The End of the Age - Pt 1

The end of all things is at hand; therefore be self-controlled and sober-minded for the sake of your prayers. Above all, keep loving one another earnestly, since love covers a multitude of sins. Show hospitality to one another without grumbling. As each has received a gift, use it to serve one another, as good stewards of God's varied grace: whoever speaks, as one who speaks oracles of God; whoever serves, as one who serves by the strength that God supplies—in order that in everything God may be glorified through Jesus Christ. To him belong glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen. (1 Peter 4:7-11 ESV).

So, if Peter does not mean Jesus is coming back any moment NOW, what does he mean? And, how does this affect our lives? I think Peter is speaking from the perspective of the current circumstances of his readers. There was an intensifying persecution. That was not a surprise. Jesus had warned them of such before his crucifixion. There were rumors of wars, which had been a common experience for mankind then and now. The horizon was dark for Israel, and the judgment on Jerusalem was near. Not only that, the gospel was spreading quickly and pervasively as the Spirit was being poured out on Jew and Gentile alike. Paul was able to plant churches in all the major cites of Galatia in a matter of months. Now he had completed the frontier mission work from Jerusalem all the way around to northern Italy (cf. Romans 15:19), and he planned to go to Spain. Hundreds, perhaps thousands, of other bands of missionaries were forming and going to the unreached. Between Peter and Paul (shown in the ancient drawing today), there were churches established throughout Europe and Asia. Peter must have believed if Pentecost was any indication, and if the success of Paul is any evidence, the world could be evangelized in a very few years by God's great power. I don’t think he was speaking prophetically, but practically. He is encouraging his readers to be ready, because it appeared “the end was at hand.” He goes on to say: "So be sober for prayer, because the great danger facing us is that we fall in love with this world and become spiritually dull and the day come upon us like a thief and we be destroyed. O pray, brothers, pray for the coming of the kingdom and for your strength to endure and escape the trap of spiritual apathy. Pray that you may be able to stand before the Son of Man." And that's exactly the way I would talk about the coming of the Lord today. It is just around the corner. The end is near indeed. If anyone dallies with sin and the world, thinking, "I have lots of time," he plays the fool. The Judge is at the door. And the time remaining should be spent in earnest prayer that we not be made drunk and hard by the cares and pleasures of this world. Tomorrow we’ll look at two practical applications of this admonition. Today, pray you will be ready!