Luke 21:5-19                        Stand firm, and you will win life!!      13/11/16

⁵ Some of his disciples were remarking about how the temple was adorned with beautiful stones and with gifts dedicated to God. But Jesus said, ⁶ “As for what you see here, the time will come when not one stone will be left on another; every one of them will be thrown down.”

⁷ “Teacher,” they asked, “when will these things happen? And what will be the sign that they are about to take place?”

⁸ He replied: “Watch out that you are not deceived. For many will come in my name, claiming, ‘I am he,’ and, ‘The time is near.’ Do not follow them. ⁹ When you hear of wars and uprisings, do not be frightened. These things must happen first, but the end will not come right away.”

¹⁰ Then he said to them: “Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. ¹¹ There will be great earthquakes, famines and pestilences in various places, and fearful events and great signs from heaven.

¹² “But before all this, they will seize you and persecute you. They will hand you over to synagogues and put you in prison, and you will be brought before kings and governors, and all on account of my name. ¹³ And so you will bear testimony to me. ¹⁴ But make up your mind not to worry beforehand how you will defend yourselves. ¹⁵ For I will give you words and wisdom that none of your adversaries will be able to resist or contradict. ¹⁶ You will be betrayed even by parents, brothers and sisters, relatives and friends, and they will put some of you to death. ¹⁷ Everyone will hate you because of me. ¹⁸ But not a hair of your head will perish. ¹⁹ Stand firm, and you will win life.

Today we are reminded by Jesus that the things of this world will come to an end sooner or later, no matter how grand or significant they may seem at the time. At the same time, it addresses then, what our attitude needs to be in the face of these things. Here I would encourage us to not just think of the end of the world, but also the end of our time on this earth when we die. For the same thoughts and thinking apply.

When these things will happen, none of us knows. It could well be sooner than we think. They all are preceded by difficult, horrific and tragic events. Even in old age we face difficult times leading up to death. Just because we are Christians does not lessen the impact of these events. In fact, it can even heighten them as Jesus reminds us here. However, he reminds us that we are to stand firm in the face of it all, knowing that this is not the end of the story.

If we continue to stand firm in the forgiveness and strength of our Lord Jesus Christ we will in the end win life – eternal life in heaven with the very best of everything – guaranteed by God Almighty himself. In connection with him we can face the difficult times ahead, no matter how tough they will be. He will see us through and then he has life in all of its fullness ahead awaiting.

So with that in mind let us look a little more closely at what lies before us so that we can be prepared and be able to stand firm so that we can win this life.

The reading starts off with the disciples admiring the grandness of the temple and its seeming permanence and thereby the security that it provides. Here surely is a sign of God’s presence and blessing which is lasting and secure. However, within seventy years it was totally destroyed, never to be rebuilt.

Today, we also look to the structures and achievements of humanity and think they will give us the life that we long for. Money and science can give us all that we please and be what helps our world to live forever and to achieve all of our desires. Our world today has placed its trust and hope in this whole area; thinking that this will give us the future that we long for.

Even in our own personal lives we also are tempted to look at our bank balance and material blessings as that which is going to enable us to live as long as we possibly can, happily. When we get sick our medical technology will give us a pill or procedure that will get us going again. In fact, soon we are promised by science that they will enable us to live forever. We have got it all. What do we need a god for?

Yet Jesus tells us all of these structures and achievements will come crashing down sooner or later. Even though we don’t want to believe it, we know deep down that these things will not keep us going forever. An honest look at life clearly show that sinful humanity does not and never will have all the answers.

As well, as we get older we soon find a growing list of aches, pains and sickness. When one disease is cured another suddenly comes to the fore and causes more misery; and we still will end up dying. But many of us, I am sure, have this sense that the things of this world are letting us down badly, despite their grandiose promises.

To our questioning as to when all these things will happen, both personally and with regard to the end of the world, Jesus says: “Watch out that you are not deceived. For many will come in my name, claiming, ‘I am he,’ and, ‘The time is near.’ Do not follow them. When you hear of wars and uprisings, do not be frightened. These things must happen first, but the end will not come right away.”

Watch out that you are not deceived. There are many guru’s and charlatans who are proclaiming their answers and cures. Humanity and the ego are holding themselves up as that which will be able to see us through and get us by. Our education system is teaching us to think that we can solve all the problems and be able to achieve the security and the happiness that we long for. Watch out, there is deception in much of it.

Today even in the religious sphere there are those ‘prophets’ who are setting themselves up as having the answers to these things. There are those who are claiming miracles and prophecy in the name of ‘christian’ but they are not led by the Holy Spirit because they are not centring their message on Christ and him crucified. Even though many flock to the miracles and wonders, we are to watch out so that we too are not caught up and deceived. Jesus is quite clear that we are not to follow them.

Jesus also says that before the end comes: “Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. There will be great earthquakes, famines and pestilences in various places, and fearful events and great signs from heaven.

Here too we see these very things today, and many use this to try to tell us there is no God. However, because we live in a sinful world these will happen and will continue to happen right up to the end.

Interestingly, the more that we as a nation are turning our backs on God and not taking him seriously, the more we are seeing a growing sense of despair and hopelessness all around. The media is desperately trying to push the view that everything is getting better and more loving and all rest as we move further and further from the truth of God’s Word. However, the results are becoming more and more the opposite.

 Jesus goes on: “But before all this, they will seize you and persecute you. They will hand you over to synagogues and put you in prison, and you will be brought before kings and governors, and all on account of my name. Already in this country we are seeing more and more a growing rejection of and even persecution of those who seek to hold to the truth. More and more laws are being passed which will make it very difficult for a Christian and a Christian organization to hold to and practice according to the truth of God’s Word.

But even within ‘christian’ circles those who hold to the truth rather than bend and soften God’s Word to suit the social norms of the day, are being given a hard time. The Bible speaks quite clearly on issues such as homosexuality, but one will be roundly criticized by others within the church, when one speaks that truth. By way of example: On many occasions through my ministry I have been criticized for mentioning hell. Whenever we speak an unpopular truth we are finding greater resistance and rejection. So as we go forward we will be persecuted even more for being a faithful Christian.

In fact, Jesus says: Everyone will hate you because of me. So the future is not going to be easy. Already these things are becoming a growing reality around us. So be aware of these dangers and challenges so that we do not be deceived, give way, or give in to the growing pressure. Sadly, many will fall along the way.

In the face of it all Jesus calls us to stand firm. Stand firm, and you will win life. Instead of focussing on the things of this world and placing our trust in them we are to look to Jesus Christ and the cross and there find all that we need in order to be able to stand firm.

If we try to stand against all those pressures under our own strength and ability, we would certainly fail. However, Jesus himself comes to us and assures us that he is with us and for us. We can not only stand; but stand with confidence and strength. Also with him, the outcome is certain. He will ensure that we have life in all of its fullness. Eternal life in heaven is guaranteed.

So remember and be continually reminded that we are baptised into God the Father, Son and Holy Spirit. He forgives us of all sin, so that we can be certain that there is nothing stopping him from being with and in us. So he is as close to us as our breath, even in the worst of situations. Jesus also gives us his very body and blood in Holy communion to reassurance of the very same thing.

As we regular gather in his presence around his Word he continually reminds us of all that we need to know in order to not be deceived and led astray. His Word will constantly remind us of his truth that will keep us and sustain in the hour of trial. There he again will remind us over and over the he will be our strength and shield: he will also reassure us of the blessings that he has in mind for us beyond those awful last days.

So as we see and face these signs of the end times, we need to lift our eyes to Jesus Christ and the cross and know for sure that he will help us to stand firm so that we can win life. Be ever aware of the dangers and temptations, so that we do not become complacent and fall. Instead of looking to the structures of this world, let Jesus Christ and his cross be that which we look to and trust so that we can ever be confident and sure.

To him again then, be all glory and honour, now and always.  AMEN

Pastor Roger Atze

Glandore/Underdale Lutheran Parish