All Over the world

Have you ever noticed the similar theme of Jesus' words in Matthew 24:14 and Paul's words in Romans 1:3? If not, here they are.

Matthew 24:14 And this Gospel of the kingdom will be preached in the whole world as a testimony to all nations, and then the end will come. Matthew 24:14

Romans 1:8 First, I thank my God through Jesus Christ for all of you because your faith is being reported all over the world.

Do you see the similarity? Jesus last words in Matthew are found in the following verses,

Matthew 28:18 Then Jesus came to them and said, "All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. 19 Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age."

Some see the "preaching/sharing the Gospel" theme in these verses as very significant concerning end-time events. They see Jesus' words fulfilled in Paul's Romans 1:3 comment, that the Gospel had reached the ends of the world in his day. This sounds far-fetched to many. However, is it?

The gospel message spread like wildfire in the first few days, months, and years after Pentecost. Also, after the persecution started, the message spread even further.

Philip preached to a man in the desert. A weird happening when you read the context in Acts 8. Phillip was having a very successful ministry in Samaria. Then, out of the blue, the Spirit tells him to go into the desert. There he met a man who just happened to be reading Isaiah 53. The most messianic passage of the Old Testament. Phillip approached the man and asked if he understood what he was reading? You know the story. Right?

The Ethiopian man, who was an important official, invited Phillip to explain the text, and Phillip preached Christ! Soon after, the Spirit whisked Phillip away to Azotus, wherever that is, and Phillip started preaching again. The official, however, went away rejoicing and carrying the Gospel with him. This strange little interlude with the Ethiopian eunuch was actually a trigger event that sparked the expansion of the church to the uttermost parts of the world, even as it was the beginning of the Coptic church in Africa.

From other ancient texts, we discover the following. "According to Book 3 of the Church History of Eusebius: 'Meanwhile the holy apostles and disciples of our Saviour were dispersed throughout the world. Parthia, according to tradition, was allotted to Thomas as his field of labor, Scythia to Andrew, and Asia to John, who, after he had lived some time there, died at Ephesus. Peter appears to have preached in Pontus, Galatia, Bithynia, Cappadocia, and Asia to the Jews of the dispersion... What do we need to say concerning Paul, who preached the Gospel of Christ from Jerusalem to Illyricum, and afterward suffered martyrdom in Rome under Nero?'".

As mentioned, some see all of these events as end-time happenings. They say that the "end of the age" that Jesus mentioned in Matthew 28, began at his ascension. The Great Tribulation began with the persecutions of that day and that the term "end of the age" literally spoke of the end of the Jewish age. Thinking this way seems to explain a lot. When in 70AD, the Romans destroyed the Temple in Jerusalem, something that Jesus had predicted in Matthew 24, the age of the Jewish age ended, and the Gentiles' age began.

These people also believe that the next event on the eschatological calendar will be the Rapture.

However, this is where HUGE differences begin. The perspective mentioned above sees the saints Raptured to meet Jesus in the air and then immediately return to conquer the enemy on earth where Jesus will start his New Heaven and New Earth reign.

How do you see all of this? Confusing? Then study more.

Tottering!

I was watching my one year old grandson, Brandon, today. He had on some baggy little shorts, weird flip-flops over his socks, and he was tottering. It made me think about how I often feel these days. Funny how that when we are little and "innocent" and tottering in our baggy pants, with our little potbelly sticking out from under our t-shirt we look precious. When we are older and tottering in our low slung trousers and the same potbelly, we looks pathetic! I guess that the two drastically opposite points of view are based on the viewer's chronological perspective. Brandon is growing and I'm dying. He is cute because the little guy has a lot to learn and we love to see him progress. The old guy has already had his chance at learning and what he is progressing toward is not quite so much fun to ponder. When I have these weird thoughts I praise my God because He never lets go of my hand whether a tottering little guy or an old one. And I found this verse to prove my po...

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