“7 The end of all things is near. Therefore be alert and of sober mind so that you may pray.” NIV

Back in the early 1980’s, I invited a good friend to do several days of Bible teaching for the church I pastored in Lancaster. On his last evening with us, in the course of his talk he said that on another occasion he might do something on ‘eschatology.’ At the end of the service, one lady, thanking him for his ministry, said with a broad smile that she looked forward to his talks on ‘escapology…or something like that!’

‘Eschatology’ is the study of the ‘last things.’ It has to do with the end of the age and the second coming of Jesus. Many books on the subject indulge in flights of fancy and much speculation. But what strikes me as I read the New Testament is that again and again its approach to the subject is practical. We are going to see this over the next few days as we look at verses 7-11.

‘’The end of all things is near.’’

So how should we live if that is the case? How ought this belief to affect us? Well, in really down to earth ways. But I’m getting ahead of myself.

For now, I want to stress that Peter was not mistaken when he spoke about the end. In Biblical terms, the ‘last days’ began with the first coming of Jesus, and will come to a climax with His second advent. In between times, everything that shakes the world, or rocks our personal worlds, reminds us how small and weak and fragile we are. It underlines the point that we are mortal, and we won’t be here forever.

We are feeling something of this now. How should we then live? Read on, and you’ll find out that the application is earthy, feet on the ground stuff.