We are nearing the end of the Christian Church year. November 20, 2022 will be Christ the King Sunday and the following Sunday, November 27, will start the new Church year as the First Sunday of Advent. The Gospel readings during Advent often are apocalyptic. We are caught in a paradoxical time, where predictions regarding the end of time are preparing us for the birth of Jesus Christ.
While modern literature and media may cause us to fear apocalypse, it is also likely that we will find a vision of hope… hope for now… and hope for eternity… in apocalyptic tales. God is full of grace, and that’s why prophets and visionaries are commissioned by God to show us a better way. So, yes, I believe there is abundant grace in apocalypse. All we have to do is listen… and believe.
SERMON NOVEMBER 13 2022 APOCALYPSE (Epiphany of Christ Lutheran Church, Apache Junction, AZ) By The Reverend Patsy P Koeneke
Luke 21:5-19 New Revised Standard Version Updated Edition
“The Destruction of the Temple Foretold
5 When some were speaking about the temple, how it was adorned with beautiful stones and gifts dedicated to God, Jesus said, 6 “As for these things that you see, the days will come when not one stone will be left upon another; all will be thrown down.”
Signs and Persecutions
7 They asked him, “Teacher, when will this be, and what will be the sign that this is about to take place?” 8 And he said, “Beware that you are not led astray, for many will come in my name and say, ‘I am he!’ and, ‘The time is near!’Do not go after them.
9 “When you hear of wars and insurrections, do not be terrified, for these things must take place first, but the end will not follow immediately.” 10 Then he said to them, “Nation will rise against nation and kingdom against kingdom; 11 there will be great earthquakes and in various places famines and plagues, and there will be dreadful portents and great signs from heaven.
12 “But before all this occurs, they will arrest you and persecute you; 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 give you an opportunity to testify. 14 So make up your minds not to prepare your defense in advance, 15 for I will give you words and a wisdom that none of your opponents will be able to withstand or contradict. 16 You will be betrayed even by parents and siblings, by relatives and friends, and they will put some of you to death. 17 You will be hated by all because of my name. 18 But not a hair of your head will perish. 19 By your endurance you will gain your souls.” This is the Gospel of our Lord.
Grace and Peace to you, from God our Creator and from our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.
Jesus’ ministry is drawing to a close. And he is still teaching his disciples… preparing them for the time after his resurrection and ascension. They have been with him for nearly three years. Yet, they are still unsure of all that he has taught them, so they have no idea what the future will hold for them.
The 2nd Temple in Jerusalem was under construction for nearly 600 years. When King Herod arrived, it was a rather modest structure. It functioned well as a place for the high priests to offer sacrifices of atonement for the people. King Herod took on the task of enlarging the Temple and Temple grounds, and he spared no expense. Precious marble was used to build the additional structures. The finest cloth was used for the furnishings and jewels and gold leaf adorned the fixtures. It was a glorious sight… and the disciples were in awe of it.
Jesus, however, was not impressed. In fact, he warned his disciples to not put their value in material things. The temple was huge… and it was gorgeous… but it would not be long before it would be a pile of rubble. And it did come to pass, about 40 years after Jesus was crucified. And, while Jesus predicted that not a stone would be left in place, there is a remnant left in Jerusalem. Today it is known as the Wailing Wall. And perhaps God planned it this way, as a reminder that nothing man-made, no matter how magnificent, will last forever.
This prediction by Jesus is known as an apocalyptic prediction. When you hear the word “apocalypse” what do you think it means?
While apocalyptic predictions were very common during Jesus’ time, it’s likely you are familiar with modern day apocalyptic literature, even though we don’t commonly use that term. There are two stories set around Christmastime that are apocalyptic tales. Charles Dickens’ story, A Christmas Carol, is one. In his story, angels take the protagonist, Scrooge, on apocalyptic journeys, reminding him of his past, and showing what his future may look like if he doesn’t change his ways.
The other apocalyptic story is the beloved movie classic, It’s a Wonderful Life, starring Jimmy Stewart. This apocalyptic tale takes a different approach. It’s sort of a “reverse apocalypse.” The main character, George, is lamenting, saying he should never have been born, because his hometown would be better off without him. He is even contemplating suicide. An angel appears and reminds him of all the good he has done for others during his lifetime. Both of these stories have a happy ending. Scrooge does change his ways… and George keeps on doing what he does best… caring for and serving others.
So, if you didn’t already know, have you guessed what apocalypse means? Did you know that 4 of the books in the Old Testament are apocalyptic? They are Daniel, Ezekiel, Micah and Zechariah. Apocalyptic passages show up occasionally in NT Bible books, too, like our Gospel reading for today. Perhaps the most famous apocalyptic book in the Bible is actually the definition of apocalypse. Apocalypse means Revelation, or as one ELCA pastor defines it, (Barbara Rossing) it is like pulling back a curtain to reveal an unexpected truth.
While many people fear the book of Revelation, it is actually filled with dramatic imagery that points to hope and glory for those who remain faithful to God and Jesus Christ. Yes, there are some passages that we find confusing and disturbing, but that’s because we are not accustomed to processing the hidden meanings in apocalyptic stories. The people who first read apocalyptic biblical literature would have known all too well what the message was, and that it was meant for them.
To simplify Revelation, it is merely letters written to 7 churches in the Roman Empire after the death and resurrection of Jesus. It is a warning for these churches that they are to remain faithful to Jesus Christ and not let the powers that be, in government and society, intrude on their faith. At the time the letters were written, people were beginning to go back to their old ways and in doing so, forsaking their faith in God and Jesus Christ in the process. Revelation was meant to help them stay the course… and it also gave them a vision of the New Jerusalem that would come in the future… a place of peace… and joy… and hope… for those who remained ever-faithful. Did you know Revelation is the inspiration for the hymn “For all the Saints?” In fact, many of our most popular hymns were inspired by Revelation.
If you remember, earlier in Jesus’ ministry, he cleared the temple of the moneychangers, and told the Jewish leaders in John 2:19, “Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up.” Now, he was speaking at that time of himself… and the temple was his body. I believe that he was using the same metaphor when he answered the disciples in today’s Gospel reading. Without saying it directly, I think he was telling the disciples that the temple was just an inanimate object. And, despite its incredible size and beauty, it would be rubble in just a few short years. He was telling them that God does not reside in a building. The temple of God resides in each person who has faith in Jesus Christ.
We are the faithful. Thus, we are the temples of God. If Luke had stopped here, it would be a wonderful story. But, Jesus went on to warn his disciples, and all of his followers who were yet to come… including us!
First, there will be false prophets. They will try to persuade you that their way is the better way. False prophets will always be the ones who will benefit… whether it be taking your time… or your money… or leading you on a path away from God and Jesus Christ. So, be aware… these people will be subtle… and perhaps even enticing and seductive… but they will not have your best interest at heart. Only God and Jesus will want the absolute best for YOU.
I think we know all to well the dangers of wars and insurrections… and nations rising up against nations. We know of earthquakes, famines and plagues… and pandemics. We hear these stories on the news every day. But the point Jesus is making and that we are to remember is this: do not be afraid!
Jesus says “stay strong,” even in the face of persecution. In fact, we should expect, as followers of Jesus, that insurmountable obstacles may be placed in our way. But do not fear. We may lose our friends… our families… even our lives because we are steadfast in our faith, but we will not lose our salvation. Not a hair on our head will perish and we will gain our souls… we will gain eternal life… life that is only possible through faith alone in Jesus Christ.
Even if we lose every physical and living thing that is important to us, no one can take our faith away from us… unless we let them. I don’t know about you, but no one is going to lure me away from Jesus.
Perhaps we are in the midst of the dark times that Jesus warned us about. Certainly, the church of our childhood no longer exists. Oh, the message of the Bible has not changed. The love of God has not changed. The salvation we receive through faith alone in Jesus Christ has not changed. But, the people… the people have changed. Or perhaps it’s more accurate to say that many of them have wandered away… they have found things to do that are more important to them than building and maintaining relationships with people in a Christian community.
I have served as pastor to 8 churches – 2 as the called pastor and 6 as interim/transition pastor. In all but one of them, the majority of the active members were older than I am. In my 15+ years as a pastor, I have officiated at more funerals than I have weddings and baptisms combined. It’s always a special joy to celebrate the life of a saint who has moved on to their eternal reward. But it is heartbreaking to see the pews get emptier every year. I miss the sound of children and babies, of teenagers, and of young parents supporting each other through the maze of childrearing. Do you?
ELCA churches and most Christian churches are experiencing decline. It is predicted that in 20 years, there will only be a remnant of ELCA members left. Projections based on the current rate of decline in worship attendance predict that by 2041… in less than 20 years… only 16,000 people will be in worship each week across the entire US. So, we have to wonder… can anything be done?
Dr David Lose, ELCA pastor and professor at Luther Seminary is writing a book that hopefully will help pastors and current church members turn this decline around. In his research, he has discovered that the number one reason young people give for continuing church participation after confirmation is they had many thoughtful and in-depth conversations about faith with people in their congregations. It wasn’t just pastors doing the talking and listening… it was people from many walks of life telling these young people “Why their faith is so important and meaningful for them.’
Now, my children were brought up going to church and participating in the life of the congregation. They were confirmed down the street at Victory Lutheran Church in the 1990’s. They are not active at church and my grandchildren generally only come to church when they come with me. I imagine that many of you have similar experiences with your families.
Dr Lose shook me up when I heard him ask, “Have you ever told your children WHY your faith is important to you?” I imagine I have said a few things in passing, but I have never had an in-depth conversation with them about my faith… and I’m a pastor! That will change for my family from now on.
What about you? Are you concerned that the church is facing major decline every year? Have you told your children and grandchildren WHY your faith is important to you? Have you volunteered to be a mentor for a confirmation student or even a teen, taking the time to listen to their story and then tell yours?
The apocalyptic tale I leave you with is this: It is up to us to change our ways, if we truly care about Jesus and the future success of his church on Earth. We know the good news about Jesus Christ. Now it’s time to share the good news with others. Tell your story to those whom you love. Jesus will give you the words. And through your enduring faithfulness, many souls will be saved. Amen.
Grace Notes 