The epicenter

4:49 p.m. Today's project was to watch Joel Rosenberg's Epicenter 2010 conference on simulcast webstream here at home, while breaking to work on my Bible study for Thursday, assemble more items for Vacation Bible school, and visit with Heidi's friend Charise who is here from out of town before they took off for Disneyland.

Steve and I had attended the opening session at church last night, learning, among other momentous information, of current events from a military and political view, and listening to a pastor in Jerusalem today, who sees firsthand how Jesus Christ is bridging the enmity between Arabs and Jews in the "one man" movement. I would assume that the title of the concept is taken from Ephesians 3:14-18, which speaks of Christ's crucifixion making "one man" of Jews and Gentiles with the gospel:

For He Himself is our peace, who has made both one, and has broken down the middle wall of separation, having abolished in his flesh the enmity, that is, the law of commandments contained in ordinances, so as to create in Himself one new man from the two, thus making peace, and that He might reconcile them both to God in one body through the cross, thereby putting to death the enmity. And He came and preached peace to you who were afar off and to those who were near. For through Him we both [Jews and non-Jews] have access by one Spirit to the Father.

As today's simulcast featured another evangelical pastor speaking of the bloody terrorism that attends daily life for his congregation in Jerusalem; Kay Arthur teaching through the book of Esther the historical efforts to annihilate the Jews that continue to this day; son of the founder of Hamas on video speaking of his coversion to Christianity; Greg Laurie speaking of knowing Christ, living for Christ, and sharing Christ, closing with an invitation that reminded me of the Harvest Crusades I've attended since they began; and a representative of Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu speaking of the current situation in Gaza, the world's response to the flotilla incident and the "two state" solution proposed by the world's nations, I was impressed once again that perhaps we are the generation that will be raptured to heaven, ushering in the final battle between good and evil, and the return in glory of Jesus Christ!!

Meanwhile, are believers to sit idly by, clasping our "fire insurance" close to our vests, focusing on our own lives only? We all certainly have cares and concerns for our own households, business and perhaps ministry responsibilities that call to us, and we need to be diligent, good witnesses. But what is the actual reason to be good witnesses, if not to open our mouths, share the love of Christ, and offer the opportunity of salvation to those spiritually dying around us?

Jerusalem, Joel Rosenberg reminds us, is the real "epicenter" for all people to come to know God in the Person of His Son, Jesus Christ. It is the most fiercely contested city ever built! Listen to the prohecy of Isaiah 2:2-4:

Now it shall come to pass in the latter days
That the mountain of the LORD'S house
Shall be established on the top of the mountains,
And shall be exalted above the hills;
And all nations shall flow to it.
Many people shall come and say,
"Come, let us go up to the mountain of the LORD,
To the house of the God of Jacob;
He will teach us His ways,
and we shall walk in his paths."
For out of Zion shall go forth the law,
And the word of the LORD from Jerusalem.
He shall judge between the nations,
And rebuke many people;
They shall beat their swords into plowshares;
And their spears into pruning hooks;
Nation shall not lift up sword against nation,
Neither shall they learn war any more.

Amen, Amen! May the day hasten when all men will bow down to the King of Kings and Lord of Lords, Jesus Christ!