Luke 21
Wednesday, December 28, 2022
Most people are a bit apprehensive about living in the end times. In Luke 21, Jesus described many things that are going to happen, and quite frankly, most of them don’t give us the warm fuzzies. There will be a lot of death and suffering, but Jesus gives us some good advice on how to approach those days.
I don’t want to freak you out but there will be wars, disturbances, earthquakes, plagues, famines, terrors, great signs from heaven, persecution of Christians, family and friend betrayals, some will be put to death, you will be hated by all, roaring of the sea, men fainting from fear, and the powers of heaven will be shaken. It is safe to say that these will be scary times for Christians, and for non-Christians as well. Therefore, you might think the word to describe the end times is “hopeless”, but quite the opposite is true according to Jesus.
In verse 9, he tells us not to be terrified. He tells us in verse 28 to straighten up and lift up our heads when these things begin to take place because our redemption is drawing near. He continues in verse 31 saying that when we see these things happening, we will know the kingdom of God is near. These are actually going to be pretty exciting times for Christians because we know the start of the kingdom is right around the corner.
Jesus also gives us some advice on how to handle the end times. In verse 34, he tells us to be on guard so our hearts will not be weighted down with the worries of life, and to be on guard so it does not surprise us like a trap. He instructs us to stay alert in verse 36, and to keep praying that you will have the strength to escape all these things.
However, the most surprising and interesting part of this chapter to me was verses 13 to 15. “It will lead to an opportunity for your testimony. So make up your minds not to prepare beforehand to defend yourselves; for I will give you utterance and wisdom which none of your opponents will be able to resist or refute.” I surely wasn’t expecting that guidance. We’re not supposed to be preparing beforehand to defend ourselves because we could potentially have a chance to give our testimony to those who we would be defending ourselves from. We could help someone be saved at this last hour by talking to them, with the words and wisdom given to us by Jesus, rather than fighting against them.
If you are alive during the end times, it will be difficult to watch what will be happening all around you. Nevertheless, you need to remember that we already know who wins in the end, and it is not the bad guys. Some that are weak will lose faith, but those who understand what is happening will be glad that the kingdom is near.
-Rick McClain
Time to ponder:
Do you worry about what is going on in the world today? If so, do you not believe that God is in control and those who put their trust in Him will live happily ever after? Ask God for a big dose of peace that only comes from Him during these difficult times.
How can you prepare today for the end times? How should we not prepare (verse 13)?
Why is it important to study what is going to happen in the future? What could happen to you during the end times if you are not aware of what is happening?
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