Luke 21:5-19
A. INTRODUCTION
Recent events around the world—tensions and wars—have reminded me of how lucky we are in this country. And there are many countries in the world where Christians are persecuted simply for being Christians. And Christians face the death penalty for either trying to convert others to Christianity, or simply for practicing the faith.
But us? Well, yes, from time to time, we might get jibed about our faith; some people may think us odd, because we don’t do certain things; and some people feel as they have to act differently around us, because of our religious sensibilities. But, in contrast to what others face in the world, we are free to come and go, to exercise our faith and, at the same time, feel safe in what we are doing.
Of course, the danger for us is that we can get too lazy, too relaxed, take God too much for granted. However, I wouldn’t want to wish the alternative on anybody.
And yet, in this passage from Luke, lest we become too complacent, that is exactly what Jesus warned his disciples that they needed to prepare for.
B. THE COMING OF THE END (Luke 21:5-19)
1.Background (5)
The scene was the Temple in Jerusalem, and Jesus was in the Temple at the climax of his public ministry. For Jesus the Temple was still an important place for worshipping God. It was the centre of the Jewish faith; the symbolic centre of God’s presence with his people. (And even with the early church, it was considered the focal point of the Christian faith.)
And the magnificence of the Temple and its contents, aroused wonder amongst its visitors. And the disciples were not immune to its wonders. So it, perhaps, wasn’t surprising when some of the disciples looked around and commented on the wonderful sight of the Temple. It must have been a very relaxed, peaceful and tranquil, scene.
As a consequence, the disciples would have been rocked by what happened next. Because in direct contrast to the magnificence of the Temple, Jesus warned of three events, that would shortly sweep the world of the disciples.
2. Danger of Succumbing to Persecution (12-19)
And the first, in order that they would occur, was that (after a short interval) they would face persecution; they would be in danger of being arrested; and they would be tried in the courts for their beliefs—because of Jesus.
Now this wasn’t to be a major bitter persecution like we’ve seen in history—the Jewish courts were used for trying minor cases only. However, the kind of punishment they faced would have still been imprisonment; being beaten by synagogue officials; and the occasional death would not have been unexpected.
But if that were not bad enough, the people who would dob them in to the authorities would not just be those who hate everything to do with Christianity, (as you’d expect). But they would be their own closest relatives as well: parents, brothers, relatives and friends.
However, whilst warning the disciples of the coming persecution and betrayal. Jesus did give his disciples some words of comfort and advice.
He said, being persecuted was not to be seen totally in negative terms. It was also to be regarded as an opportunity to bear witness to the faith—an opportunity for the disciples to stand up for what they believe. However, they were to meet the occasion with courage and wisdom, which Jesus promised he would provide.
He then acknowledged that there would be a natural tendency to be anxious—about what to do and what to say. However, he advised them not to be anxious, because he would guide them, and not leave them wanting.
And he then noted that some of his disciples might indeed suffer injury or even death. However, he reassured them, that he would ensure their spiritual safety. For all who relied on Jesus, and persevered faithfully to the end, they might lose their lives in this world, but by showing steadfast endurance they would reap the reward of the next—eternal life.
3. Danger of being misled (7-11)
The second thing that Jesus said would happen to the disciples (and following on from the initial persecution), is that people would try to deceive them. That their faith would be strongly tested. And that there would be many attempts to mislead them in to giving up their faith.
For example, there would be many people confronting them, claiming either to be the Messiah or the messenger of the Messiah. There would be people claiming to know other paths to salvation. And the stress of them, in those days, would make them very vulnerable to these attacks, particularly from people who promised to deliver them from the difficulties of life.
However, Jesus warned his disciples that they were not to be taken in by such people, What they would experience was not the end of the world, and they should stand steadfast in their faith.
Furthermore, Jesus, claimed, they would hear of wars and civil wars (and not far away either)—events which would lead people to fear and again to believe that the end of the world was near.
Still, Jesus said, don’t be so terrified, don’t do something silly. Such events were in God’s plan, they must happen. But they did not signify that the end would follow immediately.
No, indeed, before the end, there would be more widespread conflicts and cosmic signs. All sorts of natural disasters and unusual phenomena. And even then these were not the signs of the end, only the beginning of what was to come.
4. The Destruction of the Temple (6)
And the third thing Jesus said, would happen (and only after the previous two warnings had come to fruition) was that the Temple in Jerusalem, in which they were then standing, would be destroyed.
The Temple—the place that they’d looked up to as Jews. The symbolic focus of God’s residence with his people; the centre on which the hopes of the Jewish race resided; and the place which even the early Christians considered was the focal point of their religious worship.
This Temple would not just be damaged, or even damaged beyond repair. But there would be such devastation that the building would be completely and utterly flattened—no two stones left on one another.
5. History or Apocalyptic?
In the relative tranquillity of the Temple, with all its glory, three warnings then, from Jesus. First, the imminent persecution of the disciples. They were to be tried and punished for what they believed, and they were to be betrayed by family and friends. Second, their faith was going to be tested through false prophets and through the unrest that war brings. And third, the symbol of God’s presence among them, was to be utterly destroyed.
These are the things that Jesus predicted for his disciples for their future. And, of course, as even the Jewish historian Josephus recorded, all these things came true. The early disciples were indeed persecuted for their faith; there were many false messiahs and people claiming to be messengers of Jesus; and, in the Jewish war itself (AD 66-70), the Temple was destroyed.
However, if we were to leave Jesus’s prophecies there we would be most mistaken. Because the language on which the prophecies were couched indicate that Jesus was not just telling the immediate disciples what was in store for them, but rather giving all believers a warning of things to come.
In a sense, it may seem like a history lesson to us. The prophecies tell the exact story of the early church up until the destruction of the Temple in 70AD. But more than that, it’s also a cameo of what every Christian may be expected to face from then on.
C. COMMENT
So when we hear, see and read about Christians being persecuted in South America, North America, Europe, Africa, and Asia. It shouldn’t be something that should take us unawares.
When we hear that Christians are being tried in courts; punished for their faith; are being flogged, injured, or killed for standing up for what they believe; and that they are being dobbed in, not only by people who hate Christianity, but by their family and friends, then we shouldn’t be taken by surprise.
When we hear of people who claim to be from Jesus, or who claim to know other ways to God; and when we hear of war after war, of earthquakes, and floods, and other natural disasters, none of those things should come as any surprise.
And when we hear about churches being destroyed; the focal point of Christian communities being wiped out and completely flattened, then that should not come as a total shock, either.
For many Christians, the prophecies that Jesus made, are just as real today, as they were to the disciples of the first century. And the advice he gave is just as real too.
But then we need to stand firm against persecution. We need to see persecution as an opportunity to bear witness. We need not to be anxious, but to trust Jesus for guidance and the right words to say.
Now, none of that will be easy. Indeed, when someone’s world is falling apart, and someone offers an easier solution, standing firm is not easy. And yet, despite that, Christian history is littered with the faithful, with those who have kept their faith, despite all the horrors they have faced,
D. CONCLUSION
Events around the globe should serve as a reminder of how lucky we are. Having said that, the danger for us is that we can get too lazy, too relaxed, and take God too much for granted.
Nevertheless, Jesus warned his disciples that they should be prepared to face persecution for what they believe; their faith being challenged; and the destruction of their focal point of worship.
And the fact that we might not face those kind of persecutions now does not mean that we will be immune in the future. We need to be ready. But more than that, we need to be actively involved in supporting those who are going through the terrible trials right now.
So what can we do? Well, we can show that we care.
We can pray for Christians who are going through a hard time because of their faith. We can try to find ways to ease their predicament; exert political pressure to try to help them in their situation; and we can try to let them know that we are with them, and encourage them in their struggle.
Who knows, at the rate political landscapes change, in a few years’ time, we might be hoping for the same support back from them.
Posted: 30th November 2024
© 2024, Brian A Curtis
www.brianacurtis.com.au
