(Audio)
Then they asked him,
"Teacher, when will this happen?
And what sign will there be when all these things are about to happen?"
Our excessive concern about the future makes us susceptible to being led astray, deceived, and terrified. Jesus is meant to be our peace even when the world is going crazy. If we get so wrapped up the problems of the world we may be driven to accept the false promises of false messiahs. We may become so desperate in looking for a way out that we are willing to turn away from Jesus for more immediate answers. Jesus does not promise, necessarily, to help us with a way out. Rather, what he always provides is a way through.
No temptation has overtaken you that is not common to man. God is faithful, and he will not let you be tempted beyond your ability, but with the temptation he will also provide the way of escape, that you may be able to endure it (see First Corinthians 10:13, emphasis mine).
It is the power of love not to escape from all things, but rather to endure them, as Paul writes, "Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things" (see First Corinthians 13:7). Therefore we must not and need not be deceived or terrified. We must instead keep our hope fixed on Jesus and trust that hope can endure in the face of any worldly circumstances.
Earthly kingdoms come and go. They are set up by humans and fall by humans. The Kingdom to which we belong, and for the full coming of which we still wait, is not made by human hands and cannot be destroyed.
In the lifetime of those kings
the God of heaven will set up a kingdom
that shall never be destroyed or delivered up to another people;
rather, it shall break in pieces all these kingdoms
and put an end to them, and it shall stand forever.
This is precisely the indestructible Kingdom of which the angel tells us Jesus is King.
And the Lord God will give to him the throne of his father David, and he will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and of his kingdom there will be no end (see Luke 1:32-33).
It is a Kingdom that does not send armies of angels to fight, for it is not currently fully of this world. Rather it is a Kingdom that endures in love and is nevertheless even more invincible because of this than any merely human realm.
What does it mean to be a citizen of the Kingdom of heaven?
Their end is destruction, their god is their belly, and they glory in their shame, with minds set on earthly things. But our citizenship is in heaven, and from it we await a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ (see Philippians 3:19-20).
To the degree that our faith takes hold of this reality we are able to wait with enduring love and unshakable peace. Most of us are somewhat shakable and and sporadically enduring. Let us ask the Spirit to reveal our heavenly citizenship to us today, that we might live it.
The great God has revealed to the king what shall be in the future;
this is exactly what you dreamed, and its meaning is sure."
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