To use the lukewarm church and catastrophes in the same sentence unveils what most would like to escape, the Great Tribulation. There appears to be a commonality between the lukewarm church and the increase in catastrophes worldwide driving most to seek additional signs. For two thousand years prophets and seers have foretold the end of all things as we know it. Even the Bible is replete with detailed scenarios of the end time events spawning numerous interpretations most in rock solid cement. What if. What if the time has finally come. No matter what your interpretation, you feel compelled to do something. Going to a mountain top, sitting down and waiting for Christ to come is not an option. As world events get worse and the Church slips deeper into lukewarmness we can argue how close the Great Tribulation is or we can prepare to stand firm in the day in which we live.
If we say, don’t talk to me about the Tribulation, because I know that Christ is coming any minute now to rapture me, before it gets too bad. Moreover, we know our Bible says we are not destined for wrath. I would be the first one to agree, but can we talk back to God? Are we going to tell God that He is not permitted to pour out his wrath on an unrepentant world? On a world that’s worse, in many respects, than Sodom and Gomorrah. Well, the good news is we don’t need to talk back to God. We can allow His wrath to be poured out, because we are standing on His promise that His wrath will not touch us. The Bible says, “For God hath not appointed us to wrath, but to obtain salvation by our Lord Jesus Christ” (I Thessalonians 5:9). Therefore, if we see the pagan swept away in the flood of God’s divine wrath and we are left behind to strengthen what remains then we will thank our God. We thank Him that we have obtained salvation by our Lord Jesus Christ. On the other hand, if we too are killed by some great catastrophe then we have the assurance that it was not caused by God’s wrath. No, it’s cause was the Providence of God. It is simply our time to die, our time to be raptured away into the glories of Heaven. Praise God.
Indeed, these are most amazing times when one home is consumed with a raging fire and the one next to it is left without a touch, not even the smell of smoke, or one person is swept away by flood waters and the other person by some great miracle was never harmed. We have seen this in every so called natural disaster to descend upon the planet. One will be taken in sudden death and the other one will be left completely unharmed. Both are reminiscent of the biblical account. The Bible says, “Then shall two be in the field; the one shall be taken, and the other left. Two women shall be grinding at the mill; the one shall be taken, and the other left” (Matthew 24:40-41). We cannot explain how one can be taken and the other left no more than we can explain why one person dies at a very young age and the other lives beyond a hundred. The whole point that Christ makes, is we should be ready at any time to go and be with the Lord or be left in this world to endure more hardships or persecutions caused by an unbelieving world. He makes this very clear in the next verse that says, “Watch therefore: for ye know not what hour your Lord doth come” (Matthew 24:42). We do not know what hour He comes for us, nor do we know what hour He will come in the clouds for everyone. At His coming some will have the great privilege to stay and build His Kingdom here on earth while others will be swept away into everlasting punishment.
Night is approaching for every man, when he cannot work. Let us work while it is still day. The Bible says, “I must work the works of him that sent me, while it is day: the night cometh, when no man can work. As long as I am in the world, I am the light of the world” (John 9:4-5). The meaning is the night of death, and of the grave, and suggesting His own death. The night of death is a time when nothing can be done. The Bible also says, “There is no work, nor device, nor knowledge, nor wisdom in the grave” (Ecclesiastes 9:10). While Jesus was alive, before His death on the Cross, He would do His great work. He was the light of the world. So, until Christ comes at the end of the age or at the end of our life, we need to be working, while its still day. While it is still light. While we are still alive. So, if the rapture, His coming in the clouds where every eye will see, never comes until after the Great Tribulation then so be it. Let us roll up our sleeves and get to work
We simply cannot go up to the mountain top, sit down and wait for His coming in the clouds. It so sad that so many in our day are doing that. They will spend all their time looking at the signs (sitting on the mountain top) and not doing the Kingdom work. They will spend all their time discussing their take on eschatology (sitting on the mountain top) and not doing the Kingdom work. Or they will spend all their time playing games, going to pot lucks, movies, surfing the net or posting on Social Media (sitting on the mountain top) and not doing the Kingdom work. The Kingdom work is hard, but we are all called to it. Not just a select few, but all of us who are saved and followers of Jesus Christ. Until Jesus Christ comes in the clouds at the end of the age or until he comes for you at the end of your life then we need to stay busy doing the Kingdom work. And there is much work to be done. Encouraging the faint hearted, strengthening the weak minded, and above all lighting a fire under the lukewarm church.
So, how do we light a fire under the lukewarm church? They say that most learning is caught and not taught. I sincerely believe there is truth in this statement. Especially, when I look at the life of Jesus Christ and His Holy Apostles. They all were perfect examples of living out the life that they were teaching. Yes, they modeled Christianity. The new life in Christ. So, do we really want to make a change in the lukewarm church then we first must make a change in our own lives. Are we really modeling the new life in Christ? Are we really on fire for Christ. Are we truly excited about this new life? Are we so excited that we can’t stop telling others about it? Are we truly growing from one degree of glory to another? Are we demonstrating all the fruits of the Spirit? Are we using our Spiritual Gifts to the glory of God? When we can answer yes to all these questions then we are lighting a fire under the lukewarm church. Dear children, let me implore you to come down from the mountain top, roll up your sleeves and start working in the Kingdom by demonstrating the new life in Christ.
So, what is the commonality between the increase in catastrophes and the lukewarm church? When the Christian churches are no longer viable in stopping the increase in lawlessness or every manner of perversion then it invites God to pour out His wrath upon an unrepentant world. There is a great deal of similarities between the trumpets of God’s judgments and the Bowels of His wrath with the increase in catastrophes. If this continues without true repentance from the lukewarm church then every follower of Christ in every country will be persecuted. Let me leave you with these words from God’s Word, “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” (Matthew 5:13). Friends, it’s time to raise our voices for truth and righteousness to be heard around the world and being unafraid to model our new life in Christ or suffer the consequences of being trodden underfoot by men.
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