Have you ever noticed how the apostles really didn’t talk much about the cross?  The big deal in those days wasn’t necessarily that Christ died for them, it was that He rose for them.  The highlight wasn’t His death, it was His resurrection.

We don’t like death.  Ask the insurance guys.  What makes selling life insurance so difficult is that in order to be willing to buy it, you have to be willing to concede that at some point you will die and need it.

You ought to live holy and godly lives as you look forward to the day of God and speed its coming.                                                          2 Peter 3:11-12

Peter, among others, makes it sound as though our vision should be pretty well set on some future occurrence, we should live now in light of that event, and it should be the fuel that moves us and the compass that leads the way.  The New Testament is replete with calls to long for the day, speed its coming, set our hearts and minds on that which is eternal.

How much time do you spend thinking about Heaven?  Have you ever spent any time thinking about the Day of the Lord?

The old guys made it sound like that was the primary topic of conversation in their day.  It isn’t even a conversation in our day.  Preachers rarely preach on it, people next to never sit and compare thoughts of what it will be like, very few daydream of its greatness.  It’s all they could talk about and you can’t get us to give it a thought.  When was the last time you heard a sermon based around the Day of the Lord?  Do you even know what it is or what it entails?

Why is it that something that was so paramount for the early church is almost obsolete today?

Here are a few of the reasons why I believe that I am known to shy away from the topic.  One, the Day of the Lord is usually mentioned in reference to judgment; the judging of nations, and peoples, the punishment of sin by the Righteous Judge.  If we humans don’t like to talk about death, judgment is a close second.  I think most of us prefer the old granddad in the sky passing out gifts version of God over the Holy, Righteous, Reigning Judge one.  I think one reason we don’t think on this time is because it isn’t warm and fuzzy for us and so we’ll ponder more pleasant things.

Two, when we talk about eternity and Heaven, we usually talk about death.  There are two points of interest here.  First, we are fearing the moment of death so profoundly that we’re willing to forgo the greatness of Heaven just to not have to think about it!  C. S. Lewis played this out perfectly in his Narnia portrayal. People were terrified of walking into that barn or whatever it was, but once they got inside they realized it was right where they belonged all along, there was no fear, no turning back, and no desire to.  We spend too much time sick because we’re too afraid that the saving medicine might taste nasty.  And, second, what must this say about what we believe Heaven will be like?  If we let walking through the door scare us away, we must not think very highly of what’s on the other side.

Three, the Day of the Lord isn’t personal, it’s vague and all-encompassing and not just about us.  It’s too broad, not nearly personal enough for us self-absorbed types.  It encompasses the judgment and reconciliation of all–people, creation, nations, all.  We like things that center on the ‘me’ part.  And the only ‘me’ part in this scenario is my own death, the only part of ‘me’ that we don’t want to talk about.

The first generation followers of Christ had the faith to withstand so much more than we’ve ever even witnessed, much less been subjected to.  They invested their whole lives in a new, better, counter cultural way that literally got them killed. Where did they get the resolve to live like that?  They kept their focus trained on eternity.  It didn’t scare them or bore them or fall under their rugs, it held center stage–because it was the fuel that kept them faithful, the goal for which they continuously strove.  It was an end so grand that no other topic could ever be stimulating enough to beat.

What does Heaven look like to you?  What will be so amazing about the Day that the Lord returns in judgment and power to claim that which has been His all along?  What will it mean to you to see your Savior riding in to save the eternal day?  When all creation is redeemed, will we be able to actually hear the rocks cry out?  When the Messiah returns in all His glory will this body be able to contain the beating of my heart?  Will my soul be able to contain the pride I’ll feel in knowing that this is my God, my King, my Savior, my Father, and my Friend?  Is there anything my heart could ponder more wonderful than this?