“Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable in your sight O, Lord, my strength and my redeemer.” [1] Amen.
"I give thanks to my God always for you because of the grace of God that has been given you in Christ Jesus, for in every way you have been enriched in him, in speech and knowledge of every kind-- just as the testimony of Christ has been strengthened among you-- so that you are not lacking in any spiritual gift as you wait for the revealing of our Lord Jesus Christ.” [2]
Happy New Year! We now are in Lectionary Year B – were we use the Gospel According to Saint Mark. We are in the Season of Advent. Today is the First Sunday in Advent – it marks the beginning our Christian New Year. Advent ALWAYS begins on the fourth Sunday before Christmas. Unlike the Sunday’s in Lent that are not counted in the forty days – the Four Sunday’s in Advent play an important shared role in the themes for the Season of Advent. The word Advent comes from the Latin word adventus which was translated from the ancient Greek word Parousia (pəˈro͞ozēə), meaning; presence, arrival, or official visit. [3] It is another term for the Second Coming – now that is an official visit! So, the question I have for you is if you knew that you were going to meet Jesus in four weeks, how would your life change?
A giant meteor is about to hit earth and destroy all life on planet earth. There is nothing like the literal end of life on earth to get people out to church. So, all the churches are expecting big congregations that night. So, a Baptist pastor, a Roman Catholic priest, and an Episcopal priest are all sitting around thinking about the text they should preach on that night. The Baptist pastor goes first.
“This is easy,” he says. “It has to be John 3:16 –“For God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten son that whosoever believeth in him shall not perish but have everlasting life” – I am going to bring the people to Jesus tonight.”
The Roman Catholic priest goes next. “My text will be Matthew 16 – ‘on this rock,” our Lord Says to Peter, ‘I will build my church.’ I will remind people that there is one true church in Christendom, and it is important that you are right with the Mother Church.”
They both look at the Episcopal priest and wonder “what text will the mainline choose?” And without hesitating, the Episcopal priest replies, “I will preach on the lectionary readings of the day.” [4]
(The Dean of the Virginia Theological Seminary, Ian Markham, wrote) Just because the world is going to end is no reason to depart from appropriate liturgical order. There is something lovely about this disposition. It is easy to find the world scary, frightening, and to then overreact.” [5] This is especially difficult for us now – with everyone suffering from the COVID Fatigue. HOWEVER, the invitation of the Gospel is to always keep things in perspective.
We are challenged to do things differently this Advent, this Christmas, and this Easter. Bishop Frank recommends we should be the light in the darkness for others this Advent. Check out his Advent-1 sermon on-line today. What if we were to live into this Advent differently? What I mean by that is this entire gospel of Mark can be summed up as the author telling us to be concerned about what we do here on earth because it really does matter. Father Mike Schmitz challenges everyone to live in Advent as if they were going to die on December 25 and meet Jesus. WOW. Well, we all expect to meet Jesus at our death, right? There is a country western song by Tim McGraw called “Live Like You Were Dying.” Human mortality rate is 100%. How would you live Advent differently if you knew you were going to die and meet Jesus on December 25th?
Would you pray more? Would you treat people differently? Are there people that you would want to contact? What about those people in your life that you need to reconcile with? Would you contact them? What are the steps you would take? Father Mike tells the story of an older person who knew that they had treated someone in high school very poorly. And called that person, they were told that they never really understood why they were mistreated. It was jealousy. This person treated everyone else fine except that one. Jealousy. Then they reunited in a positive way. They reconciled. Our task is to make the most of the present.
The Gospel of Mark was written by an author who thought the apocalyptic (a-pa-ca-lip-tik) judgment was right around the corner, the end of the world and that the Parousia, the second coming of Jesus, was soon to be here and that Jesus would administer the judgment himself. So, what we need to ask ourselves in this case is this: “do I really believe the words of the Nicene creed that we say every Sunday?” Do you believe our Lord Jesus Christ will come again in glory to judge the living and the dead, and will his kingdom have no end?
There is a source of comfort knowing that the Just Ruler will settle all the scores and right all the wrongs in the world. (This of course is only a comfort if you know that the Major Rule Enforcer is on your side). It gives us hope to know that in our unjust world – judgment awaits, and justice will be served.
There is a story about the noted director of biblical epics, Cecil B. DeMille.
When they began working on the movie Ben Hur, DeMille talked to Charlton Heston the star of the movie about the all-important chariot race at the end. He decided Heston should actually learn to drive the chariot himself, rather than just using a stunt double. Heston agreed to take chariot-driving lessons to make the movie as authentic as possible. Learning to drive a chariot with horses four abreast, however, was no small matter. After extensive work and days of practice, Heston returned to the movie set and reported to DeMille.
"I think I can drive the chariot all right, Cecil," said Heston, "but I'm not at all sure I can actually win the race." Smiling slightly, DeMille said, "Heston, you just stay in the race, and I'll make sure you win."
Those are the words of God to everyone through a time of tumultuous change: "…. you just stay in the race, and I'll make sure you win." Look for God's hand. If you cannot see it in the event itself, look for it in the aftermath when you are putting your life back together. I promise you; God's hand will be there.” (Just stay in the race). [6]
Let's think about this with 21st Century reason, the ministry of Jesus ---depending on who you believe --- lasted only 3 and a half years --- yet his ministry has continued and continues to touch people into the twenty first century – more than 2,000 years later!
We are today preparing to celebrate His birth as we await His coming again. There is an essay called “ONE SOLITARY LIFE” that I find a very appropriate reminder of who the master is.
Here is a man who was born in an obscure village, the child of a peasant woman.
He grew up in another village. He worked in a carpenter shop until He was thirty.
Then for three years He was an itinerant preacher.
He never owned a home. He never wrote a book. He never held an office. He never
had a family. He never went to college. He never put His foot inside a big city. He
never traveled two hundred miles from the place He was born. He never did one of
the things that usually accompany greatness. He had no credentials but Himself...
While still a young man, the tide of popular opinion turned against him. His friends
ran away. One of them denied Him. He was turned over to His enemies. He went
through the mockery of a trial. He was nailed upon a cross between two thieves.
While He was dying His executioners gambled for the only piece of property He had
on earth – His coat. When He was dead, He was laid in a borrowed grave through
the pity of a friend.
Nineteen long centuries have come and gone, and today He is a centerpiece of the
human race and leader of the column of progress.
I am far within the mark when I say that all the armies that ever marched, all the
navies that were ever built; all the parliaments that ever sat and all the kings that
ever reigned, put together, have not affected the life of (humankind) man upon this
earth as powerfully as has that one solitary life. [7]
One person, one solitary life, made a difference. Let us remember that we only have moments here on earth. We do not know when the master will return to the house, but we are told to keep awake. We are to do the work while the master is gone. Because the truth is that we came in naked and we will leave naked. Let us clothe ourselves then in glory – God’s glory. What we do makes us who we are. If we are true believers in Christ, then it has been done already for us. We have everything we need. We have already been given the grace of God. We must walk with others lighting their way in the darkness. We do not know what is to come but we do know who is to come. [8] Our task is to make the most of the present.
"I give thanks to my God always for you because of the grace of God that has been given you in Christ Jesus, for in every way you have been enriched in him, in speech and knowledge of every kind-- just as the testimony of Christ has been strengthened among you-- so that you are not lacking in any spiritual gift as you wait for the revealing of our Lord Jesus Christ.” [9] AMEN.
References
1 Oxford University Press. The Holy Bible: Containing the Old and New Testaments:
New Revised Standard Version (New York: Oxford University Press, 1995), 646.
(Psalm 19:14).
2 1 Corinthians 1:4-8.
3 Advent - Wikipedia accessed November 28, 2020.
4 Markham, Ian, and Samantha Gottlich. Lectionary Levity, 100.
5 Markham, Ian, and Samantha Gottlich. Lectionary Levity, 100.
6 Sermon Illustrations, by King Duncan. Just Stay in the Race. www.esermons.com.
7 This essay was adapted from a sermon by Dr James Allan Francis in “The Real Jesus
and Other Sermons” © 1926 by the Judson Press of Philadelphia (pp 123-124 titled
“Arise Sir Knight!”). If you are interested, you can read the original version .
8 Commentary on Mark 13:24-37 - Working Preacher from Luther Seminary Accessed
November 29, 2020.
9 1 Corinthians 1:4-8.
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