Like for many of you, my own ‘journey of faith’ and ‘coming to Jesus’, which began at the age of 20, for me...is personal and unique in its own way. While I was ‘raised in church’, or should I say I attended church weekly, I can’t say that I was ever really taught or indoctrinated to believe a particular tenet of beliefs that aligned with the particular denomination I was brought up in (Roman Catholic). It was just what I was ‘raised’ in. And while I heard various stories referred to and read from the Bible in those church services, I did not grow up reading the Bible, nor did I own one for myself. I may have glanced at one on occasion or two that we had in the house, but for the most part it was irrelevant to me.

As you also might know...there is no shortage of church denominations out there to choose from, or ‘flavors’ as I like to describe them at times, and the one I landed or got ‘planted’ in during that first year of my faith walk was unique in many ways. Aren’t they all? And while I was heavily ‘indoctrinated’ then on several key points, what I remember most about that early season in my new walk of faith was the amount of emphasis that was being placed on the ‘end times’, the coming ‘rapture’ of the church and the ‘tribulation’ that would ensue as Jesus made His ‘second coming’. But those were the early 1980’s and many Christians were influenced by the teachings of Hal Lindsey and others who had this all mapped out on easy-to-read ‘time charts’.

Let me tell you how convinced I was that this was all ‘going down’ sooner than later. I got married at a young age to Kathy (21) and I truly was convinced that trying to finish my college education at that time and land a good paying career was unnecessary because there was no way we would ever be around or burdened with paying to raise kids, get them through college...and then married. I mean...this was 1981, and according to all the ‘calculations’ I had been taught...Jesus was coming no later than 1988. Anyone else read and digest ‘Countdown to Armageddon’? So who had the need or time to worry, for that matter... about ‘retiring’ someday, right?

I write this being one month in to 2026, and for those who may not know, Kathy and I produced three beautiful daughters who by the grace of God...all now have college educations, are happily married, and...I have the two most adorable grandsons that ever walked the earth. Oh...and believe it or not...I’m ‘retired’.

Some might be curious as to how we had settled on 1988 as ‘the year’ when Jesus would return and wrap this show up; and that’s easily explained, based on how we were ‘taught’. Being overly interested with when Jesus would return and what would be the signs of the ‘end of the age’ ...is nothing new to the church world. In fact there are fields of study that center solely around that topic.

Eschatology, is the study of what will happen when Jesus Christ arrives a second time to make all things right and to judge the world. The term eschatology is a combination of the Greek words [eschatos], meaning “last,” and logos, meaning “study of.” So, eschatology is the study of the end. And just before Jesus left the first time, we are told His disciples came to Him on the Mount of Olives and asked that very specific question: “What will be the sign of your coming and of the end of the age?” (Matt. 24:3). I would presume most church members are quite familiar with that chapter in Matthew, because Jesus launched off into quite a sermon describing what would characterize the ‘end of the age’ leading up to His return. IYKYK

Included in that ‘sermon’ was a word of advice for His listeners to ‘learn from this parable’ which goes like this: “Now learn this parable from the fig tree: When its branch has already become tender and puts forth leaves, you know that summer is near. So you also, when you see all these things, know that it is near—at the door! Assuredly, I say to you, this generation will by no means pass away till all these things take place. Heaven and earth will pass away, but My words will by no means pass away. (Matt. 24:32-35; Mark 13:28-31; Luke 21:29-33)

When you are taught that the ‘budding fig tree’ represented Israel becoming a new nation in 1948, and a ‘generation’ was thought to be ’40 years’...you know it all has to end by 1988. Then, as all the timelines and charts liked to point out, there would be a 7-year tribulation preceding it all...and that meant the ‘rapture’ would occur anywhere between 1981 (pre-trib), maybe 1984 (mid-trib) or 1988 (post-trib). It was as simple as that. It’s actually amazing that Kathy and I even got our honeymoon in as we were married in January of 1981. Ironically...we spent that week skiing in...’Purgatory’, CO. That still makes me laugh.

Where am I going with all this today? On Wednesday, I shared some passages from Matt. 13, the parable of the ‘wheat and tares’ where Jesus spelled out for His disciples a timeline of sorts, as to how things were ‘going to go down’ at....the ‘end of the age’ (Matt. 13:38-40). It involved a rather chilling description of ‘reapers’ and ‘gathering up all who sinned’ and ‘being burned’. He even pointed out how after all the riff-raff was removed...then...the ‘righteous ones will shine forth’ (43) ,which also fit in with that text I shared from Malachi 4:1 & 3:18, as they both speak to the ‘end of the age’.

I’m not here to lay down some ‘new doctrine’ or to rewrite all the books on ‘eschatology’. But I would like to leave you with some ‘food for thought’ that could put some valuable truths in perspective for you. You do realize that every ‘generation’...has their own ‘last days’...and ‘end of the age’, yes?

And as to when exactly is the ‘end of the age’ that the Bible clearly speaks to, were you aware that when Paul penned his first letter to the Corinthians...he cited as a warning to the church how God dealt severely with previous generations, adding: “Now all these things happened to them as examples, and they were written for our admonition, upon whom the... ends of the ages have come.” (1 Cor. 10:11) He wrote that some 2000 years ago.

The writer of Hebrews opens up that letter by stating: “God, who at various times and in various ways spoke in time past to the fathers by the prophets, has in these last days spoken to us by His Son, whom He has appointed heir of all things,” (Heb. 1:1-2)

And even John seems to ring the alarm by writing: “ Little children, it is the last hour; and as you have heard that the Antichrist is coming, even now many antichrists have come, by which we know that it is the last hour.” (1 John 2:18)

“Therefore, having these promises, beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God.” (2 Cor. 7:1)

“Beloved, now we are children of God; and it has not yet been revealed what we shall be, but we know that when He is revealed, we shall be like Him, for we shall see Him as He is. And everyone who has this hope in Him purifies himself, just as He is pure.” (1 John 3:2-3)

So there you go; think on this as you sip your coffee this morning. I heard someone offer up this sage advice long ago: “Conduct your business affairs as if Jesus is not coming back for 100 years...but live your life as if He is coming back today.”