Preparing for Times of Trouble—Lectionary Reflection for Pentecost 23C/Proper 28C (Luke 21)

Luke 21:5-19 Common English Bible (CEB)

5 Some people were talking about the temple, how it was decorated with beautiful stones and ornaments dedicated to God. Jesus said, 6 “As for the things you are admiring, the time is coming when not even one stone will be left upon another. All will be demolished.” 

7 They asked him, “Teacher, when will these things happen? What sign will show that these things are about to happen?” 

8 Jesus said, “Watch out that you aren’t deceived. Many will come in my name, saying, ‘I’m the one!’ and ‘It’s time!’ Don’t follow them. 9 When you hear of wars and rebellions, don’t be alarmed. These things must happen first, but the end won’t happen immediately.” 

10 Then Jesus said to them, “Nations and kingdoms will fight against each other. 11 There will be great earthquakes and wide-scale food shortages and epidemics. There will also be terrifying sights and great signs in the sky. 12 But before all this occurs, they will take you into custody and harass you because of your faith. They will hand you over to synagogues and prisons, and you will be brought before kings and governors because of my name. 13 This will provide you with an opportunity to testify. 14 Make up your minds not to prepare your defense in advance. 15 I’ll give you words and wisdom that none of your opponents will be able to counter or contradict. 16 You will be betrayed by your parents, brothers and sisters, relatives, and friends. They will execute some of you. 17 Everyone will hate you because of my name. 18 Still, not a hair on your heads will be lost. 19 By holding fast, you will gain your lives.

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                Is there trouble ahead? If I read the news correctly it would appear that the near future looks uncertain. Wars continue without end and poverty won’t go away. As 2022 nears its conclusion inflation is affecting the lives of many, while the threat of COVID-19 seems to go on unabated. Add to these concerns, we have elections that could affect the way the United States and other democracies will exist in the future. Oh, and there is the ongoing threat of climate change that might have passed the point of no return. Could the end of the age be at hand? Even if we’re not supposed to give in to fear, and generally I’m not, there’s a lot out there to worry us. While many long for the advent of the Messianic age, what might that entail, if it did come? In the meantime, as we wait for the Messianic age to reveal itself, how should we as Christians respond to the world around us?

                On this penultimate Sunday before Christ the King/Reign of Christ Sunday, a Sunday on which we conclude the liturgical year with a celebration of the coming reign of Christ, we hear this word from Luke’s Jesus that serves as a warning against getting caught up in apocalyptic scenarios. It’s not that Jesus’ preaching didn’t suggest that the end of the age could be at any moment, but here in Luke, he wants us to temper those expectations. Yes, it could be any moment, but then again perhaps not. Whatever the case when it comes to the eschaton, one should always be ready for any eventuality. But be forewarned, there will be wars and rumors of wars a plenty before the end comes. So, stand fast in your faith because it’s likely your faith will get challenged. You may face persecution. But that may or may not portend the end has come. So, if anyone comes in the name of Jesus suggesting that they know the hour and the day ignore them.

                Many mainline Protestant preachers cringe at texts like this because we tend to stay clear of conversations dealing with the eschaton. We tell ourselves and our congregations to stay focused on the present moment, but “inquiring minds want to know” when and if Jesus is going to return. But the questions are out there, especially when times are difficult, like now. So, if they don’t hear it from their pastors, they will likely encounter it elsewhere. Passages like this will raise questions from congregants. That’s why my friend Ron Allen and I have written a book to help stimulate just such a conversation in our congregations. We call it Second Thoughts About the Second Coming: Understanding the End Times, Our Future, and Christian Hope (WJK Books, 2023).  

                The reading for this coming Sunday takes us back to Jerusalem during Holy Week. Jesus has already caused a ruckus in the Temple, but according to Luke, he’s back at the Temple. Chapter 21 opens with Jesus observing the comings and goings of people making their financial contributions to the Temple. He points to this widow who gives two copper coins, which was all that she had to live on, while the wealthy simply give out of their abundance. According to Jesus, though her contribution was small in comparison, it was greater than the magnificent gifts of the wealthy (LK. 21:1-4). After he makes this observation, he overhears awestruck folks marveling at the beauty of the Temple and its adornments. According to what is reported, Herod’s expanded Temple was one of the great marvels of the ancient world. Jesus responds to their declarations by suggesting that the days were coming when not one stone of this Temple would be left standing. That’s pretty heady stuff! Of course, by the time the Gospel of Luke was written (sometime between 80 and 90 CE), Jerusalem had been laid waste by the Roman legions under the command of Titus, son of the emperor, and the future emperor himself.

The original recipients of this Gospel would have known that Jerusalem and its Temple lay in ruins. They would have known about the Jewish revolt of 70 CE that had led to massive death and destruction. They knew that the Temple, that grand building that dominated the skyline of Jerusalem, had been burned to the ground. Therefore, this great symbol of Judaism was no more. At the same time, this increasingly Gentile church found itself separating from the Judaism that gave it birth. While the demise of the Temple was of little concern to growing numbers of Christians, it did give greater credence to the message that with the first advent of Jesus God wouldn’t be confined to humanly built Temples.”

                As we listen to this message from Jesus, that “not even one stone will be left upon another. All will be demolished,” we might be left with a sense of hopelessness about the future of things. But when it comes to apocalyptic texts, we have to dive deep below the surface to catch hold of the message. Apocalyptic theology looks at the present through the lens of the future. It’s not always pretty, but usually, there’s a silver lining. In this account, Jesus' audience would have heard that while they might face a very difficult future, they needed to stay focused and engaged. So, stay strong.

The contemporary church has been hearing a lot of bad news. As Andrew Root has been detailing in his books, the churches face a crisis of decline. The world is becoming increasingly secular and many of our congregations are facing the realities of reduced attendance, an aging core membership, budgets that are being strained by reduced giving to the church along with increasing costs of keeping the church as an institution afloat. It might feel as if it won’t be long before not one stone will be left standing. As for many newly minted clergy, they may wonder what their future will be like, even as clergy who are drawing near to retirement or have retired might wonder if their pension plans will remain solvent. Our current realities might provide a lens through which to read and interpret this text.

                Let us remember that when Jesus and his disciples might have wandered through the Temple precincts, the disciples could easily have found themselves looking at the Temple with awe. Since most of them hailed from Galilee and probably had never visited Jerusalem before this, they would be easily overwhelmed by the sights. The Temple they beheld looked solid. It was well-constructed. It was grand. Again, if reports are true, Herod’s Temple would have been one of the great wonders of the ancient world, rivaling the Parthenon in Athens and other grand religious buildings. Though the Second Temple long predated Herod’s expansions, he had gone to great expense to have this monument to his vision of grandeur built, even if it was supposed to be a place where God’s presence was celebrated. So, at the time of Jesus’ visit there, it would be difficult to imagine its destruction.

While Herod’s Temple was razed in 70 CE, reminding us that buildings like this can be destroyed, if you’ve visited a great cathedral such as those to be found in Europe, churches that may have existed for more than a millennium and still serve as places of worship, it would be difficult to imagine their demise.  Nevertheless, Luke’s Jesus warns his disciples that a time was coming when this grand Temple of Herod would come tumbling down. The disciples ask Jesus when this would take place. They wanted to know what signs to be aware of. Jesus suggests that there will be wars and rumors of wars; there will be persecutions and more. Yes, there will be earthquakes, famines, and plagues (COVID-19?), but don’t be afraid. All these things will take place, but that doesn’t mean the end will come immediately. Although Luke puts all of this in apocalyptic language, the passage serves to temper expectations.

While all of these things might happen, they need to know that they might face arrest and persecution (merchants saying happy holidays and bans on school prayer are not signs of persecution). They might be hand imprisoned and brought before kings and governors because of the name of Jesus, but Jesus doesn’t want them to worry. In fact, he tells them not to prepare a defense because Jesus will give them the right words, along with a form of wisdom that their opponents won’t be able to withstand. Though even friends and family might reject them and even hand them over so they might be executed, there’s nothing to worry about. They might be hated by all, but not a hair of their head will be touched. Just stay the course so that by enduring what comes their way they will gain their souls.

Jesus wants to make sure that no one leads them astray. After all, there will be many who will come in Jesus’ name, perhaps even pretending to be Jesus, or saying that the time is near. The word here is don’t follow them. Don’t be fooled by false prophets and false messiahs. Again, just stay the course and you’ll be fine!

                When Luke wrote to the churches, he recognized that some in the church had begun to wonder whether Jesus would return. He wanted them to stay focused on the mission of Jesus. We can easily take our eyes off the ball and get caught up in things that detract from our calling as the people of God. We can fall into a state of complacency. Sometimes we put our hope in Temples made with human hands and fail to see the big picture.

                So, where should we put our hopes and dreams? Jesus tells u to put our faith in God, and if we do this not a hair on our heads will perish. Of course, he’s already told us that while standing firm we may end up dead, but still, not a hair will perish. What that means is that while the body can be killed, the same is not true of the spirit. We can stand firm because the Spirit of God is with us, giving us the strength to stand and the words to speak when demanded.

              While we await the Day of the Lord, we might choose to sing a song written by Thomas Dorsey who was at the time in the depths of despair after the death of his wife during childbirth, along with the subsequent death of the newborn child (see the reflection of Nancy Lynne Westfield in Feasting on the Word, C, 4, p. 312). 

                Precious Lord, take my hand,

                Lead me on, let me stand;

                I am tired, I am weak, I am worn;

                Through the storm, through the night,

                Lead me on to the light;

                Take my hand, precious Lord,

                Lead me home.

Tissot, James, 1836-1902. Prophecy of the Destruction of the Temple, from Art in the Christian Tradition, a project of the Vanderbilt Divinity Library, Nashville, TN. https://diglib.library.vanderbilt.edu/act-imagelink.pl?RC=57226 [retrieved November 9, 2022]. Original source: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Brooklyn_Museum_-_The_Prophecy_of_the_Destruction_of_the_Temple_(La_pr%C3%A9dication_de_la_ruine_du_Temple)_-_James_Tissot.jpg.