Sermon - Populus Zion 2021 - Luke 21:25-36

The Last Judgement, Hieronymus Bosch, 1504

There’s been a lot of chaos lately. What Jesus said is quite appropriate: “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.” What is it that is coming on the world? “The Son of Man coming in a cloud with power and great glory.” Jesus is coming!

“For behold, the day is coming, burning like an oven, when all the arrogant and all evildoers will be stubble. The day that is coming shall set them ablaze, says the LORD of hosts, so that it will leave them neither root nor branch.” For unbelievers and evildoers, the day that is coming, the day of Jesus’ return, will be a nightmare. Everything and everyone this evil world loves will be burned up on that last day.

But Christians have a different perspective. “But for you who fear my name, the sun of righteousness shall rise with healing in its wings. You shall go out leaping like calves from the stall.” Or Jesus says, “Now when these things begin to take place, straighten up and raise your heads, because your redemption is drawing near.” Instead of filling us with fear and terror, Christ’s coming gives us hope.

When the Lord’s people are surrounded by chaos and destruction, they respond to it by lifting up their heads in hope because those signs are reminders that the kingdom of God is near. This was most certainly the case in the Old Testament, before Christ came the first time. The faithful remnant of Israel in the Old Testament was surrounded by terror on every side, pagans wanting to kill them on one hand and faithless Jews pressuring them to fall away on the other hand; yet they had hope in the Messiah who was yet to come. The worse things became, the closer they were to the coming of Christ.

So in spite of so much evil around them, the faithful remnant still were filled with hope! God is going to come and their enemies will be destroyed, wiped out, and God’s little suffering church will be healed of all her wounds. This happened numerous times in the life of the church. Noah and his family, the last of the believers on earth, surrounded by evil on every side, but filled with hope when they saw the storm clouds of God’s deliverance approaching. Moses and the Israelites enslaved to the Egyptians and their infant sons suffering infanticide, filled with hope when the Red Sea waters came crashing down on the pursuing Egyptians. 

Likewise the Jewish people in the first century. Their nation, Israel, was under Roman occupation. Taxes were through the roof. Demonic possession was at an all time high. The Pharisees and Sadducess were replacing God’s Word with their own new teachings. And most Jews didn’t even care about a Messiah who would save them eternally, they just wanted an earthly Jewish king who would overthrow the Roman government. But the faithful remnant were filled with hope when Christ was born in Bethlehem, preached on the mountains, was crucified on the cross, rose from the grave, and ascended into heaven. The worse things grew, the closer they were to the Messiah.

Why do these things written in the Bible matter? “For whatever was written in former days was written for our instruction, that through endurance and through the encouragement of the Scriptures we might have hope.” This world is in despair at all the chaos taking place. There is distress, perplexity, fear, and foreboding. But because we know the signs we Christians are filled with hope!

When there is great sickness, viruses like Covid or the other things going around right now, this is a sign that Christ is coming soon. When there are problems like supply chain issues, and store shelves are empty, this is a sign that Christ is coming soon. When there is great evil like abortion or homosexuality or transgenderism, this is a sign that Christ is coming soon. When there are rumors of wars and civil wars, basic freedoms being revoked, this is a sign that Christ is coming soon.

Jesus teaches us the lesson of the fig tree so that we would learn to recognize that these things we’re experiencing are signs of Christ’s coming. “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.” Everyone can read the signs of the seasons. Trees start getting leaves, it’s gonna be summer. Trees lose their leaves, it’s gonna be winter. 

So more importantly let us learn to read the signs of Christ’s coming. The signs are all around us! Covid and our response to Covid is a sign. The increasing wickedness in the world is a sign. That people are talking about another Civil War and a Great Reset is a sign. The fact that store shelves are missing sour cream or toilet paper is a sign. The increasing secularization and so few people going to church is a sign. When these things take place, we know that the kingdom of God is near and that Jesus is coming soon!

Instead of being filled with fear, foreboding, distress, and perplexity, these signs ought to fill us with hope! Our redemption is drawing near! Jesus paid our debt of sin on the cross, and now Jesus is going to come soon and collect us, redeem us from this world, and bring us to heaven! This is good news for us Christians!

The storms sweeping over the earth right now are just like the huge storms we get in March or April. Sure, we get a ton of snow dumped on us, a terrible blizzard, 18 inches, two feet of snow, but those storms come at the end and are signs that winter is nearly over and spring and summer are almost here! “You shall go out leaping like calves from the stall.” When the storms of this life come, be encouraged and be filled with hope because it means that the troubles are almost over.

The part right before the end is always the hardest, especially when you don’t realize you’re at the end. Your tank is nearly empty, you’re running on fumes, you’re tired and starved, you just want to quit. Towards the end of war you’re wounded and exhausted, the battle strain is too much, you’re sick, you’ve fought for too long and it feels like it’s never going to end. 

It’s right near the end when your opponent starts to feel desperate and sees the tiredness in your eyes, he attacks you harder than before because he knows that he won’t last much longer either. But that’s when the battle matters the most! If you hold on right now, when it’s the hardest, if you maintain hope against all odds, your victory and reward are just around the corner.

That’s where we’re at right now in this world! The end is just around the corner, I know you can’t see it, but the signs are everywhere! Satan is attacking harder than before, both because he sees that you're tired, and because he knows the battle is almost over and that he’s not going to win. You’ve fought this long so don’t give up now! Have hope! Be encouraged and endure to the end! Jesus is coming!

“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.”

Don’t give up! Jesus is almost here! See how the remnant remained faithful and warmly greeted Jesus when He arrived as a baby. They held onto hope and so will we. “May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that by the power of the Holy Spirit you may abound in hope.”