Dear Christian friends:

The terrible storm and flooding that happened this past week to those living on Lake Erie remind (warn) us again of how weak we are and how easily we are destroyed. We often think that we will live a 1000 years and that our houses will last forever. But we must die. Our houses will collapse. Our life and this world will end.

Our text tells us this also. And it tells us that when the end comes there are also dangers to our faith - not only dangers to our house or our health. In our text Jesus warns us about these dangers to faith:

I. Despair verse 22

Jesus here was prophesying about the destruction of Jerusalem by the Romans in 70 A.D. But He also means our last days on earth or the last few years of the world before the end comes. He says nobody would be saved if God did not shorten the terrible days.

During bad days and terrible storms people are tempted to give up, despair, lose faith and hope. That's one big danger to faith. One man in Michigan killed himself last week because he lost his home in the storm.

So when the end or death comes to us the devil will tempt us to give up faith and hope in God. So we should watch for that temptation and pray as we do in the Lord's Prayer, "And lead us not into temptation."

II. A second danger to faith in the last days is that we may get deceived by false Saviors and false preachers. (verses 23-26)

Before Jesus was born and after He died many Jews claimed to be the promised Savior or Christ. They were liars and deceivers. Only Jesus of Nazareth is the real Savior.

Today not many try to claim that they are Jesus. But many preach in His name and they say they are true ministers of Jesus Christ, but they do not preach or teach as He did: Some preach the social gospel things only to make life more comfortable and pleasant here on earth ecology, economics, politics. They do not preach that this world is doomed and will quickly end. They do not preach about sin and how we can have forgiveness of sins only through Jesus' blood. They do not preach about the Judgement Day, about heaven and hell.

Some false preachers today are faith healers. They say they can heal sick people in the name of Jesus, and some of them seem to do wonderful works - some people appear to get well. They help people with psycho-somatic illnesses. They spend all their time healing and do not preach the true Gospel.

The true Gospel of Jesus says we are doomed: this earth will be destroyed and we must all die. Also those who get "healed" by faith healers must later die. Faith healers do not help people to face sickness and death in the right way. They offer a deluding escape.

III. So stay with Jesus of Nazareth in spite of terrible times. He only has salvation when the end comes. Doctors can't save you and faith healers can't save you. Jesus says, "Look, I have warned you."

We must stay with the true Gospel that we find in the Bible, which true churches and true ministers have preached now for 2,000 years. That Gospel has been preached all over the world to every nation. Jesus here says as you see lightening appear from east to west making light over large areas so anyone can see, so the Gospel is preached and proclaimed all over the world.

Let's attend to the Gospel and feed on it as vultures gather to eat the dead body of an animal.

We need not panic when our end comes. Although we must live through terrible days and bitter hours Jesus and His Cross give us hope, support and comfort. We need not live in fear, because our God will deliver us from every evil and bring us at last into His heavenly kingdom.

Amen.