The End is Near

“The End is Near” sounds like a catchphrase from a B grade movie, or the sort of thing you might see on sandwich boards, paraded in the street by “fanatics”.  Do those doomsdayers have a point?

I became a Christian in the 1970’s, at a time when the end of the world was a popular theme in Christian circles. We went to hear Stan Deyo, of “Cosmic Conspiracy” fame, speak in our city hall. Books such as Hal Lindsay’s “Late Great Planet Earth” were widely circulated amongst Christian youth. End times were a constant theme in preaching in the church which I attended (a large Pentecostal congregation here in Brisbane). I’m sure some people were frightened into committing their lives to Christ.

When considering the possibility of this world as we know it ending, we need to look at what the Bible says.

The Bible is not a work of fiction. The sixty-six books contained therein are written by a number of different authors, and comprise different genres, including poetry and parables, but it cannot be called a mere story book. We are told that scripture is the inspired word of God:

“All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the servant of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.” 2 Timothy 3:16,17

In addition, many of the historical events contained in the Bible can be accurately verified by independent sources such as historical records, archaeological digs and discoveries. We know what the Bible says about the past is true.

The Old Testament prophets predicted that a Messiah would come to this earth. They gave many indications about the Messiah – e.g. where He would come from, what would happen to Him. Jesus Christ fulfilled each and every prediction made about Him – over 350 predictions regarding His birth, ministry, death and resurrection, as recorded by the accounts of the apostles in the New Testament.

But what does the Bible say about the future?

Some of the Old Testament prophets including Ezekiel, Daniel and Zechariah not only foretold the coming of the Messiah, but of His triumphant return, the second coming, when He would claim His faithful followers who had not fallen away in times of great trial.

In Matthew’s gospel, chapter 24, Jesus outlines what will happen in this world in the future. There will be a time of great trials, of false prophets, of persecution of Christians, natural disasters and wars. Many Christians will abandon their faith. Finally Jesus will return “on the clouds of the sky, with power and great glory” (v.30), to assert His power over the forces of evil and to gather His remaining people to Himself.

In the book of Revelation, the apostle John is given a series of visions regarding these future events. They describe a time known as the tribulation – a seven year period of terrible turmoil before Christ returns to the earth. The four horsemen of the apocalypse will be loosed on the earth – lust for conquest, warfare, famine and death. There will be great earthquakes, such as the earth has never known, and stars will fall in the sky- possibly comets or meteor showers. There will be unprecedented demonic activity and the rise of a person known as the Antichrist who will establish himself as a god on earth. He will control monetary systems and without a mark, nobody will be able to buy or sell. We are warned not to follow him or take this mark. Earthly wars culminate in the battle of Armageddon, accompanied by an earthquake and storm of massive hailstones and the devastating destruction of the seas and earth’s surface. It will be an unimaginably terrible time for those who are left.

Why should all this happen on earth? Because mankind has chosen to do evil and abandon God. When will all this happen? Jesus himself said that He did not know the day or hour, that it was something only known to His Father. The apostles Peter and Paul, in their epistles, made it clear that the church should not forget these warnings of Jesus, but to live as though the time was short, and be prepared for Christ’s return.

So it is twenty centuries later. It’s no coincidence that Jesus followed his warnings in Matthew 24 with the parable of the ten virgins recorded by Matthew in the following chapter. The church, the bride of Christ, should be ready and prepared to meet her bridegroom. The message is to be alert and have our minds on the things of God, not be distracted by the pleasures and day to day living of this life.

When I was a young Christian, I was afraid of the book of Revelation. It’s interesting to note that in his opening chapter, John declares that whoever reads and takes to heart the message of revelation is blessed. We are not blessed by being frightened of what might happen in the future, but rather are blessed by knowing that our Heavenly Father will go before and be beside us throughout our lives and into eternity with Him.

We know that Jesus will claim His believers and take them to be with Him. Paul writes:

“For the Lord himself will come down from heaven, with a loud command, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet call of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first. After that, we who are still alive and are left will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And so we will be with the Lord forever. Therefore encourage one another with these words.” (1 Thessalonians 4:16-18)

Some Christian theologians believe that the event when Christians are taken from the earth to be with Christ, known as the rapture, will occur prior to the time of tribulation, others that it will happen only when Christ returns. Some popular Christian movies such as the “Left behind” series take the former view. If millions of Christians suddenly disappear, the people left behind should have a clear message to repent and turn to Christ, and in this scenario, hopefully many will.

As I look out of my window on a clear winter’s day in Brisbane Australia, all these things seem a little fantastic. Yet the world can change quickly, as history has demonstrated. Throughout this world Christians are being persecuted and martyred for their faith. People are dying of starvation and disease. Economic systems are challenged. Violent crime is increasing. Perhaps most tragic of all is the staggering, unseen death of 40-50 million babies each year through abortion. God knows. God sees. He also redeems, forgives and transforms.

Troubled times may be ahead, but God goes before those whose lives are committed to Him, and He leads us along the paths He would have us take. We have a great commission to go into the world and make disciples of all nations, to bring hope, to be light in dark places. As the world becomes darker, so the light of Christ’s hope and love will shine ever more brightly. It’s a light which no darkness can ever put out.  

“the one who stands firm to the end will be saved.” Matthew 24:13

Consecration Sunday

At the moment it’s cold in Brisbane, comparatively.  It’s winter here and the sun is shining, but I had to wear a coat yesterday. Temperatures had dropped to around 6 degrees centigrade overnight, but during the day the sun was shining and despite the wind chill factor, it was warm enough to shed the coat and wear a jumper. We still haven’t had a heater on inside our home. Such is winter in Queensland.

I just had another birthday. Life has its seasons too. The financial year has started again. We humans impose our own dates and times on the calendar. We make New Year’s resolutions on January 1^st. We submit tax returns after July 1^st. All these things serve to remind us that time passes, and we mark its passing in various ways. As we mark time, we are also given the opportunity to evaluate what has gone and what we’ve done in the duration, and to make future plans.

Each year as the financial year draws to a close, our church gives thanks for all that God has done in the year gone, and plans for the coming year. Some of this relates to financial planning, but it encompasses far more than finances. We acknowledge that God has a plan and purpose for His church throughout this world, and for each one of us as individuals. We thank Him for His blessings and provision, and trust Him to lead and guide us, as a church and individually, throughout this year.

I’d like to share a prayer which was printed on a bookmark for everyone at my church community to take yesterday. Perhaps you would like to print it out for yourself and share in our consecration commitment:

My Prayer

Dear Heavenly Father,

I freshly commit myselt to the

role you have invited me to play,

as you are building your church in

this world. I am awestruck again

today that you include me in this

grand life-giving,

world-transforming endeavour.

So today I joyfully offer you:

MY LOVE

MY HEART

MY TALENTS

MY ENERGY

MY CREATIVITY

MY FAITHFULNESS

MY RESOURCES

AND MY GRATITUDE

I commit all of myself to the role

you have assigned me in the

building of your church so that it

may thrive in this world, and so that

more and more may see and hear

of the love of Jesus.

signed...................................................

“I pray that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which He has called you, the riches of His glorious inheritance in the saints, and his incomparably great power for us who believe.” Ephesians 1:18,19.

Help my Unbelief – Mark 9:14-30

verse 20 “So they brought him. When the spirit saw Jesus, it immediately threw the boy into a convulsion. He fell to the ground and rolled around, foaming at the mouth.
²¹ Jesus asked the boy’s father, “How long has he been like this?”
“From childhood,” he answered. ²² “It has often thrown him into fire or water to kill him. But if you can do anything, take pity on us and help us.”
²³ “‘If you can’?” said Jesus. “Everything is possible for one who believes.”
²⁴ Immediately the boy’s father exclaimed, “I do believe; help me overcome my unbelief!”
²⁵ When Jesus saw that a crowd was running to the scene, he rebuked the impure spirit. “You deaf and mute spirit,” he said, “I command you, come out of him and never enter him again.”
²⁶ The spirit shrieked, convulsed him violently and came out. The boy looked so much like a corpse that many said, “He’s dead.” ²⁷ But Jesus took him by the hand and lifted him to his feet, and he stood up.” (New International Version)

How I love the less-than-perfect people of the Bible! The characters who falter and fail and show the wrong emotions are the ones who seem so believably human, the ones that most of us can honestly relate to at one time or another. So it is with the father in this passage who cries passionately “I do believe; help me overcome my unbelief!”

Jesus often meets us at our points of weakness, where we see what we would wish to be and what we truly are.

This is a deeply emotional passage. One can feel the father’s anguish across the centuries. He has watched his son suffer the torment of demonic possession for years, fearing for the boy’s life. It is desperation that has drawn him to Jesus, not faith. Yet in his desperate love he honestly acknowledges his lack of faith and desire to possess it. He weeps. He cries out to God.

Jesus perhaps did not want to add to the man’s anguish by questioning his faith. Rather, he wanted to draw the man into relationship with him first. This story reminds me of the incident with the woman who touched the hem of Jesus’ garment (Luke 8:43-48). Jesus had her acknowledge her actions, not because He wanted to embarrass her, but because he wanted her not just to be healed, but to be whole in Him.

Jesus knew this unnamed father’s love for his son and his deeply unselfish desire for the child’s wellbeing. How much more is the love of our heavenly Father towards each of us?

All over the world there are mothers and fathers in grief and despair over their children’s lives. Their children may be dependent on drugs or alcohol, they may have turned away from the faith that was lovingly imparted to them, they may be ill or disabled, or have made wrong choices that have severely impacted their lives. The parents of these children might well be asking “Do I really believe that God can make a difference?” Yet in every case, God is there, waiting. Situations are not always resolved in the way that we would wish, but we are assured, via God’s promises in the Bible, that He will be present with us, that He will provide for our needs, and that we will know the joy of life in eternity with Him beyond this earthly one. 

Additions

"For this very reason, make every effort to add to your faith goodness, and to goodness, knowledge, and to knowledge, self-control, and to self-control, perseverance, and to perseverance godliness, and to godliness, brotherly kindness, and to brotherly kindness, love. For if you possess these qualities in increasing measure, they will keep you from being ineffective and unproductive in your knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ." 2 Peter 1: 5-8

When I read these lines written by the apostle Peter to the churches, I wonder if there is any kind of hierarchy in the attributes. Does one lead to another? If we have faith, our belief in Christ should cause us to want to behave well personally and in relation to others. Some Christians, I believe, stop right there. They believe and do good. In the past, to their shame, some ministers of the gospel have deliberately tried to withhold the scriptures from out of the hands of their parishioners. We who have access to a vast resource of teaching materials and the ability to read them are extremely blessed, and there is no excuse not to increase our knowledge of the things of God.
As we know more of God, the more we are able to be wise and discerning when it comes to temptation - we are able to exercise self-control when we are tempted and we are more able to do this long term - to overcome and persevere. We understand what the process of sanctification entails - we earnestly desire to be more like Jesus, and can exhibit godliness, because the Holy Spirit dwells in us, revealing God's loving presence in our lives. 
One of the fruits of the indwelling Holy Spirit is love - love to our brothers and sisters in the Lord, and to those who do not know Him. In His great passage to the church on love, 1 Corinthians 13, the apostle Paul reminds us that everything that we do must be done in love, or it is ineffective and worthless.
Of course, none of these attributes negates another. We want to have all these qualities in increasing measure. The interesting thing about the Christian life is that it should never be static. We want to learn more, to grow in relationship with God, and to be increasingly more effective in our ministries and witness to others, demonstrating the love with which, while we were still sinners, He first loved us.

Visiting the past

In my thirty something years of church attendance, I’ve attended four different churches and only ever been an official member of one church. For one reason and another, I left that congregation about three years ago. I visit sometimes, realising I’m not a member there any more, just a visitor. Times have moved on, children have grown, other people have come and gone, some people still come to me in friendship and interest, others are probably indifferent to my visiting there. I think of the love and commitment I felt towards that group of people, of all the aspirations I personally had of belonging and contributing and still feel a pang in my heart. I love and care for people there still, and pray for their encouragement and for God's blessing and purposes to be fulfilled there.

I’ve learned that we can have intentions of what we can do for God, only to discover that what He has planned for us can be different.  I know now that for whatever reason, God allowed me to experience a time of turbulence, which, painful as it was, has deepened my walk with Him and dependence on His loving care. I know now that we can all fall prey to our own pride and weaknesses. I've learned the need to work within teams rather than individually. God never wastes anything, and many of the personal trials I’ve experienced over a lifetime have led to study, deeper insights and enabled me to minister to others and work in different settings. Some doors that were only ajar have slammed firmly shut, others have opened in their place, and the journey of my life will no doubt continue through a few more. 

Chinese Garden, Hervey Bay Botanical Gardens

James and Suffering II

When James begins his epistle to his fellow Christians scattered throughout the nations, he mentions trials and testing in a general sense. As he continues his letter, he begins to explore aspects of the Christian life which cause problems, demonstrate spiritual ignorance or immaturity, and which are a bad witness to the outside world. Note that James’ words are directed to the church, as are the other New Testament epistles. We are sometimes quick to expect the unsaved and unchurched to behave as Christ would have us behave and lament when they don’t, when it is sometimes difficult for Christians to remember to do so.

What are some of the factors that cause division and strife in church communities and other relationships? James lists several, and expands on a couple:

• doubting – the message of the gospel and its power to transform
• being “double minded” – unstable, not fixed on the purposes which God has called him or her to.
• faith without works – not living out what you believe. We are called to “go the extra mile”, to think of others as well as ourselves, to give of our time, efforts and resources for kingdom, rather than personal goals. We are not saved by works, only by the blood of Christ, but our works demonstrate our love for Him.
• Showing bias and prejudice. The world has its “favourites”- the “stars” that many admire and emulate. As Christians we are not to favour the rich and powerful. Throughout the Bible God calls and uses the weak and powerless of this world for His purposes. Those who have financial resources to donate to church purposes should not do so with the expectation that they now have a power base in the church.
• Having a reckless tongue. James devotes a large section of his letter to discussing this topic, and the seriousness of the effects of unbridled speech to harm communities cannot be overestimated. Gossip and criticism are the white ants that can completely destroy ministries and churches from within. If a person gossips to you, they will gossip about you. You’re not obliged to pass on information to the ones in the community who need to know everything about everyone. Refuse to join in. Speak well of your brothers and sisters in Christ. If you have a problem with a person, follow Biblical procedures in dealing with the situation. Don’t go around discussing the problem with others and asking them to take sides. If you have a problem with the pastoral team, discuss your concerns with them only. They assume heavy responsibilities and are accountable to God for their actions.
• wrong desires- being jealous of others and coveting what you don’t have (a direct transgression of the tenth commandment). Sometimes a church community can become a vehicle for power plays and jealousy within the laity. Things like ministry involvement or leadership can become idols in themselves. Nor should we treat God as a spiritual santa.  Asking God for blessings in a self-centred manner is not what He wants. I wonder what James would make of the prosperity gospel. We need wisdom to control our selfishness and desire the more precious gifts of God.
• Pride, arrogance and boasting. Scripture reminds us to emulate the servant heart of our Saviour, who led by washing the feet of His disciples. We all minister best from a position of humility and genuine love for those who we serve. All credit goes to Him who enables it all – Jesus.
• Oppressing the poor. Throughout scripture, this has been regarded by God as a serious sin. “The workman is worthy of his wages.” (1 Timothy 5:18). “Behold, this was the iniquity of your sister Sodom: pride, fullness of bread, and prosperous ease was in her and in her daughters; neither did she strengthen the hand of the poor and needy.” (Ezekiel 16:49). Ministry to the poor and needy was established not only by Christ but was one of the reasons for the appointment of care workers in the church, described in Acts chapter 6.

After this exhaustive list of troublemaking factors, it’s refreshing that James ends his epistle on a positive note. We are not to fear problems in the church, for Jesus has called us to be a unified body, and the gates of hell will not prevail against it. We serve a conquering Lord, whose power is greater that that of any who would oppose us. When we commit our lives to Christ, His Holy Spirit dwells within, to be our counsellor and earthly guide.

What are some of the results of this indwelling Holy Spirit? James tells us that it produces people who are

• wise – able to act maturely in relation to others
• peaceful – mediators and peacemakers
• gentle and accommodating
• merciful – forgiving others as Christ has forgiven us
• full of good works
• fair and honest
• enduring – serving Christ in good times and difficult ones
• overcomers

May God bless you and your church in whatever sphere of ministry you are involved in.

Returning

Returning
to your welcoming embrace
of outstretched branches
you and I, my friend have grown
gnarled by passing winters
twisted with the onslaught
of savage gales,
lined with the weariness of years
You, who have borne
green leaves of many summers,
standing firm before I came to be,
will stand in centuries
beyond my passing
and I wait in the coolness
of your branches
scribbling words
to seal us both together
for this moment

Bunya Mountains May 2015