Keeping Your Eye on the Ball

Devotional Reflection, Thursday, July 11, 2024

Proper 9, the week of the seventh Sunday after Pentecost

The Rev. David W. Perkins, Th.D.

Key phrases for reflection from today’s reading:

3 When he was sitting on the Mount of Olives, the disciples came to him privately, saying, ‘Tell us, when will this be, and what will be the sign of your coming and of the end of the age?’  4 Jesus answered them, ‘Beware that no one leads you astray. 5 For many will come in my name, saying, “I am the Messiah!” and they will lead many astray. . . .13 But the one who endures to the end will be saved. 14 And this good news of the kingdom will be proclaimed throughout the world, as a testimony to all the nations; and then the end will come.

You will find the full text of today’s Gospel reading at the end of this reflection.

Daily Office Lectionary Readings (BCP, 975)

AM Psalm 18:1-20; PM Psalm 18:21-50

Deut. 3:18-28; Rom. 9:19-33; Matt. 24:1-14

David’s Reflections

My late younger brother, John, and I began playing baseball in our hometown of Oakdale when I was a rising fourth grader and he, a rising second grader. Our coaches taught us to keep our eye on the ball when hitting and fielding. Don’t let anything distract you from that.

The Daily Office Gospel for today contains Matthew’s account of the beginning of Jesus' discourse regarding the destruction of the Jerusalem Temple and the events that will end this age and usher in his coming again. At his trial he would be accused of threatening to destroy the Temple, which if true would have sounded totally antiestablishment, irreligious, and treasonous (See Matt. 26:60-61). Such accusations might have grown out of actions like his cleansing of the Temple and out of sayings of judgment like those in these verses. Like his prophetic predecessors, especially Jeremiah and Amos, Jesus rejected the abuses of the Temple rites.

After he predicted the Temple's destruction, he and the disciples went east to the Mount of Olives, from where they would have had a panorama of the Temple compound. His disciples asked him when these things would occur and what signs there would be to anticipate them. According to Ezekiel, when God's glory departed from the Temple, God went to the Mount of Olives (Ezekiel 10:18; 11:23); and, the Messiah was expected to appear there (Zechariah 14:1-10).

Jesus' immediate response and the other sayings in this chapter have been subjected to an incredible array of interpretations. This longer discourse constitutes a collection of sayings of Jesus from various contexts uttered at various times (a composition pattern Matthew follows consistently). Matthew's editorial approach has given us five such discourses, and this is the fifth. (The Sermon on the Mount, chapters 5-7 is the first.)

Here, Jesus seems to be focusing on two events, the destruction of Jerusalem and the end of the age, and it is not always easy to tell to which he is referring in any particular verse. Nor does he reveal the span of time that intervenes between the two. Acknowledging limits on his knowledge (an affirmation of his real humanity), he said that he himself did not know the day or hour of the end. (See Matt. 24:36.) He wants his followers to keep their eye on the ball and not to get distracted by speculations about the unfolding of future events.

Unfortunately, many within the Christian faith have ignored that disclaimer or failed to take it seriously and have attempted on the basis of this chapter and other biblical materials to be quite specific about the time frames and the exact order of events regarding the end of the age. Jesus primary concern seemed to lie elsewhere. When you take your eye off the ball, the chances of striking out increase dramatically.

Jesus’ prediction of the destruction  of Jerusalem was a political statement about the failure of Jewish messianic movements and Roman military reactions to those movements, which would ultimately lead to the besieging and destruction of Jerusalem. His lament (Matt. 23:37-39) over Jerusalem expressed his grief over her rejection of his prophetic message of repentance and peace in favor of a militant Zionism that would lead to disastrous military rebellion against Rome.

He wanted to alert his followers so that they would flee the city and not get trapped by the Roman siege (See Matt. 24:15-28).  His words in our reading for today warn us against looking in world affairs for signs of the end.  He specifically says that wars, rumors of wars, earthquakes, famines, and so forth are merely the beginnings of the birth pangs of the new creation.  They are not signs of the end itself. The disciples are not to be made anxious by such events and deceived by false messiahs who argue on such bases that the end is near. I find it baffling how Jesus can list these events and say, "The end is not yet.", and yet how many of us can turn those sayings on their head and use references to such events as signs of the end.

From the last several verses, we can get a hint about what he expects us to be doing no matter what events are going on worldwide, and no matter what religious demagogues might be saying about the end of the world. From 24:9 and 14, we gather that Jesus wants us to be totally engaged in the mission of the church in the world and in our witness to and for him. The best way for us to be faithful is not to get caught up in the religious frenzy of date setters, booksellers, and chart makers who offer their schemes and predictions about the end. Such would have the effect of reducing or limiting our involvement in the world. Rather, we are to remain fully focused in our service and witness, trusting in God's hand to lead us into the future that we cannot know but that God has enfolded in grace.  In those ways we prepare for and show our confidence in God’s way of bringing this age of evil to an end.

If we have our eye on the ball, we will avoid getting distracted from engagement in mission, service, and worship. Jesus’ coming will remedy the ills of the planet. We will have our eye on the ball if we are living in  Spirit and addressing the ills his return will address.

Collect of the Day, Proper 9, the week of the seventh Sunday after Pentecost

O God, you have taught us to keep all your commandments by loving you and our neighbor: Grant us the grace of your Holy Spirit, that we may be devoted to your with our whole heart, and united to one another with pure affection; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.  (BCP, 230-31)

A Collect for Guidance

O God, whose Son Jesus is the good shepherd of your people;  Grant that when we hear his voice we may know him who calls us each by name, and follow where he leads; who, with you and the Holy Spirit, lives and reigns, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.  (BCP 100)

For a child not yet baptized

O eternal God, you have promised to be a father to a thousand generations of those who love and fear you: Bless this child and preserve his/her life; receive  and enable him to receive you, that through the Sacrament of Baptism he may become the child of God; through Jesus Christ our Lord.  Amen.  (BCP, 444)

In the Evening

O Lord, support us all the day long, until the shadows lengthen, and the evening comes, and the busy world is hushed, and the fever of life is over, and our work is done. Then in thy mercy, grant us a safe lodging, and a holy rest, and peace at the last. Amen.   (BCP, 833)

A Collect for Mission

O God and Father of all, whom the whole heavens adore: Let the whole earth also worship you, all nations obey you, all tongues confess and bless you, and men and women everywhere love you and serve you in peace; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. (BCP, 124)

Daily Office Gospel, Matthew 24:1-14

1 As Jesus came out of the temple and was going away, his disciples came to point out to him the buildings of the temple. 2 Then he asked them, ‘You see all these, do you not? Truly I tell you, not one stone will be left here upon another; all will be thrown down.’ 3 When he was sitting on the Mount of Olives, the disciples came to him privately, saying, ‘Tell us, when will this be, and what will be the sign of your coming and of the end of the age?’  4 Jesus answered them, ‘Beware that no one leads you astray. 5 For many will come in my name, saying, “I am the Messiah!” and they will lead many astray. 6 And you will hear of wars and rumors of wars; see that you are not alarmed; for this must take place, but the end is not yet. 7 For nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom, and there will be famines and earthquakes in various places: 8 all this is but the beginning of the birth pangs. 9 ‘Then they will hand you over to be tortured and will put you to death, and you will be hated by all nations because of my name. 10 Then many will fall away, and they will betray one another and hate one another. 11 And many false prophets will arise and lead many astray. 12 And because of the increase of lawlessness, the love of many will grow cold. 13 But the one who endures to the end will be saved. 14 And this good news of the kingdom will be proclaimed throughout the world, as a testimony to all the nations; and then the end will come.

Daily Offices in the Book of Common Prayer

Morning Prayer, Rite 2, page 75, The Book of Common Prayer

Noonday Prayer, page 103, Book of Common Prayer

Order of Worship for Evening (Vespers), p 109, Book of Common Prayer

Evening Prayer, Rite 2, page 115, Book of Common Prayer

Compline (Night Prayer), page 127, Book of Common Prayer

Daily Devotionals, page 136, Book of Common Prayer