Sunday, December 3, 2023

First Sunday of Advent
Isaiah 64:1-9
Psalm 80:1-7
1 Corinthians 1:3-9
Mark 13:24-37

For we have all become like one who is unclean, and all our righteousness is like a polluted garment. We all fade like a leaf; and our iniquities, like the wind, take us away.

The sun set over Utqiaġvik, Alaska on November 18th and will not rise again until January 23rd. That is sixty-six days of darkness. I’ve never experienced the endless nights of the northernmost reaches of the world, but I remember what it was like in winter in England. Despite the temperate temperatures, England lies well north of the United States. At that latitude, the sun sets early and rises late in the middle of winter. The days lasted less than eight hours; the kids went to school and came home in the dark. That meant, of course, that the summer days lasted nearly seventeen hours. That is so much different than Texas where our short days are just under eleven hours.

The problem with lengthy nights and the lack of light is that it can affect the human body. We need daylight for our health. The lack of sunlight causes damage to bones, depression, heart disease, and even cancer. Vitamin D is recommended for those who live in those places where the days are short. Even in Texas the darkness is noticeable at this time of year. One friend posted a meme that said, “Every night around 10:00 I realize its only 5:30.”

Advent begins in darkness, not only because the sun sets early, but also because we have failed God. We have forgotten Him in our comfort. We have ignored the needs of our neighbors. We have followed our lusts. We have succumbed to temptation. We are sinners who live in darkness. Like Isaiah in the Old Testament lesson and the psalmist, we cry out to God to reveal Himself so that we might see Him again. We cry out for His presence in our world, even though we are frightened by His power and judgment. We know the only way we will be saved is if God comes to save. So, we cry out for Him to come, to make His name known again to the world.

The scriptures for this week help to remind us that we are entering into a time to prepare for judgment. We have talked about the Day of the Lord for the past few weeks, a time of judgment that is to be feared. Several weeks ago we asked, “Why would anyone want to rush that day?” Yet, there comes a time when we just can’t stand what is going on around us that we hope that God will do something. I can honestly say that I cry out daily for the Lord’s return. Come, Lord Jesus.

I can understand why Isaiah would write the words in today’s Old Testament lesson. The people were in darkness. They were following false gods. They were unmerciful and unjust. They were acting shamefully and had forgotten everything the LORD had done for His people. They were lost; they forgot their God. They needed something to happen that would turn them back to Him. In today’s Old Testament text, Isaiah called for God to do something shocking so that everyone would see Him and repent. Sometimes it takes something drastic to change hearts and minds. We turn to God in times of distress. Isaiah was asking God to make that happen.

Unfortunately, short days are not the only reason why people struggle during the winter months. Cold, wet weather brings on colds and flu. People struggle with finances and worry about how they will make Christmas special for their families. Others are lonely because of broken relationships or are missing loved ones who have died or moved away. Our schedules are filled with parties, but we are often too tired or stressed to enjoy them. It is no wonder that every year we think about making the holidays simpler. Sometimes our busyness means we miss out on the best part of Christmas: the expectation of what is to come.

My mother worked at a shopping mall when I was a kid; she was manager of a fabric store. I remember going with her to work on the days when I did not have school; I would run around the mall, eat at the Woolworth lunch counter, or watch a movie at the theater. When I was tired or bored, I would hide in my mom’s office with books or homework. Sometimes I helped her around the store, but I mostly went on adventures.

Not to get too nostalgic, but things were different back then. Black Friday was a very specific event; it was, literally, the official start to the Christmas season. The mall was not decorated until just before, so there was a dramatic change when it opened on Black Friday morning. Santa Claus arrived with great fanfare with a parade that began in the parking lot and ended at his workshop in the mall. The children received gifts of candy canes as they trailed after him with joy. The stores had sales, certainly, but there weren’t doorbusters to make shoppers all arrive at the same time, too early in the morning. There was excitement about the day; it was filled with wonder and expectation.

Black Friday is still considered the official start to the Christmas season, but many stores began their Black Friday sales weeks ago. Santa Claus is already in the mall, having arrived quietly and without fanfare one day. The decorations were up after Halloween and Christmas music has been playing all over the place. The Black Friday doorbuster sales meant to draw the crowds begin earlier every. I was happy to see how many stores decided not to open on Thanksgiving, and the crowds seemed to make most of their purchases online. Some articles are claiming Black Friday was a bust this year because there just weren’t the kind of crowds that there used to be. There is never any excuse for violence, but this year I didn’t even hear any stories about long lines or mad rushes.

We hear the same complaints year after year. Many denounce the early start to the commercial aspects of the holiday season and vow not to fall for the temptation. We can rant and rave about the commercialization of Christmas, the greed of corporate America, and the foolish actions of people (who are also greedy.). To be honest, I love the secular aspects of Christmas. I love to shop for presents, to decorate my home with thousands of lights, and to party all season long. I’ve watched or recorded every sappy Christmas movie. But I am bothered because Advent will slip by unnoticed, and more so than in days gone by.

Few people really pay attention to Advent. Oh, the idea of Advent wreaths has become very popular, but they are filled with things that aren’t very faith based like liquor, make-up, and socks. Churches light Advent wreaths and sing a few hymns about the long expected coming of Jesus. Some people read Advent devotional or take part in daily Advent practices. But if the Christmas season is well underway with decorations hung and music playing, how do we experience Advent as a season of light growing out of darkness? How do we realize our sinfulness and our need for God if we have already surrounded ourselves with the good things of this world? How will we ever know that we are living in darkness if our world is lit by twinkle lights?

Perhaps I’m being too literal here, since even in the “old days” Santa was in the mall and our neighborhoods twinkled with light. But it seems like there is no longer a definitive break between the seasons. We are coasting into December having already experienced so much of what set it apart. There probably won't be much difference between today and next week. We should be shocked by the reality of our need for God's forgiveness but all we will seek is the best recipe for Christmas cookies.

As we go about the business of the holidays, let us remember that Christmas does not really begin until Christ is born. Until that day we are journeying through a solemn season. This is a time for waiting. It is time for watching. We can’t avoid Christmas in the world, but we are reminded that during this time we are meant to be preparing our hearts for the coming of our King. It is a time of longing for His return, a time of considering why He had to come in the first place.

The Gospel text reminds us that we are waiting for the second coming even while we are preparing to celebrate the first. Though Christ has already come, died, and been raised, we still live in darkness. The work of salvation is complete, but it still needs to be completed. We are already there and we still wait to be there. We live in the already and the not yet. Light is in the world, but darkness still plagues us. Our text today makes that clear.

We are tempted by this text from Mark to look for the signs that are described. Many people have done so throughout time, pointing to stars, blood red moons, comets, and other signs in the heavens. They point to natural disasters like hurricanes and earthquakes as signs that the time is near. They use the newspaper headlines to suggest that every event points to the time when Christ will come again. Throughout history there have been times when it seemed like the warnings were about to be fulfilled.

While the day will come as He described it, Jesus is quoting Old Testament scriptures which the listeners would know very well, particularly those from Isaiah. They knew what God was promising in the warnings and they knew how to respond. It wasn’t a time to stop and watch for signs; it was a time to turn the focus on the One who promised to come again. “Stay awake,” Jesus said. He wasn’t calling us to constantly interpret the signs, but to actively live the life God has called us to live.

The world is in chaos. People are worried and afraid of what tomorrow might hold. Many are crying out to God to shine His face so that they might be saved. We are His face. We have the message the world needs. We have the gifts that will bring peace and hope to those who are lost. Each year there seems to be more reason to cry out to God. We can see suffering all around us. People are jobless, homeless, and hungry. Our prisons and hospitals are filled to the brink. Last week Jesus called us to meet the simple and ordinary needs of our neighbors. This Christmas will not be wonderful for everyone. But we can make the world a little brighter by sharing Christ in word and in deed with those who are in need.

Mark’s “Little Apocalypse” shows us how to respond to the darkness and chaos of our world. We can certainly hang Christmas lights to shine through the night and take vitamin D to remain healthy, but we are called to wait for the One who will come, to watch for the Light which will bring life and hope. We wait not only for a special day on the calendar or a baby in the manger, but also for the King of kings and Lord of lords. Here in darkness, we begin our journey to the manger, to the birth of the One who will make all things right. But while this is a time to wait and watch, it is also a time for us to live and shine the light of God. It isn’t a time to hide behind our safe walls, but to get out into the world to tell the truth: we are all sinners in need of a Savior. The baby we await and the King who will tear down the heavens to the cheers of His people is the One who will truly save us from ourselves, the One who will one day take us home.

We don't realize we have fallen asleep. There are many who say that they will keep Christ in Christmas and will commit to a humbler celebration with fewer presents and more charity. I am among them. It is good to stand for Christ and to be the people He has called us to be. But we have “fallen asleep” in the worst way possible, because we refuse to tell people the true reason Jesus Christ was born. We forget that Christmas was just the first step toward the cross and that it was our sin that required the birth and death of Jesus. We’ve stopped talking about our sinfulness. We have pointed our fingers at everyone else who has done wrong in the world, but we don’t speak the truth that we are all sinners in need of the Savior.

That’s why we begin Advent in darkness and why it is important that there be a stark line drawn as we enter into this time of year. Jesus is certainly the reason for the season, and I’m happy when I see beautiful nativities decorating the yards of my neighbors and the public spaces in my town. However, I sometimes wonder if we shouldn’t include a crucifix in our decorations to remind us why Jesus came in the first place. We all die, but He was born with the very purpose to die for us.

We will see the Light growing in the darkness over the next four weeks as we await the coming of Jesus, and we will live in the hope that He brings. That hope is not just for peace on earth and goodwill toward men, but it is for forgiveness and mercy. We have, sadly, dropped the ball when it comes to telling our neighbors why they need Jesus.

Have we stayed awake? Or have we been coasting along with the world, accepting as the truth is whitewashed to make it more palatable? Have we accepted the god the world created to appease faith while rejecting truth? Have we been fighting battles that seem important when the truth is that we’ve forgotten what really needs to be said? Are we really awake, or are we sleepwalking in a slumber that looks for signs but misses the truth?

We have learned since we moved to Texas that here football is king. Some of our local schools are competing in the state playoffs! The stadiums are full of enthusiastic fans, all cheering on their team. People who may not be interested in the games during the regular season are going out of their way to cheer on their teams. Sometimes it doesn’t even matter which team is playing, for many people it is simply about the football.

Football is a game that mirrors warfare. George Carlin, in describing the differences between baseball and football said, “In football the object is for the quarterback, also known as the field general, to be on target with his aerial assault, riddling the defense by hitting his receivers with deadly accuracy in spite of the blitz, even if he has to use shotgun. With short bullet passes and long bombs, he marches his troops into enemy territory, balancing this aerial assault with a sustained ground attack that punches holes in the forward wall of the enemy's defensive line.” So, motivation for the team from the cheerleaders and the fans is very aggressive. They make loud noises, stomp on the bleachers and yell “Fight, fight, fight!”

In the beginning of the football game, the teams are welcomed onto the field by waiting fans that hold up a sign designed to put fear in the hearts of the other team. These signs have catchy phrases like “Squash the Rattlers!” or “Bury the Trojans!” Different organizations are given the responsibility of making the signs and holding them for the team to run through. They work for days after school painting their signs and then gather together the night of the game to hold itfor their team. The football players gather behind the sign, waiting for the perfect moment to tear through the paper, screaming their battle cry. It is almost heartbreaking to think of how much work went into those signs when you see how they are destroyed so quickly and thoroughly by the anxious football players. They punch holes in the paper and then rip through, ready to face their opponent on the field.

I thought of this when I read the scripture for today. I can almost imagine the fans in the stands screaming for the coming of the Lord while the enemy waits in expectation with fear and trembling. That’s how we want the opposing team to feel when our players come out on the field. Isaiah and the people of Israel were feeling abandoned by God. Where was He in the midst of their troubles? Why is Jerusalem in ruins?

We wonder about the same things today. Can’t God make things right? Can’t He stop the violence both at home and around the world? Can’t He send His holy angels to take care of our enemies and stop the world from hurting us and others? Isaiah realized that his cries were out of place. He blamed God for abandoning them, but He has not; He has done great things for His people, and He continues to do great things. Isaiah asked for forgiveness and reconciliation because he knew that they were paying the price for their own sinfulness. Though Isaiah at first asked God to tear open the heavens to destroy his enemy, he finally realized that he needed to seek something much different. God will tear open the heavens to bring us something much better than vengeance and destruction; He will bring us to our knees, so that we will humbly acknowledge our own sinfulness. Then God will transform His people and give us peace. When we realize we are in darkness, God will shine the Light.

Isaiah’s prayer begs Yahweh to make Himself known to them and to their enemy so that His authority is without question.

Today’s Psalm is a song of lament, and it appears to be from the time when the Northern Kingdom of Israel was destroyed by the Assyrians. It is a cry to God by the whole people in a time of distress. Like the people in Isaiah’s story, these people of Israel were crying out for God to show His face to them once again. They knew that their troubles were because God had turned away. Now they sought His face, His countenance, upon them. If God shined in their world and on their lives, everything would be fine.

We can respond to trouble one of two ways. We can look into ourselves and find only despair, or we can cry out to the only one who can make a difference. Israel cried out to God. They sought His help in their needs rather than falling into hopelessness. They knew hope was found in their God, seeking the comfort of God’s presence. We too, in these dark days leading to Christmas can respond to the world in which we live with despair, or we can wait hopefully for the One who brings God’s presence into our world, Jesus Christ.

In his letter to the Corinthians, Paul wrote to people in a different time and place from the Israelites in Isaiah or us today. They were dealing with their own troubles. It doesn’t matter that our crises are not like theirs; every generation faces some sort of suffering. Every generation has worries and doubts and fears about the future. Every generation has lived in darkness. Every person from the beginning of time has had a need to cry out to God. Every generation is tempted to blame our enemies, to point fingers, to seek God’s vengeance on those who do us harm.

But as Advent begins, we are reminded that we are sinners in need of a Savior. “For we have all become like one who is unclean, and all our righteousness is like a polluted garment. We all fade like a leaf; and our iniquities, like the wind, take us away.” We have forgotten God’s promises; we have stopped humbling ourselves before the One who will be our Judge.

God has not turned His face from us, we have fallen asleep. We have forgotten that we are blind; we ignore the grace that is ours because we refuse to acknowledge our sin. We look forward to the coming of Christ but seek the baby in the manger without recognizing that He is also the man on the cross who paid our debt to God. We are excited about Christmas, but do we really know why and are we willing to tell our neighbors what it really means?

We will continue to experience darkness until the day Christ comes again. But we can live in the knowledge that the Light has come and is coming. We can be a source of Truth for others. We might not always understand His plan, but as we dwell in Him daily, we will be blessed by God’s presence even when it seems like He has turned His face from us. Our lives of faith are the evidence of God's grace; we are God's people living in a chaotic world, called to point to the God who can and will make their lives new if only they acknowledge the reality of their sin.