Pastor Dismer’s sermon from the first Sunday in Advent, Nov. 30:

 

“Keep awake, watch and live as disciples, knowing that judgment is not about being punished, it's about being rescued by our God who promises to be with us to the end of the world.”

 

Mark 13:24-37

 

We could start out today by singing Happy Birthday – to the church. Today the church begins a new calendar year with this wonderful season of waiting and preparation called Advent.

 

For four Sundays, we will prepare to celebrate once again the birth of our Lord, even as we know that he died for us, 2000 years ago.

 

How interesting it is that on this first Sunday in Advent, as we anticipate the coming of Christ to us as a child in Bethlehem, our gospel lesson is about Jesus’ second coming.

 

In some of the verses that come just before the text I just read, there are these words:

 

“When you hear of wars and rumors of wars, do not be alarmed. Such things must happen, but the end is still to come. Nation will rise against nation . . . there will be earthquakes and famine.”

 

And later these words, which I did read:

 

The sun will be darkened

 

And the moon will not give its light

 

The stars will fall from the sky

 

And the heavenly bodies will be shaken

 

The entire chapter of Mark, from which this text comes, is entitled: Signs of the end of the age. 

 

I think if I asked anyone, today, to list signs of the coming end of the age as we know it, the list would probably include: global warming, ever larger natural disasters, nuclear proliferation, pandemics, financial collapse, food and water shortages.

 

Jesus’ disciples were concerned, and asked him, privately, to tell them when the end would come and how they would know.

 

We might like to know too. Is it now?

 

Today we will consider how Jesus answered his disciples’ question, and how he would answer ours.

 

As we do that, let me remind you that all year long we have been looking at Scripture texts that seemed to say one thing on the surface – one straightforward, obvious thing. And each time we have discovered something else, something that seemed hidden until it was suddenly very plain; something wonderful and comforting and challenging all at once.

 

Today’s gospel is no exception. Let’s start at the end of the text, where Jesus said to his disciples: What I say to you I say to everyone: Watch!

 

We have actually been hearing this advice for several weeks now. Three weeks ago our text was the story of the 10 bridesmaids. Because they didn’t know exactly when the bridegroom would come, some of them didn’t take seriously the need to be ready, to have enough oil for their lamps, and when he came they weren’t ready and were left out.

 

Two weeks ago we heard the parable of the talents. Two slaves anticipated what was needed to be done before the master returned. One didn’t, and he was punished.

 

On the surface the lessons seem to be about judgment. Do the right thing. Don’t get caught. Today’s text has been taken that way by many people who refer to the end of time as “the rapture,” as the time when Jesus will come and snatch up those who recognize the “signs” and are ready, leaving the rest behind.

 

Judgment, in this way of thinking, is more about reward and punishment. The good guys will be rewarded, and the bad guys will be punished.

 

If we fall in line with that thinking we miss a deeper, more hope-filled message.

 

In the Bible, judgment for God’s people is not about punishment, it is about rescue; about deliverance, about salvation. What we learn about God as judge in the Bible is that God is merciful. This is a message of hope!

 

 We cannot come into the presence of a perfect and holy God as imperfect and unholy as we are. And we cannot make ourselves perfect and holy. But God can!  We live in a covenant relationship with God, where God has made the promises, and God is and will be faithful in keeping them.

 

But, we might ask, if the final judgment, is about God saving us when we cannot save ourselves, why did Jesus, more than once, talk about the end of time when there will be “a judgment”;  when, like a shepherd, he will separate “the sheep from the goats.”

 

What purpose do these scary images of judgment day serve?

 

First of all, I think they serve the purpose of reminding us that there will be a judgment, and we cannot save ourselves.   Secondly, they help us recognize the enormity of God’s love, that he promised to save us, and Jesus died for that purpose.

 

Thirdly, as we face our helplessness, and wonder of God’s redemption, we find our place in this story. 

 

God created us, God loves us, and God gave his son to die for us to save us. And we, being forgiven, repent and change. 

 

Before we consider this, our part in the story, let’s first, for just a minute, go back to Jesus’ conversation with his disciples in today’s gospel.

 

When they asked: “When will the end of the age come, and, will we know when it is near?” Jesus basically said, even I do not know when it will come, but don’t worry. It will be as obvious as the beginning of summer.

 

If Jesus could not tell the disciples when the end of the age would come, what should they have asked instead? And what should we be asking today?

 

I think the important question for us is: what do we do in the meantime? If we are lost without God, but saved by his forgiveness, what is next? This is where we fit in the story. We repent and change, and live as his disciples in the meantime. How we do that is very clear. Jesus gave his disciples, and has given us, clear direction for living as forgiven and changed followers.

 

 

The very last thing Jesus said to his disciples, after his death and resurrection, before he ascended into heaven was this: “Go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit, teaching them to obey be with you always, to the end of the age.”

 

We see, on this first Sunday in Advent, the same Jesus at the beginning and the end: the Jesus who came in love to save us all; the Jesus whose purpose in coming was to be with us to the very end of the age.

 

In our text today Jesus said, Watch! I have told you that things could be bad, but I have told you ahead of time. Don’t worry.

 

The coming of the Kingdom of God will be as obvious as the coming of summer. The Kingdom of God is near. This is hope!

 

We can see the signs now; we can recognize God at work in our lives even in the midst of terrible times. Jesus has promised to be near us – always. Jesus has promised that the Holy Spirit will be our comforter – always.

 

There are those who may miss the signs. They will not see those around them who are hungry or thirsty, naked, sick, or in prison. They will not see that they have a relationship with these brothers and sisters, which is, in fact, their relationship to God; and they will not minister to “the least of these.” In our text today, Jesus says, Watch! Judgment is coming, but so is salvation.

 

As we anticipate Christmas in this season of Advent, we do not have to worry or wonder about the final season of our lives, or the end of the age. We are reminded by both the manger and the cross that we are invited to enter into a relationship with Jesus that will guide us from now until then. 

 

The early disciples thought that Jesus’ second coming was imminent. Two thousand years later, we could say that it hasn’t come even yet. But that is not true. Jesus’ second coming began the moment we were baptized and entered the fellowship of the saints on earth and the saints in heaven.

 

 If we watch we will see this unfolding before our very eyes. We will see salvation, clearly, at the end of time, when heaven and earth shall pass away but Jesus’ words will never pass away. Amen