You Better Watch Out!
Listen.November 30th, 2008
Rev. Dr. Craig A. Wagner
Introduction
It’s only the first Sunday in Advent and already I feel behind in my Christmas preparations. The signs of Christmas are all around me and these signs create a bit of anxiety in my life because it seems like I’m really a procrastinator. Christmas decorations have been up in many stores for weeks. In view of the economy, many sales are already being publicized by the retail stores. Christmas lights on many homes have been put up. Early last week, as I was driving home, I noticed one house fully covered with colorful lights! I hadn’t even celebrated Thanksgiving and I felt behind already. Nothing like feeling left behind in the mad rush to Christmas. Of course, it is November 30 and we only have 26 shopping days left. The countdown continues…and anxiety increases. Welcome to the wonderful holiday season.
This morning we begin the Advent season in the church. Advent is about waiting in anticipation; not worry or anxiety; but anticipation to celebrate the birth of Jesus the Messiah and also to look with hope to the final arrival of Jesus in glory at the end of human time.
We are called to raise our expectations and our views of the season beyond the crassness of the anxiety producing, worry fraught, secular religion of our normal Christmas celebration and look to Jesus. In the midst of difficult times when this season is measured in terms of buying power and purchasing the right gifts, making sure that the right cards are sent in a timely fashion, and that the right individuals are invited to the parties, and our economic situations are increasingly difficult, I suggest that we need to return to the true message of this time: the coming of our Lord Jesus in all of his glory.
The final return
Our text this morning is from the apocalyptic chapter of in the gospel of Mark: Chapter 13. As we view our passage from in context of the chapter we discover that the important teaching for us is to not be distracted from our faith in Christ no matter how distressing events become. The chapter begins with Jesus predicting that the temple in Jerusalem will be destroyed. This was a large and imposing structure with huge stone blocks. Such a building appeared to be virtually indestructible. In the next scene we find Jesus and his disciples sitting on the Mount of Olives. The disciples ask Jesus when this will occur and he responds by suggesting that there will be signs: wars, rumors of wars, nation against nation, kingdoms against kingdoms accompanied by famines. These will be the signs as vivid as the signs of our own holiday season.
Next Jesus cautions the disciples that they are not to be taken in by false prophets, false messiahs, but they are to remain faithful to him and to the mission even if it means that they will be hauled before councils and rulers, even if they are beaten in the synagogues, the one who endures will be saved. There will be much suffering and many false messiahs until finally, the son of Man will come in glory and in great power. When will this all happen? No one knows, not even the Son of Man.
Many individuals and groups use these words from this apocalyptic chapter in order to predict the end of the world and Christ’s second coming. However, if these words are viewed historically, we find an interesting bit of information: this prediction has already occurred. Rumors of wars may refer to the intense resistance to Emperor Caligula to install his bust in the Temple. Famines may refer to the disastrous effect of a draught in the late 40’s. The false Messiahs may refer especially to the popular messiah Simon son of Gioras and others who espoused popular visions of overcoming the Romans. And of course, there is the destruction of the Temple in 70 A.D. Christian people were persecuted and eventually they would be hauled into courts, beaten in the synagogues and even martyred for their faith.
Rather than read this passage as a crystal ball into the future, one should use this passage and others like it as a call to faithfulness in the midst of the turmoil of this world. Signs will be seen in every generation and each generation should learn from the previous generations that there are many false prophets but the people of God should remain faithful and continue living in faith and looking to the coming of the one who will save his people.
Advent is a time of looking forward and for the disciples around Jesus, they would need the conviction and the faith and the confidence that Jesus is the true Messiah and he has promised to return in power and in glory so that ultimately believers will be welcomed into the kingdom of the heavens and the suffering and turmoil of this world will be over. It will be a great and glorious day.
Ready or not
Perhaps questions for us to consider this morning: What does it mean to be ready? What does it mean to be found faithful? Barbara Rossing, Lutheran Theologian, notes that in the version of the end times in the popular Left Behind series, faith people respond with high-tech ways to outsmart the anti-Christ. But, she notes that the early Christians who believed the end was immanent responded with “love for neighbor, hospitality to the stranger…They gathered together and worshipped” (The Rapture Exposed, p. 17).
To be found faithful is to be found engaged in a Christian life. It means worship, reading the Word, practicing hospitality, living in Christian love for one another and looking forward to coming of Christ; not in fear, but in hope! Pretty much what we discovered is the lifestyle of a disciple.
Another way to consider our life in Christ is with the examples Luther used: When asked what he would do if he knew the world would end this afternoon; the assumption being that if one knew this ahead of time, one would do things differently; order one’s life differently or somehow change one’s pattern of living.
According to tradition, Luther answered the question by stating that he would plant an apple tree. This response indicated that he would be found doing his normal activity faithfully serving Jesus. If we have to change our lifestyle if we knew the end was coming, perhaps we need to reorient ourselves right now so that everything we do is done for God’s glory and that our whole life focus on Christ as we wait and watch in expectation and hope.
Even for Christians times can be difficult. We know this in our present day; we have wars, rumors of wars, we see hunger and poverty, we find economic issues that are rough for many people…and then we wonder how things would even be worse. A teacher was telling a story about his experiences during WWII. He related the time that his platoon was in retreat. For a short time he and a friend were hunkered down in a fox hole. They hadn’t eaten for several days and the weather alternated between snow and freezing rain. One man said, “Well at least it can’t get any worse then this,” at which moment they came under heavy artillery fire. The lesson: things can get worse! Still in spite of everything the world throws at us, the hope we have is in Christ Jesus. We look beyond today and focus on that great tomorrow when Jesus returns and the problems of this life will be over.
The promise
The passage before us brings words of warning and words of hope into our lives. The warning consists of being careful and watchful that we do not allow the things of the world to pull us away from our focus on Christ. And there are many things that are often difficult to resist.
Some may be focused on wealth, attempting to validate their life by accumulating more and more wealth – money property, real estate, stock (sometimes) bonds, portfolios of investment, cd’s and so on; nothing wrong in that – unless it clouds our vision of Christ and his reign. Or on the other extreme, many today are focused on the downturn in the economy and live fearful lives as the stocks plunge or the variable rate mortgages adjust, or retirement accounts plunge; certainly things to worry about and at times all consuming – today I issue the call to raise your hearts and minds to the vision of Christ’s coming.
And of course the words of warning can be applied to many other things than simply finances. We need to consider anything that keeps us from being ready for the coming of the Son of Man. If we are not ready, then these words function and words of warning to allow the spirit to prepare us for the reign of the kingdom; that we may be found faithfully living and serving and focusing on Christ. This of course doesn’t erase the problems we have, but literally puts them into a proper perspective – we view our current issues and problems from the position of all eternity in a glorious new life in Christ.
That brings us to the word of promise and hope in our passage. For some these words of the end times are frightening but for others who are faithful, advent signifies a hope for the future; that wonderful and preferable future we have in Christ Jesus; to look forward in hope, while not forgetting that Jesus walks with us today through our difficulties, problems and struggles. If in the midst of our struggles and problems we feel as though God is absent, some offered the statement: if you feel that God is absent, guess who moved? God is with us and the promises are forever.
Conclusion
Well, let’s get to that wonderful Christmas hymn: “You better watch out, you better not cry, you better not pout, I’m telling you why…” From the words of this children’s song, we can hear Jesus saying, “You better watch out” keep watch, stay awake for the coming of the Son of Man. Christmas is coming, the signs are all around us; Jesus will return in glory at any time – the signs continue to challenge us to remain faithful. Amen.