The End in Near

THE END IS NEAR
I PETER 4:7-11 (12-14)

7 The end of all things is at hand; therefore be self-controlled and sober-minded for the sake of your prayers. 8 Above all, keep loving one another earnestly, since love covers a multitude of sins. 9 Show hospitality to one another without grumbling. 10 As each has received a gift, use it to serve one another, as good stewards of God's varied grace: 11 whoever speaks, as one who speaks oracles of God; whoever serves, as one who serves by the strength that God supplies—in order that in everything God may be glorified through Jesus Christ. To him belong glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen.12 Beloved, do not be surprised at the fiery trial when it comes upon you to test you, as though something strange were happening to you. 13 But rejoice insofar as you share Christ's sufferings, that you may also rejoice and be glad when his glory is revealed. 14 If you are insulted for the name of Christ, you are blessed, because the Spirit of glory and of God rests upon you.
In the name of Jesus:
Early this year there was a billboard on the corner of Coonpath and Business Route 33, which proclaimed in no uncertain terms that Jesus was coming on May 21, 2011. At the bottom of the proclamation was a website which, when entered into the web browser, would take you to an organization called Family Radio. The owner of the radio station and the web site, Harold Camping, spent thousands of dollars warning the world that the Rapture would take place on May 21, 2011, and then, six months later, on October 21, 2011, the end of the world would take place. How did Harold Camping make just a bold announcement? It was based in large part on his “calculations” which used symbolic passages of the Bible in order to ascertain his date. Many people looked expectantly for Jesus to return on May 21, some even spent their life savings in anticipation. Well, May 21 has come and gone, and there has been no rapture. And who knows if the end of the world will take place on October 21? The fact of the matter is that no one knows, save the Holy Trinity, when the world will end. Sadly, many have mocked God and His Word in due to the false prophet Harold Camping. Now, to be certain, Camping should be branded as what he is, a false prophet. But because of this jokester, many now don’t seriously consider that the world will come to an end. For a person to have a serious discussion on the end times would provoke laughter today because of Camping’s false assertions. And yet, God warns us that the end is coming, it is near, and so we need to be prepared.
The Scripture is clear. “The end of all things is at hand.” The end IS near. In the readings for Ascension Day, that great day when Jesus returned to heaven triumphantly after accomplishing His mission of fulfilling God’s Law on our behalf, offering His life upon the cross, and rising from the grave, the angels proclaim to the onlookers: “why do you stand looking into heaven? This Jesus, who was taken up from you into heaven, will come in the same way as you saw him go into heaven.”(Acts 1:10-11).
Jesus will come back. To the unbeliever it is a warning. To those who believe, it is looked forward to in anticipation. To all it is a matter of fact. The end is coming. What shall we do? How then shall we live?
The Apostle Peter in our text for today answers those questions. Just try to imagine yourself back in the days of Peter. Crucifixions took place frequently throughout the Empire. It was punishment reserved for criminals and the cursed. In those trying days, there were those who claimed to be god. So think of what it must have been like when the Apostles claimed to everyone that Jesus, the One who was crucified, cursed, despised, was true God and offered all people eternal life! Those who heard this message believed it to be so by the power of the Holy Spirit. But most who heard this message shook their heads in bewilderment. Christians were persecuted for their faith because they believed that Jesus alone was the Savior and was God, there was no other way to be saved. Some Christians were mocked, others were ostracized, and still others were put to death. It was not easy to be a Christian at that time. Peter wrote our text to comfort those of faith, to assure them of Jesus’ promise that He was coming back and the end was near.
The names and faces have changed but the times really have remained the same. In the light of Harold Camping’s false prophecies concerning the rapture and the end of the world, many do not take seriously Jesus’ words nor do they take seriously the Word of God! And it is no easier to be a Christian in these days, is it? Some Christians don’t want to talk about their faith because they live in fear of being ridiculed or having their name drug in the mud. How many times have you heard the question: “Who made you judge? Or Am I my brother’s keeper? It isn’t easy to live out your faith in Christ when it seems as if you are the only one and you are swimming upstream.
And yet, you and I are called to be faithful to Christ. His charge to us is to be faithful unto death, so that we might receive the crown of everlasting life. How does this look? I will let Peter explain: Peter writes under the inspiration of the Spirit: “7 The end of all things is at hand; therefore be self-controlled and sober-minded for the sake of your prayers.” Seeing as the end is coming, you are not to live like the rest of the world. To paraphrase Luther, don’t live like the heathen, don’t live like a pig. Don’t covet money, don’t be a glutton, be sexually pure in what you say and do. You have been bought with a price, the price being the holy precious blood of Christ. You belong to Christ, so live as His child. Seeing as God has given to you faith in Christ in your Baptism, then live out your life as a baptized child of God. Daily confess your sinfulness to Christ, receive His forgiveness full and free, and then seek to live out your faith so that Christ is manifested in your life. To be self controlled and sober minded for the sake of your prayers means that God calls us to humbly trust in Him for all things in life. Seek the Lord in His Word; seek to serve the Lord in all you do. Root your life in Christ so that your life will bring forth abundant fruit, that your faith in Christ will be active in a life of good works.
Peter explains what these good works look like: “ 8 Above all, keep loving one another earnestly, since love covers a multitude of sins” First and foremost seeing that you have love for God, show that love to one another. Seek to outdo one another in showing love to one another, not just to the family of faith, but also to those who do not have faith. The Scriptures state: “ If anyone says, “I love God,” and hates his brother, he is a liar; for he who does not love his brother whom he has seen cannot love God whom he has not seen.” (I John 4:20). To show love is to thank God for His love for us in Jesus Christ and to keep the commands which God gives us to follow. Love is the fulfillment of the Law. Love God above all things, and show love to your neighbor.
But Peter gets even more specific in these last days. Listen to what he says: “. 9 Show hospitality to one another without grumbling. 10 As each has received a gift, use it to serve one another, as good stewards of God's varied grace: 11 whoever speaks, as one who speaks oracles of God; whoever serves, as one who serves by the strength that God supplies—in order that in everything God may be glorified through Jesus Christ. To him belong glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen.”
Be hospitable to others. What is hospitality? It is living your life so that you serve others. You treat others kindly despite being wronged. You forgive for the sake of Christ. Instead of seeking to show power or lording something over another, you show power by submitting yourself to help and for the betterment of the other. No greater example in the Scriptures can be found but in the account of the Good Samaritan.
You remember that story, how the Samaritan went out of his way to help a stranger. A Samaritan in those days was considered an outcast, an outsider, someone who was beneath the common Jew. Yet this one who was held in contempt went out of his way to be a friend and neighbor to one in need, even telling the hotel manager that if I can do anything else to help this one, charge it to my account and I will take care of it. He essentially gave the one in need a blank check that he would pay so as to help the one in need.
Dear friend in Christ, don’t be deceived. The end is near. Just as Jesus came down from heaven to save sinners, so too He will come again to be our Judge. You have been judged in Christ as one forgiven. By faith you possess this forgiveness. God now calls you to live out that faith, in love toward God and love toward your neighbor. It should be of no concern to any of us as to the date of Christ’s return. NO one knows that date, not Harold Camping, it is known only to Jesus. Christ will come, just as we confess in our Creed, He will come to judge the living and the dead. There will be no literal 1000-year reign of Christ. No one will be left behind; there will be no second chance. No, today is the day of salvation. God calls all to believe in Christ! So rather than being anxious for that day, God calls us to put our faith into action! Repent of your sins. Trust in Christ as your Savior. And then in thanks to God live out your faith so that your faith is active in love toward others. In this way many more will come to know God’s love in Christ. And this is God’s good and gracious will, that all be saved and come to know the truth in Christ. This is how God is glorified. And this is our mission. Until He comes, so to Him be glory forever and ever.
Amen