Hang In There

The Twenty-fifth Sunday after Pentecost
November 13-14, 2010
Luke 21:5-19

 “Hang in There”

Have you heard about this year’s ad campaign by the American Humanist Association for the upcoming holiday season? “The ads pit particularly violent or archaic passages from religious texts against more inclusive, mellow and peaceful writings of secular humanists. They target the Koran as well as the Bible” (The Washington Post, “An intensifying tug of war over Christmas,” by Petula Dvorak in Metro section, pp. 1 and 5, 11-12-10). The ads made their debut this past Friday night on “Dateline,” and will be seen on Metro trains and buses in the days ahead. Watch and see. The timing of all this, as you might imagine, is intentional; to coincide with the celebration of Jesus’ birth. The American Humanist Association isn’t the first group to announce that they have trouble with what is found in the Bible. Many others have said the same thing. In truth, any believer who has delved deeper into the Scriptures has to wrestle with this very thing, and it can be unsettling. Perhaps Jesus’ words in today’s Gospel lesson would be among such troubling passages: wars and insurrections; nation rising against nation and kingdom against kingdom; earthquakes, famines, plagues, portents, and great signs from heaven. Jesus goes on to describe how his followers will be arrested and persecuted, betrayed by members of their own family and hated by all because of his name. This is a lot to take in. So, in good Lutheran fashion, we ask ourselves: “What does this mean?” That becomes the focus of the message for this second-to-last Sunday in the church year, under the theme “Hang in There.” May the Lord’s rich blessing rest upon the preaching, the hearing, and the living of his Word, for Jesus’ sake.

We find ourselves in the closing days of the church year, and the focus is upon the last days and the promise of Jesus to come again to judge the world in righteousness. Psalm 98, which we read together, celebrates this truth: “Let the sea roar, and all that fills it, the world and those who dwell therein. Let the rivers clap their hands, and let the hills ring out with joy before the Lord, who comes to judge the earth. The Lord will judge the world with righteousness and the peoples with equity” (Psalm 98:7-9). Psalm 98 is the basis for that beloved Christmas carol, “Joy to the World.” It is a joyful, cosmic shout of welcome to the Lord. We like this. It’s upbeat and uplifting. On the other hand, we don’t like so much the words of the prophet Malachi in the Old Testament lesson (Malachi 4:1-2a) or  Jesus’ words in the Gospel lesson (Luke 21:5-19). They are more ominous and threatening. They speak of judgment and destruction. Whether we like it or not, we must pay attention to God’s Word – all of it; the parts that make us feel good and the parts that make us squirm. In the Gospel lesson, Jesus is pointing ahead to the destruction of Jerusalem, which took place in 70 A.D. But in a larger sense, Jesus is pointing us ahead to the end of the world. With these things in mind, how then are we to live? Do we quit our jobs and just hang around, living off the good will and charity of others? This is what was happening with the believers Paul was writing to in today’s Epistle lesson (2 Thessalonians 3:6-13). Jesus’ words in that final verse of the Gospel set things in context: “By your endurance you will gain your souls” (Luke 21:19).  It is that word “endurance” that I would hold up to you this day.

There used to be a poster around with a cat hanging on by its claws to a tree branch, with the words: “Hang in there – Friday’s coming!” Some folks endure the work week just to make to Friday and the freedom of the weekend. TGIF! Thanks God it’s Friday. Now, we all have weeks like that at work or school where Friday can’t come soon enough. But if our endurance, our perseverance, our hanging in there only takes us to the end of the work week, that’s pretty shallow. Isn’t there more to life than this? Jesus is talking about something much greater here. The Christian life is an endurance race, that no matter what comes our way – good or ill – we keep our eyes fixed on Jesus, as God’s Word tells us: “Let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, keeping our eyes fixed on Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, scorning the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God” (Hebrews 12:1b-2). Our model for patient endurance, for steadfast perseverance, for faithful hanging in there, is Jesus himself. He endured the agony of the cross. He did not deviate or shy away from what was set before him. But we do! We shy away from the challenges God calls us to face. We deviate from God’s will and purpose for our life by what we do and what we don’t do. We need help. We need that endurance that Jesus has to offer. He is able to sustain us as we walk through this life. That word “endurance” here means something that is active, not static. Jesus calls his people to active endurance that opposes the evil while patiently waiting on the Lord. So, it’s not just sitting around, fearfully huddled together and sequestered away from the world. No, Jesus calls us instead to go forth boldly in his name and confidently with his power, doing the work he has given us to do until he comes again. So, maybe we should re-do that poster with the cat hanging on to the tree branch by its claws. It’s not “Hang in there – Friday’s coming!” but “Hang in there – Jesus is coming!” Jesus, who loves us and gave himself for our sins upon the cross, is coming again.

In the midst of all the unsettling things Jesus speaks of – wars and insurrections, earthquakes, famines, plagues, portents, and great signs from heaven, there is opportunity. While Jesus’ followers are being arrested and persecuted, betrayed by members of their own family, hated by all because of his name, “This will give you an opportunity to testify,” Jesus tells us (Luke 21:13). Jesus promises to give his people words and wisdom that cannot be withstood or contradicted. In fact, he tells us not even to prepare anything in advance. He will supply what is needed in that very hour. Wow! What a promise! And so we press on, running with endurance the race that is set before us. Hang in there – Jesus is coming! Thanks be to God. Amen.