Stand Firm With Stewart Burrows

PRELUDE:                                   Chenaniah

 
PROCESSIONAL              # 496 in the blue hymn book

 
Call to Worship:

Leader: Praise be to God who is unchanging!

People: Thanks be to God who is continually creating newness and

               hope.

Leader: Each day we are greeted by new opportunities and challenges.

People: Each day we are given courage and strength to accomplish

               God’s tasks.

Leader: Let all God’s people shout praises to the heavens!

People: Great is our God and greatly to be praised! AMEN.

 

WORDS OF WELCOME

HYMN:     # 803         “Come Ye Thankful People Come”

INVOCATION & the Lord’s Prayer

HYMN:       # 461    “Be Thou My Vision”     

ANNOUCEMENTS, BIRTHDAYS & ANNIVERSARIES

PRESENTATION OF OUR OFFERING

        The Offering Received:        

        The Offertory Hymn:     #79      (blue hymnal)

        The Offertory Prayer

 

PASTORAL PRAYER                      

 

SCRIPTURE READINGS:   OT Reading: Isaiah 65:17-25

                                            Gospel Reading: Luke 21:5-19

  

HYMN:            # 431  -      “Jesus Where Thy People Meet”

 

SERMON:        "Stand firm!" 



As we embark on our Gospel lesson today, we find that Jesus has made his triumphant entry into Jerusalem, cleansed the temple and entered into several debates with the religious leadership that he repeatedly won. He praised the poor widow and her offering and passed judgment on the religious leaders. Now Jesus leaves the temple, never to return. The events in today's reading take place on Mount of Olives, and is a part of a longer Biblical passage known as the Olivet Prophecy.

It is known as the "Little Apocalypse" because it includes Jesus' descriptions of the end times, the use of apocalyptic language, and Jesus' warning to his followers that they will suffer tribulation and persecution before the ultimate triumph of the Kingdom of God.

Jesus, along with his small band of disciples, has left the temple and it's in the process of walking away from the magnificent building complex that the remarks in today's reading are made. Jesus said:

"These things which you see--the days will come in which not one stone shall be left upon another that shall not be thrown down."

They admired the temple for is architectural grandeur, and its expensive decorations. The temple was impressive not only for its beauty but for it size. The foundation stones were almost the size of box cars

The temple was both great and glorious, especially to the disciples of Jesus. The disciples were not from Jerusalem, but were from Galilee. We would say that they were "plain, country folk." They would have seldom been to Jerusalem and thus would have seen the grandeur of the temple as tourists.

The temple was indeed impressive, covering about one-sixth of the ·Iand area of the ancient city of Jerusalem. The building complex was nearly five hundred yards long and four hundred yards wide.

Jesus' remarks are especially devastating, since the temple was the heart and soul of Israel's worship.

The Disciples voice their concerns, saying, "Teacher, but when will these things be? And what sign wilt there be when these things are about to take place?"

The disciple's question had two parts. They wanted to know (1) When will all this take place? (referring to the destruction of the temple) and (2) Will there be any sign ahead of time?

The disciples like many of us today, were concerned about the wrong things. They wanted to know information that would be of no real value to them, other than to satisfy their own curiosity. Jesus was more interested in affecting their conduct rather than satisfying their curiosity. Jesus, however, knew that if the disciples looked for signs they would be susceptible to deception. He virtually avoided their question and instead of telling them what they wanted to know he told them what he felt they needed to know, in order to witness the times ahead.


Now, there are a lot of very faithful people who, when speaking on these passages on the "End Tmes" and "Second Coming", engage in flights of fantasy. There are many stories of a fire-strewn, earth shattering apocalypse, where whole countries and peoples are swallowed into the gaping earth. Predictions about the end times, just like horoscopes, are exceedingly popular.


But it's interesting that, in many instances throughout his life, Jesus refused to be drawn into speculation about these end times.

We see, for example in Acts 1 :6, how the disciples questioned him about the restoration of the kingdom to Israel: They gathered around him and asked him, "Lord, are you at this time going to restore the kingdom to Israel?" He answered: "It is not for you to know the times or dates the Father has set by his own authority. But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth."

And instead of giving them a reply, he told them that "it is not for you to know the times or the dates that the Father has set by his own authority"...   but instead told them to get ready to preach the Gospel to all nations... To be his witness!

If Jesus told his disciples not to waste time speculating about when the end of the world was due, then perhaps we an should strive to avoid this same spurious speculation.

It's more profitable to see what lessons are hidden in this passage with regard to ministering the teachings of Christ, and so let's let this morning's discussion lead us there.

There is a key theme in this passage that which will help us to bear witness to Jesus. And, perhaps we should start by defining what a witness is; what, exactly, being a witness is all about. A witness is a person who can testify to what he or she has experienced or knows of first hand.

We've all seen the many courtroom dramas on the television or in the movies, where the dapper young attorney engages in flowery, verbose and quick witted examinations of the trembling housewife. And we know that, in that Court of Law, the witness is not like the defence lawyer. He or she doesn't have to explain why something happened.

Nor is he or she like the prosecution lawyer either: They don't have to try and convince people to make a decision.

No, when we speak about witnessing Christ, we speak of spreading the word of God, the teachings of Christ and our faith.

In this morning's Gospel reading, Jesus shares a very important key to witnessing: Deciding not to worry, and to stand firm.

The key to being a successful witness to Christ is that we can decide not to worry about what we are going to say - or what people will think about us. The Early Church had a real danger of persecution. Jesus himself was crucified as a result of such persecution.

In this country, we are lucky to have moderate freedom from persecution, though there are exceptions, of course. There are many people in places and societies across the world that face persecution as an everyday part of life.

Malala Yousafzai is a young female Pakistani student and education activist from the town of Mingora in Pakistan. She is known for her activism for rights to education and for women, especially in the Swat Valley, where the Taliban had banned girls from attending school. In early 2009, at the age of 11-12, Malala wrote a blog, under a pseudonym, for the BBC that detailed her life under Taliban rule, their attempts to take .control of the valley, and her views on promoting education for girls.

On 9 October 2012, Malala was shot in the head and neck in an assassination attempt by TaJiban gunmen while returning home on a school bus. She was transported to hospital and, through the valiant efforts by Pakistani and English surgeons, survived.

There are examples of this sort of persecution and violence across the world, but persecution does not have to be this extreme to exist:
But do you ever worry what you will say if someone asks you: "Why you go to church?" Are you scared of being put on the spot, or ridiculed for your faith? Are you afraid of making a fool of yourself? Do you worry about people judging your actions or beliefs?

There's an old expression that says: "Why pray when you can worry?" 

Worry stifles prayer, because worry is unbelief. Worry, sometimes, is the opposite of faith.

Now, let's face it: We live in worrisome times; we all have days when we worry.

But, we can also decide to stand firm against that worry.

We can decide not to let it paralyse us.

We can pray; we can try to let our faith take away our fear.

We can decide to trust Jesus, and his teachings, to look after us. In today's Gospel lesson, Jesus concluded by saying: "By standing firm, you will gain life".

It is easy to be a Christian on Sunday at Church, but a real test of your faith comes when you have to stand up for your faith in a hostile environment.

Malala Yousafzai gave a speech at the United Nations, following her recovery, where she said: 

"The terrorists thought they would change my aims and stop my ambitions, but nothing changed in my Hfe except this: weakness, fear and hopelessness died. Strength, power and courage was born ... I am not against anyone, neither am I here to speak in terms of personal revenge against the Taliban or any other terrorist group. I'm here to speak up for the right of education for every child. t want education for the sons and daughters of the Tatiban and all terrorists and extremists."

Standing firm for one's faith is not reserved for people in other places and cultures: Right here at home, in the news these very days, we see that our ability to demonstrate our faith is the subject of legislative debate: There's a new skirmish in the age old battle between church and state, and it's only by uniting together, all people of all faiths, that we can protect our right to display the symbols of our beliefs.

These symbols of faith are not just symbols, but in fact an expression of who people fundamentally are. Asking people to hide these parts of themselves is, in effect, saying that they are not valued, or accepted.

Stand firm, and we will endure.

In continuing with the Olivet Discourse, Jesus prophesizes the fall of Jerusalem and gives us an idea of some of the challenges and trials that will befall the faithful: "Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. There will be great earthquakes, famines and pestilences in various places, and fearful events and great signs from heaven"

Just last week, in the west Pacific Ocean, the Phifippines suffered a direct hit by one of the largest typhoons in recent history. Looking at the aerial photos of the country, we see a picture of complete and utter devastation. Tens of thousands homeless, threatened by disease, pestilence, hunger .... There's the additional chaos and mayhem being caused by looters, rapists, and murderers further aggravating the misery and suffering of those still waiting for rescue and medical attention.

Jesus foretold in his prophecy: "Nations will be in anguish and perplexity at the roaring and tossing of the sea. Men will faint from terror, apprehensive of what is coming on the world, for the heavenly bodies will be shaken."

So with all that bad news to contend with, how on earth do we - and especially the folks more immediately impacted by this disaster, muster up the courage to face another day? Why not just respond to all the bad news as Job's wife did by saying, "Just curse God, and die!" What's the point in going on?
There's at least one major reason for keeping on: Jesus Christ, in whom we have placed our faith and trust - He, who experienced rejection, suffering, loneliness, brutal torture, dehydration, thirst. ... and death, for us, rose triumphantly on the third day and has promised eternity in a new world freed from all these trials and tribulations. And He has given us the Holy Spirit as our Divine Comforter and Encourager who enables us to be joyous ..... in spite of the heartaches and tragedies we have to go through.

As Paul wrote in his letter to the Corinthians, "if Christ has not been raised, your faith is futile; you are stiB in your sins. Then those also who have fallen asleep in Christ are lost. If only for this life we have hoped in Christ, we are to be pitied more than an men."

Yes, the present is sometimes tough. Yes, sometimes we struggle. Yes, we suffer pain. And yes, tomorrow may bring even more and greater hardships with which we must cope. But He has promised that He will never leave us or forsake us. He has promised to never allow more to come on us than we can handle by His grace. And, in light of a" that He has promised, and with that perspective filling our minds and hearts, we do not give up, we do not call it quits.

Together as His Church we get alongside those who are hurting the most in whatever way we can: To lift weary hands, to feed the hungry, to provide a drink of water to the thirsty I to provide shelter for the homeless, healing for the wounded, a caring presence for the dying and comfort and support for the bereaved.

And we do this because the One we follow said clearly and unequivocally, that "By standing firm, you will gain life".

And there is nothing new in predictions of great catastrophe. From way before the time of Jesus right up to the present day predictions of the end of the world have come and gone. But, sometimes, what is more important to US today is not the end of the whole world as we know it, but endings in OUR OWN lives, times when our own small world collapses and seems to end, times when our todays are shaken to their foundations and almost fall apart.


It may well be that YOUR world has collapsed; it is you who is suffering and sees no hope for the future.

You may have lost a loved one - husband, wife, brother, sister, parent, child, friend. The well-loved voice is silent, the house empty, an aching heart and a hollowness within I your world seems to have ended.

You might be involved in the breakdown of a relationship, facing a divorce, going through a messy break up. What seemed like a great future suddenly disappeared as your world seems to fall apart.

Hardly a week goes by without news of job losses; it may be you that has been made redundant or unemployed, as some companies with long traditions and strong local roots move their jobs elsewhere chasing after cheap labour, leaving behind broken lives and people with no employ and little hope for the future. Your world seemingly collapsed.

You may have received bad news of an illness and be struggling to come to terms with it and to cope with what is happening and may happen in the future. The end it seems of your world.

Whenever these kind of things happen our small world trembles. Those people we have relied on; those things we have trusted; those events we have put faith in, have gone. These can be times of great testing - testing of our faith, testing of our belief in God, wondering whether there is a God. Times like this can shake our faith to its core.

In the reading from Luke's gospel when Jesus was talking about the shaking and collapse that will take place at the end of the world he gave his listeners some hope. It wasn't all doom and gloom. At the end of the passage Jesus told people to stand firm and not to give in. He said that not a hair on your head will perish. By standing firm you will receive life.

Stand firm, hold on. God would not desert them. And the same is true for us. In the midst of the turmoil of our Jives, when our world seems to have fallen to ruin, God who HAS been with us, is STILL there. God who has been faithful in the PAST, remains faithful TODAY. God who has lavished his love on us hasn't deserted us now in the time of need.


The times when we feel our faith tested, the times when we feel we are crawling along the valley floor, crushed by life, are the very times when God is closest to us, even though we often don't realise it. When our world seems to be collapsing around us God stands firmly in the midst of the rubble.


In Jesus, God came into the world. He came to share in all the joys and sorrows of life. He came to know what life is like and to show us what God was like. And because he came, 

because he lived,

because he died and rose again,

He stands firmly and squarely with us in this life and reaches out to us, to you and to me, when our world seems to be collapsing and falling apart. His love comes close where stands an open door, his peace comes to those caught in a storm; his joy comes where faith encounters fear; his grace comes to those whose grace is spent.


Stand firm, don't lose hope. God is with us all. Stand firm, and you will win life.

       Stewart sings:     “Peace Like a River”   (key of G)
I've got peace like a river
I've got peace like a river
I've got peace like a river in my soul
I've got peace like a river
I've got peace like a river
I've got peace like a river in my soul

I've got love like an ocean
I've got love like an ocean
I've got love like an ocean in my soul
I've got love like an ocean
I've got love like an ocean
I've got love like an ocean in my soul

I've got joy like a fountain
I've got joy like a fountain
I've got joy like a fountain in my soul
I've got joy like a fountain
I've got joy like a fountain
I've got joy like a fountain in my soul

I've got peace like a river
I've got love like an ocean
I've got joy like a fountain in my soul
I've got peace like a river
I've got love like an ocean
I've got joy like a fountain in my soul 

HYMN:      # 374      “O For A Thousand  Tongues to Sing” 

BENEDICTION & 3 Fold Sung Amen