Law And Gospel For These End Times

As indicated earlier, I have a full preaching schedule from now until Christmas, something unusual for this "retired" preacher. BTW, I've emphasized again and again to friends and colleagues that the word and the concept "retired" is no where found in Holy Scriptures. Be that as it may, I'm beginning work now on next Sunday's sermon and I invite you to follow with me as I make those preparations.

I've already announced the theme for this 25th Sunday after Pentecost, the second Sunday before the church's year of worship ends. The new church year begins on November 28, immediately following our American Thanksgiving celebration. My sermon will be based upon the Gospel, Luke 21:5-28. My title is taken from that Gospel, verse 18, "Not A Hair Of Your Head Will Perish."

Preliminary observations:

Jesus is speaking to his disciples as they stood on the hillside looking down on the beautiful Temple, built under the patronage of King Herod. There is a model of that temple in a museum in Jerusalem. It was indeed a rather marvelous building complex, occupying some thirty-five acres in Jerusalem during Jesus' day. To learn more, study the links I am providing. 

It must have been a real shocker to hear Jesus say, "As for what you see here, the time will come when not one stone will be left on another; every one of them will be thrown down.” Can't we all see them looking at him with amazement and confusion? Surely not. How could this be? Why? OK, we believe you, Lord, but, but . . . “Teacher,” they asked, “when will these things happen? And what will be the sign that they are about to take place?”

The remainder of this Gospel lesson is Jesus' answer. In the midst of that answer is His assurance to the disciples about their destiny, "You will be hated by all for my name's sake. But not a hair of your head will perish. By your endurance you will gain your lives"(vv,17-19).  A very, very peculiar saying. And that's why I chose it as my theme, especially as I ask myself—and will want to ask my hearers—what that means for our lives today. 

Ponder Jesus' statement with me. I believe it is Gospel, not Law. Notes from The Lutheran Study Bible tell me this is an hyperbole, an exaggeration for the sake of emphasis (Acts 2:47; 3:9), but strongly emphasizing that Jesus' followers will experience persecution, as indeed they have down to the present day.

The same notes call my sermon title (v.18) a proverbial statement. That leaves me a bit confused. I'll have to re-study the Biblical tradition of proverbs, how they were used and how they were interpreted. This teaching is quoted in Matthew 10:22 as we read about Jesus sending the disciples out as sheep in the midst of wolves. He also taught that all of the hairs of his disciples' heads were numbered and not a single one forgotten by the Father, just as the Father also keeps intimate track of the sparrows. Fascinating and certainly comforting to know that our Father in heaven has such personal interest and concern for each of His children.

I'll leave this with you for today. We have lots of work to do before this sermon is ready, but already we have a warning from God's Law about false trust in human achievements and a very intimate word of comfort and strength from the Gospel about the heavenly Father's love for His children.