Sunday, December 1, 2024

First Sunday of Advent
Jeremiah 33:14-16
Psalm 25:1-10
1 Thessalonians 3:9-13
Luke 21:25-36

Therefore be watchful all the time, praying that you may be counted worthy to escape all these things that will happen, and to stand before the Son of Man.

I have always been a cat person. When I was young, my dad worked for an auto body repair business with a junkyard. Stray cats love junkyards because there is always something yummy to catch and eat. My dad knew I loved cats, so he sometimes brought one to give it a home. It was a different time, and we had a basement door that stayed open, so the cats could come and go as they pleased. They often stayed, but sometimes they disappeared, so my dad would bring another home. Sometimes those cats were female, and pregnant. Those cats always stayed, so we ended up with a houseful of kittens. As I said, it was a different time, and we didn’t rush out to get those kittens fixed, so we twice ended up with multiple pregnant females, then a lot more kittens.

As I grew older, I learned an important lesson. I adopted a cat in my late teens that never left the house. She was comfortable being an indoor cat, and I never had to worry about the typical dangers for cats on the streets. They could be hit by a car, get lost or become infested with fleas or ticks. Any of these could lead to death. Since then, I’ve always kept my cats indoors. Most of them were content. We had one cat, however, that we adopted in England. He was part English wildcat, very large and very strong. And he desperately wanted to be out in the wild.

Over the years he has discovered ways to escape. He pushed out the screens in windows, figured out how to open door handles and even managed to jump to the ground from a second story bathroom window. He tried to slip unseen beneath our feet as we entered or left through the door. We had a screen door that we often kept open during good weather. He seemed content for awhile to sit by the door, but one day he realized it only took a nudge to get it open so that he could slip through without much notice. We had to put a hook on the door to keep him from escaping.

At times I wondered if we should just let him escape so that he could see how harsh it was out there in the world. That happened once to my first indoor cat. She had been missing for a couple days, came home beaten and tired, which broke her desire to be outside. I didn’t because I knew it could lead to something horrible, and I really didn’t think a few days would break him. However, he had no claws, so a fight with another cat could have been deadly. What if he got lost? Hit by a car? We would be devastated to lose our friend. He could end up with ticks and fleas and bring them into the house. We play his games with him, but ultimately, we will always win because we know it is in his best interest to stay indoors where it is safe.

We might think the cat was crazy to want to give up the safety of home for the danger of outside, but we are much like him when it comes to our relationship with our Father in heaven. We want to be safe in His arms, but we also want to know what is going on out in the world, doing whatever we can to escape, thinking that small acts of disobedience aren’t bad. After all, there are people who do things that are far worse than the things we do. We are certainly more righteous than the murderer or thief. We are probably more righteous than our neighbor.

Yet, we have to ask, “What is righteousness?” Is it doing what is right verses wrong in this world? No, righteousness is not a moral attitude or action; it is a right relationship with God. It means having faith that God is true and faithful to His promises. It is trusting that God knows what is best for us and believing that He will keep us well. All the promises of God have been fulfilled in Christ Jesus, our Lord. He has done all that is necessary to restore our relationship with God. All too many ask, what did we do to need salvation? The question is not what we did, but rather what we are. We are sinners in need of a Savior.

This Savior was promised and now we begin the journey through Advent to the birth of Jesus. He will come out of Israel, just as we hear in this passage from Jeremiah. Israel will be called “Jehovah our righteousness.” God’s people will be identified with the One who will be their Savior, they will be part of His Kingdom, they will reign with Him. As the relationship between God and his people is restored, they will become one with Him in heart, soul, and spirit.

Why did we need to be restored?

Adam and Eve lived in the Garden of Eden with God. They walked and talked with Him. They had a personal, intimate relationship with one another and with their Creator. They were naked but it did not matter. When the serpent deceived them and they ate fruit from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, things changed dramatically. The Bible tells us that their eyes were opened, and they knew they were naked, so they covered themselves with fig leaves and hid in the garden. They were afraid to be seen by God.

They were ashamed. Yet, that was just a symptom of the greater problem. When their eyes were opened, they could see that their disobedient actions were disrespectful to their Creator and that they were not worthy to be in His presence. Their shame was not only about their naked bodies, but also about their fear to be in the presence of their God, afraid what He would do in response to their disobedience. He had warned them that eating from the tree would mean death, but they did not believe His words. Death would be a consequence of their disobedience. No wonder they were afraid and hid from His presence. That’s what shame does to us.

Though we are like my cat, chasing after the world, God does not keep us trapped inside. He lets us escape His grasp for a moment as we seek out our way in life. But He is never far from us, He seeks us and finds us to bring us home. He knows what is best for us; He has a plan for our lives. He promised to send a Savior. Jesus was that Savior, and He came exactly as God intended, through the imperfect lines of His people. They often failed, but God does not. The number of those saved by His mercy and grace is beyond our ability to measure. He is truly faithful to His promises even when we try to go our own way.

Have you ever noticed that a lamp appears brighter at night than it does during the day? It isn’t that the lamp is brighter, but that the light from that lamp is diminished by the light that surrounds it. The lamp overcomes darkness much better than other light.

I suppose that’s why faith and the Gospel stand out so much more clearly when the world is in chaos than when everything is peaceful. We don’t really think about God much when things are going well around us. We might pray and worship and offer thanks, but we don’t fall on our knees in hopeful expectation of God’s grace when we are comfortable. We don’t need God and so He is set aside as we live our happy life. This is when we are most likely to chase after the world. However, when we face a crisis, we see our need and turn to Him in desperate prayer and expectation. It is not that Christ is a softer light in those good times of our life, but His light does not seem quite as bright for us as it does in those times when we need Him most.

Jesus said, “There will be signs in the sun, moon, and stars; and on the earth anxiety of nations, in perplexity for the roaring of the sea and the waves; men fainting for fear, and for expectation of the things which are coming on the world: for the powers of the heavens will be shaken.” As we look at this passage with post resurrection eyes, we wonder how it might be that we would fall faint. After all, we have nothing to fear since we have Jesus Christ as our Lord.

Last week we celebrated Christ the King Sunday, and we looked forward to the time when there will be no need for the sun or moon or stars because Jesus Christ will be the eternal lamp that will provide all the light we need. There will also be no darkness because the victory over death and darkness will be complete. This week we begin a new church year, and we return to reality: our world is filled with darkness.

We begin Advent in darkness as a reminder of our life without Christ. We have a tradition in my church and in my family of an Advent wreath. This is a wreath made with five candles, one for each Sunday of Advent and then one for Christmas. We light a candle each Sunday and as we move through the season of preparation the light becomes brighter and brighter. That’s how it is in our texts, too. We begin with a promise, watch as God prepares the world for the coming of our Lord and then end with the fulfillment of the promise: Jesus Christ is born. The true Light comes into the world.

It might seem odd for us to begin Advent with scriptures that bring to mind the end of the world. After all, the world is just beginning to look bright and festive with all the Christmas decorations popping up all over our neighborhoods. The long, dark winter nights are brightly shining with twinkling lights and fun displays. Things are hustling and bustling at the malls and stores. Black Friday sales invite us to spend our resources on items to make our loved ones happy, and there are trucks everywhere delivering packages. We have so much preparation to accomplish, parties to plan, cookies to bake. It is a busy, festive season.

Perhaps that’s why it seems so odd for us to look at the end of Jesus’ life. He was talking about the end of time. Isn’t Advent a time to look toward the birth of our Savior? It is, but it is also about preparing our hearts for the day when He will come again.

We know Jesus has been born. We know He ministered in our world for a time. We know He died and rose again. Though we do spend Advent preparing our hearts for the coming of Christ in the manger, we are reminded that Christmas is a history, it is a commemoration of what has already happened. Though we enjoy the festiveness of Christmas and the joy that comes with the Nativity, we do not live in the past. We are to look toward the future, to that day when Christ will come again. We can enjoy remembering, but never to the detriment of what is to come. The promise has been fulfilled, but it will still be fulfilled. It is being fulfilled as we live in this world today. We live in the already but not yet.

What did Jesus mean when He talked about “this generation.” We think generations means our fathers, grandfathers, and great-grandfathers, the generations that have passed before us. Yet, Luke’s focus is different. He is referring to a type of people that will not pass no matter they time. They are those who do not heed the words of Christ: unbelievers. We can take seriously what Jesus says because there have been unbelievers in every generation. There are unbelievers today, and they seek to make us doubt our faith. They call us out into the world. They try to make us feel like fools so we will abandon Christ. They seek to keep our eyes off Christ.

Why does Jesus warn us about men fainting with terror when our hearts are filled with the sounds of jingle bells? How are these words relevant to us? After all, they were spoken to the disciples before they knew the complete work of Christ. We live after the cross and resurrection, we know the end of the story. How could we be faint with fear? However, it is when we are comfortable that we are most easily deceived. It is in this state when we can fall to the temptations of the world the hardest. It is when we are most comfortable that disaster can make us tremble with fear. Fear can take us down dangerous roads, where we try to chase after the world. Luke tells us to be careful. Those of us preparing for the celebration of birth of Christ this Advent need to heed the warning as much as those disciples who still had to survive the Passion of their Lord and Master.

I once read a bumper sticker said, “Jesus is coming. Look busy.” Jesus is coming. What are we busy doing? Are we standing firm on Christ, giving to the hungry and thirsty the food and drink that will make them also ready in that Day? Jesus said, “Therefore be watchful all the time, praying that you may be counted worthy to escape all these things that will happen, and to stand before the Son of Man.” We escape the coming danger by keeping our hearts and minds on our God, doing what He is calling us to do, serving our neighbors in deed and Word. We are willing to do good works, to generously give our stuff, but are we willing to give them Jesus?

We prepare our hearts during Advent for the coming of Christ in the manger. The Christmas story is wonderful, but we have to remember that it looks toward an event in the past. It is a commemoration of what has already happened. Though we enjoy the festiveness of Christmas and the joy that comes with the Nativity, we do not live in the past. Advent is also a time for looking toward the future, to that day when Christ will come again. We can enjoy remembering, but never to the detriment of what is to come. The promise has been fulfilled, but it is still being fulfilled. It is being fulfilled each day as we live in this world.

Unfortunately, we are often like my cat, although we aren’t just trying to get out of a house by slipping through a screen door. The glitz and glitter of the holidays is so much more fun than the end times. Our charitable work makes us feel good, but sharing the Gospel makes us uncomfortable. So, we try to “escape” by celebrating this time focused on the cute stories and the baby in the manger, ignoring the reality that we are waiting for the coming of the One who will judge the whole world. We chase after the glitz and glitter thinking we will find something better beyond our faith. Unlike my cat, we know there are dangers, but we continue to chase the things of this world because the risk seems so worthwhile.

Our message for today is to remember that God has fulfilled His promises, and He will fulfill them. While we wait, while we hope, we are called to live in trust, knowing that God has done and continues to do His work in this world. He is the Light and it is only the Light that can overcome the darkness. We should rejoice if it seems particularly dark because it is now that we are being called to shine so that others will see and hear and believe. God is about to enter the world and do something amazing. He’s about to send His Son to overcome the darkness. But even as we wait for the Son to be born and the King to return, we know that the Light already shines.

The images in today’s Gospel passage should have us cringing in fear. After all, isn’t it said whenever the earth suffers one of those catastrophic events that it is a sign from heaven? After every hurricane or blizzard, flood or earthquake, someone claims that they’ve had a vision from God that the people need to repent and change. God has been known to send plagues of locusts and floods to discipline His people, but can we really judge whether a tornado was an act of God meant to send a message to someone? Is the family that lost their house more sinful than their neighbor whose house was spared? These are the inevitable questions when we claim morality is equal to righteousness and lay that understanding beside the scriptural texts.

A man died and went to heaven. St. Peter met him at the pearly gates. St. Peter said, “Here’s how it works. You need 100 points to make it into heaven. You tell me all the good things you’ve done, and I will give you a certain number of points for each item, depending on how good it was. When you reach 100 points, you get in.” “Okay,” the man says, “I was married to the same woman for 50 years and never cheated on her, even in my heart.” “That’s wonderful,” says St. Peter, “that’s worth three points!” “Three points?” he says. “Well, I attended church all my life and supported its ministry with my tithe and service.” “Terrific!” says St. Peter, “that’s certainly worth a point.” “One point? Golly. How about this: I started a soup kitchen in my city and worked in a shelter for homeless veterans.” “Fantastic, that’s good for two more points,” he says. “TWO POINTS!!” the man cries, “At this rate the only way I get into heaven is by the grace of God!” “Come on in!”

Who will we be on that glorious day when Christ comes again? Will we be among those fainting in fear or will we look to the heavens for our redemption? If we base salvation on our works, we should be fainting in fear, because nothing we do is good enough to overcome our sinfulness. But if we look to Christ, then we understand what the man in the joke did not: it is God who will save us. And that’s what Advent is all about. God is about to enter the world and do something amazing. He’s about to send His Son to be our righteousness.

God is not looking for the good and upright. He’s looking for the humble. He’s not looking for those who think themselves righteous based on their own works rather than on God’s grace (the self-righteous). God is looking for the people who are humble and teachable, who will learn and grow and be changed by His Word. He is looking for those who by faith are willing to wait and watch and hope for the fulfillment of His promises, to trust Him enough to stay in His presence.

As we enter into this season of waiting and wonder, let us keep our hearts and minds on the One for whom we wait, looking to His faithfulness, mercy and grace for all we need. We do not have to ignore the joys of the season, the parties, presents, decorations, food, and fellowship. Let us not lose sight in our busy-ness of the season why we do all these things. Jesus is coming! as the child in the manger and the King in the clouds. Take time for prayer and do not worry about all there has to be done. Do not fear the darkness that would have you hide your faith. Keep close to God in the coming days and darkness will disappear. Then you will be blameless and holy in the presence of our God and Father when the Lord Jesus comes in glory.

We will be busy preparing for Christmas with decorations, baking, writing cards, shopping, and partying. We’ll add to that some spiritual disciplines of Advent devotionals, service projects, prayer and extra worship. This is all wonderful, but let’s remember that none of this, no matter how much an impact our works have on the world, they will never change what God has already done. In the end we have only one thing on which we can rest. The psalmist wrote, “My God, I have trusted in you.” Our good works are wonderful works. Whatever our motives, feeding the hungry and clothing the poor is honorable and gracious, whether it is now or throughout the year. However, full bellies and warm bodies are not eternal. The body will hunger again, and the clothes will fade. The Word of God lasts forever. It is true and it is real. The pagans and heathens can feed a hungry belly, but they will never feed a starving soul. Only Christ can fulfill our deepest needs.

Timothy took a wonderful report to Paul. The Thessalonians were living faithful lives, for which Paul was thankful to God. They had not lost touch with their Lord, though as with all our lives of faith he was concerned for their future well-being. He prayed that the Lord would make their love increase and overflow for one another and strengthen them as they waited for Jesus to come.

They were waiting just like we wait during Advent. Paul wrote to encourage them, to thank God for their faith and to ask Him to continue His work in their lives. As we wait for Christmas, and for the second coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, God transforms us daily drawing us deeper and deeper into the relationship with Him. So, as we begin this Advent season, let’s do so with joy and hope, knowing that Jesus comes in three distinct ways. He came as the Son in the manger. He will come as the King at the End of Days. And He comes to us daily in His Word and in His promises so that we’ll share the light of the Good News with the world. We have nothing to fear, but we need to watch so that we won’t be loaded down with the world when He comes again. Let’s not just wait for Him as He came in the past or will come in the future, but live as He comes to us in the present and celebrate His grace daily so that we can stand before Him forever.