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NRS Luke 21:25 "There will
be signs in the sun, the moon, and the stars, and on the earth distress among
nations confused by the roaring of the sea and the waves. 26 People
will faint from fear and foreboding of what is coming upon the world, for the
powers of the heavens will be shaken. 27 Then they will see 'the Son
of Man coming in a cloud' with power and great glory. 28 Now when
these things begin to take place, stand up and raise your heads, because your
redemption is drawing near." 29 Then he told them a parable:
"Look at the fig tree and all the trees; 30 as soon as they
sprout leaves you can see for yourselves and know that summer is already near. 31
So also, when you see these things taking place, you know that the kingdom of
God is near. 32 Truly I tell you, this generation will not pass away
until all things have taken place. 33 Heaven and earth will pass
away, but my words will not pass away. 34 "Be on guard so that
your hearts are not weighed down with dissipation and drunkenness and the
worries of this life, and that day catch you unexpectedly, 35 like a
trap. For it will come upon all who live on the face of the whole earth. 36
Be alert at all times, praying that you may have the strength to escape all
these things that will take place, and to stand before the Son of Man."
As I began to ponder this sermon the events of the last few days and weeks
have imprinted on my mind important questions that this season answers. We
celebrate the first Sunday of Advent today, a season of hope, peace love and
joy. A season when we begin to act like Christian people in a way we should
have been acting all year long. Charity
becomes part of our makeup, compassion becomes part of our character, and joy
becomes part of everyday nature. Now if I sound a little jaded it is
because as Christians we should be doing these things all year long, not just
at Christmas. To be fair, many of you are in fact sharing and caring all year
long. Part of it comes from seeing God at work in our midst which always
creates in me a questioning attitude wondering why people don’t get God. Why
don’t people understand Christian behavior instead of being surprised by it?
Why it is that prayer is not our first priority in life when God clearly wants
to communicate with us? Why do people find it so surprising that Baptist and
Methodist would worship together? Why are people so surprised that we would
have a meal and give it away? Why do they put an “X” where “Christ” should be? Why
are we so confused about the season, what hymns to sing and how to act? Why are
Christians so upset about the commercialization of the holiday or respectful of
others who celebrate their traditions at the same time as we do? Shouldn’t we
be more concerned with whether that homeless man that came to the dinner has food
today? Or the children we sponsor at Christmas, who provides for them during
the year? Who gives them birthday presents and breakfast?
Welcome to the first Sunday of the season of Advent. Advent is a season of anticipation as we wait the celebration party of
the birth of a King. Advent is a season of anticipation as we wait the
celebration party of the coming of the King in judgment and glory. You see as
Christian people we should live in a perpetual state of anticipation. After
all, no-one else in the history of the world worships a risen savior. No-one
professes their faith in a man who has died for us and was resurrected by God
so that we can receive eternal life. So when we enter into Advent we should
begin to celebrate that anticipation and share in its reflection on our lives
through our actions, prayers and songs. When we anticipate the promise
fulfillment of God, we live lives focused on eternity, not today or tomorrow,
but forever and ever.
Today we
celebrate the gift of prophecy as we anticipate the meaning of this season. I often preach
on prophecy. Why is it important? What can it tell us? It can tell us several
important things about God. First, it tells us what God is up to. God wants us
to know what God is doing in the world and by giving us the future plans, we
can have hope no matter how dismal the world around us gets. But many argue
that we read into prophecy what we hope is there. So to counter that argument,
let us remember that prophecy in the Bible is also past tense. And it is that
past tense which gives us proof that God delivers what God tells us is the
future plan. So much about the world around us in unknown, isn’t it great to
have something that is set in a firm foundation for us.
We are tasked by
God to make a difference in the lives of the world around us, right? Making a
difference that lasts all year long. A difference that is evident in the
expressions on people’s faces and the joy they share when they realize that
your love for them is genuine and authentic. Like the expressions on the faces
at a meal given to them because God loves them, no strings attached. Or the
expressions on children when they open presents they hoped for but figured that
Santa, like everyone else they know, was broke this year and there would not be
anything under their trees this year. What if we had angel tree’s in February
and provided hearts full of love, food and gifts. What if at Easter we focused
on where their lives had emptiness and provided fulfillment of those needs. Or
help them celebrate independence from poverty which holds them where they are
by giving them educational opportunities to make a difference in their lives.
What is the meaning of Christmas? Two
thousand years ago that light shone through the darkness and it tells us that
the Shepherds were afraid. We are always fearful of what we cannot understand.
Maybe that is why we cannot understand when friendship can overcome
denomination, when prayer continues even if no-one comes and why the Greeks
used “X” as their symbol of “Christ” so “xmas” is actually Christmas after all.
And even though we cannot understand it, it still comes year after year. If they took all the nativity scenes
away, Christmas with its special feeling, compassion and love will still arrive
on time and it is a witness to the power of God, even if they find a way to disguise
it. If we get upset that others are trying to push us out, let us consider
that maybe they feel this mystical, magical power of God this time of year and
they want a part of it even if they cannot find a way to truly understand it.
Maybe by grabbing a piece of that mystical power, God can work within them to
show them peace, love, grace and mercy. What we learned two thousand years ago
is that God is supreme and God’s plan will prevail. If people are amazed that
we can share worship, then maybe they can learn that while they focus on our
differences, we focus on our promised resurrection.
I love the movie “It’s a wonderful life.” Just the idea of having a chance
to see what the world would be like if you had never been born. The opportunity
to see not only the good things you did but the mistakes you made and how they
impacted the world around you. How the people you impacted changed the world
for the better. All of these things would be wonderful to know, wouldn’t they?
I am going to take a little literary license with an old favorite story of
mine. You may recognize its source. My little friends say there is no God? Well
Virginia, your little friends are wrong. They have been affected by the selfishness
in this skeptical age. They do not believe unless they can see if for
themselves. They think if they cannot see it, touch it and wrap their arms
around it then their minds cannot conceive it. All minds, Virginia, whether
they be men’s, women’s or children’s, are little. In this great universe of
ours we are a mere insect, an ant, in our intellect, as compared with the
boundless world about us, as measured by the intelligence capable of grasping
the whole of truth and knowledge. Yes, Virginia, there is a God. God exists as
certainly as love and generosity and devotion exist, and you know that they
abound, especially this time of year and give to our lives its highest beauty and
joy. Alas! How dreary would be the world if there was no God. It would be as
dreary as if there were no Virginia’s. There would be no childlike faith then,
no poetry, no romance, and no redemption to make our existence in this world
tolerable. We should have no enjoyment, except in sense and sight. The eternal
light with which childhood fills the world would be extinguished.
Not believe in
God! You might as well believe that there is no tomorrow and the sun will no
longer rise in the East. If you set about to find God without opening your eyes
you will never find God. But that is no sign that God does not exist. Did you
ever see bottom of the oceans or create the rays of sunshine that shine down
upon us. Of course not, but that’s no proof that they are not there. Nobody can
conceive or imagine all the wonders there are unseen and unseeable in the
world. You can take about the fabric of life itself, explore its DNA, determine
the makeup that brings life into the world but you cannot create it or
duplicate it. Only faith, fancy, poetry, love, romance can push aside the curtain
and view the supernatural beauty and glory beyond. Is it all real? Ah,
Virginia, in all this world there is nothing else real and abiding. No God! God
lives and God lives forever! A thousand years from now, Virginia, nay, ten
thousand years from now, God will continue to make glad the heart of
childhood. Remember Virginia as you hear
those bells more loud and deep. God is not dead nor doth He sleep. The wrong
shall fail, the right prevail, with peace on earth, good will to men.[i]
[i]
Christmas Bells by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow and “Is there a Santa Claus” by
Francis Pharcellus Church, September 21,
1897, New York Sun
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