God's Just Judgment and Salvation Through Christ
Summary
### Summary
Good morning, everyone. It's wonderful to be back with you after a couple of weeks away. Today, I have some personal news to share: three weeks ago, KK became my fiancée, and she has been a tremendous blessing in my life and ministry. Now, let's dive into today's theme: "God's judgment is just, but He provides a way out of it by salvation through His Son, Jesus Christ."
We began by looking at Nahum chapter 2, where we see God's judgment on Nineveh, a city known for its wickedness. Despite their initial repentance after Jonah's warning, they returned to their sinful ways, and God's judgment was inevitable. This serves as a stark reminder that God's judgment is real and just, but He is also patient and provides a way out through Jesus Christ.
We then turned to 2 Peter 3:8-17, where Peter speaks about the coming judgment and the need for repentance. He emphasizes that God's delay in judgment is due to His patience, giving everyone a chance to repent. Peter urges us to live holy and godly lives, looking forward to the new heaven and new earth where righteousness dwells.
The key takeaway is that while God's judgment is certain, His grace offers us a way out through repentance and faith in Jesus Christ. We are called to live with eternity in view, striving for holiness and sharing the gospel with others. This message is not just for us but for our nation and the world, reminding us of the urgency to turn to Christ and live according to His will.
### Key Takeaways
1. God's Judgment and Patience: God's judgment is just and inevitable, but He is also patient, giving everyone a chance to repent. This duality of God's nature—His justice and His patience—reminds us that while judgment is certain, His grace offers a way out through Jesus Christ. We must not take His patience for granted but use this time to turn to Him. [42:03]
2. Repentance as the Way Out: The only way to escape God's judgment is through repentance and faith in Jesus Christ. This is a call to turn away from our sins and make Jesus the sole purpose of our lives. Salvation through Christ is the only means to avoid the dire consequences of sin. [57:15]
3. Striving for Holiness: After repenting, we are called to live holy and godly lives. This means striving to become more like Jesus in everything we do—whether at work, at home, or in our communities. Our actions, words, and thoughts should reflect our commitment to God. [01:04:59]
4. Living with Eternity in View: We should live with the awareness that this life is temporary and that eternity awaits. This perspective helps us prioritize our spiritual growth and our mission to share the gospel. We look forward to the new heaven and new earth where righteousness dwells. [01:06:45]
5. Urgency in Sharing the Gospel: While we wait for Christ's return, we must be proactive in sharing the gospel. This is not just the job of pastors but of every believer. We are called to proclaim Christ crucified to a world that desperately needs to hear it, trusting in God's sovereignty as we join in His work of renewal. [01:10:22]
### YouTube Chapters
[0:00] - Welcome
[40:15] - Personal News
[42:03] - Theme: God's Judgment and Salvation
[43:43] - God's Righteous Jealousy
[45:19] - Nineveh's Wickedness
[46:38] - Nahum's Prophecy
[49:42] - America's Spiritual State
[50:48] - 2 Peter 3:8-17
[53:29] - Story of Rebellion and Consequence
[57:15] - The Call to Repentance
[01:02:03] - Striving for Holiness
[01:06:45] - Living with Eternity in View
[01:10:22] - Urgency in Sharing the Gospel
[01:12:05] - Be on Your Guard
[01:13:47] - Conclusion and Prayer
Study Guide
### Bible Study Discussion Guide
#### Bible Reading
1. Nahum 2:1-13
2. 2 Peter 3:8-17
#### Observation Questions
1. What was the primary reason for God's judgment on Nineveh as described in Nahum 2? ([46:38])
2. According to 2 Peter 3:9, why does God delay His judgment? ([50:48])
3. What does Peter urge believers to do while waiting for the new heaven and new earth? ([51:23])
4. How does the sermon describe the dual nature of God’s character in terms of judgment and patience? ([44:30])
#### Interpretation Questions
1. How does the story of Nineveh's judgment in Nahum 2 serve as a warning for contemporary believers? ([46:38])
2. In 2 Peter 3:11-12, Peter asks what kind of people we ought to be in light of the coming judgment. What does this imply about the daily lives of believers? ([51:23])
3. The sermon mentions that God's patience is meant to lead us to repentance. How does this understanding affect our view of God's character and our response to Him? ([50:48])
4. What does it mean to live with eternity in view, and how can this perspective change our priorities and actions? ([01:06:45])
#### Application Questions
1. Reflect on a time when you took God's patience for granted. How can you use this time to turn back to Him and seek repentance? ([50:48])
2. The sermon emphasizes the importance of striving for holiness. What specific steps can you take this week to become more like Jesus in your daily life? ([01:04:59])
3. How can you actively live with eternity in view? Identify one area of your life where you can shift your focus from temporary concerns to eternal values. ([01:06:45])
4. Sharing the gospel is described as an urgent task. Who in your life needs to hear about Jesus, and what practical steps can you take to share the gospel with them this week? ([01:10:22])
5. Think about the concept of God's righteous jealousy. How does understanding this aspect of God's character influence your worship and devotion to Him? ([44:30])
6. The sermon mentions the need to be on guard against being carried away by error. What are some practical ways you can stay grounded in your faith and avoid being led astray? ([01:12:05])
7. Reflect on the pastor's story about his rebellious years and the consequences he faced. How can you apply the lesson of making wise choices to avoid spiritual consequences in your own life? ([54:01])
Devotional
Day 1: God's Judgment and Patience
God's judgment is just and inevitable, but He is also patient, giving everyone a chance to repent. This duality of God's nature—His justice and His patience—reminds us that while judgment is certain, His grace offers a way out through Jesus Christ. We must not take His patience for granted but use this time to turn to Him. [42:03]
2 Peter 3:9 (ESV): "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."
Reflection: Is there an area in your life where you have been taking God's patience for granted? How can you actively turn back to Him today?
Day 2: Repentance as the Way Out
The only way to escape God's judgment is through repentance and faith in Jesus Christ. This is a call to turn away from our sins and make Jesus the sole purpose of our lives. Salvation through Christ is the only means to avoid the dire consequences of sin. [57:15]
Acts 3:19 (ESV): "Repent therefore, and turn back, that your sins may be blotted out, that times of refreshing may come from the presence of the Lord."
Reflection: What specific sins do you need to repent of today? How can you make Jesus the central focus of your life moving forward?
Day 3: Striving for Holiness
After repenting, we are called to live holy and godly lives. This means striving to become more like Jesus in everything we do—whether at work, at home, or in our communities. Our actions, words, and thoughts should reflect our commitment to God. [01:04:59]
1 Peter 1:15-16 (ESV): "But as he who called you is holy, you also be holy in all your conduct, since it is written, 'You shall be holy, for I am holy.'"
Reflection: In what areas of your life do you struggle to reflect Jesus? What practical steps can you take today to strive for holiness in those areas?
Day 4: Living with Eternity in View
We should live with the awareness that this life is temporary and that eternity awaits. This perspective helps us prioritize our spiritual growth and our mission to share the gospel. We look forward to the new heaven and new earth where righteousness dwells. [01:06:45]
Colossians 3:2-4 (ESV): "Set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth. For you have died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God. When Christ who is your life appears, then you also will appear with him in glory."
Reflection: How does the reality of eternity influence your daily decisions and priorities? What changes can you make to live more with eternity in view?
Day 5: Urgency in Sharing the Gospel
While we wait for Christ's return, we must be proactive in sharing the gospel. This is not just the job of pastors but of every believer. We are called to proclaim Christ crucified to a world that desperately needs to hear it, trusting in God's sovereignty as we join in His work of renewal. [01:10:22]
Matthew 28:19-20 (ESV): "Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age."
Reflection: Who in your life needs to hear the gospel? How can you take a step today to share the love and message of Jesus with them?
Quotes
### Quotes for Outreach
1. "God's judgment is just, but He provides a way out of it by salvation through His Son, Jesus Christ. So if you take anything away from today's sermon, it's that God's judgment is just, but He always provides a way out of it by salvation through His Son, Jesus Christ." [42:03] (20 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
2. "God is a jealous God who wants the people of earth to worship Him and Him alone as the one true God. And this is a righteous jealousy. It's a righteous anger. And at the same time, in all of this, it's weird, but only God can do this. God is patient." [44:30] (22 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
3. "Life is short. See, God lives outside of time. He is omnipotent. To his power there literally is no end. And I love how Charles Spurgeon puts it. He says, yet according to God's reckoning, it is but the day before yesterday that Christ died. And only about a week ago that Adam was expelled from Eden." [58:27] (23 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
4. "Salvation through Christ will save you from judgment. Christ outweighs every sin, past, present, and future. Jesus is the only being in the history of all mankind who is capable of, through his death and resurrection, to save the whole entire world. He outweighs everything." [01:03:16] (22 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
5. "Repent, for the kingdom of God is at hand. It's a sense of urgency. It's coming. We don't know when it is, but it's coming." [01:03:52] (13 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
### Quotes for Members
1. "God will not be mocked. Vengeance and retribution are His alone. We see in passages like Numbers 31, God commanded Moses to take vengeance on the Midianites. And in 1 Chronicles 21, God sends an angel to destroy Jerusalem. He's not afraid to do it." [43:43] (22 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
2. "We need to strive for holiness. Or strive to be holy. We ought to be holy. We ought to be set apart and godly. This sums up the pursuit of the Christian. See, we just went through a series, if you were with us, on the fruits of the Spirit where we are seeking to become more like Jesus as we labor here on this earth." [01:05:35] (33 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
3. "We live with eternity in view. We look forward to Christ making all things new. We look forward and yearn for the day where the unrighteous will be judged in His perfect way. I know many of you have expressed that. When will God have His way with what we see in our country? It will come. Maybe not in our timing. And trust me, I'm sitting with you impatient, but in God's perfect timing." [01:07:18] (34 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
4. "We should have a holy discontent in where we are with Christ. We ought to always grow and shape our lives to conform into the image of the Father and it can be painful. Peter encourages us to be patient but also to live on mission. It can often feel like and if I'm the only one then shame on me, it can often feel like Jesus is taking too long to return." [01:09:06] (29 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
5. "While we wait we go into the world which is just outside of these doors and proclaim Christ to the lost who so desperately need to hear it. Even out these doors in the little village of Friesland. I was just thinking as I was mowing the lawn yesterday I pray for Randolph I pray for Friesland I pray for Waupon I pray for Cambria not because a tragedy has stricken our communities but because Christ needs to be proclaimed." [01:10:54] (36 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
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