Hebrews #3 The Great Commission

Today’s Living Word #3

Heb 1:1 God, who at various times and in various ways spoke in time past to the fathers by the prophets, 2 has in these last days spoken to us by His Son, whom He has appointed heir of all things, through whom also He made the worlds;

The writer of Hebrews points out something that I think we are all too quick to forget. He says, “in these last days.”  That little phrase is very instructive because it tells us that the writer of this Book knew that he was living in the end times. What he didn’t know was that God had more to say before Jesus would return.

That “more to say” came when John finished writing the Book of Revelation around 95 A.D. Note how he wrapped up that Book in Re 22:20 he said, “Even so, come, Lord Jesus!”

With  the completion of the Scriptures, God has said all He is going to say to us, until Jesus returns! He has told us all we need to know to be ready for His Son’s return. We are in the end times and have been for over 1900 years! 1900 years! That’s a long time waiting for the other shoe to drop isn’t it?

Why are you waiting so long Lord?

2Pe 3:9 reminds us that God is not asleep at the wheel concerning the Second Coming of Jesus. “The Lord is not slack concerning His promise, as some count slackness, but is longsuffering toward us, not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance.”

So, how do people come to repentance? Through the preaching of the Gospel, and Jesus had this to say about when the end will come. He said in Mt 24:14 "And this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in all the world as a witness to all the nations, and then the end will come.”

The early church knew of this relationship between the end of times and the spreading of the gospel and they were on it! They believed it with all their heart, soul, and bodies, and they gave their all for the purpose of promulgating the gospel.

When the last unbeliever is converted by the gospel and stuffed into the footstool of God, the end will come! Heb 10:12,13 reminds us: “But this Man, after He had offered one sacrifice for sins forever, sat down at the right hand of God,  13 from that time waiting till His enemies are made His footstool.

It seems to me that after 1900 years of waiting, the church has just shrugged their shoulders concerning the return of Jesus, shaking off the responsibility of fervently bringing the gospel to the lost, for the sake of the comforts of this world.

Can you, have you, prayed with John? “Even so come Lord Jesus,” or are you too enamored with the things of this world. Don’t let the cares of this world keep you or your church from the main thing! Go! Make disciples! Find out your part of the work and do it!