LUKE 21:25-36
THE LORD WILL COME.
KEEP WATCH.
In
the name + of Jesus.
Every generation makes the same assessment:
“I can’t imagine the world getting any worse than it already is.” Previous generations said it, and they all
had their reasons—depression, plague, dust bowl, World War, atomic bombs, and so
on. Add to that the continual warnings
about pollution, global climate change, increased wildfires, and intense
weather. You can debate what is the cause
of these things or the sanity of the proposed solutions, but the increase in
the destructive elements on earth seems to be true. I don’t know if the world is actually getting
worse, or if the 24-hour news cycle makes us more aware of what has always been
a mess. In either case, the world is a place
filled with many evils, and it all gives us a lot to pray about.
Jesus has told you about these things in
advance; so you should not be surprised by them. Bothered by them? Sure.
We are grieved by much of what we witness going on. Who wouldn’t be? But do not get the idea that the decline and
the decay of the world mean that God has lost control. His forewarning is proof that he is in
control. He told you these things would
happen. But Jesus also gives you this
instruction: Keep watch. The world will
pass away, but the Lord will come again, so keep watch.
The big question then is this: What are
you watching? What are you paying
attention to? The magicians Penn and Teller
gave an instruction course on how to do sleight of hand tricks. As Penn was juggling three balls, he commented,
“This is not juggling; this is distraction.”
He gets you to focus on Penn, the juggler, and not on Teller, the trickster. Many of the people and events we pay
attention to are often distractions. Granted,
they have some degree of importance, but you notice that Christians do not
gather to break down issues with economics, with the environment, with
terrorism, with law and order, with racism, and so on. Politicians will play on these when it is
convenient to score points with them. These
are not useless, but neither do they save anyone; and they take our attention
away from the word of the Lord which actually does save. Everything else will pass away. If you become distracted by worldly matters,
you will pass away with them. Jesus
said, “Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words
will not pass away” (Luke 21:33). That is your only hope, but it is a
sure hope. The Lord will come. Keep watch.
In St.
Luke’s gospel, Jesus depicts the entire creation beginning to unravel. “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”
(Luke 21:25-26).
This kind of warning is unnerving for anyone. This goes beyond concern for the economy, for
the environment, or for ecosystems. This
is the entire created order falling apart.
And if it does, where can we go?
If everything
you love and care about is worldly, there can be no more terrifying news that
hearing that the world will fall apart. Action
films and sci-fi films often depict natural disasters that threaten to wipe out
entire cities, nations, and even the whole world. The happy ending is that some people manage
to find a way to limit the damage or to escape the carnage. On the one hand, it demonstrates a strong desire
for people to live even through suffering.
On the other hand, it also shows people want to save this world or their
life in it. So, if losing the world is
the greatest threat, Jesus’ words of warning are terrible news, indeed.
But dear friends in Christ, these words are
not bad news for you. You have already
known the bad news which is the reason for the end of the world and the
judgment of mankind. The bad news is
that this world fell under judgment almost as soon as God had created it. “Sin came
into the world through one man, and death through sin, and so death
spread to all men because all sinned” (Romans 5:12). Because of
sin, we continue to be influenced and led astray by our wallet, our stomach,
our groin, and our ego. Even though Christ
has redeemed us, we are still drawn back to our sins. If we do not remove them from our lives, they
will take root in us and ensnare us all over again. Therefore, keep watch of that! It is because of sin that judgment is coming
upon the world. The Lord will come; keep
watch.
Of course, sin and
death affected more than just mankind.
Everything fell under the curse of sin.
The Bible reminds us, “The creation was subjected to futility”
(Romans 8:20). The destructive forces
of nature are nothing new. We do not
need to be alarmed if they grow more frequent and more intense because Jesus
told us what to make of these things: “Look at the fig tree, and all the trees. As soon as they come out in leaf, you
see for yourselves and know that the summer is already near. So also, when you see these things taking
place, you know that the kingdom of God is near” (Luke 21:29-31). Those who do not
listen to Jesus will panic at these things.
You do not need to. On the contrary,
you can actually regard these things as good news. For, Jesus told you: “When these things
begin to take place, straighten up and raise your heads, because your
redemption is drawing near” (Luke 21:28).
The Lord will come. Keep watch!
Jesus blesses
you with sweet comfort and assurance. He
tells you that your redemption is drawing near.
One the one hand, Jesus has already taken care of your redemption. He has redeemed you a lost and
condemned creature, purchased and won you from all sins, from death, and from
the power of the devil, not with gold or silver, but with his holy, precious
blood and with his innocent sufferings and death. Jesus’ redemption means that your sins have
been pardoned; the debt has been paid. Jesus’
redemption means that death has received its wages; the Son of God was given
into death for you. But death could not
hold him in. Jesus lives and reigns, and
now death submits to him. Jesus’
redemption means that the devil cannot hold your sins against you. The Accuser must be silent; for Jesus lives
to decree forgiveness of your sins. Your
redemption was accomplished by Jesus’ death and resurrection.
But a further redemption is coming. The Lord does not treat us as our sins
deserve, but we still have sins we contend with. We still have a sinful world which produces
frustration, pain, loss, sorrow, violence, and death. Oh, how we long to be free of these
things! Keep watch! The Lord will come with your final redemption. The corrupted world will be made new. And you will be renewed to live without
sin. You will not be pestered by
temptations or disappointed that you have failed to live the life you want
to. You will never have reason to be
ashamed of your behavior or regret a word spoken in anger. You will be perfected in glory and delivered
to a world perfected in glory. The Lord
will come again, and you will bid Farewell to a world and a life that is full
of sorrow, pain, rejection, stress, and death.
The Lord will come. Keep watch.
And make sure that you are keeping watch on the right things. Jesus let you know that the natural
disturbances are coming. You don’t need
to worry about those. But he tells you what
you do need to pay attention to: “Watch yourselves lest your
hearts be weighed down with dissipation and drunkenness and cares of this
life, and that day come upon you suddenly like a trap. For it will come upon all who dwell on the
face of the whole earth. But stay
awake at all times, praying that you may have strength to escape all
these things that are going to take place, and to stand before the Son of
Man” (Luke 21:34-36)
The Lord will
come; keep watch so that you do not get distracted or deceived by worldly
concerns or fears. Jesus noted that many
people deal with their worries, fears, and stress by intoxication. Not knowing how to deal with the problems
that overwhelm them, they try to find an escape through a drunken stupor. Of course, mind-altering substances do not
take any problems away. They prevent you
from actually addressing the problem.
Jesus tells
you how to address the worries, fears, and stress you have. He tells you to call upon him in prayer and
to pay attention to his words. Your
salvation will not be altered by tidal waves, by biological warfare, or by
cosmic disturbances. Your place in the kingdom
of God is not changed by stress or hardship.
You are a child of God even with depression, dementia, or a mental disorder. You don’t need to worry about these things. Let God worry about them; he is in control
anyway. What will threaten your faith is
if you stop paying attention to the word of the Lord. Your salvation can be lost if you give
yourself over to the sins you find so attractive. So, keep watch against these things.
Satan wants to make every sin look good and
good for you. Satan might even promise
you the world. But even if he does remember:
“Heaven and earth will pass away” (Luke 21:33). Everything that sin promises you ends up in
death. But if you are listening to the
word of the Lord, you will not be deceived by the devil’s cunning
arguments. The Lord is your refuge in
times of trial and tribulation and death.
For, Jesus lives and reigns over all things. If you are in his care, you are truly safe. So, keep watch. The Lord will come.
“But stay awake at all
times, praying that you may have strength to escape all these things
that are going to take place, and to stand before the Son of Man” (Luke
21:36). The fact is that all people will have to
stand before the Son of Man. If it is
your practice to flee to Jesus Christ now, you will rejoice to see him when he
comes again in glory. You will lift up
your head in joy to see the Savior who has rescued you from all divine wrath and
punishment. The Lord will come. Keep watch for him.
I can’t imagine the world getting any
worse than it already is. Maybe it
will. Who knows? But the kingdom of God is in great shape. Jesus lives and reigns and works all things
for your eternal good. He assures you, “Heaven and earth will pass away, but my
words will not pass away” (Luke 21:33). So keep watch. Be vigilant.
And finally, rejoice. Your
redemption is drawing nigh. The Lord
will come.
In the name of the Father and of the Son + and of the Holy Spirit.
Amen.
