More About Signs of the “End of the World”

More About Signs of the “End of the World”

Read last week’s bulletin for more about the signs Jesus gave which would precede the time when God brought judgment on the Jewish nation and took the kingdom from them. Jesus said it would happen in the generation then living and it did. The destruction of the temple, when not one stone was left upon another, brought a visible end to Judaism. Its destruction made it impossible for the Levitical priesthood to any longer be able to offer animal sacrifices for those who had been God’s chosen people.circle signs

However, some have struggled with what they thought the disciples asked when they spoke of the end of the world and the coming of Jesus. Because of their questions, some think the signs given are signs of the time when the earth will be destroyed when Jesus comes the second time to judge the world.

To fully understand this question, it is absolutely essential to note that they did not ask what will be the signs of the end of earth. Yet, we think that was what they were asking about because the King James Version uses the word “world.” Check almost every other translation and you will see the correct translation of the Greek word. That Greek word indicates the end of the age, not the end of the physical earth. There is an entirely different Greek word for earth and that is not the word Jesus used in Matthew 24. Jesus had just told them of the destruction of the temple, the focal point of Judaism, and they asked about the end of that Jewish age to be brought about by the destruction of the temple. Jesus said it was to end in that generation and they wanted signs which would precede the end of the age of the temple and Judaism.

Also note that prior to this event Jesus had said almost nothing about the end of the physical earth. It is only after this event that Jesus talks to the apostles about the time when Jesus would destroy the earth. How could these disciples be asking about the end of the earth, for how could they know about that end?

To see that there was a world (age) which ended in the first century, consider two other times the King James translates the word “age” using the word “world.” When Paul wrote to the Corinthians, he looked back at the Old Testament events and said, “Now all these things happened unto them for ensamples; and they are written for our admonition, upon who the ends of the world are come” (1 Cor. 10:11, KJV). He does not use the past or future tense. The ends of the world are coming on you.

Hebrews 9:26 speaks of Christ and says that “…now once in the end of the world hath He appeared to put away sin by the sacrifice of Himself.” Christ came at the end of world—not the earth, but the age. Let the Bible explain its words!

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Nice, but Not Loving in Pulpits

Nice, but Not Loving in Pulpits

Over the past 10-15 years I have witnessed a subtle shift being preached from pulpits all across the nation.

Oftentimes, these shifts are a result of pushing back against negative claims from our culture. Other times it is in response to a new “hobby horse” that is being circulated in Christian schools or schools of preaching. For instance, in years past, New Testament Christians were accused of not embracing the concept of grace—and so, pulpits rushed into overtime to prove we believed in grace.

Today, the shift has moved toward “love.” Christians have been accused of being unloving, confrontational, and sometimes mean-spirited in our “tolerate everything” culture.

In response, pulpits (and pens) have been working overtime to push an ideology of “loving your neighbor” at the center of everything. It’s all about showing love and being nice. Sadly, the pendulum has swung too far, and we no longer preach/teach strongly against sin.

It’s almost as though we believe we can literally love people into the baptistry by just being nice. Real repentance and conversion can only happen if there is godly sorrow (2 Corinthians 7:10)—which means Christians have an obligation to point out sin. As Focus Press’s Jack Wilkie recently pointed out:

“The modern church would run Elijah and half the minor prophets out of town on a rail. Paul wouldn’t last long either. Not nice enough. We have no concept of when it’s time for direct speech and hard truths and when it’s time to soften our words. If your approach has no room for one or the other, it will prove useless when the time comes.”

Love is not a new concept—and it is most assuredly a biblical command. But this new emphasis of love is different from years past. This new emphasis on (misguidedly) loving our neighbor often has preachers pulling Scripture out of context so that we never confront anyone, never offend anyone, we never speak directly and boldly about sin, and that above all, we are viewed as “nice” by our lost neighbors.

Before I allow everyone to cling blindly to this concept of trying to love people into the baptistry and become silenced about sin, allow me to point out a few Truths:

  • God is love (1 John 4:8).
  • Sometimes love looks like punishing/cursing Cain and banishing him (Genesis 4:11-12).
  • Sometimes love looks like wiping out every human except 8, because their thoughts were on evil continually (Genesis 6:5-7).
  • Sometimes love looks like raining fire and brimstone and destroying cities because of immoral behavior (Genesis 19:24-25).
  • Sometimes love looks like God killing people for lying (Acts 5:3-5).
  • Sometimes love looks like turning over tables because of wickedness (Matthew 21:12-13; Mark 11:15-18).
  • Sometime love looks like calling people brood of vipers or hypocrites because they speak evil things and their hearts are wicked (Matthew 12:34; Matthew 23).
  • Sometimes love calling out specific unrighteous behaviors and informing people those who practice such things will not inherit the Kingdom of God (1 Corinthians 6:9-11; see also Ephesians 5:3-5).
  • Sometimes love means calling out specific things God hates (Proverbs 6:16-19).
  • Sometimes love means calling out religious teachers and leaders for using religion for their own gain and keeping people in bondage (John 2:13-16; Mark 3:4-5).
  • Sometimes love means calling out immoral behavior (Hosea; Amos; 1 Corinthians 5)
  • Sometimes love looks like sending your Son to the cross for all of mankind (John 3:16)

Yes, God is love. So consider this:

  • The love of God is keeping His commandments (1 John 5:3; John 14:15)
  • Love is the fulfillment of the law (Romans 13:10)
  • In other words, love and reproof are NOT mutually exclusive.

To “love” is to do what God says to do in the way He says do it.

Paul wrote, “And have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather expose them” (Ephesians 5:11). In other words, to be loving is to be lawful; to obey God’s commands.

Maybe instead of trying to “love” people into the baptistry, silencing Christians against confronting sin, and preaching “love, love, love,” we should spend a few weeks focusing on the full-portrait of God. Talk about His holiness. Talk about His wrath. Talk about His righteous judgment. Talk about the things He hates.

In doing so we just might prick some hearts with godly sorrow, and see repentance come back into our auditoriums.

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Endorsing a Friend

Endorsing a Friend

“My son, if thou be surety for thy friend, if thou hast stricken thy hand with a stranger, Thou art snared with the words of thy mouth, thou art taken with the words of thy mouth.”(Proverbs 6:1-2 KJV)

Solomon gives a warning regarding the practical matter of vouching for or endorsing a friend and doing business with strangers. These are not warnings to avoid situations like these altogether, but simply a recognition of the inherent dangers in them. These situations can lure you and trap you into a compromising position unless you are careful.

To “be surety for” a friend implies some responsibility for their actions – either fiscal responsibility or legal responsibility. When he breaks his responsibility, you then are liable along with him. Your good name is in potential danger.

To have “stricken hands with a stranger” means that you have entered into some  kind of legally binding agreement with him. With this comes certain obligations that you have consented to. You have given your word and you must not go back on it. The warning comes in with him being a stranger because there may be things about him or his motives that you do not know. Therefore, you should be wise as a serpent and yet harmless as a dove.

Read Ecclesiastes 7:1; Psalms 15:4; Ephesians 5:15; Matthew 10:16

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Signs of the End of the World

Signs of the End of the World

So many think that the signs of “the end of the world” given by Jesus the week before He died show that it won’t be very long until Jesus shall appear. It is true that Jesus gave signs when the “end of the world” would come, but what “world” did He have in mind? When the disciples asked for these signs given in Matthew 24, what were they asking about?

Look at the context. Jesus had taught the parable of those who had refused to pay the owner for the use of his vineyard. He sent servants to ask for the payment and all of them were abused. He finally sent his son and they laid out plans to kill him. Read the parable of God sending His Son to the Jews in God’s vineyard. What was the expected response on these wicked men? “He will destroy those wicked men miserably, and lease his vineyard to other vinedressers” (Matt. 21:41). Jesus further then amplified the application of the parable when He said, “Therefore I say to you, the kingdom of God will be taken from you and given to a nation bearing the fruits of it” (Matt. 21:43).

Look closer at the context of the signs. In Matthew 23, He told these same Jewish leaders that God’s plan was to bring judgment on the Jewish nation who had killed all the prophets sent to them and would soon to kill the prophets Jesus was sending to them. He said that wrath and judgment was to come on the generation then living (Matt. 23:34-36). God’s judgment was to come on those who had killed God’s messengers/prophets and were at that moment planning to kill His Son. It was to happen in that generation. God was no longer with them and their “house was left…desolate” (Matt. 23:38).

He then walked out of that desolate house, and they showed to Him the beauty of that house, that temple. Jesus’ response was that the time was coming when not one stone of the temple would be left on another. He left the city and Peter, James, John and Andrew said to Him, “Tell us, when will these things be? And what will be the sign when all these things will be fulfilled?” (Mark 13:3-4). The house was desolate. God was about to destroy it, and the disciples wanted signs it was about to happen.

Jesus gave the signs and then said, “When you see all these things, know that it is near—at the doors! Assuredly, I say to you this generation will by no means pass away till all these things take place” (Matt. 24:33-34). He had told them the Jewish nation was to be removed, its temple destroyed and these disciples would see all these signs! It was to all happen in the generation then living on the earth.

There is more to be said about the signs of “the end of the world” in next week’s article.

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The Secret of Happiness

The Secret of Happiness

If you were asked to give a simple answer to the question about the secret of happiness on this earth, what would you say? The best response might be found in an acronym which has been around for decades. It deserves to be repeated because some may have forgotten it; others who have not grown up in the church may have never heard it; and parents need to be reminded to teach it to their small children. It is based on using every letter of the word JOY to give the order of priority of true happiness: Jesus first; Others second and Yourself last.

Jesus first. We must never forget these words of Jesus in the Sermon on the Mount. “Seek ye first the kingdom of God and His righteousness…” (Matt. 6:33). Nor should we forget that the greatest commandment of the Old Testament was, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind, and with all your strength” (Mark 12:30). Paul says it this way, “This one thing I do…I press toward the mark of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus” (Phil. 3:13-14). There is no joy until we put first things first.

Others second. Unless we train ourselves otherwise, we will embrace the social norm of nature—survival of the fittest and all that matters is me and my happiness. That second greatest commandment still says, “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.” The reality is that in one sense we are to love them more than ourselves. The Scriptures say, “Let each esteem others better than himself” (Phil. 2:3). The example of Paul’s willingness to humble himself and put others first is clearly seen. Paul teaches that one can freely eat any kind of meat but was aware that some did not share this knowledge. What was his response? “If food makes my brother stumble, I will never again eat meat, lest I make my brother stumble” (1 Cor. 8:13). See that same attitude toward his actions in teaching the lost, “I have made myself a servant to all that I might win the more…to the Jew I became…to those without law I became… to the weak I became…” (1 Cor. 9:19-22).

Yourself last. Dealing with others who are so selfish is not easy, but each of them has a soul which we must seek to save. David describes winning the souls of others in terms of planting a crop and harvesting it. “Those who sow in tears shall reap in joy. He who continually goes forth weeping shall doubtless come again with rejoicing, bringing his sheaves with him” (Psa. 126:5-6). Beyond a shadow of a doubt, we shall sow and reap in joy. This will never happen until we put ourselves last.

Remember that the secret of true joy in this is so simple. Jesus first, others second and yourself last.

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