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Episode Transcript
[00:00:00] Good morning, St. Paul Luther Church. It's a Sunday Drive to Church podcast for the 23rd Sunday after Pentecost, November 16th, the year of our Lord, 2025. And the picture on the COVID of the bulletin gives you an idea of what's happening. The destruction of Jerusalem.
[00:00:18] We're winding down to the end of the church year, and so we're hearing this week, next week, about the Lord's return in judgment.
[00:00:28] And that is a gruesome day for everything that's mortal.
[00:00:34] It's a gruesome day for everything that's not marked with the Lord's name. It's a day of destruction, a day of judgment.
[00:00:43] And so the Lord wants us to be ready for that day. That's why he tells us beforehand that he's coming again with glory to judge both the quick and the dead. This might be a shorter podcast, but hopefully it'll help us get ready for what's on the way.
[00:00:56] We have Psalm 98, which is.
[00:00:59] It's one of the Sing to the Lord, a new song psalms.
[00:01:02] It's a Christmas psalm, really, but it's also a psalm of the Lord's strength and the Lord's judgment.
[00:01:13] Look, the last three verses. Let the sea roar. And all the fullness the world and those who dwell in it. Let the rivers clap their hands. Let the hills be joyful together before the Lord, for he comes to judge the earth with righteousness. He shall judge the world and the peoples with equity. Now, this is a good thing for us to remember, because when we normally think judgment, we think condemnation. To be judged is to be judged guilty. But there are two judgments that the Lord will pronounce on the last day.
[00:01:41] There's the judgment of condemnation. Depart from me.
[00:01:45] I never knew you. But there's also the judgment of righteousness, the judgment of grace, the judgment of well done, good and faithful servant, the judge, the judgment of the absolution.
[00:01:56] In fact, some old theologian, probably someone like Sassa or one of those guys, said that the absolution which we hear spoken to us over and over in the church, the forgiveness of sins, the absolution is the judgment of the last day sneaking out beforehand.
[00:02:11] So we remember also that the Lord will judge the world, like we say in the psalm here, the Lord will judge the world with righteousness.
[00:02:19] That means the those who are condemned, rightly so. But those of us who trust in Christ, the righteousness of Christ is given to us.
[00:02:27] It's beautiful.
[00:02:29] The Old Testament lesson is the very last verses of the Old Testament. Malachi in English 4, 1, 6. I think in Hebrew there's only three chapters. So the last six verses of chapter three. But anyway, for us, the last six chapters of Micah, chapter four, the last written prophetic word, the close of the canon. It's probably the prophet Malachi who collects all the other books and puts them together and he talks about the coming of Elijah. This is the prophecy of John the Baptist preaching before the appearing of Jesus. Verse 5 says, Behold, I will send you Elijah the prophet before the great and awesome day of the Lord comes.
[00:03:12] And look at what it says.
[00:03:13] He will turn the hearts of the fathers to their children and the hearts of the children to their fathers, lest I come and strike the land with a decree of utter destruction.
[00:03:24] So there will be an Elijah on the way before the great day of the Lord.
[00:03:28] Now, that phrase the great day of the Lord, or the day of the Lord comes up over and over in the prophetic preaching, and it just means the day when the Lord flips the script. I think that's how we would say it today. In other words, when.
[00:03:42] When Joel prophesies the plague of locusts. That's the day of the Lord when Jesus comes. That's what Micah is talking about. Malachi, sorry, is talking about here. The day of the Lord, the last day is the day of the Lord. It's the day when the Lord intervenes in such a profound way that all of history is changed. But this day of the Lord that he's talking about here is the revelation of our Lord Jesus. For behold, the day is coming, burning like an oven, when all the arrogant and evildoers will be stubble, that the day that's coming shall set them ablaze, says the Lord of hosts. So it'll leave them neither root nor branch.
[00:04:16] But for you who fear my name, the sun of righteousness shall rise with healing its wings, and you shall go out leaping like calves from the stall.
[00:04:27] Someone sent me an email one time, a video link to calves being let out in the spring from the stall into the green grass. It's so marvelous to watch.
[00:04:39] They just go bouncing up and down these calves.
[00:04:43] That's your homework to check that out when you have time this week. The epistle is from second Thessalonians.
[00:04:49] Paul writing from Ephesus, probably third missionary journey over there towards the end of the book. Finally, brothers, pray for us that the word of the Lord may speed ahead and be honored as happened among you, that we may be delivered from wicked and evil men. Not all have faith, but the Lord is faithful. He will guard you now Skipping a few verse six. We command you, brothers, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. You keep away from any brother who is walking in idleness and not in accord with the tradition that you've received from us.
[00:05:21] For you yourselves know how you ought to imitate us. We were not idle when we were with you, nor did we eat anyone's bread without paying for it.
[00:05:28] But with toil and labor we worked night and day that we might not be a burden to any of you.
[00:05:33] It was not because we do not have that right, but to give you in ourselves an example to imitate.
[00:05:40] So Paul says, look, remember how when we were there, we were working. Paul was making tents in Thessalonica. Paul didn't always work like that, but he did in Thessalonica. He did in Corinth. He did in different places, just depending on the circumstances. Paul would work a side gig to support himself so that the church wouldn't need to support him. Other times the church would support him, and other times he was raising support for other churches.
[00:06:02] He says, we could have asked for support from you, but we didn't. And we want that to be your example, that you're getting after it, that you're working hard, not busy bodies. He says this in verse 11.
[00:06:15] Oh, sorry, verse 10 is one of these important ones. If anyone's not willing to work, let him not eat.
[00:06:21] The Christian is always getting after it. We hear that some among you walk in idleness. Not busy at work, but busy bodies.
[00:06:28] Such persons we command and encourage in the Lord Jesus to do their work quietly, to earn their own living.
[00:06:33] As for you, brothers, and here's the final encouragement. And this is a good one for us, just a kind of tattoo in our minds. He says, do not grow weary in doing good.
[00:06:44] There's a lot of good to do in this life. And Paul is encouraging us just to get after it, to put our heads down, to work hard, to do good, to serve God and serve our neighbor.
[00:06:57] Support the church.
[00:06:58] It's great.
[00:07:00] The gospel lesson is a long one, a lot of Luke, chapter 21.
[00:07:06] And this is going to be the final discourse of Jesus given on Holy Tuesday, when he's talking about the last days and the destruction of Jerusalem in verse 20, for example. And this is. Remember, they're asking him, teacher, when will these things happen?
[00:07:25] This is when Jesus says, not one stone will be left upon another. They're leaving the temple on Holy Tuesday, and they're walking up to the top of the Mount of Olives. And Jesus says, you see all these Marvelous stones Solomon set here for the temple. Well, not one's going to be left on the other.
[00:07:40] And they ask him, when are these things going to take place? And what are the signs of the end of the age?
[00:07:46] And then Jesus is going to answer both questions in a profound way. Now, this is a lot of times confusing. You have to read it very carefully, because Jesus is answering, first, what are the signs of the destruction of Jerusalem?
[00:07:58] And then second, what are the signs of the last day?
[00:08:02] And that destruction of Jerusalem happened already.
[00:08:05] August 10 is the day, August 10, in the year 70 A.D.
[00:08:10] when the emperor Titus, although he wasn't emperor then, he was General Titus, with the Roman armies, marched in and destroyed, utterly destroyed Jerusalem, set the temple on fire and tore apart the stones. Because Josephus says. I think it's. Josephus tells us that the fire that burned up the temple was so hot it melted the gold down between the stones. And so they tore out the stones to get to that melted gold that had fallen down there. So not one stone was left upon the other.
[00:08:36] And Jesus also talks about the signs of the last day.
[00:08:41] So first, for example, in verse 20, the destruction of Jerusalem, he says, when you see Jerusalem surrounded by armies, then know that its desolation has come near. Let those who are in Judea flee to the mountains. Let those who are inside the city depart. Let not those who are out in the country enter it. For these are days of vengeance to fulfill what is written. Alas for women who were pregnant and those who were nursing infants in those days. It will be great distress on the earth and wrath against the people. They will fall by the edge of the sword. That's this destruction of Jerusalem. But then look at verse 25.
[00:09:14] There will be signs in sun and moon and stars and on the earth, distress of nations and perplexity because of the roaring of the sea and the wave. People fainting with fear. This is the indication of the last days.
[00:09:27] And then they will see the Son of Man coming in a cloud with power and great glory.
[00:09:33] Now, when these things begin to take place, straighten up.
[00:09:36] How about this? This is verse 28. This is one of my favorite verses from our Lord Jesus about what to do on the last day.
[00:09:46] Because when that. When this all happens, when this goes down, and who knows if it even could be in the next few days or in our lifetime that the angels will blow the trumpets and the voice of the archangels will shout, and the Lord Jesus will come in such a way that he'll appear to all people. And those who do not Know the Lord Jesus who want to present themselves in holiness on the last day, are unveiled in their sinfulness and run to the mountains and are crying for the rocks to fall on them.
[00:10:18] The unbelievers are running away from this. But what are we supposed to do on that last day when that happens? If God granted we're still alive so that we're seeing the Second Coming from down here rather than from up there, what are we supposed to do?
[00:10:33] And Jesus tells us in verse 28, this is so nice. So we're ready for the day. He says now, when these things begin to take place, straighten up, raise up your heads, because your redemption is drawing near.
[00:10:50] The last day, dear saints, is the day that we're longing for.
[00:10:58] It's the day when death is done.
[00:11:01] It's the day when sin is over.
[00:11:04] It's the day when the devil is thrown with all the demons who hate us so much and have been working against us all our lives. When they're thrown into the lake of fire, they can't reach us anymore.
[00:11:15] It's the day that death dies and sin is bound and we're finally set free. It's the day of the Resurrection, the day when this mortality gives way to immortality and this crustiness gives way to glory.
[00:11:36] It's not our judgment drawing near, it's our redemption drawing near. It's our rescue drawing near. The Second Coming, like the first Coming, is a rescue mission, and we're the rescued.
[00:11:54] Watch yourselves, lest your hearts be weighed down with dissipation and drunkenness and the cares of this life, that the day will come upon you suddenly like a tramp. Be ready, says Jesus, for it will come upon all who dwell on the face of the whole earth. Stay awake at all times. And what do we mean, stay awake? That means. Does that mean don't take a nap or don't go to bed at night? No, I'm about to go to bed to kick this little cold I've got.
[00:12:18] He tells us what it means. It means that we're spiritually alert, praying that we may have strength to escape the things that are going to take place and to stand before the Son of Man. So we're praying all the time. We have our eyes open to this, our ears open to the Scriptures, our eyes open to the things happening around us so that we're ready.
[00:12:40] We're ready for the trumpet to sound, and we're ready for the last day. The hymn has it, the hymn of the day. The day is surely drawing near.
[00:12:47] This is such a great hymn. In fact, let me pull out some of these verses. Had to go get my hymnal. But you guys didn't know that. But now you do, because I told you.
[00:12:56] The day is surely drawing near when Jesus, God's anointed in all his power shall appear as judge whom God appointed.
[00:13:04] Then fright shall banish idle mirth. Whoa. Then flames on flames shall ravish earth as scripture long has warned us.
[00:13:12] The final trumpet. It's gory for a bit. The final trumpet then shall sound and all the earth be shaken and all who rest beneath the ground shall from their sleep awaken.
[00:13:22] But all who live will in that hour by God's almighty, boundless power be changed as his commanding.
[00:13:28] Listen to how we sing at the end. Though my Savior paid the debt I owe and for my sin was smitten within the book of life I know my name has now been written. I will not doubt, for I am free and Satan cannot threaten me. There is no condemnation.
[00:13:46] May Christian our intercessor be and through his blood and merit read from his book that we are free with all who life inherit. Then shall we see him face to face with all his saints in that blessed place which he has purchased for us.
[00:14:02] So because of the death of Jesus, this is our hope. Because of the death of Jesus, that day, that last great wondrous day is a day of hope and glory.
[00:14:12] So we pray. Come, Lord Jesus. The last stanza. Oh, Jesus Christ do not delay but hasten our salvation.
[00:14:19] We often tremble on our way in fear and tribulation. Oh, hear and grant our fervent plea Come, mighty Judge, and set us free from death and every evil.
[00:14:33] Wow.
[00:14:34] Amen. Come, Lord Jesus, may God grant it. It's the first sermon ever by Pastor Dylan Smith today, so we will rejoice in that. And in Sunday school we'll be. I think we're into Augsburg 12 and 13.
[00:14:51] We're kind of straddling between the two, so we'll take that up in Sunday school. God be praised for that. See you soon.