Iniquity Shall Abound

Matthew 24:12

For a nation that is known for its laws, we sure have been trending more towards lawlessness or taking the law into our own hands. The words of Jesus in our text are more than just words of prophecy, we are seeing the prophecy fulfilled right before our eyes.

Jesus is answering three questions that were presented before him from his disciples as they sat across from the city of Jerusalem on the Mount of Olives admiring the beauty of the Temple.

· When shall these things be? (The destruction of the temple and city)

· What shall be the sign of Thy coming?

· When shall the end of the age come?

Jesus gives the answers to these questions in His discourse. The signs are false Christ, false prophets, wars, sickness, famines, earthquakes, and hatred and violence among mankind. All of these are relevant to us today, but I think the most relevant is the growing lawlessness in our world. Especially our country!

We were at one time considered to be the most civilized country in the world. This meant we had a respect for the rule of law and those who we selected to make, maintain, and defend these laws. But now we have become so corrupt in our legislative and judicial branches of government that that it is hard and next to impossible to keep law and order in our country. When this happens, mob violence, looting, anarchy, murder, and other hideous crimes become more commonplace and overtime we become numb to it. What gives fuel to all this is a corrupt government that not only condones it, but incites it!

So what do we do in the midst of this sign of the times? Jesus said we are to

· Endure it into the end (verse 13)

· Keep proclaiming the Gospel (verse 14)

These two commands of Christ are essential in helping us keep our focus in times when we can easily be discouraged and distracted.

On last word of encouragement. We need to remember that whatever we have to endure, we will endure it together! Our assembling ourselves together is more important now than ever. There is strength in numbers. This is no time to let our love grow cold. But a time to add fuel to the holy fire that burns within us from the Holy Spirt by coming together as the body of Christ and exhorting one another so much the more as we see that day approaching!

Read Hebrews 10:22-25 for further encouragement

Pastor Robby