"Can You Read the Signs of the Times?"
 Luke 21:25-36
Jim Hill from B.C.

Dr. James Dobson, on one of his old "Focus on the Family" videos, mentioned that he was a collector of signs, or at least, the words of them. One that I recall him mentioning, was on the back wall of a Roman Catholic convent. It said, "Absolutely no parking. Violators will be prosecuted. (signed) The Sisters of Mercy."

I don't know about you, but I've gotten so that I don't notice signs anymore. Most of them are eminently forgettable. For instance, those huge billboards on the approach to the bridge in Kelowna, or the ones you see when you're coming into Penticton from the north— I've driven by them countless times, but I rarely look at them. I look at the road ahead, or the lake or the trees; anything but the signs, because they're ugly, annoying and distasteful.

Perhaps you feel the same way. Last night on the radio I heard an old popular song from at least 25 years ago, criticizing signs: It went "sign, sign, everywhere a sign, blockin' out the scenery, breakin' my back. Do this, don't do that. Can't you read the sign?"

It's not surprising to me that many people IGNORE signs. But that can be dangerous. Here in Penticton, for instance, drivers seem to be ignoring STOP signs more and more, and that's very dangerous.

I believe we are are doing the same thing with the signs of the TIMES, the signs that the end of the world is near. In the book of Matthew, Jesus scolded some Pharisees and Sadducees, saying, "You are able to interpret the weather signs ("red sky in the morning" and so on) but you are unable to interpret the signs of the times." In today's Gospel Lesson, Jesus says: "Look at the fig tree and all the trees; as soon as they sprout leaves you can see for yourselves and know that summer is already near. So also, when you see these things taking place, you know that the kingdom of God is near."

Jesus is prophesying here. And like most Bible prophets, he's not about predicting the future, but warning people about the signs of the times. The Hebrew prophets, time and again, warned their fellow citizens, that if they continued on the road they were going, on which God had put the sign, "Dead End", they would crash. Or God put up a sign that said "Turn right," and they turned left, they would fall into the Pit. The Israelites often ignored these signs of doom, and they ended up taking the consequences.

We too, need to heed the warnings of Scripture, and of modern-day prophets. We also need to look at the signs of the times, and how God is speaking to us through them.

Unfortunately, some so-called "experts of Bible prophecy" speak as if they're uncovering some secret messages in the Bible. There are no hidden messages in the book of Revelation, for instance, nor in the apocalyptic words of Jesus that we've been reading the past few Sundays. All Jesus is saying is: "Look at the signs of the times." And when you see these signs, you'll know that the end is near.

But predictions bring viewers, and there are big bucks to be made, in so- called "prophecy". Books on astrology and psychic predictions and futurology of any kind are hot sellers. But Bible prophecy is different. It's mostly about predicting the obvious! John the Baptist, for instance, was prophesying, when he said to King Herod, "You're going to reap what you sow, and if you don't change our ways, it's your funeral (which it eventually was)."

Back in 1921, H.G. Wells wrote a book that illustrates the kind of prophecy I'm talking about. In this book, Wells predicted future energy shortages. He did it not on the basis of any premonition or clairvoyance or psychic powers, but rather, on the obvious "signs of the times". H.G. Wells wrote: "Today (1921) in getting, in distribution, in use, we waste enormously. . . All the world is wasting fuel. . . fantastically."

People have ascribed to H.G. Wells, and others like him, great powers of seeing into the future. But he was predicting the obvious! And this has happened so many times in history, when somebody writes a book or makes a pronouncement that wakes people up to the signs of the times.

Another example is the period before 1914, when World War I broke out. In that period before the war, there was an unhealthy rise in nationalism and patriotism, and people were looking down their noses at other nations. There was an unhealthy rise in imperialism— powerful nations thought they could easily exploit less powerful nations. There was an unhealthy rise in industrialism, really an arrogance about industrial prowess, which made nations think they were invincible. And finally, there was an unhealthy rise in militarism, and a glorification of the armed forces and uniforms and all the accoutrements of empire. With all this going on at the beginning of the 20th century, a World War was almost inevitable. Any fool should have been able to read the signs of the times. Well, they didn't; they ignored them. And they didn't change course. They didn't repent, and so the Great War (so-called) broke out in Europe, and 37 million people died.

Another case was beautifully illustrated in the excellent British mini-series about Winston Churchill's "Wilderness Years." Churchill evidently warned the British House of Commons, again and again, of Hitler's arms buildup, and told them that war was coming. But they ignored these CLEAR SIGNS. Even many Jews in Germany ignored the signs, until it was too late. England avoided being conquered by the barest skin of its teeth, by the miraculous intervention of God.

They should not have ignored the obvious signs.

And so it is today. Jesus has told us what the signs of the end are: the earth in distress, foreboding in the heavens, nations confused by tumult, and people terrified at what is coming upon the world.

"The time is out of joint", said Shakespeare, who was also living in the Last Times. Think about it. If the world has been in existence for billions of years, as the scientists say, then the last hundred thousand years, could be called "the End Times"! Certainly the last 6000 years, since writing was invented, or the last 2000 years, since Christ came, or certainly the last few centuries, which we call the Industrial Age or the Scientific Age or the Secular Age). And in the last century, the signs have been clearer than ever before.

According to the New York Times newspaper, it took 40 years for radio to get 50 million domestic viewers. It took 13 years for TV and cable to get 50 million domestic viewers. Took 4 years for the World Wide Web to get 50 million domestic users. People, can you read the signs of the times?

I read about a Steakhouse in the U.S., a restaurant where they give you a pager, so they can call you when your table's ready. It's easier to send a signal 25,000 miles up into air & back down again, than to walk 25 feet across the floor! People, can you read the signs of the times?

I found this gem on the Internet: "The paradox of our time in history is that we have taller buildings, but shorter tempers; wider freeways, but narrower viewpoints. We have bigger houses and smaller families; more conveniences, but less time. We have more degrees, but less sense; more knowledge, but less wisdom. We talk too much, love too seldom, and hate too often. We've learned how to make a living, but not a life; we've added years to life, not life to years.

We've been all the way to the moon and back, but have trouble crossing the street to meet the new neighbor. We've conquered outer space, but not inner space. We have higher incomes, but lower morals; we've become long on quantity, but short on quality. These are the times of tall people... and short character; steep profits... and shallow relationships. It is a time when there is much in the show window and nothing in the stockroom; a time when technology can bring this letter to you, and a time when you can choose to make a difference. . . or just hit ‘delete'." People, can you read the signs of the times?

The signs of the times are obvious, and the prophetic is more urgent than ever before: that none of us can keep on as we are. We have to make changes: in our personal life, in our family life, in our church life, in our community life, in our international relations, in every area. And it's never ending.

But it's especially urgent as we get nearer to the end of the world, or the end of our journey here on earth, whichever comes first.

The irony is, it's easier to make changes when we're young, yet more crucialto make them when we're old!

My final point is: that we need help in reading the signs of the times. And in our text Jesus helps us. He's saying: "You are my disciples. You don't have to be like those who faint from fear and foreboding at what is coming upon the world. You don't have to let that Day catch you unexpectedly, like a trap. You can follow me and stay on watch. You can pray. And you can make changes, no matter how difficult. You can be free of fear, Jesus says, because you're mine. Through my love, and my atonement for your sin, you will be able to stand before me BLAMELESS when I come again."

That's the good news in this text. That we don't have to ignore the signs of the times, no matter how terrifying they may be. We can instead LOOK UP, and raise our heads, and praise God, because our redemption is drawing near. Amen.