Rev’d Mark B. Stirdivant, Good Shepherd Lutheran Church, Yucaipa, California
✝ sdg ✝

Pay attention to what Jesus says about the signs of the end of the world. Pay attention also to what He does not say. He does not say, for instance, that you will be able to decipher an actual time when this will take place. Nor does your Lord want you overly concerned about the signs themselves, because earthly things like destroyed temples, famines, earthquakes, wars and rumors of wars have no power over your eternal, heavenly salvation. Give only a passing glance to these “highway signs” because Christ wants your eyes to remain on the road ahead.

If you read the Holy Gospel for today once again, note that Jesus does not answer the question that His disciples ask Him so urgently, you could almost sense the worry that is going through their minds. They were concerned about the signs—these stones that were so huge that they would outweigh nearly every vehicle we have today out on the roads. If such heavy and imposing stone walls will be soon reduced to piles of rubble, then we had better fear for our lives! But Jesus gave no thought to their concern, it was like He changed the subject.

However, He was warning them not to make the coming destruction of the temple building their number one focus. For one thing, the actual destruction that Jesus predicted would happen in 70 A.D., about forty years in the future from this point. But most importantly, the Lord is telling His disciples, and that includes you here today, that there is yet a greater danger, and it is one that you will probably not see coming, were it not for these other little signs.

“See that no one leads you astray,” Jesus says. The signs and birth pains of the end of the world are mild compared to the deception of the devil. For God’s greatest enemy, who is also your enemy since the time of your baptism, Satan and his wicked servants prowl around like a roaring lion seeking whom he may devour, and all the more as the end of the world approaches. Revelation tells us his time is short, and Martin Luther warned us that in every church the devil has set up his own chapel of deception.

Though he cannot pry you out of the hand of your heavenly Father, the great Deceiver will come instead in the name of the Son, claiming “I am Jesus, follow what I say. Give up on God and think for yourself! Do whatever it takes, bend the truth a little here and there, to get the results that you will like. Make appearance and image the most important thing. Your opinion should be your truth.” These are his lies to strengthen the sinful nature within you and turn your heart away. Even the closest, most loving family is subject to satanic chaos, in that brother will deliver brother over to death, the father betrays his own child and children will put to death their own parents. Forget about that pile of broken temple stones in the eastern corner of old Jerusalem—the ancient serpent has greater destruction in mind for those of you living in God’s kingdom.

He is subtle in some places, and shows his full ugliness and violence in other places. For you gathered here in this place, you have the God-given privilege to meet together as a Christian congregation without the immediate threat that the next Amen you speak will be your last. It is a blessing that Christian American citizens seldom cherish as they ought. But if you were to open your eyes to persecution both around the world today and in the most recent past, you would see that the solemn prediction and warning that comes from Jesus’ lips is still coming true.

For a time, I once had the privilege of instructing and pastoring some Christian refugees from southern Sudan. Some of them had witnessed the bloody execution of their loved ones merely on the suspicion of performing subversive activities against an outspoken anti-Christian government. Last century, when more Christians were killed than in all the previous nineteen centuries combined, the world saw the atheist Soviet regime try unsuccessfully to quash Christianity, though a river of blood was spilt. These disciples of Jesus, just like the rest of you, have their full hope in the only innocent blood that exists, the blood of Christ. Whether you lose your life or limb for being a Christian or not, your Lord asks you to follow Him this day and until the end of time, to the cross. For these warnings about the end of the world were first spoken as Jesus was preparing for the day He would enter the holy place of Calvary to give up His body on the cross and shed His blood for you. He, your brother, was delivered over to death so that you might live, even though you die. He stood trial before Pilate and the bloodthirsty Jewish teachers, so that if you were commanded to give a confession of your faith, the Holy Spirit would bring to your mind the doctrine you have studied and learned, and had written on your mind and heart.

Even in Soviet Russia, the Church was hidden, and yet she prevailed, with pastors in prison preaching from Scripture passages they had memorized. Hymnals and Bibles were burned, yet still their heavenly words were passed on by word of mouth to the younger generations. All of this is by God’s mighty hand, and He is able to work just as mightily and just as miraculously in this congregation. But He will be the One who does it. Only the Lord Christ can change the stubborn, self-centered hearts of stone that we all have into the loving heart of Jesus, concerned for each other and for the fallen world around us. And this will happen, if only we heed our Lord’s warning: “Watch out that no one leads you astray.” Stay close to the true and life-giving Word of God. Hear it and hold on to its forgiveness for dear life. Eat and drink this forgiveness and salvation for body and soul that is in the Body and Blood of Jesus found on this altar.

These gifts are all the preparation you need for the end-times. In fact, in this time that we are given to meet together, you are receiving the end of the world and beyond as these future events break in a little at a time each week. Though chaos and violence against the Christian faith boils all around you, the Lord still brings you through. The gifts and benefits that do such great things are hidden for now, hidden in the words of forgiveness spoken by your sinful, imperfect pastor, hidden in a sprinkle of water, hidden in wine and wafer, but through them comes God’s grace and the strength you need to withstand the deceptions of the devil. These sacramental signs in which your Jesus hides Himself are not as fearful, but they are much more important than the earthly signs of the end you see around you, the signs that will continue to cause many others to fear. But since you the Church have the Father’s promise that your name is written in His book, be sure to encourage one another as you see the great Day approaching, and as you are filled with the Lord’s heavenly gifts, you too shall stand firm to the end and be saved.

In the Name of the Father and of the ✝ Son and of the Holy Spirit.

Readings:
I Peter 5:6-11 Be sober, vigilant
Dan. 12:1–3 many…who sleep…shall awake
Ps. 16 Because He is at my right hand I shall not be moved. … Nor will You allow Your Holy One to see corruption
Heb. 10:11–25 let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith.
Mark 13:1–13 he who endures to the end will be saved.