Is the End Near (like Saturday)?

Okay, some of you may have been following the stories and predictions leading up to September 23, 2017 - you may have even bought the book.  For others, this may be the first you heard that Saturday is supposed to be the beginning of the end.

A little background (borrowed from CBS):
If you had plans for the weekend, a "Christian" numerologist says you won’t get to them because the world is about to end.  David Meade, a self-proclaimed “researcher,” is predicting that a series of apocalyptic events will begin on Sept. 23 and, “a major part of the world will not be the same.” 

(I inserted the quotes around Christian because of the obvious heresy, CBS inserted quotes around researcher for obvious reasons)  Continuing...

Meade is a self-published author who writes that he studied astronomy at the University of Louisville. He and other doomsayers have actually been saying Nibiru would crash into the Earth several times before; which clearly did not happen. The latest prediction came in 2012 and was linked to the end of the Mayan calendar.

(Oops, he missed those earlier predictions. Nibiru is a mysterious rogue planet) Continuing...


NASA has already dismissed the prediction; calling the whole thing a hoax. The space agency has reportedly known about the Nibiru conspiracy theory for years and shot down the talk of Armageddon in a 2012 statement. “If Nibiru or Planet X were real and headed for an encounter with the Earth … astronomers would have been tracking it for at least the past decade, and it would be visible by now to the naked eye.”

Well, maybe Mr. Meade, the number study-er, made enough money to publish a book for his next end of the world prediction.

If you have had a growing concern, or perhaps an increasing interest - STOP IT! Let's just breathe for a moment and consider Scripture - NOT codes, NOT numerology, NOT writings on pyramids, NOT trying to read between the lines - but reading God's Word.

Matthew 24:36 “But concerning that day and hour no one knows, not even the angels of heaven, nor the Son, but the Father only."

Pretty clear.  Jesus (God the Son) said ONLY God the Father knows the day and hour.  This is why we must be skeptical of ANYONE who claims to have "figured out" something that is restricted to God alone.  If Mr. Meade now knows the day and hour, He has made God out to be a liar.  Listen to the danger of believing, or following, someone like Mr. Meade - you are attempting to make God out to be a liar as well.

Matthew 24:44 "Therefore you also must be ready, for the Son of Man is coming at an hour you do not expect." 

At an hour you do not expect...  We must stop trying to figure it out and live in obedience to His commands as if this is the last day!

Let me give you my heartfelt prediction.  The Lord will return when He has determined.  You do not have to buy a book for that, just read the Bible.  If you feel compelled to give a donation for that prediction, here is a worthy ministry: DONATE.

We are now three minutes closer to His return.  Jesus said, "Therefore, you must also be ready."  The first stage of readiness is salvation through a personal relationship with Jesus Christ. Acts 2:38  The second stage of readiness is living in obedience as a result of your salvation. 2 John 1:6

This weekend for me?

I have a wedding at 2:00 and my son has a soccer game.  Going to spend time with my lovely wife.  I am preparing for Sunday worship.  But I am living ready!

Living out of the Tomb

Romans 6:1-14

1. Death to Life

For God’s children, there is no doubt that His grace covers our sin.  We should not, however, live lives that require His grace to continually increase; rather, it is our responsibility to live lives that bring Him glory.

We know from scripture that To become a follower of Christ, you must die to sin.  If we do not die to our self and our ways, and continue to do so, have we genuinely experienced the grace of God?  Has He become our Lord who leads us into life?

Granted, we all sin and fall short of the glory of God, but Our passage today appears to be directed toward our intentional sinful behavior and lifestyle that is knowingly offensive to God. 

Just as Jesus was raised by the glory of God, we have been raised to walk in the newness of life.  

Not just raised to live again, but raised to live for God's glory.  

Because of our resurrection in Christ, we are to behave in a new way.

2. Slave to Free

We KNOW that our old self was crucified with Him so that this physical body, which is rooted in sin, might be released and no longer controlled by sin.

Our attachment to sin was eradicated by the work of Christ, but our submission to sin is made by us. 

Perhaps our quandary is trying to understand why God would release us from sin, and not remove the control it seems to have over us.

This verse provides the answer. He provided the means, now we must choose.

Here is a truth for you and me this morning.  If you have died to self with Christ, you have been set free from the power of sin over you!  

Whatever sin you are personally struggling with – it has been defeated.  

God has given you access to Himself through Jesus, access to His Word, the full time presence of His Spirit and the body of Christ to combat the lure and grasp of sin.  

You and I can attempt to overcome sin on our own, but we will continue failing.  

Just as Lazarus was released from death by the power of God, you and I can be released by the same power.

Once we have come out of the tomb, we must remove the grave clothes of sin that carry the stench of death.

3. Dead to sin and alive to God

Paul reminds the believers that Jesus genuinely defeated death.  He died to sin and continues living to God.  

Since we have joined Jesus through this supernatural event that is described as salvation, we too have died to sin and now live to God.

You and I were not raised to live for God, we were raised to new life to live to God.  What is the difference?

If I speak for you – you may or may not be present. (You may or may not agree.)

If I speak to you – it requires your presence.

If I live for God – I somehow think He needs me to do this on His behalf.

If I live to God – I am pointing every aspect of my life to Him for His glory.

You and I do not worship for God, give for God, work for God, serve for God or go on mission for God.  

We direct the entirety of our lives to Him. 

We give everything to be His disciples.

In verse 12, Paul sums up the Lord’s instruction.  

DO NOT LET SIN CONTROL your body, obeying its desires!

DO NOT OFFER your body as instruments for righteousness!

Why? Because you are no longer dead!

We often pray for revival. In light of this passage, revival occurs when children of God realize they are living in the tomb and walk out to the life God intended.

PRESENT YOURSELVES to God as if you have been truly brought from death to life.

PRESENT YOURSELVES to God as instruments for righteousness.

Why? Sin has no rule over you any longer.

It is not sufficient to be brought back to life to just breathe.

We must come out of the tomb, remove the grave clothes and leave the cemetery.

We must walk in the newness of life He provides.  

We must live TO GOD.