NCC Daily

While we are believing for at NCC, and doing big things in our communities—addressing ongoing violence, caring for survivors of sexual exploitation, providing compassion and care for the most vulnerable; Jesus says "whatever you do for the least of these, you do unto me." So, we believe it begins, empowered by the Spirit, with small acts of love.

About ten years ago I emerged from a particularly rough period in my life and ministry with several valuable lessons that God taught me. One lesson was about the gospel and the kingdom of God. In the Old Testament, the Israelites built monuments to remember lessons learned. The tattoo on my forearm is a “personal monument” for me to remember the lessons. The design is a Trinity or Celtic knot.

Jesus’ invitation is for us to sit with His love—to allow His love to rub on us. Jesus wants us to feel so connected and safe with him that we can offer safety and connection to others. Thus, I believe Jesus has called all of us to the ministry of sitting with people.

Living life on mission isn’t about being a savior to someone in need. It is about pointing them to the Savior and we do that through acting justly, loving mercy, and walking humbly. My hope is that you will answer the call. The mission will be hard, you must serve humbly, and seek God continuously, but when you do you will experience the miracles of heaven.

Creation of man begins with God’s breath indwelling the earth. It’s a moment of ignition as spirit comes into contact with soil, combined in the person of Adam. In fact, Adam or Adamah means land or soil. God’s spirit inhabiting a physical place and with that spark, we are created, created with a charge of presence within space. Adam is created and charged to work and care for the earth.

As we end this week of NCC daily’s and as we wind down on this series, I get the chance to leave you with one last thought. What better passage to guide us here, than the very last words of the Bible itself? The end of the book of Revelation.

Imagine that you run into a friend of yours, not an especially close friend, at Ebenezers when you go to get your Saturday morning cup of joe. You’re in line together and you’re just sort of chatting and you ask him, “Hey - so what have you got on your plate today?” And your friend goes, “You know, I feel like I have something but I don’t remember… otherwise, I think it's just a slow Saturday.”

Today we are continuing our conversation on eschatology - the study of the end. For the last two days, I’ve referenced verses in 1st Corinthians 15. That was not necessarily by design, but it’s sure not by mistake.

Today, we’re going to keep talking about “eschatology,” about the doctrine of final things (as it is sometime grandiosely called). Today, I want to share with you a verse that surprised me the first time I read it. It surprised me because it sort of turned my idea of eschatology on its head.

But the English word “eschatology” comes from the Greek word “eschaton” which means “the end of something or the goal of something.” In Christian theology, eschatology has come to mean “the study of God’s intended end for the world.” That’s what we’ll be talking about.