Be Ready: The Lord Is Coming!
Children's sermon
Illustration
Preaching
Sermon
Worship
Object:
(Originally published November 30, 2008)
Advent is a time of waiting for the Lord's coming -- but it's active waiting, in other words being prepared, since, as our lectionary gospel text reminds us, we need to "keep alert; for you do not know when the time will come." Whether it's in our personal lives or in world events, we are constantly reacting to unexpected circumstances -- and in this installment of The Immediate Word, team member Rick Gribble reminds us that it is wise to prepare as much as possible so that we are ready and can respond appropriately. As the old maxim tells us, we need to "expect the unexpected," and numerous items in the headlines reinforce that notion -- from the ongoing global financial crisis to increasing piracy (witness the capture by Somali pirates of a giant oil supertanker), it seems that some new unanticipated crisis emerges daily. So, Rick asks, are we prepared for the Lord -- especially since God has a habit of appearing in the most unlikely settings? Team member Steve McCutchan offers an additional perspective, and he finds in this week's readings evidence that God has provided us with the gifts we need to respond to the current recession -- if we just trust in him and his blessings.
Be Ready: The Lord Is Coming!
by Richard Gribble, CSC
THE WORLD
Imagine picking up the Sunday paper, opening it, and reading in giant letters: Jesus Christ Will Return on December 25! What would we do? How would we react to this astonishing information? I think there would be two basic reactions. Some of us, out of fear, would change our lives immediately -- the Lord is coming and we are not ready. We might start going to church more often, probably every day. Prayer would become a much higher priority in life. We would pray not only in the morning and evening but many times each day. We would seek reconciliation with family members, neighbors, coworkers, and certainly with God. Others might have a very different response. Some of us might do nothing differently. Some in a defeatist attitude might say, "There is nothing I can do at this late hour. God has already decided my fate. I might as well continue what I have been doing all along." There are still others who might not change a thing that they are doing but not in a defeatist mode. Some of us hopefully would say, "Isn't this the event for which the world has been waiting? Isn't this the reason for which I came into the world?" Possession of such an attitude would allow us to continue doing what we have always been doing, confident that our preparations have been sound. Being prepared for the coming of the Lord, both in time and at the end of time, are central themes of Advent, the sacred season of grace that the church enters this Sunday. World events and the experience of our lives tell us we need to be prepared. The only question is -- are we?
THE WORD
Advent, the first liturgical season of this new church year, presents two related and powerful themes that need to be our focus during this period of preparation before the celebration of the Incarnation. We all know that this season prepares us for the coming of Christ in time, our annual celebration of Christmas. However, at the outset of this season of grace, we are asked to concentrate on the coming of Christ at the end of time, the parousia. While few people spend much time thinking about Christ's return, the reality is, as the hypothetical morning banner headline above indicates, that our reason for existence should be to welcome Christ. His return will be our reward for a Christian life lived according to his message. But in order to welcome Christ we must be prepared. This, of course, is the crux of the matter, for we often live our lives as if there will always be a tomorrow. The scripture readings for this first Sunday of Advent very clearly highlight this second theme.
The gospel presents a picture of cataclysmic events. We hear of the sun being darkened, the moon without light, and stars falling from the sky. Christ will then come with great power and glory to collect his elect from the four winds. The scene described sounds much like a Cecil B. DeMille spectacular from the late 1950s. Yet, unlike a Hollywood film, what Jesus is describing will one day be a reality. Therefore, as the Lord says very clearly, we cannot be complacent, but rather must be ever vigilant. He cautions his disciples to be constantly on watch, for the master of the house, symbolic for Christ himself, will return when one least expects. It may be at dawn, dusk, or midnight, so be awake and do not let the Lord catch you asleep and ill-prepared. The message is clear: be prepared.
While we must be prepared as Jesus says, we need not fear for God is ever-present and vigilant toward us, as we must be for him. Both Isaiah and Saint Paul provide words of comfort to their audiences, including us. Isaiah, in this third and final portion of his long book of prophecy, writes to the Hebrew people after their return from exile in Babylon. He tells them that God works for those who wait for him. In a beautiful metaphor, we hear that God is the potter and we are the clay. In other words, God will mold us and fashion us, if we will allow him, into an image that will find us acceptable when Jesus returns. Saint Paul, writing many centuries later, had a different perspective, but a similar message. Paul was convinced that Christ's second coming would occur during his lifetime. Thus, he could write to the Corinthians that they should have no fear as they wait, because they have been given all the spiritual gifts they need as they await the revelation of Jesus. God is faithful and will strengthen the people to the end.
CRAFTING THE SERMON
The year 2008 has brought many surprises, not all of which have been welcome. While the global economic downturn possibly had some antecedent signs, who of us would have expected the situation we see today: the stock market down approximately 40% from its former high, bailout packages being tendered by governments throughout the world to keep vital institutions afloat, significant reductions in workforce by many major companies, and the threat of a global recession? While it might not have been possible to be ready for all of these realities, complacency and no thought for tomorrow are certainly factors. People were more concerned about living for today than thinking about the future.
Thus, Advent challenges us to consider our need to prepare for the coming of the Lord. This season begins with our reflection on the need to patiently and without fear or consternation wait for the coming of the Lord at the end of time. At this time of year the busy lives we lead only become more filled with things to do, people to see, and activities that fill our schedules. We become "stressed out" and worried about many things. Our busyness often keeps us from concentrating on things that are much more fundamental in our lives, most especially our relationship with God. We fear waiting, for we do not like the unknown. However, the story of what we might do if we read a headline that said Jesus Christ Will Return on December 25! suggests that we must be prepared.
Death, our ultimate meeting with God, is a fearful event for most because we have no control and are baffled by what will happen. Yet, if we have done what God asks of us, if we have made a good effort to fulfill our vocations to holiness and service, then there is nothing to fear. As our Advent journey begins, therefore, let us find the time to wait with joy and wonder. Let us be prepared as we wait for God, who created us, has loved us, and stands ready to greet us with his words of encouragement: "Well done, good and faithful servant. Enter the kingdom provided for you from the beginning of time."
ANOTHER VIEW
The Church's Response to Recession
by Stephen McCutchan
Mark 13:24-37; 1 Corinthians 1:3-9
New York Times columnist David Brooks recently pointed out that historically economic slowdowns don't always bring out the best in people. "The economic slowdown of the 1880s and 1890s produced a surge of agrarian populism and nativism, with particular hostility directed toward Catholics, Jews, and blacks.... The recession of the 1970s produced a cynicism that has never really gone away.... Recessions breed pessimism. That's why birthrates tend to drop and suicide rates tend to rise" ("The Formerly Middle Class," http://www.nytimes.com/2008/11/18/opinion/18brooks.html).
As we begin the Advent season, the challenge for the church is to recognize the signs of the times, accept the challenges of fear and diminished expectations that threaten to envelope people, and proclaim the Good News that in a variety of ways Christ is breaking into our world with hope and healing. Advent is a season of expectation. We testify by our lives that "the light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not overcome it" (John 1:5).
Brooks notes that the Great Depression was "a time of apocalyptic forebodings and collectivist movements that crushed individual rights." While Advent is a time to reflect on the Second Coming, as our gospel lesson from Mark points out, this coming has already taken place and will continue to take place. "Truly I tell you, this generation will not pass away until all these things have taken place" (Mark 13:30). As Christians we are not permitted the luxury of expending energy on speculation about an apocalyptic end time: "But about that day or hour no one knows, neither the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father" (Mark 13:32).
Our task, rather, is to be alert to the continuing signs of God's activity breaking into our world: "It is like a man going on a journey, when he leaves home and puts his slaves in charge, each with his work, and commands the doorkeeper to be on the watch" (Mark 13:34). We have work to do countering the fears and forebodings, the prejudices and the greed, and other negative responses to the economic transformation that is taking place in our world. None of us knows when our lives will be called to account, but all of us know that God has expectations for how we make our witness in this time.
The Good News is that God has prepared the church for just such a time as this. As Paul points out in our passage from 1 Corinthians, "(we) are not lacking in any spiritual gift as (we) wait for the revealing of our Lord Jesus Christ" (1 Corinthians 1:7). And it is truly the spiritual gifts that we need at this time as we seek to minister to those around us.
Look at the challenge that Paul provides us in this passage. The church at Corinth was hardly a paragon of virtue. There was immorality, selfishness, greed, fighting, and so forth. Neither our church nor our society is the first to confront these issues. Yet Paul gives thanks for the grace of God in their lives. How do we discern grace in a community filled with the normal human foibles? That is certainly one of the first challenges that faces us. We need to celebrate the grace of God being incarnated in our midst.
Paul says that the people of Corinth are not lacking in any spiritual gift needed for the revealing of our Lord Jesus Christ. Are we looking for that revealing in this Advent season? Do we discern God's grace as we recognize surprising signs of the presence of Christ among us? Are those signs discerned because we have first seen them manifested in Jesus' living and now discover them breaking out in our community?
This breaking in is not despite our human foibles but in the midst of our human limitations. It is because we are tempted to greed that a communal decision of generosity touches our soul. It is because we are prone to bickering that an experience of the healing power of love among us is so powerful. When someone offends us in the church, we are given the opportunity to reveal Christ through our forgiveness. Advent is a time of watchfulness for the small signs of God's grace peeking through the ordinary lives of people whom God has gathered together in worship.
As we name those signs of grace among us, we are empowered to then recognize them in the larger world as a counter to the negativism that threatens to emerge. "He will also strengthen you to the end... God is faithful; by him you were called into the fellowship of his Son, Jesus Christ our Lord" (1 Corinthians 1:8-9).
As we begin this Advent season in the year of our Lord 2008, we are called to BE THE CHURCH.
ILLUSTRATIONS
There is an obvious parallel between our lack of preparedness as a nation (i.e. not reducing our dependence upon foreign oil or retooling our automobile plants for more efficient vehicles) and the doorkeeper in the parable in Mark 13. We seem to require a "clear and present danger" or a threat (Jesus' warning to "keep awake") or a hit to our pocketbook before we can give up our self-indulgences.
Perhaps this need for an imminent threat is why Jesus said, "this generation will not pass away until all these things have taken place" (Mark 13:30).
* * *
In Dickens' A Christmas Carol, the three spirits achieve in Scrooge what Jesus may be attempting in Mark 13 with his followers. Scrooge had said "every idiot who goes about with 'Merry Christmas' on his lips should be boiled with his own pudding, and buried with a stake of holly through his heart." After his "wake-up call," we read these closing words to Dickens' Carol: "it was always said of him, that he knew how to keep Christmas well, if any man alive possessed the knowledge. May that be truly said of us, and all of us! And so, as Tiny Tim observed, God Bless Us, Every One!"
What would it take for us to heed Jesus' words and learn "how to keep Advent well"? What would it be like to be "actively waiting" in a state of preparedness?
* * *
In the aftermath of the ongoing economic debacle, many are turning to resume coaches. On CNN, one expert advised people to "build skills and be ready" for the looming pink slip. Just as in our current emphasis on demanding a retooling plan from the "Big Three" auto companies in order to qualify for a bailout, this advice seems to be coming too late.
If one has already lost one's job in this job wilderness, unless one happens to be fortunate to have put aside significant emergency monies, building skills is "a chasing after wind" (Ecclesiastes 2:11) and one is already found to be painfully unready -- the master of the house has already returned.
When things are going well, it is too easy -- it is altogether human -- to live in denial. We imagine that whatever good we are experiencing will go on forever, so we "fall asleep" -- we cease building our skills. Our resume languishes in a file; our ability to cross-train is not developed.
* * *
The first document we have from the early church after the New Testament writings is the Didache, or "The Teachings." It was a document prepared for new converts and especially young people, to instruct them in the nature of Christian discipleship. It began: "There are only two ways; the way that leads to life and the way that leads to death." It is that simple. There are the children of the Light and there are the children of the darkness, and there is a clear difference between the two. So let us "cast off the works of darkness," as the ancient collect puts it, "and put on the armor of light; now in the time of this mortal life." How simple! How exquisitely simple and how urgent a message in a world that is so dark at times and so much in need of the Light that Christ brings to it.
* * *
It is an image of grace: God is the potter and we are the clay. There is much work to be done to make an earthen vessel ready for daily use. How reassuring to know that we are formed by the loving hands that make us who we are. How full of grace it is also to know that we are not junk. We are works of art in the hands of God. And God is not finished with us yet, either. There is much work to be done! Thanks be to God.
* * *
Imagine being enriched by God. Imagine being given every gift necessary so that you can present yourself blameless and perfect before God on the day of reckoning. You don't believe me? Read this week's epistle text or listen to the poet William Cowper, a favorite of the 18th century: "Satan trembles when he sees the weakest saint upon their knees." How rich a faith, how gifted and perfect we are, when we fall to our knees in weakness and find how strong Jesus is to save us.
* * *
Sometimes you can observe a lot by watching.
-- Yogi Berra
***
He told me that once when he was a little boy, he spent all day Sunday watching at the window, waiting for Jesus to come to Bern. I asked him, "And in the evening, you were disappointed?"
He said, "No, the waiting was wonderful!" I think that attitude remained throughout his life.
-- Eberhard Busch, speaking of his friend and teacher, Karl Barth
***
A student once asked Martin Luther: "What would you do if you knew Jesus was returning tomorrow?" Luther replied that he would not be found by our Lord in some closet praying. Luther said he would rather be found in a garden, planting a tree. He would like to be found, at the Lord's return, taking care of his Creator's creation.
We do not know when our Lord will return. Only our Father in heaven knows when Christ will return. In the meantime, and through the "mean-times," we need to be about our Lord's business -- worshiping God, loving our neighbor, and caring for our Creator's creation.
***
Did Jesus really expect the end of all things to come in his own time? It is possible that he did. But he may also have meant that the signs of the end that he had been discussing would all appear before the present generation had died. The temple was destroyed by the Romans in 70 CE and many people suffered calamities. This means continued watchfulness for us.
True Christian posture is one of expectancy, of standing on tiptoe for the arrival of the great Day of the Lord. This does not mean letting all our duties go, so that the world must take care of itself. On the contrary, it means a heightened attention to all responsibilities.
When the master is away, the servants are to be at work, though one servant is waiting at the door. All are excited about the master's imminent return. We are all to be about our work but with a keen sense of watchfulness.
The signs of the end have been fulfilled many times over. The end itself could be at any time. Faithful servants will always be ready, regardless of how long we have already waited.
This is the eternal hope of every Christian. After the wars and rumors of wars, after the quakes and famines, after all sufferings, the coming of the Son in power and glory. Then justice will reign forever.
***
"Be prepared for anything," her father must have told her, because he saw to it that his elementary-school-aged daughter learned the art of self-defense. By the time she enrolled in senior high school, she had a third-degree black belt in karate. Unfortunately for the three young men from the dark side of the force, fellow classmates of hers, that preparedness was not well-known. So when they harassed her on the sidewalk one day after school, she systematically took them out, one after another, using the moves she had learned and honed. She walked on home, unharmed. In her wake she left three teenage punks doubled-up with pain and crawling back to their vehicle. God knows how vulnerable we can be. Be prepared for anything.
WORSHIP RESOURCES
by George Reed
Call to Worship
Leader: Hear us, O you who shepherd Israel.
People: You are the One who leads us as a flock.
Leader: Restore us, O God.
People: Come and save us!
Leader: Restore us, O God.
People: Only when you look with favor on us will we be save.
OR
Leader: Come into the presence of the One who saves us.
People: We are God's people who have waited for God's coming.
Leader: God is coming to save all creation.
People: With joy we welcome our Savior and our God.
Leader: Justice and peace come to all who love our God.
People: This is the day we have awaited. Praise be to God.
OR
Leader: Come into the presence of the Holy One of Israel.
People: Woe to us, for we are a people who are unprepared.
Leader: God comes to mold us into the people we need to be.
People: Woe to us, for we are stiff-necked and hard to work.
Leader: God comes to save us and all creation.
People: Thanks be to God, for we are a people who need to be saved.
Prayers of the People (and the Lord's Prayer)
We worship and adore you, O God, for you are the Potter and we are but the clay you wish to shape into useful vessels.
(The following may be used if a separate prayer of confession is not used.)
We confess to you, O God, and in the presence of your people, that we have failed to be your faithful people this week. We have done those things that we know we should not do. We have caused hurt to others and we have offended your great love. We have failed to do those things that you have created us to do. We have left unsaid the words of love and encouragement that you placed in our mouths. We have left undone the acts of love and encouragement that you have placed in our hands.
Forgive us, you who would shape us into your own image as a potter would shape the clay into a vessel good and useful. Awaken us to the ways in which you are coming into the world to save your creation. Fill us once again with your Spirit, that we may truly be your children, your image, and the Body of our Savior.
We give you thanks for all the blessings we have received from your hand. We are a people who have been blessed in many ways. You have called us your servants and you have entrusted us with important work. You have invited us to be your image and your presence to all creation. You have entrusted us with your message of salvation.
(Other thanksgivings may be offered.)
We come to you in confidence because of your great love for us and for all of your creation. We offer to you those concerns that rest heavy on our hearts. We offer to you those who suffer in body, mind, or spirit. We offer to you not only the cares of this congregation but also the cares and needs of all the world. We know there are those who feel alone and think that no one cares or prays for them. We ask that you would join our prayers and caring hearts with the prayers and love of our Savior Jesus, who prays for all who are in need. May our spirits join with his and with yours in reaching out in love and care to all who are in need.
All this we ask in the Name of our Savior Jesus, who taught us to pray always saying:
Our Father . . .
Prayer of Confession
Leader: Let us come with humility because of our sins and with confidence because of the love of God to confess our sins to God and in the presence of our sisters and brothers.
People: We confess to you, O God, and in the presence of your people that we have failed to be your faithful people this week. We have done those things that we know we should not do. We have caused hurt to others and we have offended your great love. We have failed to do those things that you have created us to do. We have left unsaid the words of love and encouragement that you placed in our mouths. We have left undone the acts of love and encouragement that you have placed in our hands.
Forgive us, you who would shape us into your own image as a potter would shape the clay into a vessel good and useful. Awaken us to the ways in which you are coming into the world to save your creation. Fill us once again with your Spirit, that we may truly be your children, your image, and the Body of our Savior. Amen.
Leader: God desires nothing more than to save the creation through the creatures made from clay. Know that God loves you, forgives you, and empowers you to be the vessel of salvation for all creation.
Hymns and Sacred Songs
"O Come, O Come, Emmanuel"
found in:
UMH: 211
H82: 56
LBW: 34
PH: 9
CH: 119
NCH: 116
NNBH: 82
AAHH: 188
"Have Thine Own Way, Lord"
found in:
UMH: 382
CH: 588
NNBH: 206
AAHH: 449
"This Is A Day Of New Beginnings"
found in:
UMH: 383
CH: 518
NCH: 417
"I Know Whom I Have Believed"
found in:
UMH: 714
"My Lord, What A Morning"
found in:
UMH: 719
PH: 449
CH: 708
NNBH: 499
AAHH: 195
"Wake, Awake, For Night Is Flying"
found in:
UMH: 720
H82: 61, 62
LBW: 31
Music Resources Key:
UMH: United Methodist Hymnal
H82: The Hymnal 1982 (The Episcopal Church)
LBW: Lutheran Book of Worship
PH: Presbyterian Hymnal
CH: Chalice Hymnal
NCH: The New Century Hymnal
NNBH: The New National Baptist Hymnal
AAHH: African-American Heritage Hymnal
CHILDREN'S SERMON
Keep Alert
Mark 13:24-37
Object: a clock
Good morning, boys and girls. I have a question for the children who go to school. In your class, does your teacher assign different tasks to students each day? Is one student a leader, another assigned to clean the chalkboard, or another assigned to take the lunch count to the office each day? (let them answer) I want to tell you a story about a class of students about your age. This class is a little different from other classes. In this class, one person represents Jesus. All the students represent people. See if you can tell who is Jesus. See if you can decide who is ready for Jesus' return.
One day in this class, the teacher told the students, "I will be out of the class for a while. But I will give each of you a task to do while I am gone." The teacher assigned a leader for the day. The teacher assigned someone to clean the chalkboard. Another was assigned to read, and another to teach math. One student was assigned to stay at the door and to watch for the teacher to return. The other students were also given assignments. Then the teacher left. (hold up the clock) The students did not know if the teacher would return in five minutes, before the first recess bell, after lunch, or right before the end of the school day!
You can imagine what happened. Some of the students did their work. They also stayed alert. They stayed awake. They worked on their assignments. They waited patiently for the teacher's return. They were prepared for the teacher's return. Others didn't do their work. Some of the students even fell asleep during class! They were not prepared for their teacher's return. Now let me ask, who do you think represents Jesus in this story? Which students are ready for Jesus' return? (let them answer) Jesus told a story like this one to his disciples. Jesus said that we must all be like the students who were prepared. Be alert. Keep awake. Wait with patience. Work faithfully. We do not know when Jesus will return. But as followers of Jesus, we know that Jesus will return.
* * * * * * * * * * * * *
The Immediate Word, November 30, 2008, issue.
Copyright 2008 by CSS Publishing Company, Inc., Lima, Ohio.
All rights reserved. Subscribers to The Immediate Word service may print and use this material as it was intended in sermons and in worship and classroom settings only. No additional permission is required from the publisher for such use by subscribers only. Inquiries should be addressed to permissions@csspub.com or to Permissions, CSS Publishing Company, Inc., 517 South Main Street, Lima, Ohio 45804.
Advent is a time of waiting for the Lord's coming -- but it's active waiting, in other words being prepared, since, as our lectionary gospel text reminds us, we need to "keep alert; for you do not know when the time will come." Whether it's in our personal lives or in world events, we are constantly reacting to unexpected circumstances -- and in this installment of The Immediate Word, team member Rick Gribble reminds us that it is wise to prepare as much as possible so that we are ready and can respond appropriately. As the old maxim tells us, we need to "expect the unexpected," and numerous items in the headlines reinforce that notion -- from the ongoing global financial crisis to increasing piracy (witness the capture by Somali pirates of a giant oil supertanker), it seems that some new unanticipated crisis emerges daily. So, Rick asks, are we prepared for the Lord -- especially since God has a habit of appearing in the most unlikely settings? Team member Steve McCutchan offers an additional perspective, and he finds in this week's readings evidence that God has provided us with the gifts we need to respond to the current recession -- if we just trust in him and his blessings.
Be Ready: The Lord Is Coming!
by Richard Gribble, CSC
THE WORLD
Imagine picking up the Sunday paper, opening it, and reading in giant letters: Jesus Christ Will Return on December 25! What would we do? How would we react to this astonishing information? I think there would be two basic reactions. Some of us, out of fear, would change our lives immediately -- the Lord is coming and we are not ready. We might start going to church more often, probably every day. Prayer would become a much higher priority in life. We would pray not only in the morning and evening but many times each day. We would seek reconciliation with family members, neighbors, coworkers, and certainly with God. Others might have a very different response. Some of us might do nothing differently. Some in a defeatist attitude might say, "There is nothing I can do at this late hour. God has already decided my fate. I might as well continue what I have been doing all along." There are still others who might not change a thing that they are doing but not in a defeatist mode. Some of us hopefully would say, "Isn't this the event for which the world has been waiting? Isn't this the reason for which I came into the world?" Possession of such an attitude would allow us to continue doing what we have always been doing, confident that our preparations have been sound. Being prepared for the coming of the Lord, both in time and at the end of time, are central themes of Advent, the sacred season of grace that the church enters this Sunday. World events and the experience of our lives tell us we need to be prepared. The only question is -- are we?
THE WORD
Advent, the first liturgical season of this new church year, presents two related and powerful themes that need to be our focus during this period of preparation before the celebration of the Incarnation. We all know that this season prepares us for the coming of Christ in time, our annual celebration of Christmas. However, at the outset of this season of grace, we are asked to concentrate on the coming of Christ at the end of time, the parousia. While few people spend much time thinking about Christ's return, the reality is, as the hypothetical morning banner headline above indicates, that our reason for existence should be to welcome Christ. His return will be our reward for a Christian life lived according to his message. But in order to welcome Christ we must be prepared. This, of course, is the crux of the matter, for we often live our lives as if there will always be a tomorrow. The scripture readings for this first Sunday of Advent very clearly highlight this second theme.
The gospel presents a picture of cataclysmic events. We hear of the sun being darkened, the moon without light, and stars falling from the sky. Christ will then come with great power and glory to collect his elect from the four winds. The scene described sounds much like a Cecil B. DeMille spectacular from the late 1950s. Yet, unlike a Hollywood film, what Jesus is describing will one day be a reality. Therefore, as the Lord says very clearly, we cannot be complacent, but rather must be ever vigilant. He cautions his disciples to be constantly on watch, for the master of the house, symbolic for Christ himself, will return when one least expects. It may be at dawn, dusk, or midnight, so be awake and do not let the Lord catch you asleep and ill-prepared. The message is clear: be prepared.
While we must be prepared as Jesus says, we need not fear for God is ever-present and vigilant toward us, as we must be for him. Both Isaiah and Saint Paul provide words of comfort to their audiences, including us. Isaiah, in this third and final portion of his long book of prophecy, writes to the Hebrew people after their return from exile in Babylon. He tells them that God works for those who wait for him. In a beautiful metaphor, we hear that God is the potter and we are the clay. In other words, God will mold us and fashion us, if we will allow him, into an image that will find us acceptable when Jesus returns. Saint Paul, writing many centuries later, had a different perspective, but a similar message. Paul was convinced that Christ's second coming would occur during his lifetime. Thus, he could write to the Corinthians that they should have no fear as they wait, because they have been given all the spiritual gifts they need as they await the revelation of Jesus. God is faithful and will strengthen the people to the end.
CRAFTING THE SERMON
The year 2008 has brought many surprises, not all of which have been welcome. While the global economic downturn possibly had some antecedent signs, who of us would have expected the situation we see today: the stock market down approximately 40% from its former high, bailout packages being tendered by governments throughout the world to keep vital institutions afloat, significant reductions in workforce by many major companies, and the threat of a global recession? While it might not have been possible to be ready for all of these realities, complacency and no thought for tomorrow are certainly factors. People were more concerned about living for today than thinking about the future.
Thus, Advent challenges us to consider our need to prepare for the coming of the Lord. This season begins with our reflection on the need to patiently and without fear or consternation wait for the coming of the Lord at the end of time. At this time of year the busy lives we lead only become more filled with things to do, people to see, and activities that fill our schedules. We become "stressed out" and worried about many things. Our busyness often keeps us from concentrating on things that are much more fundamental in our lives, most especially our relationship with God. We fear waiting, for we do not like the unknown. However, the story of what we might do if we read a headline that said Jesus Christ Will Return on December 25! suggests that we must be prepared.
Death, our ultimate meeting with God, is a fearful event for most because we have no control and are baffled by what will happen. Yet, if we have done what God asks of us, if we have made a good effort to fulfill our vocations to holiness and service, then there is nothing to fear. As our Advent journey begins, therefore, let us find the time to wait with joy and wonder. Let us be prepared as we wait for God, who created us, has loved us, and stands ready to greet us with his words of encouragement: "Well done, good and faithful servant. Enter the kingdom provided for you from the beginning of time."
ANOTHER VIEW
The Church's Response to Recession
by Stephen McCutchan
Mark 13:24-37; 1 Corinthians 1:3-9
New York Times columnist David Brooks recently pointed out that historically economic slowdowns don't always bring out the best in people. "The economic slowdown of the 1880s and 1890s produced a surge of agrarian populism and nativism, with particular hostility directed toward Catholics, Jews, and blacks.... The recession of the 1970s produced a cynicism that has never really gone away.... Recessions breed pessimism. That's why birthrates tend to drop and suicide rates tend to rise" ("The Formerly Middle Class," http://www.nytimes.com/2008/11/18/opinion/18brooks.html).
As we begin the Advent season, the challenge for the church is to recognize the signs of the times, accept the challenges of fear and diminished expectations that threaten to envelope people, and proclaim the Good News that in a variety of ways Christ is breaking into our world with hope and healing. Advent is a season of expectation. We testify by our lives that "the light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not overcome it" (John 1:5).
Brooks notes that the Great Depression was "a time of apocalyptic forebodings and collectivist movements that crushed individual rights." While Advent is a time to reflect on the Second Coming, as our gospel lesson from Mark points out, this coming has already taken place and will continue to take place. "Truly I tell you, this generation will not pass away until all these things have taken place" (Mark 13:30). As Christians we are not permitted the luxury of expending energy on speculation about an apocalyptic end time: "But about that day or hour no one knows, neither the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father" (Mark 13:32).
Our task, rather, is to be alert to the continuing signs of God's activity breaking into our world: "It is like a man going on a journey, when he leaves home and puts his slaves in charge, each with his work, and commands the doorkeeper to be on the watch" (Mark 13:34). We have work to do countering the fears and forebodings, the prejudices and the greed, and other negative responses to the economic transformation that is taking place in our world. None of us knows when our lives will be called to account, but all of us know that God has expectations for how we make our witness in this time.
The Good News is that God has prepared the church for just such a time as this. As Paul points out in our passage from 1 Corinthians, "(we) are not lacking in any spiritual gift as (we) wait for the revealing of our Lord Jesus Christ" (1 Corinthians 1:7). And it is truly the spiritual gifts that we need at this time as we seek to minister to those around us.
Look at the challenge that Paul provides us in this passage. The church at Corinth was hardly a paragon of virtue. There was immorality, selfishness, greed, fighting, and so forth. Neither our church nor our society is the first to confront these issues. Yet Paul gives thanks for the grace of God in their lives. How do we discern grace in a community filled with the normal human foibles? That is certainly one of the first challenges that faces us. We need to celebrate the grace of God being incarnated in our midst.
Paul says that the people of Corinth are not lacking in any spiritual gift needed for the revealing of our Lord Jesus Christ. Are we looking for that revealing in this Advent season? Do we discern God's grace as we recognize surprising signs of the presence of Christ among us? Are those signs discerned because we have first seen them manifested in Jesus' living and now discover them breaking out in our community?
This breaking in is not despite our human foibles but in the midst of our human limitations. It is because we are tempted to greed that a communal decision of generosity touches our soul. It is because we are prone to bickering that an experience of the healing power of love among us is so powerful. When someone offends us in the church, we are given the opportunity to reveal Christ through our forgiveness. Advent is a time of watchfulness for the small signs of God's grace peeking through the ordinary lives of people whom God has gathered together in worship.
As we name those signs of grace among us, we are empowered to then recognize them in the larger world as a counter to the negativism that threatens to emerge. "He will also strengthen you to the end... God is faithful; by him you were called into the fellowship of his Son, Jesus Christ our Lord" (1 Corinthians 1:8-9).
As we begin this Advent season in the year of our Lord 2008, we are called to BE THE CHURCH.
ILLUSTRATIONS
There is an obvious parallel between our lack of preparedness as a nation (i.e. not reducing our dependence upon foreign oil or retooling our automobile plants for more efficient vehicles) and the doorkeeper in the parable in Mark 13. We seem to require a "clear and present danger" or a threat (Jesus' warning to "keep awake") or a hit to our pocketbook before we can give up our self-indulgences.
Perhaps this need for an imminent threat is why Jesus said, "this generation will not pass away until all these things have taken place" (Mark 13:30).
* * *
In Dickens' A Christmas Carol, the three spirits achieve in Scrooge what Jesus may be attempting in Mark 13 with his followers. Scrooge had said "every idiot who goes about with 'Merry Christmas' on his lips should be boiled with his own pudding, and buried with a stake of holly through his heart." After his "wake-up call," we read these closing words to Dickens' Carol: "it was always said of him, that he knew how to keep Christmas well, if any man alive possessed the knowledge. May that be truly said of us, and all of us! And so, as Tiny Tim observed, God Bless Us, Every One!"
What would it take for us to heed Jesus' words and learn "how to keep Advent well"? What would it be like to be "actively waiting" in a state of preparedness?
* * *
In the aftermath of the ongoing economic debacle, many are turning to resume coaches. On CNN, one expert advised people to "build skills and be ready" for the looming pink slip. Just as in our current emphasis on demanding a retooling plan from the "Big Three" auto companies in order to qualify for a bailout, this advice seems to be coming too late.
If one has already lost one's job in this job wilderness, unless one happens to be fortunate to have put aside significant emergency monies, building skills is "a chasing after wind" (Ecclesiastes 2:11) and one is already found to be painfully unready -- the master of the house has already returned.
When things are going well, it is too easy -- it is altogether human -- to live in denial. We imagine that whatever good we are experiencing will go on forever, so we "fall asleep" -- we cease building our skills. Our resume languishes in a file; our ability to cross-train is not developed.
* * *
The first document we have from the early church after the New Testament writings is the Didache, or "The Teachings." It was a document prepared for new converts and especially young people, to instruct them in the nature of Christian discipleship. It began: "There are only two ways; the way that leads to life and the way that leads to death." It is that simple. There are the children of the Light and there are the children of the darkness, and there is a clear difference between the two. So let us "cast off the works of darkness," as the ancient collect puts it, "and put on the armor of light; now in the time of this mortal life." How simple! How exquisitely simple and how urgent a message in a world that is so dark at times and so much in need of the Light that Christ brings to it.
* * *
It is an image of grace: God is the potter and we are the clay. There is much work to be done to make an earthen vessel ready for daily use. How reassuring to know that we are formed by the loving hands that make us who we are. How full of grace it is also to know that we are not junk. We are works of art in the hands of God. And God is not finished with us yet, either. There is much work to be done! Thanks be to God.
* * *
Imagine being enriched by God. Imagine being given every gift necessary so that you can present yourself blameless and perfect before God on the day of reckoning. You don't believe me? Read this week's epistle text or listen to the poet William Cowper, a favorite of the 18th century: "Satan trembles when he sees the weakest saint upon their knees." How rich a faith, how gifted and perfect we are, when we fall to our knees in weakness and find how strong Jesus is to save us.
* * *
Sometimes you can observe a lot by watching.
-- Yogi Berra
***
He told me that once when he was a little boy, he spent all day Sunday watching at the window, waiting for Jesus to come to Bern. I asked him, "And in the evening, you were disappointed?"
He said, "No, the waiting was wonderful!" I think that attitude remained throughout his life.
-- Eberhard Busch, speaking of his friend and teacher, Karl Barth
***
A student once asked Martin Luther: "What would you do if you knew Jesus was returning tomorrow?" Luther replied that he would not be found by our Lord in some closet praying. Luther said he would rather be found in a garden, planting a tree. He would like to be found, at the Lord's return, taking care of his Creator's creation.
We do not know when our Lord will return. Only our Father in heaven knows when Christ will return. In the meantime, and through the "mean-times," we need to be about our Lord's business -- worshiping God, loving our neighbor, and caring for our Creator's creation.
***
Did Jesus really expect the end of all things to come in his own time? It is possible that he did. But he may also have meant that the signs of the end that he had been discussing would all appear before the present generation had died. The temple was destroyed by the Romans in 70 CE and many people suffered calamities. This means continued watchfulness for us.
True Christian posture is one of expectancy, of standing on tiptoe for the arrival of the great Day of the Lord. This does not mean letting all our duties go, so that the world must take care of itself. On the contrary, it means a heightened attention to all responsibilities.
When the master is away, the servants are to be at work, though one servant is waiting at the door. All are excited about the master's imminent return. We are all to be about our work but with a keen sense of watchfulness.
The signs of the end have been fulfilled many times over. The end itself could be at any time. Faithful servants will always be ready, regardless of how long we have already waited.
This is the eternal hope of every Christian. After the wars and rumors of wars, after the quakes and famines, after all sufferings, the coming of the Son in power and glory. Then justice will reign forever.
***
"Be prepared for anything," her father must have told her, because he saw to it that his elementary-school-aged daughter learned the art of self-defense. By the time she enrolled in senior high school, she had a third-degree black belt in karate. Unfortunately for the three young men from the dark side of the force, fellow classmates of hers, that preparedness was not well-known. So when they harassed her on the sidewalk one day after school, she systematically took them out, one after another, using the moves she had learned and honed. She walked on home, unharmed. In her wake she left three teenage punks doubled-up with pain and crawling back to their vehicle. God knows how vulnerable we can be. Be prepared for anything.
WORSHIP RESOURCES
by George Reed
Call to Worship
Leader: Hear us, O you who shepherd Israel.
People: You are the One who leads us as a flock.
Leader: Restore us, O God.
People: Come and save us!
Leader: Restore us, O God.
People: Only when you look with favor on us will we be save.
OR
Leader: Come into the presence of the One who saves us.
People: We are God's people who have waited for God's coming.
Leader: God is coming to save all creation.
People: With joy we welcome our Savior and our God.
Leader: Justice and peace come to all who love our God.
People: This is the day we have awaited. Praise be to God.
OR
Leader: Come into the presence of the Holy One of Israel.
People: Woe to us, for we are a people who are unprepared.
Leader: God comes to mold us into the people we need to be.
People: Woe to us, for we are stiff-necked and hard to work.
Leader: God comes to save us and all creation.
People: Thanks be to God, for we are a people who need to be saved.
Prayers of the People (and the Lord's Prayer)
We worship and adore you, O God, for you are the Potter and we are but the clay you wish to shape into useful vessels.
(The following may be used if a separate prayer of confession is not used.)
We confess to you, O God, and in the presence of your people, that we have failed to be your faithful people this week. We have done those things that we know we should not do. We have caused hurt to others and we have offended your great love. We have failed to do those things that you have created us to do. We have left unsaid the words of love and encouragement that you placed in our mouths. We have left undone the acts of love and encouragement that you have placed in our hands.
Forgive us, you who would shape us into your own image as a potter would shape the clay into a vessel good and useful. Awaken us to the ways in which you are coming into the world to save your creation. Fill us once again with your Spirit, that we may truly be your children, your image, and the Body of our Savior.
We give you thanks for all the blessings we have received from your hand. We are a people who have been blessed in many ways. You have called us your servants and you have entrusted us with important work. You have invited us to be your image and your presence to all creation. You have entrusted us with your message of salvation.
(Other thanksgivings may be offered.)
We come to you in confidence because of your great love for us and for all of your creation. We offer to you those concerns that rest heavy on our hearts. We offer to you those who suffer in body, mind, or spirit. We offer to you not only the cares of this congregation but also the cares and needs of all the world. We know there are those who feel alone and think that no one cares or prays for them. We ask that you would join our prayers and caring hearts with the prayers and love of our Savior Jesus, who prays for all who are in need. May our spirits join with his and with yours in reaching out in love and care to all who are in need.
All this we ask in the Name of our Savior Jesus, who taught us to pray always saying:
Our Father . . .
Prayer of Confession
Leader: Let us come with humility because of our sins and with confidence because of the love of God to confess our sins to God and in the presence of our sisters and brothers.
People: We confess to you, O God, and in the presence of your people that we have failed to be your faithful people this week. We have done those things that we know we should not do. We have caused hurt to others and we have offended your great love. We have failed to do those things that you have created us to do. We have left unsaid the words of love and encouragement that you placed in our mouths. We have left undone the acts of love and encouragement that you have placed in our hands.
Forgive us, you who would shape us into your own image as a potter would shape the clay into a vessel good and useful. Awaken us to the ways in which you are coming into the world to save your creation. Fill us once again with your Spirit, that we may truly be your children, your image, and the Body of our Savior. Amen.
Leader: God desires nothing more than to save the creation through the creatures made from clay. Know that God loves you, forgives you, and empowers you to be the vessel of salvation for all creation.
Hymns and Sacred Songs
"O Come, O Come, Emmanuel"
found in:
UMH: 211
H82: 56
LBW: 34
PH: 9
CH: 119
NCH: 116
NNBH: 82
AAHH: 188
"Have Thine Own Way, Lord"
found in:
UMH: 382
CH: 588
NNBH: 206
AAHH: 449
"This Is A Day Of New Beginnings"
found in:
UMH: 383
CH: 518
NCH: 417
"I Know Whom I Have Believed"
found in:
UMH: 714
"My Lord, What A Morning"
found in:
UMH: 719
PH: 449
CH: 708
NNBH: 499
AAHH: 195
"Wake, Awake, For Night Is Flying"
found in:
UMH: 720
H82: 61, 62
LBW: 31
Music Resources Key:
UMH: United Methodist Hymnal
H82: The Hymnal 1982 (The Episcopal Church)
LBW: Lutheran Book of Worship
PH: Presbyterian Hymnal
CH: Chalice Hymnal
NCH: The New Century Hymnal
NNBH: The New National Baptist Hymnal
AAHH: African-American Heritage Hymnal
CHILDREN'S SERMON
Keep Alert
Mark 13:24-37
Object: a clock
Good morning, boys and girls. I have a question for the children who go to school. In your class, does your teacher assign different tasks to students each day? Is one student a leader, another assigned to clean the chalkboard, or another assigned to take the lunch count to the office each day? (let them answer) I want to tell you a story about a class of students about your age. This class is a little different from other classes. In this class, one person represents Jesus. All the students represent people. See if you can tell who is Jesus. See if you can decide who is ready for Jesus' return.
One day in this class, the teacher told the students, "I will be out of the class for a while. But I will give each of you a task to do while I am gone." The teacher assigned a leader for the day. The teacher assigned someone to clean the chalkboard. Another was assigned to read, and another to teach math. One student was assigned to stay at the door and to watch for the teacher to return. The other students were also given assignments. Then the teacher left. (hold up the clock) The students did not know if the teacher would return in five minutes, before the first recess bell, after lunch, or right before the end of the school day!
You can imagine what happened. Some of the students did their work. They also stayed alert. They stayed awake. They worked on their assignments. They waited patiently for the teacher's return. They were prepared for the teacher's return. Others didn't do their work. Some of the students even fell asleep during class! They were not prepared for their teacher's return. Now let me ask, who do you think represents Jesus in this story? Which students are ready for Jesus' return? (let them answer) Jesus told a story like this one to his disciples. Jesus said that we must all be like the students who were prepared. Be alert. Keep awake. Wait with patience. Work faithfully. We do not know when Jesus will return. But as followers of Jesus, we know that Jesus will return.
* * * * * * * * * * * * *
The Immediate Word, November 30, 2008, issue.
Copyright 2008 by CSS Publishing Company, Inc., Lima, Ohio.
All rights reserved. Subscribers to The Immediate Word service may print and use this material as it was intended in sermons and in worship and classroom settings only. No additional permission is required from the publisher for such use by subscribers only. Inquiries should be addressed to permissions@csspub.com or to Permissions, CSS Publishing Company, Inc., 517 South Main Street, Lima, Ohio 45804.
