Luke 21:25–36
[Jesus said:] “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.”
And He told them a parable: “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. Truly, I say to you, this generation will not pass away until all has taken place. Heaven and earth will pass away, but My words will not pass away.
“But 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.” (ESV)
Prayer: Lord, now You let Your servant depart in peace, according to Your Word; for my eyes have seen Your Salvation which You have prepared before the face of all people, a Light to lighten the Gentiles, and the Glory of Your people Israel. Preserve us, O Lord, while waking, and guard us while sleeping, that awake we may watch with Christ, and asleep we may rest in peace. Amen.
Have You Seen the Signs?
In Christ Jesus, who will come again, dear fellow redeemed!
We see signs every day. We see road signs, stop signs, and highway numbers. There are aisle signs at the grocery store, warning signs on your vehicle dashboard, political or sport teams signs in yards, property signs, business signs, you name it. Signs are helpful. They give us necessary information, tell us where things will be, or what to do or not to do. They help us know what is going on. But what if, you couldn’t read any of the signs you saw every day? What if you didn’t understand even a little bit of what they meant? You would be completely lost. You would be uneasy and fearful as you made your way through life because you wouldn’t know what to expect. You could get lost, hurt, or even worse.
In our lesson, Jesus talks to us about different signs that we will see in our life. But unlike a road sign or aisle sign, these are signs which we would not be able to understand by simply reading. If we tried to understand them ourselves, we would be confused. And so, Jesus explains to us what they mean. He tells us that these signs are a reminder that he is coming back.
Just before our lesson, the disciples were speaking with one another about the temple and how it was so beautifully adorned. Perhaps to their surprise, Jesus told them that this beautiful temple would one day be destroyed. And so, the disciples asked Jesus how they would know when this would take place. In his answer, Jesus not only talks about the coming destruction of Jerusalem but also foretells of his final return in all his glory at the end of time. How will we know that the end is near? How will we know when Jesus will come to judge the living and the dead? Jesus says there will be signs in the sun, moon, and stars. There will be wars and rumor of wars, famine and plagues, false teachers and unbelief. Nations will be distressed over the roaring seas and waves, “people fainting with fear and with foreboding of what is coming of the world.” Then Christ will come in a cloud with power and glory. For unbelievers who have rejected Christ, it will be the end. They will faint with fear. They will receive God’s righteous judgement for their sin, rebellion, and indifference to God.
But Jesus does not want this for anybody! He wants us to be saved. He has seen to it that his Word would be preached throughout all the world. The Lord has brought it about that the New Testament has now been translated into almost 1800 languages! That’s amazing! The Gospel is being spread throughout the world so that some will see these signs and look, not with fear, but with hope and joy at the day of their redemption for Jesus’ sake.
Now here is the rub. Jesus’ warning in our lesson isn’t so much for unbelievers as it is for God’s people—for you in the pews. You see, we have been seeing these signs that Jesus described since he has ascended into heaven. There have been wars and rumors of wars, famines and false teachers. Jesus intends these signs to cause us to repent of our sins and attend to his Word, and keeps our eyes focused on heaven. However, since these signs have always been we can be tempted to be unconcerned, distracted with other things, and weighed down so that the last day comes upon us like a trap.
This past week I was in for a routine check-up at the Clinic. Before I went in to see my doctor and have the usual things checked out like blood pressure, heart rate, and so on, I had to fill out a questionnaire. Maybe you have filled out one of these. Ultimately, these questions are trying to get a sense of your mental health which can aid doctors in their care for you not only as an individual, but also because things like anxiety and depression can be symptoms of underlying medical conditions. So, they ask questions like:
- How often have you been bothered by feeling down, depressed, irritable, or hopeless during the past two weeks? (Not at all, several days, more than half the days, nearly every day).
- Over the last 2 weeks, how often have you been bothered by not being able to stop or control worrying?
- Over the last 2 weeks, how often have you been bothered by feeling nervous, anxious, or on edge?
(After reading this question, I thought, I haven’t been nervous or anxious until I had to fill out this questionnaire!)
You get the idea. In this this brief survey they are trying to get a sense of your mental health. Even if you are the most stable person, this survey can get you to start to think about things. Your attitude, responses to events and people, and how you have been taking care of yourself. Are there any warning signs? Could you use some help? Maybe you have been missing something. It gets you to start thinking about your life—your health. A good doctor wants you to be aware of signs that might indicate that caution and care are needed. A doctor wants to address any issue early on before it becomes difficult or too late to manage.
In our lesson, Jesus, the doctor of our souls, gives us a sort of spiritual health survey:
- In recent weeks, has your heart been weighed down with dissipation or gluttony, and drunkenness?
- Have you been consumed with the cares and wants of this life?
- Have you been taking the time to attend church, read his Word, receive the sacrament, pray, and prepare for Christ’s return?
- Have you been more concerned about the sins of others than your own?
- Have you treated your physical health as more important than your spiritual?
Our Lord Jesus wants you to be prepared. He doesn’t want you distracted. He wants you to realize what is the most important. This world will not last. It will all one day be destroyed. That is a fact. The things you are so concerned about—the cares of this life—will not last. “Heaven and earth will pass away, but My words will not pass away.”
So, Jesus says, hold on to my Word!
And what a great Word that is! It’s message that changes us from looking at these signs with fear and trembling, to joy and peace. Instead of being weighed down by these signs, Jesus said, “Straighten up and raise your heads, because your redemption is drawing near.” How can this be? It’s because the one who is coming to judge the world, is also our Savior from sin, death, and hell.
He is the one who has perfectly planned our redemption before the world began. Paul says that God chose us before the foundation of the world, having predestined us to adoption as sons “by Jesus Christ Himself” (Ephesians 1:5). God planned our redemption by sending his Son, who would live a perfect life in our place. He heeded God’s warnings, when tempted by Satan, Jesus clung to the Word. When suffering overcame him, he prayed according to God’s will and for us. He paid for our sins—of doubt, carelessness, and greed. “He was wounded for our transgressions, He was bruised for our iniquities” (Isaiah 53:5). He went to the cross, offering his life for us, giving us peace, that “the blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanses us from all sin” (I John 1:7).
Just as our Lord planned our redemption, he made plans to keep us safe until his final return. Jesus said, “Most assuredly, I say to you, he who hears My word and believes in Him who sent Me has everlasting life, and shall not come into judgment, but has passed from death into life” (John 5:24), and “neither shall anyone snatch them out of My hand” (John 10:28). God keeps us safe in his Word. He grants us forgiveness and confidence every time we celebrate the Lord’s Supper, “For as often as you eat this bread and drink this cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death till He comes” (I Corinthians 11:26). He gives you Pastors to preach to you, counsel you, and call you to repentance. He gives you the family of believers who care and pray for you.
God gives us these gifts because he wants us to be ready. If you want to be prepared—listen to God’s Word. Repent of your sins and believe that Christ has forgiven you. Daily drown the old Adam and put on the new man. Know that you are a loved, redeemed, and precious child of God. The hope that Jesus has given you will not fade away. Jesus says, “Heaven and earth will pass away, but My words will not pass away.” God’s word is true. God’s Word is sure. Our strength lies on this firm foundation, which will not pass away.
This Advent season is a time of repentance. Most of our country does not observe Advent. It goes from Thanksgiving to Christmas. But this season is important. It’s a time to study God’s Word, repent, and look forward to our Lord’s return. During this season of Advent, as the days grow shorter and colder, we also light candles. It’s a reminder that we do not live in the hopeless darkness of sin, because we have Christ, who is the light of the world. Each week in Advent we light another candle, until Christmas, when we light the white candle, the Christ candle—which points us to Jesus, our Savior, who was born in Bethlehem.
In the same way, the signs we see in this world point us to Jesus and his imminent return. These signs trouble the world, but they are meant to give you hope. This world will not last forever. Jesus is coming! We look with hope, not fear, because he is our Savior who loves us. Not only has he promised to care and be with us throughout our life, but he will come to take us to be with him forever in heaven. So, may we watch and wait with joyful anticipation. As Micah writes, “Therefore I will look to the Lord; I will wait for the God of my salvation; My God will hear me” (Micah 7:7). Amen.