Sermon Snippets

This article is an incredibly well-written piece on ISIS that will be fascinating to those who are into world politics. 

It is doubly intriguing to me as a Christian pastor who is preaching through Revelation. 

It will probably take you 30-45 minutes but it is worth your time. I cannot comment on its entirety, but I would like to offer one insight as it relates to end times and the book of Revelation.

My insight is this: Koran-based Islam and Biblical Christianity have polar opposite perspectives on the end times. Yes, both share visions of victory for their faithful constituents. Yes, both involve the city of Jerusalem and Jesus. 

But this branch of Islam is unmistakable in its belief that their victory will come through the military triumph of its people.

Biblical Christianity's view, though delivered in the opaque language of the apocalyptic, boldly asserts that God's vindication will come through the suffering and martyrdom of His people. 

Yes, Revelation 19 describes a military conquest of God. But that's a one-man show. 

Try studying what comes before that (more-or-less) in Revelation 6, and then Revelation 7, and then skip ahead to Revelation 11. What do they all have in common? 

You can strip away all the various eschatological systems we've come up with - Pre-mill/A-Mill, Pre-trib rapture/Post-trib rapture - and still plain as day, those passages describe followers of Christ suffering and dying for their faith and God responding with overwhelming justice to vindicate them.

This stark contrast really stood out to me this evening, maybe because I never fully understood Islam's theology. I can't say for sure we're living in the last days...but we're getting closer and I can't help but sit back and marvel at God's providential hand and be inspired to share the message of sacrifice leading to victory that is perfectly described in Revelation and with the Cross.