Second Presbyterian Church

"Eschatological Thoughts
Preaching From the Gospel of Luke"
June 5, 2005

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Sermons Homepage » Sermons for 2005 » Sermons for June 2005 » Sermons from the Series on Luke

#53 in the Series on Luke
The Rev. Daniel E. Hale, D. Min.

• Ezekiel 11: 14-21
• Luke 17: 20-37

When I use a "fancy" word like eschatological it is because the meaning of the word best expresses what I want to say. Often, as Christians, we are obsessed with eschatological thoughts. Eschatological thoughts have to do with the thoughts, ideas that are bandied about, that concern the "last days" of the earth, or when Jesus Christ returns.

LeHaye's Christian Novel series, Left Behind, have been extremely popular. They have made LeHaye and his co-author quite rich. There was recently a series on television that had to do with eschatology; it was called Revelation. To be honest with you, I have neither read Left Behind nor was I able to see Revelation. Perhaps I should see them so that I could respond to them more intelligently. But their premises were similar. Things on earth become increasingly worse. The Christian believers are raptured (taken up to heaven, leaving behind everybody else) Then all hell breaks loose, literally.

Now, some of the books of the Bible contain, what is labeled, Apocalyptic literature. They have passages in them that are highly symbolic and quite mysterious to us. Books, such as Ezekiel, Daniel, Revelations, and one chapter in each of the first three gospels - Matthew, Mark, and Luke, contain apocalyptic literature in it. The verses that we read in Luke and some of Luke 21 contain his version of apocalyptic literature. Luke, in many ways, makes these things seem clearest. In summary, Luke's ideas are these:

1. Jesus offers predictions of the fall of Jerusalem and the early persecutions of Christians by both the Jews and the Romans.
2. Don't believe those who say that Christ has returned. In Luke's own words, it will be so obvious, that no one will have to point it out to you.
3. We will be going about our everyday activities.
4. The Kingdom of God is already in your midst.

Trying to predict the end of the world has been a fascination for some ever since the beginning of Christianity, if not earlier. Every time I go shopping, there is a magazine on the racks that I look for. It will almost invariably have a picture of Satan in the smoke of a fire, or volcano. It will talk about the most absurd things, But much of the time it is talking about the end of the world and playing to the interests of people who are eager to know when this will be.

Today, the talk is more prevalent. It has been since the end of WWII and the formation of the nation of Israel. Is the end of the world near? The answer is definitely, YES and NO.

If one has to answer this question from a chronological point of view, then we are 2,000 years closer to the end of the world than when Christianity began.

It is also near from an individual point of view. The end of the world for those who have already died has already come, so to speak. They no longer have to worry about what's going to happen next. Our predeceased Christian brothers and sisters are merely waiting for Christ's return and for their new, resurrected, immortal bodies.

Yet the answer may also be NO. Perhaps the coming of Christ will be tomorrow. Perhaps it will be next year. Perhaps it will be in 10 years. Perhaps it will be in 100 more years. Perhaps it will be in another 1000 years, or 2000 years, 1,000,000 years. WE DON'T KNOW!

Jesus is quite clear that we cannot predict the exact time of the second coming. Jesus is also quite clear that we have a task to do; we are to be faithfully going about following him in our life. Our duty is to be prepared for Jesus' return; that means that we are to maintain our stations as Christians and do what Jesus has called us to do.

Then, when the time does arrive, when Jesus does return, there will be no mistakes about it. No one will have to point it out to you. No one will have to say, Look here, or Look there. It will be like lightning that flashes across the sky. Every one will see it and no one will wonder about who it is; no one will have to point it out to anybody. When Jesus returns in glory it shall be that obvious!

This is why it is important to be part of a church or congregation. We can check what we hear "out there" and test to see if it really is compatible with the Bible. Many people, good and earnest Christians, believe the view of the Bible as presented by the Left Behind novels. But the fact of the matter is that we are specifically warned, over and over, not to try to predict when the second coming of Jesus will be. The only "clue" we have been given is that the day of Jesus' return will come like a thief in the night - when people least expect the return of Christ to happen.

One other thing, the lesson today and lessons in other parts of the Bible talk about persecutions. They were written to strengthen the believers who were then under persecution. Persecutions of Christians continue to happen in the world. So far we have been fortunate; we have not had to choose between our life and our Lord. Persecutions of Christians will continue to take place until the return of the Lord. We need to be ready for that. We need to continue to pray, study God's word, and regularly worship and support one another in our journeys of faith. Amen.

The Rev. Daniel E. Hale, D. Min.