Long for it

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God's Generous Grace from Clearpoint TV on Vimeo.

Is It Really The End?

Is it Really the End? - Sermon Series Promo from Clearpoint TV on Vimeo. 

In April of this year, I preached a sermon series called, Is it Really the End?, based on the assumption that the Mayan calendar predicts the end of the world to be December 21, 2012. Today is December 18, 2012. If the Mayans were right, then we only have 3 more days to live upon this earth before it all comes to an end. 

End times is a subject a lot of people have questions about, but it is not a subject we often like to talk about - it's confusing, it's complex and, to many, it's just a little creepy! Many of us don't understand eschatology (the study of end times) and frankly, we would like to keep it that way. Like Mark Twain once said, 

 "It is not the things in the Bible that I don't understand that trouble me, but the things I do understand!"

Worry about "the end" can consume your thoughts and throw you into a tail spin if you are not informed and if you are not prepared.  

Jesus says, in Luke 12:21:

“Do not worry about your life, . . . . .³¹ "But seek the kingdom of God, and all these things shall be added to you.  ³² "Do not fear, little flock, for it is your Father's good pleasure to give you the kingdom. ³⁴ "For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also. ³⁵ "Let your waist be girded and your lamps burning;  ³⁶ "and you yourselves be like men who wait for their master, when he will return from the wedding, that when he comes and knocks they may open to him immediately. ³⁷ "Blessed are those servants whom the master, when he comes, will find watching. Assuredly, I say to you that he will gird himself and have them sit down to eat, and will come and serve them. ³⁸ "And if he should come in the second watch, or come in the third watch, and find them so, blessed are those servants. ³⁹ "But know this, that if the master of the house had known what hour the thief would come, he would have watched and not allowed his house to be broken into. ⁴⁰ "Therefore you also be ready, for the Son of Man is coming at an hour you do not expect."

There are three rapid responses from the words of Jesus to the question, "Is it really the end?"

Get Rid of Your Worry!

The word "worry" means to pull apart – or – to pull in different directions.  If we aren't careful, worry will wiggle its way into our lives and begin to tear us down.  Worry has the potential to rip away faith and lead us to turn away from God

 Get Busy!

Don't get bogged down with the cares of this world and don't get derailed by the dubious thoughts of the end, but get busy seeking the Kingdom of God, trust in His plan to save you from a destructive end, grow in your relationship with God and live out the gospel, leading others to Christ. 

Get Ready!    

Is the world going to end?  Yes!  Is the world going to end soon?  Possibly!  Is it going to end on December 21st?  Probably not!  "for the Son of Man is coming at an hour you do not expect!"  However, when Jesus said, "be ready," he was saying, be prepared and be eager for his return.  Eagerly waiting in faith for his return stands in direct contrast to waiting in fear or worry.  Jesus said, "Blessed are those whom the master, when he comes, will find watching....."  Are you ready?  

My prayer is that you will find peace with God through His Son and our Savior Jesus Christ and that you will find comfort knowing that He has your future all planned out and there is no need to worry.  God is in control!

Have a Merry Christmas Everybody!