What Difference Does Easter Make? - Pt. 1

 

For this reason I bow my knees before the Father, from whom every family in heaven and on earth is named, that according to the riches of his glory he may grant you to be strengthened with power through his Spirit in your inner being, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith—that you, being rooted and grounded in love, may have strength to comprehend with all the saints what is the breadth and length and height and depth, and to know the love of Christ that surpasses knowledge, that you may be filled with all the fullness of God. Now to him who is able to do far more abundantly than all that we ask or think, according to the power at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, forever and ever. Amen. (Ephesians 3:14-21 ESV).

 

I hope you were encouraged with the past few devotionals dealing with the proof of the resurrection; however, I wonder if you may have come away with a sense of “so what?” Recently I received a message from a reader asking that question. They wrote: “I believe in Jesus whether He was really resurrected or not. Does it really matter?” So, for the next few days I want to explore some differences that the resurrection means for every believer.

 

We can say so many things about the effect of Christ’s resurrection on our present life as Christians. No one has truly exhausted the possibilities of what God may be willing to do in us and through us because of the power of the resurrection of Christ in us. This is what the Apostle Paul referenced in our reading today. Read it again: “[God] is able to do far more abundantly than all that we ask or think, according to the power at work within us” (v. 20). There’s the connection between this verse and what he said earlier in the letter (cf. Ephesians 1:19): the power that makes it possible for us to do far more abundantly than we even dream we could is the very power of God that he worked when he raised Christ from the dead. This is the power for the abundant life Jesus came to give us (cf. John 10:10).

 

Every other religious sect depends largely on the individual’s effort and leaves them powerless in the face of life’s greatest fear, which is death. Jesus’ work on the cross and his resurrection changes all of that. We have a God who does for us more than we could even dream of, including the elimination of death’s grip on our life. And that’s just the beginning. The resurrection matters enormously! Embrace it! Celebrate it!

 

Prove It! - Pt. 5

 

When the day of Pentecost arrived, they were all together in one place. And suddenly there came from heaven a sound like a mighty rushing wind, and it filled the entire house where they were sitting. And divided tongues as of fire appeared to them and rested on each one of them. And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit gave them utterance. Now there were dwelling in Jerusalem Jews, devout men from every nation under heaven. (Acts 1:1-5 ESV).

 

Sometimes we have failed to understand one of the greatest affirmations of the resurrection of Jesus is simply the existence of the Christian church. However, it is one of the strongest proofs for the resurrection. Even the most skeptical NT scholars admit that the disciples at least believed that Jesus was raised from the grave. I like the way William Lane Craig gives us three possible causes: Christian influences, pagan influences, or Jewish influences. We should spend a bit of time looking at the plausibility of each of these.

 

First, shouldn’t we ask if it could have been later Christian influences? Craig writes, "Since the belief in the resurrection was itself the foundation for Christianity, it cannot be explained as the later product of Christianity." Further, as we saw, if the disciples made it up, then they were frauds and liars--alternatives we have shown to be false. We have also shown the unlikeliness that they hallucinated this belief.

 

Second, what about pagan influences? After all, it is true that there were many myths of dying and rising savior-gods at the time of Christianity. Some have suggested that the disciples were simply deluded by those myths and copied them into their own teaching on the resurrection of Christ. However, serious scholars have almost universally rejected this theory since WWII, for several reasons. It has been shown that these mystery religions had no major influence in Palestine in the first century. Also, most of the sources which contain parallels originated after Christianity was established. And most of the similarities are often apparent and not real. They were a result of sloppy terminology on the part of those who explain them. For example, one critic tried to argue that a ceremony of killing a bull and letting the blood drip all over the participants was parallel to holy communion. Last, the early disciples were Jews, and it would have been unthinkable for a Jew to borrow from another religion. For they were zealous in their belief that the pagan religions were abhorrent to God.

 

Jewish influences cannot explain the belief in the resurrection, either. First century Judaism had no conception of a single individual rising from the dead in the middle of history. Their concept was always that everybody would be raised together at the end of time. So, the idea of one individual rising in the middle of history was foreign to them. Thus, Judaism of that day could have never produced the resurrection hypothesis. This is also another good argument against the theory that the disciples were hallucinating. Psychologists will tell you that hallucinations cannot contain anything new; that is, they cannot contain any idea that isn't already somehow in your mind. Since the early disciples were Jews, they had no conception of the messiah rising from the dead in the middle of history. Thus, they would have never hallucinated about a resurrection of Christ. At best, they would have hallucinated that he had been transported directly to heaven, as Elijah had been in the OT, but they would have never hallucinated a resurrection.

 

These things ultimately point us to the beginning of the Church with the First Pentecost with the Jews and continuing with the Second Pentecost with the Gentiles. From that beginning the Church began to grow expanding through the years to the entire globe. This could not have been sustained for this length of time and with this magnitude of belief. Jesus is indeed risen!

 

Prove It! - Pt. 4

 

As they were talking about these things, Jesus himself stood among them, and said to them, “Peace to you!” But they were startled and frightened and thought they saw a spirit. And he said to them, “Why are you troubled, and why do doubts arise in your hearts? See my hands and my feet, that it is I myself. Touch me, and see. For a spirit does not have flesh and bones as you see that I have.” And when he had said this, he showed them his hands and his feet. And while they still disbelieved for joy and were marveling, he said to them, “Have you anything here to eat?” They gave him a piece of broiled fish, and he took it and ate before them. (Luke 24:36-42 ESV).

 

Perhaps the most compelling of the evidences is that Jesus' disciples had real experiences with one whom they believed was the risen Christ. This is not commonly disputed today because we have the testimony of the original disciples themselves that they saw Jesus alive again. And you don't need to believe in the reliability of the gospels to believe this. In, Paul records an ancient creed concerning Jesus' death, burial, and resurrection appearances that is much earlier than the letter in which Paul is recording it:

 

For I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received, that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, and that He was buried, and that He was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures, and that He appeared to Cephas, then to the twelve. After that He appeared to more than five hundred brethren at one time (1 Corinthians 15:3-8).

 

It is generally agreed by critical scholars that Paul received this creed from Peter and James between 3-5 years after the crucifixion. Now, Peter and James are listed in this creed as having seen the risen Christ. Since they are the ones who gave this creed to Paul, this is therefore a statement of their own testimony. As the Jewish Scholar Pinchahs Lapide has said, this creed "may be considered the statement of eyewitnesses."

 

Now, I recognize that just because the disciples think they saw Jesus doesn't automatically mean that they really did. There are three possible alternatives: they were lying; they hallucinated; or, they really saw the risen Christ.

 

If the disciples knew that Jesus had not really risen, but they made up this story about the resurrection, then why did 10 of the disciples willingly die as martyrs for their belief in the resurrection? People will often die for a lie that they believe is the truth. But if Jesus did not rise, the disciples knew it. Thus, they wouldn't have just been dying for a lie that they mistakenly believed was true. They would have been dying for a lie that they knew was a lie. Ten people would not all give their lives for something they know to be a lie. Because of the absurdity of the theory that the disciples were lying, we can see why almost all scholars today admit that, if nothing else, the disciples at least believed that Jesus appeared to them. But we know that just believing something to be true doesn't make it true.

 

That brings us to the second of the theories: the disciples were wrong and had been deceived by a hallucination. The hallucination theory is untenable because it cannot explain the physical nature of the appearances. The disciples record eating and drinking with Jesus, as well as touching him. This cannot be done with hallucinations. Second, it is highly unlikely that they would all have had the same hallucination. Hallucinations are highly individual and not group projections. Further, the hallucination theory cannot explain the conversion of Paul, three years later. And perhaps most significantly, the hallucination theory cannot even deal with the evidence for the empty tomb.

 

Since the disciples could not have been lying or hallucinating, we have only one possible explanation left: the disciples believed that they had seen the risen Jesus because they really had seen the risen Jesus. So, the resurrection appearances alone demonstrate the resurrection. Thus, if we reject the resurrection, we are left with a second inexplicable mystery--first the empty tomb and now the appearances. The answer… Hallelujah… He is risen!

 

Prove It! - Pt. 3

 

For I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received: that Christ died for our sins in accordance with the Scriptures, that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day in accordance with the Scriptures, and that he appeared to Cephas, then to the twelve. Then he appeared to more than five hundred brothers at one time, most of whom are still alive, though some have fallen asleep. Then he appeared to James, then to all the apostles. Last of all, as to one untimely born, he appeared also to me. (1 Corinthians 15:3-8 ESV).

 

One last bit of information that will be encouraging in your unwavering faith, sometimes in the face of those who would merely scoff at the idea of Jesus’ resurrection. The truth is that because of such weighty evidence for the empty tomb, most recent scholars do not deny it. D.H. Van Daalen has said, "It is extremely difficult to object to the empty tomb on historical grounds; those who deny it do so on the basis of theological or philosophical assumptions."

 

Of course, there are still those who simply refuse to accept Jesus’ resurrection any more than they would the Easter Bunny. I'm sure you've heard of the various theories used to explain away the empty tomb, such as that the body was stolen. But those theories are ridiculed today by all serious scholars. In fact, they have been considered dead and refuted for almost a hundred years.

 

No one of any reliability can believe the Jews or Romans had a motive to steal the body of Jesus. They wanted to suppress Christianity, not encourage it by providing it with an empty tomb. The disciples would have had no motive, either. Because of their preaching on the resurrection, they were beaten, killed, and persecuted. Why would they go through all of this for a deliberate lie? No serious scholars hold to any of these theories today. All the critics are as Criag suggests: "…they are self-confessedly without any explanation to offer. There is simply no plausible natural explanation today to account for Jesus' tomb being empty. If we deny the resurrection of Jesus, we are left with an inexplicable mystery."

 

The resurrection of Jesus is not just the best explanation for the empty tomb, it is the only explanation!

 

Prove It! - Pt. 2

 

But on the first day of the week, at early dawn, they went to the tomb, taking the spices they had prepared. And they found the stone rolled away from the tomb, but when they went in they did not find the body of the Lord Jesus. While they were perplexed about this, behold, two men stood by them in dazzling apparel. And as they were frightened and bowed their faces to the ground, the men said to them, “Why do you seek the living among the dead? He is not here, but has risen. Remember how he told you, while he was still in Galilee, that the Son of Man must be delivered into the hands of sinful men and be crucified and on the third day rise.” And they remembered his words, and returning from the tomb they told all these things to the eleven and to all the rest. (Luke 24:1-9 ESV).

 

Today we begin to dig a little deeper in “proving” the resurrection. I surmise that most of my readers will find this a bit tedious as you already have a firm belief in place concerning this foundational tenet of faith. However, I hope you will use this information with some of your friends when they question your faith in the bodily resurrection of Jesus. Our first evidence is found in the reporting that the tomb in which Jesus was buried was discovered empty by a group of women on the Sunday following the crucifixion. There are some basics that support this report by the Gospel writers.

 

First, the women told the disciples immediately. When they verified their story, they began to tell everyone that Jesus was resurrected. All this happened in Jerusalem mere days after his death and burial. Paul Althaus writes, the resurrection proclamation "could not have been maintained in Jerusalem for a single day, for a single hour, if the emptiness of the tomb had not been established as a fact for all concerned."

 

Second, the earliest Jewish arguments against Christianity admit the empty tomb. In Matthew 28:11-15, there is a reference made to the Jew's attempt to refute Christianity be saying that the disciples stole the body. This is significant because it shows that the Jews did not deny the empty tomb. Instead, their "stolen body" theory admitted the significant truth that the tomb was in fact empty. Other Jewish sources also support this fact (ie. The Toledoth Jesu). Further, we have a record of a second century debate between a Christian and a Jew, in which a reference is made to the fact that the Jews claim the body was stolen. Remember that the Jewish leaders were opposed to Christianity. They were hostile witnesses. In acknowledging the empty tomb, they were admitting the reality of a fact that was certainly not in their favor. Paul Maier calls this "positive evidence from a hostile source. In essence, if a source admits a fact that is decidedly not in its favor, the fact is genuine."

 

Third, the empty tomb account in the gospel of Mark is based upon a source that originated within seven years of the event it narrates. This places the evidence for the empty tomb too early to be legendary. Michael Horton wrote: "Caiaphas, who we know was high priest at that time, was still high priest when the story began circulating." For "if it had been written after Caiaphas' term of office, his name would have had to have been used to distinguish him from the next high priest. But since Caiaphas was high priest from A.D. 18 to 37, this story began circulating no later than A.D. 37, within the first seven years after the events." So, the early source Mark used puts the testimony of the empty tomb too early to be legendary.

 

Fourth, Jesus' tomb was never venerated as a shrine. This is striking because it was the first century custom to set up a shrine at the site of a holy man's bones. There were at least 50 such cites in Jesus' day. Since there was no such shrine for Jesus, it suggests that his bones weren't there.

 

Fifth, the tomb was discovered empty by women. This is important because first century women were considered worthless. Craig says, "if the empty tomb story were a legend, then it is most likely that the male disciples would have been made the first to discover the empty tomb. The fact that despised women, whose testimony was deemed worthless, were the chief witnesses to the fact of the empty tomb can only be plausibly explained if, like it or not, they actually were the discoverers of the empty tomb."

 

I’ll have more tomorrow! Today, let your faith stand strong in the face of all skeptics. Jesus is not there! He sits on the throne waiting for the final coming!

 

Prove It! - Pt. 1

 

Now after the Sabbath, toward the dawn of the first day of the week, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary went to see the tomb. And behold, there was a great earthquake, for an angel of the Lord descended from heaven and came and rolled back the stone and sat on it. His appearance was like lightning, and his clothing white as snow. And for fear of him the guards trembled and became like dead men. But the angel said to the women, “Do not be afraid, for I know that you seek Jesus who was crucified. He is not here, for he has risen, as he said. Come, see the place where he lay.” (Matthew 28:1-6 ESV).

 

The historical evidence for the resurrection of Christ is very good. Scholars such as William Lane Craig, J.P. Moreland, Gary Habermas, and others have done an especially good job of detailing that evidence. I will do my best in the coming days to give you the Reader’s Digest version of some of their thoughts and show the strength of the historical evidence for the resurrection of Christ. This requires that we use a method commonly used today called "inference to the best explanation." William Lane Craig describes this as an approach where we "begin with the evidence available to us and then infer what would, if true, provide the best explanation of that evidence." In other words, we ought to accept an event as historical if it gives the best explanation for the evidence surrounding it.

 

When we look at the evidence, the truth of the resurrection emerges very clearly as the best explanation. There is no other theory that even comes close to accounting for the evidence. Therefore, there is solid historical grounds for the truth that Jesus Christ rose from the dead. As we begin, I should point out that in establishing the historicity of the resurrection, we do not need to assume that the New Testament is inspired by God or even trustworthy. Of course, I do believe that the New Testament is the absolute truth of God; however, I want to focus here on three truths that even critical scholars admit to be true. In other words, these three truths are so strong that they are accepted by serious historians of all stripes. These three truths are:

 

§  The tomb in which Jesus was buried was discovered empty by a group of women on the Sunday following the crucifixion.

§  Jesus' disciples had real experiences with one whom they believed was the risen Christ.

§  As a result of the preaching of these disciples, which had the resurrection at its center, the Christian church was established and grew.

 

Virtually all scholars who deal with the resurrection, whatever their school of thought, assent to these three truths. We will see that the resurrection of Christ is the best explanation for each of them individually. But then we will see, even more significantly, that when these facts are taken together we have an even more powerful case for the resurrection. Even the skeptic will not have to explain away just one historical fact, but three. These three truths create a strongly woven, three chord rope that cannot be broken.

 

These things in combination with personal faith brings us to the undeniable truth that Jesus was indeed resurrected. Trust in Him!

 

Really, Don?

 

His disciples said, “Ah, now you are speaking plainly and not using figurative speech! Now we know that you know all things and do not need anyone to question you; this is why we believe that you came from God.” Jesus answered them, “Do you now believe? Behold, the hour is coming, indeed it has come, when you will be scattered, each to his own home, and will leave me alone. Yet I am not alone, for the Father is with me. I have said these things to you, that in me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world.” (John 16:29-33 ESV).

 

There have been many times when my “story-telling” has been accused of “ministerial exaggeration.” Perhaps that is a justifiable act if I am describing the size of the fish I have caught… after all, aren’t they always bigger in our memory than in actuality? I suppose I should expect some incredulity as I write about the resurrection of Jesus. People have been questioning that for over 2,000 years. However, it is a question that demands an answer. Without an answer can I have a concrete hope for my future? What do I have to look forward to? At times, don’t we all discover that our hearts are sagging and a sense of heaviness intrudes on us? This is why Jesus spoke so plainly to his disciples in our reading today. So, let’s answer the question… “Really, Don?”

 

Biblical eschatology gives us solid reasons for expecting a personal continuity of life. Eternal life for the individual is not an empty human aspiration built on myth, but an assurance promised us by Christ Himself. His own triumph over the grave is the church’s hope for our participation in His life. However, we have heard so much ridicule and mocking about pie-in-the-sky theology that I’m afraid we’ve lost our appetite for it.

 

The promise of heaven is indeed glorious—a promise that not only anchors the soul but fires the soul with hope. Life is not an outrageous horror, though we witness outrages daily. The outrage is not the bottom line. The sting of death has been overcome. The victory of Christ is not established by platitudes or conjured-up positive mental attitudes. Jesus is not Santa Claus. His call to joy is rooted in reality: “Be of good cheer for I have overcome the world” (John 16:33). Therein resides our future hope. He stared directly into the face of death and death blinked. In the coming days I will give you some of the extracanonical (non-Biblical) proof that has been amassed through the centuries since the resurrection. Today renew your heart with your personal experience of the reality of Jesus. Find hope in the knowledge of what you KNOW of Him in your life. No one knows better than you of that reality! He has indeed overcome the world… and we along with Him!

Why Easter? Pt. 4

 

No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord. (Romans 8:37-39 ESV).

 

One last justification for Easter remains. Christ’s resurrection empowers his present ministry. The resurrection of Christ is important because of the connection between Christ’s resurrection and his present and future ministry. The death of Christ was the purchase of our salvation, not the application or consummation of it.

 

The Scripture describes much more to be done for our experience of the glory of God and the fellowship of Jesus. Christ’s saving work goes on in his resurrection body as he intercedes for us, and when he comes again in glory to establish his kingdom. The goal of our eternal life is to enjoy and magnify the living Christ as he rules over his church and gives himself in service and fellowship to his bride. It is a salvation of living fellowship. If he weren’t alive, we wouldn’t have any salvation. There would be nothing to enjoy forever and ever that is supremely satisfying. So, with no resurrection, we get no fellowship, no salvation, no joy.

 

There are many texts that provide this truth. Should you want to read them, you may find them here: Romans 6:9; 8:34; Ephesians 1:20-23; Acts 17:31; and Colossians 1:18. Consider these texts:

 

The resurrection of Jesus is all-important because his death would be ineffective without it; and because we would have no hope of resurrection without it; and because the ministry of Jesus that he is performing right now, and will perform forever for our everlasting joy, would not exist without the resurrection. Together with the death of Jesus, his resurrection is the all-important event in the history of the world. That is why we celebrate!

 

Why Easter? Pt. 3

 

But in fact Christ has been raised from the dead, the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep. For as by a man came death, by a man has come also the resurrection of the dead. For as in Adam all die, so also in Christ shall all be made alive. But each in his own order: Christ the firstfruits, then at his coming those who belong to Christ. Then comes the end, when he delivers the kingdom to God the Father after destroying every rule and every authority and power. For he must reign until he has put all his enemies under his feet. The last enemy to be destroyed is death. (1 Corinthians 15:20-25 ESV).

 

We must also understand that Easter is that time we declare Christ’s resurrection guarantees ours. The resurrection is important because of its connection between Christ’s resurrection and our resurrection. Our reading today see the Apostle Paul declare: “Christ has been raised from the dead, the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep” (v. 20). That means the resurrection is viewed as one great harvest, and Christ’s resurrection is the firstfruits, the first stage of the resurrection that guarantees our resurrection.

 

The Apostle Paul also wrote the following: “If we have been united with him in a death like his, we shall certainly be united with him in a resurrection like his” (Romans 6:5).  Our resurrection will be owing to our union with Christ, who was raised. If he wasn’t, we won’t be. And, he wrote: “He who raised the Lord Jesus will raise us also with Jesus” (2 Corinthians 4:14). So, Christ’s resurrection is important because ours depends on his. If he wasn’t raised, we won’t be either.

 

There have been so many times throughout my own ministry when this core belief was the only word of hope that I could offer to family and friends of those who had experienced the pain of grief. In my own life, at the death of parents and siblings, I am not troubled because I know the empty tomb is the guarantee that death is once for all defeated. There is not sting in death, only brief separation (cf. 1 Corinthians 15:55). Death died that early morning when the earth shook and the rock rolled away for Jesus to stroll out of the tomb!

 

Why Easter? Pt. 2

 

That is why it depends on faith, in order that the promise may rest on grace and be guaranteed to all his offspring—not only to the adherent of the law but also to the one who shares the faith of Abraham, who is the father of us all, as it is written, “I have made you the father of many nations”—in the presence of the God in whom he believed, who gives life to the dead and calls into existence the things that do not exist. In hope he believed against hope, that he should become the father of many nations, as he had been told, “So shall your offspring be.” He did not weaken in faith when he considered his own body, which was as good as dead (since he was about a hundred years old), or when he considered the barrenness of Sarah’s womb. No unbelief made him waver concerning the promise of God, but he grew strong in his faith as he gave glory to God, fully convinced that God was able to do what he had promised. That is why his faith was “counted to him as righteousness.” But the words “it was counted to him” were not written for his sake alone, but for ours also. It will be counted to us who believe in him who raised from the dead Jesus our Lord, who was delivered up for our trespasses and raised for our justification. (Romans 4:16-25 ESV).

 

Let’s be very clear at the outset of this truth: Christ’s resurrection vindicates his death and frees us from sin. There are two clear passages. The first is our reading today: “[Christ] was delivered up [to death] for our trespasses and raised for our justification” (v. 25). That means that the resurrection was God’s sovereign act to write boldly across the universe that the triumph of Christ’s death was a finished work. The death of Christ successfully completed the foundational work of our justification. Nobody would be saved without God’s declaring us just and righteous before his throne of justice. And Romans 4:25 says that the death of Christ so completely and successfully secures this justification that God put his omnipotent stamp of approval on it by raising Jesus from the dead. The bodily resurrection of Jesus vindicated the saving success of the death of Jesus.

 

The second text is also in the letters of Paul (cf. 1 Corinthians 15:14–18). Paul is talking about bodily resurrection when he says, “If Christ has not been raised, then our preaching is in vain and your faith is in vain. If Christ has not been raised, your faith is futile and you are still in your sins” (vv. 14, 17).

 

Jesus died to remove the guilt of our sins. And Paul is saying that if he’s not raised, you’re still in your sins. He goes on to say that “those also who have fallen asleep in Christ have perished” (1 Corinthians 15:18). In other words, Paul’s preaching of the cross is pointless if Christ was not raised from the dead. “Futile,” he says. And we know it means bodily resurrection because the rest of 1 Corinthians 15 makes it clear that’s the kind of resurrection he’s talking about. You are still in your sins; they are not forgiven; the blood of Jesus is powerless, useless, a failure; it aborted — if Christ was not raised from the dead. The resurrection is important because of its connection to the death of Christ. Without an empty tomb we have no hope ourselves. Easter declares that empty tomb!

 

Why Easter? Pt. 1

 

For Moses writes about the righteousness that is based on the law, that the person who does the commandments shall live by them. But the righteousness based on faith says, “Do not say in your heart, ‘Who will ascend into heaven?’” (that is, to bring Christ down) “or ‘Who will descend into the abyss?’” (that is, to bring Christ up from the dead). But what does it say? “The word is near you, in your mouth and in your heart” (that is, the word of faith that we proclaim); because, if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For with the heart one believes and is justified, and with the mouth one confesses and is saved. For the Scripture says, “Everyone who believes in him will not be put to shame.” For there is no distinction between Jew and Greek; for the same Lord is Lord of all, bestowing his riches on all who call on him. For “everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.” (Romans 10:5-13 ESV).

 

We are about a month away from Easter Sunday which falls on April 20^th this year. As I finished the Book of Hebrews, my thoughts drifted to taking the next month and explore as much about Easter as we could. Some of the thoughts will be practical in nature, while others may seem a bit theological and academic. My desire is that each one of them bring you hope and encouragement in your journey. We live in chaotic times. It is only in Jesus and His work of grace that we may rise above chaos and experience the hope of eternal life.

 

First, in preparation for these devotionals let me give three reasons from the New Testament that the resurrection is essential to God’s purposes in creation and salvation, let me just say clearly that affirming the bodily resurrection of Jesus is essential to being a Christian. The Apostle Paul says in our reading today: “If you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved” (v. 9).

 

I am well aware that Luke writes this: “Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved” (Acts 16:31). But when he said that, “Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved,” he did not mean, “Believe on a dead man.” When he said, “Believe in the Lord,” he meant, “He’s Lord — he’s Lord.” You can’t read Paul’s letters and think that Jesus was Lord, and now he’s in the grave. Paul said in 1 Corinthians 12:3, “No one can say ‘Jesus is Lord,’ except in the Holy Spirit.” He is Lord. You can’t be a Christian if you only believe in a dead human being who was Lord. You can’t. He is Lord. And Jesus is Lord is the fundamental early-church confession.

So, here are three reasons why the resurrection — and, consequently, Easter — is so important.

 

First, it’s important because of the connection between Christ’s resurrection and his death. Second, it’s important because of the connection between Christ’s resurrection and our resurrection. And, third, it’s important because of the connection between Christ’s resurrection and his present and future ministry. Each of these will provide a platform for us in the coming days. Today, prepare your heart to be renewed with the resurrection of Jesus and the difference that makes in our daily life! Easter is essential for all we hope for!

 

One Last Word from Hebrews

 

I appeal to you, brothers, bear with my word of exhortation, for I have written to you briefly. You should know that our brother Timothy has been released, with whom I shall see you if he comes soon. Greet all your leaders and all the saints. Those who come from Italy send you greetings. Grace be with all of you. (Hebrews 13:22-25 ESV).  

 

Like all good preachers, the writer ends his letter with a final appeal and blessing. My prayer today for each of you who have read any or all these devotionals is that you hear the writer’s earnest plea that be filled with grace.

 

Christ shed the blood of the eternal covenant. By this successful redemption, he obtained the blessing of his own resurrection from the dead. That is even clearer in Greek than it is in English, and here it’s clear enough: “God… brought again from the dead our Lord Jesus… by the blood of the eternal covenant.” This Jesus — raised by the blood of the covenant — is now our living Lord and Shepherd. And because of all that, God does two things: First, he equips us with everything good that we may do his will; and, second, he works in us that which is pleasing in his sight.

 

The “eternal covenant,” secured by the blood of Christ, is the new covenant. And the new covenant promise is this: “I will put my law within them, and I will write it on their hearts” (Jeremiah 31:33). Therefore, the blood of this covenant not only secures God’s equipping us to do his will, but also secures God working in us to make that equipping successful.

 

The will of God is not just written on stone or paper as a means of grace. It is worked in us. And the effect is: We feel and think and act in ways more pleasing to God. We are still commanded to use the equipment he gives: “Work out your own salvation with fear and trembling.” But more importantly we are told why: “For it is God who works in you, both to will and to work for his good pleasure” (Philippians 2:12–13).

 

If we are able to please God — if we do his good pleasure — it is because the blood-bought grace of God has moved from mere equipping to omnipotent transforming. Amen!

 

 

 

Jesus - the Same Yesterday, Today, and Forever - Pt. 2

 

Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever. Do not be led away by diverse and strange teachings, for it is good for the heart to be strengthened by grace, not by foods, which have not benefited those devoted to them. We have an altar from which those who serve the tent have no right to eat.  (Hebrews 13:8-10 ESV).

 

You may not be sufficiently in awe of this statement that Jesus is the same, yesterday, today, and forever. It does almost read as an afterthought for the writer as he closes his letter. However, it is one of the most essential declarations in all the New Testament. Let me try to put the significance of each time period in a single sentence.

 

Yesterday: It is crucial that Jesus Christ be the same yesterday as he is today because yesterday is when Jesus Christ showed us in history what he is really like.

 

Today: It is crucial that Jesus Christ be the same today as he was yesterday because today is where we have fellowship with him and relate to him as the person we know by reading about his life and work yesterday.

 

Tomorrow: It is crucial that Jesus Christ be the same tomorrow as he was yesterday and today because all our hope for everlasting joy hangs ultimately on relating to him, not just his gifts.

 

God has chosen that we know Jesus Christ - and God, in and through Christ - by reading about him in a Book that records his life and work from yesterday. God does not ordain that we know Jesus by skipping the historical, once-for-all self-revelation of the incarnation and substituting mystical avenues of communion now. The Christ of today must be the same as the Christ of yesterday or we cannot know the Christ of today. We know him and commune with him through the Word of God about him from yesterday.

 

And what we know about him from yesterday enables us to know him personally now, by his Spirit. The Spirit takes the things of Christ and makes them real and personal and present and powerful and precious in our lives now. This historical, factual Christ whom we have come now to know and love and cherish and exult in is the Christ we will increasingly know and enjoy forever and ever - if he is the same forever. And that is why forever is so important. Believe in this Jesus! He truly is better!

 

Jesus - the Same, Yesterday, Today, and Forever - Pt. 1

 

Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever. Do not be led away by diverse and strange teachings, for it is good for the heart to be strengthened by grace, not by foods, which have not benefited those devoted to them. We have an altar from which those who serve the tent have no right to eat.  (Hebrews 13:8-10 ESV).

 

The most significant thing to notice in these verses is that the writer to the Hebrews clearly calls the Son of God "God." God says to his Son, "Your throne, O God, is forever and ever" (v. 8). Therefore, the writer ascribes to him the work of creating the universe. "The heavens are the work of Your hands" (v. 10). And then he draws out the implication: the creation, which seems so stable and permanent and changeless will, in fact, "be changed like a garment," but "you are the same, and your years will not come to an end." The sameness of Jesus Christ is the sameness that comes from being the eternal God.

 

So, his sameness is the sameness of God. His unchangingness is the unchangingness of God. The visible universe with all its laws that so many count on to be unchanging is like a shirt compared to God: it was put on at creation, and it will be taken off when God is through with it. What the world regards as the baseline of stability is not. God is. And Jesus Christ is God.

 

This raises the crucial question about the changelessness of God, or what we call "the doctrine of God's immutability." We base this doctrine on texts like Malachi 3:6: "For I, the Lord, do not change; therefore you, O sons of Jacob, are not consumed." And, texts like 1 Samuel 15:29, "Also the Glory of Israel [God] will not lie or change His mind; for He is not a man that He should change His mind." You may point to those texts that say God changes his mind. Yes, there are such texts in the Scripture. In fact, one of them is right here in this same chapter of 1 Samuel 15, which is why this text about God's changelessness is so crucial. The Hebrew word for "change his mind" in 1 Samuel 15:29 is the same as the word used in verse 11 and verse 35 for "regret" (NASB) or "repent" (KJV). In verse 11, God says, "I regret [or I repent or change my mind] that I have made Saul king." And in verse 35 God says, "And the Lord regretted [or repented or changed his mind] that He had made Saul king over Israel."

 

It says God does change his mind about Saul, and in verse 29 it says, God "will not lie or change His mind; for He is not a man that He should change His mind." Here is my suggestion about how we can see this. When the writer says that God repented or regretted or changed his mind about making Saul king, he realized that he has said something very liable to misunderstanding. So, he adds verse 29 to limit and clarify what he has said: “For He is not a man that he should change his mind [or repent or regret]." In other words, God's changes are not like man's changes. Changing for God is from one situation to another, but not the kind of changing a human mind would do. God is not man to change like man changes.

 

A man can look with joy on a person and on a situation one day and look with disapproval on that person and the new situation the next day. So can God. He rejoices over a person's behavior one day and may grieve over it the next day. His mind changes. However, there is a great difference. Man brings to every situation limitations that God does not. The most relevant one is that man brings finiteness and lack of knowledge. God does not. That should give us great comfort. That brings hope to us in ways that allow us to shake off our fear.

 

Faith Bigger than Our Fears

 

Let brotherly love continue. Do not neglect to show hospitality to strangers, for thereby some have entertained angels unawares. Remember those who are in prison, as though in prison with them, and those who are mistreated, since you also are in the body. Let marriage be held in honor among all, and let the marriage bed be undefiled, for God will judge the sexually immoral and adulterous. Keep your life free from love of money, and be content with what you have, for he has said, “I will never leave you nor forsake you.” So we can confidently say, “The Lord is my helper; I will not fear; what can man do to me?” (Hebrews 13:1-6 ESV).

 

As we come to a close in our devotionals through Hebrews, I hope you have taken note of the valleys of doctrinal foundation leading to peaks of radical and practical exhortation. Our reading today is one of those moments. The practical matter of keeping our life free from the “love of money” is an essential doctrine for our walk with Christ. Practically speaking the writer tells us that the way to be free from the love of money is to know and believe and be satisfied by the promises of God summed up in "I will never desert you nor will I ever forsake you." If God will never leave me or forsake me, I don't need to crave money as the source of my security and happiness; God will be there for me and meet every need. He doesn't promise wealth. He doesn't even promise freedom from financial stress. He promises to be there. "I will never desert you or forsake you."

 

The writer gives the practical conclusion from this promise: "So that [this is what results from the promise] we confidently say, "The Lord is my helper, I will not be afraid. What shall man do to me?” (v. 6). In other words, if God is really there for me, man is not the decisive shaper of my future, God is. That's why he says, "What can man do to me?" To which you might be tempted to say, "Good grief, man can do a lot to me. He can sue me, evict me, steal from me, slander me, even kill me."

 

However, remember where the writer has just taken us. We have just walked through two chapters of illustrations of this sort of ill-treatment, where saints are "destitute, afflicted, ill-treated"; where Christians suffer painful discipline at the hands of hostile men; and, then he says, "Remember the prisoners… and those who are ill-treated." So this writer is very aware that man can do plenty to us that hurts. Watch the logic of this truth. First, man can do nothing to separate us from the love of God (cf. Romans 8:35-37). Further, man can do nothing that God does not design for our holiness and peace (cf. Hebrews 12:9-10). And, last, man cannot do anything to us that, by faith, does not lead to everlasting joy with God (cf. Hebrews 10:34).

 

So, the way that Hebrews describe the bondage to money being broken is by the power of truth. We are freed from the love of money by coming to see and believe that the promises of money cannot compare with the promises of God. And we come to see this not only because what God promises is superior but also because of the teaching behind the promises that give them credibility and power. This is the heart of the substitutionary death of Christ for us. It gives us confidence that God can treat us with such grace without being naïve and unjust (cf. Hebrews 2:9; 9:26; 10:14). Now… that IS good news! Let your faith be bigger than your fear!

 

Strive for Peace

 

Therefore lift your drooping hands and strengthen your weak knees, and make straight paths for your feet, so that what is lame may not be put out of joint but rather be healed. Strive for peace with everyone, and for the holiness without which no one will see the Lord. (Hebrews 12:12-14 ESV).

 

The writer calls his readers to keep on the straight path so that we might run the race of faith. This injunction is given so that the elect may not grow weary and so that they will hear the voice of God to stay in the race. Yet, by God’s Spirit, all of the elect will most certainly hear these commands and pursue the prize of Christ with all of their might. Before we look at some of the ways we can strengthen ourselves for the race ahead, we will once again remind ourselves that ultimately it is God who sustains and strengthens us and not we ourselves. The Spirit imparts spiritual gifts to us so that we will mature (cf. 1 Corinthians 12:1–11). It is Christ who enables us to do all things (cf. Philippians 4:13).

 

Nevertheless, once we have been granted gifts by the grace of God for our strength, we are responsible to live in gratitude for these gifts with a changed life. We are responsible for exercising these gifts and following His commands. When we do these things, we take the gifts that Christ has given us and further strengthen ourselves. If we do not obey, we will not be able to run to the fullest.

 

In today’s reading, the author of Hebrews begins to tell us some of the ways we can prepare ourselves to finish the race. He tells us to “strive for peace with everyone, and for the holiness without which no one will see the Lord” (v. 14). This is such an important exhortation because the church is often tempted to pursue peace at the expense of holiness. In our own day, many denominations call for peace but not for holiness. They look askance on anyone who breaks fellowship over sin, insisting that unity is more important than truth.

 

However, we can see that this is not the right way. We are to pursue peace and holiness. If we get along but tolerate sin, then peace does not benefit us at all. Things might be quiet, but festering sin will cause us to stumble in the race. Indeed, as John Owen says, “peace with other people is not to be carried out at any price.” However, we must avoid the other extreme of pursuing unbiblical standards of “holiness” that create a morass of strife and legalism. For if we impose rules not based upon Scripture, or if we split churches over peripheral matters, we will be so focused on arguing with one another that we will not run the race with vigor. As was the example of Jesus we must seek a balance between truth-telling and grace-giving. This means loving others, even when we hate what they may espouse or practice. That is what a great race looks like!

Are We Living in the End-Times?

Some Things that Might Cause You to Go HMMMM?

Revelation and the End-Times

 

And I saw a beast rising out of the sea, with ten horns and seven heads, with ten diadems on its horns and blasphemous names on its heads. And the beast that I saw was like a leopard; its feet were like a bear’s, and its mouth was like a lion’s mouth. And to it the dragon gave his power and his throne and great authority. One of its heads seemed to have a mortal wound, but its mortal wound was healed, and the whole earth marveled as they followed the beast. And they worshiped the dragon, for he had given his authority to the beast, and they worshiped the beast, saying, “Who is like the beast, and who can fight against it?”

 

And the beast was given a mouth uttering haughty and blasphemous words, and it was allowed to exercise authority for forty-two months. It opened its mouth to utter blasphemies against God, blaspheming his name and his dwelling, that is, those who dwell in heaven. Also it was allowed to make war on the saints and to conquer them. And authority was given it over every tribe and people and language and nation, and all who dwell on earth will worship it, everyone whose name has not been written from the foundation of the world in the book of life of the Lamb who was slain. If anyone has an ear, let him hear:

 

If anyone is to be taken captive, to captivity he goes; if anyone is to be slain with the sword, with the sword must he be slain. Here is a call for the endurance and faith of the saints.

 

Then I saw another beast rising out of the earth. It had two horns like a lamb and it spoke like a dragon. It exercises all the authority of the first beast in its presence, and makes the earth and its inhabitants worship the first beast, whose mortal wound was healed. It performs great signs, even making fire come down from heaven to earth in front of people, and by the signs that it is allowed to work in the presence of the beast it deceives those who dwell on earth, telling them to make an image for the beast that was wounded by the sword and yet lived. And it was allowed to give breath to the image of the beast, so that the image of the beast might even speak and might cause those who would not worship the image of the beast to be slain. Also it causes all, both small and great, both rich and poor, both free and slave, to be marked on the right hand or the forehead, so that no one can buy or sell unless he has the mark, that is, the name of the beast or the number of its name. This calls for wisdom: let the one who has understanding calculate the number of the beast, for it is the number of a man, and his number is 666.

(Revelation 13 ESV)

 

No clear-thinking individual can deny that we are living in one of the few historical periods of uncertainty the world has ever known. It seems that global turmoil has become such a common occurrence as we have come to accept it as normative. There have always been wars, or rumors of wars in our history. However, it seems that the escalating conflicts in many parts of our world are moving the world ever closer to a global conflict. This as well as the war in Israel continues naturally brings the prophecies of the bible to mind. And, we see many religious leaders and churches exposed as manipulative and carnal.

 

It is at this point that I think a disclaimer is warranted. My intention in writing is not an attempt to predict the future. That prerogative is reserved for God alone. As I have often remarked, “That is way above my pay grade.” I do, however, want to “think out loud” a bit. As the title would suggest, it may cause us to go “hmmmm?” I hope it stirs your mind and heart to be watchful. Keep your lamps full and your wicks trimmed for the coming of the Bridgroom. Jesus told this parable with a warning to His disciples:

 

“Then the kingdom of heaven will be like ten virgins who took their lamps and went to meet the bridegroom. Five of them were foolish, and five were wise. For when the foolish took their lamps, they took no oil with them, but the wise took flasks of oil with their lamps. As the bridegroom was delayed, they all became drowsy and slept. But at midnight there was a cry, ‘Here is the bridegroom! Come out to meet him.’ Then all those virgins rose and trimmed their lamps. And the foolish said to the wise, ‘Give us some of your oil, for our lamps are going out.’ But the wise answered, saying, ‘Since there will not be enough for us and for you, go rather to the dealers and buy for yourselves.’ And while they were going to buy, the bridegroom came, and those who were ready went in with him to the marriage feast, and the door was shut. Afterward the other virgins came also, saying, ‘Lord, lord, open to us.’ But he answered, ‘Truly, I say to you, I do not know you.’ Watch therefore, for you know neither the day nor the hour.”

(Matthew 25:1-13 ESV).

 

The counsel to “watch” is a common theme for Jesus. However, as people speculate in their attempt to answer the natural questions concerning the end times we should be cautious, humbly realizing we may not be witnessing all of God’s plans. And, we should be careful to watch and pray.

 

The importance of being watchful and wise cannot be understated. We must not worship a man or woman or place our hope in a leader thus taking the place reserved only for Jesus. The apostle John speaks of how the spirit of the antichrist is already in the world, and that was two thousand years ago (cf. 1 John 4:1-6). A few chapters earlier, he also mentions people operating as false Christs (cf. 1 John 2:18-23). Therefore, while we may not be dealing with the Antichrist, we still deal with the antichrist spirit and people who act as false Messiahs. These are the people who make claims they can “deliver” us from our predicaments in life.  

 

The devil is a subtle deceiver. It should not be a surprise that this is his most effective means of robbing believers of their peace and joy. It will also be a hallmark of the end times. This spiritual deception will lead many astray and pave the way for the rise of the Antichrist. The Apostle Paul had this to say in that regard:

 

The coming of the lawless one is by the activity of Satan with all power and false signs and wonders, and with all wicked deception for those who are perishing, because they refused to love the truth and so be saved. (2 Thessalonians 2:9-10).

 

Deception has existed since the beginning. However, with today’s technology in communication and the attendant media it has spawned the potential to propagate deception on a global scale, amplifying the influence of false teachings and ideologies is enormous. The prevalence of misinformation, conspiracy theories, and manipulation through digital platforms can contribute to spiritual confusion and deception among individuals on a greater scale than ever before. It has become more and more difficult to know what is fact from what is fiction. As our culture becomes more secular and the voices of spiritual discernment are drowned out in the flood of such lies it is easy to see this is a time like that which is described as the “end times.”

 

A second indicator found in the Scripture describing the end-times is the increase in moral decay. This decline is a prelude to the coming of the “lawless one.” The Apostle Paul describes this when he writes to Timoty: a figure embodying ultimate rebellion against God and his principles:

 

But understand this, that in the last days there will come times of difficulty. For people will be lovers of self, lovers of money, proud, arrogant, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy, heartless, unappeasable, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, not loving good, treacherous, reckless, swollen with conceit, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, having the appearance of godliness, but denying its power. Avoid such people. (2 Timothy 3:1-5).

 

It is common today to see the practice of moral relativism which has resulted in the rejection of Scriptural values. The normalization of behaviors contrary to biblical teachings, such as greed, pride, immorality, and disregard for human life is a clear indication of the departure from God’s standards. This has contributed to the blind following of charismatic leadership as they promise worldly solutions to man’s earthly troubles. It only leads people further from God’s truth. As followers of Jesus our concern for the poor and needy, the continued destruction of family, and the commitment to basic kindness to all people must be of the highest priority.

 

A third indicator of the end-times is the use of increased surveillance and centralized control. This will ultimately lead the way for a future dictator to establish authoritarian rule over humanity. The Apostle John describes it this way:

 

Also it [the second beast] causes all, both small and great, both rich and poor, both free and slave, to be marked on the right hand or the forehead, so that no one can buy or sell unless he has the mark, that is, the name of the beast or the number of its name. (Revelation 13:16-17).

 

There is no doubt that John’s vision of the Revelation describes a future where the Antichrist implements a system of control that requires people to receive a mark to participate in economic activities, which necessitates much control over people’s lives. Of course, we cannot definitively identify what that will be. However, it is easy for us to imagine that things such as biometrics and RFID implants seem to fit some of these descriptions. The potential of these developments for mass surveillance and control over individuals cannot be denied. And, adding to those things, we have seen incredible proliferation of digital platforms and data collection that ought to raise serious questions about the potential for manipulation and control.

 

We have seen first-hand how this might look when the global lockdowns and panic that ensued as a result of the COVID-19 epidemic revealed the control available for leaders who want to facilitate oppressive measures like restrictions on freedom of expression, movement, and association.

 

Believers should be reminded by these things of the necessity of discernment in evaluating the implications of technological advancements and societal trends on personal freedom and autonomy.

 

Continuing to note some of the signs of these times we can see in Biblical prophecy how political power will be consolidated under a single global authority, paving the way for the rise of a charismatic leader who embodies the antichrist spirit. The Apostle John says, “And authority was given it over every tribe and people and language and nation” (Revelation 13:7).  The beast represents the Antichrist, a political figure establishing a centralized government with worldwide influence and control.

 

There is significant movement on the world stage today. Many world leaders have embraced globalization in an effort to address challenges such as climate change, economic inequality, and pandemics through multilateral agreements and institutions. These have set the foundation for a centralized political authority. Add to that communication, technology, and transportation advancements and there is a greater interconnectedness among nations than ever before. We can see this in the rise of supranational organizations such as the United Nations and the European Union. Economic globalization has led to interdependence among nations, with global financial systems and trade networks linking economies worldwide. One powerful and charismatic world leader can exploit this worldwide convergence of governments and economies.

 

This is just another call for the Church to be even more diligent in keeping the local church’s connection and autonomy alive and well, gathering together and acting as the family of God to resist these movements toward globalization.

 

A fifth sign that we may be living in the end-times and that the Antichrist is alive and among us is associated with the rise of economic distress. These economic crises and disparities create conditions that facilitate the ease with which a charismatic leader promising solutions may quickly gain a loyal following that call others to drift away from the truth of the Gospel. John wrote:

 

And the merchants of the earth weep and mourn for her, since no one buys their cargo anymore, cargo of gold, silver, jewels, pearls, fine linen, purple cloth, silk, scarlet cloth, all kinds of scented wood, all kinds of articles of ivory, all kinds of articles of costly wood, bronze, iron and marble, cinnamon, spice, incense, myrrh, frankincense, wine, oil, fine flour, wheat, cattle and sheep, horses and chariots, and slaves, that is, human souls. “The fruit for which your soul longed has gone from you, and all your delicacies and your splendors are lost to you, never to be found again!” The merchants of these wares, who gained wealth from her, will stand far off, in fear of her torment, weeping and mourning aloud, “Alas, alas, for the great city that was clothed in fine linen, in purple and scarlet, adorned with gold, with jewels, and with pearls! For in a single hour all this wealth has been laid waste.” And tall shipmasters and seafaring men, sailors and all whose trade is on the sea, stood far off and cried out as they saw the smoke of her burning, “What city was like the great city?” And they threw dust on their heads as they wept and mourned, crying out. (Revelation 18:11-19 ESV).

 

Here the apostle describes the fall of Babylon, a symbolic representation of worldly kingdoms, a wealthy city of power and commerce. Babylon is the evil copy of the kingdom of God. In this passage from Revelation, merchants and traders mourn Babylon’s destruction, indicating economic consequences for those who benefited from its wealth and trade. Economic systems collapse.

 

It only takes a moment to recognize the economic instability, inequality, and financial crises that exist today. Throughout history we have seen how persistent poverty, unemployment, and income disparities create social unrest, making people vulnerable to promises of economic prosperity and security offered by charismatic leaders like the Antichrist. The clearest example is found in the rise to power of Adolph Hitler after WWI. Further, globalization and interconnected financial systems have only served to increase the possibility that this could be happening now.  the susceptibility of economies to systemic risks and shocks. Add to that the unknown long-term effects of automation and artificial intelligence and we should be even more concerned about the future of the financial state of the world.

 

Regardless of whether this is the end-time, believers should respond in two ways. First, we must take seriously the repeated warnings in Scripture about the allure and false promises of material prosperity and security. We can only find security in in Christ. He is the only One who we can trust. Second, this is a very clear call to us to continue to be generous and giving to people experiencing poverty, showing the world a loving alternative to materialism and consumerism.

 

We should not overlook the environmental crises which also contribute to the worldwide catastrophes paving the way for the rise of the Antichrist. Jesus speaks of this in the Olivet Discourse: “Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. There will be famines and earthquakes in various places” (Matthew 24:7). Jesus calls these events “birth pangs,” as if the earth feels the coming judgment and begins to quake. Of course, these environmental factors can be caused by humans. Concerns about climate change, pollution, deforestation, and biodiversity loss are prevalent worldwide.

 

It is no surprise that environmental upheaval increases economic and social inequalities. This leads to crises in refugee migration, resource conflicts, and medical calamities. This also sets the stage for the influence of a charismatic leader offering promises of security. According to Scripture, some of these events can’t be blamed on humanity, and no amount of green policy will prevent all major crises from occurring. However, they still have the potential to cause the political and economic uncertainty the Antichrist will exploit.

 

The next “sign” for consideration is also found in the Olivet Discourse: “For false Christs and false prophets will arise and perform great signs and wonders, so as to lead astray, if possible, even the elect.” (Matthew 24:24). While there may be disagreement in denominational practice, there can be no doubt about the foundational tenets of the Gospel. We cannot deny that Jesus died, was buried and resurrected to bring atonement to god’s chosen people. This truth has been expanded and distorted today by many. Some of these leaders have even claimed to be messianic figures.

 

What’s Next for the Faithful?

 

As I wrote at the start of this muse, we should be cautious of end times discussions. For one thing, we should not panic. If we are indeed in the end-times, it only means we are all closer to heaven. Jesus still sits on the throne and will bring everything to a conclusion where sin and death are once for all put away for all creation. Let me make a few suggestions;

 

§  Trust the Holy Spirit to lead you into truth (cf. John 16:13).

§  Connect with a Gospel-centered church as your community of faith. (cf. 1 Timothy 3:15). If you are now under the leadership of people who point to earthly leaders or governments in the place of Jesus, that is not the Gospel. There is no other beside Jesus who is our hope.

§  Be diligent in your personal study and continued understanding of the Scripture. It is the only authoritative source for knowing the will and purpose of God (cf. 2 Timothy 3:16-17).

 

For over fifty years I have believed I would see the coming of Jesus in my lifetime. Whether that is true all depends on the prerogative of our great God and Father. He knows the time! And, it will be the right time!