The Pastor’s Garage July 23, 2020
July 23, 2020
———————–
Is this the beginning of the end? Wow, how’s that for an opening
sentence? You may find it hard to believe considering my youthful
appearance and exuberance, but I am old enough to remember well church
culture and trends during the mid to late 1980’s! There was much discussion
about heaven and hell, the books of Daniel and Revelation, and the
seemingly imminent rapture and tribulation. The prominent questions of the
day were “Are you pre or post trib?”, “If you were to die today do you know
where you would spend eternity?”, and “What do you think the mark of the
beast and antichrist will look like?”. My graduation from high school was
in 1988. It was a year that many predicted, and books were even written
about, the return of Christ. I can vividly remember wondering if He would
come before or if I would get the chance to graduate. I remember lamenting
I would never have the chance to marry and have children! You young’ns may
think I’m exaggerating but this was very much the church culture of the
time. It’s hard to believe that was 30-35 years ago!
I’ve talked before about the pendulum swing of popular culture and the
inherent dangers of becoming fixated and and focused in any one direction
or opinion. If you look at the pendulum swing of a clock as an analogy it
lingers the longest at the extremes of its swing, and is moving the fastest
in the middle when it has the most balance. In recent years we have very
little mention of heaven or hell, or the return of Christ, yet the biblical
verses that describe the conditions of earth and humanity just prior to His
return seem to be increasingly unfolding before our eyes in ways we never
dreamed possible in the mid 1980’s when we were so fixated on the issue.
And yet, in many discussions I’ve had with people in the last few months,
“the end” has come up again and again. Do I want us to return to the panic
that surrounded the 1980’s? NO! But I think we possibly do ourselves a
great disservice to firmly place our heads in the sand in regards to what
the bible says about the certain return of Jesus to judge the living and
the dead and ignore what is going on around us! This morning a verse from 2
Peter 3 came to mind and I will close by quoting it, but I would encourage
you this day to read all of 2 Peter 3! “Since all these things are thus to
be dissolved, what sort of people ought you to be in lives of holiness and
godliness, waiting for and hastening the coming of the day of God,” 2 Peter
3:11-12a ESV. I would encourage you to spend some time in God’s word
looking at what it says will be like on planet earth just prior to His
return. Here are some passages to look at, 2 Timothy 3:1-5, Luke 21,
Matthew 24, 1 Peter 3. In light of these passages what kind of people ought
we to be?
Just a reminder that we have returned to a “live” service at the
church on Sundays at 10:30, followed by a time of fellowship with drinks
provided on the lawn on the east side of the church should you feel
comfortable joining. If you would prefer to watch at home our service will
be streamed via facebook on our church page or click on the link on our
website. If you know of someone who does not have internet access and would
benefit from a dvd copy please feel free to contact either Pastor Dave or
myself and we will get one in their hands!
Pastor Mike
<www.avast.com/sig-email?utm_medium=email&utm_source=link&utm_campaign=sig-email&utm_content=webmail>
Virus-free.
www.avast.com
<www.avast.com/sig-email?utm_medium=email&utm_source=link&utm_campaign=sig-email&utm_content=webmail>
<#DAB4FAD8-2DD7-40BB-A1B8-4E2AA1F9FDF2>