SCRIPTURE: Daniel 8:27 (NLT)
DATE: 7-14-24
As always it’s a joy to be with all of you this weekend at Gateway Church. And there’s one thing I want you to know — and this is true if you’re worshiping with us for the first time — are joining us at our North Main Campus or are with our friends in Bucyrus — I want you to know that God loves you and that I love you too.
SERIES INTRO
We’re returning to our series in the book of Daniel today — looking at what it means to live in exile. And today’s sermon is the one I’ve been anticipating most — in an anxious sort of way — for a few reasons.
First, instead of a lengthy text — we’ve got one verse that’s going to be our springboard for the sermon. Now — to be clear — that’s one verse in Daniel — but we’re going to be exploring a lot of different texts today due to my second reason — and the main reason why this week’s sermon’s been anxiously on my mind.
Today we’re going to talk about eschatology — a fancy theological word that means “the end times.” With angst I’ve hinted that we’d eventually get to this — and I use the word “angst” because I don’t want this topic to divide us — rather — and as the apostle Paul says — eschatology is supposed to unite God’s people together. But I also use the word “angst” because I didn’t know if I’d be able to actually write a sermon on this topic. Could I write a lecture? Yes. Could I teach a Saturday seminar on this topic? Yes. But a sermon? I didn’t know.
You see — sermons are meant to not just speak to our heads — but to our hearts and wills as well. Thus my challenge in this sermon: to guide us as we look at the topic of eschatology — the study of the end times — so it speaks not only to our heads, but also to our hearts and wills.
So let’s jump in and read our one verse from Daniel for today — and then we’ll explore this weighty topic of eschatology — the study of the end times. We’re in Daniel chapter eight — looking at verse twenty-seven — where — after his vision of the future and the angel’s explanation of the vision — we read…
Daniel 8:27 (NLT)
27 Then I, Daniel, was overcome and lay sick for several days. Afterward I got up and performed my duties for the king, but I was greatly troubled by the vision and could not understand it.
INTRODUCTION
As we look at the end times today — the key idea I want us to keep in mind is this: Though we may not understand all that God has said to us about the end — and though there may be much that disturbs or frightens us about what is to come — what God expects of his people is for us to be faithful while we wait for Christ to return.
Let me say that again.
Though we may not understand all that God has said to us about the end — and though there may be much that disturbs or frightens us about what is to come — what God expects of his people is for us to be faithful while we wait for Christ to return.
This comes from Daniel’s words describing his response to his vision.
Daniel 8:27 (NLT)
27 Then I, Daniel, was overcome and lay sick for several days. Afterward I got up and performed my duties for the king, but I was greatly troubled by the vision and could not understand it.
Daniel admits that he couldn’t understand the vision he had — not even with the angel’s help. And — he was troubled by the vision — disturbed by it. And what did he do in response? He got up and went about performing his duties for the king — he continued to be faithful — while he waited for the vision to be fulfilled.
So — for the rest of this sermon — I’m going to do my best to take us into the deep waters of eschatology. And we’re going to use Daniel’s response to his vision as our outline. We’re going to look at what we understand about the end — looking at some of the agreed upon truths of eschatology that all Bible-believing Christians hold to — and have believed — for centuries.
Then we’ll explore some verses about the end times that might disturb or even frighten us about the end. Finally, we’ll wrap things up by looking at what it means for us to be faithful until the end comes.
What we understand and agree upon about the end. What disturbs or may frighten us about the end. And what it means to be faithful until the end comes.
WHAT WE UNDERSTAND ABOUT THE END
So what do we understand about the end? What are some beliefs that all Christians agree on? Often we focus on what we disagree about — especially when it comes to our views of eschatology — so let’s look at where we have unity — where we have agreement.
Bryan Chapell — who we hope to have with us early next year — recently wrote a book titled Are We Living in the Last Days? Four Views of the Hope We Share about Revelation and Christ’s Return. If he’s able to join us, we’ll ask him to do a Saturday seminar on the end times.
There’s much in his book that’s helpful — but his final few chapters were the most informative for me as they focused on what all Christians agree on about the end times — which is what we’re covering right now. I just want to give credit where credit is due — as this part of my sermon is inspired by the final few chapters of his book.
But — before we get to specific beliefs about eschatology — I want to make it clear that — someone’s view of the rapture or the millennium or the nation of Israel cannot be the litmus test we use to determine if someone is a Christian or not. As Chapell says, “people aren’t saved from hell and secured for heaven because they have a correct view of the millennium. No one ceases to be our brother or sister in Christ simply because they have a different millennial view. We’re only saved from the consequences of our sin through faith in the grace of God that’s provided by the perfect life, sacrificial death, and resurrection victory of Jesus Christ.”
May we all walk in — and practice — humility as we discuss eschatology today — and any other day for that matter — remembering faith in Jesus Christ is where salvation is found — not specific details we believe about the end.
Additionally — and still before we get to our beliefs about the end — but these are important ideas for us to remember:
Regardless of an individual Christian’s view of the end times — all Christians believe that the Bible is the Word of God — that it is without error, that it teaches only what is true, and that God’s Word should be interpreted as he intended it to be interpreted. This means that — here at Gateway — all followers of Jesus believe that the Bible should be interpreted literally — regardless of their specific view of the end times. Yet — we also acknowledge that God has chosen to use different literary genres in his Word — thus a literal interpretation of Scripture requires that we take these genres into account.
Since this is often a divisive point among Christians and their eschatology — an example will help. Let’s look at two different passages in God’s Word and see what it means to interpret them literally. In Psalm ninety-one we read…
Psalm 91:2–4 (NLT)
2 This I declare about the Lord: He alone is my refuge, my place of safety; he is my God, and I trust him. 3 For he will rescue you from every trap and protect you from deadly disease. 4 He will cover you with his feathers. He will shelter you with his wings. His faithful promises are your armor and protection.
And in First Corinthians fifteen we read…
1 Corinthians 15:3–5 (NLT)
3 I passed on to you what was most important and what had also been passed on to me. Christ died for our sins, just as the Scriptures said. 4 He was buried, and he was raised from the dead on the third day, just as the Scriptures said. 5 He was seen by Peter and then by the Twelve.
If we take Psalm ninety-one “literally” we would conclude that God is a bird because — verse four says — “he will cover us with his feathers and shelter us with his wings.” And concluding that God is a bird would be to literally miss the point of what the psalm is telling us.
However, when Paul tells us — in First Corinthians fifteen — that Jesus was buried and was raised from the dead on the third day — to take him literally means we take Paul to mean just what he’s said. Jesus died. He was buried in a tomb. And he was alive three days later.
To interpret the psalm literally we must take into account its literary genre — poetry. To interpret Paul’s words literally we must take into account its literary genre — a different literary genre than the psalm — for Paul is writing a statement of history.
Now — for all of you non-English lit majors — trust me — all of this plays a big part in how we come to our conclusions about the end times. For our differences in understanding the end times is not as simple as “some Christians take the Bible literally while others don’t” — which is often what’s said, taught, and believed in the church. We must take into account the literary genre of what we’re reading in the Bible in order to interpret it correctly.
On to other beliefs all Christians hold to — and this connects to what we just read in Paul’s words: All Christians believe that Jesus died on the cross for our sins, that he rose from the dead three days later, that he ascended into heaven where he sits at the right hand of God the Father, and that the Holy Spirit has been sent to indwell — or to live in — all true followers of Jesus.
I won’t read them all now — but if you haven’t read our Essentials of the Faith recently — I want to encourage you to go to our website — gatewayepc.org — and click on the “Who We Are” page where you’ll find our Essentials of the Faith statement. These are beliefs that all Christians — here at Gateway — agree on — regardless of our end times view.
Though I won’t read all of them — I do want to read the sixth statement in our Essentials of the Faith — as it will transition us to beliefs about the end times that all Christians hold to. Statement number six says…
6. Jesus Christ will come again to the earth personally, visibly, and bodily — to judge the living and the dead, and to consummate history and the eternal plan of God. “Even so, come, Lord Jesus” (Revelation 22:20).
Regardless of a Christian’s specific view of the end times, we all agree that Jesus is coming again. He will do so personally, his return will be visible, and he will return in his physical body. His return will mean the time for his right and perfect judgment of all who live — and who have ever lived — is at hand. And his return will mark the end to this chapter of history and begin the next chapter of God’s plan — which was determined before time began — God’s plan of either our eternal presence with him in the New Heavens and New Earth or our eternal separation from him in Hell.
Why do we all believe this? Because we take God at his Word. For example — when the disciples were staring up into the sky — just after Jesus had ascended into Heaven — the angels said to them…
Acts 1:11 (NLT)
11 “Men of Galilee, why are you standing here staring into heaven? Jesus has been taken from you into heaven, but someday he will return from heaven in the same way you saw him go!”
The angels tell us that Jesus is going to return from heaven in the same way he departed for heaven. And how did he depart? Visibly — and in a physical body. Which is why we believe that Jesus will return visibly and in a physical body.
Why do we believe that — when Jesus returns — he will judge the living and the dead? Because we take God at his Word. For example — in the book of Revelation the apostle John records…
Revelation 20:11–14 (NLT)
11 And I saw a great white throne and the one sitting on it. The earth and sky fled from his presence, but they found no place to hide. 12 I saw the dead, both great and small, standing before God’s throne.
And the books were opened, including the Book of Life. And the dead were judged according to what they had done, as recorded in the books. 13 The sea gave up its dead, and death and the grave gave up their dead. And all were judged according to their deeds. 14 Then death and the grave were thrown into the lake of fire. This lake of fire is the second death.
There’s a judgment coming for all of us — and for all who ever have lived. But what will we be judged by? Many believe we’ll be judged based on the good works we do — which will be weighed against the bad things we do. And the hope is that the scale leans towards the good. Maybe you’re not a Christian and this is what you believe. Well Jesus said…
Matthew 7:22–23 (NLT)
22 On judgment day many will say to me, ‘Lord! Lord! We prophesied in your name and cast out demons in your name and performed many miracles in your name.’ 23 But I will reply, (this is Jesus speaking by the way…) ‘I never knew you. Get away from me, you who break God’s laws.’
If good works — like prophesying, casting out demons, and performing miracles in the name of Jesus — don’t weigh the scales in one’s favor — what good works have you done that you think will tip the scales in your favor? Which means something other than what we do is what ultimately matters most — and Jesus says that what matters most is that he knows us.
To not be known by Jesus — means to not be associated with him — to be estranged from him. Thus to be known by Jesus — to be associated with him — comes by having what’s called faith — or belief — or a trust in him alone for your salvation and not your works that you think are good. To be known by Jesus means to be reconciled to him — where your relationship with God — which has been broken due to your sin — is restored through your faith in Jesus’ sacrifice on your behalf.
And — for those who are reconciled to God through their faith in Jesus — in store for them for all eternity is fellowship with God and his people in the New Heavens and New Earth. Again — the apostle John describes this for us when he writes…
Revelation 21:1–7 (NLT)
1 Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the old heaven and the old earth had disappeared. And the sea was also gone. 2 And I saw the holy city, the new Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven like a bride beautifully dressed for her husband. 3 I heard a loud shout from the throne, saying, “Look, God’s home is now among his people! He will live with them, and they will be his people. God himself will be with them. 4 He will wipe every tear from their eyes, and there will be no more death or sorrow or crying or pain. All these things are gone forever.” 5 And the one sitting on the throne said, “Look, I am making everything new!” And then he said to me, “Write this down, for what I tell you is trustworthy and true.”
6 And he also said, “It is finished! I am the Alpha and the Omega — the Beginning and the End. To all who are thirsty I will give freely from the springs of the water of life. 7 All who are victorious will inherit all these blessings, and I will be their God, and they will be my children.
But for those who reject Christ — who trust in their works or philosophy or their ideas about what God must be like — instead of Jesus’s sacrifice to save them — for those who — as John describes — are…
Revelation 21:8 (NLT)
8 “Cowards, unbelievers, the corrupt, murderers, the immoral, those who practice witchcraft, idol worshipers, and all liars — their fate is in the fiery lake of burning sulfur. This is the second death.”
This is the fulfillment of Jesus’s words, “Depart from me, I never knew you.”
Again — universal agreement among followers of Jesus regarding the end times: eternal life or eternal death — no other options. And there’s only one way of salvation that results in eternal life: faith alone in Christ alone for our salvation.
About the end — Christians also all agree that — those who believe in Jesus — will be transformed and given new bodies. This is related to what we just read in John’s words about the New Heavens and New Earth. If — for all who believe in Jesus — death will be no more — something will have to be done to these dying bodies of ours. And here’s what will happen according to Paul.
1 Corinthians 15:50–55 (NLT)
50 What I am saying, dear brothers and sisters, is that our physical bodies cannot inherit the Kingdom of God. These dying bodies cannot inherit what will last forever. 51 But let me reveal to you a wonderful secret. We will not all die, but we will all be transformed! 52 It will happen in a moment, in the blink of an eye, when the last trumpet is blown. For when the trumpet sounds, those who have died will be raised to live forever.
And we who are living will also be transformed. 53 For our dying bodies must be transformed into bodies that will never die; our mortal bodies must be transformed into immortal bodies. 54 Then, when our dying bodies have been transformed into bodies that will never die, this Scripture will be fulfilled: “Death is swallowed up in victory. 55 O death, where is your victory? O death, where is your sting?”
Our mortal — dying — bodies will be transformed into immortal bodies that will never experience decay. How incredible is that? Do you know what this means — if we take God at his Word? It means that the goal for many people — regardless of what they believe about Jesus — immortality — is the guaranteed promise to all who believe in Jesus. The defeat of death itself — is the future for all who put their hope in Christ alone. What wonderful words! What promises to all who believe in Jesus! What an encouragement the topic of the end times can give if we allow God’s Word to be our guide!
Now — our last text — the passage from First Corinthians — leads us to something else all Christians agree on about the end times. And this one may surprise you — depending on what you’ve been taught. All Christians agree that there will be a rapture.
The rapture is the moment when God’s people — those who believe in Jesus — are transported — or carried away to meet Jesus. The apostle Paul describes it this way…
1 Thessalonians 4:16–18 (NLT)
16 For the Lord himself will come down from heaven with a commanding shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trumpet call of God. First, the believers who have died will rise from their graves. 17 Then, together with them, we who are still alive and remain on the earth will be caught up in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. Then we will be with the Lord forever. 18 So encourage each other with these words.
Now — the rapture — rather than being a subject that Christians have used to encourage one another — as Paul says it should in verse eighteen — the rapture — like many of our beliefs about the end times — has been used as material for debating, arguing, and belittling fellow Christians who we disagree with. Where — instead of focusing on what we agree on — we focus on areas of disagreement and make these the litmus test of whether or not someone’s theology or ministry can be trusted.
So a reminder: Eschatology — your beliefs about the end times — even if you’re right and someone else is wrong — if you don’t leave them encouraged — you’re wrong.
Back to the rapture. All sincere Bible believing Christians — like us at Gateway who strive to be disciples of Jesus who live under the authority of God’s Word and by the power of the Holy Spirit — all disciples of Jesus believe that Paul’s words in First Thessalonians chapter four are true — are to be believed — and speak of a future event that is guaranteed to come.
MARVEL AT OUR UNITY
So with all that we’ve just looked at — can we take a moment to marvel at all that’s agreed upon — all that we do understand — when it comes to the last things — to the end times — to this area of theology known as eschatology? By far these agreed upon truths should unite followers of Jesus — and should be used to encourage one another — instead of allowing a few differences to be cause for division among us. What wonderful truths all Christians believe about the end!
WHAT MAY DISTURB OR FRIGHTEN US ABOUT THE END
But — now — and I warned you we’d be going here — we’re going to turn to an aspect of the end that — understandably so — may disturb or frighten us. And know that — similar to the ideas we’ve just explored — though there are various opinions as to how what we’re going to look at will play out — something all Christians agree on is that there will be an increase in suffering and persecution in the last days.
Why does this truth about the end times disturb or frighten us? Because none of us want to suffer. No one among us desires to experience persecution. We all would rather avoid pain — and I get it — I’m right there with you. Yet — even this agreed upon truth about the end — is meant to give comfort to God’s people. For Jesus said…
John 16:33 (NLT)
33 I have told you all this so that you may have peace in me. Here on earth you will have many trials and sorrows. But take heart, because I have overcome the world.”
Jesus says, “You’ll have many trials and sorrows.” Trials and sorrows can also be translated as tribulations — a word often associated with the end.
But sandwiching his words about tribulations that will be experienced — Jesus tells his followers that they will have peace — a comfort in their spirit — because he has overcome — and secured victory — over the world on their behalf. And here — the world — means “all that is in opposition to Jesus’s reign and rule as King of kings.”
John uses the word tribulation in his letter to the church in Smyrna where — writing on behalf of Jesus — John says…
Revelation 2:9–11 (ESV)
9 “‘I know your tribulation and your poverty (but you are rich) and the slander of those who say that they are Jews and are not, but are a synagogue of Satan. 10 Do not fear what you are about to suffer. Behold, the devil is about to throw some of you into prison, that you may be tested, and for ten days you will have tribulation. Be faithful unto death, and I will give you the crown of life. 11 He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. The one who conquers will not be hurt by the second death.’
Don’t miss the comfort and hope in that last sentence — “the one who conquers” — “conquers” is the same word Jesus used back in John’s gospel when he said “I have overcome — or conquered — the world.” Here in Revelation we have the fulfillment of the promise that our Savior gave to his followers: Peace — and a comfort in our spirit — even while we experience tribulation — because we know that we will be victorious. And how do we know this? Because Jesus has been victorious on our behalf.
For as the apostle Peter tells us.
1 Peter 2:19–21 (NLT)
19 For God is pleased when, conscious of his will, you patiently endure unjust treatment. 20 Of course, you get no credit for being patient if you are beaten for doing wrong. But if you suffer for doing good and endure it patiently, God is pleased with you. 21 For God called you to do good, even if it means suffering, just as Christ suffered for you. He is your example, and you must follow in his steps.
Later he writes…
1 Peter 3:14–17 (NLT)
14 But even if you suffer for doing what is right, God will reward you for it. So don’t worry or be afraid of their threats. 15 Instead, you must worship Christ as Lord of your life. And if someone asks about your hope as a believer, always be ready to explain it. 16 But do this in a gentle and respectful way. Keep your conscience clear. Then if people speak against you, they will be ashamed when they see what a good life you live because you belong to Christ. 17 Remember, it is better to suffer for doing good, if that is what God wants, than to suffer for doing wrong!
BEING FAITHFUL UNTIL THE END
Christian or not — none of us want to suffer. Yet the hope of the Christian faith — what makes it unique compared to all other religions and philosophies — even distinct from the values this land of exile wants us to believe — is the promise that suffering is not the end — pain is not the end — trials, tribulations, not even death in this life is the end for those who believe in Jesus Christ. Victory is our end.
And trust in this promise is how we patiently endure unjust treatment — think of all the unjust treatment Daniel’s experienced — this promise is how we endure because we know that God is pleased with us — but never forget why he is pleased with you. God is pleased with those who’ve put their faith in his Son who suffered on our behalf — his Son — whose footsteps we’re following. For his Son is our Christ — who we worship as the Lord of our life even as we live in these last days — the end times — in a land of exile. And his Son is the reason for the hope that we have — for Jesus is the One who’s told us how to live while we wait for the end to come.
I mentioned our Essentials of the Faith earlier. I want to read its final statement — for it ties directly to what it means for us to be faithful while we wait for the end to come. Statement number seven says…
7. The Lord Jesus Christ commands all believers to proclaim the gospel throughout the world and to make disciples of all nations. Obedience to the Great Commission requires total commitment to “him who loved us and gave himself for us.” He calls us to a life of self-denying love and service. “For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them” (Ephesians 2:10).
Gateway Church exists to glorify God by making disciples of Jesus Christ. Disciples who are Word and Spirit Christians. Who are generous. Who are family. Who are Kingdom-minded. And who are disciples who make disciples.
This is what we’re called to do while we wait for the end to come. We’re called to live a life of self-denying love and service. A life lived focused on the good works that we were created to accomplish — as individuals and as a church. Good works that do not save us — but are works that point to the Good Work that Jesus accomplished on our behalf.
I hope you’ll join us in accomplishing this good work while we wait for the end to come. I hope you’ll engage yourself — even more so than you are right now — in helping us to glorify God by making disciples of Jesus Christ — while we wait in these last days. That you’ll unite with us — and our desire — to live faithfully as followers of Jesus in this land of exile. And that we’d all do so until the day when Jesus returns. Where we wake up every single day with this as our purpose — with this being what we commit our lives to — both individually and as a church. For as Jesus said — in speaking of the end…
Mark 13:32–36 (NLT)
32 “No one knows the day or hour when these things will happen, not even the angels in heaven or the Son himself. Only the Father knows. 33 And since you don’t know when that time will come, be on guard! Stay alert! 34 “The coming of the Son of Man can be illustrated by the story of a man going on a long trip. When he left home, he gave each of his slaves instructions about the work they were to do, and he told the gatekeeper to watch for his return. 35 You, too, must keep watch! For you don’t know when the master of the household will return — in the evening, at midnight, before dawn, or at daybreak. 36 Don’t let him find you sleeping when he arrives without warning.
Something I hope we’ll all commit to is not getting caught off guard — that we who make up Gateway Church — won’t get caught sleeping if Jesus returns on our watch. That we’ll commit — together — to be a church of people who will be found faithful as we patiently wait for our Savior’s return. Let’s pray together.
PRAYER
Heavenly Father, we begin by thanking you for what you’ve made clear to us about the end of this world of exile. The end of what is now — and the beginning of what will forever be. Again — we thank you for making so much clear — in your Word to us — about the end. And — we do so — while — like Daniel — we admit that there’s much we don’t understand.
Holy Spirit, you are the Teacher who Jesus said would be sent to instruct us in all things — including our beliefs about the end. Refine what we believe according to your Word. Chip away at anything untrue that we believe. Forgive us, we ask, for using our beliefs about the end times to be divisive instead of a means of encouraging our fellow Christians — for that — encouragement — is what your Word tells us should be our goal when we talk about and discuss eschatology.
And — Jesus — to you — our Savior who will return — visibly and physically — who will come to judge the living and the dead and to consummate history and the eternal plan of God — with the words of the apostle John we say, “Even so, come, Lord Jesus. Come.”
Father, Son, and Holy Spirit — until the day when Jesus returns — may you use us to make disciples of all nations. To live lives of self-denying love and service. To do the good work that — before the beginning of time — you’ve prepared for us to do — both as individuals — and as a church. May we not be found asleep or caught off guard on the day when our Lord returns — instead — may we be found faithful — patiently waiting for our Savior’s return. And — Jesus — to you — the only One who saves — may you save many who hear my voice today. May they respond by believing in you. And we pray all of this in your name. Amen.
BENEDICTION (Prayer teams available)
While you wait for your Savior to return — may you go and do the good works which he has called you — and us together — to do. Amen.
God loves you. I love you. You are sent.