That In All Things God May Be Glorified

Sober living for Final Days

May 7, 1988 PM

I Peter 4:7-11

The end of all things is at hand; therefore, be of sound judgment and sober spirit for the purpose of prayer. Above all, keep fervent in your love for one another, because love covers a multitude of sins. Be hospitable to one another without complaint. As each one has received a special gift, employ it in serving one another, as good stewards of the manifold grace of God. Whoever speaks, let him speak, as it were, the utterances of God; whoever serves, let him do so as by the strength which God supplies; so that in all things God may be glorified through Jesus Christ, to whom belongs the glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen.

It may not seem too important what or how we think about Christ's return. After all, Christian faith is for the here and now (isn't it?), and not just an escape hatch before the world dissolves and the elements melt in fervent heat (which, as Peter tells us, is going to happen. (2 Peter 3:10-12.)

It may not seem too important— and yet the last words of Jesus, and the words the angels spoke on Olivet to those who watched Jesus disappear into the heavens, convinced the early church that the time until Jesus returned was fairly short. At least this is the way it appears to many scholars. It is safe to say that the early church lived in the anticipation of Christ's Return. His NEAR return.

How, then, should we view these words:

"This same Jesus— will so come in like manner as ye have seen Him go!"??

Is it possible to OVER-emphasize eschatology? Can we be too fascinated by contemplating "end times?"

Is there a healthy way of living in anticipation?

I. THE DANGERS OF END-TIME LIVING

  1. IMMINENCE: One danger can be that will not fully engage in the concerns of this present age. We must fully accept the responsibility of maturity in community, but on God's terms, not our own or society's.

    Earlier generations (during depression, or during wartime insecurity,) did a good job of persuading the rank and file that Jesus would come, and that His coming would be a good thing. But for one person at least, this emphasis was strong enough to discourage thorough preparation even for the ministry!

  2. ISOLATION : The impact of the "ME-generation" is being felt in the secular society. "Cocoon-ing" is a buzz-word.

    This can even creep into the church until we forget the true importance of community. And if we add to this total involvement with "ME" the peculiarity that adheres to a belief that God interrupts history— has done it once, and is going to do it again— we have a built-in rationality for withdrawing from a society that needs to hear what we believe.

  3. 3. IMBALANCE :
    1. to say that is SOME is good, then MORE is better
    2. to say that if a person is right in one area, then his word is scripture in every area (and so be diverted from simplicity of the gospel)
    3. to major on secondary issues (no matter how vital and true)
  4. IGNORANCE : to despise history; to think that the profusion and proliferation of technology has added dimensions to the quality of life beyond virtues of integrity before God.
  5. INTEMPERANCE: much like "imbalance" except this has to do with playing games with reality (Peter says: "Be sober!") The "alcoholic personality" is not limited to drinking.

    We try to escape the realities of life with a pill or "drug" for every occasion. Sometimes the drug is "humor." We joke when the heat is on. We joke when our inner self comes near to being exposed.

    Often the "pill" is cynicism. We never expose our innermost feelings. Only the "in" speakers have access to our respect— even if sometimes God might wish to speak to us through a child or a student or a disadvantaged person.

    But these are all negative effects of trying to use a truth of scripture rather than simply let the scripture shape our lives and thinking. We simply do NOT know when Jesus is returning. We know that it is considered naive to believe that He is coming soon- but His word to His church was "Watch ye therefore, for ye not neither the day nor the hour when the Son of man shall appear." (Matthew 25:13)

    And there is a God-given GLORY available to those who live in the anticipation of Christ's Return, the return we pray for every time we say the Lord's Prayer:

II. THE GLORY OF END-TIME LIVING

  1. IMMINENCE : [The very same idea that puts off responsibility when viewed one way is that which keeps us digging when we realize we shall be called to account.]

    Keeping short accounts. Paid up. Prayed up. And yet at the same time, fully engaged.

    [Mary Hale is 93. She is going to die one of these days. She has been in the hospital several times in recent weeks, at the point of death, unable to get her breath, and Lorraine Crayton (her niece) has fully expected her to go.

    But she bounces back. And "between times" she is ALIVE! She loves. She receives love. She does something meaningful. She is ready. When she dies WE will experience loss— but SHE will simply step on up!]

  2. COMMUNITY : God's answer to ISOLATION.

    The text says: (9) "Be hospitable to one another without complaint." Hospitality is a hallmark of a healthy church.

    I know we think of hospitality as inviting one another over to our houses (like my son, Mark). And that is a commendable part of hospitality.

    Henri Nouwen uses the term "hospitality" in a little different way which I believe is very applicable: making space within our hearts for other people. It is the willingness to actually bring people into our hearts, and care about them and their concerns.

Most of us have places in our homes where company would be "out of bounds." Brian and I laughed about those places, saying: "Don't go in the tool shed, there's a BEAR in there!" Places that are cluttered, or filled with things we cannot share.

But our inner lives can be ALL "BEAR-dens" where no one is allowed. And we must seek to live in COMMUNITY as we anticipate the Return of our Lord.

Being a part of the Church is NOT an option; it is the NORM. We denigrate the church to our own peril.

Being increasingly involved in community is the right and privilege of every believer. We need each other. We must live to enhance each other.

Not knowing when Jesus will come makes it all the more imperative that we have His Spirit, His mind. For THE MIND OF CHRIST, His Spirit within is the answer to ignorance, imbalance, intemperance.

We may be certain that the Second Coming will be at least as great a surprise as the First Advent was. There is only ONE way in which we can be prepared— one way we will be certain not to be deceived. We must know Jesus so well here and now that we will know Him when He returns!

Conclusion:

Is Jesus coming soon?

Sometimes I get to thinking that His return, AND SOON, is the only hope we have for any hope of fair and equitable society.

But He has waited now almost 2,000 years.

Some people were persuaded that last year was the year.

Some people are pretty certain that certain historical things need to unfold yet.

I don't know what "soon" is. When I was 20 I thought Jesus would come before I was ordained. Then I got busy preaching and working and raising sons. It wasn't very long ago that I began- and more than 30 years have gone by!

I have less time now to live than I have lived! I have less time to serve than I have served! I shall see Jesus soon, one way or another!

But Jesus IS going to return! We have that promise.

You have gifts. Use them to serve. Let God supply the strength. Seek to glorify God in all you do. And if Jesus doesn't come in your lifetime, it will be still a very, very short time until you are in His Presence.

#78(EH) When He Shall Come

[IF Jesus WERE to come soon— very soon— would you be comfortable in His Presence? You can do something about that NOW. Do you want to pray about it?]