I Feel Fine

April 6, 793; January 1, 1000; February 1, 1524; February 20, 1524; April 5, 1534; February 1, 1624; April 5, 1719; October 16, 1736; May 19, 1780; October 19, 1814; March 21, 1844; February 13, 1925; December 21, 1954; April 22, 1959; August 9, 1969; March 10, 1982; April 29, 1986; September 13, 1988; October 3, 1988; September 30, 1988; September 9, 1991; September 6 & 29, 1994; October 2, 1994; March 31, 1994; January 1, 2000; April 29, 2007; May 21 & October 21, 2011; and July 29, 2016. For most of us, these are just random dates throughout history but for many these dates represented a day they felt the second coming of Christ was going to happen. Some felt so strongly that they could predict it that when their first attempt failed they tried again, and again, and again. I mean it is crazy to think about the number of times people have predicted the end of days. I mean these dates I used this morning were just a small sample of all the attempts.

When you include all the dates and the predictions which just have a year, it is a couple hundred predictions which have already passed us by. That does not even include the future predictions. I mean Sir Isaac Newton, you know the guy that “discovered” gravity, predicted the end to come in 2060. There is even one which predicts the end to be in 11120 A.D. These do not even include the scientific predictions. But why is it that we as humans try to predict the end of days? What does Jesus tell us about that time? Let us look at Luke 21:5-19 to see what Jesus has to say.

Luke 21:5–19 NRSV

When some were speaking about the temple, how it was adorned with beautiful stones and gifts dedicated to God, he said, “As for these things that you see, the days will come when not one stone will be left upon another; all will be thrown down.” They asked him, “Teacher, when will this be, and what will be the sign that this is about to take place?” And he said, “Beware that you are not led astray; for many will come in my name and say, ‘I am he!’ and, ‘The time is near!’ Do not go after them. “When you hear of wars and insurrections, do not be terrified; for these things must take place first, but the end will not follow immediately.” Then he said to them, “Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom; there will be great earthquakes, and in various places famines and plagues; and there will be dreadful portents and great signs from heaven. “But before all this occurs, they will arrest you and persecute you; they will hand you over to synagogues and prisons, and you will be brought before kings and governors because of my name. This will give you an opportunity to testify. So make up your minds not to prepare your defense in advance; for I will give you words and a wisdom that none of your opponents will be able to withstand or contradict. You will be betrayed even by parents and brothers, by relatives and friends; and they will put some of you to death. You will be hated by all because of my name. But not a hair of your head will perish. By your endurance you will gain your souls.

These end of time predictions are nothing new. Even the disciples had questions and wanted to know when it would happen. Who knows why they were so anxious to gain this knowledge but we see this when they ask Jesus, when and what. It shows the disciples as being human just like us. They are worried about their future. They want to be prepared and ready for it to happen. They probably want to be able to tell people about the forthcoming demise of the universe.

This is why there are so many predictions. For some, they desire to show they are right and God speaks to them, while others use these predictions as a way to turn people toward good and to accept Jesus. The people using it as a tool to turn people are relying on fear of the unknown to make disciples of Jesus Christ. The problem with this method is that when their prediction is wrong and fear has worn off there is not backup plan. Thus the people who run toward God out of fear, run from God because of false teachings.

Where do these dates and years come from that create such fear? Is it a voice or something else? Yes, is the best answer here. For some, it is a mathematical equation that they say the Bible contains. There was a video on Youtube showing this equation and the numbers were from the Bible but everything else was not sound. It was the Da Vinci code where only a select few could understand. Others claim it is a voice they hear leading them to declaration of the end of times. Now, I am not saying God does not talk to us, because God does, but the Bible tells us only God knows when the end of times will happen and if that is the case then why would God tell any human being if Jesus was not willing to tell the disciples?

Another aspect that causes people to select years as the end are wars. You can go back through time and read writings regarding the coming destruction of the earth based on what war is happening at the time. Many of you have heard the stories. Some even heard the predictions. I know in 1991 at the start of the Gulf War, it was predicted as the “War of Armageddon which is the final war.” War predictions have biblical base because we are told there will be war and destruction in the final days but Jesus also tells us that these are normal events which have happened throughout time, dating back to the Old Testament. So, we cannot look at war as a predictor.

Now with Facebook, we get to see the predictions based on current events and in real time. Since the inception of Facebook, there have been four elections. Each election has brought about so many predictions of end times it has been crazy. With each president elected the other side has thrown around quotes of Revelation and Anti-Christ. It truly is sickening to see and read. For me, I have chosen to hide any political post since the presidential race started and I will continue to hide them. These posts do nothing to spread the love of Christ and in most cases they do just the opposite of the two greatest commandments Christ gave us. “Love the Lord our God with our whole heart, whole mind, whole soul, and whole being. And love your neighbor as yourself.” I said it in my sermon on the Good Samaritan, which is an answer to who is my neighbor, Jesus was not talking about just friends and family but was talking about those on the other side of any of our opinions.

The people that are posting these statements or saying them to you are crying out. They are crying out looking for love and compassion. They are hurt. It is up to us as Christians to reach out to them in love and offer them the same grace Jesus Christ has offered us. No matter which side of the political spectrum you are on. We need to remind them and each other that we are not close to the end of times. In fact, in the scripture Jesus is telling us what will happen first.

Jesus says “But before this occurs,” the wars, food shortages, earthquakes, and epidemics, “they will take you into custody and harass you because of your faith. They will hand you over to synagogues and prisons, and you will be brought before kinds and governors because of my name.” Friends, this is and has not happened in the United States. We are in no way shape or form being taken into custody or harassed for our beliefs here. Are we being challenged? Yes, but Christians have been challenged since Christ’s ministry began. That is not harassment or being taken into custody because of Jesus’ name.

Yes, there are Christians throughout the world who are being persecuted because of Jesus’ name. But here in America we are still able to worship freely. The government has not come in and locked the doors of the church to keep us from worshipping. We have not been arrested and persecuted for proclaiming the name of Jesus Christ. But based on election outcomes we act like it is happening. We proclaim the end of times based on what is happening in the United States. Friends, Jesus’ statement does not mention this happening in one place but he is meaning Christians will be persecuted throughout the world.

We need to be the voice of reason. As Christians it is our duty to take hope to the hopeless even when we do not understand their struggle. There have been times in each of our lives’ where we struggled with something. It brought us to our knees. It rocked our world. We did not understand how it could happen but somebody brought hope to us. Many may have turned their backs and mocked you but one person said, “It will be okay. We will get through this together.” During that time, we need to remind them of Jesus love for them no matter what they are going through.

Jesus, tells his disciples and tells us to not worry or fret over the persecution that we will face because he will be with us during that time. During that time, we will have the opportunity to testify on his behalf. But we need to make up our “minds not to prepare a defense in advance.” Jesus says this because he will “give you words and wisdom that none of your opponents will be able to counter or contradict.” So, take heart friends, knowing that when the end times come Jesus will give you the words to defend your belief.

While this message from Jesus sounds, like a message of death and destruction it is one of hope. I mean look at verses 18 and 19 “Still, not a hair on your heads will be lost. By holding fast, you will gain your lives.” This is Jesus saying, “In the end you have nothing to worry about other than proclaiming my name. You are my child and I am with you.” As I contemplated this scripture and sermon on Sunday last week, I had two sermon title ideas. The first was “Don’t worry, be happy.” But then as I read the scripture and a commentary I was reminded of a song by R.E.M. titled It’s the End of the World as We Know it. As I listened to that song and thought about the events to come this past week a line rang out, “I feel fine.” I could make the argument that the world we know ends every second because it is constantly changing and thus by the time I make the statement I feel fine it is true and false all together but I make this statement knowing that no matter the outcome of an election. No matter the number of wars happening. No matter the persecution we face today or tomorrow. When the end times do happen, I will feel fine because I know Jesus Christ is with me. As we go from here today we need to remind our neighbors that Jesus is with us and we are with them in love.