Change Your World Pt. 4
Pastor Gerald Brooks
4 minute read
I want to take a few moments and I want to talk to you about how it’s the end of the world as we know it. In Revelation 5:1-4 it says this:
“Then I saw in the right hand of him who sat on the throne a scroll with writing on both sides and sealed with seven seals. And I saw a mighty angel proclaiming in a loud voice, “Who is worthy to break the seals and open the scroll?” But no one in heaven or on earth or under the earth could open the scroll or even look inside it. I wept and wept because no one was found who was worthy to open the scroll or look inside.”
You know, it’s interesting if you go to the red letter words (which are the words Jesus spoke), you will find that he said three things will happen before the end of this world as we know it:
1. The problems will increase and faith will decrease
The first thing he talked about is found in Luke 18:8. It says ‘When the Son of Man returns, will He find faith on this earth?’ You know, that was a verse that always troubled me as a minister? Of course, he would find faith on this earth! Why would it even be a question? Think of all the churches that you drive by to get to Create. How in the world could that even be a question about the return of our Lord and Savior? But in 2020, we saw something unique. We saw for the first time that if you take a problem and talk about it on every platform (news, media, social, broadcast), and you elevate said problem and communicate it repeatedly, the problem will become big and people’s faith will become small.
2. The love of many will grow cold
In Matthew chapter 24:12, he said that before he returns, the people who used to love will quit loving peoplePeople will quit being kind. People will quit serving others. And what He said is, ‘anger will increase and love will decrease.’ Fifteen years ago I saw it in my church. I’m among my people but at the end of the service, I stood at the back door 15 years ago and if somebody had visited my church, they would come up to me and say “Hey, we enjoyed the service today. Can we ask you a few questions?” Those would usually revolve around theology and what the church believed. Today, no one has asked me what our church believes. Now they’ve asked me my opinion on things. And it occurred to me that if I would be mad at what other people were mad at, they would come to my church. But if I wouldn’t be mad at what they’re mad at, they wouldn’t come back. People were choosing a chuch, not because of faith and loving God, but rather on what other people would be mad at.
3. Disasters and tragedies will increase.
Matthew 24:7 says you will begin to hear of tragedies, devastation,,all with increasing frequency. You’ll sit there and you’ll turn on the news and say how can this keep happening? How can there be another shooting in the schools? How can there be another earthquake? How can there be another war?
And all this brings us back to Revelation 5. Specifically, the scroll.
Why does it matter? What’s the difference to you? Why does God want you to know this? I believe there’s a reason that God wants you to know this story. He wants you to know that the clock is ticking on this world. Every day counts. Tragedies and disasters should not stop us. Our love should never grow cold. And our faith should increase, even as our problems do around us.
There is a HOPEFUL future for us, even in the end of days!