Tuesday after Gaudete, The Third Sunday in Advent
Posted on December 17, 2019 by under
Scripture: St. Luke 21:5-24 (NKJV)
21:5 Then, as some spoke of the temple, how it was adorned with beautiful stones and donations, He said, 6 “These things which you see—the days will come in which not one stone shall be left upon another that shall not be thrown down.”
7 So they asked Him, saying, “Teacher, but when will these things be? And what sign will there be when these things are about to take place?”
8 And He said: “Take heed that you not be deceived. For many will come in My name, saying, ‘I am He,’ and, ‘The time has drawn near.’ Therefore do not go after them. 9 But when you hear of wars and commotions, do not be terrified; for these things must come to pass first, but the end will not come immediately.”
10 Then He said to them, “Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. 11 And there will be great earthquakes in various places, and famines and pestilences; and there will be fearful sights and great signs from heaven. 12 But before all these things, they will lay their hands on you and persecute you, delivering you up to the synagogues and prisons. You will be brought before kings and rulers for My name’s sake. 13 But it will turn out for you as an occasion for testimony. 14 Therefore settle it in your hearts not to meditate beforehand on what you will answer; 15 for I will give you a mouth and wisdom which all your adversaries will not be able to contradict or resist. 16 You will be betrayed even by parents and brothers, relatives and friends; and they will put some of you to death. 17 And you will be hated by all for My name’s sake. 18 But not a hair of your head shall be lost. 19 By your patience possess your souls.
20 “But when you see Jerusalem surrounded by armies, then know that its desolation is near. 21 Then let those who are in Judea flee to the mountains, let those who are in the midst of her depart, and let not those who are in the country enter her. 22 For these are the days of vengeance, that all things which are written may be fulfilled. 23 But woe to those who are pregnant and to those who are nursing babies in those days! For there will be great distress in the land and wrath upon this people. 24 And they will fall by the edge of the sword, and be led away captive into all nations. And Jerusalem will be trampled by Gentiles until the times of the Gentiles are fulfilled.
Devotion
In the parallel passage of Matthew we find these words: “And this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in all the world as a witness to all the nations, and then the end will come” (Matt. 24:14). First, there is the Gospel, and then, the end; and the more important of the two is the Gospel.
In this passage from Luke the Lord Jesus Christ makes a division between two kinds of events: 1) disasters that point to the end of the age, and 2) events which serve the spread of the Gospel. In the first group are “wars and commotions,” “great earthquakes…famines and pestilences.” Of these, the Lord says, “Do not be terrified; for these things must come to pass first.” But the events which serve the Gospel are these: “They will lay hands on you and persecute you…You will be betrayed even by parents and brothers…and they will put some of you to death.” Of these things, the Lord says, “But it will turn out for you as an occasion for testimony.”
The Lord Jesus could appear at any moment for the judgement; we have seen the signs—wars, earthquakes, famines—and know that the end is near. The Christian has no need to fear such things, because the end is his salvation. But, until then, all Christians must testify to the Gospel. Our message has not changed since the days of the apostles: the Christ is risen from the dead and is coming again for judgement. All who believe in Him will be saved.
We pray: Lord, we beseech Thee, give ear to our prayers and lighten the darkness of our hearts by Thy gracious visitation; through Jesus Christ. Amen.
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
