slavery in Egypt to take them home to the Promised Land (Ex 12:40-42). The list goes on and on. Daniel. Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego. Ezra. Nehemiah. Ruth. Noah. And is there any greater story of an alien living in a foreign land than the Son of God’s rescue mission to save you and me? He left the luxury of the heavenly palace and dive into this sinful dumpster we call earth. It’s hard to wrap our heads around what He gave up to save our bacon. As followers of Jesus, we’re His body. That means until Christ comes back, we’re His eyes, heart, hands and feet to our friends and neighbors. Do you ever get the feeling there’s something more? Do you ever have a restless sense you’ve got somewhere else to be? That’s actually a good thing. Just like Jesus, you’re a stranger in a strange land. Just like Jesus, “our citizenship is in heaven” (v20).

So what does than mean? How do we live if we’re just passing through? MacArthur says we’re actually a colony of foreigners. Picture ourselves as pioneers and settlers sent to bring an amazing message of a better land to come. We’re setting up outposts of God’s kingdom. Until that happens, we should be a blessing to those around us. A great example are God’s orders to His people living in exile in Babylon. Build houses. Plant gardens. Get married. Have kids. Build great families. “Seek the welfare of the city where I have sent you into exile, and pray to the LORD on its behalf, for in its welfare you will find your welfare” (Jer 29:7). Are your neighbors glad you live next door? Is your boss excited when you come to work? Are you a firehose of God’s grace to everyone around you? Earlier in Philippians, Paul encourages them to “let your manner of life be worthy of the Gospel of Christ” (Phil 1:27). This could easily be translated as “be good citizens worthy of Christ’s Gospel by being good citizens.” Is your home a safe place for hurting people or a bomb shelter for you to hide out until Jesus comes back? Heaven may be our home but we need to be a blessing to those around us right here and right now. 

As heavenly citizens, Paul says “we await a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ” (v20). He uses an extra special, super duper word here. It’s the Greek verb apekdechomai. The apostle isn’t painting a picture of of us passively tapping our toes and twiddling our thumbs as we wait for Christ to come to our rescue. Instead of killing time, we’re to be anxiously expecting Him. Eagerly waiting for Him. Looking patiently forward to His return. Remaining in a state of readiness until that awesome day. According to Robertson, this vividly pictures Paul’s eagerness for the second coming of Christ as the normal attitude of the Christian colonist whose is heaven. Just in case you weren’t aware, Jesus IS coming back! One look around should tell you this isn’t how things ought to be. Our Savior has one final encore that’s going to seriously rock the joint. He’s coming back once and for all to set everything straight. Yeah, He’s going to rescue His followers but there’s so much more on His divine to-do list. Redeem His creation that we jacked up. Defeat Satan and his demonic toadies. Punish evil. Reward righteousness. I don’t know about you, but that’s certainly worth waiting for. 

So in the meantime, we wait. Expectantly. Eagerly. Patiently. Faithfully. As heavenly citizens, we should be a blessing to those around us. Are folks excited about seeing you walk through the door? Or do they roll their eyes and dread your arrival? I’m not saying there aren’t times to stand up for God’s holy standard. But we need to remember we don’t have the market cornered on righteousness. We’re simply humble beggars who’ve been told where to find the Bread. We wait for His return by shining His light. We wait by spreading His salt. We wait by being good neighbors, good workers, good friends, and good citizens. 

It's Going to Be...Wait for It...GLORIOUS!

“waiting for our blessed hope, the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ” (Titus 2:13)

As a sports fan, there are times when you just know what’s going to happen. To be truly transparent, that’s usually when there’s no doubt that my team is about to blow the game and go down in flames. I’ll never forget the night when I knew without a shadow of a doubt that my beloved St. Louis Cardinals were going to walk off winners. With the score tied, slugger Albert Pujols came to the plate in the bottom of the 14th inning. In his days wearing the Birds on Bat, he earned the nickname of The Machine because of his incredible reliability. Redbird fans ALWAYS expected something great from Albert. What cemented our confidence was that Odalis Perez was on the mound for the Dodgers, a pitcher who could never shut down The Machine. My son Jason and I were part of the crowd that stood cheering the homer BEFORE it happened. Sure enough, Albert blasted the game-winner into the bleachers and everybody went home happy.

As absolutely certain that we were Pujols would deliver, that’s nothing compared to the confident expectation of Jesus’ spectacular comeback. Paul tells Titus that we’re “waiting for our blessed hope, the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ” (v13). There’s no need to put on a rally cap. No need to cross our fingers. No need to put on our lucky underwear (I’m not sure there’s ever a time to put on some stanky pair of unwashed BVDs, EVER!). Christ is coming back. Count on it. Take it to the bank. It’s a stone cold, lead pipe lock. And it’s gonna be spectacular. Actually, it will be glorious. Lights. Fireworks. Cheering. I promise, you haven’t seen anything like this before! Best of all, we can expect it.

Paul is instructing Titus on what Jesus’ followers need to know (Titus 2:1-15). A huge part of the lesson is what Jesus did, what He’s doing now, and what He’s going to do. Christ came the first time “bringing salvation for all people” (Titus 2:11). After He returned home to His Father in heaven, His leaves behind His grace which enables us to reject “ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright, and godly lives” right here and right now (Titus 2:12). He wraps things up with a look to the future and the absolute certainty of Jesus’ spectacular encore (v13). The past. The present. The future. We can be 100% sure of what will happen because of what has happened. It’s going to be…wait for it…glorious!

When we read “waiting for,” the apostle drops the Greek verb prosdechomai. It means to expect, look for, receive, or welcome. This is the idea of waiting for something so sure that you know it’s going to happen. There’s absolutely no doubt. It’s not “if” but “when.” You expect it. You welcome it. You receive it. You see that confidence and expectation every time you see this verb in the New Testament. The religious police got their undies in a bundle because Jesus “receives (Gr. prosdechomai) sinners and eats with them” (Lk 15:2). Our Savior didn’t just bump into to sinners like you and me. He expects them. He welcomes them. Do you do the same? Do you expect, welcome, and receive folks who don’t know the Good News?

Joseph of Arimathea knew without a shadow of a doubt that the long promised Messiah would come and was “looking for (Gr. prosdechomai) the kingdom of God” (Mk 15:43). The first mega-church in Jerusalem rolled out the red carpet for Paul and Barney after their first expedition and “they were welcomed (Gr. prosdechomai) by the church, the apostles, and the elders” (Acts 15:4). When the dynamic duo left, the church knew they would come back. They waited for them. They expected them. They welcomed them. The Apostle Paul shared his faith in Jesus with Governor Felix and made it clear that he had the same confident expectation in God as the fathers of the faith, “having a hope in God, which these men themselves accept (Gr. prosdechomai)” (Acts 24:15). Jesus’ kid brother Jude wanted Christ followers to have complete confidence in Christ’s great comeback, “waiting for (Gr. prosdechomai) the mercy of our for Jesus Christ that leads to eternal life” (Jude 21). In the same way, we wait for His return. We expect His return. We welcome His return.

In case you’re wondering how this is all going to go down, Paul pulls out the pyrotechnics to paint a jaw-dropping picture. When the resurrected Rabbi/Carpenter returns, this will be “our blessed hope, the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ” (v13). Don’t be fooled by the phrase “our blessed hope.” Again, this isn’t a cross-your-fingers-and-hope-for-the-best kind of hope. We can take this blessing to the bank. Count on it. Again, “when” might be in question. But the “what” is as certain as death and taxes. 

When Jesus returns, it’s gonna be big. REALLY big. Gloriously big. The universe has NEVER seen an entrance like this before. Paul also leaves no doubt about the fact that Jesus is God. And not just any garden variety god. He’s “our great God” (v13). The adjective he drops here is megas, as in mega. Jesus is our Mega-God. He’s huge. That means that He dwarfs any problem you and I put before Him. He’s also our Savior. We hear that word so much that we almost become numb to it. As our Savior, Jesus is our Hero. He came to our rescue when we had absolutely no hope in saving ourselves. And Jesus is the Christ. Despite popular belief, this isn’t His last name. He’s not the Son of Joseph and Mary Christ of Nazareth. It means the Anointed One. God the Father drenched His Son with the Holy Spirit. The name drips with the entire Trinity. Christ also is the New Testament term for an Old Testament idea. The Christ is equivalent to Messiah. By saying that Jesus is the Christ, we’re telling the world that He’s the One that God has promised would come and fix what we’ve broken. 

You can take off the rally cap. And for Pete’s sake, burn your lucky underwear. Jesus is coming back. It’s going to be huge. Let’s expect Him. Let’s welcome Him. Let’s receive Him. It's going to be...wait for it...GLORIOUS!

Get in Position

“Keep yourselves in the love of God, waiting for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ that leads to eternal life” (v21).

In football, coaches come up with defensive strategies to put their players in the right spots to stop the opposition. Their goal is to devise a blitz or a coverage that will allow their team to make a play. When everything goes as planned, their players will be exactly where they need to be in order to make the tackle, get the sack, or pick off the pass. They’re putting them in a position to make a play. Jude tells his readers what they need to do and where they need to be to experience God’s love. And when we do, we’d better get ready because it’s going to be amazing.

Don’t forget the entire reason that Jesus’ kid brother is writing this little letter. A crew of spiritual con artists are infiltrating local churches and twisting the Gospel of Jesus into a pretzel (Jude 4). They don’t give a rat’s rear end about God’s people but are looking to bilk a few bucks out of them. He compares them to three of the nastiest characters in the Old Testament. Cain the first killer, Balaam the profitable prophet, and Korah the leader of the revolution (Jude 11). After giving an extensive ABP on the false teachers, Jude preps Jesus’ followers for their arrival. Build yourselves up. Pray in God’s Spirit. Expect our Savior’s return. That will lock you into position to receive His love.

The author gives us what seems to be a very strange command. “Keep yourselves in the love of God” (v21). But what just a New York minute! I thought there was absolutely nothing that can stop God’s love for us (Rom 8:35-39). So that can’t be what he’s talking about. Jude commands us to “keep” (v21). This is the Greek verb tereo. Check out the deeper meanings of this term. To observe, obey, pay attention to, attend carefully, take care of, guard, hold, and maintain. We can’t lose God’s love because we didn’t earn God’s love (Rom 5:8; 1Jn 4:19).

Jesus’ little brother encourages us to be in position to fully experience God’s love. Do everything you can to stay under the waterfall of God’s love and grace. Do everything possible to enjoy the blessings of His loving relationship with you. This is what Paul and Barnabas told new believers on their first road trip. After the apostle’s legendary sermon to the people of Pisidia in Asia Minor, he and Barney “urged them to continue in the grace of God” (Acts 13:43). Jesus Himself told His posse to do everything possible to stay connected to Him. He told them to picture the way a branches stay connected to the life-giving nourishment of the grapevine (Jn 15:1-11). 

Explore and take full advantage of the salvation that Jesus has give you. Or as the Apostle Paul would say, “Work out your own salvation with fear and trembling” (Phil 2:12). Despite what I believed for years, I don’t have to keep myself saved after Jesus has saved me. That lie I nearly crippled me for decades. I thought that once Christ got me into God’s kingdom, it was up to me to stay there. It wasn’t long that I was working my tail off to stay saved. Sunday school. Bible school. Youth choir. I was a miserable failure. It was religion. But Jesus wants a relationship. Years later, He opened my eyes to His amazing friendship. While I still struggle WAY too often, I’m continually doing whatever I can to keep myself in God’s love. I do what I can to put myself in a position to receive and experience His love.

In verses 20 and 21, Jude gives us a series of commands. Build yourselves up. Pray in the Holy Spirit. Stay in the love of God. Wait for Jesus’ mercy. So what’s the priority? Which should I do first? Glad you asked. The main verb here is “keep.” The other commands simply modify it. Think of it this way, the others give us important ways to put ourselves in position to be on the receiving end of His love. “Keep” is modified by “building up,” “praying,” and “waiting.” Build each other up in this trusting relationship through God’s Word. Pray to God using the amazing power of God’s Spirit. Wait with expectancy for Jesus’ amazing comeback. Build up. Pray. Wait. These are three critical activities we can do to put ourselves in the position to stay on the receiving end of God’s love. 

Whatever you do, don’t forget that Jesus is coming back. He’s returning for the greatest encore the universe will ever see. When He does, Christ will judge evil once and for all. He’ll drench everyone who trusts in Him with unbelievable blessings. We’ll be on the receiving end of His grace and mercy. A huge part of that is the full reality of eternal life. Don’t let the false teachers fool you. Jesus will return. Hang in there. And when He does…look out! It’s gonna be AWESOME!!! Talk about delayed gratification! 

In the meantime, put yourself in position to receive and experience the full blessing of God’s love.

The Hall of Famer

“It was also about these that Enoch, the seventh from Adam, prophesied, saying, ‘Behold, the Lord comes with ten thousand of His holy ones, to execute judgment on all and to convict all the ungodly of all their deeds of ungodliness that they have committed in such an ungodly way, and of all the harsh things that ungodly sinners have spoken against Him” (v14-15).

Back in 1939, baseball chose the first group of players for induction into the hall of fame. It was quite a list. By order of votes, the first class was Ty Cobb, Babe Ruth, Honus Wagner, Christy Mathewson, and Walter Johnson. Yeah, that’s right, the Babe was SECOND! Well, you might be surprised who was the second inductee into God’s hall of fame of faith. The author of Hebrews lists the folks who trusted in the goodness and greatness of God (Heb 11). Who’s number two on the list? Enoch (Heb 11:5). Right behind Adam’s kid Seth. Long before the Flood, the Red Sea, and the Cross, the Big E had something very important to say about how God will deal with those who reject Him. When a hall of famer has something to say, you listen. When a member of the hall of fame’s first class has something to say, you grab a pen and write it down! 

As Jude writes his warning against first century religious hucksters, he reminds us of what Enoch had to say. One day the Lord will return with an army of countless thousands and deal with everyone who rejects Him. “It was also about these that Enoch, the seventh from Adam, prophesied, saying, ‘Behold, the Lord comes with ten thousand of His holy ones, to execute judgment on all and to convict all the ungodly of all their deeds of ungodliness that they have committed in such an ungodly way, and of all the harsh things that ungodly sinners have spoken against Him” (v14-15). The Big E hit seventh in the generational batting order according to Genesis 5:1-24. Talk about “back in the day!” Thousands of years before Jesus arrived, God pulled back the curtain and gave Methuselah’s dad a look at how it was all going to go down. God wins. Evil loses. Good night. Game over. Drive home safely.

Enoch doesn’t get a lot of ink compared to other members of the faith hall of fame. Abraham. Moses. Joseph. These are the real heavy hitters of the OT! But check out Enoch’s credentials. The writer of Genesis tells us, “Enoch walked with God after he fathered Methuselah 300 years and had other sons and daughters. Thus all the days of Enoch were 365 years. Enoch walked with God, and he was not, for God took him” (Gen 5:22-24). The author doesn’t want us to miss the fact that ENOCH WALKED WITH GOD! Talk about a personal relationship with the Lord!!! He was such close friends with God that he never died. “God took him.” He just beamed Enoch up. No death. No funeral. No graveside service. And in case you think that’s not how it happened, the writer of Hebrews makes it perfectly clear on the Big E’s hall of fame plaque. “By faith Enoch was taken up so that he should not see death, and he was not found, because God had taken him. Now before he was taken he was commended as having pleased God” (Heb 11:5). You don’t hear about that on the news very often.

What was the source of Enoch’s deep friendship with God? Faith. He had complete and utter trust in His goodness and His power. The Big E may not have known what would happen down the road but he had an unwavering faith in the One he was walking with. This is who Jude is quoting. When a member of the hall of fame’s first class has something to say, you grab a pen and write it down!

At this point, Jude quotes Enoch. You can look all through Genesis, as a matter of fact, you can search the entire Bible and never see this hall of famer saying anything. That’s because Jesus’ little brother grabs a quote from something called the Book of Enoch. Yeah, that’s not in the Bible either. It doesn’t mean that Jude is putting his stamp of approval on it, saying it should be included. Under the guidance of God’s Spirit, he’s letting us know that this particular quote certainly should be. Thought you’d want to know before you head over to Barnes and Noble to pick up your personal copy of Enoch.

We find out another important piece of Enoch’s resume. He’s a prophet. Or at least once in his 365 years he shares a message directly from God. Methuselah’s dad had a very important prophecy. And it was all about Jude’s big Brother Jesus. “Behold, the Lord comes with ten thousand of His holy ones, to execute judgment on all and to convict all the ungodly of all their deeds of ungodliness that they have committed in such an ungodly way, and of all the harsh things that ungodly sinners have spoken against Him” (v14-15). Christ Jesus will show up with angelic backup to deal with the ungodly. 

Don’t miss the big idea that both Jude and Enoch are telling us. “The Lord comes” (v14). Jesus is on His way back. He promised His crew of apostles that He wasn’t finished and would return. Over and over and over, the Rabbi/Carpenter told His Twelve that He was coming back one day (Lk 9:26; Mt 24:36-42; Lk 21:34-36). We can’t circle a date on our calendar and know for sure, but we can be certain that He IS coming back! Don’t forget the words of the two angels of were there at the Son of God’s spectacular lift off back home to heaven. “This Jesus, who was taken up from you into heaven, will come in the same way as you saw Him go into heaven” (Acts 1:11). Jesus is coming back. He has a spectacular encore like you’ve never seen before.

When Christ makes that incredible comeback, He’s coming by Himself. He’ll have “ten thousands of His holy ones” (v14). Not ten thousand. We’re talking tens of thousands. Jesus told His boys that He would lead His massive angel army against evil one day. “For the Son of Man is going to come with His angels in the glory of His Father and then He will repay each person according to what he has done” (Mt 16:27). Think about that for just a minute. John says Jesus will be horseback with eyes flaming like fire. He’ll be wearing a crown and a robe dripping with blood as well as a tattoo on His thigh that reads “King of kings and Lord of lords” (Rev 19:11-16). If that’s not intimidating enough, He’s leading a countless force of supernatural soldiers. Tens of thousands. This makes D-Day look like a day at the beach. 

Jesus is coming back dealing with those who have spent their entire lives giving God the Heisman. He’s going to judge and convict the ungodly. Four times we see some form of the word ungodly (Gr. asebes) in verse 15. It describes someone who is absolutely destitute of reverential awe towards God. Wicked. Irreverent. Godless. Before you get all “rah rah” about Jesus not only killing them all and sorting them out, remember who He came to die for in the first place. “For while we were still weak, at the right time Christ died for the ungodly (Gr. asebes)” (Rom 5:6). Yeah, we hadn’t done a dad-blamed thing to deserve a Savior when He gave Himself for us on a Roman cross. So before we get cocky about the Second Coming, let’s remember that without placing our faith in Jesus, we would be on the receiving end of the heavenly assault.

Before Jesus rolls up His sleeve and gets involved in our lives, we’re ALL ungodly. The ungodly are all He has to work with (Rom 3:10-11, 23).  The ungodly are EXACTLY the people Jesus died to save (Rom 5:6). If you’re a follower of Christ, that’s YOU! That’s ME! But if we reject who He is and what He’s done that we could never do for ourselves, we remain ungodly. Eventually, Jesus is coming back to judge the ungodly who continue to shove Him away. We’re all ungodly. We either admit that we are and accept His amazing offer of salvation or we face the consequences of rejecting Him. That’s what hall of famer Enoch is letting us know.

Are We There Yet?

“And count the patience of our Lord as salvation, just as our beloved brother Paul also wrote to you according to the wisdom given him” (v15).

“Are we there yet?” The most dreaded four words on any family vacation. Whether it was packing into the Model T, piling in the station wagon, or loading up the minivan, kids have asked this age old question from the backseat. Long before the days of backseat DVD players, this question has plagued parents. As followers of Jesus, we do the same thing. Come on, you know it’s true. When life gets tough, when the world’s falling apart, we wonder when Jesus is coming back. How much worse can it get before He makes His encore? “Are we there yet?”

The Apostle Peter wants us to know that while we might be very close to Christ’s big comeback, but we’re not quite there. Before He returns, Jesus is leaving the door open. He’s leaving it open for those who don’t know Him yet. He’s leaving it open for His followers to tell the world about Him. In the process of telling us about the Lord’s patience, Pete also fondly remembers his old buddy Paul. These two men certainly had there moments. But Rocky reminds his readers of what the former Pharisee wrote to them back in the day. Paul also had plenty to say about Jesus’ patience. Instead of asking when we’re gonna get there, we should see this as an act of divine love. He’s gently but firmly asking us, “Are you there yet?”

Pete says we shouldn’t look at the clock and wonder what’s taking the Lord so long. He said it just back up the page. “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” (3:9). In both verses, he talks about Jesus’ patience. The Greek word here is makrothumia. It’s a compound term that literally means “long burning.” Various smart folks translate it as long suffering, long waiting, endurance, or perseverance. Jesus’ fuse is long. VERY long. But He will eventually reach a point when it is time to return. A time when He will punish evil once and for all. A time when He will reward those who have place their trust in Him for all He is and all He’s done. Jesus has a very long fuse. But it will eventually burn out. 

The apostle tells us in his prequel that God has demonstrated His incredible patience with us as far back as anyone can remember. Back before the flood, “God’s patience waited in the days of Noah, while the ark was being prepared” (1Pet 3:20). Throughout the Bible, God makes it clear that He’s patient. He’s waiting on us. As a matter of fact, David wrote a song about it. “But You, O LORD, are a God merciful and gracious, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love and faithfulness” (Ps 86:15). He waits. Patiently. Faithfully. Mercifully. Graciously. Lovingly. Faithfully. As God waits, He keeps the door open so that so many more people can come to Him. He patiently asking, “Are you there yet?”

At this point, Pete looks back fondly on his old buddy Paul. “Our beloved brother Paul” (v15). Pete loves him. And so do his readers. But like any two close friends, these two men had their moments. Pete wrote this letter well after Paul got in his face in Antioch. Paul wrote his letter to the Galatians almost 20 years before. In Galatians, the man from Tarsus tells the story of his awkward but necessary confrontation of Peter in Syria (Gal 2:11-14). Pete and some other Jewish followers with Jesus treated non-Jewish believers like second-class citizens. Paul wasn’t going to let the former fisherman get away with being a hypocrite, so he got all up in his grill (would you believe me if I told you that’s EXACTLY what the original language tells us?). 

Paul had GREAT love and respect for Peter. In many ways, Paul saw Peter as his pastor. After Jesus mugged him and saved him on the expressway outside of Damascus, the man from Tarsus made a point of meeting the former fisherman back at the home office (Acts 9:27; Gal 1:18). After that first amazing mission trip into Asia Minor, Paul and his partner Barney headed back for another meeting with Pete and the other leaders of the church in Jerusalem (Acts 15).

Because of the Incident in Antioch, there are plenty of folks who try to drum up some sort of long-running war between these two men. But Pete and Paul were friends, not enemies. They were brothers, not rivals. As a matter of fact, Paul confronted Peter BECAUSE he loved him. It was out of his great affection. That’s what friends do. If these two men had such a long-running feud, why in the world would Rocky make a point of speaking so lovingly about his fellow apostle? Don’t miss the patience of Jesus at work in their relationship. 

So just what did Paul write about God’s patience? He wrote to his friends in Rome that its’ the perfect example of just how good our God is. “Do you presume on the riches of His kindness and forbearance and patience, not knowing that God’s kindness is meant to lead you to repentance?” (Rom 2:4). You see, God doesn’t use punishment as His motivation for our obedience. Is the threat there? Yes. Is the threat real? You betcha. But what really and truly melts the rock-hard human heart is His goodness. His kindness. His patience. His grace. God keeps showering us with His patience and grace. All the time, He keeps asking, “Are you there yet?”

Apply as Directed

“Therefore, beloved, since you are waiting for these, be diligent to be found by Him without spot or blemish, and at peace” (v14).

If you don’t use something in the way it was designed, it won’t work correctly. Let me give you an example. I can’t expect sunscreen to protect me if put in my hair and not on my skin. Toothpaste in my ears won’t clean my choppers. My car won’t shine if I put the wax on the tires instead of the body. I must follow the instructions. Uh oh, I may have just lost every dude who’s reading this. But we know it’s true. You must use the product properly. That’s what the Apostle Peter is doing here in these closing verses of his second letter. He’s telling us what to do with what he’s written. He’s getting to the instructions. 

Rocky starts kicks things off by reminding us of every mind-blowing blessing given us by God. We can have an intimate and personal relationship with Jesus because of all that He’s done for us (1:3-11). He’s warned us of a scheming team of false teachers who tear apart churches from the inside with their twisted message (2:1-22). And He’s let us know that these trash talkers may make Jesus and His Second Coming a punchline, but in the end He will return to punish evil and reward His people (3:1-13). As Pete lands the plane, he lets us know what to do with all that truth. He gives us instructions. In this case, he's talking about our spiritual complexion. If we want to get rid of those pesky pimples and blackheads in our lives, we need to apply God's truth. He tells us how to apply what he’s told us. If we don’t follow the directions, this truth won’t have the intended effect in our lives.

Let’s apply as directed.

We know that the former fisherman is coming to the application because he uses the term “therefore” (v14). You know the old saying, whenever we see the word “therefore,” we need to ask, “What is it there for?” In this case, Pete wants us to think back on what he’s written about all that our gracious God has done for us, the big con of the spiritual snake oil salesmen, and Jesus’ big comeback. That’s your context. That’s your background. That’s what it’s there for.

And don’t blow right past the term of endearment for Peter’s readers. “Beloved” (v14). This is the third of four times he’s called them by this nickname in this closing chapter. It’s from the same root word as agape. This means so much more than a warm fuzzy we might have for somebody. This is love expressed. This is love that does. He wants them to know just how much he loves them. The apostle has expressed his great love for these folks on numerous occasions. He’s personally carried the message of Jesus’ amazing love to them in Asia Minor. He then wrote a heartfelt letter to encourage them to keep following Jesus even when the world makes them an unfair target (1st Peter). And now he’s writing a second note warning them of a this nasty team of con artists (2:1-3). More important than Pete’s love for these people, he wants them to know that Jesus loves them. They matter to Him. He died for them. He rose for them. Do you know just how much Jesus loves you? Do you know that you matter to Him? You’re “beloved” (v14). The first application is to remember that Jesus loves you.

Apply as directed.

Rocky reminds us that we’re still expecting Jesus’ encore. We’re “waiting for these” (v14). “These” are God’s guarantee of “new heavens and new earth” Pete just told us about (3:13). The Greek verb here is prosdokao. This is the third time he’s dropped this word in three verses. It literally means to be looking forward. There’s tension. There’s expectation. The question isn’t if but when it will happen. Jesus’ followers are on the edge of their seats looking forward to His spectacular return. His readers were waiting. They were expecting. And we’re still waiting. And expecting. 

While we’re waiting, here’s what we should do. “Be diligent to be found by Him without spot or blemish” (v14). The word for “be diligent” in the original text means to do your absolute best. Spare no effort. Work hard. Hold nothing back. Do it now and give it everything you’ve got. He’s calling us to take our sin very seriously. Do I really hate the crap in my life or am I just managing it? Pete pushes me to get my act together. When Christ comes back, do I still want to be covered in the same slime as when He saved me?

This is in HUGE contrast to those filthy false teachers who leave churches in a big steaming pile. The apostle calls them “blots and blemishes” (2:13). In his prequel, Pete pleaded with us to remember what it cost God to save us, “the precious blood of Christ, like that of a lamb without blemish or spot” (1Pet 1:19). In the end, Jesus takes our garbage and gives us His holy perfection (2Cor 5:21). We don’t have to clean ourselves up. We don’t make ourselves “without spot or blemish” (v14). He’s already done that for us. We just simply need to live what we are. As Tullian Tchividjian so often says, the key to our sanctification is to remember our justification. In other words, the best way to be spotless is to remember that in Christ I am spotless. At the big finish, we’re going to be just like our Savior. Stainless. Blameless. Don’t be like those con artists! Be like Jesus!

Apply as directed. 

Pete concludes this verse by telling us to make it a priority to be “at peace” (v14). The peace described in the Bible is so much more than the lack of war and fighting. Sure, it is that. But that’s just a sliver of this incredible idea. It all goes back to the wonderful Hebrew word shalom. It paints the amazing picture of life as it should be. Everything in running in perfect rhythm. We’re at peace with each other. And that’s because we’re at peace with Jesus. We’re at peace with Him because we have absolutely no reason to fear His return. When we place our trust in Him, Jesus has already taken the punishment and judgment on our behalf. So when He returns to drop the hammer on sin and evil, we have nothing to worry about. We’re at peace.

So when Jesus comes back, I really want my spiritual complexion to be clear. To make sure those that ugly acne of my sin is gone, I need to apply His righteousness, not mine.

Apply as directed.

God's Guarantee

“But according to His promise we are waiting for new heavens and new earth in which righteousness dwells” (v13).

“We’re going to win on Sunday. I guarantee it.” Those were the words of Broadway Joe Namath just before Super Bowl III. It’s never a good idea to promise a victory in sports. It’s even more ridiculous to do it when you’re a massive underdog to the Baltimore Colts, a team some believed to be the greatest in pro football history. But whaddaya know, Joe Willie led the New York Jets to one of the greatest upsets of all time. And his prediction became known as “The Guarantee.” 

While Broadway Joe’s guarantee is pretty amazing, it’s nothing compared to what Jesus has promised. Christ pledged to His posse to return. You see, He’s not done yet. He’s got a spectacular encore in store. There will be a galactic fireworks display (3:10, 12). He’s going to use fire to burn it up and burn it down. Think of it like a universe-wide autoclave, sterilizing and purifying away all the filth and sin from every corner of His creation. And this isn’t just idle talk. It’s not a just a random thought. More than a good idea. This is a promise. A promise made by Jesus. When He says He will do something, He will do it. Take it to the bank. His promises aren’t like my lame guarantees. I do everything I can to keep my word, but I still fail to deliver on a regular basis. It’s nothing compared to God’s guarantee.

God makes many promises in His Word. Let’s check a few to see how well He comes through. The Father pledged humanity that He would one day send His promised Messiah. He first made this vow to our first parents in the opening pages of the Bible (Gen 3:15). Check. He promises to bless the world through Abraham (Gen 12:2-3). Check. He promises to send the Holy Spirit (Jn 14:16). Check. The Bible bulges with God’s guarantees. They’re everywhere. And if they haven’t come true yet, it’s only a matter of time. Earlier in this very same letter, Peter writes that God has given us everything we’ll ever need to live a godly life through “His precious and very great promises” (1:3-4). What God promises, He delivers. 

Here, Pete is talking about Jesus’ promise to return to punish evil and make everything perfect once again. Or as the apostle writes, “We are waiting for new heavens and a new earth” (v13). He actually makes this guarantee first through Isaiah the prophet. “For behold, I create new heavens and a new earth” (Is 65:17). And in the thrilling conclusion of Scripture, Pete’s buddy John gets a glimpse of the very same thing. “Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first earth had passed away” (Rev 21:1). After Jesus burns up the heavens and the earth, He’s going to recreate them. The Greek word for “new” (Gr. kainos) doesn’t just mean hot off the presses and recently made. These new heavens and this new earth are completely different from what we have now. Unprecedented. Unheard of. Uncommon. God’s not just flipping the joint like an old fixer-upper on HGTV. This is new construction. Fabulous new construction. Bel Air looks like a cardboard box compared to what Jesus is building. 

Those of us who trust in Jesus won’t be the only ones shacking up in these new digs. This is a place “in which righteousness dwells” (v13). Our risen Savior will be there living with us. Jesus promised His boys that He was coming back for them after He did a little work getting things ready. “And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and will take you to Myself, that where I am you may also be” (Jn 14:3). A lot of folks think that heaven is our final destination to hang with Christ. Nope. Ultimately, Jesus is crafting a brand spanking new heaven and earth for us where we’ll live with Him forever. It will be the address “in which righteousness dwells” (v13).

So what good does this do for you and me as we tap our toes and wait for Christ’s big comeback? Pete tells us that this is the perfect opportunity to live lives that look completely different from the rest of our culture. He calls them “lives of holiness and godliness” (3:11). Since God is going to burn it up and burn it down, my life should stand out. Next we need to remember that no matter how bad things are or good things get, God guarantees an amazing eternity for those who trust in Jesus. For believers, this is as close to hell as we ever get. For those who reject the Good News, this is as close to heaven as they ever get. Finally we should remember that God doesn’t just keep some of His promises. He keeps every last one of them. If something He’s promised hasn’t happened, the only question is when not if. Hey, Broadway Joe's bold prediction was pretty cool. But that's sandlot stuff compared to Jesus' promise to return. Take this one to the bank. It’s God’s guarantee.