Don't Let Your Love Grow Cold

Don't let your love grow cold Vancouver, September 18, 2022 For over two thousand years, Christians have been looking forward to the fulfillment of the Kingdom of God on earth inaugurated by Jesus return. However Jesus made it very clear that event would not happen by a smooth peaceful transition from this present system. His statement that, “unless God cuts the time of the end short, no flesh would be saved alive.” makes that very clear. Based upon what they had heard from Jesus just a few days prior to his crucifixion, they would have been convinced that they were living at the end of the age and that the climax of history would surely come to pass in their generation. Jesus had given them the responsibility to go into all the world and proclaim the Gospel and make disciples from all nations before he returned from heaven to rule as King of Kings and Lord of Lords. It was just before Jesus' crucifixion that they had been with him in the temple admiring it's magnificence when Jesus responded by telling them that every one of those magnificent stones would be cast down to the earth – he told them the temple – God's temple -as well as the city of Jerusalem would ultimately be destroyed. That surprising and shocking response from him came to pass just forty years later with the sacking of Jerusalem by the Roman legions. Their response to his prophectic statement was to ask him, “When will this be and what will be the sign of your coming and of the close of the age?” I think we can safely assume that for them they believed that all three events would come to pass at the same time: his second coming. Based upon what we read in scripture they would have also assumed, at least at that time, that these things would come to pass in their life time. However, for those of us with historical hindsight, we know that was not the case. Here we are, 2000 years later, still waiting and praying for Jesus' return and the end of the age. The reality is, if what they believed had been correct we would never have come into existence and therefore never had the opportunity to know Jesus and become part of the family of God and dwell with God as our Father for all eternity! Jesus then described to them numerous events – or signs - that would come to pass before all these things would reach their climax and the kingdom would be fully realized. Today I want to discuss one specific event that relates to us individually and that we must strive to prevent, as it is something to which I believe we Christians in the West are very vulnerable, because of our culture and lifestyle. Matt. 24:12 “And because wickedness and lawlessness is multiplied the love of many will grow cold. But he who endures until the end will be saved.” Why would love grow cold – toward God as well as toward others - because of the increase of evil and immorality? The context certainly gives us some insight: vv 9-11 “Then they will deliver you up to tribulation,and put you to death and you will be hated by all nations for my name's sake. And then many will fall away and betray one another and hate one another. And many false prophets will arise and lead many astray. How many people who become Christians in our Western world believe that to become a follower of Jesus will require accepting that kind of treatment: that to accept Jesus as their Saviour will guarantee ridicule, exclusion, certain imprisonment sometime in their lifetime, possible torture and even execution. If that actually happened many, maybe most, western christians would assume they have been abandoned by God and/or they are no longer loved by God and/or they are being punished for some unknown terrible hidden sin or that God doesn't really exist since such evils are allowed to happen. That is in spite of the fact that what we have just read is what Jesus said would happen to some of his own disciples and, unfortunately, as a result of that happening, the love of many would grow cold. 2 Humanly, we can't deny, that the pressure of tribulation, rampant evil, financial stress, health issues, chaotic weather conditions, war etc. can have a wearing effect on the human psychi and it takes more than just human will to not succumb to depression and a sense of hopelessness and anxiety under such circumstances. But those are some of the very conditions that Jesus said would exist just before his coming, so it is vital that we are preparing ourselves to ensure that we: Don't allow our love to grow cold I. What Jesus promised for those who choose to follow Him A. Matt. 10:34-38 “Do not suppose that I have come to bring peace to the earth. I did not come to bring peace, but a sword. For I have come to turn a man against his father,a daughter against her mother, a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law—a man’s enemies will be the members of his own household.’“Anyone who loves their father or mother more than me is not worthy of me; anyone who loves their son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me. Whoever does not take up their cross and follow me is not worthy of me. 1. This was the first scripture I ever underlined – it was because of what was happening to me in my family after committing myself to following Jesus. But the antagonism toward me – I now realize - was not due to me accepting Christ, it was because I began observing the “Jewish” Sabbath! I now realize the antagonism was due to antisemitism! But at the time I was convinced that I must be doing the right thing because I was being persecuted, just like Jesus said would happen to those who obey Him. 2. The very first thing Jesus warned his disciples against were false prophets – people who actually acknowledge that Jesus was the Messiah but in the process deceive people. And historically that has proved to be an amazingly accurate prophecy. 3. The point I want to make is, in spite of what many “false prophets” say – especially in our affluent capitalistic, consumer society – the scriptures make it very plain what accepting Jesus will involve and that is why those who accept discipleship are admonished to “count the cost.” B. Jesus had a reason for warning his disciples about unpleasant events 1. John 15:18-21, 16:1-4 If the world hates you, know that it hated me before it hated you. If you you were of the world, the world would love you as its own; but because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, therefore the world hates you. Remember the word that I said to you, 'A servant is not greater than his master.' If they persecuted me they will persecute you.....all these things they will do to you on account of my name, because they do not know him who sent me......I have said all these things to keep you from falling away. They will put you out of the synagogues. Indeed, the hour is coming when whoever kills you will think he is offering service to God. And they will do these things because they have not known the Father, nor me. But I have said these things to you, that when their hour comes you may remember that I told you. 3 a. He told them in order to help keep them from falling away - it would not come as a shock or surprise to them but as something that they would expect. b. It would also validate that he truly was who he claimed to be: to bolster their faith in Him due to the accuracy of his prophetic statements. II. It is vital that we are under no illusion as to what our calling involves and why God allows certain things to happen to us, His servants. A. 1 Peter 4:12-14,16-17a, 2:19-23/1 Cors 7:32 Dear friends, do not be surprised at the fiery ordeal that has come on you to test you, as though something strange were happening to you. But rejoice inasmuch as you participate in the sufferings of Christ, so that you may be overjoyed when his glory is revealed. If you are insulted because of the name of Christ, you are blessed, for the Spirit of glory and of God rests on you....if you suffer as a Christian, do not be ashamed, but praise God that you bear that name. For it is time for judgment to begin with God’s household...[for]When we are judged by the Lord, we are disciplined so we may not be condemned with the world.”) 1. Jesus' example and His response to persecution(Luke 23:33-34, 46-47) When they came to the place called the Skull, they crucified him there, along with the criminals—one on his right, the other on his left. Jesus said, “Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing.”....Jesus called out with a loud voice, “Father, into your hands I commit my spirit.” When he had said this, he breathed his last.....The centurion, seeing what had happened, praised God and said, “Surely this was a righteous man.”(Matt.26:54 “Truly this was a son of God.”) a. The depth of God's love was witnessed to by the compassion and mercy expressed by Jesus toward those who had unjustly and cruelly tortured and killed him. At the time only a Roman centurion grasped the depth of that love and praised God as a result of it. b. Only in the suffering of the crucifixion could the depth of God's love toward his creation be realized, grasped and believed by us his creatures(John 3:16) For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. c. One of the reasons why we are willing to accept the apostle's witness of the resurrection of Jesus is because of their willingness to suffer and die rather than deny the reality of their experience – their suffering has brought millions to faith over the centuries. III. There are Christians today who set us an example of how to serve Christ under persecution. A. Liu Zhenying(Brother Yun) 1.Accepted Christ when he was 16 yrs of age(1974)and became one of the leaders in the Chinese Underground House Church movement. Was constantly chased and harassed and persecuted by government authorities, imprisoned many times over the next 25 years, brutally beaten and tortured often and eventually he miraculously escaped from prison and fled the country in 1997 to escape from being executed. 4 2.An example of how our Chinese brothers and sisters live life under oppression/persecution and the attitude they have toward their circumstances(Quote: The Heavenly Man.) “ We have also come to understand that the past thirty years of suffering, persecution and torture for the house churches in China were all part of God’s training for us. The Lord has perfectly fitted us to go as missionaries to the Muslim, Buddhist and Hindu worlds. Once I spoke in the West and a Christian told me, ‘I’ve been praying for years that the Communist government in China will collapse, so Christians can live in freedom.’ This is not what we pray! We never pray against our government or call down curses on them. Instead, we have learned that God is in control of both our own lives and the government we live under. God has used China’s government for his own purposes, molding and shaping his children as he sees fit. Instead of focusing our prayers against any political system, we pray that regardless of what happens to us, we will be pleasing to God. Don’t pray for the persecution to stop! We shouldn’t pray for a lighter load to carry, but a stronger back to endure! Then the world will see that God is with us, empowering us to live in a way that reflects his love and power. This is true freedom.” a. As a Western Christian that is a hard read, but I cannot deny, it is thoroughly biblical. IV. We must be prepared for living in a culture that Jesus prophesied would come to pass A. Realize the impact an increasingly amoral, immoral, valueless society will have on us. 1. Christians will be increasingly seen as bigoted, prejudiced, self-righteous, intolerant and narrow minded. 2. Just consider your own reaction to, and your attitude and feelings toward, people who you consider to be bigoted, prejudiced, self-righteous, intolerant and narrow minded. That's exactly how people will feel toward followers of Jesus, and, as we know, often times already do. B. So make sure you don't allow persecution to cause your love to grow cold 1. Stay connected a. John 15:4-5 Remain(abide) in me, as I also remain(abide) in you. No branch can bear fruit by itself; it must remain in the vine. Neither can you bear fruit unless you remain in me.“I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain(abide) in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing. b.Luke 18:1 And he told them a parable to the effect that they ought always to pray and not lose heart(grk:courage) (i). I cannot over emphasise the need to spend time every day before God, studying his word and praying – especially for those who are in need. It keeps your life in perspective and constantly helps you focus on what is really important and really matters. 2. Look to Jesus a. How and why he endured(Hebs 12:1-2) Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith. For the joy set before him he endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. 5 b. We must keep the hope of our calling and the promise of God firmly fixed in our hearts and minds(Phils 3:13-14) Brothers, I do not consider that I have made[perfection]my own. But one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead, I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.” 3. Commit yourself to always doing good to others - even to those who persecute you a. Matt 5:43-45 You have heard that it was said, 'You shall love your neighbour and hate your enemy' But I say unto you, 'Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you so that you may be sons of your father who is in heaven.' b. Gals 6:10 Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all people(even those who persecute us), and especially to those who belong to the family of believers. Conclusion: Jesus has told us what to expect - life won't be easy and as Paul said, “It is through much tribulation that we will enter the Kingdom of God.” He told us these things in order to help prevent us from being shocked or caught off guard and falling away, but in order to help us and and enable us to endure to the end and be saved. Amen