THE END OF THE WORLD!

If it is not about Jesus, it’s not about anything

(Motto of the Fountain of Life)

 

Invocation:  Father, in Jesus name, we confess our desire for your Holy Spirit.  We submit ourselves to your love and authority.  Please help us to examine certain themes in biblical interpretation with civility and respect. Amen

Sermon Purpose Statement:  1. Examine context in interpreting scripture.  2.  Offering a personal view. 

Guiding Principle:  “For what would it profit us to know the whole Bible by heart and the principles of all the philosophers, if we live without grace and the love of God?”  Thomas a’ Kempis

CAUTION:  Interpretations of scripture have divided Christians.  We must always look first to Jesus as the author and finisher of our salvation.  The danger is when our carnal desire to be right becomes an uncontrollable idol.  In that carnal spirit when we elevate any doctrine above Jesus we create an idol in opposition to Him.

Scripture:  Matthew 24:3:  What shall be the sign of the end of the world?

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What are your doctrines brethren?  For example:  What are your positions on the Book of Revelation?  Are you pre-millennial or post millennial, Preterist, Historicist or Futurist?  Your answer can and has divided congregations.  In fact, an internet search shows that there are between 20,800 to 40,000 denominations throughout the world.  So!  What is a truth seeking Christian to do when the respected teachers in theology disagree so very much?  For example:

J. Vernon McGee (1904 – 1988) began the “Through the Bible” radio broadcasts in 1967.  Today, 26 years after his death, his broadcasts are still aired on hundreds of radio stations in over 40 languages.  47 years on the radio does not make any of his doctrines correct, but 47 years of continued success in preaching the gospel does get my attention.  In his commentary on the book of revelation, McGee says that, “The book of Revelation is not a difficult book.”

Adam Clarke (1760 – 1832) wrote his commentary on the Bible from 1810 to 1826.  It is still published 182 years after his death.  Clarke wrote in his commentary on Revelation that, “I do not understand the book; and am satisfied that not one who has written on the subject knows anything more of it than myself.” 

John Hagee is a current dispensationalist author and TV evangelist.  In his book, “Jerusalem Countdown” he stoutly claims that physical Israel is God chosen people.  He also stoutly charges that is it heresy not to believe this. 

Hank Hanegraaff is the radio Bible Answer Man and author of many books on apologetics.  In his book, “Apocalypse Code” he strongly cautions that Dispensationalists are a physical threat to world peace.

This is a wide separation in understanding, however, each of these men believe that Jesus Christ is our God and Savior.  Brethren, each of us must decide this:  Is Jesus our salvation or is our correct interpretation of the book of Revelation our salvation? 

CONTEXT *

How have we gone from one denomination at Pentecost 2000 years ago to as many as 40,000 today?  A simplistic, but useable answer is that we all interpret the scriptures through our own eyes.  For example, consider the phrase “Remember the Alamo.”

1.  An American GI tells his German friend in Berlin, “Erinnern sie sich das Alamo.”  This has no meaning, no context to the German brother.

2.  You tell a modern New York brother, “Remember the Alamo.”  This will be academic meaning.  It will evoke, perhaps the Walt Disney TV series in the 1950s; or the John Wayne movie in 1960.  Perhaps it will evoke the historical reality of the 1836, 13 day siege in the Mexican province of Texas.

3.  You tell an 1836 A.D. Texan to “Remember the Alamo” you evoke a visceral imperative for revenge to be had in blood.

4.  Without a doubt, a Mexican brother would have again a completely different understanding of this phrase.

The difference in understanding comes from the passage of time, difference in language, difference in cultural experiences and a host of other factors. 

Our bible is a collection of writings from 2000 to 3500 years old.  It is translated from several ancient languages and written under several political and cultural influences.  When we 21^st century North Americans translate the bible literally, we experience difficulties if we project our culture, politics, age, economics or gender onto the text.   

 

JESUS OR OTHER STUFF?

When is the end of the world of Matthew 24?  When do the events in the Book of Revelation occur?    Is that knowledge the most important thing in our Christian walk to know?  Does that knowledge get us into heaven?

Pastor Todd Crouch has taught the Book of Revelation in our local congregations and as a series on “The Fountain of Life” program on RKP Radio.  His recurring theme is the question, “Who do you worship?” Is it Jesus or others?  He notes that upon the completion of every scenario in Revelation, the activity on earth, which is destruction, shifts back into heaven.  In heaven the activity is always worship given to Jesus.  The lesson is not the identity of the Antichrist, or who is the Beast, or when will the tribulation occur, or when will we flee to Petra or be "raptured away .  The lesson always points back to Jesus as King and the one to worship.

A PERSONAL VIEW

What follows is not any doctrine laid in stone, it is just one Christian asking some questions based upon our above discussion about context.  It may be accurate to say the most North Americans view the term “end of the world” found in Matthew 24:3 in a very final fatalistic way.  It is a “Dr. Strangelove” or “The Day After” mentality, when on a specific day in the future, the horror of thermonuclear self genocide is realized.   This cataclysm has a definite point in time and signifies the end of life.  It is the final curtain in the human drama of existence.  But is that a correct understanding of the phrase “end of the world” that Jesus used?

Background issues:

Language:  in the biblical text, there are several Greek words which are translated as “world.”  In Matt. 24:3 it is found in Strong’s Concordance as word #165 aeon.  It loosely means a period of time, such as the Messianic age.  Other passages use Strong’s word #2889 cosmos.  Loosely it refers to the organization of things and by implication the physical world.

 

Audience:  Twelve 1^st Century Jews who have just left the Temple grounds.

Context:  A discussion with the Temple at Jerusalem as the focus and the prediction that not one stone would stand upon another.

Location:  On a Hill overlooking that Temple

Cultural factors:  The Temple was the center of the Jewish world.  The existence of the Temple was the center of their way of life, of thinking, of acting, of living, of dying.

Implications:

1.  When did the Christ age begin?  Perhaps it began as early as Christmas when the divine assumed flesh.  Certainly it occurred in His ministry.  He told the Pharisees that the Kingdom of God had come to them (Matt. 12:28).  Certainly it occurred at Pentecost at the descent of the Paraclete. 

2.  Jesus was a physical Jew.  He lived in and under the Mosaic age and code. 

3.  His Mosaic life found a focus in the Existing Temple.  His Messianic life fulfilled the Mosaic promises.  His divine life began the Christ age.

4.  When did the Mosaic age end?  The Mosaic age depended upon animal sacrifices offered on the consecrated altar located in the Temple.  When Messiah was sacrificed, the need for sacrifices ended.  When the temple was destroyed, the sacrifices ended; when the sacrifices ended the Mosaic age ended. 

Questions:

Was Jesus telling the Apostles that the Mosaic age would end when these signs were fulfilled when no stone would remain on another?  Or was Jesus talking about the annihilation of the earth at some far distant date?  The answer to those questions greatly influence how the book of Revelation is understood.  Would one answer focus more upon the ever present reign of Jesus while the other answer would focus more on a future date of doom?

WHICH VIEW?

Grace Communion International looks primarily to Jesus and therefore does not hold a specific doctrinal view on the end times.  That means that opposing views may be discussed without censure.  This freedom of discussion is not to be confused with a license to politicize a view and aim at division.   The Presbyterian McGee’s view is just as valid as the Methodist Clarke’s.  I can even accept Mr. Hagee’s doctrine on physical Israel.  Yet I must object to his position that his Revelation understanding is the only one and that others are heretical.       

In reading this Christian Bible, we will find many such controversial questions.  When they arise, a suggested guideline is to ask which of these questions is a “nice to know issue” or a “need to know issue.”   It is well to acknowledge that two dangers arise:  1) when we realize that our curiosity becomes obsessed to know the answer; 2) when we realize that our pride demands that we be right.  

 Next ask “Does the answer point to Jesus as the Author and Finisher of our salvation or no?”  By the way, we have help to sort through these issues.  The orthodox “need to know issues” are codified in the Apostle’s Creed.  To a great extent most non-Apostle Creed issues are just “nice to know” and should not rise to the level of division. Paul taught Christ and Christ crucified.  At the basic level all else falls into the categories of endless genealogies or foolish questions (1 Tim. 1:4 and Titus 3:9.) 

* Recommended reading on this subject is “How to Read the Bible for All Its Worth” by Gordon Fee and Douglas Stuart.

May the love and grace of God our Father of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, be with you all.

Rev. George Relic, Assistant Pastor,

Fountain of Life Church

2021 Old National Pike, Washington, Pa 15301

A congregation of Grace Communion International