5-6 One day people were standing around talking about the Temple, remarking how beautiful it was, the splendor of its stonework and memorial gifts. Jesus said, “All this you’re admiring so much—the time is coming when every stone in that building will end up in a heap of rubble.”
7 They asked him, “Teacher, when is this going to happen? What clue will we get that it’s about to take place?”
8-9 He said, “Watch out for the doomsday deceivers. Many leaders are going to show up with forged identities claiming, ‘I’m the One,’ or, ‘The end is near.’ Don’t fall for any of that. When you hear of wars and uprisings, keep your head and don’t panic. This is routine history and no sign of the end.”
10-11 He went on, “Nation will fight nation and ruler fight ruler, over and over. Huge earthquakes will occur in various places. There will be famines. You’ll think at times that the very sky is falling.
12-15 “But before any of this happens, they’ll arrest you, hunt you down, and drag you to court and jail. It will go from bad to worse, dog-eat-dog, everyone at your throat because you carry my name. You’ll end up on the witness stand, called to testify. Make up your mind right now not to worry about it. I’ll give you the words and wisdom that will reduce all your accusers to stammers and stutters.
16-19 “You’ll even be turned in by parents, brothers, relatives, and friends. Some of you will be killed. There’s no telling who will hate you because of me. Even so, every detail of your body and soul—even the hairs of your head!—is in my care; nothing of you will be lost. Staying with it—that’s what is required. Stay with it to the end. You won’t be sorry; you’ll be saved.
Jesus warned his disciples in advance what would happen before the end of the days. Jerusalem's temple would be destroyed for the sins of rejecting the Messiah; many false christs and prophets would arise predicting the date of the last day; wars, natural disasters, famines would become more frequent; disciples of Jesus would be persecuted by the rulers and even betrayed by the family members because of the name of Jesus; life would not be a easy style. Nevertheless, Jesus affirms his disciples to rest in the providence of God - He is always the One who cares for every detail of our life even including the no. of the hairs of our head; the Spirit is the One who will answer the prosecution on our behalf; Jesus is the One who will be with us by the Spirit and lead us to go through all these trials of our life.
My Master and dear friend Jesus, keep me faithful on your way no matter what fears, anxieties, worries may arise in me as the external circumstances change without my control. You have shown me the destiny of my life, i.e., in your loving hand and glory of the Day when you return.
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