Excellent observation, sir. All the devastation can tend to numb us instead of building our anticipation. We develop a ho-hum attitude instead of becoming more alert. Thanks for the reminder.
As I walked past a newsstand in the airport the cover of a Newsweek turned my head like a face-slap. It read, “Apocalypse Now,” the subhead as follows: “Tsunamis. Earthquakes. Nuclear Meltdowns. Revolutions. Economies on the Brink. What the #@%! Is Next?” Yes, you heard me right, it was Newsweek.
This got me pondering, and I turned again to what Scripture has to say about the End Times. I’ll share my reflections—as I have the—over the weeks to follow.
In light of global events, those to which the Newsweek article is referring, I was thinking this morning about the question, “How close are we?” I’m no different from the disciples, and this is precisely what they wanted to know: ‘Tell us,’ they said, ‘when will this happen, and what will be the sign of your coming and of the end of the age?” (Matthew 24:3).
In one sense, we’re always close. This, I believe, to be the point of Jesus’ teaching concerning his Coming: motivation more than information. It’s an evergreen encouragement, good for the duration of the church age. It’s like an exit on the Jersey Turnpike: wherever you are, it’s always just up ahead.
We can also safely say that we are getting closer. For the Christian, history does not repeat, it echoes. It moves forward, not in circles. Events do not reoccur but themes do, because history is a story whose author reveals his presence and plot through foreshadow. For those within the story, stuck inside its pages, it’s quite impossible to know with surety when the convergence of events indicates yet another instance of foreshadow or the actual culmination or climax of the story.
The TV series Lost was one of the most popular in the last decade, but after the first two seasons I stopped watching. Every time the plot seemed to be building to a climax, it dissipated, generating yet new story threads. I’d been suckered in by shows like this before: Alias became Alias Season One, than Two, then Three. By the end of Lost’s second season, anticipation had given way to cynicism—“does producer J.J. Abrams even know how to end a story?” As each apparent climax turned out to be yet another “build” in the plot, what was “lost” was my interest. I simply stopped watching.
Understandably, I think this is where a lot of us are as it relates to the End Times, not wanting to be emotionally drawn in, cynical it’s just another iteration of the theme, another build in the plot, and not the climax of the story. I’m sure it was for us—those tuned-in to the 2,000th season—that Jesus repeated his warnings to keep watching and to do so with growing anticipation, not cynicism.
Jesus lived at a time like ours, when eschatological expectations fueled messianic claims, rumors, and predictions. In light of this, what Jesus doesn’t say to his disciples is as surprising as what he does. He doesn’t say, “Don’t look for signs,” or “Avoid speculation.” Rather, he gives them very specific signs and encourages them to be on the look out for them.
And. So. If Newsweek has turned its attention to the signs Jesus gave for his Return, I think I’ll follow their example and re-engage with these texts.
More to follow.
Excellent observation, sir. All the devastation can tend to numb us instead of building our anticipation. We develop a ho-hum attitude instead of becoming more alert. Thanks for the reminder.
What Did He Say? What Did He Do? What’s the Point?
In Jesus Without Religion, author Rick James begins by clearing his throat. Free of creeds, quarrels and specialized theologies, he speaks of Jesus. No dogma, no politics, no moral at the end. Jesus. What he said. What he did. And what, exactly, was the point. The answers about Jesus, according to Rick James, are in the context. In his own unconventional way, James recalls the specific contexts that color Jesus’ story, bringing forward this man you’ve heard so much—and so little—about.
An unbreakable habit of purity in a pornographic world
Sexual immorality and pornography have become the defining issues and obstacles to spiritual growth and ministry. Written in a straightforward, gracious, and often humorous style, James does not stir up guilt but helps readers develop an unbreakable habit of purity amidst a pornographic world.
Flesh is divided into three sections. First, there is small group Bible study material because a large part of victory lies in establishing encouraging relationships of accountability. A content section follows with articles covering most every issue connected to sex, lust, sexuality, and pornography. Last, there is a month of daily devotionals to saturate the reader in the Scripture, develop new habits of the heart and establish a track record of purity.
The Only Way to Live
As Christians we talk often about resurrection, but what about our death and the many daily “deaths” that must come first? Through stories and biblical insights, Rick James reminds us that when Jesus tells us to deny ourselves, take up our crosses, and follow Him, He is describing a path of death, not a path to death.
As we learn to embrace the little deaths of everyday existence, we lose our taste for lifeless religiosity. Our appetite for a thriving, vibrant life in Christ grows—and our own experience motivates others to live out their extraordinary missions on earth. As James so vividly illustrates, death is not an ending—it’s an invitation to more abundant life.
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