Why we will still be here on May 22, 2011

Some of you may have heard that Harold Camping, president of Family Radio, has predicted that the rapture will occur today, May 21, 2011. You know, setting dates for the return of Christ has always been a big temptation for students of apocalyptic scripture. It is tempting to study the prophecies, numbers, and symbols in Daniel and Revelation looking for a hidden answer predicting when Jesus will come. But if we are true to the Bible, if we seek the message of Christ’s words in Matthew 24 and 25 with an open heart, we will stop looking to predict the day of his return. Preparing for Jesus’ return has more to do with how we are to live our lives today.

Harold Camping predicts that the end of the world begins with the rapture on May 21, 2011 at exactly 6:00 p.m. Then, five months later, God will destroy the Earth and the universe. Some people laugh at Camping. Others wonder, “Could this be true?” Well, the answer is not found in blogs, posts, or interesting articles. The answer is found in Word of God.

So, what does the Bible say about the timing of Christ’s coming? Here are four passages from Scripture that guide us in understanding whether Camping’s prediction is true.

One: Matthew 24:36 says, “Of that day and hour no one knows, no, not even the angels of heaven, but My Father only.”
…The Bible tells us every effort we make to nail down the time for Christ’s return will fail.

Two: Luke 21:9 says, “Take heed that you not be deceived. For many will come in My name, saying, ‘I am He,’ and, ‘The time has drawn near.’ Therefore do not go after them.”
…The Bible warns us there are false prophets who attempt to predict the timing of Jesus’ coming.

Three: Matthew 24:44 says, “Therefore you also be ready, for the Son of Man is coming at an hour you do not expect.”
…Scriptures tells us to watch and be ready because we do not know exactly when Christ will return (Luke 12:35-40, Matthew 24:50, 1 Thessalonians 5:6).

Four: Acts 1:6, 7 says, “Therefore, when they had come together, they asked Him, saying, ‘Lord, will You at this time restore the kingdom of Israel?’ And He said to them, ‘It is not for you to know times or seasons which the Father has put in His own authority.”
…God has not revealed when Jesus will come again. Our focus should not to be on time-setting, but on the mission God has given us.

Camping also predicts that the saints will be “raptured” while the wicked are left on this earth for five months and then destroyed. But, the Bible tells us that at the second coming of Christ the wicked will be destroyed, not left behind (see Revelation 6:16, 17; 2 Thessalonians 2:8; Revelation 19:20, 21).

Also, the Bible teaches that the wicked and righteous (tares and wheat) grow together until the harvest (Matthew 13:30). Then God’s people are saved and the unrighteous are lost.

The parables of Matthew 24 and 25 teach us that Jesus is coming soon, but at a time we do not exactly know, and that we should always be ready. It is not a test of our Christianity to know the specific time of Christ’s return.

Is Jesus’ coming soon? The Bible is certain that Christ will come again. The Scriptures point to signs in the natural world, in the religious world, and in the increase of wickedness on our planet. Jesus predicted, “And this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in all the world as a witness to all the nations, and then the end will come” (Matthew 24:14). Has this sign been completely fulfilled?

God calls us to be ready at all times. The best question to ask ourselves is “Am I ready?”

Evolution and Creation

These days, there seems to be an ongoing debate in the Adventist church over whether the world was created in seven days or whether it took millions of years to occur. Two things concern me about this debate. One, is the volatility and anger I see and hear from those passionately defending their position, and two, is the way the discussion distracts us from focusing on what is most important.

Here is what I hear from many who I talk to. “Why does the debate even matter? Are we trying to prove that God exists, or that scientists are smarter than theologians? Scientists are notoriously wrong, inconsistent and not even of one opinion when given the same set of facts. I think the debate is just a distraction.”

What seems to be true is that those that accept the biblical account of creation do not need any further evidence that God is the Creator, and those that do not believe won’t be convicted by any arrogant “I know it all” argument. We will have all eternity to investigate this issue once Jesus has come. In the meantime, let us behave in a way that honors our God, and remember that God is more concerned about how we treat people than by what we know.

Thoughts on Osama bin Laden’s death

Mark Twain once said, "I have never wished a man dead, but I have read some obituaries with great pleasure."

Since the death of bin Laden (I found it interesting that he was buried out at sea) there has been a lot of rejoicing. I understand it and yet part of me wonders if there is a difference between us and the radicals who rejoiced over the falling of the Twin Towers. Anyway, as I listened to the news and all the talk show hosts and their elation, Ezekiel 33:11 popped into my mind:

As I live! declares the Lord God, I take no pleasure in the death of the wicked, but rather that the wicked turn from his way and live.

Or, Proverbs 24:17, 18: Do not rejoice when your enemy falls, and do not let your heart be glad when he stumbles; Or the Lord will see it and be displeased, and turn His anger away from him.

As a Christ follower, I feel this tension between the thought that bin Laden deserved death and that justice was done (and that we ought to be happy about it) versus the idea that, as Christians, we should react another way…and that reacting another way is an opportunity to witness of God’s love. As Christians, we should be acknowledging the realities of this world, yet at the same time reacting and living in a way that honors God. This is part of the tension we as Christians are called to live with.

This quote made me think, “When God's people use and rejoice in the methods of this world's kingdoms, they become an obstacle between man and God, obscuring what God wants to make clear. We understand the world - we are from this world - but we want the world to see another way.”

Hmmm. Something to think about and wrestle with…

Daniel Pink on the Science of Motivation

Q & A with Barry Black, Chaplain of the Senate

Here are some substantive thoughts from a Seventh-day Adventist who ministers to the Senate. For an hour, CSPAN interviews Barry Black on his biography and Seventh-day Adventist beliefs, the spirituality of Congress, and how he got the job. Be sure to listen to his prayer about 19 minutes in.

Book: “The Principle of the Path” by Andy Stanley

I have appreciated previous Andy Stanley books, so I was looking forward to reading this one. Also, this topic is one that resonates with many, for the question it addresses is a common one. How do I get to where I want to go? This question applies to all areas of life: relational, financial, career, and spiritual. What I read caught my attention. Stanley writes that the principle of the path governs the way that our lives progress, whether we're aware of it or not…and that certain actions and decisions always have the same results. In other words, the principle of the path is like the principle of the harvest, we reap what we sow.

One quote that summarizes the book is this: "Today's decisions create tomorrow's experiences." It is easy enough to identify when someone else seems to be on the wrong path - one of disappointment or regret. But, this is not as easy to see in our own lives. We can look back and see this after the fact, but while we are in the midst, we are blind to it. One of the most helpful things about the book is that it gives us questions for self-examination or self assessment. These questions help us identify the areas which we need to address.

Stanley also stresses that it is direction not intention that sets our destination. He writes that by acknowledging and acting on this cause and effect principle, we can avoid the regret that might come on many levels. But, beware, this book does not try to provide a solution or fix, what it offers is a guide to better self awareness.
As for the author’s style, it’s typical Andy Stanley. The writing is anecdotal, clear, and an easy read. I found the book interesting and helpful and would recommend it to those who are looking for a tool to examine their own life.

Moving towards extinction?

Is the Adventist church in North America becoming extinct? In a recent copy of the Adventist Review, Jeffrey Rosario said, “There’s a 50 percent chance that a teenager who gets baptized in his or her mid-teens will leave the Adventist Church completely by the time he or she is 25.

And, hear is a painful stat to see, “One in every five Adventist churches in North America doesn’t have a single child, teenager, or young adult. In fact, the median age in our churches is nearly 60—20 years older than the average American."

Something to consider...

Violence at SDA President Wilson's California Speech

The last thing you’d expect to see at a large meeting of Adventist seniors, most of them retired church workers, is someone throwing a sucker punch to the mouth. But that’s what happened recently in Redlands, California.

It was February 21 (Presidents Day), and General Conference President Ted Wilson addressed the retirees at the Redlands Adventist Church, telling them of his vision for the church, reporting on his recent travels and taking questions. For a conservative leader, it was a tailor-made audience—receptive to his presentation, supportive and approving for the most part, with only a few questions from the fringes of la-la land. And even those he handled as much with a pastor’s comforting hand as with an administrator’s care for the institution he represents.

One of those questions came from a man who was much younger than the average attendee. Short, with salt-and-pepper gray-blond hair, the man complained to Wilson that some pastors and church employees in Southern California were conducting themselves in ways that did not comport with Adventist doctrine and practice. He suggested that Wilson and the General Conference use the enforcement of the trademarked name “Seventh-day Adventist” to crack down on what he perceived to be this abuse. He also railed against “apostasy” in Southern California, citing women’s ordination, political involvement, and social justice as examples.

Wilson, who had just competently fielded several other unusual questions (one man claiming to have “new light” on a passage from Ellen White’s writings, for instance) listened to the younger man and said he’d be glad to look into the question and to receive more information from him after the meeting, if the man could provide it.

The event ended, and many people crowded around Wilson in the front of the sanctuary as others left. At the rear, Southeastern California Conference pastor Jared Wright, who writes for Spectrum Magazine, approached the questioner to ask more about his specific complaints. (Wright says that the man has been identified as Yucaipa resident Warren Stevens.)

Wright identified himself as representing Spectrum, and Stevens raised his voice and said, “You’re part of the problem.” He poked Wright in the chest with his finger and kept escalating his voice.

Then after making verbal threats, Stevens allegedly shot a right jab to Wright’s face, punching him in the mouth. Wright staggered and moved away with his laptop computer and phone, which he was using to record the man’s answers (the phone caught the entire confrontation). Others circled Stevens and began urging him to calm down, and ushered him out of the sanctuary and into the church foyer.

You can hear a recording of the altercation at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uzIg9lB9p1A

What If - Donald Miller

Next

This past Saturday, I finished a message series on the topic of worship. That's our theme this year at the Santa Rosa Adventist church...and my desire for all of us...that we will grow in our worship of God, that it will become more authentic, real, and that it will bless God.

This last week, I ran across a picture with a saying that really caught me. If you attend the Santa Rosa Adventist church, you know that there are certain sayings that are part of the fabric of our culture, things like, "Come as you are," or "Food, Fun, Fellowship"... Check out the one below and see what you think...

This saying has prompted some thoughts for upcoming messages. Look for them in February.

January Sermon Series

This month, I am doing a sermon series on Authentic Worship. This in not only our theme for the year, but my personal desire to grow in my worship of God. I will be presenting a 4-part series, the weekly titles are: Why Worship Matters, Worship Responses, Individual Worship, and How Worship Changes You.

Homeless Guy with Golden Voice

The Cleveland Cavaliers have offered him a job!

What time is it?

One of the things I have been reflecting about recently is the issue of time. It seems to me that our culture is preoccupied with time. Part of the reason for our preoccupation with time is the busyness of life (which I think is the curse of our age). We tend to constantly be asking "What time is it?  or, "How much time do I have?" Maybe the better question to ask is, "What am I doing with my time?"

If you are interested in further reading on this topic, I recommend a couple books, “Time and the Art of Living, by Robert Grudin,” or  “Boundaries,” by Henry Cloud and John Townsend.

The Book Of Daniel

We have been studying the Book of Daniel at the Santa Rosa Adventist church. This week, we conclude our study. If you want to do some futher reading on the subject, I recommend Jacque Doukhan's book, "Secrets of Daniel. Doukhan has so much insight to the Jewish culture and Hebrew language that when he disects the scriptures, they come alive.

If you missed a sermon, you can past sermon's at http://santarosasda.adventistfaith.org/Sermons.

Angkor Wat

I just got back from speaking in Bangkok, Thailand, and since I was so close to Cambodia, I had to take a couple of days to go to Angkor Wat.