Last Sunday at Gainesville's Family Church, senior pastor Philip Griffin continued the sermon series Counter-Culture on the Old Testament book of Daniel and how it applies to our times and lives, as we entered the prophecy section with Daniel 7...click on it to read it via Bible Gateway. The message was titled The Truth About Kingdoms and Governments...
The Biblical text describes a dream of Daniel that he experienced near the end of the
Babylonian Empire...in metaphoric imagery it described the progression of earthly empires: the Babylonians, the Persians, the Greeks first under Alexander the Great and then his four generals, and then the Romans...followed by the rise of the Antichrist. Pastor Philip pointed out that while humanity tends to regard earthly empires as majestic and enduring, God sees them as predatory beasts whose days are numbered. All human governments are deeply flawed, Philip continued, and things are getting worse...there is no future in them. There is an inherent problem with earthly governments: we cannot expect a political solution to a spiritual problem...human governments cannot establish by themselves the kingdom of God. And as our pastor emphasized, they cannot abolish the sin that permeates the world. But Daniel promises the advent of God's kingdom, when sin will finally be ended and the Lord will reign in his glory...
There is a tendency for many believers...and even nonbelievers...to dwell on Biblical prophecy even to the exclusion of God's mandate for them to be a shining light to bring people into his kingdom and then to disciple them in the faith. Pastor Philip urges us to avoid speculation about prophecy and to beware of complacency...God's kingdom is a work in progress, already here and still "not yet". Philip warned against being a "date-setter" or "Antichrist-spotter". As for me, I never did understand the appeal of eschatology, or last-days prophecy. I already know that my days on this earth are numbered and then I will encounter the Lord, regardless of all the tumultuous happenings in the world around me. God is omnipresent, but he is also personal...each of us are in our own personal "last days"...what is the need to get all wound up with the ongoing maneuvering of world powers and leaders? Beyond conducting myself responsibly and constructively in my civic life and to be one of those shining lights, I have to release the rest of what happens in the world to God, who is ultimately in charge...
The Family Church, at 2022 SW 122nd Street in Gainesville, holds its Sunday morning services at 9 and 10:30 with praise and worship music, the weekly message, prayer, fellowship and discipleship opportunities...and a nice hospitality room where visitors can get coffee and refreshments before and between services while getting to know some pretty friendly folks...
You can watch this past sermon by clicking on the following YouTube link: [TFC Videos]...
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