Your Redemption Is Drawing Near

November 17, 2013

Luke 21:5–28 [Your redemption is drawing near]
And while some were speaking of the temple, how it was adorned with noble stones and offerings, he said, “As for these things that you see, the days will come when there will not be left here one stone upon another that will not be thrown down.”
And they asked him, “Teacher, when will these things be, and what will be the sign when these things are about to take place?”
And he said, “See that you are not led astray. For many will come in my name, saying, ‘I am he!’ and, ‘The time is at hand!’ Do not go after them. 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.”
Then he said to them, “Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. There will be great earthquakes, and in various places famines and pestilences. And there will be terrors and great signs from heaven. But before all this they will lay their hands on you and persecute you, delivering you up to the synagogues and prisons, and you will be brought before kings and governors for my name’s sake. This will be your opportunity to bear witness. Settle it therefore in your minds not to meditate beforehand how to answer, for I will give you a mouth and wisdom, which none of your adversaries will be able to withstand or contradict. You will be delivered up even by parents and brothers and relatives and friends, and some of you they will put to death. You will be hated by all for my name’s sake. But not a hair of your head will perish. By your endurance you will gain your lives.
“But when you see Jerusalem surrounded by armies, then know that its desolation has come near. Then let those who are in Judea flee to the mountains, and let those who are inside the city depart, and let not those who are out in the country enter it, for these are days of vengeance, to fulfill all that is written. Alas for women who are pregnant and for those who are nursing infants in those days! For there will be great distress upon the earth and wrath against this people. They will fall by the edge of the sword and be led captive among all nations, and Jerusalem will be trampled underfoot by the Gentiles, until the times of the Gentiles are fulfilled.
“And there will be signs in sun and moon and stars, and on the earth distress of nations in perplexity because of the roaring of the sea and the waves, people fainting with fear and with foreboding of what is coming on the world. For the powers of the heavens will be shaken. And then they will see the Son of Man coming in a cloud with power and great glory. Now when these things begin to take place, straighten up and raise your heads, because your redemption is drawing near.”

The disciples were like tourists. They lived in the country side of Galilee and now were in Jerusalem for the Passover Festival. Jerusalem was a large, beautiful, modern city for its time. There were many big homes and public buildings and of course there was the Temple. Many of these buildings were built with beautiful marble as was the Temple. And the Temple was further decorated with gold and fancy carvings. When the disciples came out of the Temple they said, “Look, Teacher, what wonderful stones and what wonderful buildings!” (Mark 13:1 RSV). To which Jesus replied, “As for these thing that you see, the days will come when there will not be left here one stone upon another that will not be thrown down” (Luke 21:6 NIV). And so it was. In the year A.D 70 the Roman army completely destroyed the Temple and the city of Jerusalem, leaving only what is known today as the “Wailing Wall.” All those beautiful stones that the disciples liked were carried away from Jerusalem in order to build in other places.

Such a remark by Jesus about the destruction of the Jerusalem and the Temple was like blasphemy to the Jews. The Temple was the dwelling place of God on earth. It was a sign that God blessed the Jews. To say that the Temple would be destroyed was like saying that God would abandon his people the Jews. When prophets in the Old Testament predicted the fall of Jerusalem by the Babylonians, they were persecuted and even thrown in prison. To the Jews, the destruction of the Temple would be like the end of the world. They thought that the Messiah would bring in a golden age of prosperity and peace for Israel. Modern Jews still think this way.

And so when Jesus talked about the destruction of Jerusalem, the disciples knew he had a different idea of the work of the Messiah. It would be like the end of the world as the Jews had dreamed of. It would be like a total revolution. Jesus gave his warning. And many Christian believers took this warning. And when they heard of wars and tumults, they trusted in Jesus and fled Jerusalem to other countries before the big invasion by the Roman army.

But Jesus went on to talk about the true coming of the Messiah. There will be many signs in the cosmos and nature signs on earth. For example, the rainbow is a sign of God’s grace and promise that he will not destroy the world again by a big flood. Likewise there are signs of God’s promise of the Second Coming. Jesus gave us these signs. War and typhoon and tsunami and earthquake, even persecution and martyrdom are all seen by Christians as signs that the Messiah will come again. These are things that make us and all people fear and tremble. It is a time to make us humble before God, to reflect on our relationship with Christ, and to repent of our sin. If we are not killed in the latest disaster, then we thank God for giving us and the world more time to repent. And so these same fearful signs are signs of hope and promise, they promise the ultimate peace of God’s forgiveness and grace. Jesus said, “Now when these things begin to take place, straighten up and raise your heads, because your redemption is drawing near.” “Your redemption is drawing near” means “your salvation is near.” All these signs point to the end of time and the beginning of eternity.

Not everyone welcomes the end of the world. Not everyone is ready for Christ to return. Even Christians fear the coming of Christ, that is, when they remember their sins and realize their own unworthiness to be saved. Perhaps this is why God sends an occasional earthquake or typhoon or a personal problem: to remind us that the end of the world and the day of judgment is coming, to remind us not to live in sin, to remind us that in the midst of disaster and trouble that God loves us and is with us.

How do we prepare for the Second Coming of Christ? We prepare for his Second Coming by preparing for his First Coming. That is, we prepare for Christmas. We celebrate that Christ was born into this world. Jesus spoke the Good News of salvation. He died on the cross to forgive our sin and rose on the third day to make peace with God. Then he ascended into heaven, from which he will return to judge the living and the dead. When we believe this, we are ready for the Second Coming.

How do we prepare for the Second Coming of Christ? We prepare for his Second Coming by accepting Jesus into our hearts today. Jesus comes to us with his Word of forgiveness and grace. He comes to us in Baptism and in the Sacrament of the Altar. Jesus comes into our hearts and lives. When we believe this, we are ready for the Second Coming of Christ.

The disciples wanted a sign from Jesus. We have a sign that is better than natural disasters, wars and hatred and persecutions and the troubles of life. We have the sign of the cross. The cross shows us that death is not final. It shows us that sin and the devil cannot destroy the promise of God. It is because we Christians see the cross and also see the empty tomb at the same time. Jesus promised that he would die and rise on the third day. And it was so. Jesus promised that he would ascend into heaven and return on the last day. And it will be so. Christ has died. Christ has risen. Christ will come again.

Amen.

Michael Nearhood, Pastor
Okinawa Lutheran Church


Sermon Index