"Hope does not exist in Past Events"

Sunday begins the season of Advent, the Sunday of hope, but our hope is not for something we already know.  Let me explain:  Advent literally means “arrival” or “coming” Biblically speaking we have 2 Advents.  Advent 1 took place when Jesus was born. Our hope does not lay there because that Advent has already taken place, it is in the past.   We are living in Advent 2  where hope does exist, I ask you, what should our Advent hope be about?

Dec 1 2019    Romans 13: 11-14      Matthew 24: 36-44

As discussed the word Advent means "coming" or "arrival." May I suggest that the focus of the entire season for Christians should not be all about the past, the child in the manger?   As we heard in the readings today the Advent season for us is meant to be a time to prepare for Jesus’ the return.  And upon His return He will have a different responsibility a different agenda.  This time is a time of judgment and Christ will rule over Gods renewed Kingdom.  We can read about that in Revelation 21 it describes this as a new heaven and a new earth:  Thus, Advent is far more than simply marking a 2,000 year old event in our history, a birthday party.  In reality it is celebrating a truth about God, the revelation of God in Christ whereby all of creation might be reconciled to God.   The Scripture reading for today reflects this emphasis on the Second Coming, including themes of accountability for faithfulness, at His coming, there will be judgment on sin, and our hope, well it is of eternal life with Him.

Therefore Advent is not meant just to prepare us for celebrating Jesus’ birthday, but a time to reflect upon and prepare for the day of his return for the bible says “He shall come again”.   Our Advent time then should not just focus on a remake of the original story, like we see in the Hollywood productions that air on the TV at this time of the year.  The message in the scripture readings this morning from both Matthew and Romans tell us a different story.   Jesus will return again and his return will be a whole new episode in the life and times of humankind.  So then, Advent is not meant to be a time of preparation for the reproduction or revival of the birth story.  We read in 2 Timothy 4: 1, that we are to prepare ourselves for the resurrected Christ, for when He arrives, He will have come to judge both the living and the dead.   This is serious stuff folks and Jesus’ parable in Matthew tells us today that we will all have our day with the Lord. What we don’t know is this:  no one knows when, not even the angels in heaven, say the scriptures, only God who knows, and it will happen in the blink of an eye.   BUT! We do know is this; that prophesy will be fulfilled; and that we are to prepare ourselves for our face to face encounter with the Lord.   So then may I suggest that we are cautioned not to get distracted by preparations and celebrations that center on worldly traditions and the material Christmas?   Remembering that the bible tells us the purpose of Jesus’ second arrival, will not be to save the world, but to judge the world.  My friends, let us be assured that the day of judgement will take its rightful place in the biblical story.  Are you aware that there is no place in the scriptures that tells us that Jesus was actually born on Dec 25^th  in fact the date of his birth is not really known, nor are we instructed to celebrate his first arrival as a birthday party. The later, the party I mean, I believe developed into a tradition by the Hallmark cards company.   Unfortunately for Jesus and the season we call Christmas, it appears to have been hijacked, for what has become a secular celebration that focuses mainly on a materialism with its preparations for a fictional myth.  Now I know this might sound comical to some or extremely hypothetical to others, but what if God made the 25^th day of December the day for Jesus’ return.  I guess the question I would need to ask myself here is: “Would I Ready”   Our emphasis for the season of Advent should be focused on our Spiritual wellbeing.   Jesus’ words in Matthew today are very pointed and in great detail, knowing that on the day of His return, only those who have headed His words will be celebrating.   Do we fully understand His words in Matthew 24: 39.   “That is how it will be at the coming of the Son of Man. ⁴⁰ Two men will be in the field; one will be taken and the other left. ⁴¹ Two women will be grinding with a hand mill; one will be taken and the other left.” 

Knowing what we know as Christians shouldn’t we begin to question the way we do Christmas folks?  Should we in our heart of hearts continue to support what many feel is a distorted Christmas or do we need to consider a change?  Let me be clear as I am not suggesting that there is a right and wrong way for folks to celebrate their Christmas.   But, for the Christian shouldn’t we take heed from the scriptures, for the day of judgement is real and it is the result of making poor choices with whatever time we have left.  The time for restorative justice just may be running out for some of us.       

Paul tells us in his letter to the Romans that we should wake up and remember, for He shall come again.  And when he comes he will judge those living and those who have passed on.  Our HOPE the hope of Advent lay in things to come.  Where Christ will be looking for signs of repentance, those who have turned from their worldly ways.  Looking for signs that we have loved others as He has loved us.  Signs that we have done for the other as we have done for ourselves.   If we truly have turned away from doing evil things and have obeyed him to the best of our ability, I believe that we will be rewarded beyond anything anyone has ever dreamed or imagined.  Why then would we take the chance to continue in our blindness and miss out on the spoils of a new life with Christ in God’s new Kingdom?

For too many people, materialism and the lights of Christmas are just a reminder of a joy that existed in the past, rather than the hope, peace, joy and love of Advent that are at the heart of Jesus’ return.  For too many the decorations and the preparations are an attempt to capture a brief moment from the past or to smooth over the pain of our hurting lives rather than a triumphant proclamation that the Lord of Light, the Living God, will soon come and on that day the pain and destruction of the human race will come to its end…………

I know that none of us including myself will sleep through Christmas Day and that we will be very busy from now until then preparing and getting ready for it.  This is the advent of hope and my hope is that all of us will be awake for his second coming as well. 

Let us pray...  Dear Lord Jesus - help us to prepare - for the day of your coming.  Help us to be ready - so that we do not miss - all the wonder you have instore for us.  As we come to the table this morning let us never forget what you have done for us.  Amen