We live in a time of wars and rumors of wars. There are earthquakes and famines. We have seen many astrological signs in the sun, moon, and stars. Nations will be in anguish and perplexity at the roaring and tossing of the seas . . . hurricanes have wreaked havoc across the globe in our time. More than once we have been told that the world is going to hell in a handbasket.
Signs, signs, everywhere signs . . . anyone up for an apocalypse?
There have been many predictions of the end of the world since the first century . . . and, yet here we are. For the 21st century I am only aware of three predictions: Heinz Von Foerster predicted in 1960 that November 13th, 2026 would be the end of humanity due to overpopulation; the Messiah Foundation International predicts that the world will in 2026 when an asteroid strikes the earth; and, Kent Hovind, a Christian evangelist, is speculating that 2028 is the “most likely” year for the rapture. I imagine that there are more out there, but for now most of us are more concerned with the “signs” we are seeing around us in our world today. Whether we want to admit it or not, those “signs” have created in us a little anxiety.
After all, how many times have we heard that the world we live in is going to hell in a handbasket?
As I said, probably enough to keep us on edge.
Jesus always told his disciples and followers he would be back. Being inquiring minds . . . they wanted to know . . . WHEN? Of which Jesus only told them that no one knows . . . not the angels in heaven . . . not the Son. Only God knows and God isn’t telling anyone. All Jesus would tell them is that it could happen at any time, in any place . . . Poof! Just like that!
Our scripture reading is dealing with that issue. The followers and disciples want to know. In the previous part of this reading Jesus has given them what many Bible scholars and theologians have called the “mini apocalypse” . . . the talk about the second coming . . . the establishment of God’s kingdom . . . new beginnings. Exciting stuff and they want to know when it is going to happen. To which Jesus answers, “I don’t know.”
Instead, he tells his followers and disciples . . . keep watch, be prepared, be ready. “Therefore keep watch, because you do not know on what day your Lord will come . . . you also must be ready, because the Son of Man will come at an hour when you do not expect him.” For those who are ready it will be no big deal . . . for those who are not, well, they will be left behind. Jesus says, “Two men will be in the field; one will be taken the other left. Two women will be grinding with a hand mill; one will be taken and the other left.”
Jesus tells them to keep watch, be prepared, and be ready.
And so it is that we kick off our first Sunday in the season of Advent with a message of preparation . . . a call to readiness. This first season of the church’s liturgical calendar is a time of preparation for the celebration of the birth of Jesus . . . and, a call to preparation for the second coming of Jesus. Each year we kick off the liturgical year with this season of preparation for the coming of Jesus . . . pretty much since the first century or at least of the establishment of the “church”. Another year, another call to prepare.
Here we go again . . . one more time!
Someone once said that the definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results. Are we followers of Jesus crazy?
I don’t know. But what I do know is the power of regret. Regret can cripple us in our journeys . . . freeze us in our growth as God’s children . . . can stymie any relationship . . . and can keep us from ever realizing God’s Kingdom in our time and place. As I read Jesus describing Noah and how the people were caught off guard . . . I get the feeling of regret. As I hear him tell of two in the field and one gets left behind—regret. Grinding at the mill and one gets left behind—regret. Regret that they were not the ones who were saved. And, I imagine, that they thought to themselves, “If I had only known.”
How often have we uttered that statement to ourselves during our lifetimes? I have heard it more often than I care to over my lifetime. I have heard a husband and wife say it at the death of their loved one . . . if I had only known, I would have done things differently. We have all said it . . . if I had only known. We have all felt the sting of regret.
If we had known, would we have done anything differently?
Well, here is the thing . . . the followers and disciples of Jesus did know. They did know that Jesus was going to come back. What they did not know was when he was going to come back. Thus, he told them to be on the watch, be prepared, be ready. Apparently for Jesus it was not just about doing business as usual because we see in two examples that people were doing just that and one got taken and the other was left behind.
What are the followers of Jesus supposed to do?
Primarily Jesus called upon his followers to live as he lived . . . to love God completely, to love others, and to establish God’s kingdom in their time and place. As followers we are to do this. While doing this we are to be “watchful”. Watchful for what? Watchful for those opportunities in which the love of God can be expressed in our daily lives towards others . . . of expressing the same grace showered upon us by God is showered upon those we encounter . . . of sharing the presence of Jesus with another. We are to watch for those who are unloved . . . uncared for . . . left out . . . ostracized . . . forgotten. They are all around us if we have eyes to see.
We are to be prepared. Preparation begins with our own lives . . . inward and outward. How is our relationship with God? How is our prayer life? Are we doing the things that strengthen our souls? Are we pausing to allow the awesomeness of God and God’s creation to be discovered? Are we studying and learning more about Jesus, his life, and his example? And, lastly, are we practicing it on ourselves and others? After all, practice makes perfect.
Lastly, we are to be ready. I imagine that if we do those two things we will be as ready as we will ever be. After that it is the grace of God . . . and that is how we go forth into the world, by the grace of God.
The way things are going I cannot say whether or not this is the end. Maybe it is, maybe it isn’t, but I can say that like those Jesus is talking to in our scripture reading this morning—we know. We have been warned. Jesus is coming and we really have no room in our vocabulary for regret. We know. The time is now that we do what we would have done if we had known . . . because we do know.
As we enter into this season of Advent let us open our hearts to what we do know . . . God’s love for us . . . and let us explore its power to change the world to a better place as we make room, once again, for the coming of Jesus. Let us be watchful, prepared, and ready. Why wait for tomorrow when we can live it today as a gift to the One who is to come. Amen.
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