Gone Too Soon

Mrs. Rita Abrahams, Assistant Council Secretary, has left us for eternity. Her first and last Sermon was exactly three months ago on Sunday, 22nd August, 2010 on the theme Respond to The Call of God. She was 41. Funeral arrangements will be announced later.  May she rest in peace.

YOU WILL GAIN YOUR LIFE THROUGH ENDURANCE

1st Reading: Isaiah 65:17-25

2nd Reading: 2Thes 3:6-13

Gospel Reading: Lk 21:5-19

TEXT: Lk 21:19     By your endurance you will gain your lives

THE MESSAGE

From the Gospel Reading

Jesus had just finished talking to the disciples about the widow who gave all that she had in the offering.

Then with admiration some (disciples) spoke of the external pomp and magnificence of the Temple, and thought Jesus should be as much affected with those things as they were.

In fact the temple was beautiful; it was built after the Israelites had returned from exile during the time of the prophet Ezra.

But Jesus said, as for those things which you see, those dear things which you are so much in love with, behold, the days will come, and some now living may live to see them, in which there shall not be left one stone upon another.

Lu 21:6 "As for these things which you see, the days will come when there shall not be left here one stone upon another that will not be thrown down.

They then asked Jesus when all this will happen and he replied:

They must expect to hear of false christs or messiahs and false prophets appearing, and false prophecies given out (Lu 21:8):

Many shall come in his name; he does not mean in the name of Jesus, though there were some deceivers who pretended commissions from him (as Ac 19:13), but usurping the title and character of the Messiah and encourage people to follow them.

They must expect to hear of great commotions in the nations, and many terrible judgments inflicted upon the Jews and their neighbours.

There shall be bloody wars

Nation shall rise against nation, one part of the Jewish nation against another, or rather the whole against the Romans.

There shall be earthquakes, great earthquakes, in divers places, which shall not only frighten people, but destroy houses and whole towns, and bury many in the ruins of them.

There shall be famines and pestilences, the common effects of war, which destroys the fruits of the earth, and, by exposing men to ill weather and reducing them to ill diet, occasioning infectious diseases.

There shall be fearful sights and great signs from heaven, uncommon appearances in the clouds, comets and blazing stars.

But Jesus warned us not to be terrified, not to panic nor be frightened but stand firm

We should not be deceived by these people who pretend to be him

We should not go after them nor have anything to do with them.

Life is so precious we do anything to preserve it; and Jesus knowing this did not leave the disciples unprepared for what will happen in the future – persecutions and killings.

He said to his disciples "Before all these, they shall lay their hands on you” and your adversaries will include your own relatives - "Your own relations will betray you

(Lu 21:16), your parents, brethren, and kinfolks, and friends; so that you will not know whom to put a confidence in, or where to be safe." "Your religion will be made a capital offence, and your blood will be demanded.

Jesus encouraged them to bear up under their trials, and to go on in their work notwithstanding the opposition they would meet with for the Holy Spirit will be there to protect them and tell them what to say even when they are arrested and brought before the authorities: 

Lu 21:14 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.

In all their persecutions Not a hair of their head will perish - Lu 21:18

The persecutions they suffered as recorded in the Book of Acts of the Apostles helped spread the Gospel.

In the first reading from Isaiah we learn that:

When we endure, God will give us a new heaven and a new earth

There shall be new life, (Isa 65:20) Untimely deaths by the sword or sickness shall be no more known as they have been.

Our enemies shall no longer inhabit the houses which we have built and eat the fruit of the trees which we have planted

We shall build houses and inhabit them ourselves

We shall plant vineyards and eat the fruit of them, Isa 65:21-22.

There shall be a good correspondence between us and our God (Isa 65:24): Even before we call, He will answer. God will anticipate our prayers with the blessings of his goodness.

In the second reading from 2nd Thessalonians the Apostle had the opportunity to warn the Church in Thessalonica about idleness. We understand that:

The best society of Christians may have some faulty persons among them and some things that ought to be reformed.

There were some who walked disorderly, not after the tradition they received from the Apostle, 2Th 3:6.

Some of the brethren did not live regularly, nor govern themselves according to the rules of Christianity.

In particular, there were among them some idle persons and busy-bodies, 2Th 3:11.

There were busy-bodies among them: persons who have no business of their own to do, or who neglect it and busy themselves in other men's matters.

They believed that because of the coming of our Lord they need not work.

If we are idle, the devil and a corrupt heart will soon find us something to do.

The mind of man is a busy thing; if it be not employed in doing good, it will be doing evil.

The Apostle commands and directs the whole church to withdraw themselves from such busybodies or idle people, and afterward to mark them, and have nothing to do with them; that they may be ashamed; yet not to count them as enemies, but to admonish them as brothers.

Finally he exhorts those that did well not to be weary in well-doing (2Th 3:13)

In Conclusion:

• We will be hated by all men because of our faith in Christ

• God will bring glory both to himself and to them that suffer for His cause; therefore we must not despair nor give up in the face of trouble.

• God is always with us, He will stand by us, and own us, and assist us, in our trials

• The Holy Spirit is there to help us in time of trouble

• We shall suffer no real damage by all the hardships the world shall put upon us (Lk21:18)

• There shall not a hair of your head perish."

• God answers our prayers

• When we endure we will gain our lives - in the new Heaven and the new earth

• We must work and not be idle

• We must not to be weary in well-doing

Revd Fiifi Foh Arkhurst is an Asst Minister at Trinity United Church