November 16, Sermon & Ministry Resources

"Standing Firm when Everything Falls" (Luke 21:5-19)

Lectionary Readings — Twenty-Third Sunday after Pentecost — November 16, 2025

Isaiah 65:17-25; Isaiah 12; 2 Thessalonians 3:6-13; Luke 21:5-19

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Call to Worship (based on Luke 21:5-19)

Leader: When the world seems to crumble and nothing stands secure,

People: We gather in the name of the One who endures forever.

Leader: When wars and conflicts threaten, when earthquakes shake the ground,

People: We will not be terrified, for these things must take place.

Leader: When nations rise against nations, when famine and plague spread,

People: We hold fast to the One who holds us secure.

Leader: Even in persecution, even when betrayed,

People: We will testify to the truth we have been given.

Leader: Jesus promises: “Not a hair of your head will perish.”

People: By our endurance, we will gain our souls.

Leader: This is not the end, but the beginning.

People: We will not be shaken, for our hope is in the Lord.

Leader: Come, let us worship God, who strengthens us for the journey.

All: We place our trust in Christ, our firm foundation.

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Opening Prayer (based on Isaiah 65:17-25)

Let us pray:

Gracious and Holy God,

We gather this day in hope and wonder, knowing that You are the God who makes all things new. You have promised us new heavens and a new earth, where the former troubles will be forgotten and sorrow will be no more.

We come before You with grateful hearts, knowing that You hear us when we call. Even before we speak, You know our needs; even as we are speaking, You answer us with grace.

Lord, we thank You for Your vision of a world restored—where joy replaces weeping, where peace overcomes violence, where the work of our hands bears fruit, and where creation itself flourishes in harmony.

Though we live in a world still marked by pain and brokenness, we trust in Your promise. Help us to be people of hope, pointing toward the day when Your kingdom comes in fullness. Shape us into a community that reflects Your heart—where young and old are cherished, where each person finds their home, where all can eat the fruit of their labor.

Meet us in this time of worship. Open our hearts to receive Your word, our minds to know Your truth, and our spirits to feel Your presence.

We pray in the name of Jesus Christ, who brings heaven to earth.

Amen

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Sermon Outline: [NOTE to Paid subscribers — scroll down for the full manuscript sermon].

[Note: All Scripture is taken from the New Revised Standard Version of the Bible.]

Sermon Outline: "STANDING FIRM WHEN EVERYTHING FALLS"

Based on Luke 21:5-19

Introduction:

• The disciples marvel at the temple’s beauty and permanence

• Jesus shatters their illusions: “Not one stone will be left upon another”

• A word for uncertain times: How do we stand when everything seems to fall?

I. TROUBLED: Living in a World That’s Shaking (vv. 5-11)

A. The temple will fall (vv. 5-6)

B. Wars, earthquakes, and chaos ahead (vv. 9-11)

C. Application: What “temples” do we cling to that may fall?

II. TESTIFYING: Called to Witness in the Worst of Times (vv. 12-15)

A. Persecution will come (v. 12)

B. Opportunity for testimony (v. 13)

C. Divine provision for testimony (vv. 14-15)

D. Application: How is God calling us to testify in our difficult circumstances?

III. TRIUMPHANT: The Promise of Divine Protection (vv. 16-19)

A. The reality: Some will face death (v. 16)

B. The paradox: Complete security (v. 18)

C. The path: Endurance brings salvation (v. 19)

D. Application: What does it mean to “gain our souls” through endurance?

Conclusion:

• The world shakes, but Christ stands firm

• We are called not to comfort, but to courage

• Our triumph is not avoiding trouble, but trusting through it

• Christ gives us what we need: words for testimony, strength for endurance, security for our souls

• When everything falls, we stand in Him

Closing Question: Where do you need Christ’s promise of endurance and protection today?

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Full Manuscript Sermon Below for Paid Subscribers