For the past several months, I have been submitting messages based on Matthew's Gospel. After much prayer and thought, I have decided to bring these messages to a conclusion. Godly men such as the late John Walvoord, John MacArthur, James Boice, and others have written excellent messages and commentaries on Matthew that I highly recommend to any serious Bible-believing and Christ-loving believer. There are websites dedicated to God's Holy Word as well, such as "Study Light" that have many commentaries from a variety of scholars, pastors, and teachers who love the LORD and want to glorify Him by sharing what they have learned over the years with others. What I want to do is "shift gears" and specifically concentrate on a passage from Matthew 24, where the Lord Jesus is talking with His disciples about the last days and what to expect as the days draw nearer to His return. This will be my final message on Matthew unless the LORD has other plans for me later on.
One trait Jesus mentions about the last days is found in verse 12, where He says, "And because lawlessness will abound, the love of many will grow (wax) cold." (NKJV). The Bible says that love for others will decrease to the point where no one cares about anyone but themselves. In a time like ours when it seems that everyone's face is glued to their phones while the world around them sinks into tragedy and terror, this verse is more relevant than ever. An online animated presentation illustrated this so clearly by showing how a suicide victim, instead of being helped, is instead the focus of attention for everyone's cell phone as the victim falls to his death. Afterwards, the crowd shares their pictures as the victim is left on the ground, forgotten and regulated to an obscure name in a graveyard. Loneliness is epidemic, yet no one bothers to take the steps to make a difference. We have become too self-absorbed in our own "problems" to concern ourselves with the needs of others. Indifference has turned into abject cruelty and selfishness. I live in a senior adult community where I know that many of the residents are here because their families see them as a burden that the Oklahoma Baptists can handle better than they can. My wife and I spend a lot of time visiting with them, and for many, it is the only company they have. Families, for the most part, are aligned only by last names and bloodlines, not intimacy and love.
Another verse that shows the increase of lovelessness and disdain towards others is found in 2 Timothy 3:2-5:
"For men will be lovers of THEMSLEVES, lovers of money, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, unloving, slanderers without self-control, brutal, despisers of good, traitors, headstrong, naughty, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, having a form of godliness but denying its power, and from such people turn away." (NKJV). The apostle John writes, "But whoever has the world's goods, and sees his brother in need, and shuts up his heart from him, how does the love of God abide in Him?" (1 John 3:17, NKJV). Look closer at these verses. While these characteristics are a part of the world's depraved nature (Isaiah 64:6; Romans 1:28-32, 3:10-20), the problem is that this same curse of love "growing cold" has crept into the church. I've heard it said that the church of the last days is good at two things, polishing their armor, and shooting their wounded. As a former pastor who has seen the worst of "church folks" behavior, I concur. But is this something that the bride of Christ has to contend with now, or can we change course and return to the task to which He has called us?
I'll grant that people have gotten meaner, more vicious, egotistical, wicked, stubborn, and fiercely resistant to the Gospel, but that is no excuse to just "throw in the towel" and mutter under our breaths, "Fine! Go to hell, then! See if I care!" Love for our brethren and for the lost has grown cold in our hearts. I have to face this reality, and so do you. Jesus' prophecy about the coldness of our hearts is just as much an issue with which to deal as the certainty of His return and the Gospel message that we are obliged to share. I want to present some ideas and concerns I have about "love growing gold":
1) We have grown cold because we have forgotten about the love of Jesus Christ that bound Him to the cross in order to rescue us from our sins and the hell each of us rightly deserve.
2) We have grown cold because we have forgotten about the state of our own wretched souls before a Holy God and the fact that we were headed to hell like the very people whom we now scorn and ignore.
3) We have grown cold because we no longer really care about the fate of the wicked and the reality of eternity apart from the sovereign mercy and grace of God.
4) We have grown cold because we have forgotten about the joy we had when we saw someone for whom we prayed come to the Lord Jesus for salvation. We have forgotten about the joy of soul winning.
5) We have grown cold because we have neglected our spiritual health and walk with the LORD. We no longer have the close relationship we had with Him, and no reason or excuse is valid or acceptable in His sight.
6) We have grown cold because we have our eyes more upon the temporary things of the world than on the permanency of heaven and eternal life.
7) We have grown cold because we have allowed the attitude of the wicked to deter us from what the eternal God has called us to do - tell the world about Jesus.
8) We have grown cold because we have allowed the devil and his lies to tell us that we make no difference in the world or in the lives of those around us.
9) We have grown cold because we have chosen to live like someone who wants it both ways - living in the world but still wants to give God His due. We cannot have it both ways. Jesus demands our full attention, obedience, and love. Who gets your attention now?
10) We have grown cold because we have allowed past hurts and unforgiven issues to remain unsettled and left to fester in our souls, rendering us ineffective until we give it all to the LORD, forgive others, and move on with our lives. The past and its excuses should never hold us back from achieving the goals for which Christ has called us.
So, what do we do? The answer is to first examine ourselves to see whether we are truly in the faith as the Bible teaches. Are we true followers of Jesus, or just "church members" who show up every so often and make a pious appearance? Read Matthew 7:21-23; Luke 14:25-33; Romans 3:10-20, 23, 5:6-11, 6:23, 10:9-10, 13; 1 Corinthians 6:20; 2 Corinthians 5:10, 17 and take an honest look at where you stand before the LORD. We need to wake up and strengthen what remains (Revelation 3:2). We are to break up our hard (fallow) ground (Jeremiah 4:3; 1 John 2:1-2) and rededicate ourselves to the call and commission of the Lord Jesus Christ. Our love for one another and for the lost cannot afford to be quenched. We need to remember that an eternity in hell is not worth any type of temporary animosity towards the lost (Matthew 25:41,46; Mark 9:43-48; Luke 16:19-31; Revelation 20:11-15). If I had no other message to present, I would be content. However, I'm still breathing, still here, and so are you. We have a job to do. Yes, people are going to get more nasty as the days grow closer to Jesus' return. Don't let your heart retaliate by silence, indifference, or other excuses the devil would like to throw at us. In terms of eternity, let your heart be warmed and awakened by the power and grace of the Lord Jesus Christ. I'll see you at the throne.
donaldwhitchard@gmail.com
www.youtube.com/@drdonaldwhitchard
