Luke 23:33-43

A little late, but, this is the Gospel from yesterday which was Christ the King Sunday. This marks the last Sunday in the church year, because it starts up again with Advent: the season leading up to with anticipation and celebrating Christ's birth.

Jesus crucified with two thieves

When they came to the place that is called The Skull, they crucified Jesus there with the criminals, one on his right and one on his left.
Then Jesus said, "Father, forgive them; for they do not know what they are doing."
And they cast lots to divide his clothing. And the people stood by, watching;
but the leaders scoffed at him, saying, "He saved others;
let him save himself if he is the Messiah of God, his chosen one!"
The soldiers also mocked him, coming up and offering him sour wine, and saying,
"If you are the King of the Jews, save yourself!" There was also an inscription over him,
"This is the King of the Jews." One of the criminals who were hanged there kept deriding him and saying, "Are you not the Messiah? Save yourself and us!" But the other rebuked him, saying, "Do you not fear God, since you are under the same sentence of condemnation?
And we indeed have been condemned justly, for we are getting what we deserve for our deeds, but this man has done nothing wrong." Then he said, "Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom." He replied, "Truly I tell you, today you will be with me in Paradise."

The Finitude of our Faith Luke 21

I feel a little more fit to talk about this passage now that a) I've preached on it and b) I received feedback that my sermon was neither heretical nor boring. So...that's good news!

The main thing I want to say about it is that just like the Jewish believers received this faith challenge regarding their "place" of faith (i.e. Jerusalem and the Temple) we, too, are challenged to re-think our spiritual and religious identities. Who are we as believers if we don't have a house of worship? What kind of religious identity do we have as "refugees" dispersed around the globe without a sense of home?

When we really meditate on the suffering of Jesus, his cry from the cross: "My God, My God, why have you forsaken me?" and that our Messiah who came to dwell among us and to tackle our sins once and for all.....that OUR GOD actually DIED and was carried to the tomb....WOAH....this is definitely a challenge to our faith. These are vulnerable places.

So I use the phrase "finitude-of-our-faith" because our faith is small, slippery, and we might doubt it at times. But we are called upon to hand it over and trust God to carry us through a world that is shaky, broken, and hypocritical -- at best. But we relinquish our little mustard seed, saying: "I don't know, God, what's goin' on...but I trust that you are here and that there is a path to follow through the wilderness...."

Luke 21:5-19

5When some were speaking about the temple,

how it was adorned with beautiful stones and gifts dedicated to God,

he said, 6“As for these things that you see, the days will come when not one stone

will be left upon another; all will be thrown down.”

7They asked him, “Teacher, when will this be, and what will be the sign

that this is about to take place?” 8And he said, “Beware that you are not led astray;

for many will come in my name and say, ‘I am he!’ and, ‘The time is near!’

Do not go after them. 9“When you hear of wars and insurrections, do not be terrified;

for these things must take place first, but the end will not follow immediately.”

10Then he said to them, “Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom;

11there will be great earthquakes, and in various places famines and plagues;

and there will be dreadful portents and great signs from heaven.

12“But before all this occurs, they will arrest you and persecute you;

they will hand you over to synagogues and prisons,

and you will be brought before kings and governors because of my name.

13This will give you an opportunity to testify.

14So make up your minds not to prepare your defense in advance;

15for I will give you words and a wisdom that none of your opponents will be able

to withstand or contradict. 16You will be betrayed even by parents and brothers,

by relatives and friends; and they will put some of you to death.

17You will be hated by all because of my name.

18But not a hair of your head will perish. 19By your endurance you will gain your souls.