They call it the Mayan prophecy. Yeah, it was a few years ago. If people had been right about it, you wouldn't be listening to me right now. It was December 21, 2012. Yeah, they said years ago that was the day everybody was talking about as the predicted "end of the world." I'm guessing it didn't happen.
I'm Ron Hutchcraft and I want to have A Word With You today about "The Day After the End of the World."
What was amazing was that a prophecy supposedly made by an ancient Indian tribe centuries ago (and actually a lot of scholars claim there was not even such a prediction), but it was taken so seriously by so many people. It was all over social media; people all over the place were talking about it. It was even all the buzz at our grandson's middle school.
This fascination with the end of the world - that's not anything new. History's full of dates, come and gone, set by would-be doomsday prophets. Good thing we're not living in Old Testament times. One wrong prediction proved you were a false prophet, and you got stoned to death.
There seems to be this strange sense, somewhere in our soul, that this world has an expiration date. And that sense is right. Because one day - on the day and in the way of God's choosing - the world as we know it will be done. God - the One who rules the future - says this in His book, "The day of the Lord will come like a thief. The heavens will disappear with a roar...and the earth and everything in it will be laid bare....That day will bring about the destruction of the heavens by fire, and the elements will melt in the heat" (2 Peter 3:10-12). Wow!
So, yes, one day this world as we know it will end. But you won't. No matter how or when this world ends. What matters for us is not when the planet's time runs out; it's when our time runs out. We're created in God's image, so we're creatures of eternity. Oh, our bodies are made to wear out (let's face it, they give us plenty of reminders of that!) - but our souls...oh, they're made to go on forever.
Whatever guesses people may float about what happens to our souls, only God knows. And in our word for today from the Word of God in 2 Thessalonians 1:8-9, He says it's one of two destinations. One where, "He will be glorified in His holy people...and marveled at among all those who believed." And the other is where people will be "shut out from the presence of the Lord and from the majesty of His power."
See, the destination isn't decided then. No, it's decided now, based on what we do with God's Son, Jesus, because of what He did for us. When He, according to the Bible, "carried our sins in His body on the tree" (1 Peter 2:24). God says, "Nothing impure will ever enter" heaven (Revelation 21:27). So we can't go there with our sins of a lifetime. And only Jesus can forgive them, because only Jesus died for them.
The Bible says, "The gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord." You know, at Christmas time, if you leave someone's Christmas gift unopened under the tree, don't blame them if you never get to enjoy it. They paid the price for it. You've got to reach out and make that gift yours. That's Just like what Jesus did for us on the cross. He paid the price, the awful price. See, we deserve the hell - the penalty for our sin. But you've got to reach out and make His gift yours.
End of the world? Not such a big deal. End of my time in this world? A very big deal. Next stop - appointment with Almighty God. There's nothing to fear about the end of life - about meeting God there - when you know every sin of your life has been forgiven by the One who died for them - His Son, Jesus.
You could get that settled even today. Tell Him, "Jesus, I'm yours. I'm pinning all my hopes on You." Go to our website and get the whole story. In fact, it's called ANewStory.com. You'll be ready for eternity whenever and however it comes.