There’s something powerful about scrolling through old photos and videos on your phone with a cup of coffee — it stirs something in you. It brings back memories, elicits emotion, reminds you of what God has done. That’s exactly what Peter wants for us in his second letter, and it’s the heartbeat of this message from 2 Peter chapter three: Jesus is coming back.
Josh White opened by acknowledging that we’ve been in 2 Peter for a while — and there’s a reason Peter wrote this letter. He was concerned about the stability and faith of his readers. In 2 Peter 3:17–18, Peter tells us why:
“You therefore, beloved, knowing this beforehand, take care that you were not carried away with the error of lawless people and lose your own stability, but grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To him be glory both now and to the day of eternity.”
— 2 Peter 3:17–18
Peter writes to protect us from false teachers who will try to shake our foundation. And he concludes his letter by pointing us to three anchors for stability — three things we need to remember. All three are built on the truth that Jesus is coming back.
Remember What Has Happened
Peter starts by saying he wants to “stir up your sincere mind by way of reminder” (v. 1). He knows that spending time remembering what God has done and what God has said is essential for spiritual strength. That’s why we read the Bible repeatedly — it’s a living, active book. The more time we spend in it, the stronger our faith becomes.
“[Peter writes] stirring up your sincere mind by way of reminder.”
— 2 Peter 3:1–2
Just like looking at old camp videos excites kids for what’s ahead, remembering what God has done stirs up our hearts for what He will do. God didn’t give us the Bible so we could read it once and move on. He gave it to us as a foundation we return to again and again.
Remember the Prophecies
Peter tells us to remember “the predictions of the holy prophets and the commandment of the Lord and Savior through your apostles” (v. 2). The Old Testament is full of prophecies about the Messiah — and the Jews of Jesus’ day recognized two distinct sets.
They called them Messiah Ben Joseph (the suffering servant prophecies) and Messiah Ben David (the reigning king prophecies). They wondered: how can one Messiah do both? Some thought there might be two Messiahs. But the answer, of course, is that there is one Messiah with two comings. The suffering prophecies were fulfilled at Christ’s first Advent. The reigning prophecies await His second.
“For behold, the Lord will come in fire, his chariots like the whirlwind, to render his anger with fury, and his rebuke with flames of fire. For by fire will the Lord enter into judgment, and by his sword with all flesh, and those slain by the Lord shall be many.”
— Isaiah 66:15–16
This doesn’t sound like “Away in a Manger” — this is the Messiah returning in judgment and glory. Isaiah wasn’t wrong. He was prophesying about what’s yet to come.
And here’s the staggering reality: of the 27 New Testament books, 23 of them explicitly teach about the Lord’s return — both the Rapture and the second coming. Only Philemon and 3 John make no direct mention, and those are short personal letters. Across 260 chapters, there are over 300 references to the return of Christ. This isn’t a minor doctrine. It’s the point and pinnacle of the entire New Testament.
“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.”
— Matthew 16:27
Remember God’s Plan
Peter warns that in the last days, scoffers will come saying, “Where is the promise of his coming? Everything has continued as it was from the beginning” (v. 3–4). False teachers want us to doubt God’s plan. But here’s the answer: God’s plan isn’t finished yet — but half of it is.
Because the first half of God’s plan was completed exactly as He said it would be, we can have full confidence that the second half will be completed the same way. And just as God judged the earth with water in the days of Noah because of wickedness, He will judge it again with fire before Christ returns.
“[They deliberately overlook this]: that the heavens existed long ago and the earth was formed out of water and through water by the word of God, and that by means of these the world that then existed was deluged with water and perished. But by the same word the heavens and earth that now exist are stored up for fire, being kept until the day of judgment and destruction of the ungodly.”
— 2 Peter 3:5–7
What God did in the past, He will do again in the future. In Noah’s day, God saved some and then judged the earth. Before Christ’s return, God will save some — the church, caught up in the Rapture — and then judge the earth with fire, preparing it for Christ’s earthly kingdom.
So What?
Jesus is coming back. And this truth changes everything. Consider:
- Why do we do AWANA? Because Jesus is coming back.
- Why do we have church? Because Jesus is coming back.
- Why do we have hope today? Because Jesus is coming back.
- Why do we serve, endure suffering, encourage one another, and share the gospel? Because Jesus died for our sins, rose from the grave, and He’s coming back.
We don’t know when it will happen or exactly how it will unfold — God has determined those details. But we know this: because He’s coming back, we are to serve Him with all our heart, soul, and strength.
Let’s live courageously. Let’s live boldly. Because Jesus is coming back.
Scripture References
- 2 Peter 3:1–18 — Overview of Christ’s return and stability in Christ
- Isaiah 66:15–16 — Prophecy of the Messiah’s return in fire and judgment
- Matthew 16:27 — Jesus teaches about His return and recompense
- 1 Corinthians 4:5 — Paul: do not judge until the Lord comes and reveals hidden things
- 2 Thessalonians 1:5–10 — Paul’s teaching on the Lord Jesus being revealed from heaven in flaming fire
- Genesis 6–8 — The flood as historical pattern of divine judgment