Epicurious Lutheran

November 16, 2025 | Pentecost 23 / Lectionary 33

Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. Amen.

If Jesus was teaching your new member class based on today’s gospel, how do you think you would respond to Him? Do you think you’d want to join?

What he has to say doesn’t sound exactly joyful, non-political, encouraging, or easy.

“Nation will rise against nation.” “There will be great earthquakes.” There will be “famines and plagues.”

And you? You will be arrested, persecuted, and brought before government leaders “because of my name.” “You will be betrayed even by parents and siblings, by relatives and friends; and they will put some of you to death. You will be hated by all because of my name.”

Jesus’ very own words don’t exactly give us the warm, cozy, comforting feeling that some people seek when they come to church.

How are we, as modern-day Christians, supposed to hear Jesus’ words? Is Jesus’ intent for us to be afraid? Does he want to stir up worry or anxiety? Are these happenings Jesus mentions or the “end of time” to be our focus and our purpose as church?

Jesus was saying these things as He taught in the Temple in Jerusalem. People around Him would have included his disciples, Pharisees, Sadducees, as well as passersby.

You and I have the benefit of time and knowing what happened to the Temple since then. You may have seen the ruins of the Temple after it was destroyed in 70 AD. For us, it’s hard to imagine the Temple not destroyed. It took about 10,000 workers and 1,000 priests 46 years (John 2:20) to complete the temple. It was substantial.

So, for them … for the people listening to Jesus … it was shocking to hear Him say: “As for these things that you see, the days will come when not one stone will be left upon another; all will be thrown down” (Luke 21:6).

For us … it might be like Jesus standing here among us looking at the beauty this sanctuary, the organ, the stained glass windows and all that is beautiful in this place and saying that there will be a time when this building is no more.

We’re used to this church building being here. It is part our lives and part of the rhythm of our week. So, if Jesus said that there would be a day when they weren’t here that would be jarring to us, upsetting, and worrisome.

But again … why is Jesus saying these things? What’s the point? Is it about fear? Is it about threatening people? That doesn’t sound very Jesus-y.

While there’s a lot of heavy stuff in Jesus’ message, believe it or not, it’s a message of hope and assurance, but also a nudge. Jesus challenges us about what we’re putting our trust in. He assures us that, no matter how bad things get, no matter what kind of persecution we are enduring, no matter how helpless or weak or small we may feel, no matter which party is in power in our government, no matter how much it may feel as though the walls around us are crumbling in upon us God does not abandon us.

God and God’s kingdom is not like any earthly kingdom that can crumble and fall. God is not like any ruler of this world who will arrest and persecute us. God is not afraid of the ugliness and the underbelly of our lives and our society. Instead, God is solid. God is present. God is here with us no matter what.

Today, we celebrate a Kingdom that will never crumble. We celebrate a God who endures with us. We celebrate a God who shows up. We celebrate a God who shows us the way of truly living and a way of loving all of God’s people.

Our invitation is to participate with God in this changing, challenging and wonderful mission of Jesus. Our invitation is to continue nurturing relationships here, near, and far. Our invitation is to welcome all people – both those who are already here as well as those who out among us out in the community. Our call … our invitation is to help people experience God who welcomes all people. Our call … our invitation is to prepare for a future congregation that we may never even see or know, but a congregation who will boldly live and proclaim the message of Jesus well into the future whether that living and proclaiming is easy or not.

You and I are fed and nourished by God’s word, the sacrament of Holy Communion, the music and the beautify of this place, and by each other’s presence here. We are a community together and that feeds us. We are then sent out. We don’t just consume the food. The food is to give us energy and the ability to go out and do the things God has called us to do. We are sent from this place to love all people and to accomplish what God intends for us to do this week. This intentional cycle of gathering and going out with purpose is much more than it being about you and I being “members” of a church. This rhythm of gathering, being fed and nurtured, and then being sent is about you and me continuing to grow as Jesus’ disciples. And this – you and I growing … you and I being sent – this is how we live into God’s future. It begins with our bold living and our bold proclaiming … today.

In the name of Jesus. Amen!