It’s hard to believe that 2012 is already here! This is a year that some predict many kinds of events will happen. The Mayan calendar, astronomical observations, and many other things are factors in what some people believe will happen in 2012. As Christians we know that the end is near by watching the signs marked out in the Bible. “Take heed that no man deceive you. Â For many shall come in my name, saying, I am Christ; and shall deceive many. Â And ye shall hear of wars and rumours of wars: see that ye be not troubled: for all these things must come to pass, but the end is not yet. Â For nation shall rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom: and there shall be famines, and pestilences, and earthquakes, in divers places. Â All these are the beginning of sorrows.” Matthew 24:4-8 We see wars and rumors of wars, we see nation rising against nation, we see famines and pestilences and earthquakes just as Jesus described. The word “Sorrows” there at the end is used in Greek to describe the contractions of a woman about to give birth. The contractions come in more frequency and more often. Jesus is saying that the same thing is going to be at the end of the world that wars and famines and pestilence (sickness and disease) and earthquakes will happen more and more often. Have we seen that? Yes we have! Just in the recent years we’ve had huge disasters such as the earthquakes in Sri Lanka and Japan, and the chaos that resulted from the nuclear spill. There are people dying of hunger many places in the world, and it seems there’s always some new sickness coming out… Jesus’ words are being fulfilled!
And yet… we have a work to do. Jesus commanded us to “Go ye therefore and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost:” Matthew 28:19 God expects us to take the good news that Jesus died so we could have eternal life to the world! Some people will say, “Well, I’ll just stay here at home and get a job and send money for the mission work.” God doesn’t need our money! He already has all the money in the world! If He needed money to fund his work, He could just create it! He needs us to totally surrender to Him! But he can’t make us do the work He has asked us to do. He can only give us the commission and hope that we will choose to do it. He won’t force us. It’s against His nature to force anyone against their will. So it’s up to us to choose to take the good news about Jesus to all our fellow human beings. There are so many that have had no opportunity to hear. Many in overseas countries would accept Him if someone would only go and tell them about Him. As you read this many are dying without having an opportunity to hear about Jesus. It’s time that we do more than simply send our money to missions. There is a huge lack of people willing to go to these far reaches of the earth where there are whole people groups who are totally isolated from Christianity.
At the same time as we see this need for willing workers in the mission field, our time is running out. There is very little time left as Matthew 24 is being fulfilled. We must work quickly while it is yet day, for the night cometh when no one can work. It’s time to realize the necessity of wholehearted work in fulfilling the Gospel Commission among all nations and people who have never heard. We must do something about it! If we wait for the rocks to cry out then not only will we miss our opportunity to be a part of God’s work, but we will also miss out on salvation! Now is the time to do everything that we can to share Jesus with others! We must not delay!
