Pastor B.J. Froiland
2nd Sunday in Advent
Luke 21:25-36
December 6th, 2009
In the Name of the Father and of the Son X and of the Holy Spirit. Amen
“Let there be light!” On the fourth day, God created the lights in the expanse of the heavens to separate the day from the night. He gave the two great lights to give light on the earth. He gave the sun, moon, and stars to mark the seasons, days, and years. The heavens declare His righteousness and all the people see His glory. When one considers heavens to be the work of God’s fingers, the moon and the stars which He has ordained, what is man that God is mindful of him and the son of man that God visits him? The greatest season that the heavenly lights had marked was when the star proclaimed the King is here. When a star rested over a place in Bethlehem. The star signaled to wise men and shepherds that the God of Abraham had become Mary’s Son. But St. Luke tells us that the second coming of the Son of God and the Son of Mary will also be marked by the sun, moon, and stars as well: “And there will be signs in sun and moon and stars, and on the earth distress of nations in perplexity because of the roaring of the sea and of the waves, people fainting with fear and foreboding on what is coming on the world. For the powers of the heavens will be shaken. And then they will see the Son of Man coming in a cloud with power and great glory. Now when these things begin to take place, straighten up and raise your heads, because your redemption is drawing near.” Your redemption is near, because Christ’s Word remains. Of the constellations mentioned above- the sun, the moon, the stars, all of them will be gone. Again, from St. Luke: “Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will not pass away.” Christ’s Word is certain and clear: heaven and earth will pass away. The world as you know it now will vanish. Many things may change, but in this one thing can you be sure: His words will not pass away. The Gospel promises remain yours forever. Forgiveness from the Savior will endure without end.
In collect for the second Sunday in Advent, in the petition we lifted up to the Lord immediately before the readings, we prayed the following words: “Stir up our hearts, O Lord, to make ready the way of Your only-begotten Son …” This is a dangerous prayer. Much like one praying for a stronger faith, or a teacher praying for more patience, these virtues will come, but not without struggle and testing. Just imagine what you’re asking the Lord: to stir up, to agitate, and to prod! This is not the stuff of comfort food, leisurely weekend afternoons, warm fuzzy feelings, and shopping mall music- This is a nice dose of reality. You’re asking the Lord to stir up your hearts to repentance, to end complacency, laziness, and depression. You’re imploring the Lord to draw you closer to Him, no matter what the cost.
In this life, you are subjected to anxieties and tribulations. You strive against the doubts which the devil would plant in your heart. You wrestle against the lusts of the flesh; you battle against the world’s offenses to the point of exhaustion. There comes a day of renewal. Listen to St. Peter’s sermon in the Acts of the Apostles: “Repent, therefore, and turn again, that your sins may be blotted out, that times of refreshing may come from the presence of the Lord, and that he may send the Christ appointed for you, Jesus, whom heaven must receive until the time of restoring all the things about which God spoke by the mouth of his holy prophets long ago.” A time of refreshing, this is why you come to this place week after week, isn’t it? Dearly Beloved, you struggle with worry and doubt. You’ve been the victim of sin and suffering. You come to this place because this is where your Savior is located. Here in this place He is located in Word and water, Body and Blood. In the cold winter of sin, suffering, and death, Christ is today the eternal summer of renewal. Where Christ is found, the ever-enduring summer will continue. You that sow in tears will find, in this place, the harvest to reap in joy. You that go forth in this life with crying and carrying the noble seed, but in this place you rejoice bringing your sheaves with you. When others revile you, persecute you, utter all kinds of evil against you falsely, and cause you tears on account of carrying the Noble Seed, which is upholding God’s Word in season and out of season, you share in the suffering of Crucified Christ, your reward is great in heaven- your reward is great right here, here where the living Christ dwells.
Nothing in this world is eternal. Everything in this world is transitory- the big meal, the lights, the tree, the presents, and even the nativity set will never last. Nothing in this world is eternal, save one exception: “My words will not pass away.” Dearly Beloved, there is one thing in this life that you attain that is eternal and will always exist: It’s Christ’s Word. He is the Word that was already there at the very beginning when the world was created. He is “the Word became flesh and dwelt among us.” He was made man. He had life from God inside Himself that cannot be destroyed: “The eternal life, which was with the Father and was made manifest to us.” You acquire this life from Him through His Word. “The words that I have spoken to you are spirit and life.” Therefore the Word extends itself into this life and allows us here, where everything is gradually decaying, to encounter something that will remain throughout time. To come in contact with the Word and to receive what it has to give means here in the world, we receive a piece of the world to come. It’s this world to come that Christ calls the kingdom of God. It’s that kingdom of God that’s near to you, here in this place.
The world looks pretty hopeless without the Kingdom of God in Christ. God resurrects a new world in Christ Jesus where no crying or sorrow or tears shall be. Don’t sink in fear and resignation at the coming of the Lord, when everything passes away. Instead, lift up your heads. Now your redemption is drawing nigh. Now the summer is approaching. Therefore the scriptures urge you: be awake and persevering, in the calm and the storm. Don’t panic when life moves toward catastrophe. Heaven, earth, sun, moon, and stars may pass away, but never God’s Word. Never will you pass away, when you hold fast to His Word. Amen.
The Peace of God which passes all understanding keep your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus. Amen.
XBJFX