Title: The End of All Things is Near
Contents
Bible: 1 Peter 4:7-11
How was the early church able to prosper? There are many factors for the growth of the early church, but if I had to pick one, it is because the early church was a church armed with faith in the Second Coming and eschatological faith, eagerly waiting for Jesus to come again. This eschatological faith is not only necessary for the early church, but it is also essential for us today.
The end is not something we can avoid. Even if we try to hold on to time, just as time passes, the end is still approaching us. And personally, we live a life of coming to the Lord. The important thing is to live while recognizing that the end is sure to come just as December 31st suddenly came to me today. This is the wise life.
What did you say in John 14? “I will prepare a place for you, and I will come again.” I am speaking clearly. Also, today's Acts 1:11 says, "Men of Galilee, why are you looking only at the sky? The Lord will come again in the same way that you went up on the clouds." Obviously, we are talking about the Lord of the Second Coming.
Today we are celebrating the last day of the year, December 31, 2006. As we approach the last day of the year, please remember that our life on earth will surely come to an end. When we live with a clear awareness of the end, our lives can be quite different, and that is a wise life.
Ladies and gentlemen, those who have faith in the Second Coming have no choice but to pray and live. Prayer is to give us wisdom on how to live today. King Solomon said, “God, so many people, how can I judge and rule these people? I am a young child. Grant me wisdom to rule this people.” prayed. Then God was very happy with King Solomon's prayer. In 2 Chronicles 1:10-11, “You asked for wisdom, and no one was as wise as you before or after you, and I will give you honor, number, and glory that you did not ask for.” This is what you promised. Prayer is important. Through prayer, please remember that God gives us wisdom through prayer on how we should live each day in these last days.
Today’s text 4:8 “Above all, love one another with zeal.” I am speaking. However, the word zeal has a special meaning, and it refers to doing the best you can by throwing yourself like a sprinter and hitting a goal. However, the goal of zeal in the text is love. So we have to throw our whole body to catch love.
Then what the hell is love? 1 Peter 4:7-11, which we read today, speaks specifically about our love.
First, love is covering each other's faults. Dear brothers and sisters, we are all sinners. what is love to cover each other's faults. Please remember this. This is a must-do in the last days.
Second, Peter says, “Treat others without grumbling.” Matthew 7:12 “Treat one another as you would like others to do to you.” Depending on how we treat ourselves, we are treated the same by others. What is love? Specifically, it is not love to be kind to someone you know well, but love is to be kind to someone you don't know. You can do anything good to someone you know. Love is being kind to someone you don't know. That's what hard love is.
What are we to do in the last days? You have to love hard. The first of this kind of love is to cover your faults, the second is to treat guests well, and the third is to “serve diligently and serve as a steward with what you have received from God. When you serve, you do not serve as your own, but because everything you have is given by God, you should know that it is God-given and serve one another diligently like stewards. This is a very important and very precious word.
Looking forward to the last days, praying hard and loving hard is the most desirable life, and no one can stop that person. That's power. That's ability.
Please, on December 31, 2006, spend your time in prayer and love hard, but please cover all the faults of your neighbors that come to mind. And treat each other. Also, I pray in the name of the Lord that you will welcome the new year 2007 by working hard and doing your best today.
2007-01-10 20:38:48