Prepare: What is your hope for the future?
Read: Luke 21:5-19
The day of the Lord was one of the basic conceptions of religious thought in the time of Jesus. Josephus, the historian says that an incredible number of 1,100,000 people perished in the seige of A.D. 70 and 97,000 were carried away into captivity. The Jewish nation was obliterated; and the Temple was burnt and became a desolation.
Living stones: Two events are discussed in these verses the destruction of the temple and the end of this world age.The temple at Shiloh and Solomon's temple had been destroyed, earlier and now the Lord says that this magnificent temple would also be destroyed. Praise God that He is building His church with living stones which will never be destroyed! We certainly admire the architecture of cathedrals built to the glory of God in our cities. It was so sad when a year ago the cathedral in Christ Church, New Zealand was razed to the ground by an earthquake; but such events remind us to look beyond material things to the eternal.
Symptoms of our age: The symptoms described are characteristic of every age of the Church. In the early Church there were counterfeit Messiahs (Acts 5:33-37) and from that time to the present, every century has seen international conflicts, earthquakes, famines and persecution.
Anxious about the future? : It is natural to be alarmed when we read of persecution in our country and other parts of the world; but what does Jesus say? 'Do not be frightened', 'You will be a witness', 'Don't worry', 'Stand firm and gain life!'.
Respond: Pray that believers who are suffering persecution or conflict will stand firm and know that our sovereign Lord is in control.
Read: Luke 21:5-19
The day of the Lord was one of the basic conceptions of religious thought in the time of Jesus. Josephus, the historian says that an incredible number of 1,100,000 people perished in the seige of A.D. 70 and 97,000 were carried away into captivity. The Jewish nation was obliterated; and the Temple was burnt and became a desolation.
Living stones: Two events are discussed in these verses the destruction of the temple and the end of this world age.The temple at Shiloh and Solomon's temple had been destroyed, earlier and now the Lord says that this magnificent temple would also be destroyed. Praise God that He is building His church with living stones which will never be destroyed! We certainly admire the architecture of cathedrals built to the glory of God in our cities. It was so sad when a year ago the cathedral in Christ Church, New Zealand was razed to the ground by an earthquake; but such events remind us to look beyond material things to the eternal.
Symptoms of our age: The symptoms described are characteristic of every age of the Church. In the early Church there were counterfeit Messiahs (Acts 5:33-37) and from that time to the present, every century has seen international conflicts, earthquakes, famines and persecution.
Anxious about the future? : It is natural to be alarmed when we read of persecution in our country and other parts of the world; but what does Jesus say? 'Do not be frightened', 'You will be a witness', 'Don't worry', 'Stand firm and gain life!'.
Respond: Pray that believers who are suffering persecution or conflict will stand firm and know that our sovereign Lord is in control.
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