Spend Less 2 Peter 3: 8-15 (2nd Sunday of Advent)
Sermon – Advent 2 (spend less)
6th December 2020
8 But do not overlook this one fact, beloved, that with the Lord one day is as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day. 9 The Lord is not slow to fulfill his promise as some count slowness, but is patient toward you,[a] not wishing that any should perish, but that all should reach repentance. 10 But the day of the Lord will come like a thief, and then the heavens will pass away with a roar, and the heavenly bodies[b] will be burned up and dissolved, and the earth and the works that are done on it will be exposed.[c]
11 Since all these things are thus to be dissolved, what sort of people ought you to be in lives of holiness and godliness, 12 waiting for and hastening the coming of the day of God, because of which the heavens will be set on fire and dissolved, and the heavenly bodies will melt as they burn! 13 But according to his promise we are waiting for new heavens and a new earth in which righteousness dwells.
Final Words
14 Therefore, beloved, since you are waiting for these, be diligent to be found by him without spot or blemish, and at peace. 15 And count the patience of our Lord as salvation, just as our beloved brother Paul also wrote to you according to the wisdom given him,
Have you ever heard that modern expression – Time poor?
It’s the idea that we don’t have enough time.
We are poor on time.
Imagine that – not having enough time?
In this morning’s New Testament reading we are immediately challenged on our concept of time. That with the Lord one day is as a thousand years and a thousand years as one day.
Let me attempt a diagram explanation.
This line is us.
We are temporal beings – bound by time. We have a beginning and an end.
And this is God.
Not bound by time.
Without beginning and without end (though this is not a perfect drawing)
God could choose to sit here with us for a hundred years, to pop in for a minute, or to be present in this place forever. God is not bound by time.
But we are.
Did you know that the current way we live our days is a fairly recent invention?
We used to rise and fall with the seasonal rhythms of the year.
Having more sleep in the winter and less in the summer.
Then it stopped – when? In the early 1800s when Thomas Eddison invented the light bulb. Since then the majority of people live off at least four hours less sleep.
Add to that Tv’s, devices, portable work, and an ever accessible shopping mall.
What keeps us from losing sleep?
Artificial light stimulation.
Ever noticed why children take forever to go to sleep in the summer?
Neuroscientists tell us that when darkness comes at night, the SCN sends messages to the pineal gland. This gland triggers the release of the chemical melatonin. Melatonin makes you feel sleepy and ready for bed. So in the summer, there is less darkness and therefore less melatonin being produced.
Neuroscientists add, turn off your devices AND your lights a half hour before bed to assist in the production of melatonin.
BUT our economists remind us “Our consumption-oriented economy profits more when people are awake longer.” [1]
We make more, buy more, search more, consume more. If we are time-poor the economy benefits.
This Advent we are taking time to stop and explore four different ways in which we might reclaim Advent. To pause in the midst of the tirade that draws our attention elsewhere and bring our attention back to God. Last week Alan introduced us to this idea of Worshipping God Fully.
And this morning we will explore how we might spend less this season. To be content with all the gifts God has already given us.
So what has God given you?
What’s one thing you are thankful for today?
Let’s take some time to acknowledge that person or thing.
Pause
God of everything we need-
Thank you for being our provider.
Thank You for all of the ways that You sustain us.
Thank You for the food on our table and on our shelves.
Thank You for the shelter over our head.
Thank You for places to sit and recline.
Thank You for the place we have to rest our heads.
Thank You for the friends and family around us.
Help us to rest and be content.
As we move through the world today, help us to be content.
Remind us of all the ways You provide for us and our households.
Help us to keep our eyes focused on You,
the God who provides, not on our material possessions.
So what wisdom might Peter’s second letter lend us this morning?
To live differently!
It is so easy to get swept up in what is happening around us and forget to think about what is before us. But this reading encourages us to live differently in two clear ways.
Firstly to rethink our obsession with time. Recall - That with the Lord one day is as a thousand years and a thousand years as one day.
God is not impatient hurrying us along in all our activities, cares, and concerns – hurrying us toward Christmas or Christ’s second coming.
Rather God is patient toward us.
Out of this patience, we are called to respond.
To pause in his presence and receive his peace.
To take time out of our days to seek him and to prioritize him.
To spend time in His word and to pray with one another.
To step out of our culture’s mad rush to Christmas and instead intentionally engage in the journey toward celebrating the birth of the Messiah.
To look to Him, rather than things.
Secondly; from this reframing of time we are then able to pause in God’s wisdom and hear his words of encouragement to consider our conduct; is it holy? Is it Godly?
From relationship comes conversation, and from the conversation - action.
Are these actions set apart for God? Do they reflect his love?
A few questions we can ask ourselves this season when purchasing goods are – Who does this benefit? The grower, the maker, the marketer?
Where does this item originate, how did it come into being?
How does this bless others?
Living differently this Advent requires intentionality.
But we cannot do this on our own.
We need support.
Both from God and from one another.
So let’s pause for a moment.
Who in our lives might be able to hold us accountable for this advent?
Whom can you invite to ask you how you are doing?
When we pause to purchase Christmas gifts let us pray and invite the Holy Spirit to led and guide us.
To help us intentionally consider what is before us.
Pray this week that God would guide you to hear his voice.
To consider his ways.
To remember his birth.
Encourage one another to consider spending less this Christmas.
To prioritize God
As our reading from Peter concludes may we be diligent to be found by him without spot or blemish and at peace. 15 And count the patience of our Lord as salvation.
Amen!
[1] Charles Czeisler, head of the Division of Sleep Medicine at Harvard Medical School, told the Boston Globe.