We're on the Welcoming Committee, Not the Planning Committee | Luke #86 Sermon Notes

Jesus requires us to wear bifocals when he speaks of events that were both near to his day and far off in the very distant future. He prophesies that the temple will be destroyed, false teachers will arise and lead people astray, and that sin and persecution will continue. What do we do with this as believers? What if it gets worse? Jesus tells us: Make the most of every opportunity. When times get hard, ask, "Where is the opportunity?" The worst tragedies make the best opportunities. At the cross, the worst tragedy in the history of the world became the best opportunity for the hope of the world. From the Aug. 14 sermon, "The Worst Tragedies Can Be the Best Opportunities," part 86 of our sermon series on the Gospel of Luke, preached by Pastor Mark out of Luke 21:5–19. But let me tell you, friends, there’s a difference between what the Bible says, and what one man’s interpretation of it is. And it’s sad when things like that happen because the late-night talk show hosts then start making jokes about foolish Christians and their nonsensical predictions. And the truth is, Jesus is coming. There will be a resurrection of the dead. There will be heaven and hell. We don’t know when it is, but we know that it will be. And so we need to be humble in the prediction of when that might be, and avoid unnecessary speculation, but not miss the big truths. And when we put them all together with our own predictions, then what we do is we undermine the credibility of the entire teaching of the Bible in the eyes of the watching world. … So here’s the position of Mars Hill Church. We are on the welcoming committee, not the planning committee in regards to the Second Coming of Jesus Christ. When he shows up, we’ll welcome him. We are not planning the party, getting the kazoos, commissioning the cupcakes, and setting it all up because we know when it’ll happen. We’re on the welcoming committee, not on the planning committee. [ … ] So what does this mean? This means when times get hard, people get scared and wolves rise up to lead sheep astray. You need to know this, friends. In the Bible there are sheep, those are Christians. There are wolves, those are false teachers. And there are shepherds, those are pastors who love their people and love the Scriptures and love Jesus and through the Scriptures try to lead the people to love and follow and serve Jesus. That’s my job, that’s our job, and that’s what we want. We don’t want you to be afraid when times get hard. It doesn’t mean that it makes it any easier, but it means that you don’t want to emotionally open yourself up to being led astray, to freaking out unnecessarily, and to losing your hope that God loves you and is involved in your life. … And so I would encourage you, always be checking your heart. When times get hard, where do you run? When times get hard, who do you trust? When times get hard, where do you seek refuge? Jesus says hard times come, false teachers arise to lead people astray. Be careful that’s not you. [ … ] Yes, things are hard. Yes, days are dark. Yes, the world feels like it’s falling apart. Yes, the nations are literally shaking. Earthquakes, tsunamis, poverty. It is global pandemic. The United States of America just keeps printing money, pretending that somehow, someway, someday a savior will come in the form of an economic turnaround or a presidential candidate or a global lifting of this painful recession. And what if it doesn’t happen? It’s our opportunity. It’s our opportunity to say there is a world after this world. There is a King beyond our kings and queens and princes and princesses and politicians; his name is Jesus. That King has a Kingdom that never ends. That ultimately this life, though it is exceedingly important, it is for a little while, and the one to come is the one that lasts forever. There is life after this world. This world is not our home. This world is not our heaven. This world is not our hope. That ultimately, things are not as God intended, and Jesus is coming to make all things new. We have a message of hope. We have a message of help. We have a message of healing. That Jesus Christ is alive. That Jesus Christ is King of Kings. That Jesus Christ is Lord of Lords. That Jesus Christ makes life meaningful. That Jesus Christ makes death meaningful. That Jesus Christ makes suffering meaningful. That Jesus Christ makes persecution meaningful. And one day we will die and we will leave it all here. And we will be with him. And everything we need will be given by him. And everything we’ve suffered will be healed by him. And everything we’ve longed for will be fulfilled in him. [ … ] Next up, Luke 87, "The Times of the Gentiles."