MARRIAGE MATTERS: (Four Views of Marriage)

Henry Jenks, pastor of the rural Irish Grove Presbyterian Church, had just married a young farm couple. "God bless you both," Pastor Jenks told them, "You're at the end of your troubles. "A year later, the groom ran into the minister in the Wal-Mart store, stopped him, pulled him aside and said, "It's been a terrible year since my marriage, Pastor Jenks. And you promised me we'd be at the end of our troubles." "Yes, I did, son," the preacher said. "But I sure didn't tell you which end."

Didn’t we all have a rosy picture of marriage before we ever got married? It didn’t take that long for us to realize that the person we have married was not the same person when we were dating. Now you are stuck with this person for the rest of your life. Marriage is like traveling on a free way without turns and without exits. It is a life long journey. We have often heard said, it takes two people to work through the differences in a marriage? Right? No doubt it does take two to work through the difficult issues in marriage, but in some cases couples part ways because of so called “irreconcilable differences” for me that is a cop out.

Who can really make a marriage work? I believe in order to create a happy and lasting marriage it takes more than two, just like a braid appears to contain only two strands of hair. But it is impossible to create a braid with only two strands. If the two could be put together at all, they would quickly unravel. Herein lies the mystery: What looks like two strands requires a third. The third strand, though not immediately evident, keeps the strands tightly woven. In the same way in a Christian marriage, God's presence, like the third strand in a braid, holds husband and wife together. In Eccle 4:12 “A cord of three strands is not quickly broken.” A marriage bond that is intertwined with God can not be easily broken.

Barnett Brickner notes, “Success in marriage does not come merely through finding the right mate, but through being the right mate.” If your marriage is falling apart and you want it to succeed check whether it is centered on God. When God is at the centre he can work in each of you to become the right mate in your marriage. I would like to share with you four views on marriage from both secular and scriptural point of view.

FOUR VIEWS ON MARRIAGE: The first view of marriage is: Contract Vs Covenant

I. Contract Vs Covenant: The dictionary definition of marriage is, “A compact, (contract or agreement) entered into by a man and a woman to live together as husband and wife.” This traditional view of marriage has come under severe threat by a section of people as they try to redefine marriage. In the secular world many enter into marriage as if they are entering into a contract. A couple would agree on certain terms and conditions and they pursue a marriage alliance. It often takes place in front of the Justice of peace. After following certain procedures and meeting certain requirements you can get your marriage license or certificate.

According to the scriptures marriage is more than a legal certificate it is a covenant. The Jewish view of marriage is a contractual agreement between two people with legal rights and obligations. A Ketubah is a marriage contract that explains the basic material, marital and moral responsibilities of the husband to his wife. It is signed by the groom, as well as two witnesses, and given to the bride during the wedding ceremony. It is forbidden for Jewish couple to live together without a Ketubah.

God views marriage as a covenant. Malachi 2:14-15 “You ask, "Why?" It is because the LORD is acting as the witness between you and the wife of your youth, because you have broken faith with her, though she is your partner, the wife of your marriage covenant.
Has not the LORD made them one? In flesh and spirit they are his. And why one? Because he was seeking godly offspring. So guard yourself in your spirit, and do not break faith with the wife of your youth.” Therefore breaking a marital covenant is a serious matter before God. The second view is Convenience Vs Commitment.

II. Convenience Vs Commitment
The secular view of marriage is a matter of convenience. It is to meet certain physical, emotional, and social needs. Some celebrities marrying rich old people is a matter of convenience as it was assumed in the case of 26 year old Anna Nicole Smith marrying 89 year old billionaire Howard Marshall. When it is a matter of convenience then nothing really matters as long as this person gets what she or he wants.

Scripturally marriage is a commitment. It is not to say that secular couples are less committed than Christian couples. In fact many Christian couples are less committed than their secular counterparts. In commitment, there is an entrusting and trusting of each other. You give yourself whole heartedly to each other to love, to live, to embrace, to serve, satisfy and for the overall welfare of your spouse as long as both should live. Isn’t that what you have agreed on when you walked through the isle and made those wedding vows? Saying “I, take you to be my wedded (husband/wife), to have and to hold from this day forward, for better for worse, for richer for poorer, in sickness and in health, to love and to cherish, 'til death do us part: and thereto I pledge you my love and faithfulness.”

I wonder how many take those vows seriously these days. On the other hand many would rather live together for convenience sake than enter into a marital covenant relationship because it is costly and requires a lot of commitment and people are afraid to make such commitment.

Dr. Nancy Moore Clatworthy, sociologist, has been doing research on "living together" for 10 years. When she began her research, the idea of living together before committing yourself to marriage made good sense to her. Now, after scientifically analyzing the results of hundreds of surveys filled out by couples who had lived together, she opposes living together in any form.” Her analysis make a power full Christian point: Only a fully committed marriage relationship is really suited to working out the best possible relationship. Third view: Procreation Vs Companionship.

III. PROCREATION VS COMPANIONSHIP
In late seventeenth century Josiah Franklin had seventeen children from his two wives and one of them was Benjamin Franklin. Susan Wesley the mother of John Wesley was the 25th child and she had nineteen of her own Children. These two examples give us a glimpse of how the early puritans viewed marriage. Certain eastern cultures view marriage in the same way. It is a wonderful thing to have Children. In fact God is the giver of Children.

Several scriptures indicate that God is the giver of children: The first mother said, “with the help of the LORD I have brought forth a man (Genesis 4:1) Sarah realized that, it was the LORD who kept her from having children.(Gen 16:2). God closed every womb in Abimelech’s house hold (Gen 20:17). Jacob was angry with his wife’s complaint of not having children and said, "Am I in the place of God, who has kept you from having children?"(Gen 30:2) Children are a gift from God; however marriage is not only for procreating but also for life long companionship.

To some God gives the gift of children and to others he withholds for reasons we may never understand yet these couples often go on to fulfill other great purposes. When we have children it is a blessing however there is a subtle danger in deriving our identity and satisfaction solely from them. When a couple’s whole and soul focus becomes the children their marriage can suffer and it can lose God’s intended purpose of companionship.

We hear it all the time, open any women’s magazine or watch a talk show; the last child leaves home for college, couples that have been married for 20 to 30 years look at each other and the wife says to the husband: And who are you? As long as the routine of ensuring the well being of the teens was in place all kept going. The moment the nests is empty, there seems to be nothing that keeps these two individuals together, they have become strangers to each other.

Either with or without children, scriptures encourage couples to enjoy one another. Eccl 9:9 “Enjoy life with your wife, whom you love, all the days of this meaningless life that God has given you under the sun-- all your meaningless days.” Song of Songs is a beautiful book to read to discover how a husband and wife ought to enjoy each other. Song of Solomon 1:11-17 “We will make you earrings of gold, studded with silver. While the king was at his table, my perfume spread its fragrance. My lover is to me a sachet of myrrh resting between my breasts. My lover is to me a cluster of henna blossoms from the vineyards of En Gedi. How beautiful you are, my darling! Oh, how beautiful! Your eyes are doves. How handsome you are, my lover! Oh, how charming! And our bed is verdant. The beams of our house are cedars; our rafters are firs.

When you have a happy marriage, you will have a secured home. When a couple truly enjoys each other there will be no place for an extra marital affair. Therefore it is important that couples work at cultivating an intimate relationship with each other from day one.

How are you nurturing this most important relationship? A simple advice for parents with young children, Mom’s and Dad’s please work on your relationship today. Mom it is OK to say to the kids “Dad and I are needing 15 minutes to have a coffee and catch up” Yes you are there for the kids, you love them to pieces and do most anything for them but before they ever came into this world you both committed yourself to love and cherish each other. If you have lost the spark, do all you can to rediscover each other! You can’t do your children a greater favor than to show through your day to day life that you are committed to enjoy and love each other.

IV. LIBERAL VS ORTHODOX: (Progressive Vs Authoritative)
The sexual revolution and the invention of the oral contraceptive in the 60’s have damaged the institution of marriage. To an extent that men and women can get involved in sexual relationships without thinking of the consequences. These days many take a liberal or progressive view on marriage. They argue, “You can marry any one you like, you can have multiple wives, same sex marriage is normal, you can live together without marriage. As a result divorces and cohabitating couples have increased. According to one survey, “Over the last several decades, marriage in our nation has declined, while cohabitation, divorce and unmarried childbearing have increased. From 1960 to 1998, the number of unmarried, cohabiting couples increased nearly tenfold, from 439,000 to 4.2 million”

The scriptures take an orthodox or authoritative view on marriage. God’s intention of marriage has always been and will always be “between one man and one woman.” God never changes so is his word. Genesis 2:24 “For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and they will become one flesh.”

Jesus and the apostle Paul have reiterated the same words, Matthew 19:5-8 “For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and the two will become one flesh'? So they are no longer two, but one. Therefore what God has joined together, let man not separate." (Eph 5:31) Jesus had some stern words to the Pharisees who argued with him about divorce, Mat 19: 7-8 “Why then," they asked, "did Moses command that a man give his wife a certificate of divorce and send her away?" Jesus replied, "Moses permitted you to divorce your wives because your hearts were hard. But it was not this way from the beginning.” So divorce is not an option. For God holds marriage in high esteem. Hebrews 13:4 “Marriage should be honored by all, and the marriage bed kept pure.”

For Christians the scriptures make it even harder, 2 Corinthians 6:14 “Do not be yoked together with unbelievers. For what do righteousness and wickedness have in common? Or what fellowship can light have with darkness? In other words Christians are advised against marrying non believers because it is between a believing man and a woman and it is a life long commitment to each other.

In conclusion, Marriage is God’s ordained institution. Those who have been married, or want to be married, never been married or no longer married, doesn’t matter who you are and where you are in life’s journey please take note of these four views: Marriage is not a contract but a covenant. Marriage is not for convenience but requires commitment. Marriage is not only for procreation but for life long companionship. Marriage can not be taken lightly but should be viewed in high honor. With the help of God we can make our marriages better.

THE RECIPE OF A HAPPY HOME:(Reflections on Prov 31:10-31)

The top ten reasons why God created women.
10. God worried that Adam would be lost in the Garden of Eden because he wouldn’t ask for directions.
9. God knew that someday Adam would need someone to hand him the TV remote. (Parenthetically, it has been noted that men don’t want to see what’s ON television, they want to see WHAT ELSE is on.)
8. God knew that Adam would never make a doctor’s appointment.
7. God knew that when Adam’s fig leaf wore out, he would never buy a new one for himself.
6. God knew that Adam would not remember to take out the garbage.
5. God wanted man to be fruitful and multiply, but he knew Adam would never be able to handle labor pains and childbirth.
4. As “keeper of the garden,” Adam would need help in finding his tools.
3. Adam needed someone to blame for the Apple incident, and for anything else that was really his fault.
2. As the Bible says: “It is not good for man to be alone.” And the Number One reason of all….
1. God stepped back, looked at Adam, and declared: “I can do better than that!!”
These are humorous reasons why God created women. There has been a lot of misunderstanding in the world regarding the role of women. Some view women as objects of man’s lust and sex symbols which earns multi billion dollars in the adult entertainment and sex industry. Others restrict women only to homes where all they can do is give birth to children and meet the needs of husbands. Some others view women as second class citizens who have lesser worth and value then men. But according to the Bible what was God’s reason for creating women? What is the value of a woman? What is their role at home, in the world and in the Church?
Let me introduce you to an unnamed woman in Proverbs 31:10-31 who created a happy and stable home, whose husband was successful and children were blessed. She defies every stereotype of how a woman should be, and what she can or can not do. A happy home? Um… Does such a thing exist? Maybe because of past painful experiences you are skeptic about such a thing as a happy home. Among many other roles of women, I would like to high light the role of a wise woman at home.

You may say why home? In a society where marriages and homes are falling apart like a pack of cards don’t you think it is about time we rediscover the ageless biblical principles of home making found in Proverbs 31 Chapter. This passage gives us a recipe on how to build a lasting and happy home.

THE ROLE OF A WOMAN AT HOME
Throughout the book of Proverbs we find nuggets of teaching on what makes a woman succeed as well as what makes a woman fail. It compares the nagging wife to a persistent leak (Prov 19:13), a contentious woman to a bad companion, (Pro 21:9) and also about the role of a mother as a teacher of the children in the home. A great deal is mentioned about wicked women who allure men and young men to commit sexual sin, (Ch 1-9, 22:14; 23: 27). The book ends with the description of an excellent wife in Chapter 31:10-31. I see two primary roles a woman as a helpmate to her husband and a home maker.
1. A HELP MATE
Vs. 10-12 “An excellent wife who can find? For her worth is far above jewels. The heart of her husband trusts in her and he will have no lack of gain. She does him good and not evil, all the days of her life.”

The Bible says, “He who finds a wife finds happiness; it is a favor he receives from the Lord.”( Pro 18:22). It is not that hard to find a wife these days, but finding an excellent wife is a tough call. Where can we find an excellent wife? It is a gift from God. Prov 19:14, “Houses and wealth are inherited from parents but a prudent wife is from the Lord. Thank God I found one.

After creating man God said, it is not good for the man to be alone I will make a helper suitable for him. So out of Adams ribs God fashioned a woman to be a helpmate. That was one of the roles an excellent wife which is to be “a helpmate to her husband and not to be a hell mate.” The Prov 31 wife is called an excellent wife who is far more valuable than jewels. She does her husband good and not evil all the days of her life. She is a trustworthy woman. She puts the interests of her household and her husbands above her own interests. Not only is she trustworthy but also hard working and shrewd manager of resources and assets. Therefore her husband trusted her with his business or farm. As a result of her hard work ethics and clever management her husband was successful and even became a prominent leader in the community (Vs 23) Her husband praises her in front of others saying, “Many daughters have done nobly, but you excel them all”

Ironically these days the roles of husbands and wives are being reversed. Instead of wives serving their husbands they expect their husbands to serve them. Husbands and wives fight over money and sharing of responsibilities at home. Nancy Leigh Demoss notes, “In today’s evangelical world, it is “politically correct” to challenge men to go home and serve their wives. However, it is not “P.C” to talk to women about their responsibility to serve their husbands.

The truth is that God did not make the man to be a “helper” to the woman. He made the woman to be a “helper” to the man.” Of course, this does not mean that men are not to serve their wives and children. But if we as women focus on what we “deserve” on our “rights” or on what men “ought” to do for us, we will become vulnerable to hurt and resentment when our expectations are not fulfilled.”

Let me explain how this is playing out in our family. My wife and I love each other very much. In our fifteen years of marriage we realized that if we want to have a happy marriage we need to give up certain rights so that there is harmony at home. We both are committed to each other’s well being. How do I know my wife is committed to me to do good and not harm? She tells me often that she is killing me if she cooks food with too much sodium or fat. Though I resist it at times, over the years I have learned to appreciate her wisdom and trust her with my life. If am still alive today and healthy it is partly because of my wife. The Prov 31 wife is not only a committed and trustworthy wife but also a home maker.

II. A HOME MAKER: (Vs 14-15, 21 28)
Prov14:1 “The wise woman builds her house, but with her own hands the foolish one tears hers down.” I like the application of this scripture as a wise woman building her home or family. She has been given the “raw material” of marriage and children and a place to live. How is she going to build these precious gifts into a cohesive home? How is she going to build her home in such a way that it will be like a magnet for her husband and her children? A home is a place where the husband wants to return after a stressful day at work, and children want to return after challenging peer situations at school. Home is where they are refreshed, restored and recharged to take on life’s challenges again.

Home in the Bible times was supposed to be the center of spiritual formation. Deuteronomy 6:6-7 “These commandments that I give you today are to be upon your hearts. Impress them on your children. Talk about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up.” Thank God we have Sunday school where the children are taught God’s word, but home is really where it all should start. It takes a wise woman to create such a nurturing home. My wife and I have sought to be consistent in teaching God’s truth to our children especially during their formative years. Wilma always read a story from the Bible to our girls before she prayed and tucked them in the bed. Building a godly and happy home takes time and a wise woman sees to that she is indeed building her home.

Proverbs 31 woman was a wise woman. How did she build her home? Let’s pick up the qualities that aided her in building a home where her husband and children were blessed.
Diligence, hard work, care for her household (Vs 15, 22, 27)
Integrity and clever management of resources (16-19, 24)
Delegation and careful planning for future (15, 21, 24)
Wisdom in speech and faithful in instruction (26)
Personal grooming (22)
Compassion and generosity towards poor (20)

Above all else she was a woman who feared the Lord. (30). You may be saying good for her! But you don’t understand the present culture. Of course I understand the difference between “the agrarian (farming) culture” of those days and the modern day culture. In those days, the husbands used to work in the fields and the wives used to run the household. But now both parents have to work two jobs in order to maintain the household.

Is it absolutely necessary to work two jobs? While getting extra income is nice so that you can buy the extra car, pay towards the mortgage or go on vacation, but is it really worth when it is disrupting the family?

Nancy Liegh Demos quotes in her book, “women have been liberated right out of the genuine freedom they enjoyed for centuries to oversee the home, rear the children and pursue personal creativity; they have been brainwashed to believe that the absence of a titled, payroll occupation enslaves a woman to failure, boredom and imprisonment within the confines of home” This absolutely a lie from the enemy. Your true worth as woman doesn’t come by holding a job or becoming successful in life, but it comes by living a life that is honoring to God.
On the contrary a foolish woman with her own hands tears her home down. In other words a foolish woman becomes “a one woman demolishing squad.” It is not the physical breaking down of a house but the woman who through the destructive power of her mouth causes the break down of her family. How did a foolish woman tear down her home?

III. TRAITS OF A DESTRUCTIVE WOMAN
Proverbs 19:13 “A quarrelsome wife is like a constant dripping.”
Proverbs 21:9 “Better to live on a corner of the roof than share a house with a quarrelsome wife.”
Proverbs 21:19 “Better to live in a desert than with a quarrelsome and ill-tempered wife.”
Proverbs 27:15-16 “A quarrelsome wife is like a constant dripping on a rainy day; restraining her is like restraining the wind or grasping oil with the hand.”
Women are great influencers, either for good or for bad. With their influence either they can build a home which is filled with cheer, hope, forgiveness and a general pleasant atmosphere or they can destroy their homes through their whining, complaining, grumbling, quarrelling and nagging. Either to build are to destroy a home is in the hands of a woman.

IV. RELATIONSHIPS MATTER
Edith Scheaffer, in her book; “What is a family” calls the family a laboratory for human relationships. The home is meant to teach us mainly through modeling what love and forgiveness is. The family is God’s perfect design for the formation of the crown of his creation. Through the nurture of loving and committed parents children are to grow in godly character and able to respond to their creator. To create such a home where peace, love and happiness dwell is a huge challenge because we live in a fallen world, families are not excluded from the results of the fall.

There is no perfect family. In all our imperfection as parents we are called to model God’s love to our children and to live a life in which Christ is the center. Our family like any other family is far from perfection. We loose our patience, we get annoyed, things go wrong at times, and there are disappointments, quarrels and disagreements. But one thing we have learned to say “I am sorry that I blew up over that please forgive me” The other day I raised my voice against my eldest daughter over a small thing and I had to say sorry and ask her forgiveness for blowing my top. It is important that we are transparent before our children by taking responsibility for our failures.

In closing my prayer is that the deceptive voices of feminism will not cloud out the common sense approach to healthy family life that we find in the Bible. To the degree that any of us for that matter whether married, unmarried or no longer married, obey God’s design for life we find peace and fulfillment. On this mother’s day as we honor our mothers let’s thank God for all the women in our Church.

SIGNS OF THE END TIMES II (Matt 24:1-14)

The Danish philosopher, Kierkegaard, tells a parable of a theater where a variety show is proceeding. Each show is more fantastic than the last, and is applauded by the audience. Suddenly the manager comes forward. He apologizes for the interruption, but the theater is on fire, and he begs his patrons to leave in an orderly fashion. The audience thinks this is the most amusing turn of the evening, and cheer thunderously. The manager again implores them to leave the burning building, and he is again applauded vigorously. At last he can do no more. The fire raced through the whole building and the fun-loving audience with it. "And so," concluded Kierkegaard, "will our age, I sometimes think, go down in fiery destruction to the applause of a crowded house of cheering spectators."

Like the audience in the theater many seemed to amuse themselves with what the world has to offer but do they recognize the obvious signs of the end of the world? Unlike many, Christians don’t have to be ignorant of the signs; we are warned in the Bible. We need to pay close attention and get ready, because the time is short. Whether you like it or not the world we live in will come to an end sooner than you expect. In Matthew 24:1-14 Jesus gave several signs to his disciples to warn them about the end of the age and of his glorious return.

We will study a few signs from Matthew 24:9-14 “Then you will be handed over to be persecuted and put to death, and you will be hated by all nations because of me. At that time many will turn away from the faith and will betray and hate each other,.. Because of the increase of wickedness, the love of most will grow cold,.. 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.

I. INCREASED PERSECUTION:
Jesus, during his teachings challenged his disciples, following him meant they were to deny themselves and pick up their cross and follow him. He wanted them to walk in his footsteps of suffering. He indicated that they will be persecuted for their faith. He said in John 15:20-21 “Remember the words I spoke to you: 'No servant is greater than his master.' If they persecuted me, they will persecute you also.” In Matt 24:9 Christ gave his disciples “persecution” as one of the signs of the end times. Vs 9. “Then you will be handed over to be persecuted and put to death, you will be hated by all nations because of me.”

After this statement, the first one to be martyred for his faith was Stephen. He was stoned to death by an angry mob. Steven’s death unleashed a great persecution on the Church. Acts 8:1-3. “On that day a great persecution broke out against the church at Jerusalem, and all except the apostles were scattered throughout Judea and Samaria. Godly men buried Stephen and mourned deeply for him. But Saul began to destroy the church. Going from house to house, he dragged off men and women and put them in prison.”

The persecution that began on that day has continued throughout the centuries even until today. Study tells us all the eleven disciples were martyred for their faith except Judas. Over the centuries many were killed for their faith. One of The early church fathers Tertullian said, “The blood of the martyrs is the seed of the Church.”As a young Christian my faith was deeply challenged when I read “Tortured for Christ” the biography of Richard Wurmbrand, who said, “Faith is never passive. It demands a response. It asks for a mission. It demonstrates the indwelling presence and power of the Holy Spirit.”

Statistics show that an estimated 150,000 Christians are martyred every year for their faith. More than 200 million Christians are restricted from living out their Christianity. There is a growing onslaught on Christianity world wide. It will only increase. We live in a country where we can freely believe, practice and propagate our faith, but that is not the case in many countries like, Sudan, Vietnam, Indonesia, India, Nigeria, Pakistan and China where Christians are being persecuted in great numbers.

Because of our relative ease and comfort, persecution may be a difficult concept to understand. Now I understand that some of you face subtle or sometimes outright opposition in the work place because of the clear stand you take as a committed Christian. But is what we face in America at this point anywhere near to what the early Christians have endured and many Christians are enduring around the world? Looking at what Christians have endured over the years for their faith puts whatever we go through today in perspective.

The writer of Hebrews gives a window into what the early Christians have endured while defending their faith. Hebrews 11:35-38, “Others were tortured and refused to be released, so that they might gain a better resurrection. Some faced jeers and flogging, while still others were chained and put in prison. They were stoned; they were sawed in two; they were put to death by the sword. They went about in sheepskins and goatskins, destitute, persecuted and mistreated-- the world was not worthy of them.

The challenge of Paul to young Timothy is applicable to all Christians. 2 Timothy 3:12 In fact, everyone who wants to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted” So if you are being persecuted for your faith, don’t be surprised our Lord was persecuted first before you.

II. INCREASED LAWLESSNESS (SIN):

What happens when you deliberately ignore a “No Trespassing” sign? You may be punished for it. Right? Since the fall of man we all have broken God’s laws. Paul writes in Romans 3:23 “for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.” The Bible calls sin lawlessness. In other words when we break God’s law or commandments we sin. Jesus warned that in the end times Lawlessness will increase in the world. Isn’t that what we are seeing these days all around us? Paul said in 2 Timothy 3:1-7 “But mark this: There will be terrible times in the last days. People will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boastful, proud, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy, without love, unforgiving, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, not lovers of the good, treacherous, rash, and conceited, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God--having a form of godliness but denying its power…always learning but never able to acknowledge the truth.”

When I look at this passage I look straight in the face of contemporary culture. We have noticed that in the past 100 years morality in the Western world has been in a downward spiral. Our culture is far removed from the Biblical truth. Don’t get me wrong, I am not bashing our culture! Culture: says Andy Crouch is what we make of the world. People come up with inventions that literally changes the way we live and function some of those things are not bad in themselves. However the sum of what we have come up with has by and large removed us from
God’s intentions.

The current of our culture is downward and many people just drift along with the moral flow. Living as Christians in today’s world is like rowing upstream in a white water rafting. It’s very hard to paddle upstream. The entertainment industry constantly pumps out 24/7 programs, reality shows and movies to convert our thinking. For example, take Romance and marriage.

The media promotes pre marital sex, spouse swapping; cohabitation, same sex marriage and immodesty as the accepted norms. Are you not amazed at how our morals have been degraded? Traditional marriage has come under attack, divorce rates have increased, school violence and usage of drugs is rampant, millions of innocent lives never see the daylight because of abortions, homosexuality has largely become an accepted norm. Healthy family life has become an exception rather than the norm. Rudeness and rebellion in children seems to have become acceptable.

How do we look at this in our lives? Have any of these attitudes slipped into our lives? Is being boastful, arrogant or ungrateful not a big deal to us? Are we given to gossip? Do we lack self control? Are we brutal and rude? Do we carry an attitude of ‘so what’ as long as I get what I want, who cares? In the midst of increased lawlessness is our love for God growing cold? Are we becoming hard? Do you replace seeking a deeper relationship with God with an endless pursuit of video games, sports, music, shopping, parties and pleasures? Do you find it hard to live out your Christianity?

In the midst of all these devastating trends we are called not to give up our faith instead we must stand firm and zealously protect our faith. If we give up, God is not pleased with us. Hebrews 10:35-39 “So do not throw away your confidence; it will be richly rewarded. You need to persevere…for in just a very little while, "He who is coming will come and will not delay. But my righteous one will live by faith. And if he shrinks back, I will not be pleased with him.” But we are not of those who shrink back and are destroyed, but of those who believe and are saved.” No matter what happens don’t quit we must endure till the end, only then we will be saved.

When will be the end of the world? We are seeing many end of the age signs such as false prophets, wars, earthquakes, Storms, famine, persecution and increased wickedness happening right in front of our eyes in an increased manner. Then where is the promised end? Christ gave one sure sign that is “this gospel of the Kingdom shall be preached in the whole world for a witness to all the nations and then the end shall come.” The one sure way we can hasten the second coming of our Lord Jesus back to the earth is through world evangelization. That is the reason why we exist. That is why we do evangelistic outreaches, pray and support missionaries and mission work.

III. THE WORLD EVANGELIZATION:

Jesus gave one sure sign of the end of the world. Matt 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. After Jesus rose from the dead he appeared to the disciples and said “Go into all the world and preach the good news to all creation. (Mk 16:14-15). The disciples did not take this commandment seriously at first until the great persecution which compelled them to go to the ends of the earth. Then they began to spread to the four corners of the earth and wherever they went the preached the good news of the Kingdom. As a result of the faithful witnessing of the disciples and other missionaries Gospel has made a great impact in the world.

It is estimated that every day another 74,000 people are coming to the faith in the world. An average 3,500 new churches open every week. From 1990-2000 the number of believers have doubled in the world. Does that mean that now we can relax and just wait for the Lord to come back and take us to heaven? NO! There is a lot more to be done. More people still need to hear the good news of the Kingdom.

According to missiologists from the Joshua Project there are 16,349 people groups in the world (distinct ethnic groups) out of those 6,644 groups have not yet been touched with the good news of the gospel. The world population stands at 6.70 billion and the unreached comprise 2.75 billion which makes 41.0 % of world population have not yet heard the good news. This is staggering to the Christian who longs for the return of Christ, it almost makes me want to pack my bags and leave for Bhutan, Morocco or the unreached tribes of the Amazon how about you?

The Bible says, the harvest is plentiful but the laborers are so few. The few laborers that are in the field are struggling because of lack of resources. Are you one of those who eagerly wait for the Lord to return? I have disappointing news for you. He will not return until the good news of the Kingdom is preached to all ethnic groups. God doesn’t want any one to perish but every one to come to repentance. The time is short. We have a goal to accomplish and a job to complete.

Let's rise up and get busy with the work of the Lord. Give our money generously to missions, pray earnestly for missionaries and work tirelessly in spreading the good news of the Kingdom throughout the world.