Living through a Little Apocalypse

 This sermon was preached on the Second Sunday in Advent (Populus Zion), December 6, 2020. The text is Luke 21:25-36. The message of the sermon can be summarized in this way: "Jesus sends little apocalypses to prepare us for the great Apocalypse." My hope is that my hearers will respond to tragedies by repenting of their sins and by putting their faith in Jesus.

            Our Gospel Lesson is difficult. What exactly is Jesus talking about?

Our Gospel Lesson is difficult, because on the one hand Jesus sounds like he is talking about the end times. On the other hand, the disciples explicitly ask about the destruction of the Temple. Also, Jesus explicitly says, “This generation will not pass away until all has taken place,” (v. 32). So, Jesus might be talking about the destruction of Jerusalem.

I sympathize with those who think that Jesus is talking about the end times. I mean, Jesus’ words sound very apocalyptic. However, I favor the second interpretation. This isn’t the first time a prophet has described the destruction of a nation in apocalyptic terms.

When people wrestle with a text like this, they often get frustrated. Why can’t Jesus just speak clearly? We don’t want Jesus to dress up a historical event in apocalyptic clothes. We want Jesus to talk like our newspapers and textbooks—in literal, logical prose. We don’t want him to talk like a prophet or a poet.

Little Apocalypses

            Indeed, it can be confusing, but I think we can come to appreciate what Jesus is doing in our text. Presumably, Jesus is talking about how Rome will destroy Jerusalem and demolish the Temple. I think that he is dressing up this event in apocalyptic clothes, but why would he do that?

            Because this event is a little apocalypse! The people of Jerusalem are guilty of a multitude of sins and now they are guilty of rejecting Jesus. Soon they will crucify their Messiah. Therefore, God will judge Jerusalem before Judgment Day. He will punish Jerusalem by sending the Roman army. This might not be the end of the world, but for these Jews it certainly is the end of the world as they know it.

            Now, this raises an interesting possibility. Can we experience God’s judgment prior to Judgment Day? Should we expect little apocalypses?

            I think we get our answer in Luke chapter 13. In that text, some people tell Jesus that Pilate has slaughtered some Galileans in the Temple. First, Jesus says that those Galileans were not worse sinners than others.

            This is important. When a tragedy happens, we shouldn’t assume that the people who are suffering are worse sinners than anyone else. We shouldn’t assume that God is punishing them for a particular sin.

            However, Jesus also says, “Unless you repent, you will all likewise perish,” (v. 3). I think Jesus is saying that every tragedy is a result of God’s curse delivered in Genesis chapter 3. Why do we suffer and die? Adam sinned and God cursed the earth. Therefore, in every tragedy we experience God’s judgment. Just as every undeserved blessing is a foretaste of paradise, every tragedy is a foretaste of the agony of Hell.

Have You Heeded the Call?

            This year has been awful. We have experienced a little apocalypse.

We have experienced a global pandemic that left many afraid and uncertain. The government shut down everything and we couldn’t even gather for worship. Our cities suffered as violent, wicked rioters looted businesses and assaulted police officers. The economy tanked and the murder rate skyrocketed. Parents were told that they couldn’t send their kids to school. A windstorm struck Iowa, hurricanes passed through the Gulf of Mexico, and fires raged in California, Colorado, Washington, and even here in Oregon. Then, we experienced a very tense election. The tense drama of that election seems to drag on and on.

Have I missed anything? Honestly, I have lost track.

But here’s the real question: How have you responded to these tragedies? I fear that many of us have told ourselves, “This will pass. Just keep your cool and carry on as usual.”

Listen to the words of Jesus: “Unless you repent, you will all likewise perish!”

Our Lord has permitted you to experience these tragedies—these little apocalypses—and he wants you to notice the signs. When there are leaves on the fig tree, summer is near. When Oregon is shut down by a virus, terrorized by mobs, and set on fire, Judgment Day is approaching. Jesus wants you to notice the signs, so that you can be prepared.

And we prepare by practicing repentance….

The pain you experience now is unpleasant, but it is better than the alternative. Our Lord doesn’t want your hearts to become bogged down by the pleasures of food or sex, by alcohol or drugs, by money, and the like. He doesn’t want you to fix your attention on the pleasures of this world and miss out on the eternal bliss of the world to come. He doesn’t want you to choose the pleasures of sin and then suffer the eternal pain of Hell. Your Lord cares about you. So, he permits you to suffer.

            I love today’s Collect. Last Sunday we asked God to stir up his power, but today we ask God to stir us up! “Stir up our hearts, O Lord, to make ready the way of your only-begotten Son.”

Why do we need the Lord to stir up our hearts? “So that by his coming we may be enabled to serve you with pure minds.” If the Lord doesn’t make us ready, then we won’t serve him with pure minds, but we will be cast into eternal fire.

The Most Important Apocalypse

            Take our Lord’s words seriously. These tragedies are signs that he is coming. However, don’t despair or panic. Our Lord wants awake and sober people, who watch the heavens and see the signs, but he doesn’t want terrified Chicken Littles.

            Jesus says, “Straighten up and raise your heads, for your redemption draws near.” Jesus is speaking to his disciples, to those who believe. Believers—such as yourselves—don’t need to dread the return of Jesus. Jesus comes, not to destroy you, but to save you!

            Jesus tells us to repent. Repentance has two parts. First, we acknowledge our sins and recognize that we deserve eternal damnation. This is called contrition—grieving over your sins. The second part is this: we put our faith in Jesus, knowing that he has come to save sinners.

            Tragedies are little apocalypses, little foretastes of Judgment Day. The crucifixion of our Lord was the greatest tragedy of them all. Indeed, his crucifixion was the most important apocalypse ever to happen.

            For you see, Jesus carried the sins of the world to the cross and he paid for them all. Jesus suffered the wrath of God in your place. Jesus experienced the horror of Judgment Day and the agony of Hell. This is why the earth shook and the sun blacked out. These were signs, indicating that the Father was pronouncing his righteous Son guilty and sentencing him to death.

            Since Jesus died for your sins, God forgives you. Judgment Day isn’t horrifying to you, because you know that you won’t experience the agony of Hell. Indeed, you eagerly anticipate the Lord’s return. Together with the whole Church, you pray, “Come quickly, Lord Jesus!”

So, is this the end of the world, or just the end of the world as we know it? It doesn’t really matter. Jesus has redeemed you with his blood. Let the Apocalypse come! Amen.