Ye have said, It is vain to serve God. . .

Malachi 3:14-17

Ye have said, It is vain to serve God: and what profit is it that we have kept his ordinance, and that we have walked mournfully before the LORD of hosts? (15) And now we call the proud happy; yea, they that work wickedness are set up; yea, they that tempt God are even delivered. (16) Then they that feared the LORD spake often one to another: and the LORD hearkened, and heard it, and a book of remembrance was written before him for them that feared the LORD, and that thought upon his name. (17) And they shall be mine, saith the LORD of hosts, in that day when I make up my jewels; and I will spare them, as a man spareth his own son that serveth him.

I read with humor, of the impending death of Christianity. One person recently wrote that, each passing day without the return of Christ is another nail in Christianity’s coffin. . .soon the religion of judgement and divisiveness will die out. . .if they only knew. Reading the news each day, is reading Biblical prophecy coming to life. . .

Zechariah 12:3

And in that day will I make Jerusalem a burdensome stone for all people: all that burden themselves with it shall be cut in pieces, though all the people of the earth be gathered together against it.

This was written some 500 years before Christ. Is not Jerusalem a burdensome stone for all people? The armies gather around Jerusalem. . . We read last week that Syria, Iran, Russia, and China would be conducting war game exercises in the region. Whether or not that is true, Jesus said:

Matthew 24:6

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.

On a daily basis, we expect Israel, or the U.S. to attack Iran. The world community sickens of the events in Syria, and is expected to take military action. Daily the U.S. kills in Yemen, Afghanistan, Iraq, Pakistan, and other hidden places. . . a regional war in all but name. We read headlines, that Israel is ready to bomb Syria’s caches of poison gas and biological weapons to keep them from falling into the hands of terrorists. . .

Another unfulfilled prophecy:

Isaiah 17:1

The burden of Damascus. Behold, Damascus is taken away from being a city, and it shall be a ruinous heap.

In its long history, Damascus has never been destroyed as a city. In fact, it is said to be the world’s oldest continuously inhabited city, and yet now some 2600 years or more, after those words of Isaiah were written, there is talk of the bombing of Damascus.

Damascus is a mere 80 miles or so from Jerusalem. How many of the lead stories in today’s news, are controlled and have as their source, the drama and conflict surrounding Jerusalem?

The falling away of belief in God is prophesied, the coldness. . . the blindness of people to God is not evidence of the death of Christianity, but is prophesied by the Word of God. . .

Matthew 24:37-39

But as the days of Noe were, so shall also the coming of the Son of man be. (38) For as in the days that were before the flood they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day that Noe entered into the ark, (39) And knew not until the flood came, and took them all away; so shall also the coming of the Son of man be.

Today as before the flood, people are completely involved with their own lives. . . blind and ignorant. . . unconcerned to the horrific sin of the world that will soon bring judgment to all.

As we stand on the corner proclaiming the Good News of Jesus Christ available to all men. . . We are ridiculed and derided. By many, we are thought to be at best quaint anachronisms, and at worst we are blamed as the root cause of the world’s problems.

No my friends, we do not fear or despair the end of Christianity. . .

We do despair the blindness, and deafness of the world around us.
We do despair of our inability to reach more.

But as our faith continues undiminished. . .

We continue to pray for our world. . .
We continue to pray for the peace of Jerusalem. . .
We continue to try to reach our world. . .

I love you my God. . .
I love you my Lord. . .