When the world is shaking; thoughts on Luke 21:5-19

You know the feeling. The world is shaking.

Maybe you felt it this week when you saw the price of groceries. Flat wages feel like a joke when a gallon of milk costs what it does now. Maybe you felt it when your neighbor was laid off, or you saw the news about ICE or CBP activity in Chicago, and you had that cold flash of fear for your family or friends.

Maybe the deepest anxiety is the quiet one: the politicians and corporate leaders who seem to break the rules without consequence while the rest of us just try to get by.

Or the terrible, sudden violence that steals our peace—school and workplace shootings. We look around, and we think, When will this end? Is everything falling apart?

In our Gospel this past Sunday, the disciples were asking a similar question.

Jesus was looking at the Temple in Jerusalem. Now, this wasn't just a building. It was the center of their world, built of massive stones, absolutely beautiful. It represented their faith, their history, their security.

The disciples said, "Look at these magnificent stones and decorations!" And Jesus replied, “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. (Luke 21:6, NRSVUE)”

Imagine the shock. The one solid thing they counted on was going to vanish.

For us, our Temple might be job security, or the expectation that our children will be safe at school, or the simple belief that a hard day's work should pay the bills. When companies announce layoffs and your resume gets no calls back for months, that security is shaken. When corruption is everywhere, your trust is thrown down.

The disciples immediately asked, "Teacher, when will this be?" They wanted a timeline, a warning.

And Jesus gave them a difficult answer. He warned them about wars, and uprisings, and earthquakes, and famines, and plagues. He warned them about terrible signs from heaven.

He told them, “Do not be terrified; for these things must take place first, but the end will not follow immediately. (Luke 21:9, NRSVUE)”

Jesus is telling us two things: first, that struggle and fear are part of the journey. Second, that we should not be terrified. The chaos we see is not a sign that God has abandoned us. It is simply the nature of this broken world.

Jesus then tells them that things will get worse for them. He tells them they will be arrested and hated because of him. For many in our community, this is not just an ancient story. The fear of an ICE raid, the anxiety of crossing a border, the constant feeling of being watched or targeted—that is persecution. That is the feeling of being dragged before authorities.

But here is where the story pivots from fear to power. Jesus says that these terrible moments are not just moments of suffering.

They are moments of purpose, “This will give you an opportunity to testify. (Luke 21:13, NRSVUE)”

When your security is gone, when your faith is tested, you get a chance to show the world what you really believe in. You get to testify to hope, even when the job market is cold. You get to testify to dignity, even when corporate greed rules the day. You get to testify to love and welcome, even when the outside world is filled with walls and fear of raids.

And we don't do this alone. Listen to the promise Jesus gives us, “I will give you words and a wisdom that none of your opponents will be able to withstand or contradict. (Luke 21:15, NRSVUE)”

When you stand up against corruption, or when you speak out for the neighbor who is afraid, you don’t have to worry about finding the perfect speech. God promises to put the right words of truth, wisdom, and courage into your mouth.

Jesus doesn't promise us a simple life. He promises betrayal, hardship, and hate. He promises a world where the foundations shake.

But he ends with the deepest form of encouragement for those living in fear and anxiety, “By your endurance you will gain your souls. (Luke 21:19, NRSVUE)”

Endurance is not just surviving; it is living faithfully, day after day, in the middle of chaos.

When you endure a long search for work without giving up, you gain your soul. When you keep showing kindness to your neighbor despite the constant threat of violence or political division, you gain your soul. When you refuse to let anxiety paralyze you, but instead use that worry as fuel for prayer and action, you gain your soul.

Our world is shaking. The answer is not to find a safe place to hide, because Jesus says no place is safe. The answer is to endure. Cling to God, speak the truth in love, and use the moment of trial as your chance to testify. This endurance is your salvation.

Amen.