James 5

***James 5***

James believed that the Lord's coming was near... that it would happen during the lifetime of those his letter was written to.

But he was wrong.

There is an 89 year-old Christian radio host named Harold Camping that states the rapture is going to happen Saturday and the world will end in 5 months... the same thing he predicted in 1994.

(I wonder if I should write a sermon for Sunday or if I'll be just wasting my time?)

Many people believe him... including the driver of the above truck. I wonder if he will sign the truck over to me since he won't be needing it in 48 hours?

First of all, there are few, very very few biblical passages that support the belief in any kind of rapture. And the ones that do have been taken totally out of context. The rapture is a fictional story based on interpretation. Nothing is going to happen the way we think it will. Those waiting for a rapture are like the Jews who were waiting for a warrior messiah. (1 Thessalonians 4 says that we will meet the Lord in the air. This was written back when people still believed God lived in the clouds... I've been on some long flights and spent hours looking for God in the clouds, but never saw him.)

Secondly, nobody knows when Jesus is coming back... not even James and he was related to Jesus. The bible is clear about this fact. I don't know when Jesus is coming back, but I'm sure he's not coming when others say he is. If you google the rapture you'll find that many people have stated that it would happen many times... none have been right. And only one was prior to 1900... it's amazing how 1900 years after Jesus we have just now figured out how he was coming back!

BUT...

I hope Jesus comes back really soon. This is good news. It means those who are suffering won't have to any longer, those who are oppressed will find justice and we won't have to go through death. I won't have to leave my wife behind or I won't have to live without her.

The end is good news!

But it's better news to an 89 year-old than it is to me... I still want to have kids and see the Lions win the Superbowl.

******************************************************************
I'm taking my pastor hat off now and just writing as Nick:

I realize mocking others is probably a sin, but so is sending millions of people in hysteria claiming to know something you don't. As far as I'm concerned you get one shot at something like this, he was wrong in 1994, he should have stopped then.

Yes I really have a pastor hat, it was a gift from some great members on the day I was installed. (Thank you Robert and Tina)

We are done with James...tomorrow we start Esther!