In Luke 21 Jesus answers the disciples\u2019 questions about the timing of the destruction of the Temple and the signs that will
precede this event (verse 7). In answering this question Jesus widens His answer to refer to \u201cthe end\u201d (verse 9). In Matthew it is
recorded that the disciples included a question about the \u201cend of the age\u201d (Matt 24:3), which it appears that Luke omitted. In His
answer Jesus describes some quite terrifying incidents that will take place, but in the middle of describing these things He makes
this statement: \u201cBy your patience possess your souls\u201d (verse 19). This statement comes after Jesus told His followers that they
will be hated by everyone because of their allegiance to Jesus, \u201cbut not a hair of your head shall be lost\u201d (verse 18). And it is
followed by a terrifying picture of armies attacking and surrounding Jerusalem (verse 20).<\/p>\n\n\n\n
No one would like the prospect of being hated by everyone, but this is the picture that Jesus presents of the times that lie ahead
for His followers. But, as if this were not bad enough, the picture of a savage war and the siege of Jerusalem would strike terror
into many a soul. Both of these prospects are enough to cause fear and panic in many hearts. Yet, it is into this context that
Jesus says, \u201cBy your patience possess your souls\u201d. So, what is Jesus intending for us to take from this statement? Our first
thought could be that of the British attitude of showing a stiff upper lip along with the gritting of teeth. But is this what Jesus
means?<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The Greek word translated \u201cpatience\u201d in this passage is found in other parts of the NT. In Romans 5:3 & 4 we read, \u201cknowing
that tribulation produces perseverance; and perseverance, character; and character, hope\u201d, where the same Greek word is
translated as \u201cperseverance\u201d. In this Romans passage we see that \u201cperseverance\/patience\u201d is built into us through \u201ctribulation\u201d
and it leads on to something richer called \u201chope\u201d, and indeed we \u201crejoice in hope of the glory of God\u201d (verse 2). \u201cPatience\u201d is not
an end in itself, but it leads on to something more glorious that we who trust in Christ will share in and enjoy one day. This
quality of \u201cperseverance\u201d is present because we have been justified by faith and we have peace with God (verse 1): It is built
upon the work of Christ! Because of what God has done in Christ we can persevere, and we can have genuine hope. If in our
unregenerate and godless state God justified us freely in Christ, then we can face the future with its pains, sorrows and
challenges, trusting in Him that He will bring us through to His desired end. This \u201cperseverance\u201d has the work of God as the solid
ground that we can build upon and it has a hope that is to do with experiencing the glory of God one day!<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Here I would like to quote from an account of one of the Scottish Covenanters, Hugh MacKail, at his execution as recorded in the
book \u2018Fair Sunshine\u2019 by Jock Purves: \u201cUp the ladder to the rope he climbed, crying, \u2018I care no more to go up this ladder, and over
it, than if I were going home to my father\u2019s house\u2019. Rung by rung he called aloud, \u2018Every step is a degree nearer heaven\u2019. Sitting
at the top of the ladder he took out his pocket Bible, and, after addressing the crowds, he read the last chapter of it. Standing
up, the napkin was put over his face, but, lifting it, in a remarkable voice by faith inspired, he burst forth into an ecstatic offering
of farewells and welcomes filled with grace and glory, a blessed, wondrous and glorious Amen of comparison. \u2018Now, I leave off to
speak any more to creatures, and turn my speech to thee. O Lord. Now I begin my intercourse with God which shall never be
broken off\u2019.\u201d What made such men die like this? Here was a man whose eyes and heart were set upon heaven and the glory of
God that lay in store for those who love God. This is \u201cperseverance\u201d!<\/p>\n\n\n\n
In Col 1:11 we read of being, \u201cstrengthened with all might, according to His glorious power, for all patience and longsuffering
with joy\u201d, where \u201cjoy\u201d is associated with \u201cpatience\u201d. This \u201cperseverance\u201d is not pictured as a wearisome task or burden, but it is
accompanied by \u201cjoy\u201d. Obviously, this is not the type of joy that is dependent upon our circumstances, for as the NT shows us,
there is much suffering in following Christ, but we are told to, \u201cRejoice in the Lord always\u201d (Phil 4:4). The \u201cjoy\u201d we read of here
is a \u201cjoy\u201d inspired by Christ and by His work of grace in our lives.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
In Rom 8:25 we read that, \u201cif we hope for what we do not see, we eagerly wait for it with perseverance\u201d. This is written in
response to the fact that, \u201cwe ourselves groan within ourselves, eagerly waiting for the adoption, the redemption of our body\u201d.
The child of God is looking forward to something more wonderful than he can ever grasp while here on this earth. He knows that
it is something truly amazing that awaits him and so he waits for it with \u201cperseverance\/patience\u201d knowing that God will finish in
him what He once started.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Interestingly, this word \u201cpatience\u201d is used of Jesus Himself. We read in 2 Thess 3:5, \u201cNow may the Lord direct your hearts into
the love of God and into the patience of Christ\u201d. When we are encouraged to show and act with \u201cpatience\u201d we are following the
example of the Lord Jesus for we read that Jesus, \u201cfor the joy set before Him endured the cross\u201d (Heb 12:2), where the word
translated \u201cendured\u201d comes from the same root as the Greek word for \u201cpatience\u201d. Jesus saw beyond the suffering to the
promised \u201cjoy\u201d that awaited Him, and that is what believers can share in. But notice that we need the Lord to direct our hearts
into this \u201cpatience\u201d, as if to emphasise that this is not a work of our own doing, but that it is an act of the LORD \u2013 and it is a
work that the LORD wants to do in us!.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Do we realise how rare this quality \u201cpatience\u201d is in this world? Many people around us are suffering and it shows in their
demeanour and on their faces. So, when people see a Christian suffer and there is no anxiety or complaining to be seen, but
there is a calm disposition with a sense of peace and hope, do we realise that this may be something completely alien to them?
It is quite possible that such an attitude seen in Christians will stick out like a sore thumb because it is so different and so
attractive.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Outside the NT this Greek word (hupomone) had been used of a plant that grew under adverse circumstances. In a dry and
barren place this plant should not grow, but it did! The plant almost defied logic! I recall as a youngster in Glasgow one day
walking along one of Glasgow\u2019s dreary streets. In those days before many of the tenements were pulled down, the tenement
walls were often dark or even black due to the smoke and grime that fell on them from the coal fires and the heavy industry. It
was only much later when I saw one of these tenement walls cleaned up that I realised that they were a reddish sandstone and
were quite attractive in their own way. On this particular day I happened to look up at one of these walls because something had
caught my eye. It was a window box on one of the upper stories of the building and in that window box were two lovely orange
lilies. They stuck out like a sore thumb against the dreary tenement wall and that picture stuck in my mind. Then, many years
later after I had become a Christian, and I came across this Greek word the picture of these two orange lilies came to mind as if
to say that this is what biblical \u201cpatience\u201d is like \u2013 it stands out like a sore thumb and even defies our logic! The Christian has
hope and joy when everything around him screams out that these are the qualities that he should not have! To the unbeliever
the Christian just does not make sense \u2013 how can he be at peace and even have hope when things have gone wrong?<\/p>\n\n\n\n
In Classical Greek the word is not a very common word, but it is used of enduring, and battling against, grief and the difficulties
that have come upon someone against his will, be it a war or even facing death. Such a person has not chosen these challenges,
but he rises to the challenge before him. This would call for great bravery with no certain hope of success. Such valour was
respected and admired among the ancient Greeks. Many trials and sorrows come upon Christians without warning, but we face
these things with hope because our trust is in the LORD. In the Luke 21 passage Jesus actually warns us of the difficult times
that lie ahead of us, so that we will not be taken unawares, therefore we can cultivate this quality of \u201cpatience\u201d before that time
comes. (It is worth noting that the parallel passage to Luke 21:19 is Matt 24:13 which reads, \u201cBut he who endures to the end
will be saved\u201d. The Greek word translated \u201cendures\u201d in Matt 24:13 comes from the same root as \u201cpatience\u201d in Luke 21:19.)<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Today we may be facing many trials, challenges and disappointments that would draw us aside from Christ but let us take heart
for the same Spirit that strengthened Jesus as He faced the cross is here with us today to enable us to face our challenges with
godly \u201cpatience\u201d and hope, and to prepare us for the challenges that we know lie ahead of us.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
In Luke 21 Jesus answers the disciples\u2019 questions about the timing of the destruction of the Temple and the signs that willprecede this event (verse […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[16],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-601","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-john-maclaughlan"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"http:\/\/176.32.230.18\/swordmagazine.net\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/601","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"http:\/\/176.32.230.18\/swordmagazine.net\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"http:\/\/176.32.230.18\/swordmagazine.net\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/176.32.230.18\/swordmagazine.net\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/176.32.230.18\/swordmagazine.net\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=601"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"http:\/\/176.32.230.18\/swordmagazine.net\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/601\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":602,"href":"http:\/\/176.32.230.18\/swordmagazine.net\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/601\/revisions\/602"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"http:\/\/176.32.230.18\/swordmagazine.net\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=601"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/176.32.230.18\/swordmagazine.net\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=601"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/176.32.230.18\/swordmagazine.net\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=601"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}