The movie 2012 is nearing the end of its theater run and in short, the movie's about how the world is gonna go kabloom a mere two years from now. according to "sources" this is the year that they mayan's predicted the end of the world and apparently a few other religious groups also have evidence suggesting a similar timeline. In no way am i agreeing with this prophecy, but in light of this movie, it got be thinking about the end of the world and the role that each of us have leading up to that day.
The end of the world might not include earthquakes, tsunamis, and the USS Enterprise crashing into the statue of liberty, but it's supposed to be pretty epic. However, this blog isn't gonna be about the nooks and crannies of Armageddon.
In 1 Thessalonians, it says "the day of the Lord will come like a thief in the night." Similarly in Matthew 25, it says "keep watch because you do not know the day or the hour."
That being said, there are many theories about when the world is gonna end. The bible gives a few hints. The mayans seem to have figured it out. But the truth is that nobody really knows when it's actually gonna happen. There's no warning. There's no countdown. At any given moment, the world we know and everything in it will come to an end.
So okay, on judgment day, we all die...yay! Let's have an 'end-of-the-world' party! But here's the thing. No one said you're gonna live to see judgment day. Heck, no one's guaranteed to live past the age of 10 or 20 or whatever.
So Dan, what's your point?
The point is that there are lots and lots of people out there that have no idea what kind of path they're on. Family, friends, classmates, co-workers, neighbours. People you know. People you're close to. They have no idea that they're current life leads to an eternity of pain and suffering. And the problem is that, as Christians, we don't really treat this like an urgency. Every single one of our lives hangs by the thinnest of threads, ready to give way at any moment. It's so easy to get frustrated, to get angry with God when someone close to us passes away. But the truth is that all of us deserve to die. We take every subsequent breath only because God allows us to. If all us simultaneously collapsed, none of us would have the right to complain. We were given 21 years (or however old you are) of life for free. It's like a criminal being allowed to leave prison for 21 years and then finally being returned to prison. He doesn't have any right to complain. He's returning to the place he belongs.
So back on track. Let's imagine for a second that God decided to take your life away tonight. Yup that's right. Tonight. So you meet God face to face for the first time and He asks you, "[insert name here], i've done all these things for you over the years. What have you done for me?" So you begin to give an account of the numerous occasions you led your fellows brothers and sisters in Christ into corporate worship, your consistent devotion to the local soup kitchen, your unconditional attendance at weekly prayer meetings, your persistent dedication to nightly devotions...and the list goes on. Then the Lord asks, "I gave you the great commission. It says to go and make disciples of all nations baptizing them in the name of the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. How'd you do with that?"
Sure, you can go ahead and build yourself a nice-looking Christian resume. In no way am I implying that good deeds and works are unimportant. Rather, I am emphasizing the importance of the great commission. The final instructions given to us. Our to-do list. Our mission. This isn't something we're supposed to do on the side, not a part-time job. It's not something that comes after the thrills, excitements, and personal fulfillments of this life.
"But spreading the gospel is hard. It gets awkward when I talk to my friends."
The gospel isn't called the Good News for no reason. It's GOOD! It's the greatest gift you've ever received and you've got an unlimited supply to share with the world. I'm not trying to say that sharing the gospel is an easy thing. I've tried and it isn't a walk in the park. You'll get turned away. You'll get shut down. But at the end of the day, you've got to ask yourself what it's worth. An awkward moment is stopping you from potentially saving the soul of your best friends?
So take advantage of every moment. Seize every opportunity. Because we don't know how many of those will come our way. And you don't necessarily have to grab a loudspeaker and run around shouting Jesus, Jesus, Jesus! Rather live a life that's reflective of the One in whom you put your faith. Others will be able to see it and they're going to want what you have. That's when you'll be able to share.
But hey! We're all in this together. So let's make an effort to consistently remind each other just how important this is.
For those of you writing exams, good luck!
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