Pentecost 26 [Luke 21:5-19] (17 November 2013)

This sermon was preached at St. John's Lutheran, Karoonda (9 am).  

The Last Day is something that is rarely in the forefront of our conversation. But Jesus had it on his mind, because he brings it up when people are talking about how nice the temple is. And that means something for the Church, because what else has he said, and what does the temple have to do with the end of the world? But keep in mind one big difference between Jesus and the temple. The temple was destroyed in 70 AD and has never been rebuilt. Jesus was put to death and on the third day rose. When the Church hears today's Gospel reading, this must always be in the background as we listen.

Jesus doesn't go astray and he can't be leveled, and his Church remains his.

It's important to notice what Jesus doesn't say. He doesn't say “here's a secret way to figure out when the end of the world is.” He does encourage his disciples to faith and perseverance in him. During the week before he was crucified, Jesus was teaching in the temple, he saw that “some were speaking of the temple, how it was adorned with noble stones and offerings”. No one has asked a question of him. But the word for 'offerings' means offerings that are lifted up, some translations say “votive offerings” and Jesus takes that opportunity to talk about things that will be thrown down: every stone of this grand temple. Now the first temple that King Solomon had built was quite grand, but it was destroyed in 586 BC, and when it was rebuilt after the exile, as the Bible says, there were some older people who remembered what the first temple looked like and wept when they saw the rebuilt temple, because it was simple and plain. In Jesus' day, King Herod the Great had started a long renovation of the temple to gain the favor of the people, so the temple by that time did indeed look quite grand. And it would be a disaster when it was destroyed again.

It would be a disaster like the end of the world. Notice how I said “like”. For Jesus himself said, “these things must first take place, but the end will not be at once.” A lot of energy has been used to take these words of Jesus and try and figure out just how close we are to the end of the world. A lot of energy has been used in ignoring that the world is going to end at all. But did you pick up on the importance of Jesus' words “See that you are not led astray.”?

Jesus says “For many will come in my name, saying, 'I am he!' 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.” The first thing he warns his disciples about in describing the destruction of the temple is false teachers. These are specifically false teachers who come in Jesus' name, and they claim to know the time, that is the time that unfolds according to God's plan (which is how the word is used in the Bible). They will predict the Last Day, and they will be wrong. But far scarier is that they're doing it in Jesus' name. Ironically, where do false teachers lead you away from? Away from Jesus, that is, they put themselves in place of Jesus, and would have you put yourself in place of Jesus.

Now let me tell you a story about my sat nav device. It has been a great help to me. But it always asks my permission if there's a route that includes an unpaved road. But there have been a good number of times when it's fooled me and sent me down one anyway. My sat nav has led me astray. But here Jesus says that not everyone who uses his name says something that is right, that speaks the truth. And that shouldn't be a surprise, all the way back to the 2^nd commandment, which says that “you shall not take the name of the Lord your God in vain.” And that commandment wouldn't exist if you weren't able to misuse God's name. Luther explains this to include “lying or deceiving by his name” - which is false teaching. But modern culture finds that unpopular, so you'd be much more comfortable ignoring those words of Jesus.

The destruction of the temple in Jerusalem wasn't the end of the world. But to go through it seemed like the end of the world. And there have been many occasions since then that have also looked like the end of the world. But the destruction of the temple shows God's judgment, specifically in rejecting Jesus. The prophet Malachi prophesied that suddenly the Lord would come to his temple, but when Holy Week came around and Jesus is in the temple, the people said, “This couldn't happen like that”. And roughly thirty years later, judgment came. And this judgment only points ahead to God's final judgment on all who reject the Christ.

 

And even though that's true, nothing (no disasters, no wars) moves you any closer to Christ's return. The destruction of the temple seemed like the end, but not immediately is the end. Every disaster and war is a reminder that God's judgment will come, eventually. Only the passing of each day brings the end closer, but you don't know by how much.

 

But Jesus can reassure his disciples, his Church, because . . .

Jesus is the temple where his people dwell and receive his gracious presence and gifts. The presence of God is where Jesus is found. The Gospel of Luke starts in the temple with Zechariah and ends in the temple with the apostles giving praise, but that's so you may see that from the time of his incarnation in the womb of the Virgin Mary, the presence of God is where God the Son has become flesh for you.

 

If Jesus says don't be led astray from him, that means that he won't lead you astray. He won't lead you astray, even when he says to you that the end has begun because the judgment for your sin fell solely upon him at the cross. And he rose, which is what will happen at the end to all Christians who have departed to be with him. For Christians, Christ won't lead you astray because there's one road – of catechesis from Christ through his Word. It's only going one place, through death to eternal life – where he himself promises, because how can the Church's story be different from Jesus' own story?

We read today's Gospel with the sure assurance that the Church won't perish before the end. Seriously. “But not a hair of your head will perish.”. Even persecution and death won't be enough to harm one hair on your head, for even though you suffer and die, you will live eternally.

Jesus won't be leveled, so persevere by faith in him. Jesus says, “By your perseverance, gain your souls!” Jesus says, “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.” You won't survive persecution by your defense, you'll survive because Jesus speaks the Gospel which is true wisdom, and he's the one who can't be defeated.

 

Jesus says God's temple will be destroyed as a demonstration of God's wrath at the rejection of Jesus, and for some of you, he says, your bodies will be put to death to demonstrate the same thing, because by his Word and Sacrament he dwells in you, declaring you holy. That is also how he prepares you for his second coming, which could come at any time: the Church's life comes from Baptism and the Lord's Supper.

 

But persecution isn't just a demonstration of the unbelief of the world. Even persecution is used for a witness. But it happens to Christians who are on the journey with Christ. And you are on the journey of Christ by your Baptism and fed along the way with the Lord's Supper. But you are on the journey in the callings where God has placed you: father, mother, son, daughter, husband, wife or worker (as the Catechism puts it). That's where acts of Christian love happen, and that's also where persecution will come for the sake of Christ's name. Endurance is therefore done in your vocations by faith.

And if you're put to death and everything is okay, then when you see your Lord put to death on the cross, that's why everything is okay, even when it seems like the world is coming to an end. The forgiveness of all your sins is what makes it okay – nothing you do or can offer, only his pure grace and mercy.

 

Conclusion: Jesus predicted the destruction of the temple in Jerusalem. It has some similarities with the end of the world, but the end is coming. But for you his coming is a promise of safety and life because he is the One who died and rose again, and he prepares you through Holy Baptism and the Lord's Supper. Amen.