We'll be looking this morning at Luke chapter 21, beginning at verse 5 and through verse 24. We started last week looking at this challenging passage of Scripture, the most challenging text probably in all the Gospel of Luke. And last week we spent most of the time on a general overview, now diving in a little more detail. to the first part of the section, often called the Olivet Discourse. Jesus, here, in and around the Mount of Olives, will read verses 5 through 24. Remember, this is the Word of God. And while some were speaking of the temple, how it was adorned with noble stones and offerings, he said, as for these things that you see, the days will come when there will be not left here one stone upon another that will not be thrown down. And they asked him, Teacher, when will these things be? And what will be the sign when these things are about to take place? And he said, See that you are not led astray, for many will come in my name saying, I am he. And the time is at hand. Do not go after them. But when you hear of wars and tumults, do not be terrified, for these things must first take place, but the end will not be at once. Then he said to them, Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. There will be great earthquakes, and in various places famines and pestilences. and there will be terrors and great signs from heaven. But before all this, they will lay their hands on you and persecute you, delivering you up to the synagogues and prisons, and you will be brought before kings and governors for my name's sake. This will be your opportunity to bear witness. Settle it, therefore, in your minds not to meditate beforehand how to answer. For I will give you a mouth and wisdom which none of your adversaries will be able to withstand or contradict. You'll be delivered up even by parents, brothers and relatives and friends. And some of you, they will put to death. You will be hated by all for my namesake, but not a hair of your head will perish. By your endurance, you will gain your lives. But when you see Jerusalem surrounded by armies, then know that its desolation has come near. Then let those who are in Judea flee to the mountains, and let those who are inside the city depart, and let not those who are out in the country enter it. For these are the days of vengeance, to fulfill all that is written. Alas for women who are pregnant, and for those who are nursing infants in those days, for there will be great distress upon the earth, and wrath against this people. They will fall by the edge of the sword, and be led captive among nations, and Jerusalem will be trampled under foot by the Gentiles, until the times of the Gentiles are fulfilled. This is the word of the Lord. Last week we introduced this passage with my parable of the Rocky Mountains. We were imagining ourselves there driving up through the plains of Colorado, coming up to the Rockies as they rise in the west, and the driver there at the steering wheel pointing out towards two large mountains in the distance. large, intimidating-looking mountains and saying, we're going over those mountains. We're going over those mountains. Mountains looking intimidating. Two mountains, but very, very close together, at least from where you are looking out at the horizon. One mountain, just slightly smaller than the other, but almost identical to the other. Just a little bit in front, mountain one, and then behind it, larger, but almost similar looking, identical looking, mountain number two. So close together from your vantage point, it's hard to see where the first mountain ends and the second mountain begins. Now, we said that this was essentially what Jesus seems to be doing here in the Olivet Discourse. That right before his death, he's pointing his disciples out to the future, pointing them to what's on the horizon, to where the world will be going, where the church is headed. Two major mountains ahead. The first the destruction of Jerusalem in AD 70. The second, the end of all things, the end of the age, the second coming of Christ. Two judgments upon unbelief. The first, a small picture reflection of the larger. But at least from the vantage point of Jesus, the prophet, as he looks out at the horizon and points us out to the horizon, they look as if they're almost on top of one another. Hard to tell, even in this passage, where Jesus stops talking about one judgment and begins to talk about the other. And he does so intentionally, it appears, because they're to be so related in our minds. One judgment, a foreshadowing, a picturing, a type. of the second and greater judgment, the second and greater mountain. And we said all of this was meant by Jesus to be intensely practical. And this wasn't just theological playing around for Jesus. The disciples had very specific things. And we have very specific things that Jesus says, look out for this, watch out for that. Make sure on the way over the mountain, you do this, and beware of that. And that practical nature is especially important as we approach this part of it this morning, as we make our way primarily up Mountain 1. Important to remember that this is meant to be very practical. Mountain 1, that's the destruction of Jerusalem in 70 AD, seems to be primarily what Jesus is focusing in on in verses 5 through 24. You see some of the references there. That's how it starts the conversation about Jerusalem as the disciples ask about or talking about the temple and Jesus says it's going to be destroyed. Certainly, most definitely the reference in verse 20 as he talks about Jerusalem surrounded by armies. We'll see more of the details as we go in. Talking about that first mountain primarily, but meant by Jesus to be intensely practical. But we might say, how is this practical for me? 70 A.D. has come and gone, and here I am almost 2,000 years later. How can it be very practical for me? Well, here's where we remember what Jesus is doing, how the journey up one mountain is meant to give us a picture, a reflection of the journey up the other. True, we're not on our way towards the destruction of Jerusalem, as the disciples were there in the first century. But we are somewhere on our way up the second mountain, headed towards Christ's second coming. We don't know how close, but we're somewhere up that journey. The very things that the disciples were to look out for and beware of, we too are to take to heart. So it is incredibly practical, as hopefully it will begin to see. We talked a little bit last time. We began to get into some of the details. We saw how the conversation here got started. It was because the disciples were marveling over the stones of the temple and the beauty. Verse 5, verse 6, Jesus declares, this building would be destroyed. stone, torn down from stone. The disciples, distressed by this, verse 7, immediately ask, when, Jesus? When will this be? What will be the sign that this destruction is about to take place? And as we argued last time, in their mind, that event, the destruction of the temple, had to be the end of the age. It had to correspond to the climactic judgment, the end of the age. And Jesus points them ahead to these two mountains, from their perspective looking very close together, points them forward. We said last time that He encouraged them, verse 9, not to be terrified. not to be afraid, for these things must take place. We want today to spend a little more time talking about the way up and over Mountain One, verses primarily 10 to 24. And we'll notice the first part, we'll talk about the ascent, first, second, the summit, First, the ascent, here looking at verses 12 through 19, the ascent, the way up, not the summit yet, the way up. We'll notice that what Jesus describes in verses 12 through 19 takes place chronologically first, before what he says in verse 10, for example. Verse 10, he describes a nation will rise against nation, kingdom against kingdom, talks about earthquakes and famines. Verse 12, But before all this, okay, so verse 12 and following actually takes place first. So let's tackle it first. We'll describe it as the ascent up mountain one, the ascent up towards that destruction of Jerusalem in AD 70. So what happens on the way up? What happens is opposition on account of the gospel, opposition on account of the gospel. Verse 12, But before all this, they will lay their hands on you and persecute you, delivering you up to the synagogues and prisons, and you will be brought before kings and governors for my name's sake. Opposition on account of the gospel. And all of this, all of verse 12's description was fulfilled in the days leading up to A.D. 70. Some of you might have spent time reading through the Book of Acts, and if you've studied Acts, you know that the Book of Acts is Luke Volume 2. Luke writes the Gospel of Luke, and then writes the sequel, which is the Book of Acts. And so if you look at Acts, and you study it, you realize that essentially, Jesus' statement in verse 12 here, is a pretty good plot summary of the Book of Acts. All this happens in the early days in the Acts of the Apostles. It talks about, verse 12, arrest and imprisonment. What do we see in Acts? Chapter 4, Peter and John arrested by the Jewish authorities. Chapter 5, all the apostles are arrested. Chapter 8, the unconverted Saul drags off men and women and imprisons them. Chapter 12, Herod imprisons Peter. Chapter 16, Paul and Silas imprisoned in Philippi, arrested and imprisoned. appearing before kings and governors. Peter and John before the ruling council in chapter 5, in chapter 4. Stephen before the same council in 6. Paul before the Sanhedrin in chapter 23. Before governors Felix and Festus, 23-25. Before King Agrippa, chapter 25. And the book ends with Paul about to appear before Caesar himself, the king of all of Rome. Some will be put to death, Jesus says, verse 16. Don't we see that in Acts? There's Stephen martyred in chapter 7. There's James the Apostle in chapter 12. All of this took place. But why? Why? All because of Jesus. You see how he says it twice? Verse 12. For my name's sake. Verse 17, you will all be hated. Why? For my name's sake. You see how relevant this is? Opposition on account of the Gospel. Because these men wear the name of Jesus. Do you see how relevant this is? These very things that took place on the road up Mountain 1 towards the judgment of 70 AD. These are the very same things that have taken place all the way up until today. That road up Mountain 2. This is a characteristic of the age of the Gospel. Opposition for the sake of Christ. And we see that today. maybe not as much in the United States. Well, some, but this opposition, this is the experience of much of the world today. Even take this past week. You know what happened this past week? Well, last Sunday in Iraq, a gunman broke into a church during services 52 killed. On Monday, a Pakistani mother of five was convicted before a legal court in Pakistan. Of course, the charge was blasphemy against Islam. But as far as anyone can tell, the only thing she did wrong was take the name of Christ. She's a Christian. Tomorrow, A man in Afghanistan goes on trial, goes before court, a father of six, for the very same reason. Blasphemy charge, but because he wears the name of Christ. That's just one week. And that's just three countries. You could go through the rest of the Middle East. Go through North Africa. Go through Indonesia. Communist lands. The same story repeated again and again. Many of the stories we in the West don't even hear. These are just some of the few that we've heard of. God's people, just like the Apostles, opposed for the sake of Christ. You see how this road up Mountain 1 then becomes a pattern that's repeated again and again as we make our way towards the end of the age. Opposition. Imprisonment. Arrest. Some even put to death for the sake of Christ. Is it disaster? All this opposition? Is it the plan of the Gospel has been squashed? Jesus says, this is an opportunity. Kingdom opposition is kingdom opportunity. Isn't that what he says in verse 13? This will be your opportunity to bear witness. History proves his point. There in Acts you see it. Here's just one example. Acts chapter 4. There Peter and John are arrested. They're brought before the ruling council. in Jerusalem. They have an opportunity to defend themselves. What do they do? They preach Christ, the Lord, the resurrected Savior. Then, just two chapters later, there they are again, chapter 4, they're going before the council. Who is in the council? Elders and priests. Acts chapter 6, a couple chapters later, Luke just throws in this little detail. And the Word of God continued to increase. And a great many of the priests became obedient to the faith." A great many priests became obedient? How did they hear? Peter and John were arrested and appeared before the priests. And kingdom opposition became kingdom opportunity. They preached Christ. And many became obedient to the faith. And this is the exact story that has been played out across the world. God gives grace to His people in times of opposition to bear witness to Christ. And the Gospel spreads, even in lands where it's oppressed. The blood of the martyrs is the seed of the church. Well, we, at least in the West, need to ask ourselves, if God's people in such troubled lands are able, by his grace, to bear witness, why can't we? Why can't we bear witness faithfully in the midst of our great freedom? It's convicting. I'm convicted by it. Why don't I take advantage more of the freedom that God has given? Why don't you? Well, I know. Probably the two biggest reasons why we are slow to bear witness. If I asked you, what are the two big reasons why you're slow to bear witness to Christ? Probably you would answer these two things. you're afraid of what to say. You're afraid of what to say. Two, you're afraid of what might happen. These are the two very things that Jesus addresses here in these verses. Very things. What to say, and the results. And Jesus says, don't worry about it. So one, apparently, this is exactly the things, the fears that the apostles were to be tempted to have. They were tempted just like us. And Jesus says, don't be afraid. You see what he says? Verse 14. Settle it therefore in your minds, not to meditate beforehand how to answer, for I will give you a mouth and wisdom which none of your adversaries would be able to withstand or contradict. See what he's saying? Don't worry about what to say. Don't be afraid about what to say. Don't worry. Now, again, the primary focus here, he's speaking to the apostles, the disciples who are in front of him. And they would have a kind of ministry of the Spirit. They would receive direct, infallible revelation from the Spirit. That's the very things, in that age, without the fullness of Scripture, the very inspiration of the Spirit that would give us the New Testament. We have their infallible words written in places like us. So we're in a little different place, but it's the same Spirit at work in us, isn't it? Same Spirit. And we're tempted, what will I say? Don't worry about what to say. God will give wisdom. God will bring the scriptures to mind. Don't worry about what to say. Now, some have used this passage, don't meditate ahead of time, as an excuse to be lazy. A pastor doesn't need to prepare a sermon. He doesn't have to meditate on what to say. Or a Christian believer doesn't need to memorize some scripture or memorize a simple gospel outline. Oh, God will... No, don't be lazy. Peter, in 1st Peter, says always be prepared to give an answer, but don't worry about what to say. There's our first fear, don't worry about what to say. Our second fear, what might happen if I witness, if I'm bold for Christ? Well, Jesus says, verse 18, you will be hated by all for my name's sake, 17. 18, but not a hair of your heads will perish. Not a hair of your head will perish. You're safe. Don't worry about what will happen. You're safe. Now he said in verse 16, some of you will die. So clearly Jesus isn't referring to a physical invincibility. Because some of them are going to suffer physical harm and even death. But from a spiritual perspective, From an eternal perspective, what really matters, what really endures, their true being, can never be taken from them. Physically, sure, they could be killed, but... Well, it's very similar to what Jesus seems to be getting at in Luke 12, where he says, I tell you, friends, do not fear those who kill the body, but after that have nothing more that they can do. They can kill the body, sure, but that's it. They can't really touch you. Remember Paul's joy in Romans 8? As he goes through what really matters, what keeps us safe for all eternity, the love of God in Christ. Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation or distress or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword No. Nothing in all creation. They can't touch you. Oppose you? Yes. Hate you? Sure. Even kill you? Maybe. But can they really touch you? They cannot touch a hair on your spiritual head. You're safe. So our biggest fears that silence us. What will I say? What might happen? Jesus says don't worry about it. Don't worry about it. And yes, we live on the other side of Mountain One. 70 AD has come and gone, but the first mountain is just a picture of the second. We're on our way up towards the final judgment, but we face very similar things and have a very similar calling. Bear witness, even in the midst of opposition. I encourage you, by way of application, here's two things that I want you to do. Two things. Very simple. You can do these. One. They're both prayers to pray. One. Pray that you won't be afraid. Pray that you won't be afraid. Two. Pray that God will give you an opportunity. Pray that God would open up an opportunity. Maybe you're specifically, in fact, do that. Pick out someone who needs Christ around you. Pray for an opportunity. You see how these are the very same things here that Jesus says he will do? He will provide an opportunity and he will speak to our fears. So pray, no fear and Lord give me an opportunity. Expect God to answer. I was talking with someone from the congregation. This very week was saying, I prayed for an opportunity. There's this loved one, needs Jesus, prayed for an opportunity. Lord, give me an opportunity. That very same night, this person called him up and said, you know what? I've been listening to some of your church's sermons online and I have some questions. Opportunity, pray for it. and pray for no fear. Okay, that's the ascent on the way up. Now we're starting to get to the summit. Starting to get to the summit. So we need to go back a little bit. Remember, verses 12, 19, that's before all this, so it comes first. And then we go back to verse 10. Jesus saying, Nation will rise against nation and kingdom against kingdom there will be great earthquakes and in various places famines and pestilences and There will be terrors and great signs from heaven Matthew and Mark Describe these things as the the beginnings of the birth pains Just like a woman who's in labor, all of a sudden the contractions turn painful. Ouch, that hurt! Here is the sign that it's about to happen. The pain comes, you know it's close. You don't know how close. You can't mark an hour, but it's coming close. And Jesus describes these things primarily, again, in these verses, the reference seems to be to 70 AD. These are the signs that things are getting close to the destruction that Jesus talked about in verse 7, the destruction of the temple. It's getting close. Nation rising against nation, kingdom against kingdom, it happened. There 66 AD, the Jews revolt, gather together, conspire together, revolt against Rome. 67 AD, Rome invades and Caesar sends his best general. Three legions of Roman soldiers converge on Palestine to take back the land. Nation against nation, kingdom against kingdom. Severe earthquakes, there were. 61 AD, 63 AD, famine, great famine. Judea was recorded even in the scriptures. Signs and heavens we actually know of one of these by name Haley's Comet remember Haley's Comet a comet that only appears every 75 years or so you know when it appeared 66 ad and they didn't know about comets and So in the ancient world Halley's Comet appeared in the sky, bright, unmistakable. It caused great frenzy and fury. People freaked out. 66 A.D. in Palestine, Halley's Comet appears. And people think something dramatic. End of the world, perhaps. But Jesus gives the real sign that the destruction is about to take place in verse 20. Remember, that's what the disciples were asking. What's the sign that this destruction is going to take place? And here Jesus hones in. Here's the sign there to look for. But when you see Jerusalem surrounded by armies, then know that its desolation has come near. That's how they'll know. Jerusalem, beginning to be surrounded by armies. In order to put down the revolt, Rome would have to take Jerusalem, the capital, the heart and soul of the Jewish people, their national interest and their faith. The city would have to be taken. Jerusalem was a fortress. How do you take it? surrounded with your army, lay siege to it. And they did. And they did. And Jesus says to the disciples, when you begin to see cities surrounded, that's your sign. Destruction, the desolation of the city that I've talked about is about to come. Jesus says that there will be great suffering. On this summit of Mountain One, great suffering. Verse 23, he says, what normally is a great blessing, motherhood. In those days, it would be almost like a curse, he laments. Almost like a curse. Verse 24, or end of verse 23, For there will be great distress upon the earth and wrath against this people. They will fall by the edge of the sword and be led captive among all nations, and Jerusalem will be trampled underfoot by the Gentiles. Great distress. And there was. The Jewish historian Josephus was there. He was an eyewitness to all these events. And he tells of the horrors of those days. That is, the Roman army surrounded Jerusalem. The city cut off. Its food supply dwindles and famine sets in. Scores of people begin to starve. Anyone who tried to escape the city and was caught by the Roman soldiers was crucified. Sometimes the Romans crucified, Josephus says, 500 people a day. Famine sets in. Disease sets in. Great horrors in the city. cannibalism and other horrible disgraces. Finally, the Roman armies break through the walls. Fire Set to the temple and and fire rages the people by this point can put up no further resistance But but this Romans come in and slaughter it will Josephus says that the blood runs so freely through Jerusalem Because of the slaughter that some of the fires are put out by it Great distress great horror Why Why? Verse 22, Jesus says, For these are days of vengeance to fulfill all that is written. Days of vengeance. That's a phrase right out of the Old Testament. It appears in Hosea 9, verse 7, and Isaiah 10, verse 3. Days of vengeance. Days of wrath. The context there is God's wrath against His people, Israel. Jesus says, these days are to fulfill what is written. Days of vengeance. Days of God's judgment and wrath against His people. This is what Jesus has talked about several times leading up to chapter 21. That here is the very covenant people, Israel. God had made them His and they had turned aside. And He had been patient with them. Sending His servants, the prophets, again and again and again. And finally, God sends His own Son. And the nation rejects Him. He even crucifies Him. The very Son. And now, God, in His righteous wrath, comes and brings judgment upon this people. Their city destroyed. The temple, their glory and hope and one stone. Not one stone left upon another. Destroyed. Days of vengeance. This is a holy God. And this people has rejected Him. My friends, you should look at this. I should look at this picture. And this distress. And hear the descriptions. And our response should be, that is what I deserve. That is what I deserve. Haven't you done the same thing? We have done the same thing. Sinned against the same holy God. God has sent His word to us. How often has He sent His word to you? And we reject it. We go our own way. We do our own thing. And this is a picture of what we deserve. Remember the structure here. This judgment is but a small mountain which pictures what the larger judgment, the second mountain is. This is a picture of final judgment. And so this is a picture of what you and I and all unbelief deserves. This is where we will head. And the judgment that will fall upon us if there's not a way of escape. A way of escape. Did you notice here how Jesus says to His people, to His disciples, there's a way of escape here from this judgment in 70 AD? Did you catch it? He says, verse 20, when you see the army surrounding Jerusalem, what are you to do? Verse 21, let those who are in Judea flee to the mountain. Those who are in the city, get out. Now this was the exact opposite of your instinct in the ancient world. When a foreign army invaded, your instinct, the logical thing, the smart thing, would be to run to the city, hide in the fortress, That was what you did. Jerusalem, after all, had withstood sieges before. A logical thing is run into the city. Jesus says, no, no, no, no, no, no. Flee the city. The way of escape is to flee the city. And friends, that too is a picture. If there is, as we think about that greater mountain, as we think of this as a picture of a greater judgment that you and I both deserve and we will receive, Jesus says there's a way of escape. Flee. The way of escape. The safe place that we can hide from the true and great day of vengeance is Christ Himself. We flee to Him. We flee to Him. In just days, He will go to the cross. He will bear God's wrath for His people. For all who trust in Him, He takes the wrath. So that we run to Him, we're safe. Have you been running to Jesus? Are you today running to Jesus? There's no safe place. What seems logical to the world is destruction. We don't trust our own wisdom. We trust what Christ says. We flee. to Him. Turn from our sin. Are you tempted to take sin lightly? What a reminder this is. Maybe there's a sin that's before you and you're tempted to just, no big deal. You're tempted to play with it for a while. Enjoy it. Do your own thing. This God is not to be trifled with. This is a holy God. Turn from your sin. Run to Christ. And there is your safety. Maybe you're not a believer at all. See your need. Apart from Jesus, apart from this way of escape, what Jerusalem faced is what we all deserve and what we will face apart from Christ. Run to Christ. Turn from your sin and run to Christ. And if you're running to Him, if you're trusting in Him, not in yourself, not in your works, trusting in Christ, then you're safe. You don't look to the future and worry about God as your judge. You're safe in Christ. He's taken the judgment for you. You're freed up from fear, from any judgment to come. And that's why, that's why You are able to boldly serve Him. That's why you can face any opposition. Why you can boldly speak of Jesus. Because what can they really do to you? The One who matters. God Himself. He is not your judge. He is your Father. You are safe. So as you cling to Jesus and flee to Him, you can boldly serve Him. Let's pray. Father, we pray. that we would run to Christ, know what He has saved us from, and that that would motivate us, free us to serve Him. Lord, make us free us from fear. Give us the words to say, open up opportunities, and bring many in, that they too might be rescued from the wrath that is to come, that we deserve. Father, thank You for Your loving grace. In Jesus' name.