The End of the World

If you hadn't heard, the world was supposed to end yesterday. And yet here we are: me typing this and you reading it. 

Yesterday afternoon my family and I went and saw the Hobbit. I was completely floored on how many of the movie previews had to do with end of the world scenarios. I don't know what our fascination with the apocalypse and post-apocalyptic living are, but it's a trend I don't see dying out anytime soon (pun intended). And it got me thinking about the mindset of our culture when it comes to the end. 

What is this fixation on the end of the world? It seems silly, but I guess it's a valid infatuation. I mean death really is THE big unknown. It's the only thing someone can't come back from and tell you about; let you know what to expect. You can ask someone what it's like to go through college, or have surgery, or raise a child. We can read books on surviving war and break-ups and cancer and natural disasters but the one thing that no one really knows about is death and what comes next. There is not one living person who can tell you what to expect. I suppose it's reasonable to fixate on this big unknown... to make movies about surviving the apocalypse because for many fighting off zombies and eating MRE's in solitude for 20 years would be a better reality than facing the big question mark of death. So we speculate and wonder and entertain ourselves with all the possibilities. And since New Years is coming and I tend to get very reflective when seasons of life end and new ones begin, I shall offer my own take on the end of the world. I'm not really sure who reads my blog. I'm sure a lot of you have faith in Jesus Christ and some of you maybe not. Either way these thoughts are for all. They're not brilliant or incredibly original; they're just my thoughts.

1. The end of the world isn't going to come when we expect it. I don't mean Y2K or Mayan calendars. I don't even mean Matthew 24:36,42 which says "But about that day or hour no one knows, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father. Therefore keep watch, because you do not know on what day your Lord will come." I don't mean a literal end of the world. I mean the end of your world. Of my world. Of our friends' worlds. Peoples' "worlds" end unexpectedly all the time. Charlotte Bacon, Daniel Barden, Rachel Davino, Olivia Engel, Josephine Gay, Ana Marquez-Greene, Dylan Hockley, Dawn Hochsprung, Madeleine Hsu, Catherine Hubbard, Chase Kowalski, Jesse Lewis, James Mattioli, Grace McDonnell, Anne Marie Murphy, Emilie Parker, Jack Pinto, Noah Pozner, Caroline Previdi, Jessica Rekos, Avielle Richman, Lauren Rousseau, Mary Sherlach, Victoria Soto, Benjamin Wheeler, and Allison Wyatt all had their world end in an act of evil last week. 20 sweet, innocent babies went to school on a Friday in December and never came home. 6 educators went to work in Connecticut and didn't clock out. We wait for the end of the world and we forget that our world is incredibly fragile. We're not guaranteed tomorrow and no amount of preparation can change that. We can't buy enough canned goods and we can't build concrete walls underground that would be thick enough to ensure that life will go on. Instead of preparing for an apocalypse, why don't we prepare for eternity? Because we get one shot here on earth. That might be 100 years or might be 7 years, but what we decide here determines our forever. I take comfort in the fact that I serve a Sovereign God and I fully believe that those dear children are in heaven being held by Jesus with no more pain or fear of evil. As for the rest of us, I hope we grasp how fragile life really is. I hope we don't take the years for granted. And above all else I hope we can answer the most important question there is to answer: what do I believe about God?
2. Inevitably we do have to face this reality of death. Whether it's because of the apocalypse or by the hands of evil men or of natural causes. And if there is no escaping it, that one question remains: what do I believe about God? Not all of you are standing in the same boat here. I'm not naive enough to think that every single one of you believe there is a God. So, for each school of thought I have some thoughts to offer up:

• For those of you who don't claim any faith: I assume this decision is based on many hours of careful thought and reasoning. In any case, I ask that you would consider the consequences of your decision. What if you're wrong about this conclusion you've come to? I know you could ask me the same question. So here's my answer: If I'm wrong, if there really is no God, no life after death so what? Yes, that is my answer: so what? And here's why. If I'm wrong I've spent my life with hope. I've spent my life giving to others. And I've spent my life feeling completely fulfilled and joyful. I live a great life, die, and that's it. Sure, maybe I spent my life believing a lie, but I'll be dead and I doubt I'll care. But what if I'm right and you're wrong? There is a God (who, by the way, loves you more than you could ever know... even though you deny his existence). There is heaven and there is hell. If I'm right, the consequences for you after you die are much more serious than simply believing a lie and ceasing to exist. Now this decision is not one to be made based on fear. But I do hope that question at least gets your mind moving. I just have to ask when you consider the complexity of our world, can you really say that science answers every single one your questions about nature, mankind, the origin of the world, morality, etc.? Aren't there  just a few things out there that you can't explain? I'm not asking you make a decision right this second that there is a God. What I am asking is that you would at least revisit the topic of the existence of God. Because like I said before, what we decide about who he is will determine our eternity. And maybe you don't believe that's true, BUT if it is... on the slight chance that it is... the consequences are weighty. It wouldn't hurt to dig a little deeper, decide where you stand on this, and yes... maybe even pray. Just to see if God shows up. If you do all that and still arrive at your same conclusion, then I'll be satisfied. 

• For those of you I know that have "religion:" please hear me because you are near and dear to me (I think specifically of a few of my friends and family that I pray are reading this). Why is religion in quotes? What do I mean by religion? Why would religion be a dangerous place to rely? I do all the right things. I go to church and I pray sometimes. I'm a pretty good person. Or I believe all that stuff I'm just going wait until I settle down before I start practicing it. I don't want to miss out. Here's what I mean: religion can't save you. Going to church and praying isn't going to get you to heaven. You could be the best person in world and not be good enough. Because really, how good is good enough? How can you be certain that you've done enough good deeds or made into that church building enough times to guarantee your spot in heaven? Where's the cutoff? May I submit to you God's word: Romans 3:23: "For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God." Romans 6:23: "For the wages of sin is death." Ephesians 2:1-3: "As for you, you were dead in your transgressions and sins, in which you used to live when followed the ways of this world and of the ruler of the kingdom of the air, the spirit who is now at work in those who are disobedient. All of us also lived among them at one time, gratifying the cravings of our sinful nature and following its desires and thoughts. Like the rest, we were by nature objects of wrath." Romans 3:10: "As it is written: 'None is righteous, no, not one.'" Jeremiah 17:9: "The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately sick, who can understand it?" 1 John 1:10: "If we say we have not sinned, we make him a liar, and his word is not in us." We're NOT good. We're not worthy. I deserve hell. I don't deserve heaven. No one does, except one: Jesus. And here lies the difference between religion and relationship. I'm not bashing the church or good deeds or anything like that. I believe in all those things. They are good things. But what I don't believe (and I think the Bible is pretty clear) is that those things grant you any merit before God. Here is the rest of that Ephesians passage, 2:4-10: ^"But because of his great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions—it is by grace you have been saved. And God raised us up with Christ and seated us with him in the heavenly realms in Christ Jesus, in order that in the coming ages he might show the incomparable riches of his grace, expressed in his kindness to us in Christ Jesus. FOR IT IS BY GRACE YOU HAVE BEEN SAVED, THROUGH FAITH—AND THIS IS NOT FROM YOURSELVES, IT IS THE GIFT OF GOD— NOT BY WORKS, SO THAT NO ONE CAN BOAST. For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do." You see that is where being "religious" and having a relationship with Jesus are different. I'm a religious person in the sense that I go to church and I try to do good things, but ultimately I know that those things could never save me. The only thing that makes me worthy of getting into heaven is that I have put my faith and trust in Jesus and his blood covers my sin. Grace: an undeserved good gift. I deserve hell and I'm given heaven instead. And it is FREE. I don't have to do anything to deserve or earn it. What a relief! Belief in that is where rubber meets the road. Religion says, "change first before God will accept you." Religion says, "be a good person and God will be happy with you." False. The Bible doesn't say that. A relationship with Jesus means that you are fully accepted by God and as a result he will mold you into the kind of person he desires. Jesus first, actions follow. Not the other way around. I had a conversation with some friends recently where they expressed discontentment with their religious experience. They went to church occasionally but always felt guilty because they knew they were just going to walk out those doors and "mess up again." What I pray they understand more than anything is that Romans 8:1-2 is true: "So now there is no condemnation for those who belong to Christ Jesus. And because you belong to him the power of the life giving Spirit has freed you from the power of sin that leads to death." If that had a relationship with Jesus they would know that not only are they free from guilt, but they are also free from repeating the same screw-ups over and over again. Sadly many people I know would rather put checks in boxes on their "good person list" than really follow Jesus because they're afraid of what that might mean. What he'll ask them to do. What he'll ask them to give up. These are the "I'll really follow it later" folks. I already talked about the fragility of life so I won't go there again other than to say there might not be a later, do you really want to take that chance? What I really want you to know is from personal experience I can promise you that God is completely good and completely trustworthy. I can honestly say that following God's commands is a joyful and fulfilling life. He isn't withholding good things from me. Because he is good, he has set out boundaries and guidelines for my benefit and protection. So if you're afraid of missing out I would ask you to consider what you're missing by not surrendering control of your life to him. From personal experience (I had a few wild years in there) I can honestly say that I've never been happier than I am right now. And trust me my life is far from perfect. But I know that a loving, all powerful God calls me by name and has a wonderful plan for my life. I know that the things he wants to give me are for my benefit and my good. And I know that when I die, I will spend eternity in heaven with him. Can religion offer you all that?   

• For those of you are sons and daughters of Jesus: I rejoice with you because although this world will burn and our bodies get laid to rest,I take joy knowing that we will be in heaven together for eternity. I don't have long thoughts for us in this category, only this: let's not waste our lives. We have been given a precious gift and it's meant to be shared. If I make it to an old age I don't want to look back at my life and think, "I wish I would have..." Whatever it is, fill in the blank. I pray that after my world ends, when I stand before my Savior he says to me, "Well done, good and faithful servant!" I pray that we live each day with an eternal perspective.

If you have questions, comments, or objections to anything I said here please let me know! I love to talk about these things and would be interested in knowing where you stand.

Pray for the families of those who lost their lives in New Town.