Lawlessness and Love
I had the opportunity to reconnect with Pastor Steve Harris for lunch. It has been about three weeks or so since I last had the opportunity for an extended visit. I told him Debbie and I were ready to jump into some volunteer activity and we are looking forward to that. Tonight my plan is to rejoin the “Allies” men’s ministry meeting at Church. It has been about a month since I have attend this event. They are studying Mark Batterson’s Book, “All In.” I probably have missed some great quotes from Batterson’s book for some of my blogs.
This week, I return to outpatient therapy and some of my other rehab appointments. I have an afternoon appointment instead of a morning one this week. I will be interested in seeing how that goes for me with that time of day.
Fall is on the way, along with football season. It looks like grandsons Riley and Caed are getting in the spirit of things.
BIBLE VERSE FOR TODAY…“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. And because lawlessness will be increased, the love of many will grow cold. But the one who endures to the end will be saved.” Matthew 24:9-13
The disciples of Jesus asked him a lot of questions during His ministry. After all, Jesus spoke in parables and His teaching was nothing like the disciples had been exposed to before. One day Jesus made a statement about the destruction of the Temple. The disciples asked Him, “when will these things be, and what will be the sign of your coming and of the end of the age?” (Matthew 24:3) I don’t know about the disciples, but after Jesus’ discourse I would be thinking, “I’m sorry I asked!”
The verses above are a good summary of what Jesus had to say. Hard times that they could not comprehend, death, hated by all nations. (Here is an important footnote to the daily news as we see world opinion shape toward Israel.) But the outward persecution is nothing to compare to the betrayal and that which happens from the “inside.”
False prophets leading many astray. These are not the unbelievers, but those of the family of faith. As a result followers of Christ will be betrayed and hated by those who once claimed allegiance to the Christ. I recall during my pastoral ministry, the disappointment and hurt that was caused by individuals who would leave our congregation, join another, and then feel the compelled to throw darts by making phone, sending emails and trying to justify their actions by bringing confusion to others who were still a part of the church. This would be nothing to compared to those Jesus describes as being lead way from Christ and then joining the ranks of the persecutors of the world.
The final statement Jesus makes in this passage above got my attention. “Because of lawlessness the love of many will grow cold.” The application of this statement can be found in many ways. But the waning of love is directly related to an atmosphere of “lawlessness.” A loss in not only a moral compass for a society, but outward actions that result when that foundation erodes.
Love growing cold, could mean love for Christ, thereby making an individual vulnerable to deception and “giving in to the world around.” When I read this in light of some of the events of the day, I thought of compassion or even moral outrage against evil causing a calloused reaction to the lawlessness of the age.
I well remember the “Columbine Tragedy” and the pervasive grief that gripped our community and entire city of Denver and for that matter the nation, at the time. I recall a friend of mine who had served as the Pastor to Rachel Scott saying, “Ken, this won’t be the last of these that we see in our country.” At the time, 1998, I just could not believe that would be the case. It proved my friend Bruce Porter was more of a prophet than I wanted to recognize. What I have observed with each subsequent mass murder, crisis and act of terrorism, while there is support and people coming together, it seems we have become accustomed to this kind of news.
I fear our love is growing cold. Love that results in moral outrage, that says, “no more!” What do we have to do in our schools, homes and society to stem this tide?
Jesus speaks to His disciples and His followers today and says, “those who endure to the end will be saved.” I don’t believe this is a “strap yourself to the mast of the sinking ship and hang on” type of endurance. This is being strong in faith and love and action. Not giving in to prevailing culture, but being willing to be “counter-culture” and ready to pay the price for that commitment. That was the example Jesus left for us and I don’t believe He deserves anything less from His followers as we live in our present day.