Is It Getting Worse?

 

Jesus left the temple and was going away, when his disciples came to point out to him the buildings of the temple. But he answered them, “You see all these, do you not? Truly, I say to you, there will not be left here one stone upon another that will not be thrown down.” As he sat on the Mount of Olives, the disciples came to him privately, saying, “Tell us, when will these things be, and what will be the sign of your coming and of the end of the age?” And Jesus answered them, “See that no one leads you astray. For many will come in my name, saying, ‘I am the Christ,’ and they will lead many astray. And you will hear of wars and rumors of wars. See that you are not alarmed, for this must take place, but the end is not yet. For nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom, and there will be famines and earthquakes in various places. All these are but the beginning of the birth pains. Then they will deliver you up to tribulation and put you to death, and you will be hated by all nations for my name’s sake. And then many will fall away and betray one another and hate one another. And many false prophets will arise and lead many astray. And because lawlessness will be increased, the love of many will grow cold. But the one who endures to the end will be saved. And this gospel of the kingdom will be proclaimed throughout the whole world as a testimony to all nations, and then the end will come.” (Matthew 24:1-14 ESV).

 

Is it getting worse? That is a valid question. And there are certainly many opinions being expressed touting the answer. It has created so much clutter in our world today. Social media and news sources have only served to magnify the noisy clutter. This has been building for some time now; however, the tragedy of recent days has amplified the chaos. It is frightening to many. However, I have found that when I feel fear and anxiety rising, the best remedy is the Scripture. Today, I want to turn your attention to some of the last words recorded by Jesus to His disciples. It is found in Matthew 24, which we have come to know as “the Olivet Discourse.” Our reading today comes from the first part of that teaching.  

 

As time passes, this passage becomes more imminently apparent. Perhaps every generation feels that the signs of the end times are increasing. Perhaps the signs are increasing. Certainly the generations that are still living have seen plenty of earthquakes, famines, and wars. And certainly today we see an increase in wickedness, at least in some places. Witnessing the House Democratic-Farmer-Labor caucus leader Melissa Hortman, getting shot and dying after a man impersonating a police officer shot her in her Brooklyn Park home in June, and the equally tragic shooting of Charlie Kirk, a profoundly effective apologist of the Gospel and conservative speaker this week, I am struck with the similarity of this time in our history to that which I witnessed first-hand in the late 60’s and early 70’s when JFK, MLK, and RFK were senselessly killed at the hands of assassins.

 

But, is it really getting worse? It certainly feels like it. It certainly looks like it. However, we need to remember that these things must take place. The particular wickedness Jesus warns about could be called “lawlessness.” However, it goes beyond refusing to live God’s way, and it basically refuses to live according to anyone’s rules. It’s the attitude that believes “It is justified because I am right.” The problem with this kind of wickedness, according to Jesus, is that it works against love. It holds no commitment to another and has no willingness to sacrifice for anyone. In the end times most people will care only about themselves, and most people’s love will grow cold.

 

Having lived through those days and the knowledge of the truth in our reading today, can I remind you that all of this is designed to further the gospel of God’s truth in Jesus’ work of redemption. I remember the Jesus Revolution, also known as the Jesus Movement. It was a spiritual awakening primarily in Southern California during the late 1960s and 1970s where young people, many from the counter-cultural hippie movement, embraced Christianity as an alternative to their drug-fueled lifestyles. The movement led to the development of contemporary Christian music and informal worship, and popularized the message of a true biblically centered gospel centered in Jesus and unshakable belief in the imminent return of Christ.

 

So… let me ask again… is it getting worse? Yes. But that only means we are getting closer to Jesus’ coming to set all things right for eternity. This ought to bring believers both joy and urgency. The joy comes from the knowledge that we will be brought into His presence forever; the urgency is the knowledge of so many who need to hear His name and know His message of redemption. Let’s be a people are more concerned with the souls of others than anything else!