"Stay Awake!.....For What?"

                Smooth.....is the word that came to my mind. It just kind of slides in there....and there is not much you can do about it. I'm referring to that easy....it almost flows off the lips....that easy Bible verse used in conversation misinterpreted as meaning....'there's nothing here....end of discussion.'
                What I'm talking about is the standard...."But concerning that day and hour no one knows. not even the angels of heaven, nor the Son, but the Father only." (Matthew 24:36) I heard a contemporary pastor very recently dispatch studying Bible prophecy...from God's Word....flippantly saying....'Hey....maybe it will give you a fun afternoon?" That was his thought on God's gracious warnings to us! No we do not know what hour....which is why Jesus said six verses later...."Watch therefore, for you do not know what hour your Lord is coming"....and again in 25:13...."Watch therefore, for you know neither the day not the hour in which the Son of Man is coming"....and emphasized in Mark 13:37...."And what I say to you, I say to all: Watch!"....and again in the parable of Luke 12:37...."Blessed are those servants whom the master, when he comes, will find watching." Paul reiterated this thought in 1 Thessalonians 5:4,6...."But you, brothers and sisters, are not in darkness so that this day should surprise you like a thief....let us be awake and sober"....and the Apostle John many years later added...."This calls for wisdom; let the one who has understanding calculate the number of the beast, for it is the number of a man, and his number is 666."....Revelation 13:18....and Jesus speaking in 16:15...."Look, I come like a thief! Blessed is the one who stays awake."
                His whole sermon was on the topic of staying alert....and staying awake....in itself all very good....but in my mind I'm responding...."Stay awake? For what? You just told us not to focus on end-times events?"
                 What he meant by...."stay awake"....was to stay true to our faith. He mentioned the five foolish virgins. That part was all very true and necessary....but he went on to belittle that which we are to stay awake for.....what we are to look out for! 
                 I'm very familiar with this pastor's international ministry. I've recommended it here in these posts at times. (this isn't John Piper folks) I don't believe that he believes his own words....for I've heard him in the past preach warnings that would contradict these recent words.
                 So why the sudden shift? I could write until the reader here would say....'this is too long....I'm outa here"....on why that verse in Matthew is not telling us not to study Bible prophecy. I rather want to point out the cause of the statement that he made on studying Bible prophecy...."Hey....maybe it will give you a fun afternoon."
                  It is pride....and fear. Pride in that we don't like to admit that we can make mistakes....so we avoid such topics as Bible prophecy....and fear that if we should be caught in a mistake....that our exalted opinion of ourselves will take a hit.
                  This minister could have easily given the verse that he did....and warn of the possible pitfalls....but at the same time encouraged his congregation to keep that in mind as they study....and pray....and say with great hope and fervor.....Maranatha....Lord Jesus Come!
                   There are also pitfalls in having a national or international ministry....or a six thousand person church and name recognition. They can get so big that whereas once....with nothing to lose....they boldly proclaimed that which their discernment led them....but then later....after their ministry had been firmly established.....with something to lose....they become timid on those things they were once bold.