The Ancient Future
These days have a lot of people cowering in fear and asking, ‘what’s to become of us?’
- The dollar isn’t worth squat.
- Social security is neither.
- Medicare has been through more make overs than Cher—I’d say about 10 different chapters in the life of this quirky health insurance plan. Hmm, what chapter comes after 10?
- Churches used to be places of healing and refuge for the broken and lost—places of learning truth and stretching for growth for the believer. Now so many are country clubs for saints and places to discuss Oprah.
- Preachers compete for status and popularity—a rabbit hole I have to constantly watch out for myself lest I fall in for the one millionth time.
- Experience has replaced Truth.
- I’m just waiting for the show—”Extreme Make-over—Bible Edition.”
So where do we go from here? Do we blaze a new trail? Maybe throw out all religion and just replace it with humanism?
While I’m all for the first part of that solution, the second half would be (and has been, throughout all of history) a disaster!
That’s what our secular culture has done and pressures all remaining hold outs to do. But there are no answers to be found there. Man does a lousy job as God. And, if you look carefully throughout history you’ll see that Solomon was absolutely right when he said,
Ecc. 1:1–2, 1The words of the Preacher, the son of David, king in Jerusalem. 2 Vanity of vanities, says the Preacher, vanity of vanities! All is vanity.
He’s not saying life is a meaningless waste of time—go kill yourself. He is saying that, living for the wrong reasons is a waste of time—living for God is the only fulfilling pursuit. But don’t take my word for it. Look at his conclusion:
13The end of the matter; all has been heard.AC)’>(AC) Fear God and keep his commandments, for this is the whole duty of man.b]’>[b] 14ForAD)’>(AD) God will bring every deed into judgment, withc]’>[c] every secret thing, whether good or evil. Ecc. 12:13
Just as a life lived only for selfish gain is an empty, meaningless life that will pass into eternity forgotten and without impact or meaning—following man made religion that ‘feels good,’ is ‘PC,’ and comes complete with lists of rules and regulations of conduct will get you nowhere—fast.
So, we are going to take a page out of the ancient as we seek the Lord as to how to live lives that are pleasing to Him from now until that future day when we see Him face to face. From these difficult and sometimes mundane times until the time when we stand before Him in all His glory to hear, ‘well done…’ and enter into His glory or, ‘depart from Me…I never knew you or your man made religion. You wanted nothing to do with Me in life. Now you will get your wish for all eternity…’
I know which response I would rather hear.
Beginning this Sunday Southbrook Church will be embarking on a journey through the Gospel of John that could take close to a year. But I’m betting it won’t feel like that. This one is going to fly and promises to find God showing up in a GINORMOUS way.
Are you ready for an encounter with Him?
That’s what happens when you carefully and purposefully mix the Ancient with the Future!
So, join us for our brand new series…
DIVINE
The Gospel According to John
Also, don’t forget to use the “e-vite” button on our Southbrook Church website to invite your friends, co-workers, classmates, family members, neighbors and anyone else you know! God will show up and lives will be changed!