The End Of The Church Age

NEAR THE END OF THE AGE:

There is no doubt in a reasonable thinking persons mind that we’re surely in the last days of this Church age.

Listen as I read today’s text Genesis 6:1-6:13

1And it came to pass, when men began to multiply on the face of the earth, and daughters were born unto them, 2That the sons of God saw the daughters of men that they were fair; and they took them wives of all which they chose.

3And the LORD said, My spirit shall not always strive with man, for that he also is flesh: yet his days shall be an hundred and twenty years.

4There were giants in the earth in those days; and also after that, when the sons of God came in unto the daughters of men, and they bare children to them, the same became mighty men which were of old, men of renown. 5And GOD saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every imagination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually.

6And it repented the LORD that he had made man on the earth, and it grieved him at his heart. 7And the LORD said, I will destroy man whom I have created from the face of the earth; both man, and beast, and the creeping thing, and the fowls of the air; for it repenteth me that I have made them.

8But Noah found grace in the eyes of the LORD. 9These are the generations of Noah: Noah was a just man and perfect in his generations, and Noah walked with God. 10And Noah begat three sons, Shem, Ham, and Japheth.

11The earth also was corrupt before God, and the earth was filled with violence. 12And God looked upon the earth, and, behold, it was corrupt; for all flesh had corrupted his way upon the earth.

13And God said unto Noah, The end of all flesh is come before me; for the earth is filled with violence through them; and, behold, I will destroy them with the earth

Do you recall all the caouse as we approached the new year of 2000? Almost everybody was a little concerned about what might happen as for as the computer controlled world was concerned, people were uneasy because there was a lot of talk about things shutting down at the stroke of midnight.

Planes possible could crash. Bank computers would scramble our accounts. The stock market would plunge. Stores would run out of food. Traffic lights would not work. So people stock piled food, topped off their gas tanks, stored up lots of water, took out large amounts of cash from their banks, stayed away from planes and stayed home on New Years Eve.

And then the clocks struck 12:00... and nothing happened. Neither did anything happen the first business day. There was plenty of food. Planes flew; traffic flowed as usual, accounts were correct; lights were on and there was water at the tap. All of the talk of terrorists’ activities didn’t happen.

There were people who prospered during the whole ordeal. Some people sold lots of books. Others sold great quantities of dried food; guns and ammo, generators and batteries; Christians were not without their share of guilt in adding to the frenzy and hype. Many were selling books and materials to get people ready for the impending disasters associated with the coming of the new millennium.

And some were even predicting the return of Jesus Christ at the stroke of midnight. January 1st of 2000. Christians gathered in Jerusalem, and some even sold or gave away all their possessions in preparation. But nothing happened. not any terrorist attacks. And most of all, Jesus did not return.

For the most part this is all good news. Our lives continued without the problems, which were predicted, and the world had not come to an end.

But could there be a hidden danger here? The result may be that the people of the world are not only breathing a sigh of relief, but they now believe that since nothing did happen, nothing can happen. And the danger is we will continue in our self-assured arrogance.

The temptation is to ignore the problems we are facing and believe that they will simple go away.

The apostle Peter warned: 2 Peter 3:3-73Knowing this first, that there shall come in the last days scoffers, walking after their own lusts, 4And saying, Where is the promise of his coming? for since the fathers fell asleep, all things continue as they were from the beginning of the creation. 5For this they willingly are ignorant of, that by the word of God the heavens were of old, and the earth standing out of the water and in the water: 6Whereby the world that then was, being overflowed with water, perished: 7But the heavens and the earth, which are now, by the same word are kept in store, reserved unto fire against the day of judgment and perdition of ungodly men.