This week Sunday, Dec 5th at 8 am I will looking albeit briefly at 2 Peter, following our lectionary reading as we move from the end of the age we explored last Sunday in Mark 13 to ‘that day’ Mark 13:32. Here’s the link to last weeks sermon.
We will be exploring ‘ that day ‘ through Peter’s view in his second letter and the implications for Christians then and now.
AD 70 marked the climax of the end of an age, that Jesus foretold, and embodied in a new creation with his resurrection and ascension. His sacrifice ended the old covenant. The new covenant made possible for all people, Jew or gentile would no longer centre on temple worship. With the crucifixion, resurrection and ascension of Jesus and the destruction of the temple in AD 70 the ‘new age’ begins. Not a smorgasbord of ‘spirituality’ but an age of salvation through and in Christ alone. The age of the gospel. The age of Good News of which we Christians are messengers to all peoples to this very day.
However, Mark 13:32 speaks of another day and this is what Peter addresses in his letter. The ‘day of the Lord’ when all things will be made new. When the new creation begun in Christ’s resurrection and exaltation is finally brought to fullness.
In scripture, the teachings on the last day are not supposed to incite dread rather it is a day of hope and joy for us as children of God because it is the great day when all things will be made new. As Peter says in 2 Peter 3: 11 he writes ‘ to stimulate you to wholesome thinking’. There is a considerable amount of false teaching on this and it links to fear and control. In my view, it does not reflect the Holy Spirit rather a spirit of divination. Peter warns us to be on our guard against all such falsehoods. The question he poses is ‘what kind of people ought we to be? See 2 Peter 3: 11. Listen in to this weeks sermon if you miss it today. Contact me with your questions if these arise for you.
Shalom
Jamie