Faithful to God Who is Faithful To Us: It’s not about stuff, Jesus is telling us. It is about a new thing God is doing. It is not about buildings, even our churches. Buildings will not last. It is our commitment to God that is the source of our endurance.

Today’s gospel is a passage of eschatological teaching by Jesus that uses apocalyptic language to predict the destruction of the Jerusalem Temple and subsequent persecution of his followers, emphasizing the need for endurance, faithfulness, and trust in God’s provision during times of trial.

That is not Jesus’ only message. As followers of Jesus, we are called to hope in God’s abiding presence and love, to hope in resurrected life, to have hope for the lost and the least, and to hope in the coming kingdom of heaven and our citizenship there. Jesus calls us to testify to our hope. When everything is falling apart, how will you tell the story of your hope in something greater than what we see in this present time?

We are sometimes shaken by momentous events, division, and at times, impending disaster. The world needs our hope no matter what is happening. That’s the call that comes from any good biblical apocalypse. They are not meant to scare us, but to make us bold in our hope.
I wonder what stood out for you in this passage? Do you think the answer Jesus gives in vs 8 answers the question the disciples asked in vs 7?

Prayer: Heavenly God, we pray for wisdom and discernment to not be terrified by the events around us, but to remain patient and endure. Give us Your grace to persevere through trials and temptations, and to remain faithful even when we face opposition. Help us to find our security in You, and not in worldly things that can be destroyed.  We pray this through Jesus Christ, Your Son, who lives and reigns with You, now and forever. Amen.