Sunday, November 8, 2020

Twenty-third Sunday after Pentecost
Amos 5:18-24
Psalm 70
1 Thessalonians 4:13-18
Matthew 25:1-13

Let all those who seek you rejoice and be glad in you. Let those who love your salvation continually say, ‘Let God be exalted!’

Texas can be flood or drought in a matter of moments. One year our streams and rivers are flowing over the banks and the next is so dry that dust storms fill the air. The flash floods can close roads, wash away cars, and cause destruction to property. The droughts can threaten our water supply and cause conservation restrictions. We are currently under drought conditions, but just one hurricane could change that. It is amazing to see how quickly our world can change. Sometimes it just takes a little thing to turn things around.

I decided a few days ago to post a thanksgiving meme daily throughout November. I’ve done similar challenges in years past. While thanksgiving is something that we should do daily, it helps to have moments when we put extra focus on it, especially when we are in a time of struggle. It has been fun searching through my photos to find just the right ones and then through dozens of websites with quotes to use for creating the memes. I have more than enough stockpiled at this point that I may take the practice well into December. I hope that it will help others take the time to be thankful in these days because a little gratefulness can change the world.

People are merciful when they are thankful for the mercy they have received. We are generous when we are thankful for the things that we have. There are two times when we are not so generous: when we are afraid and when we are comfortable. When we are afraid, it is hard to see anything for which we can be thankful. When we are threatened by forces outside ourselves, we hold on to the little we have, trying to ensure that we have enough for tomorrow. We can’t take care of the needs of others because we are too worried about our own needs. This is true of mercy as well as money. It is hard to be merciful if we are afraid that we will not receive mercy. It is understandable that people are not generous when they are operating in a state of self-protection. We can’t give a hand to someone else when we are hanging by a thread.

However, it is more troubling to know that we are sometimes less than generous when we are in a state of comfort. That is exactly when we should be most generous. We have more than enough, but we take it for granted. We forget to be thankful. We forget about those times when we were afraid. We don’t necessarily ignore the needs of others, but we just don’t see it because things are so good for us. Unfortunately, we tend to avoid those who are unhealthy when we are healthy. When we are full, we steer clear of those who are hungry. When we are safe, we lock our doors against all those whose own lack of safety might make us feel threatened. In our comfort we see no need to be thankful. Our lack of thankfulness makes us blind to our neighbors and apathetic about their problems. Thankfulness leads to compassion, mercy, generosity.

The people in Amos’s day were not living thankful. They were going to temple, singing hymns and following the rituals, but they weren’t worshipping God with their lives. They were perhaps both comfortable and afraid, looking forward to the great and terrible day of the Lord. They were doing what they believed is right: going to the temple and the synagogue on the Sabbath, singing all the right songs and presenting all the right sacrifices. But they had lost touch with the God they claimed to worship. They were not pursuing justice or giving mercy.

The message Amos brought to them is one we need to hear also. We’ve forgotten to live thankful. We are comfortable in our worship, attending services on Sunday but forgetting about God in our daily lives. We are ignoring the needs of our neighbors, both out of fear for our future and in our comfort. But God calls us to always walk in thanksgiving, not to offer sacrifices according to our duty or when we are seeking God’s blessing. He desires mercy, not sacrifice. He is looking for His people to live in faith, to go forth as a raging torrent, changing the world with justice and peace.

We are racing toward the end of the church year; as much as we don’t want to admit it, we are quickly nearing Advent and Christmas. During the last few weeks of the year we look toward the future, not tomorrow, the coming holidays or even next year. We will be looking forward to the fulfillment of all God’s promises, the coming day of the Lord and the eternity that is ours by faith in Jesus Christ.

Some days it seems like we are racing toward the end of time.

There are as many ideas about the end times as there are people discussing them. Whole systems of theology have evolved around the study of eschatology, much of it with confusing language and troubling imagery. There have been charismatic leaders who have taken their understanding of the end times to such an extreme that whole communities have died in their leadership trying to force God’s hand. We can name some of the more famous false messiahs who have led their people to the grave following orders down a path of destruction and death.

Some people look forward to the end times with giddiness and expectation. They believe that they have it all right and that everyone else has it wrong. They believe that they will be among a small number of people saved, that they are a lonely remnant in the world that will be destroyed for lack of belief. They stand up against anyone that disagrees, often to the point of violence. The charismatic leaders have such control over their people that they are willing to even die for their sake. When the leader says “Drink this” they drink, believing that it will take them to heaven.

I am confident in my salvation not because I have all the answers, but because I trust in God’s promises. I confess that I look at some who claim to be Christian and wonder about their faith, but I don’t condemn anyone because I’m not God. I look around the world and cry out to the Lord daily, “Come, Lord Jesus,” but I also know that we have to be careful about looking forward to that day with giddy excitement. The end of those who trust in God is joyous because we’ll be with Him for eternity, but it won’t be a pleasant experience.

Some people think they can force God’s hand; “See God, we made everything ready for you. Come!” Again, I confess, that I wish I could have made it happen. I’ve been joking that Jesus would come on November 2nd so we would not have to live through the election and its aftermath. I was obviously wrong, but I can still trust that God knows what He is doing. Some demand that God run on their schedule; they want to be the generation that will see the fulfillment of the promises. I wouldn’t mind seeing Jesus come on the clouds. I’m ready to dwell in God’s presence for eternity. However, no human being knows the mind of God so well as to direct God’s hand. We are called to trust in Him, not to test Him or demand that He satisfy our expectations, even when the circumstances do not go in our favor. Trust means believing that God is in control.

Amos says, “Woe to you who desire the day of Yahweh!” We have been reminded in the past few weeks that while we are saints with faith in God, we are still sinners in need of salvation. Eternity for us is both a present reality and a future hope, yet we have no reason to believe that the judgment that awaits us at the end of all days will be pleasant for us. We don’t deserve to be protected from times of trouble, for we are just as guilty of sin as our neighbor. All of us deserve to be left behind. Thanks to Jesus, we won’t be.

The more I study the psalms, the more I realize that the key to living life in this time and in this place is to be thankful, even when we face times of difficulty. The psalmists often lament their circumstances, but in most of the psalms they also praise God and thank Him for His mercy even before they see the answers to their prayers. They pray in confidence that God is in control. They often pray with the expectation that God will answer their prayers in their way, but they are always confident that God will answer according to His promises.

Charles Spurgeon wrote in a sermon for October 29, 1871, “Young painters were anxious, in olden times, to study under the great masters. They concluded that they should more easily attain to excellence if they entered the schools of eminent men. Men have paid large premiums that their sons may be apprenticed or articled to those who best understood their trades or professions; now, if any of us would learn the sacred art and mystery of prayer, it is well for us to study the productions of the greatest masters of that science. I am unable to point out one who understood it better than did the psalmist David. So well did he know how to praise, that his psalms have become the language of good men in all ages; and so well did he understand how to pray, that if we catch his spirit, and follow his mode of prayer, we shall have learned to plead with God after the most prevalent sort. Place before you, first of all, David’s Son and David’s Lord, that most mighty of all intercessors, and, next to Him, you shall find David to be one of the most admirable models for your imitation.”

Today’s Psalm has been ascribed to David, and it is generally agreed that it was written when David was in the later days of his life. David was a mighty king, but even mighty kings face times of difficulty. This is especially true when they are nearing the end of their lives. They are seen by enemies, both close and far away, as weakened and unable to hold on to their kingdoms. David chose his son Solomon to be heir, but David’s other sons wanted the kingdom, too. Though Israel was threatened on all sides by foreign armies, the most difficult battles happened within the walls of his own palace. David’s sons fought against one another and against their father. Amnon raped Absalom’s sister, so Absalom killed Amnon. Absalom rebelled against David and was killed on the battlefield. Adonijah, as the then oldest son, expected to be heir but was rejected for Solomon. He tried twice to gain control, but was eventually killed by Solomon.

It sounds like the script from a soap opera, but it isn’t unusual to hear stories about intrigue in royal families. It doesn’t take much study into British history to see brother against brother and mother against son. Murder, adultery, greed, dishonesty and war have been the part of all civilizations. The end justifies the means and the end is always power.

David was far from perfect, but in his life we see a man who learned what it meant to be humble, to turn to God in times of trouble and to praise Him even if the circumstances seem impossible to overcome. David was faithful and faith-filled. We might not have a brother or sister, son or daughter, threatening our lives and our kingdom, but we all face times of difficulty and people who wish to see us harmed. How do we respond? Do we turn to God and seek His guidance and deliverance? Or do we try to go forward on our own strength?

I once did a bible study on the word “seek.” I quickly learned that trying to read every incidence of the word “seek” in the scriptures was overwhelming, so my focus turned to the story of Saul and David. I found that every time Saul sought something he was chasing David and his own self-interests. David, however, was always seeking after God. That’s why Saul lost his anointing and David was blessed by God. Saul’s line would never last, but David’s would last forever. David was not perfect. The story of Bathsheba shows us his failures. The intrigue in his house and the battles between his sons was a fulfillment of the warning given to David because of his own sins. However, David was faithful through it all, looking to God and seeking His help. He is an example we can follow, remembering that we too are imperfect but that God is present in our lives, ready to deliver those of us who praise Him in the midst of our troubles.

The relationship between God and His people is described as a marriage and the coming of Christ as the wedding when the bridegroom (Jesus) comes to get His bride (the Church.) We live in expectation of that day as a bride waits for her wedding day. Sometimes we respond like a bridezilla, with demands and upside down expectations. We forget what it is all about. We forget who God is and what He has done for us. We look forward not to the fulfillment of God’s promises but for the fulfillment of our own wants. We lose sight of Christ and demand that God fit into our box. We forget to be thankful.

I tend to over pack when we travel. That’s why I prefer road trips; I have more freedom to take the things I might not need but really think I should have along “just in case.” You know how it is: you are traveling to a place where the weather is different than the place you live. You can check weather reports, but who knows what it will really be like in a few days. What if a cold front comes through? I should have a jacket and long pants. What if there is a record heat wave? I should have some shorts and a swimming suit. What if there is nothing to do? I should take a bag full of things to fill the time. I always pack an extra book, even if the book I’m reading is so long there’s no way I could finish it during the trip. We fill the car with more snacks than we could possibly eat. I fill my cosmetic case with every type of health and hygiene product I might need along the way. I usually come home with clothes that haven’t been worn and items that were never needed. But, what would I have done if I had needed them? I am always ready for every possibility.

I even do it when I am headed out for a few hours. I try to take a book wherever I go, just in case I have a few minutes to read while I am waiting for something. I keep a nail file for a broken fingernail. I always make sure I have a few dollars in my wallet even though most places I shop will take my debit card. I like to be prepared. Even so, I am not always prepared. It amazes me how many times I forget my book and then end up waiting longer than expected for one of the kids. I can never find that nail file when one of my nails breaks. Despite the fact that I try to keep at least a couple of pens in my purse, I can never find one when I need it.

This week’s Gospel story never really made sense to me, probably because I’m an overpacker. Who doesn’t ensure enough oil for the lamp? But then, who would expect the bridegroom to take so long to arrive? There was no reason to think that they would need more oil than was in their lamp. There was no reason to plan ahead. Yet, five of the virgins did just that, they prepared for the possibility that the bridegroom might be delayed. They prepared for the “just in case.”

In the epistle lesson, Paul wrote about the expectation that Christ was coming immediately. They were all waiting anxiously, certain that Jesus would return in their lifetimes. Some of the Christians were becoming doubtful and frustrated because their loved ones were dying and Christ had not yet come. What would happen if they died, too? They thought they would see the fulfillment of the promise. It is terribly disappointing to know that we will not see the hope realized in our lifetime. Yet, the Church has longingly waited for Christ to return for two thousand years. It is very easy to lose hope.

There are still those today who live their faith as if we are the generation who will finally see the promise fulfilled. It is possible. We can look around our world and see the signs. But, every generation has seen signs since the days of Jesus. There are always those who lose hope because their interpretation of the signs do not come true, so they turn from the promise. The oil in the lamp of the virgins is the hope we have as we wait for God to finish the work He began two thousand years ago. Hope can die out and our light can dim if we do not keep hold of the promise. That’s what the five wise virgins had but the five foolish virgins lost while they waited: they did not stand firm in their faith that the bridegroom would come, renewing their hope even when it seemed like He would never come.

It is especially hard when our circumstances are difficult and uncertain. This is why we need to face each day praising God with thanksgiving. We may cry out to God for His intercession, but we need to do so with trust because God will make all things right in His way and in His time.

The people in Paul’s day, perhaps even Paul, were getting nervous. They expected Jesus to return within their lifetime. They saw the second coming as an immediate response to what was happening, and every day that passed brought doubt and concern. They people who knew Jesus personally were dying. The first believers were passing away. Would Jesus come before they were all gone? Paul assured them that it did not matter. Those who were dead were not gone forever. Jesus would return, and all those who died in faith would be with Him at that trumpet sound. Paul shares his image of that day. It might not match our image, or even match the reality when it happens, but he has found comfort in wondering what it will look like. Many others have done the same. The image of Christ returning is a favorite of authors, artists and film makers.

How do you see the coming of Christ? What do you think you will see on that day? Whatever your image, always remember, as Paul, that the promise is in Christ Jesus and that we will be with the Lord forever. As we think about His coming, let us do so in a way that encourages one another as we wait patiently for the Day of the Lord.

We are reminded in the prophecy from Amos that the Day of the Lord will not look like we expect. We have to hold on to the hope that God’s promises are true. It is easy to fall apart when our expectations are smashed and we are disappointed by what we see happening in the world around us. It is easy to fall into the temptations around us, to conform to the world and to give in to our flesh. It is easy to get caught up in our fear or take our blessings for granted. We need not be afraid of tomorrow, but we are reminded that God is looking at things much differently than our human hearts and minds. He does not accept the worship that is not founded in a life of real sacrifice. He does not care about the blood of animals or the sweet sounding songs if we are not living according to His Word and our faith. Righteousness is not something that can be worn like a mask, but is a right relationship with the One who has delivered and promised to save His people. It takes the wisdom of God to establish and develop that kind of relationship. It comes from Him.

As we wait for the Day of the Lord, we may find ourselves attacked by those who appear to be living right and true lives, but who are not wise according to the ways of God. They are like Saul, arrogant in position and authority, but forgetting the source of his blessing and power. We are called to be more like David, humble before God, seeking His face and being obedient to His Word, thanking Him even before we see the fulfillment of His promises. David was faithful and faith-filled. We are called to be the same.

How will you prepare for the Day of the LORD? How will you prepare for the coming of the Bridegroom? Do you have an expectation that will disappoint if it does not come to pass or are you prepared to wait patiently in faith for God to be faithful in His time and way? God blesses the humble and lifts up those who need Him. Instead of worshipping God with our rituals and offerings, let’s keep our eyes on God and rejoice in His promises, praising Him for all the blessings fulfilled and those that are still to come. The Day of the LORD will set us free to live in His light forever, even if it comes in a way we do not expect. As we wait with our eyes fixed on God, thankfulness will lead us to compassion, mercy, and generosity. If we would all take the time to be thankful in these days, we’ll see a little gratefulness change the world.