2024 has come, and it seems so odd. Where did December go? Where did 2023 go? It seems like the older I get, the more the years become a blur. With the ending of one year and the beginning of another, there is always small groups within the Christ-following movement who claim the end is coming and everyone should repent. Repentance is a good thing, when done for the right reason. Too often, the Christ-following movement uses the end of the world and a scream for repentance in a way that is used for control or manipulation. What will the end of times look like? Why is repentance important BEFORE the end comes?
In the Gospel of Mark, chapter 13, Jesus and his disciples are leaving the temple. The disciples come across like tourists, admiring the construction and materials used in building the temple. They get Jesus' attention while speaking of the beauty and size of the stones. "Do you see all these great buildings?” replied Jesus. “Not one stone here will be left on another; everyone will be thrown down." This comment from Jesus threw the disciples into a tizzy. I tried to put myself in the shoes of the disciples. I had a couple of reactions.
This conversation turned dark quickly. All that was happening was taking a moment to admire the temple construction's beauty and the masonry's size. My friend and mentor have just dropped a bombshell so that this gorgeous building and other buildings would not be left standing, and people would die. I just wanted to experience the joy of the beauty of this construction.
Why do my comrades want to know when it will happen? I want to know why it will happen. I want to know the real meaning behind what he is saying. I want to know what I can do to help. Is there a way to stop this? If not, how can I assist those who must deal with it?
It turns out that some 40 years after Jesus spoke these words, there was a revolt. The Jews tried to revolt against Rome with some success at the time. Unfortunately for the Jews, Rome would end up crushing them and being victorious. Rome leveled the temple, exactly as Jesus foreshadowed.
"Watch out that no one deceives you. Many will come in my name, claiming, ‘I am he,’ and will deceive many. When you hear of wars and rumors of wars, do not be alarmed. Such things must happen, but the end is still to come. Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. There will be earthquakes in various places and famines. These are the beginning of birth pains."
Many false people would come, claiming to be the Messiah. If we put this into a modern-day context, the name Charles Manson might come up. He frequently claimed to be Jesus Christ, the Messiah. A man by the name of Lou de Palingboer was the founder of a new religious movement in the Netherlands. He claimed to be God and the Messiah for 13 years before he died. Anne Hamilton-Byrne, the founder of "The Family," claimed she was the reincarnation of Jesus. False Messiahs have been presented in all religions throughout history, just as Jesus predicted.
Jesus reminded the disciples that there would be many wars before he returned. In today's world, every time a major war breaks out, one can hear someone say, "The end is near." At no point did Jesus say that war was a sign the end was coming. Jesus tells folks not to be alarmed into thinking the end is coming based on war. False prophets and Messiahs, wars, famine, and natural disasters were not the signs that the end was coming. Instead, it was a warning sign, like when the oil light appears on your dash to remind you to change your oil.
"You must be on your guard. You will be handed over to the local councils and flogged in the synagogues. On account of me you will stand before governors and kings as witnesses to them. And the gospel must first be preached to all nations. Whenever you are arrested and brought to trial, do not worry beforehand about what to say. Just say whatever is given you at the time, for it is not you speaking, but the Holy Spirit."
Jesus warned his disciples about the persecution they would face. This would all happen well before the end would come. He was telling his followers they would become martyrs. I want to focus on a piece of the puzzle that NO ONE talks about when thinking about the end times. Jesus says, "The gospel must first be preached to all nations." An article written and published by Forbes in 2016 estimated that 100 tribes of people are uncontacted by the rest of civilization. The Sentinelese are an uncontacted tribe living on North Sentinel Island. Many protest groups have worked to keep their wishes of being secluded from outsiders. Jesus will not return until the Gospel has been preached to all people. This means until every person has had the opportunity to hear the gospel, Jesus is not coming back. Folks must stop preaching fire and brimstone without looking at the big picture.
“But in those days, following that distress, ‘the sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give its light; the stars will fall from the sky, and the heavenly bodies will be shaken.’ “At that time people will see the Son of Man coming in clouds with great power and glory. And he will send his angels and gather his elect from the four winds, from the ends of the earth to the ends of the heavens."
Before Christ returns, the world will be ruined by cosmic desolation. From a musical standpoint, think of one giant crescendo before his return! When Jesus returns, he will come with the heavenly hosts, collecting those who accepted Jesus as their Lord and Savior and survived the tribulation. Before Christ is done speaking to his disciples, he reminds them his words are eternal.
Repentance is an act to gain a new understanding of wrong choices or actions. Often, this comes with the want to change behaviors and make amends to the best of one's ability. The need for repentance is a life-long practice, not one that should only be used when one is about to die. Some sectors within the Christ-following tradition think repentance can wait because "the blood of the cross covers us; we are forgiven." Although the statement is correct, the actual practice and understanding of that statement are far from accurate. There is a misunderstanding that because Jesus came to earth to save God's creation, it makes everything we do not as severe in God's eyes because the price tag for each sin and discretion has already been paid. Our sins are not a gift card from God that he automatically refills for us when we use it all. That is not how Christ's death and resurrection work.
The idea is to understand that there is nothing we can ever do to pay back the sacrifice made for us when Christ died for our sins. We can, however, find ways to acknowledge our humanity and make efforts to grow in our relationship with God. God already knows our deeds. Just like a loving parent, he doesn't want us to hide it from him; he wants us to be honest with him to grow into the disciples he created all of us to be.
In this new year, I challenge you to work on your relationship with God and others. We will never know the exact time Christ is coming back. Why wait to make changes when you can choose to make changes now?
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