Spiritual Welfare

"They were looking intently up into the sky as he was going when suddenly two men dressed in white stood beside them. “Men of Galilee,” they said, “why do you stand here looking into the sky? This same Jesus, who has been taken from you into heaven, will come back in the same way you have seen him go into heaven." Acts 1:10-11

According to an article titled, "The Problems with Public Welfare," one of the problems is that "It undermines personal responsibility and incentive in the poor to help themselves." The argument is that paying someone who is unemployed or underemployed incentivizes them not to look for work. Why look for a job when you are paid not to look for one? But, I am not here to discuss the details of public welfare, but how it resembles a problem within the Christian church. Since the moment Jesus Christ ascended to heaven, as recorded in the first chapter of Acts, the End Times became a hot topic. It seems that each time there is a newsworthy event Christians pour through the scriptures to find a verse that supports their belief that the event signals the return of Jesus Christ. Whether it is a political leader rising to power, a natural disaster, an astrological oddity, unusual animal behavior, you name it, Christians respond by "looking intently up into the sky" expecting the Lord to return. In general, there is nothing wrong with this behavior. After all, it was Jesus Christ who said, "When these things begin to take place, stand up and lift up your heads, because your redemption is drawing near (Luke 21:28)” referring to our response to various signs and wonders. However, I see a segment of the Church that appears to have forsaken their personal responsibility to share the Gospel of Jesus Christ in favor of expecting Jesus to step out of the clouds and return every time something happens. It has led to a sort of apathy amid Christians. Rather than using these events as a catalyst to engage the culture with the message of Jesus Christ, they disengage and become of no earthly good. 

Like the "two men dressed in white," you want to say to these Christians, "why do you stand here looking into the sky?" Jesus Christ is going to return. His return will be like a thief in the night. There will be signs prior to His return. However, Jesus said, "But concerning that day and hour no one knows, not even the angels of heaven, nor the Son, but the Father only (Matthew 24:36)." Yet, here we are trying to determine the moment He returns even though He said no one knows. Interestingly enough, the last recorded earthly words of Jesus Christ were about this subject. When asked if He was going to restore the kingdom to Israel, Jesus responded by saying, "It is not for you to know the times or dates the Father has set by his own authority. But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth (Acts 1:7-8)." The same mindset of the early Church remains today. They were focused on Jesus restoring the kingdom to Israel. Today, the focus is on His return. Yet, the message of Jesus remains the same. Preach the Gospel! There are millions, if not billions, of people on this earth headed to a Christless eternity in hell. Our mission as born again Christians is to be witnesses to the ends of the earth. If you believe that Jesus Christ's return is set to happen, that should light a fire underneath you to get out there and try to rescue people. The men in white said, "this same Jesus" will "come back." And we know from Scripture that "he will appear a second time, not to bear sin, but to bring salvation to those who are waiting for him (Hebrews 9:28)." Let us make sure that there are as many people waiting for Him when He comes as humanly possible. As much as we want to see our Savior, this is no time to get caught up in a form of spiritual welfare and leave our responsibility to be witnesses for Jesus Christ to others. Grace and Peace.