Last Days Scoffers - Pastor Stacey Shiflett
- Pastor Shiflett
- Jul 28, 2024
- 6 min read
Last Days Scoffers
2 Peter 3
Intro: This past week, the opening ceremonies of the 2024 Olympics in Paris unveiled a level of scorn and mockery of Christianity unlike anything the world has ever seen. The satanic symbolism, the perverted scenes, the debauchery, the blatant anti-God sentiment was on the world-wide stage for all to see.
A. The Insolence of the Scoffers – vs. 3b “…there shall come…scoffers…”
SCOFF: to play with, trifle with; to mock; to delude, deceive
These people are not just scoffing the Christians, and Christianity – they are mocking God!
· Galatians 6:7 Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap.
B. The Indulgence of the Scoffers – vs. 3c “…walking after their own lusts…”
A defining characteristic of a scoffer is one that mocks the holiness of God.
Jude 1
· 18 How that they told you there should be mockers in the last time, who should walk after their own ungodly lusts.
· 19 These be they who separate themselves, sensual, having not the Spirit.
Notice the distinction between the scoffers and the saints – vs. 1
· 2 Peter 3:1 This second epistle, beloved, I now write unto you; in both which I stir up your pure minds by way of remembrance:
I think it is important to note the distinction between the people of Noah’s day and Noah.
· Genesis 6:9 …Noah was a just man and perfect in his generations, and Noah walked with God.
Multiple times in this chapter, Peter admonishes the saints to walk with God in holiness.
· 11 Seeing then that all these things shall be dissolved, what manner of persons ought ye to be in all holy conversation and godliness,
· 13 Nevertheless we, according to his promise, look for new heavens and a new earth, wherein dwelleth righteousness.
· 14 Wherefore, beloved, seeing that ye look for such things, be diligent that ye may be found of him in peace, without spot, and blameless.
C. The Illusion of the Scoffers – vs. 4 “…all things continue as they were from the beginning…”
How wrong the scoffers of our day are!! How blinded and deceived they are!
They were taught that the biblical account of a worldwide flood is a fairy tale.
This is how Satan has effectively blinded this generation to the reality of the judgment of God.
D. The Ignorance of the Scoffers – vs. 5 “For this they willingly are ignorant of…”
The Bible clearly says that they are WILLINGLY IGNORANT.
They have access to the truth.
Just as they had it in Noah’s day, men have it today.
Just as the rich man in Hell was told by Abraham; “They have Moses and the prophets; let them hear them.”
Paul said it like this:
· 2 Thessalonians 2:10 And with all deceivableness of unrighteousness in them that perish; because they received not the love of the truth, that they might be saved.
I got to thinking of the similarities in the days of Noah and today.
Jesus made this analogy in Matthew 24:
· 37 But as the days of Noe were, so shall also the coming of the Son of man be.
· 38 For as in the days that were before the flood they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day that Noe entered into the ark,
· 39 And knew not until the flood came, and took them all away; so shall also the coming of the Son of man be.
I. The Message that is Similar
A. A Message of Righteousness
· 2 Peter 2:5 And spared not the old world, but saved Noah the eighth person, a preacher of righteousness, bringing in the flood upon the world of the ungodly;
Noah was a preacher of righteousness in a world that was totally corrupt.
We today are preachers of righteousness, emphasizing the sin of man and the righteousness of God.
We preach the absolute necessity of the imputed righteousness of Jesus Christ in order to be saved.
Sin is the problem; Jesus Christ is the answer!
B. A Message of Retribution
People do not want to hear a message of coming judgment.
The ones that even believe that there is a God cannot imagine Him ever getting angry with them.
When they say “Where is the promise of his coming,” it is not just his return that they are scoffing.
They are scoffing the idea that they will stand before God and face His wrath and judgment.
People have always mocked and scoffed at the messengers of God.
· 2 Chronicles 36:16 But they mocked the messengers of God, and despised his words, and misused his prophets, until the wrath of the LORD arose against his people, till [there was] no remedy.
Every man of God from the beginning of time has preached righteousness AND judgment!!
C. A Message of Redemption
Noah preached righteousness and he preached the coming judgment of God, all while building an ark!
He warned of God’s coming wrath while constructing an escape from the wrath of God.
God left the door of the ark open for seven days AFTER Noah and his family got in!!
The Gospel message is one of sin and salvation.
· Romans 6:23 For the wages of sin [is] death; but the gift of God [is] eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.
· John 3:16 For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.
· 2 Peter 3:9 The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.
II. The Minority that is Saved
We do not know the population of the world at the time of the Flood, but only 8 were saved from it.
Genesis 7
21 And all flesh died that moved upon the earth, both of fowl, and of cattle, and of beast, and of every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth, and every man:
22 All in whose nostrils was the breath of life, of all that was in the dry land, died.
23 And every living substance was destroyed which was upon the face of the ground, both man, and cattle, and the creeping things, and the fowl of the heaven; and they were destroyed from the earth: and Noah only remained alive, and they that were with him in the ark.
Hebrews 11:7 By faith Noah, being warned of God of things not seen as yet, moved with fear, prepared an ark to the saving of his house; by the which he condemned the world, and became heir of the righteousness which is by faith.
Jesus acknowledged the small group of people that will ultimately be saved.
Matthew 7
13 Enter ye in at the strait gate: for wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leadeth to destruction, and many there be which go in thereat:
· 14 Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it.
· Luke 18:8 I tell you that he will avenge them speedily. Nevertheless when the Son of man cometh, shall he find faith on the earth?
III. The Multitude that is Scoffing
Jesus made this observation in Matthew 24;
· 38 For as in the days that were before the flood they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day that Noe entered into the ark,
The point is not that they were eating and drinking and getting married; that is normal life.
The point Jesus was making was the fact that they didn’t believe the message of Noah.
They were eating and drinking and marrying UNTIL THE DAY that Noah entered into the ark.
They didn’t change anything.
There was no praying; fasting; repenting; believing; turning to God; turning from their corruption.
They were carrying on like they were going to live forever.
· They were scoffing by simply ignoring the message.
· They were scoffing simply by carrying on like nothing was ever going to happen.
· They were scoffing simply by acting like God didn’t exist.
· They were scoffing simply by failing to get in the ark that was provided.
· They were scoffing by acting as if they were immune to the wrath and judgment of almighty God.
You may not think you identify with the scoffers because you’re not pointing and laughing at God.
But to fail to believe Him and to act before it is too late identifies you with the scoffers!
To keep putting it off and procrastinating is scoffing at the warnings of God.
· You can sit in a Baptist church pew every week and scoff God by refusing to humble yourself.
· You can go to church every service and scoff and mock by failing to acknowledge the truth.
· You are scoffing when you will not agree with God about your spiritual condition.
· I sat and watched people scoffing during revival last week; bothered me more than the Olympics.
Conclusion: God has never lied. He has never failed to fulfill His promise.
Don’t be guilty of scoffing the return of Christ – He’s coming, and you’d better be ready!!!
· Matthew 24:44 Therefore be ye also ready: for in such an hour as ye think not the Son of man cometh.
