Sunday Sermon
One time this summer I was out eating Chicken Wings with an old High School Teacher of mine, and he started giving me a detailed theory about what events are going to bring about the end of the world? A few weeks after I started up here, a Pastoral Intern in Southern Minnesota, e-mailed me, and told me that people in her congregation kept telling her the end of the world is upon us, due to all the troubles in the world? Pastor Steve has told me that questions about the end of the world have been asked to him answer? I see the popularity of this topic in that the Left Behind Series which has sold over 60 Million Books, and has been made into three movies this series, tries to formulate what the end of the world might look like highlighted by true Christians being taken away into heaven before complete Global chaos and conflict breaks out starting in the Middle East. I have been asked a couple times to respond to statements made by TV preachers, regarding how the world was going to end soon. So this is an issue that has people wondering, so this is why I am going to address it today, by answering common questions people have about the End of the World?
Question 1: What do I mean when I say the world is going to End? I mean the day when Jesus Christ returns as taught in Acts 1. When Jesus does return pain, sin, Satan and death will be all done away with as taught in I Corinthians 15 and Revelation 20. At the last day, Believers will inherit eternal life, joy, and bliss and unbelievers to eternal punishment as taught in John 5, and Revelation 20. So what Lutherans believe about the end of the world is no different than anything than what we confess every Sunday in the Apostles Creed that “Jesus will come again to judge the living and the dead. When Christ does return, all suffering, pain, and death will be gone from the Earth forever as stated in 2 Peter 3. Where as now only pain, suffering, and death are eliminated in heaven.
Question 2: When is the world going to End? To this I say I have absolutely no clue? Although, when the Vikings win the Super Bowl that might get me wondering a bit. The reason I have no clue is because of the witness of scripture. In Today’s scripture reading from I Thessalonians 5-Verse 2 specifically-Paul says the “Day of the Lord will come like a Thief in the Night”, this is a restatement of what Jesus says in Matthew 24 ,Mark 13 and also is stated 2 Peter 3. So the idea that someone is going to be able to accurately predict when the world is going to end is beyond me. The world could end today, or it could end 10,000 years from now.
Question 3: Doesn’t scripture speak of what events are going to precede the End of the World? These signs are what people like to refer to predict the End of the World. The signs that are spoken about in scripture include “Wars, Famines, Earthquakes, Persecution and suffering of Christians, and churches preaching contrary to the Gospel. . For instance this week with the riots taking place in France, and then a TV preacher might say the end of the world is upon us since 2 Thessalonians 2 speaks of lawlessness occurring before the end of the world. But the truth is that all signs these signs scripture speaks of going on before the end of the world, have been going on for as long as we can remember, and hundreds of generations before us, as they are all caused by human sin. This is why such things as Earthquakes, Wars, and the suffering of Christians have always existed.
So when scripture speaks of signs of the end of the world, and also speaks of how no one knows when the world is going to end. This is not a contradiction, because scripture is talking about the state of the world, before Christ’s return. Scripture describes signs for the End of the World, so people may know the imperfect suffering nature of the world that Christ is coming to save people from.
Question 4: How do Lutherans view the Book of Revelation?
Well to understand, the Book of Revelation was written by the Apostle John while he was exiled in Patamos, John wrote a letter to Several churches intending to provide comfort for these churches in the midst of persecution for the faith. Lutherans believe the Book of Revelation does not come up with exotic new ideas, but reinforces the idea throughout all of scripture that God will overcome all things in times of great distress, and suffering.. The Book of Revelation seeks to reinforce what is taught elsewhere in the scriptures. The Book of Revelation is symbolic literature in that it uses a lot of symbols, signs, and cycles. For instance, Revelation constantly uses the number 7, since it is a number used to indicate completion or fulfillment of God’s work. So the Book of Revelation uses symbols such as Beasts, and Harlots, to indicate those who perscute and decieve God’s people are going to one day be defeated. Revelation also speaks of the day when all pain and tribulation or suffering are going to end. Then Believers are going to be in heavenly paradise with God thanks to Christ’s work on the Cross. So the Book of Revelation was written not to shed light into 21st century Global Politics such as how to interpret the Israeli/Palenstianian conflict but to assure believers in the 1st century, but also today that in the midst of hard times of God’s triumph over all things till the end of time.
Question 5: How do Lutheran views about the End of the World contrast with other Churches?
Well great majority Lutheran belief, and what I am, is called Amillenialnist which was the dominant belief about the end of the World in the Early Church the view, held by the Lutheran reformers, and the great majority view till this last century. Besides Lutherans holding this view are Roman Catholics, Episcopals, Presbyterian, some Baptists, and the Church of Christ, , just to name a few Churches. This view began to be challenged by a preacher in the late 19th century named John Nelson Darby who first began formulating the idea that all Christians would be taken away in a rapture, before seven years of great suffering takes place under the leadership of the Anti-Christ Darby’s view shaped the Left Behind series, and has been influential in many churches. . Then Christ will come an establish a thousand year Political rule on Earth. In contrast to Darby’s views.
Lutherans do believe in rapture, as stated in I Thessalonians 4, but by this I mean Lutherans believe at the end of time all believers will be with God.
As far as being taken away before seven years of suffering taking place after Christians have been taken away, Lutheran believe the Christian life is one of suffering as stated by Jesus in John 16. For instance, every person is this room has gone through hard times, pain, suffering, sin, and sadness. For these are the very things that Christ came to save Christians from by his cross, and when Christ returns all these things will be gone from the Earth forever.
Lutherans don’t believe Christ is returning to set up any sort of political rule, since Jesus states pretty explicitly in John 18 that his Kingdom is not of this world. Now, when we pray thy Kingdom Come every Sunday in the Lord’s Prayer. . We as Christians are praying that God’s will for the world be done: A world where everyone believes the Gospel, a world where no one is a recipient of unjust violence, a world where not one person goes hungry at night. So Christians are called to try to create God’s kingdom on Earth although we realize God’s kingdom will never be accomplished on Earth because of human sin. But God’s perfect kingdom will be realized in heaven. For Philippians 3 speaks of how Christian’s true citizenship is with Jesus Christ in heaven. .
So if somebody starts telling some real exotic theory about the end of the world other than Christ will come to judge the living and the dead, it is an idea that is not consistent with what the Scriptures teach about the End of the World or witness of the Historic Christian Church.
In Summary- the Lutheran Belief about the end of the world is nothing fancy, it is just that Christ will one day return to Judge the Living and the Dead, as stated in scripture, and the words of the Apostles Creed. When Christ will return is as predictable as when the thief comes during the night. This is why Christians for hundreds and hundreds of years have been wrongly predicting when the world is going to end. We must not sit here speculating about the end of the world though.
Rather, we must continue to trust in God’s salvation in Jesus Christ from all things and be assured in those sweet words from Romans 8” Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or danger or sword. “
Be assured today that nothing, not even the end of the world cannot separate those who believe from the love of God. For any talk about the end of the world and Christ’s return must be connected with Christ’s resurrection. For as Jesus came the first time to defeat our sin, and our death by his resurrection, so we as believers may be forgiven in heaven. Christ will come again someday, so that all the sin, pain, suffering, and death of this world may exist no more. And all believers of the living and the dead will be with Christ.
For in the words of Revelation 21-“And I heard, the loud voice from the throne saying “Behold, the dwelling place of God is with man, He will dwell with them, and they will be his people, and God himself will be with them as their God. He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning nor crying nor pain anymore, for the former things has passed away.” -Amen
Question 1: What do I mean when I say the world is going to End? I mean the day when Jesus Christ returns as taught in Acts 1. When Jesus does return pain, sin, Satan and death will be all done away with as taught in I Corinthians 15 and Revelation 20. At the last day, Believers will inherit eternal life, joy, and bliss and unbelievers to eternal punishment as taught in John 5, and Revelation 20. So what Lutherans believe about the end of the world is no different than anything than what we confess every Sunday in the Apostles Creed that “Jesus will come again to judge the living and the dead. When Christ does return, all suffering, pain, and death will be gone from the Earth forever as stated in 2 Peter 3. Where as now only pain, suffering, and death are eliminated in heaven.
Question 2: When is the world going to End? To this I say I have absolutely no clue? Although, when the Vikings win the Super Bowl that might get me wondering a bit. The reason I have no clue is because of the witness of scripture. In Today’s scripture reading from I Thessalonians 5-Verse 2 specifically-Paul says the “Day of the Lord will come like a Thief in the Night”, this is a restatement of what Jesus says in Matthew 24 ,Mark 13 and also is stated 2 Peter 3. So the idea that someone is going to be able to accurately predict when the world is going to end is beyond me. The world could end today, or it could end 10,000 years from now.
Question 3: Doesn’t scripture speak of what events are going to precede the End of the World? These signs are what people like to refer to predict the End of the World. The signs that are spoken about in scripture include “Wars, Famines, Earthquakes, Persecution and suffering of Christians, and churches preaching contrary to the Gospel. . For instance this week with the riots taking place in France, and then a TV preacher might say the end of the world is upon us since 2 Thessalonians 2 speaks of lawlessness occurring before the end of the world. But the truth is that all signs these signs scripture speaks of going on before the end of the world, have been going on for as long as we can remember, and hundreds of generations before us, as they are all caused by human sin. This is why such things as Earthquakes, Wars, and the suffering of Christians have always existed.
So when scripture speaks of signs of the end of the world, and also speaks of how no one knows when the world is going to end. This is not a contradiction, because scripture is talking about the state of the world, before Christ’s return. Scripture describes signs for the End of the World, so people may know the imperfect suffering nature of the world that Christ is coming to save people from.
Question 4: How do Lutherans view the Book of Revelation?
Well to understand, the Book of Revelation was written by the Apostle John while he was exiled in Patamos, John wrote a letter to Several churches intending to provide comfort for these churches in the midst of persecution for the faith. Lutherans believe the Book of Revelation does not come up with exotic new ideas, but reinforces the idea throughout all of scripture that God will overcome all things in times of great distress, and suffering.. The Book of Revelation seeks to reinforce what is taught elsewhere in the scriptures. The Book of Revelation is symbolic literature in that it uses a lot of symbols, signs, and cycles. For instance, Revelation constantly uses the number 7, since it is a number used to indicate completion or fulfillment of God’s work. So the Book of Revelation uses symbols such as Beasts, and Harlots, to indicate those who perscute and decieve God’s people are going to one day be defeated. Revelation also speaks of the day when all pain and tribulation or suffering are going to end. Then Believers are going to be in heavenly paradise with God thanks to Christ’s work on the Cross. So the Book of Revelation was written not to shed light into 21st century Global Politics such as how to interpret the Israeli/Palenstianian conflict but to assure believers in the 1st century, but also today that in the midst of hard times of God’s triumph over all things till the end of time.
Question 5: How do Lutheran views about the End of the World contrast with other Churches?
Well great majority Lutheran belief, and what I am, is called Amillenialnist which was the dominant belief about the end of the World in the Early Church the view, held by the Lutheran reformers, and the great majority view till this last century. Besides Lutherans holding this view are Roman Catholics, Episcopals, Presbyterian, some Baptists, and the Church of Christ, , just to name a few Churches. This view began to be challenged by a preacher in the late 19th century named John Nelson Darby who first began formulating the idea that all Christians would be taken away in a rapture, before seven years of great suffering takes place under the leadership of the Anti-Christ Darby’s view shaped the Left Behind series, and has been influential in many churches. . Then Christ will come an establish a thousand year Political rule on Earth. In contrast to Darby’s views.
Lutherans do believe in rapture, as stated in I Thessalonians 4, but by this I mean Lutherans believe at the end of time all believers will be with God.
As far as being taken away before seven years of suffering taking place after Christians have been taken away, Lutheran believe the Christian life is one of suffering as stated by Jesus in John 16. For instance, every person is this room has gone through hard times, pain, suffering, sin, and sadness. For these are the very things that Christ came to save Christians from by his cross, and when Christ returns all these things will be gone from the Earth forever.
Lutherans don’t believe Christ is returning to set up any sort of political rule, since Jesus states pretty explicitly in John 18 that his Kingdom is not of this world. Now, when we pray thy Kingdom Come every Sunday in the Lord’s Prayer. . We as Christians are praying that God’s will for the world be done: A world where everyone believes the Gospel, a world where no one is a recipient of unjust violence, a world where not one person goes hungry at night. So Christians are called to try to create God’s kingdom on Earth although we realize God’s kingdom will never be accomplished on Earth because of human sin. But God’s perfect kingdom will be realized in heaven. For Philippians 3 speaks of how Christian’s true citizenship is with Jesus Christ in heaven. .
So if somebody starts telling some real exotic theory about the end of the world other than Christ will come to judge the living and the dead, it is an idea that is not consistent with what the Scriptures teach about the End of the World or witness of the Historic Christian Church.
In Summary- the Lutheran Belief about the end of the world is nothing fancy, it is just that Christ will one day return to Judge the Living and the Dead, as stated in scripture, and the words of the Apostles Creed. When Christ will return is as predictable as when the thief comes during the night. This is why Christians for hundreds and hundreds of years have been wrongly predicting when the world is going to end. We must not sit here speculating about the end of the world though.
Rather, we must continue to trust in God’s salvation in Jesus Christ from all things and be assured in those sweet words from Romans 8” Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or danger or sword. “
Be assured today that nothing, not even the end of the world cannot separate those who believe from the love of God. For any talk about the end of the world and Christ’s return must be connected with Christ’s resurrection. For as Jesus came the first time to defeat our sin, and our death by his resurrection, so we as believers may be forgiven in heaven. Christ will come again someday, so that all the sin, pain, suffering, and death of this world may exist no more. And all believers of the living and the dead will be with Christ.
For in the words of Revelation 21-“And I heard, the loud voice from the throne saying “Behold, the dwelling place of God is with man, He will dwell with them, and they will be his people, and God himself will be with them as their God. He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning nor crying nor pain anymore, for the former things has passed away.” -Amen
posted by Stew at 10:10 AM
5 Comments:
I was struck by the text in I Thessalonians last week (5:3)that said the time of Christ's coming/the end of the age would be a time of peace. And that it would be like a thief in the night. This countered all of what we usually hear about how things will be horrible when the end of the world comes. THere is certainly some Biblical witness for that theory, too, of course...
I am going to disagree with you in your intrepretation of I Thess 5:3. Is speaking of those who scoff that the end of the world is near like in 2 Peter 3:3-4. This is why in I Thess 5:4-Paul states how the church in Thessolonica is not in darkness. So this seems to be three contrasting ideas.
1. No one knows when the Lord is going to come verse 2. (No one can predict when the Lord will return)
2. Some people act in blatant, disregard for the end of the world, they figure everything is fine. (The unfaithful don't believe the Lord will return.)
3. People can act so they aren't overcome by darkness-Verse 4. ( Those who are faithful, will not be overcome by the Lord's s Return)
Ok, that sheds some light...
good point...Paul is talking to a specific group of people...
Duncan,
You would consider yourself a Pre-Mil, but have read good arguments made by post-mill. I really don't think we are going to reach agreement on this issue. It's hard to respond unless direct scriptual refernces are given, but here is a few key points from your post. I agree, that this is something that no one is going to have worked out perfectly.
A few points
1. It is very important to draw distinctions within Israel from Carnal Israel and Spiritual Israel. Paul clearly draws a distinction between the two Romans 9.6 vs 11.26. So any sort of talk about dispersion of the Jews is refering to Spiritual Israel.
2. Most Old Testament References EG. Micah 4:1-10, Isa 2, Isa 11, Zech 9:9-10 and Joel 3:2 are meant to describe the Church in the New Testament.
3. I think you would agree that most of the language in Revelation is symbolic as the great teachers of the Church: Augustine,Spurgeon, Luther, and Calvin have believed. So as far as seven years of tribulation- it is refering to the intense suffering Christians are always going through. As the Churches in Asia Minor were going through which revelation was addressed. Revelation was written to offer hope, that they would one day overcome all things. I spiritualize Revelation, because it seems to have been written in a spiritualized sense.
4. For Millenialists
A. Why would the Christian Hope be in a thousand year triumphal reign on Earth, rather than in Heaven? Doesn't scripture at the same time always talk about the Church as defeated, never as triumphant till heaven?
Differnces about Revelation 20?
1. v.10- When Satan is finally defeated seems to be refering to Christ's second return, as this would serve as the final judgement. Would the final judgement be served after a 1000 year reign.
2.Does not v.4 speak of Christ being with the beheaded who would seem to be in heaven as martyrs, rather than Earth. Again, it seems to go to the insufficeny of heaven if you use this to argue for an earthly reign.
-As far as believers being taken away, they are being taken away from the suffering world upon thier death. Scriptures constantly speak of the Christian life as one of suffering (I.E. Jesus in John 16). A rapture is believers escaping the consquence of the sinful world. So people being left behind, face the continuation of sin.
- I don't disagree that such signs could increase near the end, but at the Same Time, what position would we be able to make as to their occurance.
-Talk about wars in end-times prophecy speak of the Battle being waged against God's believers. For instance thier is no indication gog and magog represnt modern political states.
-As far as the Anti-Christ goes. There are many Anti-Christs that have risen up along with the ulitmate Anti-Christ. The Anti-Christ is all people who corrupt the truth of the gospel, and lead people away from the truth.
-I would need verses cited that I ignore, because I am fairly confident, I would be able to speak to that verse's intent.
-I do on a last note, enjoy this discussion, since it deals with a disagreement in regards to two people who take the scriptures seriously, and seek to engage there points. As opposed to the outright Apostasy I am often forced to respond to.
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