Luke 21:1-19 ~ do not be terrified

The Disciples Admire the Temple, painted by James Tissot

Luke 21:1-19

English Standard Version, David Cochran Audio

Jesus looked up and saw the rich putting their gifts into the offering box, 2 and he saw a poor widow put in two small copper coins [two lepta; a lepton was a Jewish bronze or copper coin worth about 1/128 of a denarius]. 3 And he said, “Truly, I tell you, this poor widow has put in more than all of them. 4 For they all contributed out of their abundance, but she out of her poverty put in all she had to live on.”

5 And while some were speaking of the temple, how it was adorned with noble stones and offerings, he said, 6 “As for these things that you see, the days will come when there will not be left here one stone upon another that will not be thrown down.” 7 And they asked him, “Teacher, when will these things be, and what will be the sign when these things are about to take place?” 8 And he said, “See that you are not led astray. For many will come in my name, saying, ‘I am he!’ and, ‘The time is at hand!’ Do not go after them. 9 And when you hear of wars and tumults, do not be terrified, for these things must first take place, but the end will not be at once.”

10 Then he said to them, “Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. 11 There will be great earthquakes, and in various places famines and pestilences. And there will be terrors and great signs from heaven. 12 But before all this they will lay their hands on you and persecute you, delivering you up to the synagogues and prisons, and you will be brought before kings and governors for my name's sake. 13 This will be your opportunity to bear witness. 14 Settle it therefore in your minds not to meditate beforehand how to answer, 15 for I will give you a mouth and wisdom, which none of your adversaries will be able to withstand or contradict. 16 You will be delivered up even by parents and brothers [parents and brothers and sisters] and relatives and friends, and some of you they will put to death. 17 You will be hated by all for my name's sake. 18 But not a hair of your head will perish. 19 By your endurance you will gain your lives.

My eldest son and I were having a phone conversation and he asked me if I remembered a time when the news was so terrible. It's not like I am Methuselah, so it gave me a moment's pause. In that pause Cal said, "I'm excluding World War II, because I know you were not alive." Okay then.

The answer is no. Do you? But I remember stories of my mother growing up in the Great Depression in Dallas, Texas. About 20 people a day would knock on the back door of their 3 bedroom, one bath, one living area - frame house and ask for work, but would be given lunch. My mother told me my grandmother had a collection of aluminum pie plates and mason jars and she fed about 20 people each day, for lunch, in her back yard. Grandmother fixed a several chicken vegetable soup every day. I asked if they ever ran out of food, Mother said no, but eventually things got better and the crowd of lunch people disappeared. My Grandmother Anita spent her life being the poor widow with the two copper coins. Her husband Ray died in his early 40's. She taught a Methodist Adult Sunday School class for 42 years. At her funeral, we said God had kept the paint on her frame house for her entire life. I believe He did.

I asked my mother if people would knock on the door for breakfast. I asked if people did extra work around the house without being asked for being fed. My mom said she didn't ever remember work being done around the house, but given the generation, there probably was. My mom said, if they had asked at breakfast, my grandmother would have said they'd have lunch available.

So trouble has returned to the world. I was asked recently by a Korean War veteran's widow if my generation had experienced war. No. Not really, just the Fauklin Islands. We did have a recession in the 1980s.

So what are we going to do with economic news, local political news, foreign political news, national deficits, wars, riots, devalued currency, animal and bird die offs, earthquakes, tsunamis, radiation, drought, wild fires, flood and tornadoes. World hunger, food shortages - prices and the inflation for gasoline prices. We are going to do what Jesus did. He said not to be terrified. We are going to trust. We are going to seriously rejoice that the survivors of these disasters are having help from Christian sources. We are going to act as the Body of Christ in relief efforts and prayers.

We are not going to be nay sayers about how terrible this bad old world is and then just worry and / or sweep it under the rug for someone else. You've been told about trouble! Rely upon His Word and Live it.

1. Psalm 100. Start like the Lord's Prayer.

Psalm 100:4
Enter his gates with thanksgiving,
and his courts with praise!
Give thanks to him; bless his name!

Remember to have Gratitude. (Note to self.) Let Him know you remember and you are grateful for His blessings.

2. Say to Him you are grateful for His Kingdom of Heaven on earth. His Holy Spirit lives in people believing in Him.

Psalm 68:19
Blessed be the Lord, who daily bears us up; God is our salvation. Selah

3. Anxiety about ... finances... or just plain anything. Anxiety about having anxiety as a Christian. Just put it all up to Him. He knows anyway! Come clean from that worry. Stop being tied in a knot from having worry.

Philippians 4:6
do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God.

Psalm 56:3
When I am afraid, I put my trust in you.

1 Peter 5:7
Casting all your anxieties on him, because he cares for you.

(This Word about anxiety during my son's preemie year with apnea - not breathing and bradycardia - held me from becoming a puddle of worry.)

4. Forgetting to pray. Being selfish. There is a word for it - sin. Ask God to forgive you, ask Him to help you to have a right spirit. Ask for Him for help.

James 5:16
Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous man is powerful and effective.

Jesus told us about goodness.

Luke 18:19
And Jesus said to him, “Why do you call me good? No one is good except God
alone."

So, what Jesus has said is - we are righteous before God when we confess our sins and then continue with Him in prayer.

5. Forgiveness - Jesus got angry. The Scriptures tell us anger is part of life. There is a righteous anger for being wronged.

Psalm 4:4
Be angry, and do not sin; ponder in your own hearts on your beds, and be silent. Selah

Father God really honors this prayer. "Father God, I am angry at - - -, for - --. I want to forgive and so I am going to tell You right now, I forgive (list their name). Help that forgiveness to grow in the name of Jesus Christ. Amen." Father God. honors. that. prayer. No matter if you have to make it again or you rest in that desire given to Him.

6. So what are we going to do with this trouble?

1 Thessalonians 5:17
Never stop praying.

If you read the news and you are concerned. Tell the Lord. Ask Him to help. Offer to Him, your help. Pray. All the time.

7. What else?

1 Thessalonians 5:18
give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you

Our minister Clark Lowenfield says earnest prayer is good prayer. "Father God, I want this so badly - - - and I believe I have really good reasons, pleasing to You, for me to want this - - -. Father God, You are more knowing and have greater wisdom that I do. I ask for Your will and I ask that I want Your will. Strengthen me to walk in Your ways and give me wisdom to know Your ways. In the name of Jesus Christ. Amen. "

8.
James 1:22
Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says.

Blessed are You, Lord God. Blessed is Your Son, Jesus Christ. Blessed are You, Holy Spirit. Live in me. I ask in the name of Jesus Christ. Amen.

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