H2O Church
In this second talk about the End, we learn WHY this topic is relevant and how it shapes the understanding we have of our lives.
Eschatology; eschatos-“last,” and logos, “the word,”
“the study of the last word”
Question #1—How is this relevant?
“If you read history you will find that the Christians who did most for the present world were precisely those who thought most of the next. It is since Christians have largely ceased to think of the other world that they have become so ineffective in this.” C.S. Lewis
Question #2—How is this supposed to affect us?
For personal eschatology, the prophets said there will come a day when God does a new thing and He gives human beings a new heart. These prophets also spoke about world eschatology, such as God will "make a new heavens and a new earth," and "the lion will lie down with the lamb," a new world.
All of these promises—of a new heart and a new world— are wrapped up in this thing called the Kingdom of God, which is like 2 mountains separated from each other by a vast distance. We live now in “The Already but Not Yet.”
Mark 1:14-15 ESV
2 Peter 3:9 ESV
Do you see how genuine, how loving, how patient God is? THE VERY THINGS WE DOUBT GOD IN—LIKE, “WHY IS THE WORLD SCREWED UP?” ARE THE MOST LOVING, “BECAUSE, IF I COME BACK TODAY, TIME’S UP.”
Some people have an over-realized eschatology. They act as if Jesus has already come back. They live now as if the kingdom of God is fully here. They claim to not struggle with sin, they describe Christianity and the Holy Spirit as some kind of nirvana that doesn’t include struggle, sin, depression, cancer.
More concerning to me, for us, is having an under-realized eschatology, that is, that we would live as if the Kingdom hasn’t come. Not really looking forward to a new world because this world is pretty good, because I’m not living ON MISSION for Jesus.
How do we think about our brief lives?
The New Testament writers said Jesus' coming is NEAR, not because they were wrong, but because they were using language geared toward creating passion. They were teaching their people how to think about time from God’s perspective.
Question 3: How can this possibly be good news?
For them it was good news because it meant dying in a Roman coliseum wasn’t in vain. For us, it’s good news because the universal promise of a new world will one day be fulfilled. The lion will lay down with the Lamb. Cancer, violence, rape, murder, war, sex trafficking will end. It’s good news because we will see, with our own eyes, Jesus who suffered for us. It’s good news because will dwell with God.