Although my wife Marilyn was scheduled to have knee surgery a week ago,

it was cancelled at the last minute. We’ll have to reschedule.

Pastor Jeff

Nov. 18- Endings can be New Beginnings

Today’s texts speak of endings and beginnings - of judgment and joy. They remind us that God is always doing new things - in the world, in our church and in our lives. But to embrace the new things that God is doing, we have to let go of the old. That can be painful. And we avoid pain.

The disciples were from the small towns and villages of Galilee. When they got to Jerusalem, they’re really impressed with the big city - and the temple. It was one of the great building complexes of the ancient world. A huge stone structure beautifully decorated, constructed to last for ages. As they stood gawking like tourists, Jesus burst their balloon: All this that you are admiring so much - the time is coming when every stone in this temple building will end up in a pile of rubble. It will be completely destroyed.

The disciples were shocked: When will all this happen?

Luke 21:5-9

Jesus doesn’t directly answer their question - the when wasn’t the point. Rather, he warns them to beware of those false prophets who tell them that the destruction of the temple is a sign that the end of the world is immanent.

Keep your heads and don’t panic. This is routine history and no sign of the end. 21:8

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Bad things will happen, but don’t be afraid, for I am with you and you’ll make it through.

Don’t be overwhelmed, or discouraged.

Life is not easy. Life is tough.

God has not promised a stress free, problem free life for believers.

And yet, Jesus assures us, we can and should

live positively – we are in His care and He is our hope.

By your endurance you will save your souls. 21:19

For the Lord can transform situations - sometimes even taking what is intended for evil and turning it around - somehow using it for good.

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As most of you know, Jesus’ prophecy about the destruction of Jerusalem was fulfilled in less than 40 years. The zealots among the Jewish people led a rebellion against Rome. The Romans were fed up with the unruly Jews. The Roman legions marched in, and eventually destroyed the city, leveling the temple, so not one stone was left upon another. The center of Jewish religious life was left in ruins.

Talk about the pain of change and newness. This was a catastrophe. Judaism was a pilgrimage religion. You showed your faithfulness by journeying to Jerusalem to worship at the temple. Even if you lived far away, you contributed to the maintenance of the temple and the priests. Somehow, God was especially present in His house. So no matter where you were in the world, when you prayed you turned to face the temple in Jerusalem.

Certainly the Romans “intended evil” - they were putting down the Jews. Yet, God took what was intended for evil, and turned it around. The Jewish faith that was once centered in the temple, was through the violence of the Romans, transformed into a faith that spread around the world. It was no longer geographically constrained. Judaism as we know it today is the result of that catastrophe. The Jews became people of the book - of the scriptures - gathered in synagogues around the world for prayerful study of God’s word.

God can take events in the world and use them for His purpose. God can use them to bring newness. But that newness may not be painless.

For the Jews of the first century, embracing the new meant they had to let go of the old. The old was centrality of the temple where a cadre of priests offered prayers and sacrifices on their behalf. They let go of that to embrace the new - the synagogue where the people gathered together to pray and study God’s word.

The new was better, but it was a wrenching, painful transition.

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Maybe what that tells us is that there may be newness coming to us, through the work of God, but that newness will not be painless. I suppose that is one of the reasons why we experience so little in our lives that is really new. Invariably, for something to be born, something must die. To embrace the new, we must give up the old. And that can hurt.

I wonder, is there any circumstance in your life that is calling you to let go of the old, and to embrace something new? That can be difficult, especially when it’s not clear exactly where the new will lead. It could mean casting-down and dismantling in order that newness might come. While it seems like an ending, it could also be a new beginning with God’s help.

Maybe something that I've done -- a dumb, stupid decision – has put me in a bad place. I really need to let go of that habit, and make a new beginning.

But it’s just as likely that it just happened to me.

The company was downsizing and I lost my job. Or a serious illness has afflicted me or a family member. It could be a divorce? Or the loss of a loved one.

There are bad things that come into our lives.

How do you handle it?

In life, you will be a victor or a victim.

You can be overwhelmed by your problems

or you can overcome your problems.

With the Lord’s help, you don’t have to be a victim, and you can be a victor.

As Paul said: "I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me." Philippians 4:13

As a Christian, I have a hope to hold onto when things go wrong, even when things fall apart, because

What seems like an ending can be a new beginning.

What appears to be a loss can be turned into an opportunity.

Maybe something has devastated your life – and you haven’t gotten over it. It still makes you angry or bitter or depressed.

Is this the time for you to move on?

Perhaps with St. Paul you should say;

Forgetting what lies behind, and straining forward to what lies ahead, I press on to the goal… Philippians 3:13

As the apostle says, stop focusing on the past, and instead start looking forward to a new beginning in your life.

The point is, God can take the problems we must face, the even mistakes we make, the bad things other people may do to us, and turn it into a new beginning.

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The road is long, the way is hard, and we will get tired, even burned out. We get weary in well doing. It’s also tough always to try to do what is right.

But just at the point of our weariness, when our spiritual energy is used up, we need to be reminded that it doesn’t depend on us – it all depends on God.

You were saved on the basis of what Christ did, not what you did.

You may make mistakes. You may stumble. Or life may knock you down. You may suffer through no fault of your own.

But the Lord won't let go of you! You were saved by grace. And God’s grace is still there for you. You stay saved by grace. Our hope is eternal, for my hope is built on nothing less than Jesus - I rest on His unchanging grace.

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Christians do have a hope that helps us keep on going.

We know how the story's going to end. Sure I'm going through tough times right now but I've read the last chapter in the book and I'm going to win in the end. We’re on the winning team, which is the point Paul makes in Romans, where he writes:

"Our present sufferings are not worth comparing with

the glory that will be revealed in us."

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God can come into our lives and make a way, where there seems to be no way. Yes, from time to time God brings us peace and comfort, courage and reassurance. But sometimes this same God brings us newness – sending us down a different path into the unknown.

When we are facing huge problems, seemingly insoluble dilemmas, we need help. And maybe what we need is something new – something beyond our expectations. The same scriptures that speak of ending also promise new beginnings. God keeps making something out of nothing - making a way out of no way.

God can work a new glorious future for you in the midst of present challenges.

Is it time for a new beginning in some area of your life?

Let us pray

Lord God, do something fresh and new among us –

- do something we can’t do for ourselves.

Bring us a future that is open, bright, and hopeful.

Bring us that which we could not construct for ourselves.

And then give us the courage to move into the gift of your future - the new beginning you give us, not knowing where we go, but only that your hand is leading us and your love supporting us. Amen