Luke 21:29-38

 Luke 21:29 - 38

Do we really believe the words of Jesus? The answer “yes” comes too easily and quickly. The evidence that we believe the words of Jesus has more to do with the actions of our lives than our mental processes. We may have a radio on to provide background noise but that does not mean we are listening to it. The words of Jesus may be the background noise for our lives but do we take them to heart? Do we reshape our lives according to those words?

Jesus makes the point in verses 29-33 that the end of the world and the kingdom of God are certainties. The final act of this cosmic play has begun. That act has many scenes of which the fall of Jerusalem is only one, but all the scenes point to the conclusion and the Grand Finale. Verse 32 gives us some trouble till we realize that the word generation can be translated as race. In other words the grace He has extended to the Jews will not end until the end of the age. The very existence of the Jewish people is a reminder that the age of Grace is still with us but will one day the age of this opportunity will end.

During the last epoch, or final act, there will be numerous distractions and reasons to get pulled off track. Jesus uses three descriptions of things that can weigh us down; dissipation, drunkenness, and the worries of life. But there are not causes of the distraction, but are all forms of distractions. Jesus apparently thought that hard times would come in the days of the last act and warned us to be on consistent vigil against anything that would cause us to come up short on the last day. His advice is to pray.  He does not advise that we should pray to have pleasant things but that we would be able to escape and stand. 

One of the prayers of the church pleads: “Imprint on our hearts such a dread of thy judgments, and such a grateful sense of thy goodness to us, as may make us both afraid and ashamed to offend Thee.” Is the focus of life preparing for that judgment, or do Jesus’ words provide background noise for us as we go on our merry way?

Lord, help me to live with a deep awareness that I am closer to the coming of judgment than ever before.  Come Lord Jesus.  AMEN”

Luke 21:20 - 28

 Luke 21:20 - 28

As Jerusalem so the world.

As always the context for this passage is critical. The Jews have followed a course of action and thought that has led them to the point of rejecting Christ. That rejection set them on a course from which there is no deviation. The rejection of Christ by the Jews leads to the destruction of Jerusalem and the temple. In ancient times of war the conventional wisdom was to go to the city as a place of safety or as a stronghold. Jesus warned that the stronghold itself is the object of destruction. Don't run to the “safe place”, it is the target. The siege and destruction of Jerusalem was brutal. If the ancient historian Josephus is correct only about 8% of the population of Jerusalem survived and they all became slaves. Luke uses the phrase the “days of vengeance”. The word vengeance is a compound word that is made of the words “out” or “to” and “to judge”. It means “to release the judgment”. The rejection of Jesus meant that the Jews and Jerusalem were subjects and objects of wrath. But God, in His mercy, held back fair and right treatment for a time. But there came a day in which He would no longer hold it back, but would release it. He was not like to pagan deities, a vindictive mean-spirited god with hurt feelings. He was a holy God who has withheld punishment to allow repentance, but that time has passed. There came a day when justice had to be fulfilled.

Jerusalem also serves as a picture for the whole world. The world has rejected the Savior. Here the term world refers to the inhabited population committed to a sinful system. Not necessarily all people or the physical earth itself. This rejection will also produce the wrath of God just as rejection of the Jews produce wrath for Jerusalem. The destruction of the world is as certain as the ruin of Jerusalem. The very cosmos scenes to be unraveling as if nature is falling apart are even turning on humanity. “Men fainting from Fear” literally means men stop frozen because they are so afraid. Men without the Savior have no ability to deal with a world showing signs of ruin.  

But all the bad news is not reason for negativism and despair that grows from a conviction of hopelessness. Resigned pessimism is not the answer. Nor is the answer fool hearted optimism placed in the hopes that mankind will be able to overcome the obstacles with his own wisdom and greatness. There is no solution in humanism’s arrogant confidence of man's ability to conquer all. The right response to a world that is falling apart is the life of faith. This faith is not an idle intellectual belief, but hope filled living in the anticipation of rescue by our Savior that causes us to call others to join us. Things are not getting better they're only getting worse and then comes the rescue.

“Lord, give me the grace to be hope filled as I look for the coming Savior. AMEN”

Luke 21:5 - 19

 Luke 21:5 - 19 

If you want a faith that makes you comfortable and a religious commitment that will set you at ease I strongly recommend that you avoid being a disciple of Christ. If comfort and ease and satisfaction are your objectives then Christianity is not for you. The offerings collected, which are mentioned in verses 1-4, maintain the pride of the Jewish people, the temple: a building of spectacular magnificence. It was the wholehearted conviction of almost all Jews that of all things on earth the temple was the one that would last. It would continue into the Messianic Kingdom where Jews would rule the Earth and the Messiah would be king. But Jesus has a different expectation. His expectations are that this Temple would be destroyed.

In this passage Jesus blends several upsetting themes: the destruction of Jerusalem and the temple, the rise of false teachers and messiahs, the chaos of world politics rather than a peaceful world ruled by a messiah, and persecution. Jesus was not very good at sugarcoating things. Verses 16-17 are amazing but not very comforting. Jesus predicts that even those closest to the followers of Christ will betray them. Parents, brothers, relatives and friends will turn on those who follow Christ. The result will be death. Jesus doesn't mention a “word of faith” or a “prayer of faith” or a “name it claim it” escaped. We are tempted to think that because this has not been a part of our national history it no longer applies.  This persecution is still active in some parts of our world and it may be a part of our future. Jesus offers no way out. There is only one way and that is to go through by faithful loyalty to the Lord.  It is not avoidance or escape but endurance that will see us through.

Jesus assures His listeners that the temple, the most solid and secure thing in the world of the Jews, would not last. Any hope other than Jesus is hope misplaced. The attempt to make Jesus a means to serve our goals and ends, to provide the good things we want, is only to find that we will not have those good things, and we will miss Jesus as well.

“Lord, let my hope be placed on nothing but Jesus’ blood and righteousness. AMEN”

Luke 21: 1 - 4

 Luke 21: 1 - 4

The story of “The Widow's offering” standing by itself is an incredible story. But when one notices the context it is even more dramatic. Jesus has just completed a series of verbal sparring sessions with the religious elite. Their twisted understanding of faith is proven to be empty and barren. What follows this passage is a discourse on the destruction of the temple and the difficult days to come. Sandwiched between the emptiness of a corrupt religious system and destroyed symbols of that religious system is a story of wholehearted sacrifice and commitment.

There are more parallels and applications in this passage than we might at first expect. While this passage is not a prophecy specifically for the American Church there are applications and warnings for us. Vein, empty, self-serving religion always falls back on itself and will be ruined. In the last few generations we have seen church spending and the church industrial complex explode in terms of business. The church has spent billions perhaps trillions of dollars on everything from great buildings to seminars on every possible issue to somethings that are pure folly. We have filled the coffers and spent money on “Christian stuff” from education buildings, amusement parks, our own sub genre of music, to entertainment, home décor and fashion, but to what effect? If we look at the general condition of society we might conclude that the Christian influence has actually declined in the last few generations. If we look at the numbers we do not see a dramatic increase in the church's growth in proportion to the spending.  The term ROI (return on investment) is not a term we use in the church. Perhaps it should be. There is no doubt that the church is doing a lot with all these contributions, some of which may actually be good. 

Let’s try this as a business proposition. I come to you and propose: “Over the next forty years we will spend 1 billion dollars a year on our efforts. But at the end of that time we will not see an increase in market share.  We will however, see a meaningful decline in customer loyalty and a softening and overall strength of our market position. Are you in?”  What would you say to such a business proposition?  That is exactly what has happened in the church in America over the last 40 years.  Sadly very few are noticing and even fewer are speaking out.  

This brings us back to the Widow. The point was not the gift, but the heart, the commitment and the love of God. We need to give with that kind of love.  We must be wise in our use of God’s resources but we must make every decision out of the kind of sacrifice, commitment and love this widow displayed.  

“Lord, help me to sacrifice my all for You and Your Kingdom.  AMEN”