This week's gospel: Luke 21:25-36
The Coming of the Son of Man
25 “There will be signs in the sun, the moon, and the stars and on the earth distress among nations confused by the roaring of the sea and the waves. 26 People will faint from fear and foreboding of what is coming upon the world, for the powers of the heavens will be shaken. 27 Then they will see ‘the Son of Man coming in a cloud’ with power and great glory. 28 Now when these things begin to take place, stand up and raise your heads, because your redemption is drawing near.”
The Lesson of the Fig Tree
29 Then he told them a parable: “Look at the fig tree and all the trees; 30 as soon as they sprout leaves you can see for yourselves and know that summer is already near. 31 So also, when you see these things taking place, you know that the kingdom of God is near. 32 Truly I tell you, this generation will not pass away until all things have taken place. 33 Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will not pass away.
Exhortation to Watch
34 “Be on guard so that your hearts are not weighed down with dissipation and drunkenness and the worries of this life and that day does not catch you unexpectedly, 35 like a trap. For it will come upon all who live on the face of the whole earth. 36 Be alert at all times, praying that you may have the strength to escape all these things that will take place and to stand before the Son of Man.”
The message:
Today is Advent Sunday, marking the beginning of the four-week period of anticipation that marches us right up to the season of Christmas and Jesus’ birth.
However, I would venture to guess that most Christians are no longer aware of the fact that Advent actually isn’t just a precursor to the birth of Christ, but rather is a whole liturgical season unto itself, complete with important meaning and purpose.
For instance, it’s plain to see that most of America has already jumped two feet into the pool of Christmas time, some having done so even weeks before Thanksgiving.
But Advent, on the other hand, asks us to wait patiently … and prepare … for our Lord’s coming.
And in more than one way.
While we as Christians don’t spend much time pondering this any more, Advent actually is meant to be a season in which we anticipate the "coming of Christ" from three different perspectives: baby Jesus’ birth in Bethlehem, the reception of Jesus in the heart of the believer, and finally the eschatological Second Coming of Christ as our savior.
In American fashion, however, nowadays we tend to shorten this anticipation to just daydreams about the endearing story of the two teenagers giving birth to a baby in a barn because there’s no room at the inn.
Anyway, who’s got time to think about all those other esoteric ideas of preparation of our hearts and what Jesus’ second coming really means. … After all, there are shiny presents to be opened soon!
But, as you can imagine, there is purpose in each of the liturgical seasons, and we skip the importance of living in anticipation of Jesus entering our hearts and his later Second Coming at our own peril.
Both are significant features of our Christian faith, and critically important to Advent.
And while the birth of Christ is glitzy and fun to think about because it’s the story of a God loving us so much that he came to live among us in the form of a defenseless human baby.
And, yes, while Jesus’ birth sets in motion a series of events that will culminate with his death on the cross, thus making his salvific sacrifice on our behalf.
While all of that is true and worthy of our admiration and celebration. … We cannot forget the other two expressions of anticipation symbolized in the season of Advent.
Or we risk losing the real meaning of the “Greatest Story Ever Told” in the glamour of a baby in a manger, and not in the Second Coming of Christ which actually is when heaven meets earth.
Now, don’t think that I am some humbug. … Yes, of course, it is most certainly OK for Christians to get excited to celebrate the birth of their messiah during Advent.
But we just shouldn’t stop there!
Advent, after all, is about more than just that.
It is also important for Christians to prepare one’s heart for Christ’s second return. … And why is that so critical to do now? … Because today’s gospel tells us Jesus’ return will come during our lifetime.
And Faith Family, I think that has us spooked, and it’s one of the reasons that we run scared from the preparation that Advent calls us toward.
Wait, what do you mean that Christ is coming in my lifetime? … I’m not ready for that! … Right? A little scary!
You see, the birth of Jesus is adorable, and fun and light. And it requires nothing from us. God loved us so much that he came to us. Yay! Let’s throw a party!
The second coming of Christ, however, requires both a preparation of our hearts to make way for his return, and then there is the uneasiness of the return itself.
After all, if one has paid attention to the biblical stories of Christ’s second return, none of it is like the children’s story time version of Jesus’ first trip to earth.
For instance, just take another listen to today’s gospel: “There will be signs in the sun, the moon, and the stars, and on the earth distress among nations confused by the roaring of the sea and the waves. 26 People will faint from fear and foreboding of what is coming upon the world, for the powers of the heavens will be shaken.”
Now that doesn’t necessarily make for a cutesy children’s Christmas program, does it?
Jesus isn’t any more reassuring in today’s gospel when he tells us that all of these things will take place before we perish, and that in his return, heaven and earth will pass away.
And then comes his exhortation: The world will slip away, but his words won’t. So he warns us to be on alert and not to get “weighed down with dissipation and drunkenness and the worries of this life” so that his next coming doesn’t catch us like a trap.
Whoa! … Well, no wonder why it is that we like the Christmas story so much better than the other expressions of Advent, right?
The birth of Jesus equals light and fun! … The coming of Jesus’ second return equals us questioning whether we are prepared for his return, and what that means for the earth.
But, before we allow our fear of the Second Coming to paralyze us. Let’s back out and look at our scriptures from a bit further out. … Sort of a 10,000-foot view, per se.
Our trouble often starts when we zero in on only one set of scripture at the sake of all the rest. There is a reason, after all, that we study these scriptures in a liturgical calendar.
And while today’s gospel is a bit ominous, and during the next two Sundays we will get a couple more healthy doses of eschatological end times scripture starring John the Baptist, all of these texts will lead eventually to the deliverance of God’s in-breaking into the world in peace.
After all, later in Luke 2 on Christmas Day we’ll be told by the angels that God will deliver peace on earth.
And if that doesn’t help prepare your heart for the return of Christ … then I don’t know what will.
Faith Family, I know that the celebration of Advent has kind of become old school in our modern day rush to get to Baby Jesus’ birth. I mean, who wants to contemplate their own actions and whether they are worthy of Christ’s return … when there are gifts and parties to think about?
In addition, those end times warnings of Jesus’ seem kind of scary.
After all, what if I’m among those who are the oppressors he keeps talking about overthrowing?
What if his coming means he upends all of the privileges that I possess and enjoy?
And what if his coming means that the very people I don’t like are saved too?
You see, that’s the scary thing about Christ’s second return, isn’t it?
We don’t get to control it; it likely is going to overturn all of the earthly values we’ve come to live by; and we can’t be sure just how we stack up personally.
No wonder none of us likes to think about Advent and what it means, right? … That’s a dicey proposition.
But this morning I’m going to invite you into the challenge of embracing Advent for what it was meant to be.
For instance: Did you know that Advent -- like Lent -- was originally a period of fasting?
That’s right, Christians would give up something in symbolism of preparing their hearts for the second return of Christ. … Just like fasting during Lent was to prepare their hearts for Jesus’ crucifixion and resurrection.
So, how about it, Faith Family? … How about we commit to a return to a traditional focus of Advent as a time of preparing our hearts for the coming of our Lord?
If we set aside the fear of the end times language we see in our scriptures this time of year, and embrace the charge of preparing our hearts for Christ’s return, maybe we won’t have as much to worry about.
Maybe, if preparing our hearts to be a vessel for Jesus was our primary focus during lent, we would worry less about what Christ’s coming meant for us personally and we’d celebrate what his coming means for the world in general.
Which is … peace on earth and good will to men. … Because the angels tell us so, Faith Family.
And that is the Good News for this Advent Sunday, Dec. 1, 2024. … Amen.
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