TIME IS SHORT, THE END IS NEAR  - - DO YOU LIVE LIKE YOU BELIEVE IT?

By Steve Atwood

If we believe that, then it’s time we started LIVING like we believe it.  God’s been working on me recently in 3 specific areas.  1) My commitment level  2) Jesus' 2 specific commandments to us and 3) Charity.  These are things I’ve done a lot of studying and a lot of praying over recently and thus I will speak to you on these things today.  Forgive me if I read most of this, but I want to ensure I get the complete message across.  You know, it is easy to grow complacent.  It’s easy to stop watching.  We’ve heard “The End Is Near” so much we don’t’ really believe it anymore, not in our hearts.  If we did we’d live and act very differently. 

Jesus warned us to be watching for his coming.  He warned us of the very real danger of complacency.  The following verses warn of this.

KJV Luke 12:36-49

36  And ye yourselves like unto men that wait for their lord, when he will return from the wedding; that when he cometh and knocketh, they may open unto him immediately.

37  Blessed are those servants, whom the lord when he cometh shall find watching: verily I say unto you, that he shall gird himself, and make them to sit down to meat, and will come forth and serve them.

38  And if he shall come in the second watch, or come in the third watch, and find them so, blessed are those servants.

39  And this know, that if the goodman of the house had known what hour the thief would come, he would have watched, and not have suffered his house to be broken through.

40  Be ye therefore ready also: for the Son of man cometh at an hour when ye think not.

41  Then Peter said unto him, Lord, speakest thou this parable unto us, or even to all?

42  And the Lord said, Who then is that faithful and wise steward, whom his lord shall make ruler over his household, to give them their portion of meat in due season?

43  Blessed is that servant, whom his lord when he cometh shall find so doing.

44  Of a truth I say unto you, that he will make him ruler over all that he hath.

45  But and if that servant say in his heart, My lord delayeth his coming; and shall begin to beat the menservants and maidens, and to eat and drink, and to be drunken;

46  The lord of that servant will come in a day when he looketh not for him, and at an hour when he is not aware, and will cut him in sunder, and will appoint him his portion with the unbelievers.

47  And that servant, which knew his lord's will, and prepared not himself, neither did according to his will, shall be beaten with many stripes.

48  But he that knew not, and did commit things worthy of stripes, shall be beaten with few stripes. For unto whomsoever much is given, of him shall be much required: and to whom men have committed much, of him they will ask the more.

49  I am come to send fire on the earth; and what will I, if it be already kindled?

Easy to grow complacent.  Jesus requires commitment.  He doesn’t want 50% or 95% commitment – he wants it all – he requires it all.  In these verses is a parable we’ve all heard recently

KJV Luke 18:18-30

18  And a certain ruler asked him, saying, Good Master, what shall I do to inherit eternal life?

19  And Jesus said unto him, Why callest thou me good? none is good, save one, that is, God.

20  Thou knowest the commandments, Do not commit adultery, Do not kill, Do not steal, Do not bear false witness, Honour thy father and thy mother.

21  And he said, All these have I kept from my youth up.

22  Now when Jesus heard these things, he said unto him, Yet lackest thou one thing: sell all that thou hast, and distribute unto the poor, and thou shalt have treasure in heaven: and come, follow me.

23  And when he heard this, he was very sorrowful: for he was very rich.

24  And when Jesus saw that he was very sorrowful, he said, How hardly shall they that have riches enter into the kingdom of God!

25  For it is easier for a camel to go through a needle's eye, than for a rich man to enter into the kingdom of God.

26  And they that heard it said, Who then can be saved?

27  And he said, The things which are impossible with men are possible with God.

28  Then Peter said, Lo, we have left all, and followed thee.

29  And he said unto them, Verily I say unto you, There is no man that hath left house, or parents, or brethren, or wife, or children, for the kingdom of God's sake,

30  Who shall not receive manifold more in this present time, and in the world to come life everlasting.

Although the young rulers problem seemed to be love of money - - these verses could apply to anything we don’t want to give up to God.  There’s a commitment level required that the young ruler simply couldn’t do.

Any commitment level less than 100% is simply not going to cut it.  But we have many excuses why we can’t commit 100% - - and regrettably one of the biggest reasons is that we trust in ourselves and our riches more than we trust God.  Wise in the ways of the Word, we lay up treasures upon Earth.  But this is foolishness.  Jesus warns us in

KJV Matthew 6:19-21

19  Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth, where moth and rust doth corrupt, and where thieves break through and steal:

20  But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt, and where thieves do not break through nor steal:

21  For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.

And the parable in Luke 12:16-21 is pretty clear

KJV Luke 12:16-21

16  And he spake a parable unto them, saying, The ground of a certain rich man brought forth plentifully:

17  And he thought within himself, saying, What shall I do, because I have no room where to bestow my fruits?

18  And he said, This will I do: I will pull down my barns, and build greater; and there will I bestow all my fruits and my goods.

19  And I will say to my soul, Soul, thou hast much goods laid up for many years; take thine ease, eat, drink, and be merry.

20  But God said unto him, Thou fool, this night thy soul shall be required of thee: then whose shall those things be, which thou hast provided?

21  So is he that layeth up treasure for himself, and is not rich toward God.

It’s hard not to trust in riches, isn’t it?  There’s lots of reasons we do.  We want better toys, we want security - - security – we’re all scared of the world, we’re scared of being poor, of being homeless, of being sick with no money to buy medicines or good medical care.  These are scary things – the mistake we make is thinking we can protect ourselves against these things better than God can.  We can’t quite trust God enough to protect us.  We spend a lot more time making money than we do seeking righteousness.  We should take solace and comfort in Luke 12:22-32

22  And he said unto his disciples, Therefore I say unto you, Take no thought for your life, what ye shall eat; neither for the body, what ye shall put on.

23  The life is more than meat, and the body is more than raiment.

24  Consider the ravens: for they neither sow nor reap; which neither have storehouse nor barn; and God feedeth them: how much more are ye better than the fowls?

25  And which of you with taking thought can add to his stature one cubit?

26  If ye then be not able to do that thing which is least, why take ye thought for the rest?

27  Consider the lilies how they grow: they toil not, they spin not; and yet I say unto you, that Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these.

28  If then God so clothe the grass, which is to day in the field, and to morrow is cast into the oven; how much more will he clothe you, O ye of little faith?

29  And seek not ye what ye shall eat, or what ye shall drink, neither be ye of doubtful mind.

30  For all these things do the nations of the world seek after: and your Father knoweth that ye have need of these things.

31  But rather seek ye the kingdom of God; and all these things shall be added unto you.

32  Fear not, little flock; for it is your Father's good pleasure to give you the kingdom.

We need to believe God – we need to pray to God to give us greater faith to trust in him.  God knows that we have need of these things, we’re not to worry about them, we are assured we will be taken care of.  Worrying about these things just gets in the way of our commitment to God.  We’ve got to start worrying less about our physical needs and more about doing the Lord’s work.  Worrying about our own needs stops us from getting out and doing God’s will.  We sure don’t seem to worry about our neighbors needs anywhere near as much as we worry about our own – but we should.  Let’s turn to Mark 12:28-34

KJV Mark 12:28-34

28  And one of the scribes came, and having heard them reasoning together, and perceiving that he had answered them well, asked him, Which is the first commandment of all?

29  And Jesus answered him, The first of all the commandments is, Hear, O Israel; The Lord our God is one Lord:

30  And thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind, and with all thy strength: this is the first commandment.

31  And the second is like, namely this, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. There is none other commandment greater than these.

32  And the scribe said unto him, Well, Master, thou hast said the truth: for there is one God; and there is none other but he:

33  And to love him with all the heart, and with all the understanding, and with all the soul, and with all the strength, and to love his neighbour as himself, is more than all whole burnt offerings and sacrifices.

34  And when Jesus saw that he answered discreetly, he said unto him, Thou art not far from the kingdom of God. And no man after that durst ask him any question.

KJV Matthew 22:35-40

35  Then one of them, which was a lawyer, asked him a question, tempting him, and saying,

36  Master, which is the great commandment in the law?

37  Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind.

38  This is the first and great commandment.

39  And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.

40  On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets.

It sounds like these 2 commandments are pretty important then aren’t they, if all the law and prophets are derived from them.

In Luke 10:25-37 we find a lawyer asking Jesus a similar question, and Jesus’s response.

KJV Luke 10:25-37

25  And, behold, a certain lawyer stood up, and tempted him, saying, Master, what shall I do to inherit eternal life?

26  He said unto him, What is written in the law? how readest thou?

27  And he answering said, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy strength, and with all thy mind; and thy neighbour as thyself.

28  And he said unto him, Thou hast answered right: this do, and thou shalt live.

29  But he, willing to justify himself, said unto Jesus, And who is my neighbour?

30  And Jesus answering said, A certain man went down from Jerusalem to Jericho, and fell among thieves, which stripped him of his raiment, and wounded him, and departed, leaving him half dead.

31  And by chance there came down a certain priest that way: and when he saw him, he passed by on the other side.

32  And likewise a Levite, when he was at the place, came and looked on him, and passed by on the other side.

33  But a certain Samaritan, as he journeyed, came where he was: and when he saw him, he had compassion on him,

34  And went to him, and bound up his wounds, pouring in oil and wine, and set him on his own beast, and brought him to an inn, and took care of him.

35  And on the morrow when he departed, he took out two pence, and gave them to the host, and said unto him, Take care of him; and whatsoever thou spendest more, when I come again, I will repay thee.

36  Which now of these three, thinkest thou, was neighbour unto him that fell among the thieves?

37  And he said, He that shewed mercy on him. Then said Jesus unto him, Go, and do thou likewise.

Interesting that the man received no help from a priest or a Levite – The Levite actually came over and looked at him and then passed on.  However, the Samaritin, a man from a nation the Jews most despised and hated at the time.  This man had some humanity in him – Though the injured man was a Jew, he was a man in misery.  The Samaritan had his heart opened towards one of another people, whereas the priest and Levite had their hearts hardened.  Look at what all the Samaritan actually did for his neighbor – he went to him, had compassion for his plight, bound up his wounds, using his own medicines – let the injured man ride on the Samaritans own beast, and took care of him overnight in an INN.  He think paid for the man’s keep and offered to pay extra if the tab ran over.  Think about that.  It is the duty of every one of else, in our places and according to our ability to help and relieve all that are in distress and need, both spiritually and physically.

Sometimes it seems we are less than eager to get out and help our fellow man - - perhaps we are afraid we don’t have enough for ourselves so we don’t want to get involved.  Some say we can’t find anyone truly in need, but that is not true – we’re just not looking.  We don’t really want to get involved.  Perhaps it’s pride - Jesus sets a great example of servitude and humility in John 13:12-17

KJV John 13:12-17

12  So after he had washed their feet, and had taken his garments, and was set down again, he said unto them, Know ye what I have done to you?

13  Ye call me Master and Lord: and ye say well; for so I am.

14  If I then, your Lord and Master, have washed your feet; ye also ought to wash one another's feet.

15  For I have given you an example, that ye should do as I have done to you.

16  Verily, verily, I say unto you, The servant is not greater than his lord; neither he that is sent greater than he that sent him.

17  If ye know these things, happy are ye if ye do them.

Jesus himself told us quite clearly to serve others – for example Luke 22:24-27

KJV Luke 22:24-27

24  And there was also a strife among them, which of them should be accounted the greatest.

25  And he said unto them, The kings of the Gentiles exercise lordship over them; and they that exercise authority upon them are called benefactors.

26  But ye shall not be so: but he that is greatest among you, let him be as the younger; and he that is chief, as he that doth serve.

27  For whether is greater, he that sitteth at meat, or he that serveth? is not he that sitteth at meat? but I am among you as he that serveth.

Perhaps we just don’t want to mingle with the truly poor and needy, we will fellowship with each other, but don’t want to go out in the world and sit with the non-Christians.  Luke 5:29-32 gives an example of Jesus doing this very thing

KJV Luke 5:29-32

29  And Levi made him a great feast in his own house: and there was a great company of publicans and of others that sat down with them.

30  But their scribes and Pharisees murmured against his disciples, saying, Why do ye eat and drink with publicans and sinners?

31  And Jesus answering said unto them, They that are whole need not a physician; but they that are sick.

32  I came not to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance.

In Luke 14:12-14 Jesus warns us against just helping those who can repay or help us in return - - instead he directs us to specifically help the needy.

KJV Luke 14:12-14

12  Then said he also to him that bade him, When thou makest a dinner or a supper, call not thy friends, nor thy brethren, neither thy kinsmen, nor thy rich neighbours; lest they also bid thee again, and a recompence be made thee.

13  But when thou makest a feast, call the poor, the maimed, the lame, the blind:

14  And thou shalt be blessed; for they cannot recompense thee: for thou shalt be recompensed at the resurrection of the just.

If we ignore the hungry, if we don’t clothe the stranger, if we don’t give drink to the thirsty – then we run a very real risk of missing Jesus.  In Matthew 25:31-46 we hear of this, and the consequence

KJV Matthew 25:31-46

31  When the Son of man shall come in his glory, and all the holy angels with him, then shall he sit upon the throne of his glory:

32  And before him shall be gathered all nations: and he shall separate them one from another, as a shepherd divideth his sheep from the goats:

33  And he shall set the sheep on his right hand, but the goats on the left.

34  Then shall the King say unto them on his right hand, Come, ye blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world:

35  For I was an hungred, and ye gave me meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave me drink: I was a stranger, and ye took me in:

36  Naked, and ye clothed me: I was sick, and ye visited me: I was in prison, and ye came unto me.

37  Then shall the righteous answer him, saying, Lord, when saw we thee an hungred, and fed thee? or thirsty, and gave thee drink?

38  When saw we thee a stranger, and took thee in? or naked, and clothed thee?

39  Or when saw we thee sick, or in prison, and came unto thee?

40  And the King shall answer and say unto them, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me.

41  Then shall he say also unto them on the left hand, Depart from me, ye cursed, into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels:

42  For I was an hungred, and ye gave me no meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave me no drink:

43  I was a stranger, and ye took me not in: naked, and ye clothed me not: sick, and in prison, and ye visited me not.

44  Then shall they also answer him, saying, Lord, when saw we thee an hungred, or athirst, or a stranger, or naked, or sick, or in prison, and did not minister unto thee?

45  Then shall he answer them, saying, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye did it not to one of the least of these, ye did it not to me.

46  And these shall go away into everlasting punishment: but the righteous into life eternal.

Oh what a sorrowful thing it would be, to be in the group cast into everlasting punishment. And what a sorrowful thing to hide in our houses and our workplaces and not get out and doing any work for the Lord.  Everyone who meets you should be able to know you are a Christian, you should be a shining example, by your deeds and actions.  If you are hiding the fact that you are a Christian, then you might need to examine whether you really are one.  Do good works, so the father may be glorified.  Jesus addresses this directly in Matthew 5:13-16.

 KJV Matthew 5:13-16

13  Ye are the salt of the earth: but if the salt have lost his savour, wherewith shall it be salted? it is thenceforth good for nothing, but to be cast out, and to be trodden under foot of men.

14  Ye are the light of the world. A city that is set on an hill cannot be hid.

15  Neither do men light a candle, and put it under a bushel, but on a candlestick; and it giveth light unto all that are in the house.

16  Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.

Are you hiding your light under a basket?  Go out into the masses and let your light shine.  It isn’t just food or drink the needy need.  No, one of the biggest need is to hear the gospel, personally, from a person who has that light within.  Recall what Jesus read when he visited Nazareth in Luke 4:16-19

KJV Luke 4:16-19

16  And he came to Nazareth, where he had been brought up: and, as his custom was, he went into the synagogue on the sabbath day, and stood up for to read.

17  And there was delivered unto him the book of the prophet Esaias. And when he had opened the book, he found the place where it was written,

18  The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he hath anointed me to preach the gospel to the poor; he hath sent me to heal the brokenhearted, to preach deliverance to the captives, and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty them that are bruised,

19  To preach the acceptable year of the Lord.

These things Jesus did and tasked us to do also.

We are all familiar with Mark 16:16-18 - - but let’s start at verse 15 of Mark Chapter 16.

KJV Mark 16:15-18

15  And he said unto them, Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature.

16  He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but he that believeth not shall be damned.

17  And these signs shall follow them that believe; In my name shall they cast out devils; they shall speak with new tongues;

18  They shall take up serpents; and if they drink any deadly thing, it shall not hurt them; they shall lay hands on the sick, and they shall recover.

We all have a responsibility to proclaim the good news to the world – even if the world doesn’t want to hear it.  Are you ashamed of Jesus and his words – Pray that you are not!  It’s time to stop protecting and hiding ourselves from the world.  And let’s stop protecting our riches.  What good are they?  Let’s follow Jesus’s example.  Jesus gives us some pretty blunt words in Mark 8:34-38.

KJV Mark 8:34-38

34  And when he had called the people unto him with his disciples also, he said unto them, Whosoever will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me.

35  For whosoever will save his life shall lose it; but whosoever shall lose his life for my sake and the gospel's, the same shall save it.

36  For what shall it profit a man, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul?

37  Or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul?

38  Whosoever therefore shall be ashamed of me and of my words in this adulterous and sinful generation; of him also shall the Son of man be ashamed, when he cometh in the glory of his Father with the holy angels.

Let us not be ashamed of Jesus or his Words.  Let the light of Jesus shine in your life that others may see it.  Spread the gospel through your words and deeds.  And whatever you do, do it in a charitable manner.  If we do all these things and do not have Charity in our hearts we are wasting our time.  Charity (which means love) is spoken of as the greatest of the three Christian graces.  How important is Charity?  Let’s see what 1^st Corinthians 13:1-13 says about charity.

KJV 1 Corinthians 13:1-13

1  Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, and have not charity, I am become as sounding brass, or a tinkling cymbal.

2  And though I have the gift of prophecy, and understand all mysteries, and all knowledge; and though I have all faith, so that I could remove mountains, and have not charity, I am nothing.

3  And though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, and though I give my body to be burned, and have not charity, it profiteth me nothing.

4  Charity suffereth long, and is kind; charity envieth not; charity vaunteth not itself, is not puffed up,

5  Doth not behave itself unseemly, seeketh not her own, is not easily provoked, thinketh no evil;

6  Rejoiceth not in iniquity, but rejoiceth in the truth;

7  Beareth all things, believeth all things, hopeth all things, endureth all things.

8  Charity never faileth: but whether there be prophecies, they shall fail; whether there be tongues, they shall cease; whether there be knowledge, it shall vanish away.

9  For we know in part, and we prophesy in part.

10  But when that which is perfect is come, then that which is in part shall be done away.

11  When I was a child, I spake as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child: but when I became a man, I put away childish things.

12  For now we see through a glass, darkly; but then face to face: now I know in part; but then shall I know even as also I am known.

13  And now abideth faith, hope, charity, these three; but the greatest of these is charity.

The end IS near brothers and sisters – We truly need to start acting like it.  Peter warns us in  Peter 4:7-8

KJV 1 Peter 4:7-8

7  But the end of all things is at hand: be ye therefore sober, and watch unto prayer.

8  And above all things have fervent charity among yourselves: for charity shall cover the multitude of sins.

Brothers and Sisters, I would pray that we all would do our utmost to obey these 2 commandments

Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind.

Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.

On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets