John Piper & Rick Warren Discussion

Francis Chan - Hell: We can't afford to get it wrong.

"The End of the World"

Most of you have heard of the prediction by Harold Camping that the rapture and ensuing 'end of the world' will happen tomorrow starting at 7am in the UK. This is the not his first prediction, nor is it the first prediction of 'doomsday' or the 'end of the world.' As you are probably aware, many people (including Christians) are making great fun of this prediction with their prediction that the world will most certainly not end tomorrow.

As followers of Jesus, we are called to respond in two ways that appear to be a contradiction. First, we are to be eagerly longing for and looking for the return of Jesus! (Matthew 25, Revelation 22:17) It is with great hope that we look forward to the return of Christ, not so that we will be 'raptured' away and the rest of the world will be burned up, but because when Jesus returns the Kingdom will be made manifest in all of its glory! "Then the angel showed me the river of the water of life, as clear as crystal, flowing from the throne of God and of the Lamb down the middle of the great street of the city. On each side of the river stood the tree of life, bearing twelve crops of fruit, yielding its fruit every month. And the leaves of the tree are for the healing of the nations. No longer will there be any curse. The throne of God and of the Lamb will be in the city, and his servants will serve him. They will see his face, and his name will be on their foreheads. There will be no more night. They will not need the light of a lamp or the light of the sun, for the Lord God will give them light. And they will reign for ever and ever." That is worth getting excited about!!!

At the same time, we also say with humility that no one knows when that time will come except for God. Jesus said, "But about that day or hour no one knows, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father. As it was in the days of Noah, so it will be at the coming of the Son of Man." (Matthew 24:36-37) Not only are Camping's predictions on shaky ground, but all those who seek to predict days and hours, seasons and time lines with certainty are missing the point. Most of these predictions come out of a miss understanding of what Jesus taught about the Kingdom.

The Kingdom of God is here, it is all around us, it is breaking in upon us in both startling and comforting ways. And you and are to be a sign of that Kingdom, a foretaste of that Kingdom, and an agent of that Kingdom in the world around us! We are not looking to be 'raptured' off to an alternate universe, but instead we pray the prayer that Jesus taught his disciples: "May Your kingdom come, and Your will be done on earth as it is in the heavens." (Matthew 6:9) While we pray we also live in such a way that we build for that Kingdom in the confident hope that Jesus will indeed return in all his glory and consummate the Kingdom of God on earth. “Look! God’s dwelling place is now among the people, and he will dwell with them. They will be his people, and God himself will be with them and be their God. ‘He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death’ or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away. He who was seated on the throne said, “I am making everything new!” Then he said, “Write this down, for these words are trustworthy and true.” (Revelation 21:3-5) That is worth telling someone about!

So let me encourage you this day to look for opportunities to share the real message of God's Kingdom with those around you. As the topic of the 'end of the world' comes up...and it will...don't just make fun of Harold Camping, but instead take the opportunity to share about the Good News of the redemption, reconciliation, restoration, and renewal of all things through the death and resurrection of Jesus! Share with this person about how they can enter into that kind of life here and now, and in the afterlife.

Are you with me? Let's take this opportunity to share real hope...this open door won't last long!!

Dan Kimball on Heaven, Hell and Evangelism

Steven Hawking and the Impossible God

In an article titled "Stephen Hawking says afterlife is a fairy story" by Liz Goodwin, we are once again reminded that Hawking is truly a brilliant man. Despite the physical challenges that he has endured in his life, this man has accomplished tremendous intellectual feats. And when he describes his brain as a computer, one can certainly understand how his experience has led him to relate to his Self in this way.

In the above noted article Goodwin wrote, "What could define God [is a conception of divinity] as the embodiment of the laws of nature. However, this is not what most people would think of that God," Hawking told Sawyer. "They made a human-like being with whom one can have a personal relationship. When you look at the vast size of the universe and how insignificant an accidental human life is in it, that seems most impossible." "

I agree with Hawking that it "seems most impossible" that a personal God would be interested in a relationship with an 'insignificant' human life given the enormity of the universe. On a purely intellectual level it does seem hard to believe!

Hawking, as brilliant as he is, is not the first person who display intellectual or artistic brilliance in human history. One of those brilliant human beings was a man of humble beginnings, but despite his farm-boy upbringing he shared this same perspective as Hawking. He (David) wrote, "When I look at the night sky and see the work of your fingers—the moon and the stars you set in place—what are mere mortals that you should think about them, human beings that you should care for them?" (Ps. 8:3-4)

Perhaps you can relate to these words from Hawking and David. When you look around at your corner of the universe it seems impossible that a God who relates to 'insignificants' even exists. You are not alone if this is how you feel.

Yet in the face of this impossibility men and women throughout history have attested to their intuition that such a God does exist. They have shared their experiences of personal encounter with this God who is infinitely beyond us and who comes to us in the ordinary means of human existence. Some of them even recorded their encounters so that future-humanity would have a divinely-breathed description of this impossible God.

One of these writings records this statement, "The God who made the world and everything in it is the Lord of heaven and earth and does not live in temples built by human hands. And he is not served by human hands, as if he needed anything. Rather, he himself gives everyone life and breath and everything else. From one man he made all the nations, that they should inhabit the whole earth; and he marked out their appointed times in history and the boundaries of their lands. God did this so that they would seek him and perhaps reach out for him and find him, though he is not far from any one of us. ‘For in him we live and move and have our being.’ As some of your own poets have said, ‘We are his offspring.’ " (Acts 17:24-28)

I marvel at those rare gems of humanity, like Steven Hawking, whose minds have been unlocked with the potential to comprehend the mysteries of the universe. I am also astonished at our human ability to miss the beauty that is hidden in plain sight. I believe that one day Hawking will see and comprehend the One who is hidden to him in his brilliant theories of the universe. And one day I too, like Hawking, will see the One who has been hidden behind my theories of life, fears of the eternal, and assumptions of 'the-way-things-are.'

So I pray for Hawking and myself - and all those who read these words - that "...the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the glorious Father, may give you the Spirit of wisdom and revelation, so that you may know him better. I pray that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which he has called you..." (Eph. 1:15-18)

May you find the impossible God who is hidden in plain sight...