Jump Start # 2994

1 Corinthians 15:24 “Then comes the end, when He delivers up the kingdom to the God and Father, when He has abolished all rule and all authority and power.”

NOTE: There will not be a Jump Start tomorrow. We look forward to being with you on Monday, January 3. A bright new year.

  Our verse today comes from the resurrection chapter of 1 Corinthians. Some within the Corinthian congregation no longer believed in the resurrection. Any resurrection, including Jesus’ resurrection. These were the “evil companions” that Paul was warning about deeper in the chapter. This was not something that e could differ on and remain united. This was THE deal breaker. This IS the foundation of our faith. Without the Resurrection of Jesus, we won’t be raised, the Lord’s Supper is useless and baptism has no purpose. Paul sets forth a long string of reasons to believe in the resurrection of Jesus. The Scriptures taught that. Eyewitness saw it. Faith demands it. Without a resurrection, our faith falls apart.

The passage today explains that at the coming of Jesus, things will end. “Then comes the end,” is how our verse opens. When Jesus comes, He is not starting to get to work, He is ending it. The kingdom is not being established. It’s being delivered to God. Rule and authority and power are not beginning. They are ending. Peter tells us that when the Lord returns, the heavens and the earth will be destroyed. Fire will burn up everything. This has nothing to do with global warming. The fire Peter is talking about is Heaven sent. It’s not caused, nor controlled by man.

Then comes the end—what a fitting statement as we put this year on the shelf. We will never go back to this year again. It’s over. Finished. Completed. And, in this statement is a great thought for us.

Then comes the end…

First, some things never end. That’s good. God’s love never ends. God’s blessings do not run out. And, we, ourselves will not end. There is no “The End” to our story. We will pass through that doorway of death and be on the other side. Everyone of us will live on and on. Now, a person may not want to. They may not want to live on eternally. You don’t have that option. This is something that you have no part of. You were designed by God to live on in eternity, and that, you will. And, that thought alone ought to deter suicide. Some get into such a mess or so discouraged that they don’t want to live. They think taking their life will be the end. It isn’t. They do not realize that they will live. They will live on in eternity. Taking your own life only thrusts you into the other room. You are still alive.

Second, some things do end. That’s Paul’s point. “Then comes the end.” The end of what? The end of this world. The end of life as we know it. The end of history.

There are other things that also come to an end:

• Opportunities end. There is a brief moment when we can do good and influence and then that door closes. If we miss that opportunity, it is often gone and often gone for ever.

• School comes to an end. When one has been in school from kindergarten through college, it’s hard to imagine any life that doesn’t involve papers, tests and classroom lectures. But eventually school ends.

• Our employment eventually comes to an end. For most, they retire. No more alarm clocks. No more traffic in the morning. No more co-workers. No more stress. No more deadlines. For those who plan wisely, retirement can be a great time in your life to do other things than earn a paycheck. One can help more in the kingdom. But for those who don’t look down the road, retirement comes and they are not ready. The closing years of their lives are filled with worry and stress about money. It shouldn’t be that way, but for many it is.

• And, as we end this year, we know someday will be the final year. Either our final year here or the planet’s final year when Jesus comes. We look back and must think, “What good have I done this past year?” These times are filled with fear and anger. Have I been a part of that? Have I helped a soul get closer to the Lord this year? Have I enriched the kingdom this year? Have I made life easier for the next generation?

Then comes the end…It’s coming. There is no stopping it. We can deny it. We can regret it. We can fuss over it. Or, we can make the most of it. We can serve our generation as David did. We can pack our time full of serving and making a difference. We can leave spiritual footprints for others to follow. We can live rich lives filled with the mercy and grace of our Lord. We don’t have to be like the world. We can be that breath of fresh air in a stale and dying culture. We can be hopeful when others have given up. We can be spiritual and Biblical when most have forgotten that.

Then comes the end…and we are finished with this place. We move on to be with the Lord forever.

A year ends and a new year begins…something to think about.

Roger