End of the Age

I've been hearing a lot of Christians talking about the end of the age because of the earthquakes in New Zealand and Chili and Japan and the tsunami several years ago in Indonesia and the unrest in the Arab and African countries. People read Matthew 24:6-7 and say it's now! But in verse 8, Jesus says it is just the beginning, not the now.

The thing is just about every generation since Jesus ascended into heaven after the resurrection has seen the times as the fulfillment of the Christ's return. But Jesus said no one knows the time except the Father. He said don't worry about the when, use the power of the Holy Spirit to be witness of the saving grace of Jesus Christ.

All believers have been looking for Christ's return since He physically left the earth 2000 years ago. I think we all long for the restoration of the world as God first created it. I think we all long for the time when their will be peace on the earth. And we know that will not happen until the forces of darkness are cast out completely and Christ rules over all the earth forever.

But we should never forget the mission - the great commission - given to all believers - "Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit." It doesn't matter when the end comes - whether by death or Christ's return. All this should be a wake up call that we are to be actively involved in the day to day lives of people to help them not only see Jesus by the lives we live but hear about Him by the words we speak so they will be ready to meet Him however and whenever that takes place.