The other day, I was teaching a class with some teens. They had a fascination about the end of times. It seems they have experienced the teachings of the pseudo-religious prophets that manifest themselves in contemporary entertainment genres. The force of Jesus’ warning in Luke 21:7-11 is that disciples of Christ should not be misled by the false prophets who will come claiming authority and saying that the time is near. Such claims are the words of charlatans who prey upon the innocent. Nevertheless, the dangers and hardships that we experience are real. Truth is tested and faith is confirmed not in idle speculation but in the crucible of hard times. In Luke 21:5-19 Jesus foretells the coming destruction of the temple with a warning of the wars, earthquakes, famines, and plagues that will come and a warning to the disciples of the persecutions they must endure. We need to distinguish biblical teachings and sound biblical interpretation from the sensational claims carried by the media and popular religious best-sellers. We are not waiting for a call to ministry, we already have a call to disregard the false prophets; do not be led astray, and do not go after them (Luke 21:8). Those who wish to find a more energetic religious experience, therefore, should look not for signs of the future but for signals that it is time to live by Jesus’ call for obedience and faithfulness here and now.
Related posts:
good summary and call on this one.. we have to get away from the popular commentary. I was reading a blogger, John Shore, whose general take on Christianity is that it is too complex a Bible to allow us to have unity or real direction outside of Jesus and essentially being nice. You are right that understanding the Bible and the Word, Jesus, will provide direction and real living daily without the distraction of how it all ends… sneak preview: Jesus wins.
“Jesus wins.” I like the sound of that.
Yes, i agreed. That’s what I told my children about that. Because my children confused what they learned from their peers at school and neighborhood. I told them that the best way to read in bible that Jesus said. Because its only one way and no else.
Yes, there is a lot of confusing teaching. Good job teaching your children about Jesus.