Are These the Last Days?

Following is an excerpt from Dr. Ray Stedman’s sermon “Are These the Last Days?” Written in 1980, note how relevant it is. The entire message can be found at http://www.raystedman.org/misc/3699.html

“Surely no one alive is unaware of the apocalyptic character of the times in which we live. Everywhere there is a sense of impending disaster. The voices of the secular media, various Christian proclamations, etc., all are united in saying that something serious is ahead. Even young people, who do not have the experience of the past for reference, are nevertheless sensing a heavily clouded future. Perhaps this accounts for the rapid increase in teenage suicides. It may startle you to know that teenagers are now the dominant age group committing suicide today. They do not see any hope in the future.” ...

“Malcolm Muggeridge ... editor of Punch magazine in Britain [says one symptom of a collapsing civilization] is the enormously complicated structure of taxation and administration. No one seems to be able to do anything to reduce the complexity of it. Taxation and government will keep mounting to the point where it will become insupportable, until the whole economy at last collapses under the weight of it.”

To the question are these the last days? Ray says: “These may or may not be the last days; who knows? But whatever they are, they are days of opportunity, days of possibility, days when God can be glorified…” And to the question what are we to do? Ray cites Jesus' words: "Occupy until I come," (Lk. 19:13). In other words, keep busy doing the work of the kingdom of God until His arrival!