Let us pray… Heavenly Father, we thank You for making sure we would have the words our Lord Jesus spoke and the mighty deeds He performed during His short life as a mortal man. Thank You for inspiring the men who recorded those words and deeds, and for seeing that they have been preserved throughout the generations. Sadly though, we don’t always give much time reading and studying these words. We could better our relationship with Jesus if we would. But the busyness of the world crashes down on us. Our spirits are just too often wearied by all the lies and evilness filling our days and our views, all the people trying to fool us into believing what just isn’t true. Forgive us these times, Father. Please help us draw closer to You and Jesus. Help us be more obedient to You and Your Son’s command to spread Your word and the Good News it bears. Give us the courage and the will to step out into the world witnessing to the non-believers, sharing the Gospel and showing Your love. Please forgive us when we hesitate to speak and act on behalf of You and our Lord Jesus.
Speak to us now, Father, that we might hear Your voice through Your Spirit within us and better understand Your message today. Help us share the Good News of forgiveness and everlasting life in our daily walk. This we pray in the precious name of Your Son, Christ Jesus our Lord. Amen.
The Danish philosopher, Kierkegaard, tells a parable of a theater where a variety show is proceeding. Each show is more fantastic than the last, and is applauded by the audience. Suddenly the manager comes forward. He apologizes for the interruption, but the theater is on fire, and he begs his patrons to leave in an orderly fashion. The audience think this is the most amusing turn of the evening, and cheer thunderously. The manager again implores them to leave the burning building, and he is again applauded vigorously. At last he can do no more. The fire raced through the whole building and the fun-loving audience with it. “And so,” concluded Kierkegaard, “will our age, I sometimes think, go down in fiery destruction to the applause of a crowded house of cheering spectators.”
I believe this brings up two good points. First, will we realize the end is here when it comes? Will we recognize the signs Jesus told us to watch for, or will we allow ourselves to be misled by the pundits and talking heads on our TVs that tell us not to worry, this is all normal?
And perhaps more telling of our culture, are we just spectators, watching the events of the world as they unfold, cheering as the curtains come crashing down in flames? Or are we out there doing the work Jesus assigned us, participating in the spreading of the Gospel?
“Watch out and don't let anyone fool you!”, Jesus said. “They will use My name and fool many people.” I think we’ve seen that they don’t even have to claim to be the Christ or use the name of Jesus to fool many people. All they have to do is offer a lot for a little, or pull on the heart strings, or bring up safety or security concerns. People are fooled all the time, and they end up doing things they really didn’t want to do, maybe end up losing their life’s savings.
In this case, though, Jesus is talking about the end of times. He’s saying that many will come forward claiming to be the returned Christ, here to judge the world. Some of them may even offer salvation… for a price.
And many people will be fooled. We’d like to think that the fooled people would be non-believers, but some will likely be Christians, for we don’t all understand what to expect.
Wars and threats of wars? Check – got those all around the world, with the talking heads all warning about a coming world war. Nations and kingdoms fighting against each other? Check – in Eastern Europe, in Asia, and in the Middle East. The fights that have a greater impact on most of us, though, are those between gangs and between groups with conflicting ideologies. We’ve had a war on drugs, a war on poverty, a war of words – seems like some folks are always fighting somewhere, even in our neighborhoods.
Earthquakes? Check – and floods and hurricanes and tornados and wildfires and all manner of natural disasters. People starving to death? Check – especially in certain areas of the world, but even here in the US some folks struggle to find enough to eat.
But is all this a sign of the end? No, not yet, Jesus says. This is just the beginning. Which means it’s going to get worse before it gets better. It’s going to get much worse before Jesus returns.
Jesus goes on to say that Christians will be arrested, punished, even executed for their belief. We see that in certain countries, and even the beginnings of similar persecutions here in the US. People will hate us, not only from here but from all over the world.
In the Apostle John’s Book of Revelation, we’re told that we will not be able to engage in normal commerce unless we accept the Antichrist as lord and get his mark on our hand or forehead. We won’t even be able to buy food for our families if we don’t renounce Jesus. Many good believers won’t be able to take it. They’ll give up, turn against us, even betray us.
False prophets will make false promises and fool many. Evil will spread and brotherly love will become scarce. It will be a struggle, but if we remain faithful to Jesus, we will be saved.
And then Jesus gives us one more sign to watch for. The Gospel message, the good news about the kingdom of God, will be preached all over the world and told to all people. Has this happened yet? No, for there are still millions who have never heard the good news, never been told, never even heard the name Jesus. So we’re not quite there yet, no matter what someone may tell you.
There is one more sign to watch for, one more event that has not yet occurred. In the 25th chapter of his Gospel account, verses 15 through 22, Matthew recorded Jesus again warning us saying…