Sermon 13th November 2022 – 23rd Sunday after Pentecost
Text; Luke
21:5-19 – Testifying to hope
"When
you hear of wars and insurrections, do not be terrified; for these things must
take place first, but the end will not follow immediately." "Nation
will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom; there will be great
earthquakes, and in various places famines and plagues; and there will be
dreadful portents and great signs from heaven.
It could
almost be a quote from our newspapers if it weren’t from our Bible Reading
today. How does it make you feel? Frightened? Concerned? Let’s look at it in a
different light.
If the Bible
is correct in its assessment of the world then surely it is also correct
throughout when it comes to our response to the world situation. If you were
wanting to promote a religion for people to follow wouldn’t you be more
inclined to push a more positive spin on the world to look forward to? Wouldn’t
you want to offer something that leads to a better life outcome?
Prior to
becoming a Pastor I attended dozens of self help seminars through my employer
that all focused on how I could become a better person and lead a better life
through positive thinking and behaviour. But Jesus seems to speak things
opposite to that. In fact, Jesus said in our reading - You will be hated by all
because of my name. And think back to last week’s Gospel reading if you were
here. Jesus said - Blessed are you WHEN people hate you, and when they exclude
you, revile you, and defame you on account of the Son of Man. It matches what
he said elsewhere when he said - “If the world hates you, remember that it
hated me first.
So what is
all this about? It’s not very “positive thinking”, is it? Why does Jesus
promote something that seemingly is not very attractive or inviting? As we head
to an election in the next couple of weeks could you imagine if our candidates
took this approach? Would you vote for
the candidate that was offering a negative outcome if you voted for them?
To start –
let’s look at the context. The disciples were trying to put their hope and
security in physical things – Our Gospel reading says they were speaking about
the temple, how it was adorned with beautiful stones and gifts dedicated to
God, So what is the purpose of Jesus telling us this? Interestingly it is about
mission. Jesus says that as we face these cataclysmic events, this will give
you an opportunity to testify. And I know that when we go through these things
it’s often hard to find the right words. When someone is going through a time
of suffering or grief we find that it’s easy to say the wrong thing to them. We
try to put a positive spin on their situation – trust God – God knows what
you’re going through – God works good in all things to those who love him. But
we find that these don’t often work and quite often leaves the person upset and
hurt with this God who allows suffering – or sometimes we may even suggest that
God sends suffering for a purpose.
But look
what Jesus says: Make up your minds NOT to prepare your defence in advance; for
I will give you words and a wisdom that none of your opponents will be able to
withstand or contradict. When the world around us is falling apart, as many
believe it is now, we may feel like putting our heads in the sand or building
our bunkers to keeper ourselves safe. But Jesus calls us to do just the
opposite: Speak up! Tell the truth! Proclaim Christ crucified and risen!
Amidst all
the end time language we hear in today’s Gospel, Jesus is teaching us something
essential about what it means to be Christians. When things get hard; when the
census results say that Christianity is failing; when the National Church Life
Survey paints a bleak future for ageing and dwindling congregations, when people
try to silence and ridicule the church, keep on speaking! Keep on telling the
world about Jesus! Keep on telling the truth!
This is the
essential mission of the Church: to stand tall in the chaos and confusion of
the world and keep being an example of faith: This is who we are. This is what
we have been called to do and be. God is faithful even when everything around
us is falling apart.
Our mission
is to keep telling that truth—to keep living that truth—because when all is
said and done, it’s the only truth that matters in our world today. What we
need to remember is that this is nothing new. A decaying world has been a part
of human existence from the beginning of time.
What we are
going through in our present age is nothing new, no matter what the media tells
us – there are no glory days to look back to or forward to. In fact we have
been through far worse. Just ask those who remember the Great Depression of the
1930s or the horrors of the World Wars and the Holocaust. There is no age and
no place on earth that is immune from the consequences of a sinful world. It is
all part and parcel of our fallen nature as God explained to Adam - “Cursed is
the ground because of you; through painful toil you will eat food from it all
the days of your life. It will produce thorns and thistles for you, and you
will eat the plants of the field. By the sweat of your brow you will eat your
food until you return to the ground, since from it you were taken; for dust you
are and to dust you will return.
Throughout the
Old Testament we see wars, famines, earthquakes, droughts, floods. These are
signs, not of human contribution but of human sin. They cannot be undone or
reversed by what we do. We cannot point to a better worldly future but a better
heavenly future where there will be a New Heaven and a New Earth as the old
order of things passes away and Christ makes all things new. So Jesus says to
you - do not be terrified; for these things must take place first, but the end
will not follow immediately.
The world’s
narrative is we can make this a better place if we all just do our bit. The end
will come and I know we want it soon but remember what St Peter says –
The Lord is
not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. Instead he is
patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to
repentance. But the day of the Lord will come like a thief. The heavens will
disappear with a roar; the elements will be destroyed by fire, and the earth
and everything done in it will be laid bare. Since everything will be destroyed
in this way, what kind of people ought you to be? You ought to live holy and
godly lives as you look forward to the day of God and speed its coming. That
day will bring about the destruction of the heavens by fire, and the elements
will melt in the heat. But in keeping with his promise we are looking forward
to a new heaven and a new earth, where righteousness dwells.
Friends, use
these times to bring a message of hope. These are indeed worrying times for
many but Jesus assures us to not worry but to keep pointing people to the one
whom the wind and the waves must obey. Don’t let these times frighten you but
remind you that there is a New Heaven and a New Earth on its way where we will
live with God and never again experience what we experience here so that we
don’t lose heart until that day.
Until that
day may the peace of God that surpasses understanding keep your hearts and
minds forever in Christ Jesus. Amen.
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