Don't let love get cold

SCRIPTURE READING

We are undoubtedly living in terrible times. This fact bears witness that the Word of God is true. The picture that this postmodern world presents is proliferated with pandemonium. What did I say? Everywhere we look, we see commotion, confusion, chaos, disorder, and turmoil. The discerning Saint understands that these things are signs that warn us of the coming of the Lord Jesus and of the end of the age.

You do know that the Lord is coming, don’t you? For this reason, we must be mindful of the time and seasons. In chapter 24 of the Gospel according to Matthew, Jesus told his disciples, in response to their question, that one of the signs leading up to the end of age would be that lawlessness would increase. Jesus assures his disciples that these events will happen. What He said back then is our reality right now; no doubt about it “lawlessness has and continues to be increasing.” Jesus said that increased lawlessness affects the way people relate to one another. He said “most people’s love will grow cold.” text suggests that this pandemonium is the result of increased lawlessness (abounding sin).

SCRIPTURE READING

Matthew 24:1–14 NASB95

Jesus came out from the temple and was going away when His disciples came up to point out the temple buildings to Him. And He said to them, “Do you not see all these things? Truly I say to you, not one stone here will be left upon another, which will not be torn down.” As He was sitting on the Mount of Olives, the disciples came to Him privately, saying, “Tell us, when will these things happen, and what will be the sign of Your coming, and of the end of the age?” And Jesus answered and said to them, “See to it that no one misleads you. “For many will come in My name, saying, ‘I am the Christ,’ and will mislead many. “You will be hearing of wars and rumors of wars. See that you are not frightened, for those things must take place, but that is not yet the end. “For nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom, and in various places there will be famines and earthquakes. “But all these things are merely the beginning of birth pangs. “Then they will deliver you to tribulation, and will kill you, and you will be hated by all nations because of My name. “At that time many will fall away and will betray one another and hate one another. “Many false prophets will arise and will mislead many. “Because lawlessness is increased, most people’s love will grow cold. “But the one who endures to the end, he will be saved. “This gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in the whole world as a testimony to all the nations, and then the end will come.

Matthew 24:1-14

INTRODUCTION

We are undoubtedly living in terrible times. This fact bears witness that the Word of God is true. The picture that this postmodern world presents is proliferated with pandemonium. What did I say? Everywhere we look, we see commotion, confusion, chaos, disorder, and turmoil. The discerning Saint understands that these things are signs that warn us of the coming of the Lord Jesus and of the end of the age.

You do know that the Lord is coming, don’t you? For this reason, we must be mindful of the time and seasons. In chapter 24 of the Gospel according to Matthew, Jesus told his disciples, in response to their question, that one of the signs leading up to the end of age would be that lawlessness would increase. Jesus assures his disciples that these events will happen. What He said back then is our reality right now; no doubt about it “lawlessness has and continues to be increasing.” Jesus said that increased lawlessness affects the way people relate to one another. He said “most people’s love will grow cold.”

CENTRAL IDEA

This text is tailored to teach us to love through to the end

Jesus said that increased lawlessness affects the way people relate to one another. He said most people’s love will grow cold.

INCREASED LAWLESSNESS

We are witnessing this phenomenon right now. It is seen in such things as “Hate Groups, Hate Speech, and Hate Crimes”.

A hate group is a social group that advocates and practices hatred, hostility, or violence towards members of a race, ethnicity, nation, religion, gender, gender identity, sexual orientation or any other designated sector of society. According to the United States Federal Bureau of Investigation, a hate group's "primary purpose is to promote animosity, hostility, and malice against persons belonging to a race, religion, disability, sexual orientation, or ethnicity/national origin which differs from that of their own.”

We are witnessing this phenomenon right now. It is seen in such things as “Hate Groups, Hate Speech, and Hate Crimes”. A hate group is a social group that advocates and practices hatred, hostility, or violence towards members of a race, ethnicity, nation, religion, gender, gender identity, sexual orientation or any other designated sector of society. According to the United States Federal Bureau of Investigation, a hate group's "primary purpose is to promote animosity, hostility, and malice against persons belonging to a race, religion, disability, sexual orientation, or ethnicity/national origin which differs from that of their own.”

Hate speech is speech that attacks a person or group on the basis of attributes such as race, religion, ethnic origin, national origin, gender, disability, sexual orientation, or gender identity. The law of some countries describes hate speech as speech, gesture or conduct, writing, or display that incites violence or prejudicial action against a protected group or individual based on their membership in the group. Hate speech disparages and seeks to intimidates a protected group, or individual on the basis of their membership in the group. The law may identify a protected group by certain characteristics. In some countries, hate speech is not a legal term. Additionally, in some countries (including the United States), hate speech is constitutionally protected.

A hate crime is a prejudice-motivated crime which occurs when a perpetrator targets a victim because of his or her membership in a certain social group or race.

John J. Harrington, national president of the Fraternal Order of Police and a 27-year veteran of the Philadelphia police force, says, “There is hatred today in this country that’s growing and growing. Near where I live a man was walking to church, and two men came up behind him and cut his throat.

“Another man was just standing on a street corner when a bunch of kids came along. They said. “Let’s give it to him,” and they killed him. And a little girl was walking up the street from where I live, and a boy just came along and stabbed her. All these things seem to happen for no reason at all—just hatred.”

—Homer Duncan[1]

[1] Tan, P. L. (1996). Encyclopedia of 7700 Illustrations: Signs of the Times (p. 540). Garland, TX: Bible Communications, Inc.

POINT 2

Someone may be wondering “what does all of this have to do with the Los Angeles District Association and the Moderator's annual address?” Simply this: I believe that the Lord is saying “don’t let love grow cold”.

We ought to be concerned about that because the child of God is tasked with enduring to the end! Even if most people's love grows cold, that cannot be us because Jesus said, “but they that endure to the end shall be saved” (v13) And we are too close to the end to give up now.

As we keep our hearts and minds on the Lord's imminent return and the end of the world system and of history, don’t let love get cold!

The text says that everybody won’t make it. In the face of tribulation and trouble, many will fall away. Then they will betray one another and HATE one another.

POINT 3

CONCLUSION

INVITATION