Endurance

The Twenty-third Sunday after Pentecost

November 16, 2025

Luke 21:5-28

 “Endurance”

 Many years ago, I ran track when I was in junior high school. Sounds unbelievable, I know. There was one meet that I vividly remember where I ran the 880-meter run. The distance of 880 meters is 2.5 times around the track. Out of the starting block, I paced myself and eventually pulled ahead of all the other runners in that event. As I was running around the track, my teammates were running around the inside of the track, cheering me on: “You can do it! You can do it!” And yours-truly won the race, which was a very big deal for Jack in junior high. Stay the course, hang in there, press on, keep it up, persevere – all of these words mean same thing, of course. The big picture is not just about running track but running the race of faith. In these closing days of the church year, as we contemplate the end of all things and Jesus’ promised coming again to judge the world in righteousness, Jesus’ words in verse 19 from today’s Gospel lesson remind us: “By your endurance you will gain your lives” (Luke 21:19). As we think about what Jesus tells us, including those disturbing images that will precede his coming again, here is a call for endurance in faith. The message for today, rising up out of the Gospel lesson is entitled “Endurance.” May the Lord’s rich and abundant blessing rest upon the preaching, the hearing, and the living of his Word for Jesus’ sake.

The government shutdown is finally over after forty-three long days. It has left many in our area and around our country feeling beaten down and demoralized. The impact of this on people’s lives, in big ways and in small ways, cannot be overstated. When a person is in such a state, the thought of staying the course, hanging in there, persevering can feel pretty overwhelming. At such times, a kind word, a thoughtful gesture, a compassionate act can make all the difference in the world. So also in running the race of faith in this life. There are likely fellow worshipers here today who are feeling beaten down and demoralized due to all sorts of circumstances in life. The community in Christ that we have with one another calls us to care for one another; to encourage and build one another up in faith as we wait for our Savior to come on that great and final day. We don’t always know the burdens that our fellow believers are carrying in this life. A kind word, a thoughtful gesture, a compassionate act here within the community of believers, the Body of Christ, embodies the compassion and care of Christ himself who loves us and shed his blood for us. All of this helps us to run the race with fresh hope and patient endurance.

The picture that Jesus paints of events that will happen before he comes again are not just sobering; they are ominous and forbidding. In fact, they are terrifying. We would prefer to bypass all of this because it makes us uncomfortable. It is for that very reason that we need to wake up and pay attention so that we are not led astray. To run the race with endurance requires focus and concentration. The terrible signs of nation rising against nation, and kingdom against kingdom, great earthquakes, famines and pestilences – these are all things that are not just off in the future somewhere. These are current events that happen on any given day. Persecution for the sake of the Gospel is a very real thing, if not here, then certainly in many other parts of the world. Families become divided over faith in Jesus, leading to betrayal of loved ones. Some know what this looks like and feels like right now. All of this sounds like a horror movie, right? But in the midst of this, Jesus reminds us: “This will be your opportunity to bear witness. Settle it therefore in your minds not to meditate beforehand how to answer, for I will give you a mouth and wisdom, which none of your adversaries will be able to withstand or contradict” (Luke 21:13-15). Even then, with the world literally falling apart around us, this becomes a God-given moment, a divine opportunity, to point others to the One who has laid down his life for us all. It is the love of Christ that inspires us to run the race with endurance.

There was an immediate fulfillment of Jesus’ prophetic words that came with the destruction of Jerusalem in 70 A.D. It was a time of terrible suffering, destruction and death. But the ultimate fulfillment of Jesus’ prophetic words are yet to be realized when “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” (Luke 21:25-26). What will that be like? Can we even imagine? All of this is prelude to the “Son of Man coming in a cloud with power and great glory” (Luke 21:27). Instead of cringing with fear and crippled with panic, Jesus calls us to be at peace; in fact, to rejoice. The posture of fear and panic is to turn inward; to crouch down with hunched shoulders; making ourselves as small as possible. The posture Jesus calls us to is the opposite. Jesus calls his children to “straighten up and raise your heads because your redemption is drawing near” (Luke 21:28). Our risen, reigning and returning Savior is coming to take his beloved children home.

For now, even in times of great difficulty and struggle, we strive to run the race of faith with endurance, keeping our eyes fixed on Jesus (Hebrews 12:1ff.). We do so only through the grace and strength that Jesus gives to us now as he comes to us through his Word and Sacraments that we may be encouraged to stay the course and run the race. In Jesus, we know where we are headed. In Jesus, we know how the story ends – not in fear; not in suffering, destruction and death. In Jesus, the story ends with eternal joy and everlasting peace in that kingdom which our Savior has made ready from the foundation of the world for all who love him. In faith, let us press on in faith until Christ shall come again. Amen.