Some Things Don't Change

As Jesus was getting toward the end of His ministry, He seemed to talk more about end times and Judgment Day. That makes sense. That's what His disciples would be preparing for once He was gone - His return. The disciples wanted all the help they could get in understanding end times and judgment, so they asked Jesus what kind of things they might be looking for to help them be ready for His second coming.

Jesus answer is the verses before us today. Wars, rumors of wars. Nation rising against nation. Kingdom against kingdom. That's what is going on all around us now. People of every generation would say the same thing when they hear this message from Jesus. That is exactly what Jesus wants people to conclude. If these things are happening, then Jesus could return at any time. The world isn't stable. The nations aren't eternal. Jesus is eternal and He will return. Earthquakes and famines in various places. Same thing. Going on now. Going on in every generation. Jesus could return today. Exactly what Jesus wanted us to conclude.

We want to look at the first sign today. "Watch out that no one deceives you. {6} Many will come in my name, claiming, 'I am he,' and will deceive many." Spiritual deception. People claiming to be from God and not being from God. False teaching. That's what was going on in the middle ages. The Roman church taught that you had to add to what Jesus did in order to be saved. Confessing your sins to a priest had become an action that deserved or merited a blessing. Mary had been turned into somebody from whom you could get something in order to make yourself right with God. The papacy didn't claim "I am He, I am God." However, it did claim that its pronouncements were the same as if God Himself were talking.

Then God raised up a Roman priest and an Augustinian monk named Martin Luther. He challenged the teachings of the Christian church. He claimed that many of the teachings were false. He stated that any teaching that diverted people from Christ was antichrist. What was His solution? Scripture alone. Sola Scriptura. If the Bible teaches it, that's what the church ought to teach. If the Bible doesn't teach it, then the church ought not to teach it.

Things haven't changed. People are still coming in the name of Jesus and deceiving many. Many Christian churches have made public doctrinal statements which sound as if . human sexuality is defined and practiced according to the whims of society: homosexuality is OK, same sex marriages are good, and gender fluidity is real. The Bible says homosexuality is a sin, just like theft, lying, and murder are sins, marriage is to be between a male and a female and there are two static genders.

Things haven't changed. People are still coming in the name of Jesus and deceiving many. Did Jesus perform miracles? Some today coming to us in the name of Jesus, individuals in Christian churches, teachers in Lutheran churches try to teach us that Jesus never did any miracles. They teach the apostles embellished the events in Jesus' life so that people would want to follow Him. Jesus is somebody to follow. So, the apostles accomplished a good thing, even though Jesus never really did any miracles. The Bible says Jesus did miracles.

Things haven't changed. People are still coming in the name of Jesus and deceiving many. What did Jesus accomplish with His death? Some today coming to us in the name of Jesus, individuals in Christian churches, teachers in Lutheran churches try to tell us that anyone who teaches that God let punishment fall on Jesus and that Jesus' death rescues us from punishment is wrongly maintaining a focus on a vindictive, judgmental God. The whole idea of Jesus' death on the cross should be abandoned. The Bible says Jesus died to take away my sins, suffered God's punishment so that I wouldn't have to.

Things haven't changed. People are still coming in the name of Jesus and deceiving many. Is the true God Father, Son & Holy Spirit? Some today coming to us in the name of Jesus, individuals in Christian churches, teachers in Lutheran churches try to tell us that this limits God too much. We should be gender inclusive and call God: Creator, Redeemer and Sanctifier. That's what is used in some Lutheran baptismal rites. The Bible says God is Father, Son and Holy Spirit.

Sola Scriptura. If the Bible teaches it, that's what the church ought to teach. If the Bible doesn't teach it, then the church ought not to teach it. Martin Luther died in 1546. Today he would have to deal with the same thing inside the church that bears his name as he had to deal with inside the church of which he was a part in 1517. People coming in the name of Jesus and deceiving many. Luther isn't here to do battle. We must continue the battle. The line in the sand still says Sola Scriptura.

Jesus continued. {9} "You must be on your guard. You will be handed over to the local councils and flogged in the synagogues." This wasn't unexpected. The disciples had seen what Jesus had to undergo. The national religious leaders were all in a turmoil because of Jesus. Those in charge of the temple were in direct conflict with Him. It would make sense that anyone who promoted Jesus as the Messiah, the fulfillment of OT prophecy would receive the same conflict and opposition. The apostles did. They were considered heretics from Judaism, were attacked by their own people and were not allowed to function in the synagogues as they went around the Mediterranean world with the message of Jesus.

The new concept here is that they would also undergo opposition from the government. Up to this point Jesus had not. That would come later when the Sanhedrin would turn Jesus over to Pontius Pilate. {9} "On account of me you will stand before governors and kings as witnesses to them." The Roman authorities were made aware that Christianity was not an approved religion in the empire. Most of the apostles and thousands of others were put on trial. Many lost their lives because they were open about believing that Jesus was the promised Messiah.

Some things don't change. The opposition to Martin Luther's insistence on Scriptural truth came from the same two sources. The main reaction of the religious leaders to Luther was - we have to shut him up. The reaction was not - let's look at what he has written, compare it with the Scriptures and make a conclusion. Their reaction was - Luther is not teaching what the church teaches. Therefore, we must silence him. He was debated by church theologians. He was counseled by cardinals. He was threatened by the Pope. Finally he was thrown out of the church by the Pope. Opposition to the truth came from inside the church.

Then the government got involved. The government needed the Papacy. So, it did what the papacy wanted. The Holy Roman Empire was facing military threats from Islam. A united Europe was needed to defend itself from the invasion by Islam. The government didn't need somebody like Luther causing religious dissension, This would probably limit the number of fighting men, supplies and arsenals available to the Holy Roman Empire. So, the government called Luther to account and told him he had to stop his preaching, teaching and writing. Opposition to the truth came from the world power of the day.

Some things don't change. Where does opposition to the truth come from today? Same two sources. Religious leaders. If you listen to or read the pronouncements of the leaders of world Christianity, you would think Christianity is about providing people with a decent standard of living, making sure people are not discriminated against, and making sure everybody feels good about themselves no matter what they believe. If confessional Christians insist that Jesus is the only way to be right with God, if Bible believing Christians insist that Jesus died to wash away our sins, lived in our place to cover us with His righteousness, and rose from the dead so that we might have eternal life, the religious leadership of the Christian world is highly embarrassed and apologizes publicly for the lack of tolerance displayed by some Christians. Opposition to the truth comes from inside the church.

Some things don't change. Christianity is illegal in many countries. Islamic governments kill Christians all over the world all the time today. Interesting we are not told about that much. Stating Christian truth has become illegal in many countries. Lutheran pastors in the state churches in Europe are removed from their offices by the government if they insist on Biblical truths. Christian pastors in Canada are subject to fine and imprisonment if they say anything that violates the toleration laws in that country. Based on the way anti-discrimination policy in our country in going, we are next. Just as Jesus said. Opposition to the truth coming from government.

Don't skip over Jesus' promise. {11} Whenever you are arrested and brought to trial, do not worry beforehand about what to say. Just say whatever is given you at the time, for it is not you speaking, but the Holy Spirit." Jesus kept His promise. The apostles gave powerful testimony about Jesus. Jesus kept His promise. Luther said: "Unless I am convinced by the Word of God, that what I am teaching is wrong. I will not take it back. Here I stand. God help me."

The Lord Jesus will give us the right words too. He will help us say: "God loved us humans so much that he had God the Son take on Himself our humanity. Jesus loved us so much that He lived and never sinned so he could cover us with His righteousness, died to wash away our sins, and rose so He could give us eternal life. It is because of God's grace that we have eternal life." Luther had another two word Latin phrase for that. Sola Gratia.

Why can we be so confident that the Lord will keep His promises. Because God has given us another gift. We lean on Jesus for forgiveness. We lean on Jesus for holiness. We lean on Jesus for eternal life. We lean on Jesus for supplying us with everything else in life. We grab a hold of our salvation by faith. We live our lives trusting in the Lord's presence and promises - by faith. We are saved by faith alone. We live by faith alone. As the world continues to oppose God's truth, by faith alone we will speak the right words because we know our God keeps His promises. Luther had another two word Latin phrase for that. Sola Fide.

Some things don't change. False teachers continue to deceive. The world continues to oppose. Some other things don't change either. Sola Scriptura. Sola Gratia. Sola fide. One more thing doesn't change. Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today and forever.