Sunday, November 29, 2015
Advent
First Sunday of Advent
Year C
Jeremiah 33:14-16
1 Thessalonians 3:9-13
Luke 21:25-36
Isn’t it interesting that our Gospel for today, during the first Sunday of Advent, when we wait for the Messiah, the Son of God, to be born, has the Son, telling of His coming. Mind you, not His birth but of his coming in a cloud. Don’t think for a minute that this was NOT intentional on the part of the church, when the lectionary was put together.
None the less, Jesus is telling the disciples that He will come again but the connection is not between the birth and His coming again. The connection is in the anticipation, the waiting, the watching, waiting and being faithful. Step back for a moment if you can. Put yourselves in the shoes of the Jews in biblical times.
Let me help set that stage for you to step back in time, which has been a long Advent for the Jews and what we only experience in less than a month. It is the time of waiting to be delivered out of our exiles, to be freed by a savior who will conquer or oppressors. For the Jews, the Babylonian Exile was 500 years prior but still fresh in the memory of history. The Jews were consistently being conquered and oppressed in some way. Even though they were free from the Exile they were now oppressed and conquered by the Romans.
The messiah would free them from all the oppressions that have kept them down. This would include external sources, governments and people. This would also be someone who would be one of their own, a person of the Law. As we know now, the law reveals the sin of the people. The messiah would free them from ways of preventing them to fully living out the covenant of the Law with God.
The people were waiting for something miraculous to happen to free them. We too wait in that anticipation. Even though Jesus was born over 2,000 years ago, we to walk in our own exiles. We are at times oppressed by external forces and our own internal forces. This time of Advent is a time to wait, keeping faith that the birth of a Messiah is immanent.
Think about the times we are in, all the happenings around the world. It does not seem all that pretty sometimes. Don’t get me wrong, there are good times and we have hope in Jesus. Advent helps us focus upon who frees us. Now hear again from our scripture text today:
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.[1] 33 Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will not pass away. [2] 26 People will faint from fear and foreboding of what is coming upon the world, for the powers of the heavens will be shaken.[3]
Now hear the words of comfort that Jesus gives us Christians, as we wait, keeping faith in His coming. 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 does not catch you unexpectedly, 35 like a trap.[4] 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.”[5]
Jesus will be born on Christmas morn. The Son of God, will take upon Himself human flesh. Not for need of Himself but for us. The babe born on Christmas that we wait in anticipation of, will be the hidden God revealed. Jesus will be both God and man, so what He does for us, is for us and not for Him.
We are told to be on guard, waiting for the Son to come, but with caution not to be fooled in such a way to be damage by the disappointments and worries of life. Keep our faith, do not get caught unexpectedly in a trap. A trap made by others, a trap made by ourselves or the devil. No matter what, wait in faith that Jesus will come and deliver us.
We must live in this world and this world has traps enough. Keep faith so as not to create your own traps. God will send God’s Son to God’s people. Even though things may seem bad, may seem hopeless, the Son in the flesh, Jesus is coming to us from the Father. The messiah will fulfill the scriptures and rescue us from all that oppresses us, even our own sins.
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.”[6]
Peace and blessing to you. Keep the faith, during your wait in this Advent season.
[1] The Holy Bible: New Revised Standard Version (Nashville: Thomas Nelson Publishers, 1989), Lk 21:25.
[2] The Holy Bible: New Revised Standard Version (Nashville: Thomas Nelson Publishers, 1989), Lk 21:33.
[3] The Holy Bible: New Revised Standard Version (Nashville: Thomas Nelson Publishers, 1989), Lk 21:26.
[4] The Holy Bible: New Revised Standard Version (Nashville: Thomas Nelson Publishers, 1989), Lk 21:34–35.
[5] The Holy Bible: New Revised Standard Version (Nashville: Thomas Nelson Publishers, 1989), Lk 21:36.
[6] The Holy Bible: New Revised Standard Version (Nashville: Thomas Nelson Publishers, 1989), Lk 21:36.