Jan 27, 2021
Jesus answered: “Watch out that no one deceives you. For many will come in my name, claiming, ‘I am the Messiah,’ and will deceive many. You will hear of wars and rumors of wars, but see to it that you are not alarmed. Such things must happen, but the end is still to come.” (Matthew 24:4-6)
This month, I have been struck, through the assault on the US Capitol, the protests against lockdowns, masks, and vaccines, and the prevalence of numerous conspiracy theories from QAnon and other sources swirling through the internet feeds of people we know—I have been struck through all this that we perhaps haven’t been talking enough about the ‘end times’ in church.
The words of Jesus from Matthew 24 have sprung to my mind numerous times this past month as I’ve begun more and more to witness the distinctly religious character of some of the disinformation, conspiracy theories, and protests out there, to say nothing of the quite religious way that some hold to these beliefs. A number of these threads of disinformation lay a nearly ultimate claim on truth or knowledge that really is the realm of faith more than civics.
Some threads are even more overt. Some evangelical leaders in the States have claimed for the past five years that Donald Trump is/was the “Lord’s anointed,” which in Hebrew is “messiah.” Hence my reflections on our true Messiah’s words from Matthew 24 where Jesus explicitly warns us, a few times across the chapter, against the deception of false messiah figures.
Now, it can be easy to get caught up in some of these threads of disinformation, especially when we feel distrustful of authorities, feel unheard, have been hurt by those in authority, or receive this stuff as a recommendation from a friend we trust. Being an insider to some secret or sensational reality can return to us a feeling of a sense of control over an otherwise chaotic world or can add fuel to our already simmering dislike of those in power.
But the truth is rarely so sensational—it’s often much more commonplace, sad, or even boring. So when we hear of troubling evils in this world or sensational rumors as many of us are right now, Jesus cautions us to hold our ground. “Don’t be deceived and don’t be alarmed,” he says.
All this comes in Jesus’ comments on the end times, something that has tended in Christian circles to generate quite a bit of sensational speculation itself. But, I don’t believe that was Jesus’ intent. I appreciate how commentator Dale Bruner puts it. He says:
"The signs of the end are not so much decipherable political events (with the single exception of the destruction of Jerusalem, which happened in AD 70) as they are warnings to be level-headed, clear-thinking, and warmly loving Christians in difficult times. Jesus does not so much charge the air with signs as he charges disciples with sobriety. Jesus’ sermon does not intend to create apocalyptic seers but to create spiritual long-distance runners; it does not so much give disciples supernatural knowledge of coming events as it supplies disciples with supernatural endurance for any coming events."
So, hold the line, friends, come what may. These are challenging times. Tiring times. Times when, as Jesus will say just a few verses later, the love of many will grow cold. But the truth remains: Jesus is the Lord’s anointed, and no other. He is the one who saves us. And he is the one who will ultimately set things right and heal our every disease. He is our hope in the end. So hold firm and place your trust, not in any sensational internet phenomena, but in Jesus.
And let’s continue to talk with and support each other through this time too as we all seek to hold faithful to the truth, together, in faith.