A WORD FOR TODAY, November 10, 2021
Peggy Hoppes
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Blessings. Peg
A WORD FOR TODAY, November 10, 2021
Scriptures for November 14, 2021, Twenty-fifth Sunday after Pentecost: Daniel 12:1-3; Psalm 16; Hebrews 10:11-25; Mark 13:1-13
“...but he, when he had offered one sacrifice for sins forever, sat down on the right hand of God, from that time waiting until his enemies are made the footstool of his feet. For by one offering he has perfected forever those who are being sanctified.” Hebrews 10:12-14, WEB
I recently saw a meme on Facebook that asked, “If you were given an envelope with the exact day and time of your death, would you open it?” Most people say “No” about this question, but we all have a sense of curiosity about the future. I wonder how the answer would change if the envelope held the exact day and time of Jesus’ return. People have constantly tried to determine when this would happen. They look at the book of Revelation and believe that we can see a timeline of what God will do in the last days. They then look at modern events and interpret the text to fit perfectly into what they see. This has happened in every generation, but some recent predictions have been more well-known than others.
Take, for instance, the prediction of F. Kenton Beshore. I have never heard of him, but apparently he is an American pastor who believes that Jesus will come sometimes between 2018 and 2028, with the rapture occurring in 2021 at the latest. He bases his prediction on the suggestion that Jesus would return within one biblical generation of the founding of Israel in 1948. A biblical generation is sometimes defined as forty years, but he claims it should be 70-80 years. In less than two months he’ll have to rethink his theory. A spiritual organization called the Messiah Foundation International has predicted that the world will end in 2026, and Ken Hovind puts the rapture between 2015 and 2028. I admit that I would rejoice to see the coming of Jesus in the very near future, but they are not the first in the past two thousand years to be disappointed when their predictions did not come true.
When our Sunday school class did a study of the Book of Revelation, we looked at the parallels between Daniel and John’s vision of the end time. These texts are difficult because we want them to fit into our understanding. We want them to fulfill our predictions. We want them to mean what we want them to mean. Generations of Christians have read the words and interpreted them according to their desires, defining the times and places to fit how they see the world. Of course, there are always those who reject the prophetic nature of these texts.
According to the experts, the writing of Daniel has the language and flavor of a text that might have been written in the 6th century B.C., long before the events found within the book happened. It is written like a prophetic, apocalyptic text, with visual images both frightening and strange. Some think it should be dated much later, in the 2nd century B.C., after most of the events things happened. There are experts on both sides of the issue, so we do not know for sure if the book was prophetic or whether it was an historical accounting of the supernatural happenings with God’s people, but even if it had been written in the 2nd century B.C. some of the prophecies had not yet come into being. In the end Daniel was told to go on his way because the words were shut up and sealed until the time of the end. “Don’t worry about it Daniel, it will happen when it happens. If only we could have such patience.
The dating of the text does not matter to us today. It is good to understand the historical significance of what was happening to Daniel and the nation of Israel, these words are given to us today. What do they mean in our time and place? People have been discussing and interpreting the possibilities for generations. I wonder if our task is not to look into the future to answer the when, how, and what questions, but rather to embrace the grace of God that is found in these words.
Daniel was writing to a people suffering great persecution and his language hides the meaning from those outside the faith. In this case, the words summarize the writer’s vision of what is to come in the end of time, at the revelation of God and the coming of His kingdom. It is a message of comfort for those persecuted, that they will be raised up out of the dust and into everlasting life. This is the promise we receive in Christ, the promise that came at the end of the ages and the promise that was fulfilled, is fulfilled and will be fulfilled in Christ Jesus our Lord.
The passage from Mark also has a prophetic voice, and we hear it speaking to us specifically. The words almost sound like they could be taken right out of the headlines from our newspapers. There are constantly wars or rumors of wars, earthquakes, famines, and false messiahs. But the same can be said for every generation that has lived since the words were written. Jesus spoke those words to people understood that it was imminent. Jesus was crying out in the wilderness, but false messiahs were rampant. Some were even killed by the Romans and the Jewish authorities. There were Zealots determined to fight until Israel was freed from Roman oppression. There was a communication network; there were traveling caravans and religious pilgrims that brought news from the four corners of the known world which would have included stories of earthquake, famine and wars.
There was a note of prophecy: the temple was destroyed just a few years later. But when Jesus spoke privately with His disciples, they wanted more details. They were curious. They wanted to open the envelope. When would it happen? How would it happen? What will be the signs? Instead of answering directly the questions they asked, He warned them to beware.
This is apocalyptic literature and is not meant to foretell of a specific historical event. Rather, the words are spoken to give courage, strength, and hope to a suffering people. There were already false messiahs. There were already wars and rumors of wars. There were already earthquakes and famines. It would have been very easy for the disciples who were left alone after Jesus’ death, resurrection and ascension to follow another voice. It would have been very easy for the community of faith established by Jesus to wander down a wrong path. It happened to the Thessalonians, many of whom thought that the return of Jesus was so imminent that they could stop living. It has happened to many Christians even in every generation who have followed false messiahs to a disappointing end.
Jesus warns the disciples not to follow the wrong path. Wars and rumors of wars, earthquakes and famines will always be a part of our life. We will suffer and we will be persecuted because of the way we respond to the worldly happenings, but we are called to be faithful with our eyes focused on Christ, doing that which He has called us to do.
In the beginning verses of the epistle lesson, the writer of Hebrews tells us how the priests did the same thing over and over and over again to no avail. They entered the Holy Place with the blood of animals which did nothing to alleviate the sin that brought pain and suffering to our lives and the world. There might be forgiveness for a moment, but there was never any assurance for tomorrow. Jesus Christ changed all that. His death on the cross was permanent. His forgiveness is eternal. While we still might have to repeatedly dust the cobwebs out of our lives, we can live with the assurance that no matter what should happen today, we have mercy of God which leads to eternal life through Christ Jesus.
Despite our imperfection, many people want to find a place of worship that is perfect. They hop from one church to another, hoping that the next congregation will not be filled with hypocrites and sinners. Unfortunately, there is no perfect church because there are no perfect Christians. We are all sinners in need of the Savior, which is why our offerings are never lasting. We fail, our offerings fail, and our relationships fail. For many the search becomes so disappointing that they give up, choosing to live outside the assembly of believers. “I can worship on a mountain” is very true, but we need to be part of the body of Christ.
Our relationship with God is not dependent on our relationships with other people; we can certainly know God through our own private study, prayer, and worship. However, we have to remember that even if we are a church of one, our imperfection makes even that church imperfect. There is a joke about a man who was marooned on a deserted island. When he was finally found, the rescuers noticed three huts. They wondered about the buildings. The man said, “That one is my home and that one is my church.” They asked, “What about the third hut?” and he answered, “Oh, that was my former church.
We think we can do it ourselves, but our sinfulness makes our relationship with God shaky. We have doubts, so our faith wavers. We face disappointment, so our hope fades. is fleeting and lost, so we turn away from the very place we would find true love. Faith, hope and love is the foundation of our relationship with God and these things are hard to grasp without some visible and tangible manifestation for us to see, hear, taste, touch and know. That visible manifestation is the Church. We have confidence in the promises of God in faith, hope and love, these three magnified as we live in fellowship with other Christians. Together we are the Body of Christ.
Our relationship with God is not dependent on other Christians, but we need them to help us stay on the right path. It is so easy to get caught up in the predictions of those who seem to be experts. How many people have followed false prophets whose ministries have gone very wrong? Those who have said that Christ would come on this day or that day have convinced others to give up life, to sell everything, to sit and wait. One many used his funds to buy billboards to proclaim the end, but his timing was wrong. Others have hidden themselves away in colonies that were destroyed by false teachings. Many died at the hands of people who used and abused them for the sake of some religious foolishness. We need other Christians to keep us focused on the truth, on God, and on the grace of Jesus Christ.
Last week Jesus called our attention to one small woman who gave one very small offering to the temple treasury. The treasury was used for the care and upkeep of the temple, to make it even more beautiful with every gift. From the visual representations I have seen, the temple must have been a magnificent and imposing structure. The stones were well cut and smooth, a bright stone which glowed in the sunshine. The building was huge; it could be seen from far away. Pilgrims could catch glimpses of it as they approached the city for the festivals.
The widow’s mites were worth so little that they were useless to those who kept the treasury. How much could a penny buy in today’s dollars? It is so worthless that most of us will not even bother to bend down to pick one up off the ground anymore. We don’t know how she came to be poor. Maybe she was the widow with a hemorrhage who was bled dry by shyster doctors. Maybe the scribes devoured her meager possessions for their own well-being. She was a widow, very vulnerable and unimportant in that day. The temple treasury could have supported the needs of the widows, instead her mites were used to decorate the building and keep it clean.
The story continues with the disciples praising the very impressive Temple. “Teacher, behold, what manner of stones and what manner of buildings!” The tiny widow’s mites are made even smaller when compared to the huge stones and magnificent buildings of the temple. Jesus told them that what they saw would be useless. ““Do you see these great buildings? There will not be left here one stone on another, which will not be thrown down.” This prophesy was fulfilled in 70 A.D. when the temple was destroyed.
It must have been disheartening for the disciples to hear that prophecy. Though Jesus had been teaching them about the difference between the kingdom on earth and the kingdom of heaven, the Temple was to them still the dwelling place of God. Where would He go if there were no temple? Would He leave them? If the temple were destroyed, where would they go? In the past, the Temple was destroyed by enemies that invaded and exiled God’s people. What would happen if this came to be?
They were curious. They were afraid. Yet Jesus did not tell them about the destruction of the temple to make them afraid. No matter how small or large our offerings are, whether they are widow’s mights or magnificent temples, God does not need them to dwell among His people. God’s presence will not make our life easier. Dwelling in God’s presence will bring persecution, hardship, and sometimes even death. The apocalyptic nature of our texts reminds us to stop worrying about the when, how, what will happen in the future, but rather to keep our eyes on the God who will be with us through it all.
When the disciples asked to know the hour, Jesus told them to beware and be aware. “Do not be alarmed but believe.” He warned them that some will claim to be “I AM” but they should not follow the false prophets but trust God. The things they see will just be the beginning. Jesus warns that there will be persecution. The hope of this apocalyptic text is that the one who endures to the end, who believes, will be saved. Jesus warns us that it will be bad but the Son of Man will come again. We’ll know the time is right when the signs are right.
Have you ever known anyone that came to you for advice, but never did what you suggested? This is an image of a person that might be found on a sitcom. The character needs help making decisions but can’t find someone they trust to give them the right answer, so instead they go to a character that always has the wrong answer. Since everthing the person suggests is wrong, the right choice should automatically be the opposite.
Anyone who has children know that our kids do not really listen to our advice, especially once they are teenagers. I went shopping with my daughter for a prom gown once and showed her one I thought would be perfect. She shook her head and tried every other gown on the rack. Then she finally gave in and discovered I was right all along. It was the perfect gown. She still doesn’t believe everything I say, but I know from my own experience that growth and maturity helps us to see that we should listen to those we think must be wrong because they might just be right.
Unfortunately, when the answer is not what we want it to be, we do not believe that it is in our best interest. We do the opposite, showing a lack of trust. Of course, every human being is wrong sometimes, so I would hope that even my children would consider that my words are what I think would be best for them and not jump immediately do the opposite. I have had my own experiences and successes. I’ve also had failure. We all need to learn the lessons, perhaps even from those who failed before us. Though we hope they will learn from our mistakes, they sometimes have to learn from their own. I have to admit, though, it can be very disheartening when they do not seem to trust me enough to listen to my advice.
Sadly, it becomes very difficult to give advice when it is not trusted or if it is abandoned for the opposite point of view every time. We wonder why they even bother to come to us for advice is it is meaningless. So, we become quiet and unwilling to share our thoughts.
I wonder if that is how God feels sometimes. After all, we are so good at asking God for the things we need, but what we really want is for God to answer with the things we want. When God’s answer is not what we want it to be, we go our own way. The psalmist writes, “Preserve me, God, for I take refuge in you.” Is this really true? Is this what we really mean? Do we really take refuge in God?
When we do, those times when we truly trust in God and reject the “gods” on which we have set our hearts, we find real joy and peace. Unfortunately, most of the time our own wants become more important than what we know God can and will do for us, so we turn to the “gods” we think will fulfill our desires. We say we want to hear the voice of God, but when He begins speaking we realize that the ways of the world fit much better into our plan.
Going our own way will not bring us joy. There might be a superficial happiness that lasts but a moment, but it quickly fades away. We might feel safe relying on the advice that goes opposite what God would have for us, but in the end our security rests not in the strength or power of the earth but in the humble submission to God’s strength and power. There we will see the fullness of joy. As we hear God’s voice and follow His advice, we will find true peace in the refuge of his love.
We don’t know when the end will happen, but Jesus calls us to a life of faith and watchfulness. We are to live according to God’s Word in faith and live according to the commandments of love of God and our neighbors. “Beware and be aware,” Jesus tells us. He warns us to be careful who we believe and who we follow. Not all who claim to speak in the name of Jesus Christ are true. Some will be led astray. Some will willingly follow the false prophets because the promises seem so real. But we can trust that God will set things right in the end.
If today were the last day, what would matter? Is there something that we need to do? False prophets and false messiahs will call people to action. “Follow me and you’ll be saved.” “Go to this place.” “Do this thing.” Works righteousness requires action for salvation, but Christian faith is different. In the days of Jesus, the priests worked day and night providing for the forgiveness of God’s people. Offerings of every kind were accepted to cover the sins of the people. The writer of Hebrews tells us that the priests offered day after day the same sacrifices that did no good. Jesus offered once and for all the blood of the sacrifice that brought salvation to the world.
From a Christian point of view, sacrifice is no longer necessary. When the priests of old took blood to the altar day after day and year after year it was worthless, “...but he, when he had offered one sacrifice for sins forever, sat down on the right hand of God, from that time waiting until his enemies are made the footstool of his feet. For by one offering he has perfected forever those who are being sanctified.” The forgiveness from Christ is lasting. It is eternal. There need be no more sacrifice for sins today or ever. We need not win the victory again, and neither must Christ because He has already won.
We find peace through Christ. By His blood, God’s people are invited to dwell in the presence of God. Jesus was no ordinary priest. He was no ordinary messiah. He is the Son of God, sent to save the world. His promise was not that the world would be different. There will still be wars and rumors of wars. We still need to be comforted as we are persecuted for our faith. We still suffer at the hands of those who do not know God. But we can live in hope for what is to come, dwell in God’s grace and look forward to the day when we will dwell with God eternally.
The writer of Hebrews encourages us to live a different life. We are called to hold fast to the confession of our hope without wavering because God is faithful. Jesus warned the disciples not to make them afraid, but to remind them that God can, has and will overcome it all. God is nearby. He is not lost when the walls tumble down. Rather, He is set free from human constraints to be the God who is Creator, Redeemer and Comforter.
The Psalmist understood the lesson Jesus was teaching His disciples. He knew that apart from God he had no good thing, that God alone was his refuge. He knew the joy and peace that comes from trusting in God rather than the things of this world. “You will show me the path of life. In your presence is fullness of joy. In your right hand there are pleasures forever more.” This is the lesson that will keep us through the hard times. Faith that God is faithful to all His promises will help us endure to the end.
A WORD FOR TODAY is posted five days a week – Monday through Friday. The devotional on Wednesday takes a look at the scripture from the Revised Common Lectionary for the upcoming Sunday. A WORD FOR TODAY is posted on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/pages/A-Word-for-Today-Devotional/339428839418276. Like the page to receive the devotion through Facebook. For information and to access our archives, visit http://www.awordfortoday.org
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