5 Pitfalls to Avoid When Preaching on the End Times

5 Pitfalls to Avoid When Preaching on the End Times

By Marty Duren

Few things capture the imaginations of church-going folks than sermons on the Last Days or End Times. This is not a new phenomenon. The first century believers in Thessalonica (modern day Thessaloniki, Greece) seemed to be enamored with Christ’s return, but Paul did not want them to misunderstand the truth about it:

We do not want you to be uninformed, brothers and sisters, concerning those who are asleep [have died], so that you will not grieve like those who have no hope. For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, in the same way, through Jesus, God will bring with him those who have fallen asleep. (1 Thessalonians 5:13-14)

Pastors and theologians have long held the importance of accurately dividing eschatological words of truth. Too often, though, we see dull knives forced again and again onto the sacred text, resulting in tortured interpretations (the UN Secretary General as the Antichrist) or unbiblical expectations (77 Reasons Jesus Will Return in 1977).

In the 1970s and 80s, church auditoriums were swollen with people convinced 2017 would fall during the Millennial reign of Christ. Jesus would long have returned by now. Instead, we have Millennials and Gen Zers with little-to-no connection to—or interest in—long expired dates on “End Times” labels.

Eschatological preaching is needed. We do have a blessed hope. Christ promised to return. Part of our motivation for holiness is to be ready for his appearing. His re-appearance will usher in the cosmic renewal for which his followers have yearned for centuries, indeed all of creation is yearning.

But, let’s get it right.

When we preach from Daniel, Revelation, the Olivet Discourse, the “man of sin,” or other prophetic passages, here are a few pitfalls to avoid.

1. Making every news item a “sign of the times.”

Seeking signs is nothing new. Signs were commonplace for God’s people in the Old Testament. After Jesus informed his disciples of Jerusalem’s impending destruction, they wanted to know:

Tell us, when will these things happen?

What is the sign of your coming?

What is the sign of the end of the age? (Matthew 24:3)

Jesus then gave about half-of-a-chapter of signs and instructions. His followers have been looking for signs of his coming since that day. It has practically become a spiritual gift.

When pastors or teachers try to convert news items into biblical signs, the results can be theologically catastrophic. Take the pastor I saw on his TV broadcast who said to his church—in utter seriousness—that Microsoft’s Windows operating system is the Beast of Revelation. Or a computer in Belgium called “the Beast.” Or the EC being the restored Roman Empire. Or the Gulf War will lead to Armageddon.

Pastors, teachers, and theologians—historically—have not proven adept at reading the signs of the times. We would be better off preaching on disciple-making than tying daily headlines to a biblical prophecy.

2. Playing “Name the Antichrist.”

Henry Kissinger. Ronald Reagan. King George. The Pope (just pick one). Caesar. A random Jew from the tribe of Dan.

Each and every one of these, at some point in history, has been suspected (or accused) of being the Antichrist. Such speculation is distracting to the mission God has give us.

There is no scripture that encourages guessing the identity of the Antichrist. We (not to mention our churches!) would be better off in leaving this secret thing to God.

3. Neglecting the original audience.

When we do not take into account the original audience of the text, we may find ourselves in fantasy land. When Jesus and his disciples walked across the temple complex and Jesus said “not one stone” will be left “on another,” his disciples would not have interpreted a 2,000-year futuristic reference. Indeed, it was mere decades (AD 70) before that prophecy was fulfilled. When Jesus said in Matthew 24:9, “Then they will hand you over..they will kill you…you will be hated,” Peter, James, and John would not have connected “you” to 21st century Christians; they would have looked at each other.

As with any scriptural text, the original audience should be considered. They provide part of the context for accurate biblical interpretation. When we better understand what it meant to them, we better understand what it means.

4. Setting dates.

“No one knows the day or the hour.”

‘Nuf said.

5. Overemphasizing an American role.

Some American Christians seem enamored with how (or if) America fits into biblical prophecy. One preacher I heard likened an Old Testament “eagle’s wings” reference to the United States because our national bird is the bald eagle. That’s as shaky as maracas in a Salsa band.

Many American Christians already struggle with a view of history that is over-Western or overtly American, seemingly unaware that God has used myriad nations throughout history to accomplish his will. Scripturally speaking, America, ancient Rome, Botswana, China, Persia, Mongolia, and Montenegro are the same in God’s eyes: a drop in the bucket, dust on a scale, empty nothingness (Isaiah 40:15-17). He uses them as he wills, when he wills, if he wills.

When we assign to America a greater role than scripture reveals we may be leading hearers to an interpretive pit. Some things that “make for good preachin'” do not make for good Bible.

Jesus is coming again. He will return to the earth just as he was seen leaving it nearly 2,000 years ago. He will come in power. He will institute the fulness of his kingdom on earth as it is in heaven. Until then, he has given us a Great Commission. The more the mission consumes us, the fewer pitfalls of eschatological speculation will deter us. May we live in faith what God has revealed, while leaving the secret things to him.

Preparing the Way For The Baptism in the Spirit

Wrong thinking, false teaching, culture and traditions can hinder the Word preparing hearts and minds in receiving the Holy Spirit. Here are some answers to common errors.

Every Believer Indwelt (but not filled) - When you pray for the Baptism in the Spirit you are not asking for the Holy Spirit to come into your life. He is already dwelling within you or you are not saved (Rom. 8:9). The Savior who came into your life when you put your faith in Him (Jn. 1:12) is also the Baptizer in the Spirit (Matt. 3:11). The Spirit already dwells within - the Godhead dwells within – and you don’t get some other part of God in the Baptism (Jn. 14:23). You are asking for a release of the Holy Spirit to enable you to breakthrough to a new dimension of life.

“Am I Good (Holy) Enough?” - The Baptism is not a wage or reward. It is a gift. The idea that you can improve or better yourself to become more qualified for the things of God runs contrary to grace. God certainly desires we be sanctified and our lives line up with Christ’s but that is not possible by self-effort and requires the help of the Holy Spirit (1 Thess. 4:3-5, 7; Jn. 15:1-8; Gal. 5:22-23). The Holy Spirit is the agent in sanctification and holiness is the result of allowing and yielding to the work of the Holy Spirit in us. Not of works but faith. When we are born again we are justified and declared righteous. We still need the sanctifying work of the Spirit but this doesn’t disqualify one from receiving the Spirit. Greater cleansing will come after the Baptism. The Spirit-baptized will be more sensitive to the Spirit’s presence and leadership. A believer is entitled to the Blessing and He delights in your receiving it.

No Reason to Fear the Holy Spirit - When you received Christ as Savior did you fear what He would do to you? You did not! You saw Him as Friend (Jn. 15:14-15). Anything God gives us is good. The Holy Spirit is God and just like Jesus! See Jn. 14:16-18. The word “another” means “of the same kind.” Just as Jesus was a Helper (Comforter) so the Holy Spirit will be the same in our lives as He comes alongside to comfort, strengthen and teach us. He has the same nature and demeanor as Jesus and there is no need to fear Him. Who convicted and drew you to Jesus? The Holy Spirit. He enabled you to believe and repent. Did you fear the Spirit as you accepted and responded to Christ? Nor should you fear when seeking the Baptism.

You Speak (the Spirit gives the utterance) - In the Baptism you are the one speaking. The Holy Spirit gives the utterance. He does not make you speak. The speaking is an act of faith. You choose to speak in tongues just like you choose to speak in English. Releasing faith means action. In the NT when someone heard the Word they had to make a decision to act on it. This initiative is obedience. When they did God was faithful to do His part. As you do your part in the Baptism by beginning to speak, God does His part and gives the utterance. Nothing will happen until you do your part. The Promise is for every Christian to be filled and to speak in tongues. It’s Word. The responsibility is ours to respond to in obedience expecting the miracle of tongues to occur.  “And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit (passive voice – something God does) and began to speak (active voice – something the disciples did) with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance” (Acts 2:4). It does not read: “And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and spoke in tongues…” This grammar would remove the active participation of the believers. Paul spoke in tongues (1 Cor. 14:18). For him it was something he made an active decision and participated in. See 1 Cor. 14:14-15. “I will pray… I will sing…” You choose to use the physical parts and faculties of your body in speaking or singing and the Spirit gives the utterance. Our physical obedience is essential for God to do the filling (Ps. 81:10; Acts 5:32). We obey and do our part (speaking) He will do His and fill us with His Spirit in a dynamic release of spiritual language.

“I Don’t Want It to Be Me” - It will be you doing the speaking. The Holy Spirit will not overpower you causing you to speak in tongues. He will whisper, impress or nudge you with thoughts, words, ideas or even sounds but you do the speaking. He gives the utterance. God will give you what you ask for and not a counterfeit or fake language (Luke 11:9-13). When you ask in faith you can expect to receive the Spirit’s power as promised by God. (“I don’t want to get in the flesh”) When you accepted Christ He honored your faith and confession and were saved. Did you worry about getting in the flesh when you were saved? You trusted the Holy Spirit to save you when you repented and put your faith in Christ and when you trust the Spirit to give you the utterance (just like in salvation) while you speak you are no more in the flesh as then. You are presenting your body as a living sacrifice spiritually just as you did in salvation.

The Place of Emotions - Some may think to receive the Baptism extreme manifestations are necessary. I don’t have to be in some emotional state to speak in English and it’s unnecessary for tongues. There may be joy, excitement and other manifestations when the Baptism is received but are not required or necessary. Also, speaking in tongues does not have to occur in an unconscious state or while unaware of surroundings. So called “ecstatic utterances” are not Biblical. There is a place for excitement and emotions in our worship. God gave us our emotions for a reason. But for the Baptism they are not required. Many emotions/physical manifestations are learned behaviors. This is not to say there will not be excitement, joy and praise along with emotion when received.

Tarrying - Many think they must wait long periods of time to receive the Baptism. The only time it was required was when the disciples gathered in the Upper Room awaiting the outpouring promised by Jesus (Luke 24:49). Otherwise there is no record in the NT Christians were required to wait for the Spirit after Pentecost.

·         Acts 4:31 They prayed and were filled. No waiting.

·         Acts 8:15, 17 In Samaria they immediately received.

·         Acts 9:17, 20 Implied in Paul’s situation.

·         Acts 10 While Peter was speaking.

·         Acts 19:6 As conditions were met the gift was immediately poured out.

Since Pentecost all believers can receive the gift when they ask in faith. You didn’t have to tarry to be saved nor do you for the Baptism.

Faith - Gal. 3:2, 14. To say you believe and not to act on it is not faith. Faith is reception and release. You receive by faith and then release the gift by faith in the utterance of God. See Mark 11:24. Ask, believe you received and then begin to speak in tongues as the Spirit gives the utterance.

8 RESULTS OF DISOBEYING GOD

Neglecting Divine Leadership 

By Charles F. Stanley

SEPTEMBER 03, 2017

We need God’s guidance for every area of our lives—financial decisions, marriage, business, education, and anything that concerns us. Sometimes we’re going in the right direction, but the timing isn’t right. God not only knows what we should do, but how and when as well. Some choices may seem fantastic from our perspective, but if they aren’t God’s will, we will regret them eventually. As Christ’s followers, we have the Holy Spirit within us to guide us into all truth. But if we neglect His divine leadership and insist on going our own way, the Lord will let us face the consequences until we finally repent and turn back to Him. When we refuse to consult the Lord and are determined to go our own way, we can expect the following results:

Confusion. We’ll start to question our decision and wonder if we made a wrong choice. God’s actions at the Tower of Babel demonstrate how He brings confusion when we make decisions apart from Him. Not only were their plans frustrated, but God accomplished His will despite them, as they scattered over the surface of the earth.

Conflict. We’ll experience internal conflict when the Holy Spirit gives us a sense of uneasiness, inadequacy, and doubt over our course of action.

Cost. Disobedience is always costly when we don’t do the right thing, in the right time, and in the right way. Loss. We will experience loss at some point in our lives, whether emotionally or physically.

Regret. God chooses the best direction, time, and way. Therefore, if we go in an opposite direction, don’t wait for His timing, or do it our way, we will miss His best and suffer deep regret.

Pain. We may experience physical pain as the result of our disobedience, but the worst pain is that which is emotional. As we look back at our choices, we’ll be filled with thoughts of “If only I’d done this or not done that.”

Disaster. It could come to us financially, emotionally, or in countless other ways, but the result of disobedience is always disastrous because we didn’t follow the Lord.

Discipline. If we will not listen and obey God, He’ll discipline us. His goal is that we learn to trust in Him with all our heart instead of leaning on our own understanding (Prov. 3:5-6). Only then will He make our paths straight. 

If we claim that Jesus Christ is our Savior and Lord, we should consult Him regarding every decision. He loves us, understands our weaknesses, knows what’s best for us and how to accomplish it, and can save us from the pain and trouble that could result from following our own self-directed path. When He directs our way, He ensures that everything works out according to His will because He has the power to accomplish it.

Great Article on Modesty

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Click on this to read a great article on modesty. Modesty, Yoga Pants and 5 Myths You Need to Know.

Predestined to Be Lost?

Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ, just as He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before Him in love, having predestined us to adoption as sons by Jesus Christ to Himself, according to the good pleasure of His will, to the praise of the glory of His grace, by which He made us accepted in the Beloved. Ephesians 1:3-6

By foreknowledge God knew I would choose Him. As a result He chose me because He knew I would believe on Jesus as my Savior and Lord. He didn’t decide if I would be saved or lost without foreknowledge that I would. He didn’t decide I would be saved and yet someone else would be lost. The choice was mine. He didn’t make it for me. He will not violate my free will because I believe He wants us to want Him.

The choice belongs to the other fellow as well. If he rejects Christ then he is not going to be counted with the Elect (who are the ones who did make the choice for Jesus). God is not the reason someone misses Heaven. It is truly “whosoever will.” The truth is that God chooses the corporate Body of Christ as His Elect because Jesus is The Elect (“My beloved Son in whom I’m well pleased”). If we are “in Him” we are the chosen ones.

It all comes down to whether a person is in a relationship with Jesus Christ. Jesus is at the center of God’s plan for us and has been from the beginning. What you do with Jesus makes the difference in where you will spend eternity. That has always been the plan. For those who accept Christ, they are predestined to become the children of God and be God’s people forever. For those who reject Christ they are doomed to be separated from Him forever.

The choice is ours to make. It isn’t as complicated as many want to make it. Do you believe that Jesus died for your sins and will accept you if you will repent? Will you make Him Lord of your life? If so you are the Elect – the Chosen. If not, then you are not.

> Brother Jesse

Written in Blood

In his book Written in Blood, Robert Coleman tells the story of a little boy whose sister needed a blood transfusion. The doctor explained that she had the same disease the boy had recovered from two years earlier. Her only chance for recovery was a transfusion from someone who had previously conquered the disease. Since the two children had the same rare blood type, the boy was the ideal donor.

"Would you give your blood to Mary?" the doctor asked. Johnny hesitated. His lower lip started to tremble. Then he smiled and said, "Sure, for my sister." Soon the two children were wheeled into the hospital room--Mary, pale and thin; Johnny, robust and healthy. Neither spoke, but when their eyes met, Johnny grinned. As the nurse inserted the needle into his arm, Johnny's smile faded. He watched the blood flow through the tube.

With the ordeal almost over, his voice, slightly shaky, broke the silence. "Doctor, when do I die?'

Only then did the doctor realize why Johnny had hesitated, why his lip had trembled when he'd agreed to donate his blood. He's thought giving his blood to his sister meant giving up his life. In that brief moment, he'd made his great decision. Johnny, fortunately, didn't have to die to save his sister. Each of us, however, has a condition more serious than Mary's, and it required Jesus to give not just His blood but His life.