I Have Been Called to Testify

Perhaps you have been watching some of the Senate hearings regarding Michael Flynn, Sally Yates and Russia’s alleged interference in the most recent presidential election. The issue is current, but the questions are as old as time: “Who knew?”, “What did they know?”, “When did they know?” and “What did they do about it?”

Just so you don’t think I am using the “old as time” phrase loosely, consider the case of Adam and Eve. God told both of them not to eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, and He granted them the free will to choose.  Let’s apply the questions.  “Who knew?”  Adam and Eve.  “What did they know?”  That they were not to eat from the tree or they would die.  “When did they know?”  In the beginning.  “What did they do about it?”  They disobeyed.  The answer to these questions pretty much sum up the situation.

Fast forward to God’s throne room on the final day. I know there are numerous theories related to the end of time and the sequence of events.  But for our purposes here, let’s just focus on a possible line of questioning we might have with God about the mission.

You know…the mission.

You do know don’t you?

Just in case, let’s answer the questions as we might answer them on that day:

“Who knew?” We all did.  Before Jesus left His disciples He sent them into the world to make disciples (Matthew 28:19-20).  During His ministry Jesus talked about the fields that are ready for harvest (John 4:35), and the “least of these” who need to know God loves them (Matthew 25).

“What did they know?” That those who die without Jesus will be lost for eternity (Mark 16:16).

“When did they know it?” When we accepted Jesus as our Lord and Savior we knew about His payment for sin and the gift of eternal life.  We heard, “For God so loved the world” (John 3:16), which meant the mission was for everyone.

“What did they do about it?” This is the kicker.  We don’t like to think of Christ’s mission to a lost world in the same way we think of Adam and Eve’s disobedience.  We don’t even like to think of it as disobedience.  A better word might be “oversight” or “negligence.”

But Jesus said, “Go!”

Sounds like a command to me.

What I am suggesting is, we are all going to be brought before the Senate and questioned at some point. Please understand, this is not just a creative portrayal of the day we meet Jesus face to face.  Ok, so there is no mention of the Senate.  But Matthew 25:31-46 pretty much paints the same picture.

Senate hearings are intriguing because we all like to get to the bottom of a scandal. To have knowledge that could impact the security of millions of people and not act on it is a dereliction of duty if not a crime.

Exactly!