ENDURING TOUGH TIMES Luke 21: 5-19

Last Saturday morning I led our group through the study of the Lectionary Gospel scripture: Luke 21: 5-19 that dealt with the signs of the end of the age. As Jesus was predicting what was going to happen to the temple, the disciples were anxious to know when the destruction will happen, and what are the signs that they were about to take place. Three important lessons were taught to the disciples, and us, through this passage.

1) Beware of false prophets who will come in His name to deceive many, and claim that the time is near. “Do not follow them” Jesus said. (V. 8)
2) Keep the faith. Do not to worry beforehand about how you will defend yourselves when falsely attacked and persecuted because of Him. “I will give you words and wisdom that none of your adversaries will be able to resist or contradict.” (Vs 14-15).
3) Stand firm. You will be fine. “Not a hair of your head will perish. By standing firm you will gain life.” (Vs. 18-19)

Giving what is going on now in the world, and even more so what is going on right here, right now, in the United States: the cruelty, the violence upon the least among us, be it physical, emotional, psychological, or even economical, I would like to invite you to meditate with me on the third bullet above as we try to answer the following questions: “Did Jesus promise complete physical protection? How do people of faith endure tough times?
I will venture to say No to the first question. In fact, He told of coming persecutions: believers would be hated, persecuted by religious and political leaders, betrayed even by family members and friends; and some would even be killed. Think of James in Acts 12: 1-2, Peter in Acts 12:3-5, Stephen in Acts 6: 8-15, 7:54-60 and many other apostles who suffered beatings, imprisonment, and death, even beheaded because of their faith.

But, at the same time Jesus promised that not a hair of your head will perish. How does that square with the prediction of persecution? It was a figurative way of saying that though their earthly bodies could be killed, their spirits would live forever. If they remained true to the faith, they would be ensured of life everlasting (V.19). The point is that while we are focusing on the physical, Jesus’ primary focus was on the spiritual results, not on the physical outcome. That is why though Christian martyrs have been beheaded, “not a hair of their heads perished.”

Romans 8:37 reminds us that “in all things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us.” We cannot balance physical reality with spiritual reality. On the cross, it looked like Jesus was overcome. In reality, He was the overcomer. The moment he died, He took away the power of the one who held the power of death (Heb. 2:14). He taught the disciples that they would have to lose their lives to really live (Luke 9:24), that they could only be great by becoming slaves. Such ideas seem to be contradictions because we see things from the physical realm. But the fact is that even in death, in Christ we win. In Christ we overcome. Jesus puts it this way in John 16:33 “I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.”

So, how do people of faith endure tough times? By remaining faithful and living in hope. By looking at life through spiritual lenses instead of physical lenses. The book of Revelations reminds us in so many ways that if we remain faithful, we shall overcome, and shall receive the earned reward. The word overcome appears nine times in the book of Revelations. Take a moment to read these verses. Rev. 2: 7, 11, 17, 26; 3: 5, 12, 21; 17:14, 21:7. Here is a sample from Rev. 3:5 “He who overcomes will, like them, be dressed in white. I will never blot out his name before my Father and His angels.” Rev. 3:21 “To him who overcomes I will give the right to sit with me on my throne, just as I overcame and sat down with my Father on His throne.” To endure tough times, we must be overcomers. Are you an overcomer?

Let us pray. Gracious and Holy God, God of gods, Lord of lords, Savior of saviors, we praise and glorify your name.  We give you thanks O God for all that you have done and continue to do in our lives, even unbeknown to us. Help us God to trust you and to keep the faith, even when we are facing tough times, confident that because you have overcome,
we also shall overcome. Our strength is in you. Teach us O Mighty God, not to lean on our own understanding, but to acknowledge you in all our ways and let you direct our path. In Jesus name we pray. Amen and Amen.

By Rev. Franck Aguilh