Jesus had just described how the massive and beautiful temple in Jerusalem would be destroyed (Luke 21:5-6).  Naturally, the disciples wanted to know when it would happen.  But instead of announcing a date or focussing only on the terrors of the city's destruction to come in AD70, Jesus gave them a series of snapshots of the many hardships the church would need to endure before the end of the age and His return.  

At the end of this chapter Jesus summarises His teaching by telling His people to stand firm in the faith until He comes again at the end of the age: "Be always on the watch, and pray that you may be able to escape all that is about to happen, and that you may be able to stand before the Son of Man." (Luke 21:36).  This theme of watching out to detect trouble ahead, spiritual temptation as well as physical persecution, is part of Christ’s farewell ‘sermons’ (Luke 21:34).  He did not want the trainee apostles to be surprised that in addition to troubles, deceptions would come.  

In the middle of a difficult time, Satan usually spreads lies to deceive believers (1 Peter 5:8-11).  Some people would even pretend to be Jesus and seduce others to follow them.  Jesus said, "Watch out that you are not deceived".  If the devil cannot get us off track that way, he will sow lies into our minds to scare us about terrible end-points as danger approaches.  Terror is easily created: it does not even need any violence to be seen, but the threat of personal insecurity is enough to send many Christians running - but Jesus said, "Do not be frightened"!

Deception and fear are old enemies of God's people.  Both are motivated by the Evil One, who gets attractive leaders to draw people away from the real Jesus, by inserting private thoughts of disaster into believers' minds in order to stop them fulfilling the Lord's commission.  The command to resist such temptations continues to be essential.  We need to be confident of our identity and security in Christ so that we can meet minor and major disturbances without fear.  We also need discernment from the Holy Spirit to distinguish deceivers from God's servants, not being naïve about their disguises (1 John 4:1).  Because fear can become an obsessive habit, we need to build the disciplines of regular prayer and Bible meditation into our daily lives as a reminder that we are truly safe in Christ (Matthew 26:41).  That sort of confidence will produce an attractive and peaceful Christian character which others will desire.  So, we also need to be ready to lead them to Christ (www.crosscheck.org.uk).