Worth the Effort (Luke 21:5-19)

 Walter Brueggemann said that passages like this one are “intellectually difficult and pastorally problematic.” 

Brueggemann, who died earlier this year, was one of the most influential Bible interpreters of our time. 

If someone like him finds this scripture to be difficult and problematic, what hope is there for someone like me?

(And why didn’t I find something easier to preach on?)

Well, let’s see if God does have a word for us today in this difficult and problematic scripture…

▶️ The scripture passage starts with Jesus saying to those who were with him that the magnificent temple in Jerusalem will, one day soon, be destroyed. Not one stone will be left upon another.

If Jesus did say such a thing in his lifetime, those who heard him would certainly have been shocked. This temple was, at the time, the largest man-made structure on earth. In scale and grandeur, it rivaled the pyramids in Egypt and the Colosseum in Rome.

The walls of the temple were 50 feet high, and were made of gleaming white and green marble. A traveler arriving in Jerusalem would see it from miles away.

The temple symbolized permanence. Stability. It was the center of Jewish life.

For Jesus to speak of the destruction of the temple would be to speak of the destruction of society itself. And indeed, Jesus went on to mention things like wars and insurrections; nation rising against nation, kingdom rising against kingdom; earthquakes, famines, and plagues.

But then, he adds: "Don't worry about it. Don’t be afraid.”

A question I often ask when trying to understand scripture is: “Why did the author feel it important to include this?” In this case, “Why did Luke think this was an important thing to include in his account of the gospel?”

And, in this case, the answer to that is quite obvious. 

Luke wrote his gospel around the year 80, give or take.

And the temple that Jesus predicted would be destroyed, actually was destroyed, by the Roman army, in the year 70.

So, Luke was writing this not long after the temple had been destroyed.  

Which means the people Luke was writing to had already experienced all these things that Jesus appears to have predicted. They had experienced—and were still experiencing—what, in many ways, felt to them like the end of the world.

And Luke included this in his gospel as a way of letting people know that it was all part of the plan. 

Or, if not “part of the plan,” Luke at least wanted them to know that there still was a plan, that God still had a plan, that there is a future even beyond the end, and that these difficult, cataclysmic, apocalyptic times they were living through, though difficult, were actually giving them an opportunity to grow in faith and witness to the gospel.

Now, the difficult and problematic part of all this is that it does sound very apocalyptic. It’s very eschatological.  

And we know that other Christian writers, like the apostle Paul, really did expect the end times, the second coming of Christ, and a literal new creation to begin in their lifetimes.

Something that, obviously, did not happen.

And now, it’s 2,000 years later. And it still hasn’t happened. Not in the great, cosmological sort of way that scripture seems to imply.

Which is why this scripture is “intellectually difficult and pastorally problematic,” as Brueggemann said.

What do we do with this?

Throughout Christian history, there have been leaders who said they have studied the scriptures, they have read the signs, and that they know exactly when the end of the world is going to happen, or when the second coming will take place.

One such prediction made just a few months ago even got quite a bit of attention, at least online.

But the date came and went, as it always does…

It’s all quite embarrassing, really. 

But one thing I do know is that, in many ways, people today are living with that same dread, that same feeling, that the world is ending, that the Jews and early Christians felt in the first century. Everything seems to be coming to an end.

▶️ The climate is changing. The earth is already experiencing stronger hurricanes, longer droughts, and warmer temperatures. Some animal species are adapting by migrating, but many other species are finding it hard to adapt, and extinction rates have skyrocketed. 

The good news is that we have the technology and the ability to stop climate change. The bad news is that we lack the leadership to make it happen.

Too many of our leaders are more interested in what’s good for their party, or what’s good for business, and less concerned about what’s good for people, or for the earth. True dialogue has been replaced by inflammatory accusations, name-calling, and lies. 

The rights of so many are being threatened or have already been taken away. This is especially true for those who are most vulnerable: the poor, those earning minimum wage, immigrants, minorities, and the LGBTQ community.

Jesus taught us to love our neighbor, and when someone asked him “who is our neighbor?” Jesus responded by telling a parable that worked to expand infinitely the definition of who is our neighbor. And yet so many of our leaders today are doing just the opposite, working to restrict and narrow the definition of who a neighbor is, drawing the circle ever smaller.

And in the midst of it all, the teachings of Jesus seem to be less and less influential. His way of love is not being followed, not even by many who claim to be his followers. And the hypocrisy is driving many others away, preventing them from ever hearing or knowing the true, life-giving, life-affirming message he proclaimed.

In many ways, it feels like the church today is crumbling, just like the temple did in the year 70.

Maybe one way we could read this passage is to not focus on a specific moment in history when the world is coming or will be coming to an end, but to recognize that the world is always coming to an end, at least for someone. Someone is always facing the end of life as we know it, and that is something that many people are feeling today: this great existential dread.

And yet, Luke tells us to not be afraid.

▶️ And Luke tells us that we still have an opportunity, that perhaps because of these difficult times, we have an opportunity like never before, to bear witness to the gospel, to live out our faith, and to show the world what it really means to follow Jesus; what it really means to trust in him; what it really means to love God and love our neighbor, and to work for wholeness in the midst of this fragmented world.

That doesn’t mean it is easy. I wish it were easy! Why do we have to work so hard just to create or maintain a decent, liveable world? Why is it always such a struggle? Why do so many fail to see what it is that makes for peace in our world? Why can’t a world of justice and peace, and harmony and love just come naturally? Easily? Why must we work so hard at it? 

I’m tired of working hard. I’m tired of the struggle.

And I have it easy. I have privileges that many do not. So many have struggled a lot harder than I have or ever will.

Does it even make sense, that we have to work so hard just to prevent a human-caused end of the world? Wouldn’t you think that everyone would work together on at least this one thing? Wouldn’t you think that this would be one thing we could all agree on, that a more peaceful, more loving, more sustainable world is worth striving for? And sacrificing for?

How much easier would the struggle be, if we all had this one goal in common?

Yet there are people—people with power—whose decisions and actions work contrary to a more peaceful, loving, sustainable world; people who are working to break the world rather than put the world back together.

Which makes our task, of bringing wholeness to this fragmented world, all that much harder.

Luke says that the difficulties and the struggle give us an opportunity. 

I don’t know if I want that opportunity. It sounds like an opportunity to do something hard, something difficult, something challenging.

But maybe, when we take advantage of the opportunities that arise in difficult times, we find more fulfillment. Doing something hard, and succeeding—doesn’t that bring a greater satisfaction than just doing something easy.

Haven’t there been times when you’ve struggled for something, and in the end you felt really good about yourself, because you worked so hard for something you believed in?

And I think about the youth camps I’ve worked at; we often give our campers the opportunity to do something hard. Go on a hike. Pass a swim test. Or, the hardest of all: speak in front of your fellow campers during worship.

Campers often push themselves to do these things… and the struggle, the effort, pays off. The struggle is always worth it in the end.

Maybe that’s why things are hard. Maybe that’s why we struggle. 

Maybe not every struggle fits this explanation. I mean, I can think of some exceptions. But many of the struggles we face, when we face them, we do become stronger, and we do find greater fulfillment and satisfaction.

Heck, even the struggle to preach on a scripture that is “difficult and problematic” can be more fulfilling and more rewarding than preaching on a scripture that requires, well, very little effort…

And when we accomplish something that we didn’t think was possible, we can look back, and realize that God was there with us, helping us, giving us the strength we need, making it possible.

If everything was so easy, we could do it, and say “look what we did.” It was so easy, we didn’t need God.

But when we struggle, and when we do something hard—something we didn’t think possible—it makes us realize that we really do depend on God. It makes us realize that God hasn’t let up. God is still giving us the strength we need. 

It bears witness to God’s strength and God’s love and God’s faithfulness.

And we are left with the realization that, no matter what we’re going through, we don’t need to be afraid, because God is with us.

So yes, there is a lot going on in the world. And yes, the struggles we face are difficult. And yes, it does often feel that the world is ending.

But God is present, with you through it all. And God will give you the strength you need. And God will bring you into that future that God has waiting for you.

Preparing Our Hearts (Luke 21:25-33)

The first Sunday of Advent reminds us that how we prepare for a moment affects how we experience the moment when it arrives. Does that make sense? How we prepare for a moment affects how we experience the moment when it arrives.

How we prepare for Christmas affects how we experience Christmas. Or, to state it in reverse, How we experience Christmas depends on how we prepare for Christmas.

Christmas is coming. We see the signs. The decorations are up. The sales have begun. Coffee shops have replaced pumpkin spice with peppermint.

Just as Jesus told us to, we can see the signs. Jesus said that when you see the leaves start to appear, that’s the sign that summer is near. Well, when we see all these things, we know that Christmas is near.

So it certainly shouldn’t be a surprise when Christmas day arrives. The signs are all around us. Christmas is coming, but it’s only December 2; we have plenty of time to prepare.

But it still happens, doesn’t it, that Christmas day arrives, and we wake up, and we think, “Where did the time go? I’m not ready.” And on the day of celebration, the day of feasting, we’re stressed because we haven’t finished preparing.

And our experience of Christmas is shaped by how we have prepared for Christmas.

This is true for just about anything.

The wisest ones among us tell us that the first few minutes of our day can give shape to how the whole rest of the day will go for us. They advise taking a few moments in the morning to prepare for the day ahead.

When you first wake up: take a few deep breaths… focus your mind on gratitude… and set your intention for the day. A moment of gratitude in the morning will help you find things to be grateful for throughout the day. A moment of peaceful intention in the morning will help you find peace throughout the day.

A nice, relaxed breakfast, is a good way to do this. A moment of peace. A moment of thanks for a good meal. A moment of positive intention for the day ahead.

I know: starting your day in such a prayerful way is easier said than done. We hit the snooze too many times, we rush to do the tasks that we should have done the night before (but didn’t), and we frantically make our way out the door behind schedule.

That’s how our day starts,... and that’s how our day goes.

How we prepare for the day affects how we experience the day.

We really need to start our intentions the night before. Do those tasks that need to be done before bed, instead of leaving them until morning. That way your sleep won’t be interrupted by thoughts of all the things you’ve left undone. Set your clothes out. Have your bag or purse packed and ready to go.

And then, when you go to bed (at a reasonable hour), spend a few moments taking deep breaths,... and giving gratitude for another day.

Then crawl into bed, and just listen to the silence. If the noise in your head continues, be patient; it may take some time for it to settle down. Just let that silence wrap around you like a blanket. In that silence, find peace.

Whatever you do, do not interrupt this calming down process by checking your phone or having the TV on!

I know: ending your day in such a peaceful, intentional way is easier said than done. Yet, how we prepare for a night’s sleep affects the sleep we get.

We know what else needs to be done: exercise during the day helps us sleep well at night. Taking care of stressful tasks at least an hour before bed, so that the last hour we’re awake is calm and peaceful, helps us sleep well at night. Avoiding caffeine and alcohol and any kind of heavy eating in the hours before bed helps us sleep well at night.

How we prepare for a night’s sleep affects the quality of the sleep we get.

Jesus teaches us to prepare ourselves for the arrival of God’s kingdom. People in Jesus’s day measured the arrival of God’s kingdom in generations or centuries. After all, they had been waiting many generations for its arrival.

But Jesus said: “Look at the signs. Already the leaves are coming, and when that happens, you know that summer is near.” God’s kingdom is near. But how we experience God’s kingdom depends on how we prepare for it.

For some who are unprepared, it will be a terrible day of judgment. But for those who have practiced the ways of the kingdom, the kingdom is already present, and it is a glorious kingdom of love and peace.

These past few weeks I’ve been reading some works by Henri Nouwen, a Catholic theologian who died in 1996. His writings are intensely personal, and in much of what I’ve read, his focus is on preparing for death. He wrote of his mother’s death, and of his own preparations for death. This is not as morbid as it sounds. It’s all about a search for peace and meaning in death.

Many people die unprepared. Many more are unprepared for the death of their loved ones. And yet, there can be tremendous peace and tremendous meaning in dying, for the one who has died, and for their loved ones, as long as we have prepared ourselves for death.

How you prepare for death determines how you will experience death. (I’m so glad I found these books by Henri Nouwen!)

Let’s talk some more about Christmas: how, exactly, are you preparing for Christmas? Is it all about shopping and decorating and filling up your schedule with activities?

In the song “Joy to the World,” we sing: “Let every heart prepare him room.” How is your heart preparing? How are you preparing room in your heart for Christ this Christmas?

It’s not just our decorated houses and our paper-wrapped presents that we need to prepare. We need to prepare our hearts. Too many arrive at Christmas day with unprepared hearts; this, despite the fact that the signs of Christmas’s arrival are impossible to miss.

Christmas is coming; are you preparing your heart?

How you prepare for Christmas day will affect how you experience Christmas day.

Because the future is not disconnected from the present, and the present is not disconnected from the past. How you experience God’s presence in worship this morning depends, in part, on how you have prepared your heart to be here today. How did you prepare your heart yesterday for worship today? How did you prepare your heart last week for worship today?

We can’t go back and change the past in order to have a better present. But we can make decisions in the present that will help us have a better future.

How does one prepare one’s heart for Christmas? I think you already know the answer to that.

The heart is prepared by love. When we show love, when we practice love, we are preparing our hearts for Christmas.

Love takes many forms. Mary and Joseph searched for a place to stay in Bethlehem; but because Bethlehem was full of visitors, and because Mary and Joseph were people from far-away Galilee who spoke with an accent, no one would give them a place to stay. No one would provide them refuge. It didn’t matter that Mary was pregnant; no one would show them any love.

So they had to spend the night among the livestock. And that’s where Jesus was born: out back, among the sheep and cattle.

We can show love when we do extend a loving welcome to others. To those who are forced to travel from far away, and may speak with an accent, we can extend a loving welcome. To those who have been told by their families that they don’t really belong; to those who have been told by various manifestations of the church that there is no room for them… we can say, Yes, there is room for you here. There is room at God’s table for all of God’s children. There is plenty of love to go around.

So come on in. Find refuge. You are welcome here….

That is but one way we can show love, and prepare our hearts for Christmas.

And the truth is, when we prepare our hearts for Christmas by showing love, Christmas is already present. We don’t have to wait until December 25 to experience Christmas! Christmas day may still be several weeks in the future, but that future becomes present when we show love.

African-American poet Howard Thurman described ways we can prepare our hearts for Christmas. He said we prepare for Christmas when we:

• find the lost,
• heal the broken,
• feed the hungry,
• release the prisoner,
• rebuild the nations,
• bring peace among brothers,
• make music in the heart.

Actually, Howard Thurman was writing about the work we do after Christmas, but I hope by now you see how past, present, and future are all connected, and that we can always prepare our hearts for Christmas by showing love - in these ways, and many other ways.

Another way to prepare for Christmas is by spending time in prayer, and contemplating on what message and meaning the story of Christmas has for us today.

We’ve already done a little of that this morning, in pondering the significance of Mary and Joseph being forced from their homeland, and finding no refuge in Bethlehem. Though it took place 2,000 years ago, the Christmas story speaks to us today… because, again: past, present, and future are all connected.

We will hear more of the Christmas story in the weeks to come, and in so many ways, the past will become present…

And the future becomes present as well.

Jesus saw summer as he pointed out the leaves appearing on the fig tree…

The future for which we long is present here with us, now. The leaves of summer are already present on the tree, even in the cold of winter, in little nibs we can see if we look closely… and even before that, in the very DNA of the tree… and even before that, in the seed from which the tree grew.

They’re all there, every leaf of summer.

Too often, in the middle of winter, we look at a tree that has lost its leaves, and all we see is bare, barren branches. We don’t see the life within the tree. Which is understandable, because we’re used to seeing things a certain way, and since we don’t see the leaves, we think all is lost.

But there is another way of seeing, and when we tap into that other way of seeing, we see the leaves, we see the life, that is really present, there, in the tree, at that very moment.

So the future we long for, the future we hope for, the future we anticipate, is already present.

And the church we long for, the church we hope to be… we already are. I know in this New Beginnings process, we’ve spent a lot of time talking about the church we want to be, or the church God wants us to be… but we already are that church.

We’ve been preparing for a new future, but that future is already present, because we are filled with hope, and we are filled with love.

And in a world where many see only greed and hate and despair, God’s kingdom of hope and love and compassion is present and alive right now, through the church. We wait for God’s kingdom, we anticipate its coming, but God’s kingdom is present. God’s kingdom is here.

So please: don’t look at the bare tree and give up hope. Don’t look at the bare tree and say “all is lost.”

All is not lost. All is not lost because YOU are present in the world. All is not lost because you have the hope and the love of Christmas in your heart. All is not lost, because God has placed Christmas in your heart, and you don’t need to wait until December 25 to share Christmas with the world.

Christmas is coming, yes; but Christmas is also now. We prepare for Christmas, yet Christmas is already present.

Through you. Through me. Through the church.

Sermon: "In Our Death, a Resurrection" (Luke 21:5-19)

OK, I’ve talked about the temple before, but I want you to picture it. I want you to picture yourself as a first-century Jew arriving at the temple after a long journey.

The temple is largest man-made structure on earth. In scale and grandeur, it rivals the pyramids in Egypt and the Colosseum in Rome – and it’s not even finished yet. Construction continues.

The walls of the temple are 50 feet high, and are made of gleaming white and green marble. As a traveler arriving in Jerusalem, you can see it from many miles away.

Inside the walls is an area the size of 14 football fields, and at the center of that area is the Holy of Holies. When we read in the Bible that so-and-so was standing in the temple, most likely that means that they were in this massive courtyard area (which actually was divided into mulltiple courtyards), or along one of the porticoes which surrounded them.

The temple symbolizes permanence. Stability.

And when you finally reach its base, you can’t help but touch those massive stone walls with your hands, feeling the smooth, cool marble with your fingers, sensing the strength and power and permanence of the temple flow into you. With all the turmoil in Jewish history – and all the turmoil in the present – what with the Roman occupation – how comforting and reassuring to have this symbol of stability and strength, and to feel it with your own fingers, and then to walk in through its massive gates, passing from the hot sun into cool shadow, and climbing its endless stairways before emerging into the courtyard and back into the bright sunlight.

And there, squinting, you look around and see all the ornate carvings and magnificent decorations adorning this wonder of religion and architecture.

How could you not proclaim, out loud, your admiration and awe? What words would you use to describe this magnificent sight: the temple on which you now stand?

Imagine, then, if Jesus is there, and he hears your words of admiration, and says to you: “These things you see… the days will come when not one stone will be left upon another. All will be thrown down.”

Say what?

Nahhh…

What kind of power, what kind of force, could destroy such a magnificent, sturdy, solid temple?

Incredulous, you might ask: “Jesus, when will this happen?” You want to know, because the end of the temple would surely mean the end of life as you know it. The end of the temple would mean the end of the world. To no longer have the temple – that would be catastrophic.

Jesus says: “It’s not just this temple that will be destroyed. There will be wars and insurrections, earthquakes, famines, and plagues. By the time that occurs, you will already have been arrested and persecuted because of your faith, and you will be made to testify before kings and governors.”

Then Jesus says: “But don’t be scared… don’t be terrified… Stand up, and keep your head high. Because this is actually an opportunity for you, a blessing in disguise…”

And hearing this, you think: “What? Jesus says the world is about to end, but to not be frightened? Earthquakes, wars, famines, and – worst of all – the destruction of the temple, and I’m supposed to not be afraid?”

It was around the year 30 that Jesus stood in the temple and supposedly said these things. Forty years later, the temple was destroyed. The Jewish population rebelled against the Roman Empire, and in retaliation, Roman legions under Titus attacked Jerusalem and destroyed the temple.

Ten years after the temple was destroyed, Luke wrote his gospel.

Keep that in mind. It was ten years after the temple was destroyed that Luke wrote about Jesus predicting the temple’s destruction.

And it’s possible that not all the words Luke says Jesus said, Jesus actually said. They may be Luke’s words, spoken to comfort and encourage people of faith living after the destruction of the temple.

But that does not mean that Luke’s words aren’t inspired.

After all, Jesus did speak – more than once – of the end as being a new beginning. In fact, that is a central theme of our faith!

And this wouldn’t be the first time that followers of Jesus witnessed things come crashing down around them, only to discover new opportunities and new life.

They had expected that Jesus himself would become the ruler of a new age, a new kingdom, on earth. He would be crowned king, elected president, appointed prime minister!

That’s what they expected. But it’s not what happened.

Jesus was captured and arrested by Rome, tried, and executed.

A cataclysmic event for his followers.

They did not want, or expect, to see Jesus die.

They did not want, or expect, to see the temple destroyed.

How on earth could things possibly continue?

How on earth could the movement Jesus started continue without him?

How on earth could the faith continue with its spiritual home in ruins?

Jesus’s life must. Be. Preserved.

As Peter said when Jesus predicted his crucifixion, “God forbid these things should ever happen!”  Peter didn’t want to see the end. He didn’t want to see things fall apart.

Remember Jesus’s response? “Get behind me, Satan! You have set your mind not on divine things but on human things!”

And then Jesus said, “Those who want to save their life will lose it, and those who lose their life for my sake will save it.”

This is really hard to understand, isn’t it?

To save your life, you must lose it?

To save the temple, it must be destroyed?

 It’s like in the Pixar movie Cars: Lightning McQueen is told to turn right to go left. His response: “Oh, that makes perfect sense! Turn right to go left! Yes! Thank you! Or should I say ‘no thank you!’ Because in ‘Opposite World’ maybe that really means ‘thank you!’”

So the temple has been destroyed. Jesus has been crucified. The end has come. What now? Can we really believe that this is a new opportunity for us? Can we really believe that good will come of it? Can this really be an opportunity to show what we’re made of, to testify and bear witness?

Here’s another movie scene for you:

The 1995 movie Apollo 13 dramatizes NASA’s attempt to rescue 3 astronauts after their spacecraft is damaged. When the gravity of the situation becomes clear, and the challenge before them seems insurmountable, the NASA director says: “This could be the worst disaster NASA’s ever experienced.”

That is the voice of those who have given in to fear.

In response, flight director Gene Kranz says: “With all due respect, sir, I believe this is gonna be our finest hour.”

That is the voice of those who refuse to give in to fear, who keep their heads held high, and who are prepared to meet the challenge before them.

Now, I must admit, the crucifixion was not easy for the disciples to witness. In fact, it was devastating. They were crushed and weighed down with despair – until the truth of the resurrection became apparent to them.

And those who witnessed the destruction of the temple: those were indeed trying times, difficult times, challenging times.

But we shouldn’t be afraid of the challenges before us.

A few weeks ago I was substitute teaching a middle school class in which the students were learning something new. One girl said to me, “This is hard!”

“Yes!” I said. “Isn’t that great? Your mind is being challenged. If it was easy, you wouldn’t need school. If it was easy, your mind wouldn’t expand. If it was easy, you wouldn’t grow.” (I’m not sure she appreciated my encouragement…)

I say something similar to the kids who I ride bikes with every third Sunday of the month, at Kidical Mass. We come to a steep uphill section, and some of them groan, but I say, “Yeah! Uphill!”

I mostly do that to try and encourage them, make them laugh, lift their spirits, but as with any exercise, it takes effort for growth to occur. It takes effort and exertion to make those muscles grow. Ride up enough hills, and pretty soon, those uphills won’t be so difficult.

You know this, right? Any opportunity to grow is a challenge. Look at Archer: Archer is learning how to walk: over and over he fails at it. Babies stand up, babies fall down. It’s difficult work! It’s takes awhile to figure out. But he hasn’t given up yet! He keeps putting in the effort, and one day soon, he’ll succeed…

When Jesus died and the temple was destroyed, the followers of Jesus had to find a whole new way of doing church. Everything they thought they knew was falling apart. They had to find a way to embrace a new beginning.

And every 500 years since, like clockwork, it has happened again. Every 500 years, the old is torn down, and something new emerges.

500 years after Jesus, Christianity had become widespread, and accepted into mainstream culture. This was very different from the early centuries when Christians were persecuted and oppressed. This was a whole new way of doing church.

500 years after that was the great schism, when the western church centered in Rome and the Eastern Orthodox Church split. It was a time of great religious upheaval, a time when, once again, the end of one era became the new beginning of the next.

500 years after that, the Protestant reformation once again tore down old ways of doing church, and new ways emerged. Like the previous times, it was difficult, challenging, and things were in chaos, but the church was transformed into something new.

500 years after that brings us to our own time. Yes, we live in the midst of a new reformation, a time when the old church is being torn down, and a new church is emerging. The way church has been done the past 500 years is coming to an end, but in every end is a new beginning. What the church will look like when this is all over, I’m not sure. It is a challenging, difficult time to be the church.

But like every other time of upheaval, this is also a time of great opportunity.

Because when we work with the Spirit and rise to meet the challenge, what will emerge from the ruins of our temple will be a transformed church, ready to carry out our mission in a new age. Transformation often feels like death, but in death, there is a resurrection.