Loving God, even during times of destruction and trials, you teach us that we have nothing to fear when we put our trust in Jesus Christ. Help us to know in our hearts that you are in charge of all things, and teach us to live in love rather than in fear; through the same Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

I find it interesting that the little commentary in the Celebrate insert today assumes that the gospel is all about the end times – the end of the world – the time when Christ will come again to judge the living and the dead. I find this interesting because, upon carefully reading this section of the gospel of Luke, it becomes evident that the portion that we heard today is actually all about events that happened in the first century. The year 70 A.D. marked the destruction of the temple in Jerusalem and the destruction of the city itself. Before this event, many of Jesus’ followers were dragged before kings and governors because of their faith, and during these times of persecution were sometimes handed over to the authorities by members of their own families. In fact, we read about some of these events in the book of Acts.

Now, this is not to say that the gospel has nothing to do with us. On the contrary, the reasons for all of this destruction are just as relevant today as they were in the first century or even hundreds of years earlier. Although Luke does not record any reasons that were given by Jesus for the coming destruction, we can look at some of the reasons given by the prophets, whom Jesus often echoed. In fact, he had referred to the Jerusalem temple as a “den of robbers,” using the same words as the prophet Jeremiah (Jer. 7:11; Lk. 19:46). Jeremiah also lived during a time when Jerusalem and the temple there were destroyed, and the reasons that he gives for this destruction are certainly not limited to his own time and place.

According to Jeremiah, the people of Jerusalem had placed their confidence in a building, rather than in the God who was said to dwell there. They were stealing, murdering, committing adultery, worshiping false gods, and lying, yet they expected God to protect them whenever they came to the temple (cf. Jer. 7:1-15). Because they had forgotten God and were not living as God’s people were expected to live, God was going to give them a wake-up call. The temple would be destroyed and so would Jerusalem, because when God called they did not answer and when God spoke they would not listen. If it took destroying their city and their house of worship in order to bring them back to God, then that is exactly what would happen. Now, this is not to say that God did the destroying. Rather, God used the destruction in order to bring people back to him, something which I believe still happens today.

However, to return to the first century for a moment, it seems that a similar wake-up call was needed. Somehow people had to learn to worship God with their lives rather than worshiping a building and a city. Actually, from a Christian perspective, God wasn’t in the temple any more anyway. The glory of the Lord had always been said to dwell in the temple, but when Jesus was born, the glory of the Lord was out in the fields, shining around the shepherds. It was almost as if God had been let out of the temple in order to dwell among us in the person of Jesus Christ. Now, since Jesus’ return to heaven, God continues to dwell among us through the Holy Spirit. God is not to be found only in one city and in one temple. Rather, God is with us.

In fact, it is because God is with us that events like those described in today’s gospel do not need to be feared. No matter how bleak things might look, God is the one who is ultimately in control of the outcome of history. Those who have placed their faith in Jesus Christ have nothing to fear. In fact, even persecution and imprisonment are not to be feared, but are an opportunity instead. Just as God can use destruction as a wake-up call to draw people back to him, so God can also use persecution and trials as “an opportunity to testify” (Lk. 21:13).

As Lutherans, we don’t tend to use this language very much. In fact, many Lutherans might even be scared of anything that has to do with testifying or giving your testimony. Yet, there is no reason for this to be scary for us. We might not be arrested and put on trial for our faith, but we most certainly will have opportunities presented to us to share our faith. Testifying simply means sharing with another person what God has been doing in your life, and the promise of Jesus in today’s gospel is for all those who believe in him. “I will give you words and a wisdom that none of your opponents will be able to withstand or contradict” (Lk. 21:15). The Holy Spirit will speak through us if we will allow it to be so.

Today, there is a little bit of information about LAMP in your bulletins – the Lutheran Association of Missionaries and Pilots. LAMP’s ministry is also an opportunity to testify. When I was 16 years old, I travelled to Muskrat Dam, Ontario with LAMP as part of a three person VBS team. It was the first time that I had ever taught or spoken in front of a group of children -- a pretty scary prospect! However, a lot of prayer went into our preparations for the sessions each day, and as the week progressed I found that I was given the words when I needed them. The Holy Spirit will speak through us, and we do not need to be afraid of opportunities to testify!

This promise that we will be given the words that we need is actually only one of the promises to be found in today’s readings. It may have seemed to us at first that the readings are only about destruction and burning up and persecutions. These are, indeed, realities that will occur. Yet, even in the midst of such times, the promise is given: “Not a hair of your head will perish. By your endurance you will gain your souls” (Lk. 21:18-19). Once again, those who have put their faith in Jesus Christ have nothing to fear. God is with us!

One final image for you today from the prophet Malachi – also an image of promise and hope: “For you who revere my name the sun of righteousness shall rise, with healing in its wings” (Mal. 4:2). Some of you might be reminded of the hymn “Hark! The Herald Angels Sing,” which is only one of the hymns that uses this image. Remember these words? “Hail the heav’n-born Prince of Peace! Hail the sun of righteousness! Light and life to all he brings, Ris’n with healing in his wings.” (LBW 60) The image of the sun with wings was actually used in Egypt and Mesopotamia as a symbol to represent a god. Obviously, a number of different hymn writers felt that Jesus could just as easily be described as the sun of righteousness, come to bring light and life and healing.

It is an amazing image to contemplate, one that reminds us of all that is given to us through Jesus. It is also a reminder that the same light and life and healing that Jesus brings is a gift to be passed on to others through us, both in word and deed.

We started out today with a wake-up call – the trials and destruction that would ultimately call God’s people to come back to him and to worship in spirit and in truth. We were reminded that in spite of the trials, there would be the opportunity to testify, with the promise that the Spirit would give us the words that are needed. Finally, we were reminded over and over again that those who trust in Jesus Christ have nothing to fear, for God is with us. God has counted the hairs on our head and has our souls in his hands, even as God has given to us the light and life and healing that comes through Jesus Christ. Thanks be to God! Amen.

Lectionary 33(C) Luke 21:5-19
November 18, 2007 Malachi 4:1-2a
St. Luke’s Zion Lutheran Church
Pastor Lynne Hutchison Moore

© 2007 Lynne Hutchison Moore All Rights Reserved