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apostles.today

Fit for the grand finale

22 01 2025

Author: Andreas Rother

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Have the last days dawned?  Yes, no, maybe … Well, it doesn’t matter. Because there is no point in trying to interpret the signs of the times. What counts is that we move forward. We must look up and get up.

“Now when these things begin to happen, look up and lift up your heads, because your redemption draws near.” This Bible passage from Luke 21: 28 served as basis for a divine service in Omsk in Russia on 15 December 2024.

“No matter what is happening in the world, no matter what is happening in your life right now,” Chief Apostle Jean-Luc Schneider formulated his central message, “now is the time to stand up and look up to heaven”.

The signal for the end-time

The verse is taken from Jesus’ end-time discourse, in which He spoke of wars, natural disasters, and people distorting the gospel to their own advantage. “Every generation of course thinks that the things that are happening in their time are terrible,” the Chief Apostle said. However, what the Lord Jesus described has happened constantly throughout the history of Christianity.

And that is why current events cannot be interpreted as signs of the times pointing to the return of Christ, the Chief Apostle emphasised. The end-time began with the outpouring of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost. What Jesus described as the end-time applies to all Christians from the beginning of the church until the end of the church, he said. 

Jesus’ message in the Bible verse is not: “When this happens, I will come.” Rather His message is: “When this happens, you must behave in such and such a way.” And in concrete terms that means: “When things like this happen, you must straighten up and lift up your heads.”

Stand up, take action, make yourself visible

The Chief Apostle said that we may be disappointed because the Lord has not yet come, because the situation in the world does not suit us, or because we thought that the development of our Church would be different. He added that the sadness this produces poses a great risk of falling asleep, like the disciples in Gethsemane. But God tells, “Get up now and today in the situation you are in and don’t stay down.” In other words, don’t give up!

Waiting for the return of Christ does not mean sitting around passively and saying, “Let’s see when He comes.” But rather: “Get up! Get ready! Do something! Overcome, change, reconcile, and forgive. In other words, do what the good Lord asks you to do.”

Those who really wait don’t just let themselves be carried along by the current. On the contrary, “Get up and become visible. Declare your faith in Jesus Christ. Do not let anyone force anything on you. There are things you cannot do. There are things you cannot say,” the Chief Apostle said.

Look up, understand, and imitate

Jésus conseille de ne pas se laisser complètement absorber par les circonstances de la vJesus advises us not to allow ourselves to be completely absorbed by life’s circumstances, but to look up to heaven. The Chief Apostle gave five examples:

  • “God our Father is up there. Whatever the spirit from below does, nothing can hinder God’s plan of salvation. Our Father is greater than everything.”
  • “Lift up your heads to Jesus Christ. He has conquered evil once and for all. He wants us to be with Him forever. And that is the purpose of your existence.”
  • “Lift up your heads. There is someone who died for you. For Him, the least of your concerns is important. He shares your pain with you.”
  • “Look up to Jesus Christ, the first man to enter the kingdom of heaven. Take Him as your role model. What should I do now? How should I behave? Whatever it is, follow the example of Jesus Christ.”
  • “Look up and see what Jesus Christ has prepared for you: the glory of God is so great that you will not even think about what you experienced on earth.”

In conclusion, Chief Apostle Schneider said that we are living in the end-time and that we must deal with all the things Jesus described. “But our redemption is near. Let us get up and actively wait for the Lord. Let us get ready and keep looking up. And then we will experience the coming of the Lord.”


Photos: Andrey Lifantiev

22 01 2025

Author: Andreas Rother

Print
have the last days dawned? yes, no, maybe … well, it doesn’t matter. because there is no point in trying to interpret the signs of the times. what counts is that we move forward. we must look up and get up. “now when these things begin to happen, look up and lift up your heads, because your redemption draws near.” this bible passage from luke 21: 28 served as basis for a divine service in omsk in russia on 15 december 2024. “no matter what is happening in the world, no matter what is happening in your life right now,” chief apostle jean-luc schneider formulated his central message, “now is the time to stand up and look up to heaven”. the signal for the end-time. the verse is taken from jesus’ end-time discourse, in which he spoke of wars, natural disasters, and people distorting the gospel to their own advantage. “every generation of course thinks that the things that are happening in their time are terrible,” the chief apostle said. however, what the lord jesus described has happened constantly throughout the history of christianity. and that is why current events cannot be interpreted as signs of the times pointing to the return of christ, the chief apostle emphasised. the end-time began with the outpouring of the holy spirit at pentecost. what jesus described as the end-time applies to all christians from the beginning of the church until the end of the church, he said. jesus’ message in the bible verse is not: “when this happens, i will come.” rather his message is: “when this happens, you must behave in such and such a way.” and in concrete terms that means: “when things like this happen, you must straighten up and lift up your heads.”. stand up, take action, make yourself visible. the chief apostle said that we may be disappointed because the lord has not yet come, because the situation in the world does not suit us, or because we thought that the development of our church would be different. he added that the sadness this produces poses a great risk of falling asleep, like the disciples in gethsemane. but god tells, “get up now and today in the situation you are in and don’t stay down.” in other words, don’t give up! waiting for the return of christ does not mean sitting around passively and saying, “let’s see when he comes.” but rather: “get up! get ready! do something! overcome, change, reconcile, and forgive. in other words, do what the good lord asks you to do.”. those who really wait don’t just let themselves be carried along by the current. on the contrary, “get up and become visible. declare your faith in jesus christ. do not let anyone force anything on you. there are things you cannot do. there are things you cannot say,” the chief apostle said. look up, understand, and imitate. jésus conseille de ne pas se laisser complètement absorber par les circonstances de la vjesus advises us not to allow ourselves to be completely absorbed by life’s circumstances, but to look up to heaven. the chief apostle gave five examples:. “god our father is up there. whatever the spirit from below does, nothing can hinder god’s plan of salvation. our father is greater than everything.”. “lift up your heads to jesus christ. he has conquered evil once and for all. he wants us to be with him forever. and that is the purpose of your existence.”. “lift up your heads. there is someone who died for you. for him, the least of your concerns is important. he shares your pain with you.”. “look up to jesus christ, the first man to enter the kingdom of heaven. take him as your role model. what should i do now? how should i behave? whatever it is, follow the example of jesus christ.”. “look up and see what jesus christ has prepared for you: the glory of god is so great that you will not even think about what you experienced on earth.”. in conclusion, chief apostle schneider said that we are living in the end-time and that we must deal with all the things jesus described. “but our redemption is near. let us get up and actively wait for the lord. let us get ready and keep looking up. and then we will experience the coming of the lord.”. photos: andrey lifantiev.
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