When The World Panics, Do Not Join The Stampede

Text: 1 Peter 4:7-14

In the name of Jesus. Amen. 

We've all seen it before. Mainly in cartoons. Somebody says that the world is going to end. And then there's a great pause.  Everyone looks around at each other until someone screams out, “We’re gonna die!” Then, at once, everyone begins to run while yelling in desperation.    

Just in case you don’t know what I am talking about, this is the classic panic gag.  It shows up whenever a large crowd hears, “The end is near.”  We could also call this the “Chicken Little Syndrome.” You know, someone says that the sky is falling, everyone freezes, the brain tries to process things, and then one person screams, “We’re gonna die,” and then at once, everyone gives way to panic.  All it takes is the emotional spark of just one person, and, like a wildfire, fear spreads quickly, trapping everyone in catastrophic thinking. Fear and panic compress the worst possible future scenario into a terrible present conclusion.  

Now we can laugh at this because we have seen this before in cartoons like The Simpsons, Looney Tunes, or The Muppets. We've also seen the classic panic gag in the cartoon Monsters Inc., or in Mel Brooks-style comedy shows.  In other words, we laugh at the panic gag – the Chicken Little syndrome - because it shows us ourselves. We laugh because it shows us just how quickly human beings can lose their minds when fear takes over. Nobody thinks, nobody prays. Nobody asks, “What is actually happening?” They just look around, catch fear from another person, and mass chaos breaks forth.

Now, just in case you think that you have never done this before, let me remind you of COVID-19. How many of you gave in to toilet paper panic buying? Indeed, we saw this during COVID, as the fear did not stop with toilet paper. It showed up in empty shelves, endless doom scrolling, suspicion of neighbors, angry posts, strained families, divided churches, and eyes constantly looking sideways to see what everyone else was doing. One person panicked, then another, then another, until fear became contagious. 

Now, that was 6 years ago – so, how about now?  

I am afraid not much has changed. We are still doing it today – the panic gag has not disappeared.  It has simply moved from Covid-19 to a list of other things:  

“Trump is a dictator; democracy is finished. Tyranny will destroy us.”

“WWII is coming, and we are all going to die.”

“AI is going to take over; it is going to kill humanity.”

“The economy is collapsing, and we will starve.”

“Healthcare is falling apart, and people will die in the streets.”

“Inflation is going to crush us, and we will lose everything.”

“The other political side is going to ruin the country, and there will be nothing left.”

“The next pandemic is coming, and millions will die.”

“Our children have no future, and their lives will be swallowed by misery.”

“The Church is finished, and the faith will disappear.”

“America is finished, and the nation will collapse.”

“The world is finished, and no one will survive.”

“The end of all things is at hand.”

Dear friends, there is only one thing to say to all of this: Repent.  

Yes, Repent.

But you may be saying to yourself, 

“Pastor Richard – you are not saying that we should just put our heads in the sand and pretend that none of these things don’t matter, are you?”  

Dear friends, please listen up!  The Christian is not called to pretend that none of these things matter. War matters. Political disorder matters. Technology matters. Money matters. Disease matters. The future of our children matters. But St. Peter, in our Epistle reading, does not say, 

“The end of all things is at hand; therefore, panic and freak out. Give in to fear!” 

Instead, the Apostle Peter says, 

“The end of all things is at hand; therefore be self-controlled and sober-minded for the sake of your prayers.” 

In other words, the nearness of the end does not give Christians permission to lose their minds. 

You see, when you and I lose our minds, we are not having a bad day, but we are being pulled out of the posture of faith and giving way to the old Adam and the posture of fear.  

Let me be as gentle as I can here.  When someone says, “The sky is falling,” we can forget the promises of God and then process the threatening event not through faith but through fear.  Simply stated, the old Adam takes over, and then fear takes over.  And fear?  Well, it does not trust or pray but instead - fear – it fights, runs, reaches, hoards, and grasps.  

Baptized Saints, your old Adam does not know how to meet the end or handle threats.  Your old Adam clings to this world.  Your old Adam hears, “the end of all things is at hand,” and instead of hearing “Christ is near,” the old Adam only hears, “Destruction is near.”  

Indeed, when you lose your mind, the Old Adam has seized the wheel.  Fear becomes larger than the promises of God.  Death has become more vivid than Christ’s empty tomb.  New media has become louder than the Word of God.  

And so, when the end draws near, the old Adam will always be driven to panic, whereas faith will always lead to prayer.

But why?  Why can faith pray when the old Adam panics?  Why can the Christian – that is, you – be sober-minded when the rest of the world screams?  Why can you be self-controlled when the rest of the world loses its mind?  The answer – because faith rests in Christ and His gifts.  Faith looks at the end through Christ.  Faith rests in the promises of God despite what we read and hear on the news.  

Baptized Saints, listen up right now!  Sober up!  Christ has already entered the ultimate destruction that you and I fear.  He faced death on the cross.  And I remind you that when Jesus went to the cross, He did not face death like one of those panic cartoon characters, running in circles.  He was not a coward or overwhelmed by panic when He approached Mt. Calvary.  No, with spiritual composure and quiet strength, Christ bore your death.  The darkness of death fell on Christ.  Christ gave up His spirit and entered the tomb for you. 

And then, as you know, on the third day, He rose.  

That means that the end of all things is not your final master – your final destination.  Death is no longer lord over you.  Destruction does not get the final word over you. Christ does. And because Christ has risen from the dead, the Christian does not hear, “The end is near,” as if that means, “Destruction is near.” No, faith hears something better: “Christ is near. Redemption is near. The One who died and rose for me is near.”

This is why St. Peter can say, “The end of all things is at hand,” and then immediately say, “therefore be self-controlled and sober-minded for the sake of your prayers.” He is not saying the end is harmless. He is saying the end has been conquered by Christ. Therefore, you do not need to panic. You may pray.

* * *

Dear Baptized Saints, the world will keep screaming. It will keep crying out, “We’re gonna die!” It will keep running around in circles - grasping, accusing, hoarding, scrolling, and panicking. But you have been given a better Word than fear.

You have Christ.

You have the bold, steadfast promises of the Word that neither shift, nor fade, nor falter. 

You have Baptism, where death has already been placed behind you and resurrection placed before you. 

You have the Supper, where Christ gives you His body and blood as a pledge that He is near, that He is merciful, and that He will not abandon you at the end.

So when the world panics, do not join the stampede. When fear preaches, do not bow before it. When the old Adam grabs the wheel, repent. Return to your Baptism. Return to the Word. Return to assurance and confidence in Christ – and pray.

The end of all things is at hand. Yes, indeed. But for you, dear Baptized Saints, the end is not destruction. The end is Christ. 

In the name of Jesus. Amen.