Thoughts from the billboard in Louisiana
Did you know that the return of Jesus is scheduled on May 21, 2011?
No?
How did you know, you may ask me?
I saw it on a billboard on I-10 in Louisiana.
And you know, interstate billboards like much of the internet, can't be wrong.
Well, you know that roadside marketing and internet blog pages (not this one, mind you :) ) are full of interesting stories, and you can't believe everything you read.
But, just because I was curious by the fearless prediction and the fact that some person or some group of persons thought it was important enough to spend money to advertise on a billboard, I decided to Google "May 21 2011" just to see what was going on with this, and which "prophet" or group was propagating this thing. Turns out, like the whole "2012" Mayan calendar thing, someone had done a "Biblical" calculation based on some scriptures pulled out of context (my opinion), young earth theoretical dates, and some extrapolation of random Biblical details. In case you're interested, here's a link to their site. Based on the things I've read here, I'm pretty sure that this group is bordering on a cult... once you read it you'll know what I'm talking about... http://www.ebiblefellowship.com/may21/index.html
Now, I'm pretty darned sure that any of these groups that starts declaring that they know "THE DATE" that Jesus is to return is wrong... and how I know is that Jesus' own disciples asked HIM what the date was and he told them that only the Father in Heaven knows (Matthew 24:36). So, it comes to show that if God in the flesh, in his humanness, did not know the date, then it is pretty certain that this group at eBibleFellowship.com is probably not in line with Jesus on when they're saying He's coming back.
What really got me thinking though was the focus of the billboard... they were painting this picture of the world getting destroyed by fire. A picture of judgement, which I suppose is what you probably could expect from a "mass marketing approach" to the end of the age.
It did stand in stark contrast to the CDs that I was listening to, from Andy Stanley's new book "The Grace of God" which beyond a reasonable doubt proves out that God's relationship with His people is based on his lovingkindness and grace (rarely, if ever, do you see the "turn or burn" threat of judgement used... and especially resulting in someone's accepting grace). Judgement and grace are valid... and I do believe we should take the justice of God more seriously than we do sometimes, but as a recipient of mercy through Jesus Christ, that is NOT how I came into relationship with God. I KNEW that I was a sinner and needed grace... and when I saw the offer of relationship and restoration for what it was I jumped at it. No tract or billboard could do that.
It also stood in stark contrast to the vision of Jesus's coming that I know as a child of God... and another CD that I listened to on the way to Texas. It is the vision of a wedding feast, a celebration. Jesus told it in the same vein as a bridegroom that finished his place for his bride and returned in a flash to the bride's house to get her and start the party. This story isn't told enough, I think. Heaven is definitely something to look forward to, and investing in that life is definitely wiser than investing in real estate today. Much wiser.
So, could Jesus come back on May 21st?
I do believe that Jesus will return. Jesus himself promised that he would, and he hasn't lied or else we're doing this Christianity thing for nothing. I'm looking forward to it, actually. Not only do I get to be face-to-face with the One who loves me more than I could possibly know, but also at that time He will right all wrongs, wipe away all tears, and ultimately bring His glorious kingdom to this world. If you love and value Jesus, you want that. It's an awesome thing.
But as for May 21st of next year....I guess he could come back then - it's about a 1 in (count # of days between "the day" and "Pentecost") chance - but He could also come back before I finish writing this blog (if you're reading this, then He probably hasn't :) ). The one thing that I think is clear from reading the stories and parables Jesus tells about his return is that the vast majority of us won't be expecting it, or be prepared for it. We'll be "doing our thing" and then "whammo!" here He is. I won't go into any views about eschatology here... all I know and can say for certain is that everything will change from that point on.
So - what do I think we should do? Here's my $0.02 :)
- Keep inviting people to follow Jesus and into His invitation of grace. Paul says in Romans that it's God's kindness that leads us to leave our broken "me centered" life and embrace the "God glorifying" life we accept through receiving what Jesus did for us on the cross.
- Continue to work diligently in where we are planted. I don't think Jesus wants to find any lazy butts when He comes back :)
- Invest in things that will last, and if things that will not outlast earth allow us to do that then give those things our diligent effort.
- Live in joy and love one another. Life's too short to not live it in love... even if we're going to spend eternity in love too :)
As for the billboard people, maybe you should spend your cash somewhere else... after May 21st, perhaps in a new mathematical fortune teller? :)
No?
How did you know, you may ask me?
I saw it on a billboard on I-10 in Louisiana.
And you know, interstate billboards like much of the internet, can't be wrong.
Well, you know that roadside marketing and internet blog pages (not this one, mind you :) ) are full of interesting stories, and you can't believe everything you read.
But, just because I was curious by the fearless prediction and the fact that some person or some group of persons thought it was important enough to spend money to advertise on a billboard, I decided to Google "May 21 2011" just to see what was going on with this, and which "prophet" or group was propagating this thing. Turns out, like the whole "2012" Mayan calendar thing, someone had done a "Biblical" calculation based on some scriptures pulled out of context (my opinion), young earth theoretical dates, and some extrapolation of random Biblical details. In case you're interested, here's a link to their site. Based on the things I've read here, I'm pretty sure that this group is bordering on a cult... once you read it you'll know what I'm talking about... http://www.ebiblefellowship.com/may21/index.html
Now, I'm pretty darned sure that any of these groups that starts declaring that they know "THE DATE" that Jesus is to return is wrong... and how I know is that Jesus' own disciples asked HIM what the date was and he told them that only the Father in Heaven knows (Matthew 24:36). So, it comes to show that if God in the flesh, in his humanness, did not know the date, then it is pretty certain that this group at eBibleFellowship.com is probably not in line with Jesus on when they're saying He's coming back.
What really got me thinking though was the focus of the billboard... they were painting this picture of the world getting destroyed by fire. A picture of judgement, which I suppose is what you probably could expect from a "mass marketing approach" to the end of the age.
It did stand in stark contrast to the CDs that I was listening to, from Andy Stanley's new book "The Grace of God" which beyond a reasonable doubt proves out that God's relationship with His people is based on his lovingkindness and grace (rarely, if ever, do you see the "turn or burn" threat of judgement used... and especially resulting in someone's accepting grace). Judgement and grace are valid... and I do believe we should take the justice of God more seriously than we do sometimes, but as a recipient of mercy through Jesus Christ, that is NOT how I came into relationship with God. I KNEW that I was a sinner and needed grace... and when I saw the offer of relationship and restoration for what it was I jumped at it. No tract or billboard could do that.
It also stood in stark contrast to the vision of Jesus's coming that I know as a child of God... and another CD that I listened to on the way to Texas. It is the vision of a wedding feast, a celebration. Jesus told it in the same vein as a bridegroom that finished his place for his bride and returned in a flash to the bride's house to get her and start the party. This story isn't told enough, I think. Heaven is definitely something to look forward to, and investing in that life is definitely wiser than investing in real estate today. Much wiser.
So, could Jesus come back on May 21st?
I do believe that Jesus will return. Jesus himself promised that he would, and he hasn't lied or else we're doing this Christianity thing for nothing. I'm looking forward to it, actually. Not only do I get to be face-to-face with the One who loves me more than I could possibly know, but also at that time He will right all wrongs, wipe away all tears, and ultimately bring His glorious kingdom to this world. If you love and value Jesus, you want that. It's an awesome thing.
But as for May 21st of next year....I guess he could come back then - it's about a 1 in (count # of days between "the day" and "Pentecost") chance - but He could also come back before I finish writing this blog (if you're reading this, then He probably hasn't :) ). The one thing that I think is clear from reading the stories and parables Jesus tells about his return is that the vast majority of us won't be expecting it, or be prepared for it. We'll be "doing our thing" and then "whammo!" here He is. I won't go into any views about eschatology here... all I know and can say for certain is that everything will change from that point on.
So - what do I think we should do? Here's my $0.02 :)
- Keep inviting people to follow Jesus and into His invitation of grace. Paul says in Romans that it's God's kindness that leads us to leave our broken "me centered" life and embrace the "God glorifying" life we accept through receiving what Jesus did for us on the cross.
- Continue to work diligently in where we are planted. I don't think Jesus wants to find any lazy butts when He comes back :)
- Invest in things that will last, and if things that will not outlast earth allow us to do that then give those things our diligent effort.
- Live in joy and love one another. Life's too short to not live it in love... even if we're going to spend eternity in love too :)
As for the billboard people, maybe you should spend your cash somewhere else... after May 21st, perhaps in a new mathematical fortune teller? :)
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