The end of the age – a time for everything *

NORSK
Yesterday I wrote about the ‘ends of the earth’ and when I today use the ‘end of the age’, it is because today it is about eschatology and not geography. The Great Commission, which is Matthew's version of Jesus' farewell-speech to the disciples, takes care of the time-perspective:

“All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth. Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.”
Matt 28:18b-20

Eschatology was very important for me when I was young. I still believe in the return of Jesus Christ and that there will be a new heaven and a new earth. I also believe it is important that we do not stop preaching what the Bible teaches about this. However, I am increasingly concerned that every moment is ‘the end of the world’ or the ‘end of the age’. In fact, it is also an explicit part of the Bible's teaching. John has many Jesus quotes that take care of this aspect. Here are a few examples:

“Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe stands condemned already because they have not believed in the name of God’s one and only Son.”
John 3:18

“Yet a time is coming and has now come…”
John 4:23a

That is why the end of the age perspective points to the place where I am right now. I always live in the end of the age of the world and there he is always with me. That is the place and time where our mission both has its beginning and eventually its end.

‘Manna’ for today:

NOW is important, because it is important NOW.

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(1) In Norway, we have a place called “the end of the world”, and we also have places called e.g. “kingdom of heaven” and “hell” – it is an interesting country…
* 'A time for everything' is connected with the Bible's teaching about a 'season for every activity' Eccl 3 This series is about the teaching in the time between Easter and Pentecost

Where is the “ends of the earth”? - a time for everything *

NORSK 

“to the ends of the earth”
Acts 1:8

was part of yesterday's verse, and I promised to revert with some thoughts on the subject. ‘Ends of the earth’ can be interpreted geographically or eschatologically = in an end-time perspective. 

Today I will focus on the geography.

I live an exciting life together with Jesus, and following him has led to exciting encounters with people who also follow him. Brother Yun, known as 'The Heavenly Man', is one of them (1).

Yun has a simple and logical explanation on what ‘the ends of the earth’ means:

Since the earth is round, the ends of the earth is exactly where you begin. Since the Christian mission began in Jerusalem, taking the gospel to the ends of the earth means taking the gospel back to Jerusalem. For the Chinese Christians it is important to evangelize the area from China westward to Jerusalem. The movement ‘Back to Jerusalem’ is therefore their mission strategy.

What does this mean for me?

Since the earth is round, it means that wherever I am, I am at the ends of the earth. On Friday it was the Romanian border, on Saturday it was Bacau, yesterday it was Iasi and today it is Bucharest, and at 'the ends of the earth' I will witness because I am convinced that Jesus is with there too.

‘Manna’ for today:

I witness at the 'ends of the earth'

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(1) Yun's biography
* 'A time for everything' is connected with the Bible's teaching about a 'season for every activity' Eccl 3 This series is about the teaching in the time between Easter and Pentecost