When?

For all my YS people who stop by here, you know that I hardly ever dive into theological topics.  I used to think for a long time that it was because I didn’t want to argue in controversial topics.  But lately, I’ve been noticing that I don’t know as much as I guess I should.  

For a long time, I’ve been telling people that I just want to focus on “Jesus loves you and you need him.”  To me that seems to sum up everything in the entire Bible.  

The problem is, the more I start getting into the word to research the topics we’ve been on lately, the more I’ve noticed that I need to take some stands on theological issues that I have wavered on before.  

One thing that has been getting on my mind lately is the number of “experts” who are convinced that look for things in the recent past to tell me that they know that Jesus is coming back on this certain day.  

I live in the middle of the area that first helped victims of Hurricane Katrina and then got hit ourselves by Hurricane Rita.  Somebody on Christian broadcasting (700 Club I think) actually said that “Rita turned away from people and headed toward casinos.”  It didn’t come after casinos, it ripped though my BACKYARD, and my pastor’s backyard, and the town of Jasper, where I have friends from my Taekwondo class.  

Another person on radio said that the hurricanes and the tsunami last year, and the earthquake in Pakistan are “signs that the Lord will return soon.”  Remember when we all were told that the first Gulf War would make Armageddon take place?  Let’s not even start with the January 1, 2000 people.  Why do we spend so much time trying to predict when Jesus is coming back?!?  Doesn’t that make us worse than the Weekly World News paper in the front of our grocery stores?  

Matthew 24:36-44 (emphasis added)
"However, no one knows the day or the hour when these things will happen, not even the angels in heaven or the Son himself. Only the Father knows.
37"When the Son of Man returns, it will be like it was in Noah's day. 38In those days before the Flood, the people were enjoying banquets and parties and weddings right up to the time Noah entered his boat. 39People didn't realize what was going to happen until the Flood came and swept them all away. That is the way it will be when the Son of Man comes.
40"Two men will be working together in the field; one will be taken, the other left. 41Two women will be grinding flour at the mill; one will be taken, the other left. 42So be prepared, because you don't know what day your Lord is coming.
43"Know this: A homeowner who knew exactly when a burglar was coming would stay alert and not permit the house to be broken into. 44You also must be ready all the time. For the Son of Man will come when least expected.

I mean, if Jesus doesn’t even know when he is coming back, why should we spend so much time being preoccupied with figuring it out.  We need to be getting ready and making sure that as many people as possible go with us.  

What if we spent all the time talking about the end, and instead focused it on reaching people with the love of God?  That He loved us so much that he sent His only Son for us and wants us to go to Heaven to be with Him there?  Then we wouldn’t have to worry so much about the date of His return, because everyone would be ready.