Luke 21:25-36

At first glance, the passage we just heard from Luke 21:25-36 appears to be an unusual choice for Advent. Many of us associate Advent solely with preparing for Christmas, which is partially accurate. However, it is also a time to reflect on and prepare for Christ’s Second Coming, which involves being vigilant for the signs of his return. The readings on the Third and Fourth Sundays of Advent will focus on Christ’s First Coming over two millennia ago.

Luke composed his Gospel several years after the death, resurrection, and ascension of Christ. During this period, the church faced suffering and injustice. His aim was to uplift the church and remind people that God governs events and has established a timeline for Christ’s return. This message is relevant to us today. Luke encourages us, just as he did the early believers, to be prepared for Jesus’ return while remaining steadfast and witnessing in his name.

According to Luke, we exist in the period between Christ’s victory over death and his Second Coming. This “in-between” period is characterized by both tension and hope. The hope lies in the beginning and conclusion of the church’s story (and hence our story), which is secured by Christ.

We are also in the age of the Gentiles, which began with the temple’s destruction in 70 AD and will conclude with Christ’s return. The end times will commence when armies encircle Jerusalem. God will orchestrate the calamities of the end times to warn sinners and urge them to repent. During this time, the Messiah will return and vanquish evil.

In today’s reading from the Gospel of Luke, Jesus provides us with some of these signs. The signs mentioned are of a supernatural nature and are directed by God. They will awaken humanity from its spiritual lethargy prior to Christ’s return.
Jesus’ return will occur at the conclusion of the Tribulation period, where he will defeat his adversaries and initiate a thousand-year reign of peace on a renewed Earth. His life, death, resurrection, and ascension serve as testimonies to God’s faithfulness through the signs of Christ’s return.

Jesus employed the parable of the fig tree to help his followers understand how to interpret the signs of the end times. Just as a fig tree behaves predictably, so too can prophecy reliably indicate future events. We can comprehend prophecy if we take the time to study it closely. For instance, just as the leaves of the fig tree bloom after winter, the kingdom of God should not be a surprise to us.

Some of you may observe current global events and wonder if they signify Christ’s return. Only time will reveal whether these are early signs of the end times, but regardless, we must maintain our faith.

The world will perceive these signs and tremble with fear. In contrast, Christians will see these signs as a precursor to Christ’s return and their own redemption. Redemption pertains to Christ’s return, at which point mortality will be transformed into immortality, and the redemption of the body will occur. For Christians, challenging times do not indicate that God has abandoned them; rather, they signify that God will fulfill all his promises—both the challenging and the pleasant.

When Jesus spoke of “this generation,” he was not referring to the disciples but to those who would witness the signs of the end times. These individuals will not die until Christ the King returns in glory and establishes his kingdom on Earth. These events will transpire swiftly.

Jesus asserted that he is the divine Son of God. He urged his followers to place as much trust in his teachings as they do in any other parts of Scripture, and he calls on us to maintain that same confidence today. His words and teachings are eternal and unchanging.

Jesus also instructed his followers to watch and pray in order to fulfill his will. It is not wrong to pray for deliverance during hard times. Even Christ prayed in the Garden of Gethsemane for relief from the cross, but he ultimately surrendered himself to God’s will. We can and should pray for escape in challenging moments, but ultimately, we must submit to God’s will in our specific situations. God’s Word provides us security in times of turmoil. As expressed in the hymn, “Will Your Anchor Hold”:

We have an anchor that keeps the soul
Steadfast and sure as the billows roll
Fastened to the Rock which cannot move
Grounded firm and deep in the Saviour’s love

Jesus does not discuss wars, rumors of wars, or natural disasters to frighten us; rather, he aims to prepare us for his Second Coming. We should not be afraid or misled by false teachers or individuals claiming to be Jesus. We must seize the opportunity presented by the turmoil that will precede his return to share the Good News of salvation. As mentioned earlier, his return is not disastrous for believers, as it will bring their redemption. It will be a time filled with hope, anticipation, and glory. Conversely, his return will spell disaster for non-believers, as it will lead to a new world where evil is eradicated and creation is restored according to God’s design.

Jesus instructs us to be vigilant for the signs of his return, but in the meantime, we have work to do. We must share the Good News with a world filled with sin, while also continuing to prepare for Christ’s return.

When we witness natural disasters and conflicts, we can be assured that Christ’s return is imminent. We must be ready, for he could return at any moment. The promise of his return gives us hope. There may be times when we doubt that God provides hope, and some of you might be experiencing that now. While we may enjoy the outward aspects of Advent—decorations, parties, and shopping—do we allow the season and its promise of Christ’s return to transform us? We need to let its message penetrate our emotions and open our hearts.

Many Christians have expressed a longing for the day of Christ’s return to arrive quickly. They wish for an end to wars and suffering, the waiting, and to move forward with his return. They delve into Scriptures, searching for details and signs that Christ is coming soon. Groups form, and debates arise about the finer points of the end times.

God appreciates our eagerness and desire for his arrival, but do we truly understand what we are asking for when we urge him to return quickly? Are we genuinely prepared? Is the world truly ready? If we were to stand before Christ tomorrow, would we be prepared? Does your life reflect service to him, love for him, and submission to him?

King James Version

25 And there shall be signs in the sun, and in the moon, and in the stars; and upon the earth distress of nations, with perplexity; the sea and the waves roaring;

26 Men’s hearts failing them for fear, and for looking after those things which are coming on the earth: for the powers of heaven shall be shaken.

27 And then shall they see the Son of man coming in a cloud with power and great glory.

28 And when these things begin to come to pass, then look up, and lift up your heads; for your redemption draweth nigh.

29 And he spake to them a parable; Behold the fig tree, and all the trees;

30 When they now shoot forth, ye see and know of your own selves that summer is now nigh at hand.

31 So likewise ye, when ye see these things come to pass, know ye that the kingdom of God is nigh at hand.

32 Verily I say unto you, This generation shall not pass away, till all be fulfilled.

33 Heaven and earth shall pass away: but my words shall not pass away.

34 And take heed to yourselves, lest at any time your hearts be overcharged with surfeiting, and drunkenness, and cares of this life, and so that day come upon you unawares.

35 For as a snare shall it come on all them that dwell on the face of the whole earth.

36 Watch ye therefore, and pray always, that ye may be accounted worthy to escape all these things that shall come to pass, and to stand before the Son of man.