Sermon Central
-
What Do You Do When Your World Is Falling Apart?
Contributed by J Jeffrey Smead on Nov 12, 2025 (message contributor)
Summary: Some who call themselves Christians are denying The Authority of Scripture. Some are denying the Deity and Saving power of Christ. When doctrine and truth are abandoned., You do not get liberal Christianity you have formed a whole new religion based on satanic doctrine. (Updated Nov. 2026)
For those not familiar with an Anglican Service there are four readings before the Sermon. Today's Readings are: Malachi 3:13 - 4:6 ; Psalm 98; 2 Thessalonians 3:6-13 and Luke 21:5-19
Let Us Pray…... O’ Heavenly Father ... we thank you for this glorious day … and for the transforming presence of the Holy Spirit … in our lives. Let your grace … your peace that passes all understanding … be with those gathered here together this day. Guide us, … that we may be … all that you have called us to be. We ask this O’ Father … in the precious and strong name of Jesus our Savior and our Lord. Amen.
Dr. Ian Paisley, … the fiery Irish pastor and politician …was reputed … to have been preaching one Sunday … on the End Times … and in particular …on what will happen on the Day of Judgement.
As he reached the climax of his address, … he said that on the Day of Judgement … "there would be wailing and gnashing of teeth". (Matthew 13:42)
At which point … an elderly woman put up her hand and said … "Dr. Paisley, I have no teeth"
Paisley replied (Loud) Madam, teeth will be provided
Beloved … I am not sure if teeth will be provided … but this I am sure of … that as each day passes … we are 24 hours … closer our Lord’s … return. (Pause)
In our Gospel Text: Jesus along with his disciples ... had left the temple ……and were in the process of walking away from this magnificent complex ...
When these remarks are made.
Hear God’s Word … BIBLE 5 And while some were speaking of the temple, how it was adorned with noble stones and offerings, Jesus said, 6 “As for these things that you see, the days will come when there will not be left here one stone upon another; that will not be thrown down.” END (Luke 21:5-6)
They admired the temple for its architectural grandeur, …. and it’s expansive decorations.
The temple was impressive indeed … not only for its beauty …… but for its size.
Each foundation stone … was almost the size of a box car (67 ft. long, 18 ft. wide, 12 ft. high).
The temple was indeed impressive, ……. covering about one-sixth … of the ancient city of Jerusalem.
The building complex … was nearly five hundred yards long … and four hundred yards wide. (Pause)
Jesus’ remarks are especially devastating, ... for the temple … was the heart and soul …of Jewish worship and sacrifice.
Remember that today’s Gospel passage immediately follows the story of …… the widow’s mite. (Luke 21:1-4)
Where Jesus is comparing the widow’s giving ……All that she had …… with the ostentatious giving … of the rich man.
A rich man … Who the listener’s clearly understood ... gained his wealth … by devouring widows’ houses …… which had made the widows destitute... in the first place.
The temple might look pretty … on the outside, …… but it became rotten …… on the inside.
The temple system … was falling apart; …… yet most … could not see it.
All this grandeur … and all this beauty might impress you... Jesus in essence tells them:
But it all ...will be …. thrown down.
And The fact is, … in 40 years ... 70AD… most of Jerusalem is destroyed.
Tradition is … The temple was burned, … and the gold inlay melted … and seeped between the large stones.
And in turn … The stones were removed by the Romans … in order to retrieve the melted gold that had seeped between the stones.
Heed the Lord’s prophetic words: there will not be left here one stone upon another; that will not be thrown down. (Luke 21:6)
The disciple’s questions to Jesus’ statement … were no different than ours would be.
When will this all happen?
How will we know … when these things … will take place?
What sign … should we look for?
These are questions … people still ask … today.
Yet … Jesus does not directly answer ... their question.
Instead …… Jesus paints them a picture ... with all of the usual elements:
Warring nations, insurrections, earthquakes, famines, plagues, and ...dreadful por-tents.
Many hear this text and are either overwhelmed by all of the a-po-ca-lyp-tic imagery … Or ... they ignore it altogether.
Apocalyptic imagery and ... dreadful portents aside,
I imagine, … that many of us have wondered … If our world too … is not falling apart ... before our very eyes.
The United States … and most of the western nations have accumulated debt … that is unimaginable … and unpayable.
Our country still has troops stationed around the world.
