The Peace of New

2 Peter 3:8-15New International Version (NIV)

8 But do not forget this one thing, dear friends: With the Lord a day is like a thousand years, and a thousand years are like a day. 9 The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. Instead he is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance.

10 But the day of the Lord will come like a thief. The heavens will disappear with a roar; the elements will be destroyed by fire, and the earth and everything done in it will be laid bare.

11 Since everything will be destroyed in this way, what kind of people ought you to be? You ought to live holy and godly lives 12 as you look forward to the day of God and speed its coming. That day will bring about the destruction of the heavens by fire, and the elements will melt in the heat. 13 But in keeping with his promise we are looking forward to a new heaven and a new earth, where righteousness dwells.

14 So then, dear friends, since you are looking forward to this, make every effort to be found spotless, blameless and at peace with him. 15 Bear in mind that our Lord’s patience means salvation

If I would have stopped reading at verse 10 which says, “But the day of the Lord will come like a thief.  The heavens will disappear with a roar; the elements will be destroyed by fire, and earth and everything done it will be laid bare” then everything I said last week would be nonsense.  There would be no new creation, no combination of heaven and earth and everything we currently believe about heaven and a scorched earth at the next coming of Christ would hold true.  Now, I understand that I am maybe preaching on something that seems counter-intuitive to what you believe about the second coming of Christ.  It takes an ability to look deep within your long held beliefs to envision just what I am talking about.  That being said, I believe it to be our Christian duty to explore the possibility that we may have gotten some things wrong along the way.  I don’t see the teachings and wisdom of John Eldredge, the author of such books as Wild at Heart, Beautiful Outlaw, Captivating, and All Things New, as a Christian fad that will quickly fade away.  I personally see these teachings as fundamental Christian beliefs that will lead the church in the future.  While some of his writings question our long held beliefs I think it is essential for us to at least examine them.  

You may be wondering why I would spend time harping on “this new creation stuff” when it may be a little controversial or not in line with our traditionally held beliefs.  I am spending this time examining it with you because of its importance.  When I look at the world around us, I see so little hope.  I see so little peace.  As a society, we are making more money than ever.  We have more “things” to keep us connected.  We little reason for sadness, and yet we mourn another mass shooting nearly every other week.  We have little reason for hopelessness and yet more and more people are dying of drug overdoses.  We have little reason for despair and yet it seems like so many people around us are full of bitterness and sadness.  Why is that?  Why are we going through so much turmoil.  Why are church numbers dwindling?  Why are so many pastors leaving the ministry?  Why is no amount of money or things good enough?  

The reasons are many but I think the church is partially to blame.  Instead of offering hope and peace through renewal and restoration we offer “That everything you love, everything you hold dear, all of it eventually gets destroyed or burned up or goes away and we go somewhere else to spend our eternal life -- a vague heaven, a worship service that lasts forever....” as John Eldredge recently said in an interview.  He continued by saying, “But the bottom line is that in the human heart, this experience feels like loss, and we need to begin to understand that nothing is lost.”  One of the most common questions that I hear from young and old believers alike is, “Will my loved one know who I am in heaven?”  This question seems answered through Eldredge’s teachings.  When we view our eternal life starting at the point of conception, yes, that includes our time spent on earth as we know it, and realize what it truly meant for God to conquer death through Christ, then that question answers itself.  It really becomes no question at all.  Instead, it becomes a given, a known belief that we will again see our loved ones.  And not only see them as our memories recall, but see them in the eternal light fully restored and fully within the presence of God.  What kind of peace is offered when you can undoubtedly tell your child that of course, you will see your grandpa again in all his glory and not just the memory of his broken body or mind, but at the pinnacle of who he was magnified by the complete glory of God?  And it’s not some story you tell just to get them passed the difficult question but rather, a truth that you believe throughout the depths of who you are.  In the recent interview I mentioned earlier, Eldredge went onto say, “Reality is one continual existence.  Your unending life has actually already begun, and a restored you is in a restored earth.  God doesn’t change the reality.”  That is hope.  That is peace.  That is restoration.  

The writer of 2nd Peter didn’t stop at verse 10... The author went onto say in verse 12, “That day will bring about the destruction of the heavens by fire, and the elements will melt in the heat.”  Still not making my point, huh?  However, verse 13 says, “But in keeping with his promise we are looking forward to a new heaven and a new earth, where righteousness dwells.”  In addition, God says in the book of Revelation “Behold, I am making everything new.”  When we look at the resurrected Jesus, He’s raised from the dead, but He’s still Jesus.  He had the same scars.  He was the same guy.  Same Lord.  Same personality.  But there was something different about him... The difference was that his resurrected body was now in the full glory of the Lord.  That will be us someday.  Still fully who we are.  Same person.  Same personality.  With one major difference... we will be completely within the glory and grace of God.  We will be fully restored.  The peace found in this newness is incredible!

The author of 2nd Peter continued: “So then, dear friends, since you are looking forward to this, make every effort to be found spotless, blameless and at peace with him.  Bear in mind that our Lord’s patience means salvation...”  I don’t know about you but I am looking forward to being completely restored... I am looking forward to being fully in the presence of God, being the absolute best version of myself with my loved ones by my side.  I am not just one of the billions of souls in heaven.  I am me.  I am the beautiful creation God intended me to be.  And the best part, I can get to start on it now.  I am already living a fraction of my eternal life right now, today.  In this very moment, my restoration is taking shape.  Sure, there will be backslides and falls, but no matter the depths of those falls and slides, I can see the hope found in a completely restored version of myself.  The version God intended for me when I was created.  And being at peace with who I have been created to be, there is no greater gift.          Amen.