TIMES NEVER CHANGE BUT JESUS CHANGES OUR TIME
Luke 21:5-19
Twenty-third Sunday after the Pentecost, Year C
Analysis by Mark A Marius
5When some were speaking about the temple, how it was adorned with beautiful stones and gifts dedicated to God, said, 6“As for these things that you see, the days will come when not one stone will be left upon another; all will be thrown down.” 7They asked him, “Teacher, when will this be, and what will be the sign that this is about to take place?” 8And he said, “Beware that you are not led astray, for many will come in my name and say, ‘I am he!’ and, ‘The time is near!’ Do not go after them. 9“When you hear of wars and insurrections, do not be terrified, for these things must take place first, but the end will not follow immediately.” 10Then he said to them, “Nation will rise against nation and kingdom against kingdom; 11there will be great earthquakes and in various places famines and plagues, and there will be dreadful portents and great signs from heaven. 12“But before all this occurs, they will arrest you and persecute you; they will hand you over to synagogues and prisons, and you will be brought before kings and governors because of my name. 13This will give you an opportunity to testify. 14So make up your minds not to prepare your defense in advance, 15for I will give you words and a wisdom that none of your opponents will be able to withstand or contradict. 16You will be betrayed even by parents and siblings, by relatives and friends, and they will put some of you to death. 17You will be hated by all because of my name. 18But not a hair of your head will perish. 19By your endurance you will gain your souls.”
From Wikimedia Commons
“We do not need to defend ourselves to anyone. We do not need to prove our point, nor our worthiness. God gives it all to us…“
DIAGNOSIS: Times Up
Step 1: Initial Diagnosis (External Problem) – Signs of the worst times
It is easy to fear as we try and process the weight of the world’s problems and evil. Humanity is failing one another. Creation is in crisis. Institutions are in peril. Majestic buildings are crumbling. We ask where does it all end? When does it all end? As if such knowledge could give us an advantage to avoiding the worst that is yet to come. When Jesus warns us of our predicament, you know we have problems.
Step 2: Advance Diagnosis (Internal Problem) – Nowhere near time
We helplessly turn to anyone who offers us security. The facts that they present seem better than the faith we hold. Our hearts go astray and our faith fades away. In due time our lives become the disaster we were hoping to avoid. Especially when we listen to salvation plans that don’t include the cross.
Step 3: Final Diagnosis (Ultimate Problem) – End times
We cannot avoid death. Someone will see to it that we get ours. And it is not just from the threat of those who persecute us. If, in our panic, we offer our own defense in trying to save ourselves, we betray God by usurping our Savior’s role. So we end up receiving an even deadlier sentence. We perish.
PROGNOSIS: Now is the Time
Step 4: Initial Prognosis (Ultimate Solution) – Jesus times it perfectly
The good news is that when Jesus encountered all of which he predicts we will encounter, he did not become alarmed. He trusted that no matter the calamity he faced God was in control. No matter the betrayal, God was steadfast. No matter the judgement and persecution, paradise was waiting. God saw to it that through Jesus’ death and resurrection we would gain our souls.
Step 5: Advanced Prognosis (Internal Solution) – Right on Time We do not need to defend ourselves to anyone. We do not need to prove our point, nor our worthiness. God gives it all to us – right when we need it. We have been given the Spirit to put the Word of God in our mouth. The Spirit given to us at our baptism, when we first experience Christ’s death, testifies on our behalf and claims all of the hair on our head for God.
Step 6: Final Prognosis (External Solution) – Enduring Times
By trusting the counsel of the Holy Spirit, we can endure anything our world throws at us. We can be bold to stand before Governors and Kings and let the Holy Spirit within us testify to the good news of God’s love, grace and forgiveness. We can go to the prisons to proclaim release for the captives. Instead of fearing being attacked, we are bold to defend the vulnerable. We endure all times because we trust God is in control of all time.
