The Certain Gospel: How To Survive The End Of The World | Luke 21:5-38

What’s your worst fear when you’re a child? Quicksand. There’s nothing like quicksand to strike fear in the heart of a child. I can’t wait to tell Elijah about quicksand. This week I came across a wonderful game published in 2001 called The Worst-Case Scenario Survival Game. It teaches you how to survive bad things that can happen. So I thought, let’s play a little game today. Let’s see how well you would do surviving some worst-case scenarios. I thought I’d start with sharks since there have been a couple shark attacks on Cape Cod this summer. .

1. How to fend off a shark:
   1. Make repeated quick, sharp jabs in the eyes or gills. 
   2. Punch or kick it in the nose. 
   3. Grab and hold one or both pectoral fins. 

The correct answer is “A. Make repeated quick, sharp jabs in the eyes or gills.” I thought it was B or a combination of A and B. Now some of you may prefer a more tropical or jungle destination.

2. How to fend off a man-eating tiger:
   1. Wear a face mask on the back of your head.
   2. Rub elephant dung or urine on your clothing. 
   3. Cover your body with crushed garlic; the smell repels tigers.

The correct answer is “A. Wear a face mask on the back of your head.” I think dousing yourself in crushed garlic may just make you taste better. Now for those of you who are really serious about survival.

3. How to foil a UFO abduction: 
   1. Never travel alone in the woods. No UFO abduction has ever involved more than seven people.
   2. Dress like a tourist and carry cameras and a map. Appear willing to go with the aliens.
   3. Focus your thoughts toward the alien. Tell it, “Leave me alone. Go away, I have a virus.” 

Apparently, the correct answer is, “C. Go away, I have a virus.” I’m not sure what research they did in the late 90s to make them feel qualified to report this, but there you go. Did anyone survive sharks, tigers, and UFOs? Nicely done. Now I want to give you one more question that I wrote up.

4. How to survive the end of the world: 
   1. Invest in a bunker or be the first to colonize Mars.
   2. Live life to the fullest now because there’s no escape.
   3. The only way to survive the end of the world is with Jesus.

So what do you think the correct answer is? I bet none of you are digging out a bunker or job hunting at SpaceX, but maybe you are living every day like it’s your last and not thinking about tomorrow. As Jesus shows us in our passage, neither of those are the best answer. The best answer is, “C. The only way to survive the end of the world is with Jesus.”

Today Jesus tells his audience and us about the end of the temple in Jerusalem and the end of the world. And when I say “end of the world” I don’t mean that the world will be completely gone because Revelation 21:1-4 promises a new heaven and new earth, but I mean the day Christ returns and this present world ends. Today’s passage can be kind of confusing so I thought I would start by outlining its structure to give you a bit more clarity as we go through it. Outline of Luke 21:5-38:

v5-24: Jesus prophesies the destruction of the temple in Jerusalem.

This destruction serves as a “pattern” or “type” or “sign” of an even greater future destruction.

v25-28: Jesus prophesies the end of the world at his return.

The destruction of the temple serves as a smaller example of a bigger event, the destruction and judgment experienced at the end of days. 

v29-33: Jesus assures his audience these things will take place. 

Jesus uses the parable of the fig tree to do so.

v34-38: Jesus tells his audience how to live in light of these things.

So what? What difference does this make for my life? He addresses those who would be willing to give themselves to “partying” or “living life to the fullest now” because they know what is coming.

Instead of preaching this passage verse by verse or section by section I want to take take the big picture and draw out what Jesus has to say for us today about preparing for Christ’s return. I want to do this by answering four questions: 1) What will happen? 2) When will it happen? 3) How do we know it will happen? 4) How can I be ready? 

1) What will happen?

Jesus prophecies the destruction of the temple and the end times during passion week, between his arrival in Jerusalem and when he is crucified. Jesus is teaching at the temple when his disciples say how great the temple building is (v5). In Mark 13:1b one of his disciples says, “Look, Teacher! What massive stones! What magnificent buildings!” (NIV^®) 

The temple was really impressive. There are no more stones left from the temple itself, but we still have stones that form the temple mount where it was built. The largest stone, the Western Stone, is 10 feet high, 6-12 feet deep, and 45 feet long. It weighs approximately 517 tonnes, or 1,139,789 pounds. That’s the size of 200 elephants or two 747 jumbo jets packed full. It’s one of the biggest stones ever laid and no one knows how they did it. The temple itself was just as impressive and beautiful. 

You can see why the Jewish people took such pride in the temple. It was a symbol of Israel’s honor but also of God’s presence with them, or so they thought. I think the disciples are showing us what the people of Israel had begun to love and value the most, the objects of their religion, the temple, the rituals, the tradition. They loved their temple but they rejected Jesus, God himself. Thus, Jesus prophesies:

Luke 21:6 “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.” (NIV^®)

I listened to one pastor this week who compared church buildings to lunch bags. I think a better comparison is lunch boxes. Lunch boxes can be really cool. You can get Star Wars lunch boxes and Disney Princess lunch boxes, but today they look more like cool packs. But no matter how sweet your lunch box is, what really matters is the food inside it, what gives you nourishment. We are so blessed to be able to use this building, and we should work hard to take care of it, but what matters most is the ministry this building enables. I went back and counted all the times I have posted photos of our Cornerstone building on Instagram. At least 17 times… and I’ll probably post more. It’s okay to appreciate and enjoy what God has given us, but only so long as we remember that we have it so we can serve him with it. 

Jesus wants to snap the people out of their love for their temple and back to faithfully loving God. Jesus graphically foretells the destruction of the temple and Jerusalem in v20-24.  People should flee the city because of how awful it’s going to be. It will be really bad if you’re pregnant or nursing. People will die or be taken as prisoners. When the Roman emperor Titus attacked Jerusalem in 70 AD the historian Josephus said it was utter destruction. Despite siege and famine Titus took the city and burned the temple. 

“No pity was shown on account of age or out of respect for anyone’s dignity—children and elderly, lay people and priests alike were slain. The battle surged ahead and surrounded everybody, including both those who begged for mercy and those who resisted. The flames spread out to a great distance and its noise mixed with the groans of the perishing; and such was the height of the ridge and the magnitude of the burning that one would have imagined the whole city was aflame” – Josephus (Wars 6.5.1). (quoted from Cultural Backgrounds Study Bible)

Rome takes 97,000 captive but crucified, burned alive, or killed with the sword 1,100,000 people, including men, women, children, the elderly and the feeble. It was genocide. This is just a drop in the bucket of the final judgment. It’s just a small taste of the end Christ Jesus will bring at the last days against Satan and those who have rejected him. It won’t be genocide but it will be global and devastating. The destruction of the temple is a picture of the final judgement and it reminds us to prioritize Jesus and his ministry first. 

2) When will it happen?

When Jesus says the temple is going to be destroyed, the disciples ask him when it’s going to happen (v7). And Jesus, of course, doesn’t answer. Instead, he gives them Signs of Jerusalem’s Destruction:

• • v9: They will hear of wars and uprisings. 
  • v10: Nations will rise against nation and kingdoms against kingdoms. 
  • v11: There will be great earthquakes, famines, pestilences, and other heavenly signs.
  • v12, 16: Jesus’ followers will experience persecution, suffering, betrayal, and even death. 

We see lots of persecution happening in Acts (Acts 4:5-12; 22:18). If we look at verses 25 through 28 we see similar Signs of the Last Times: 

• • v25a: There will be cosmic signs in the sun, moon, and stars (un-creation of the world, anti-Genesis 1).
  • v25b: Nations will be in anguish and chaos will rage on land and sea.
  • v26: People will be afraid and the heavens will shake. 

Jesus doesn’t tell us when he’s coming back, only that he is coming back (v27). 

Matthew 24:36, 42 “But about that day or hour no one knows, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father… Therefore keep watch, because you do not know on what day your Lord will come. (NIV^®)

Do any of you remember when Harold Camping predicted Jesus would come back on December 21st, 2012? I remember driving through Lynn and seeing a big billboard saying the end was coming. I knew it was fake but lots of people believed and gave him their money. If someone tells you they know when Jesus is coming back, don’t believe them because they don’t know.

I believe there will be a period of great suffering and worldwide tribulation before Christ’s return based on this and other passages (Rev 6:9). But I don’t think as some believe that it will last seven years or that God will rapture all the Christians away before the suffering begins. I believe it’s God’s plan to use the sufferings of Christians to be a witness in Jesus’ name during tribulation, just like the Jewish believers were witnesses in v12-17. We don’t know when Christ is coming back but we do know he is coming back.

3) How do we know it will happen? 

In New England we know spring is coming when we begin to see the first buds on trees and the first little flowers coming up out of the hard bitter New England ground. Jesus uses the parable of the fig tree to say the same thing in v29-31. “Fig trees are bare in the winter, so the first signs of leaves are evidence that summer is near. The signs Jesus has been describing will herald the return of the Son of Man.” He assures us it will happen and in v32-33 he reminds this generation of disciples that even some from their lifetime will be alive when Jerusalem is destroyed. If the temple is destroyed, and it has been, then we can know that Jesus will return in final judgment and deliverance one day. 

4) How can I be ready? 

This is really the most important question you can ask. Jesus sprinkles throughout this passage how the believers in Jerusalem could be ready for their suffering and trials and how we today can be ready for the return of Christ. I counted seven ways we can be ready. 

1. 1. v8: Watch out for false Messiahs. Don’t follow them.

Don’t follow religious or political Messiahs that claim to bring deliverance. They appeared for those first believers and still come at us today.

4. 2. v9: Don’t be afraid when you hear talk of war.

Fear is the most powerful motivator, but fear is Satanic and leads us away from Christ. When you feel fear, trust in Jesus. War may be the day he takes us all home.

4. 3. v13: Be a bold witness for Jesus and trust the Holy Spirit.

Jesus tells his disciples not to worry about what they will say to defend themselves. He says to trust him and he will give them the right words. If he can give the right words to Stephen in Acts 7 he can give the right words to you. 

4. 4. v19, 28: Stand firm, stand up, and look for Jesus in the sky because our redemption is near.

The worse this world gets the more hopeful we should become. When others shake we can be confident because we know Jesus is coming. He is going to come on “a cloud with power and great glory” (v27). 

4. 5. v31, 33: Trust Jesus and his words.

This world may pass away but Christ’s words will never pass away. By studying this passage and the whole Bible you can build the confidence you’ll need for the end.

4. 6. v34: Don’t get caught up in living life for yourself.

Jesus tells us to not get caught up in parties but also anxieties. Don’t get caught up in living life for yourself, or in worrying about yourself. We don’t need to do that because the party is yet to come (Rev 19:1-9).

4. 7. v36: Live every day watchfully and prayerfully. 

The world says to live every day like it’s your last. The Bible says to live every day looking forward to eternity and the return of Christ Jesus. Let’s go back to our last trivia question:

4. How to survive the end of the world: 
   1. Invest in a bunker or be the first to colonize Mars.
   2. Live life to the fullest now because there’s no escape.
   3. The only way to survive the end of the world is with Jesus.

If you’ve never given true thought to this question, or if you pick A or B or some other answer, I want to invite you to C—to Christ. Jesus tells us the end will come. But it’s not annihilation or hopelessness like many end-of-the world stories portray. It’s life, everlasting life with Jesus. If you don’t know Jesus, you can today. Confess your sins, put your faith in him, and get ready for his return. At the cross Jesus allowed his world to end so that you and I can live forever with him. The only way to survive the end of the world is with Jesus.

Pastor Jonathan Romig preached this message at Cornerstone Congregational Church.
Click to listen to sermons or to read our story.

Church Service

You can watch the full service on Facebook or only the sermon on YouTube.

Sermon Slides