A study of the end times

This Sunday morning, I am going to begin a four Sunday series on the end times entitled, "Are we living in the end times?"

I would invite you to invite friends and family who don't have a connection with Christ.

Sometimes eschatology (or the study of the end times) is like having something that you never use, yet you keep it around and take comfort that it is "just there".

We take great comfort in the fact that there will be a rapture, a resurrection, an eternity with Christ, but we many times don't actively pick up the topics and apply them to our lives.

I was reading today that years ago, a North Carolina fisherman found a fairly large rock in a stream where he was fishing and took it to his cabin home.  Not having a mantel over his fireplace on which to place it, he used it as a doorstop.

Years later, a geologist was hiking through that area and the man invited him in for coffee.  This gesture turned out to be an extremely profitable one as his guest began examining the rock and found out that it was solid gold!

In fact, it turned out to be the largest hunk of gold every found east of Colorado.

For many, the theological and practical implications of the Second Coming of Christ and the end times are like that rock that turned out to be gold. 

It is gold that remains unrecognized and unclaimed in our walk with Christ.

Some leave it unclaimed because they feel it causes fear in their lives.

Others have difficulty understanding all of the different theories and theologies.  It seems to be just too confusing.

Yet, Paul tells us that the study of the end times can bring great "encouragement" to us.  It should also prompt us to live holy lives, knowing that Jesus could return at any moment, and I do mean at any moment.

Don't miss one Sunday of this series!

July 24 - The rapture of the church

July 31 - The Antichrist and the mark of the beast

August 7 - America in Bible Prophecy

August 14 - Heaven and Hell

Maranatha - "Even so, come Lord Jesus"!