What lies ahead

What lies ahead

Scripture Lessons

Malachi 4:1-6

Psalm 98:1-9

2 Thessalonians 3:1-13

Luke 21:5-36

 Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.

As we come to the end of the Church year, the lectionary includes passages that look forward to the end of time, the full consummation of God’s kingdom. Our gospel lesson this morning is going to be practical and helpful for you in understanding what lies ahead.

According to the latest rapture prediction, the rapture should have occurred sometime between September 23-24. But alas, it did not. It’s easy to dismiss these raving people who claim to have identified the exact date of future events. It’s easy because the scripture is clear on this matter. ““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. So when anyone tells you that they (or someone else) has figured out the timeline for the end of the ages, you can dismiss them entirely. They are puffed up with their own cleverness or perceived insight. The scripture is clear, “that day and hour no one knows.”

What can be a little more tricky however, as we speak of end times, is the role the signs of the end and the nations that will be involved. Specifically, in our day, there is confusion over the modern state of “Israel.” That is the name of the country, just like many Spanish-speaking people name their child, “Jesus.” They don’t imagine that he is Jesus Christ, but they honor their child with the name. Well, the modern state of “Israel” is not mentioned anywhere in scripture, it has not bearing on the end times, and it may as well be called “Telavivastan” or some other such name.

Now I want to walk through the Gospel lesson. Please open your Bible to Luke 21 so it will be easier for you to follow along. The first thing to understand is this: Luke 21:5-24 deals with the destruction of the temple and Jerusalem that will occur in AD 70. At verse 25 there is a shift and Luke 21:25-36, deals with the end of the world, the end of the ages. If you are someone who writes in your Bible, I suggest you write this distinction between verse 24 and 25.

⁵ And while some were speaking of the temple, how it was adorned with noble stones and offerings, he said, ⁶ “As for these things that you see, the days will come when there will not be left here one stone upon another that will not be thrown down.” You’ll notice that they were focused on the temporal earthly temple, which was a magnificent structure, but compare it to the human temple, that is Jesus Christ. God’s presence with the people was not in the stones, but in Christ Jesus Himself as He stood there in their midst.  ⁷ And they asked him, “Teacher, when will these things be, and what will be the sign when these things are about to take place?” ⁸ And he said, “See that you are not led astray. For many will come in my name, saying, ‘I am he!’ Or  “I AM” just as God identified Himself as “I AM,” some would come and report to be the Christ, but would be false. and, ‘The time is at hand!’ Do not go after them. ⁹ And when you hear of wars and tumults, do not be terrified, for these things must first take place, but the end will not be at once.” Or “immediately,” the end will not come immediately.

¹⁰ Then he said to them, “Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. ¹¹ There will be great earthquakes, and in various places famines and pestilences. And there will be terrors and great signs from heaven. ¹² But before all this they will lay their hands on you and persecute you, delivering you up to the synagogues and prisons, and you will be brought before kings and governors for my name's sake. ¹³ This will be your opportunity to bear witness. ¹⁴ Settle it therefore in your minds not to meditate beforehand how to answer, ¹⁵ for I will give you a mouth and wisdom, which none of your adversaries will be able to withstand or contradict. ¹⁶ You will be delivered up even by parents and brothers and relatives and friends, and some of you they will put to death. ¹⁷ You will be hated by all for my name's sake. ¹⁸ But not a hair of your head will perish. ¹⁹ By your endurance you will gain your lives. Jesus speaks to the apostles and those early disciples, like Stephen the first martyr, who would be betrayed just as Jesus was and handed over to their enemies, persecuted, beaten, and killed. Not a hair would perish because there is a resurrection and we will be raised again. Incidentally, as today we received new members, you heard this, “Do you intend to live according to the Word of God, and in faith, word, and deed to remain true to God, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, even to death?” This was followed by, “I do, by the grace of God.” Just like Jesus told the disciples not to fret about their defense, but be prepared to speak with, “a mouth of wisdom.” In other words, when accused of being a believer, a Christian, our response is not to defend ourselves from the charge, but to own it, to double-down on it and to speak the true wisdom, which is foolishness to those who are perishing, but eternal life to those who are saved.

²⁰ “But when you see Jerusalem surrounded by armies, then know that its desolation has come near. ²¹ Then let those who are in Judea flee to the mountains, and let those who are inside the city depart, and let not those who are out in the country enter it, ²² for these are days of vengeance, to fulfill all that is written. ²³ Alas for women who are pregnant and for those who are nursing infants in those days! For there will be great distress upon the earth and wrath against this people. ²⁴ They will fall by the edge of the sword and be led captive among all nations, and Jerusalem will be trampled underfoot by the Gentiles, until the times of the Gentiles are fulfilled. This ends the section that speaks of the destruction of Jerusalem, that which comes late in AD 60’s and culminates with the utter destruction of the temple in AD 70. The Roman-Jewish historian, Josephus, recorded the tragic events of the Roman siege on Jerusalem and the affects. It is truly sad. The Romans cutoff supply lines to the city and the people starved. There is evidence of cannibalism. Normally, you would retreat to the city to be protected within the city walls, but Jesus told His disciples here to flee to the mountains, to leave the “protection” of the city. What happened in Jerusalem in AD 70 was a judgment of God laid upon unbelieving Israel, those Jews who rejected the promised Messiah, that is Jesus Christ. This was God’s judgment upon them for their unbelief. The Jews who received the promised Messiah are the ones that we call “Christians.” Peter, James, John, all of the apostles, all of the disicples, they were all Jews and Christians. But the promise of God, that salvation would go to the “coastlands” and to “every nation” has been realized as the Gospel went out to the ends of the earth. Jerusalem is not the center of God’s presence among us. Not anymore. As Jesus told the woman from Samaria, “²³ But the hour is coming, and is now here, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth, for the Father is seeking such people to worship him. ²⁴ God is spirit, and those who worship him must worship in spirit and truth.” John 4:23-24. True worship is recognizing that Jesus is the Christ, the promised Messiah, the savior of the world. He is the lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world. Jesus said, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.” John 14:6

Now in the discourse Jesus pivots from destruction of Jerusalem to the end of the world.

²⁵ “And there will be signs in sun and moon and stars, and on the earth distress of nations in perplexity because of the roaring of the sea and the waves, ²⁶ people fainting with fear and with foreboding of what is coming on the world. For the powers of the heavens will be shaken. ²⁷ And then they will see the Son of Man coming in a cloud with power and great glory. ²⁸ Now when these things begin to take place, straighten up and raise your heads, because your redemption is drawing near.” Stand straight, do not cower in fear. You who believe will know that these cataclysmic events are not a threat or harm to you. You are secure in Christ.

²⁹ And he told them a parable: “Look at the fig tree, and all the trees. ³⁰ As soon as they come out in leaf, you see for yourselves and know that the summer is already near. ³¹ So also, when you see these things taking place, you know that the kingdom of God is near. ³² Truly, I say to you, this generation will not pass away until all has taken place. ³³ Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will not pass away. “This generation,” refers to the generation we are presently in, that is to say the generation which follows the resurrection of Christ. We are in the last days and none of these events should surprise us or give us anxiety or alarm. These are all foretold by Christ and should be expected as long as He tarries in His return. And by the way, the longer He waits, the more the Church is built up.

³⁴ “But watch yourselves lest your hearts be weighed down with dissipation and drunkenness and cares of this life, and that day come upon you suddenly like a trap. ³⁵ For it will come upon all who dwell on the face of the whole earth. ³⁶ But stay awake at all times, praying that you may have strength to escape all these things that are going to take place, and to stand before the Son of Man.” This reminds me of 1 Peter 5:8, “Be sober-minded; be watchful. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour.” You beloved are to “stay awake at all times,” not meaning to never sleep, but to be aware of what is going on around you. You will hear of wars and rumors of wars. The kingdoms of this earth will rise and fall. Even in our once Christian nation we will elect baby-killers and cultists to rule over us. This is discouraging, but not unanticipated.

Guard your minds. Be careful who you listen to and how they influence your faith. Put your hopes in Christ who will never let you down.

The peace of God, which passes all understanding, keep your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus. Amen.