A very difficult reading today especially for an All Age service (see Luke 21 vs 5-19 below) but this is the reading all Church of England churches will have heard today and it’s best if we all stick together.
When this passage was written the first Christians were living in very worrying times and they wondered if the end of the world was coming and God’s Kingdom would come. We live in scary times too – what scares us in today’s world?
For them this was partly scary as people have always thought the end of the world would be a troubled and frightening; but it was also something they hoped for because it would mean that all the frightening and bad things would come to an end and Jesus’ reign of peace and justice would begin. They were expecting this to happen any moment. All these things are reflected in today’s reading – if you take it home and look at it you’ll find the fear and the hope – they’re both there.
Over the years, Christians have come to learn more about Jesus’ reign, or The Kingdom of God. One thing we’ve learned is that the God’s Kingdom is already here – not fully here, but partly here. Jesus told lots of stories about how God’s Kingdom would come:
When someone goes out to look for a lost sheep
When someone turns the house upside down to look for a penny
When someone plants a tiny seed and it grows into a big tree
When a farmer harvests his crops and separates the wheat from the weeds
When someone makes a loaf of bread, adding yeast to the mixture
When someone finds buried treasure in a field and sells everything to buy the field
All these stories are about God’s Kingdom.
Some of them show us that God’s Kingdom is a bit topsy turvy – the least important people and the poorer people matter more than the rich and famous. Sheep and coins
Some of the stories are about judgement – when God holds us to account for how we live and what we do. Farmer
Some stories are about small things – tiny things. Seeds and yeast. These are really about each one of us doing a little bit to help God. And each time we do this God’s kingdom gets a teeny bit bigger.
We might think it’s all hopeless – we can’t make any difference. Jesus teaches us that even the smallest things we do for him are very important. What small things can we do?
So when the world is full of bad things we have to hold on to our faith – this cross reminds us to hold on to our faith.
We can talk to God about the things that frighten us and the things we worry about
It also reminds us that when the world is full of bad things and scary things that God always loves us and is always with us.
Luke 21 vs 5-19 (World English Bible)
5 As some were talking about the temple and how it was decorated with beautiful stones and gifts, he said, 6 “As for these things which you see, the days will come, in which there will not be left here one stone on another that will not be thrown down.”
7 They asked him, “Teacher, so when will these things be? What is the sign that these things are about to happen?”
8 He said, “Watch out that you don’t get led astray, for many will come in my name, saying, ‘I am he†,’ and, ‘The time is at hand.’ Therefore don’t follow them. 9 When you hear of wars and disturbances, don’t be terrified, for these things must happen first, but the end won’t come immediately.”
10 Then he said to them, “Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. 11 There will be great earthquakes, famines, and plagues in various places. There will be terrors and great signs from heaven. 12 But before all these things, they will lay their hands on you and will persecute you, delivering you up to synagogues and prisons, bringing you before kings and governors for my name’s sake. 13 It will turn out as a testimony for you. 14 Settle it therefore in your hearts not to meditate beforehand how to answer, 15 for I will give you a mouth and wisdom which all your adversaries will not be able to withstand or to contradict. 16 You will be handed over even by parents, brothers, relatives, and friends. They will cause some of you to be put to death. 17 You will be hated by all men for my name’s sake. 18 And not a hair of your head will perish.
19 “By your endurance you will win your lives.