At the commissioning last Sunday of a Christian youth worker colleague, a visiting clergyman spoke on the importance of engaging with our culture. The implication was that the church was more than half-empty because we weren’t doing this.

He told us about so-called ‘Generation Z’ (born between 1995 and 2005) whose attention span is about eight seconds, who are permanently glued to their iPhones and who don’t regard homosexuality and other gender controversies as issues. He made no mention of the spiritual battles in which we are (or should be) engaged or of the atheistic brainwashing of successive generations that has caused them to dismiss Christians as irrelevant.

Pagan Audience

He explained that we are living in Acts 17 rather than Acts 2 days, by which he meant that whereas on the Day of Pentecost Peter was addressing those who already believed God, in Athens Paul was dealing largely with pagans.

Point taken. But his Greek audience were nevertheless “very religious” (v22), with many objects of worship. Yet the gospel was able to make a breakthrough there too, just as it had done in Jerusalem, Thessalonica, Berea and elsewhere, because the gospel “is the power of God that brings salvation to everyone who believes; to the Jew first, and also to the Gentile” (Rom 1:16).

Paul engaged with the culture to the extent of observing their idols and then pointing to the truth, rather than being absorbed or intimidated by his surroundings and tempted to conform to their mode of thinking. For he knew the gospel was the key to their salvation.

Paul engaged with the culture to the extent of observing their idols and then pointing to the truth, rather than being intimidated and tempted to conform.

Gloom or Hope?

Now, amidst the grim spectre of the coronavirus pandemic, we probably have the greatest opportunity since World War II of proclaiming our wonderful message – though inevitably we may have to find new ways of doing so in light of the approaching lockdown.

The churches are emptying for two chief reasons – we have lost confidence in the gospel, while at the same time (with hardly a whimper of protest) imbibing a secular way of life which has jettisoned all ten commandments on which our civilisation was once based.

In the midst of all the gloom and uncertainty, we have a message of hope, promising everlasting security, life and peace for all who trust the Lord, of whom it is said: “Surely he will save you…from the deadly pestilence” (Ps 91:3).

When people everywhere are worried sick, “apprehensive of what is coming on the world” (Luke 21:26), with hearts fainting for fear at the implication of school closures and mass lockdown of communities, it’s hardly the time to ponder how to engage with young people in eight seconds.

Young and old alike are bound to be fearful. It is our job to help dispel their fears and replace them with faith in the living God who, in the words of Charles Wesley’s great hymn, offers us “life and health and peace”!

Signs of His Coming

With coronavirus updates blanketing news coverage, we are hearing a lot less about what appears to be Generation Z’s favourite topic – climate change. The doom merchants, including our own Prince William, have been trumpeting the notion that we have just ten years to save the planet.

Judging by the latest plagues, that may prove too generous. But I am talking of the end of the age, and of Christ’s Second Coming, when he will descend from the clouds of heaven to the earth he left following his resurrection from the dead, just short of 2,000 years ago.

Jesus pointed to a number of signs that would indicate the imminence of his return, including deception, wars, famines and earthquakes that would become increasingly more severe and frequent as with a woman’s labour pains (see Matthew 24:4-8).

There would also be much hatred, betrayal and wickedness, against which we will need to stand firm, while the gospel is preached to all nations (verses 9-14). And there will be a trumpet – played by angels to announce Christ’s coming “with power and great glory” (v30f).

Amidst the grim spectre of the coronavirus pandemic, we probably have the greatest opportunity since World War II of proclaiming our message.

Day of Reckoning

Luke records Jesus as having put it this way: “There will be great earthquakes, famines and pestilences in various places, and fearful events and great signs from heaven” (Luke 21:11), adding: “There will be signs in the sun, moon and stars. On the earth, nations will be in anguish and perplexity at the roaring and tossing of the sea. Men will faint from terror, apprehensive of what is coming on the world, for the heavenly bodies will be shaken” (v25f).

Then Jesus himself will appear, and every knee will bow before him. His disciples, however, have nothing to fear, but should lift up their heads when they see these things happening because it means that their redemption is drawing near (v27f).

Tragically, a brainwashed public - including many Christians - have fallen for the lie that this isn’t God’s world, and that we won’t face a day of reckoning when we will have to give an account of our lives (see 2 Corinthians 5:10).

God’s Loving Care

Back in Athens, Paul proclaimed to the people the astonishing truth that God had “determined the times set for them and the exact places where they should live” (Acts 17:26). So do not fear; God has a wonderful plan for your life - “to prosper and not to harm you, to give you a hope and a future” (Jer 29:11). Your future is in his hands, if you let him guide you.

Paul went on: “God did this so that men would seek him and perhaps reach out for him and find him…” (v27). So, as the Apostle Peter advised: “Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you” (1 Pet 5:7).