The Coming Kingdom of Peace

This morning we will complete the series we began the first week in December. The series has focused on the different aspects of the coming Kingdom as they pertain to the Themes of Advent: Hope, Love, Joy, and today Peace. The lectionary text this morning focuses on a very interesting and important passage of scripture. Not only does our text bring together the strands of Advent, but it also speaks to the anticipation, expectation, participation, and longing surrounding the coming Kingdom. What we will read is a story that takes place after Mary has been visited by a messenger; a messenger explaining that she would conceive a very important and special child. But the messenger also informed Mary of her relative Elizabeth, a barren older woman, who had now conceived. Thus, in an attempt to validate the claims of the heavenly messenger, Mary traveled to her relative.

Text: Luke 1: 39-55

What Mary is described in Luke as saying is truly remarkable. Yes it is verse and not prose, and it echoes back to many Hebrew Bible passages. But it also affirms Mary's acceptance of her coming son. Mary, in haste, traveled to her relative Elizabeth to confirm if the heavenly messenger should be trusted. In seeing Elizabeth, a once barren mother, six months pregnant with her child John, Mary felt over-whelming Joy; a Joy that expressed itself through the Magnificat. The first word in the Latin Vulgate for Mary's song of praise begins “Magnificat” and in English it is translated “magnifies.” Thus, Mary, upon realizing her special privilege and the hope her son would bring, magnifies God.

The coming of Jesus created an immense Joy in Mary. Joy, however, comes from some source. And the source of Mary's Joy waits in the Grace of her God, the Mercy of Yahweh. As her song says, “And his mercy is for those who fear him...” (v.50) and “he has filled the hungry with good things...” (v.53). Mary's words reflect not only an admiration for God's Love, Grace, and Promise, but also set the precedent for Jesus' ministry to the poor, oppressed, hungry, and needy. Her song anticipates the Kingdom Jesus would begin by indicating the neediness of the world, and the Salvation God offers the humble. Here we find a woman who anticipates, expects, longs for and definitely participates in, the coming Kingdom of God. In Mary we see Hope because of God's Love. In Mary we see Joy expressed in a beautiful and revolutionary song. A song concerned for the poor, down-trodden, and rejected of the world. We can speculate about the Peace Mary may have encountered or experienced, but it isn't until the birth of Jesus that we begin to see the coming Kingdom of Peace made apparent.

So I believe it is very appropriate to read the “Christmas story” at this juncture. We have seen the presence of Hope, Love, and Joy, but let us focus here on Peace.

So turn in your bible with me to Luke chapter 2. Now you may have heard these verses many times over the years, but today read them through the lens of the Kingdom, through the eyes of someone expecting and anticipating the completion of the Kingdom that Jesus established in his birth, death, and resurrection. This is the birth of that man, who manifested God's Divine Grace, Mercy, and Redemption so that we might participate in God's Kingdom as the Children of God. This is a beautiful and important story. So, listen.

The “Christmas Story”
Text: Luke 2: 1-20

What a beautiful story. A story that has been told countless times, spanning history and the globe. A story which can bring us into the life of Christ. I mean, after reading it so many times I feel as though I could be in those words that Luke writes. I could be right there in that story watching the events of the narrative unfold. I feel as though I am watching with knowing eyes the birth of a Messiah who would bring the world endless Hope and eternal Joy. Can you see the child this morning? Can you see Mary tenderly wrap the babe in rags? Can you see this gentle mother, filled with Hope, Love, and Joy, carefully place Jesus in the manger? And all the while Joseph watches eagerly over her shoulder. Can you picture it?

Now imagine we travel a little ways. We come upon some lowly shepherds watching over their flocks. They patiently perform their duties unaware of the strange events about to transpire. And you can almost see this dirty but dedicated group of people burdened with their uncleanliness. These shepherds could not keep ritually clean in their profession, yet the very sheep they watched over would become the sacrificial lambs used in the temple. And it is the shepherds, the lowly animal care-takers who were shown a splendid site. A messenger from God comes before them to proclaim the birth of their savior, the one who would ultimately cleanse their ritual impurity. Hear the words of the heavenly host that joined with the messenger saying: “Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace among those with whom he is pleased!”

And then we travel with those shepherds back to find Mary, Joseph, and the baby Jesus. There in that lowly stable, in the dirt and hay, layed the Messiah. Surrounded by the lowly shepherds, a carpenter, and a weary mother sleeps the Anointed One, The Christ. This is the Arrival of Hope, Love, Joy, and as we shall begin to see today: Peace.

But what is this Peace that we talk so fondly of? What is this Peace that the heavenly host proclaimed to the shepherds? What is this Peace that Mary might have felt with the her son, the coming Redeemer, as she endured her pregnancy? Well to begin, let's explore what it is we mean when we use the word “peace”. As you might find in many dictionaries, the word peace is often used to indicate quiet, silence, or some form of rest. This is expressed in the phrase “needing some peace and quiet.” And couldn't you go for some “peace and quiet” during the holiday season? A little break from the hustle, bustle, and endless holiday jingles would be nice.
But what else do we mean when we talk about Peace? Another dictionary definition might reveal that “peace” refers to harmony in personal relations. Such harmony is being understood when people use the phrase “at peace with herself.” To be at one with yourself, or to be “together” psychologically seems to offer us peace. But what else offers Peace?

Further dictionary examination might reveal that Peace indicates an end of hostility between those at war, or in opposition. This is the Peace that is sought when governments battle, countries fight, and people feud. But what is it that unites all these notions of Peace? And how does that connect to and inform us of spiritual Peace?

I submit to you this morning that all these notions of Peace carry with them the idea of Freedom. To be at peace with yourself, to be in a state of quietude, or to end enmity with another is to be released. So in the first sense of Peace, “peace and quiet,” we are released from the noise and exhaustion of the world. We are freed from the constraints of schedule and task, from the demands of those around us. We are free to rest and be alone. And in the second case, “peace with oneself,” we find that we are free from inner dispute and torment. We have a unified personality, a psychological wholeness. The third case, “peace not war,” we find that we are freed from the confines of hate and death. We are liberated from opposition to embrace Love. Ultimately, Peace brings freedom.

But I also submit to you this morning that all these notion of Peace also carry with them the idea of unity, or togetherness. Whether this is internal togetherness or external togetherness, Peace implies harmony or accord. To be individually at Peace is to have internal, psychological unity or wholeness. To be collectively at Peace is to have external unity with the rest of those in your world. And we see this in Jesus. In fact, we see this in the meaning and power of Christ .
Jesus' arrival as a baby and Christ's life, death, and resurrection have two effects which promote Peace. First, Christ, as our Redeemer, restores Peace between God and humanity. This is the individual element of Peace. Correspondingly, this is also the internal spiritual Peace. Each one of you has access to the Peace that comes from God's Grace and Mercy. This is the Peace of Reconciliation, the Peace of Redemption, or the Peace of Salvation. But this is not all the Peace that is produced by the Christ-event. There is a corollary Peace, a Peace that is derived from Reconciliation and Redemption; and which transcends the individual. This is the collective Peace of God's Children. This is the Peace between human and human. It parallels external peace because it involves our interaction in the world around us. A Peace that flows directly from the Reconciliation between God and human produces a Peace that unifies and unites human and human.

Thus the coming Kingdom of Peace is one which embraces both aspects of Peace. Its source is Hope which emanates from Love. But Peace is not purely private. We are missing the larger image of the Kingdom when we focus solely on the private aspect of Peace. Peace is also collective. It has collective meaning, and more importantly, collective power. Peace can transform. It can not only transform an individual who has been affected by Hope and Love, but it can affect a world desperately needing Hope and Love. What's more, the heavenly host and messenger from God make an interesting and important connection between Peace and God's pleasure. They come on the scene to proclaim God's Glory, but also to proclaim that God is glorified and pleased with those to whom there is Peace. Having Hope in God's promise of Love yields a Peace which pleases God.

So this morning, as we close, we have to ask ourselves a few important questions. In this time of Peace, Joy, Love, and Hope, is God pleased with me? Is God pleased with me? Do I have Peace? Do I have the internal Peace of Christ's redemption? Have I stopped there? Have I forgotten the external Peace of Christ? Is God not only pleased with me, but with us, collectively, as a community? Do we have peace in Perryville? Is God pleased with us as a collective state? Do we have, practice, or strive after Peace in Kentucky? And now the tough question. Is God pleased with us as a collective nation? Does America long for Peace, pursuing it with all its resources and capabilities? Are we a nation of peace? I ask you this morning to reflect on the condition of your Peace, and of our Peace. Do not simply focus on your internal Peace, Hope, Love, and Joy. This is corrupt and perverted if we think that these issues are only a personal matter. For the Kingdom calls us into a collective whole. The Kingdom which Advent draws our attention toward is filled with people, lots of people, living in the Hope of a Promised Love that produces Joy and Peace. A Joy and Peace we share with those around us, not just in our own hearts and thoughts. Have you been sharing your Joy and Peace? Have you been making Peace on earth, and are you filled with good will toward all humanity?

I invite you this morning, as the Christmas Holiday reaches the threshold, to find Peace. If this means finding personal Peace for the first time, then come, kneel before the God who can bring you personal Peace in the redemption of your sin and the evil that has befallen you. If instead, you have found internal peace, but struggle with external opposition, come and pray with me. I invite you as well to the alter of humility where you can find that Peace which extends into all the world. There is a need in each of our lives to admit our short-comings, both with our own personal selves and with the world. The house of God is a haven of Love which offers the cleansing of such burdens. Come, I invite you to pray as we sing our closing Hymn.

Benediction:

Holy God, the psalmist wrote that where “Steadfast love and faithfulness meet; righteousness and peace kiss each other” (85:10). May we find that to be true today. May we find your steadfast Love which gives us Hope. May we be faithful with that Love, striving for Peace in a fallen and broken world. Let us realize that Peace is not only for our own pockets, to give us a false sense of security and momentary happiness. May our Peace be both internal and external. May we work toward the Kingdom of Peace, building up all of humanity in Love, Compassion, and Mercy. May we extend the Grace of God toward the needy, hungry, impoverished, and down-trodden. Give us the hands to serve those that Christ served, the hearts to love those that Christ loved, and the desire to spread your Peace to all the world. May this Christmas be one which beckons us toward the Kingdom, the unfinished Kingdom. Let us await its completion in anticipation and expectation, ever-fueled to participation, and never forgetting our longing. For You have given us all we could ever need by sending that babe to our world so many years ago. A babe that would transform our lives and give us the drive to transform our world. May that be our image of Christmas, a changing world moved toward Hope, Love, Joy, and Peace. Amen.

The Coming Kingdom of Joy

Christmas is drawing close. In fact, we are only 8 days away from the much anticipated day. Children are anxious, filled with the excitement and mystery of the gift-giving season. Parents are squeezing their budgets, and preparing for family and friends. In fact it seems the jolly atmosphere of the holidays is forever balanced with the stress and nervousness that accompanies our busy, sometimes frantic, preparations. We can't manage to escape the anxiety which accompanies our joy in this time of celebration. In fact, the holidays manage to remind us that there are always two perspectives to every situation. With great Joy comes great trouble and the potential for disappointment. In order to achieve a joy-filled holiday, there is always the potential, the risk, that all might come tumbling down on us. It appears that joy is generated from the very risk and difficulty that we somehow overcome.

This notion of joy accompanied by difficulty and potential sorrow is at the heart of our scripture passage this morning. As we have discussed the different aspects of the coming Kingdom, we have seen anticipation, expectation, preparation, and longing expressed in different ways. Today, we will look at a scripture which points us to the joy we have in actively awaiting the coming Kingdom of God. But this scripture, like our own experience with the holidays, demonstrates that there is a subtle paradox alongside our joy; the presence of sorrow.

Turn with me in your bibles to John, chapter 16. As you flip through your bibles, let me give you some context to our passage. Jesus, in chapters 13-16 of the gospel of John, has been providing his disciples with a reassurance that concludes with abounding Joy. Jesus, in preparing for his passion, is offering the disciples a hope. This hope produces a joy that will overcome any conflict. You see, in all of Jesus' reassurance, he never promises that the disciples will be without troubles. . Rather, we get this image of “sorrowful joy.”

Text: John 16: 19-22

In reflecting this week about “Joy” my mind was mysteriously drawn to the joystick of all things. For some reason, I kept thinking about all the different ways that the word “joy” was used in our lives, and I couldn't help but think about the term “joystick.” What is a joystick? Well, it it the mechanism that young children use to control animated people, air-crafts, and futuristic vehicles. But the joystick did not originate as a tool for playing video and computer games. Actually the joystick got its name in the first two decades of the 20th century when fighter planes were developed and used. Pilots found that their air-craft brought them great joy in flying, offering incredible rushes of adreniline and excitement. The danger of battle and the thrill of victory complimented the freedom of flying over the earth. In that, pilots were brought great joy. But ultimately the source of that joy could be identified in their control mechanism: the “joy-stick”. This “stick” gave the pilot control of the plane. And once in control of the plane, then the “joy” could happen.

Imagine swooping and diving, twisting and turning, feeling the wind in your hair and the freedom in each motion. Such joy was captured in the very instrument that controlled the plane: the “joystick.” But mind you this joy did not come without a cost. For in every flight was conflict. In every flight was an ensuing battle, waiting to be fought. Not only did the fighter pilots of WWI and beyond experience the freedom of flying, but also the danger of immanent death. Yet in each flight, there was great joy... joy despite danger, joy in light of trouble. This is sorrowful joy in that each flight signaled possible demise, yet guaranteed excitement and thrill.

In a sense, this captures what Jesus is trying to explain to his disciples in our passage from John. Jesus begins by explaining to his disciples that they will not see him in a little while, and then they will see him again. This puzzles the disciples who ask him what he means, and Jesus responds by describing the coming sorrow of the disciples. They will weep and lament. This moment for John signals the death of Jesus. This moment signals the sorrow of the disciples, for their savior will be taken from them. Yet, this necessary sorrow will result in great joy. The saddened hearts of the disciples will become joy-filled.

To make this all the more clear, Jesus gives us the example of a mother in labor. Faced with the physical pain of birth, the mother experiences initial sorrow. The birth of her child is not easy, it is not happy or joyous in the physical sense. Rather, there is quite a sacrifice that is involved. Yet, when the new-born babe arrives, the mother's joy overcomes her sorrow. In fact, she “forgets” her sorrow; it's as if the sorrow were never there. This is the beauty of joy, for it overcomes the greatest sorrows.

Much like the laboring mother, the disciples would be faced with trouble and difficulty, sorrow and pain. Yet this would subside once they discovered their joy, a joy so wonderful and infinite that it would erase every memory of sorrow. But what is this Joy? What is this moment when the disciples' will “see me again”?

There are a range of interpretations which offer us an explanation of Jesus' intentions toward his disciples. Was Jesus simply predicting his death and resurrection, or was Jesus offering the disciples a hope in the second coming of Christ? Regardless, the words captured here seem to point us to a Joy that transcends sorrow, a Joy that is rooted in the Grace of Christ. Whether that is the fulfillment of the Kingdom, or the enjoyment of personal Redemption, Jesus offers us an ever-lasting hope which produces great Joy.

However, the important element in this message is the presence of sorrow. Joy is not promised by itself. Jesus' words in our passage point toward the presence of sorrow, the reality of pain. There is no escaping the danger of difficulty. Trouble and toil will always be before us, yet there is a Joy that exists which overcomes such conflict. This Joy is so wonderful, so amazing, so infinite, that it causes every sorrow to subside, and every tear to be dried. There is a Hope which produces Joy, a Redeemer who conquers our insufficiency.

I read an interesting quote from George Bernard Shaw: “This is the true joy in life, the being used for a purpose recognized by yourself as a mighty one: the being thoroughly worn out before you are thrown on the scrap heap, and being a force of nature instead of a feverish selfish little clod of ailments and grievances, complaining that the world will not devote itself to making you happy.” I think Shaw highlights the message of Jesus this morning by drawing our attention to the true joy in life. We can participate in a purpose mightier than ourselves. We can be thoroughly worn out and thrown on the scrap heap with exhaustion, yet find hope and comfort in the up-building of God's Kingdom, in the hope of Christ's redemption. We can find Joy in the allegiance to Christ's Righteous cause, instead of becoming selfish clods of grievance which complain about our own happiness.

Paul himself comments on the nature of God's Kingdom in Romans 14. In verse 17 of that chapter Paul explains: “For the Kingdom of God is not a matter of eating and drinking but of righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit.” The trivial happiness of food and drink, frivolous passing pleasures, do not capture the message or essence of God's Kingdom. This is the Kingdom of Joy and Righteousness where God's children take pleasure in the beauty of God's Grace and the abundance of God's Redeeming power. Conflict, which did and still does exist, dissolves in the cleansing flood of God's Love. And what more could we rejoice in? What mightier cause is there? Where could you find greater Love than this?

I love Mother Teresa quotes. She says that “Joy is a net for catching souls.” In our world of suffering and sorrow, of hatred and anger, what more could our world need than the infinite Love of God? Our world cries out for a joy that will cause every sorrow to evaporate and every conflict to be resolved. In this world of desperation and need are God's children, abounding in Joy and Hope, offering their service and humble hearts. Are you one of these? Are you a member of that fighter squadron which soars through the dim and dangerous skies toward the bright horizon of Hope? Are you navigating your way through this world with the purpose of up-building God's Kingdom, embracing the Joy and Happiness that accompanies such action?

May we cast our nets of Joy this morning. May we step onto into our planes and grab hold of that which steers our course. May we grasp firmly the source of joy in our endeavors: the Gracious Love of God through Christ our Redeemer. May we walk boldly into a world where suffering and torment not only exist, but often prevail. May we be courageous in facing potential disappointment in order that we might bring the light and reality of God's Love to all the world, for all to enjoy. May we help erase the sorrow of our world by devoting ourselves to the greater and mightier cause of God's Kingdom. A Kingdom of Joy which does not turn from sorrow, but which overcomes it.

Benediction:

May You, our Gracious God, be with us this morning. May your Love fall around us, on us, in us, and may it flow abundantly through us. May our veins pulse with your love to the beat of Joy. Let us rejoice in our Redeemer, who in this moment we celebrate and remember, treasure and hold dear. Keep our eyes fixed on your Grace, our hands attached to the needs of this world, and our hearts glad with a Hope that comes from our Redemption. May we usher in the Kingdom of Joy with all the Mercy we have been afforded and all the Compassion we have been given. For it is in Christ that we are transformed, and in Christ that we transform our world. Let us rejoice, O God, fill our mouths with praise! In You our Spirits are lifted this morning. Amen.

The Coming Kingdom of Love

Over the last several Sundays we have explored the idea of a coming Kingdom, a Hope in the completion of God's work here on earth. We are drawn to this subject by the forward-looking spirit of Advent anchored in the event of Christ. The idea of Advent seems to offer us renewal, a refreshing taste of the anticipated Kingdom we labor to build. In the toil of our labor, in the difficulties of our service, we often find ourselves distracted from our Hope, our Expectation. Advent refocuses our desire, re-centers our actions. It is in Advent that we come back to that first Arrival, the arrival of Christ, so that we might continue to usher in the second Arrival; the arrival of the completed Kingdom.

What then, does that Kingdom look like? If we toil with such difficulty, if we are hard-pressed in service and sacrifice, where do we look to find encouragement and motivation? Last week, on the first Sunday of Advent, we exposed our Hope. The first Sunday of Advent had us light the first candle in our wreathe: the Hope Candle. The coming Kingdom is one of great Hope, a Hope centered in Redemption. This is something we have found to be anticipated, expected, participated in, and longed for. But how is such Redemption made real in our world? What is the medium of Redemption? What is the color of Redemption? Redemption is colored with Love. Redemption is made real in Love. It is in Love that the Kingdom of Hope is built. It is in Love that the Kingdom of Redemption stands tall, welcoming all those who are weary and weak. Now today, on the second Sunday of Advent, we light the candle of Love.

So this week, in our exploration of the Coming Kingdom, we turn to Love. And Love is a peculiar thing, in fact it is a topic I have addressed twice before. In two sermons last month I brought before you all two important ways of understanding Love. First, to Love is to have self-sacrificial action. This notion of intimate self-sacrifice is at the heart of the word agape. As a result, when we love one another and God, we must love with an attitude of service and sacrifice that seeks goals beyond our meager gain. Second, to Love is to be of God. This idea stems from the notion that God is in nature Love, and thus is embodied in our actions of Love. Both understandings of Love are crucial in getting at the concept of a Kingdom of Love.

In a Kingdom of Love we must have self-sacrificial action in order to dwell in the Spirit of God. But what's more, this self-sacrificial action, embodied in Christ, is not passive. Obviously action is not passive. It is quite clear that “action” is an active concept. But, if this is the case, why is our love so passive? Why do we wait to Love? Why do we passively expect Loving opportunities to find us? It seems this idea has infiltrated our minds and even poisoned our notions of romance and marriage.

Newspaper columnist and minister George Crane tells of a wife who came into his office full of hatred toward her husband. “I do not only want to get rid of him, I want to get even. Before I divorce him, I want to hurt him as much as he has me."

Dr. Crane suggested an ingenious plan "Go home and act as if you really love your husband. Tell him how much he means to you. Praise him for every decent trait. Go out of your way to be as kind, considerate, and generous as possible. Spare no efforts to please him, to enjoy him. Make him believe you love him. After you've convinced him of your undying love and that you cannot live without him, then drop the bomb. Tell him that you're getting a divorce. That will really hurt him." With revenge in her eyes, she smiled and exclaimed, "Beautiful, beautiful. Will he ever be surprised!" And she did it with enthusiasm. Acting "as if." For two months she showed love, kindness, listening, giving, reinforcing, sharing. When she didn't return, Crane called. "Are you ready now to go through with the divorce?"

"Divorce?" she exclaimed. "Never! I discovered I really do love him." Her actions had changed her feelings. Motion resulted in emotion. The ability to love is established not so much by fervent promise as often repeated deeds.” (www.sermonillustrations.org)

Amazingly, this woman found a “change of heart” through the active nature of Love. The Love which she so angrily missed, had in all reality disappeared when she ceased to be an active agent of Love. It re-emerged when she embraced the expressions of Love. What she found was that the very expressions she offered her husband actually created and developed Love. Love is not so much a noun as it is a verb. When we think of Love as a noun, as something we have and not something we do, then Love loses action and ceases to be Love. Love is active, it is action.

Happiness is often associated with Love. It is understood that Love brings with it great happiness. Many years ago, much before the time of Jesus, Aristotle took up the notion of Happiness. In an effort to clarify what it is that constitutes happiness, Aristotle explained that a happy life is a well-lived life. For Aristotle, to be happy was not to be in a state of bliss or enjoyment. Happiness was not an emotion as much as a motion. Aristotle taught that to live with a habit of doing happy things created “happiness.” Ultimately, you can't be happy unless you “do happy.”So to connect Love with Happiness we are forced to return to the active nature of things.

To Love and be Happy is to be an active agent of Happiness and Love. And we see this in the birth, ministry, death, and resurrection of our Savior Jesus Christ. In fact we are brought back to this reality in the telling of Christ's Arrival. God was active in Loving the world. God DID Love for us by sending our Redeemer to dwell among us. God still Loves us by offering us that same Redeemer. These actions, these activities of Love, are what drive us to send forth that same Love. We cannot sit by and passively wait our turn to Love. We cannot hide our hearts with trivial pleasures and earthly concerns. This is ignoring Love. We cannot “have Love” and yet not “do Love.”

With this in mind, turn with me in your bibles to Matthew 24. Once again we are going to return to the “Kingdom Talk” of Jesus as he converses with his disciples. We are going to look at what Jesus says about the Kingdom so that we might be better instructed in our own attitude and actions toward the Kingdom we anticipate, expect, participate in, and long for. In our passage this morning, Jesus is discussing the coming Son of Man. Last week we noted that the coming Son of Man is intricately related to the coming Kingdom. The coming Son of Man is the climax of the completed Kingdom, the final stroke of the Kingdom-building.

Matthew 24: 42-51

Did you hear those first few words, that command from Christ: “Stay awake” (v. 42). To remain awake is to not fall asleep. To remain awake is an active state. To fall asleep is to fall into passivity. Christ instructs his disciples to remain active. To illustrate this meaning of “awake,” Jesus describes the wise and faithful servant as being responsible with appointed tasks, offering food at the proper time (v. 45). The unfaithful, unwise servant is the one who forgets the coming Son of Man, or the return of the master, and eats and drinks for personal pleasure. The servant who falls asleep with the drunkenness of earthly pleasures and concerns will be placed with the hypocrites where there is much “weeping and gnashing of teeth.”

The Kingdom that is illustrated is one of activity, of responsibility, of appropriate action. Jesus specifically reveals the model of faithful waiting: active anticipation. To be faithful in expecting the Kingdom is to be actively anticipating, actively participating. We cannot separate our longing and our anticipation from our actions and labor. There is not one moment that passes by which does not call for our hands and feet, for our thoughts and prayers. We are not a people of passivity, sleeping away the days until the Kingdom is at hand. No, such a Kingdom will never arrive. The Kingdom can only be ushered in by those who remain faithful in a waking, active service. This is the waking, active nature of Love. It is here that we find God's Kingdom coming to fruition; it is here that we realize God dwelling among us.

So often we have wanted to focus our attention on the Love that God gives us, and forget the important Love that we must be responsible for. In fact, C.S. Lewis once wrote: “On the whole, God's Love for us is much safer to think about than our Love for Him.” But why? Dr. Lewis also wrote, “To love at all is to be venerable. Love anything, and your heart will certainly be wrung and possibly be broken. If you want to make sure of keeping it intact, you must give your heart to no one, not even to an animal. Wrap it carefully round with hobbies and little luxuries; avoid all entanglements; lock it up safe in the casket or coffin or your selfishness. But in that casket--safe, dark, motionless, airless--it will change. It will not be broken; it will become unbreakable, impenetrable, irredeemable...The only place outside Heaven where you can be perfectly safe from all the dangers...of love is Hell. (C.S. Lewis, The Four Loves, 169).

A motionless, dark, airless Love is no Love at all. Refusing to “do Love” is refusing Love itself. When we make life about our “hobbies and little luxuries,” we forsake Love and embrace ourselves. No Kingdom of God could ever by completed by people who dare not Love. And like Dr. Lewis wrote, Love is dangerous. There is toil and difficulty in our actions of Love. We suffer when we Love the suffering. We identify with those whom we Love.. when we Love. For in Love, there is no “them.” There is only “us.” And this is the Kingdom of Love which we anticipate, expect, participate in, and long for. A Kingdom where there is only Us, united in a Love originating from the Most High God. Such a Kingdom of self-sacrifice fits the model that Christ demonstrated on the cross, and of which we are reminded in His birth. A Kingdom where Love is ever-present, is a Kingdom where God resides, where Christ is glorified. This is the Kingdom we long to see. This is the Kingdom we await. But our anticipation and expectation is not passive. It is not without action. Our anticipation and expectation come with participation... for this is the heart of Love.

Benediction:

Glorious God, Almighty Redeemer, may we leave this place of worship with humble hearts and pensive minds. May we be renewed by Your Gracious Love, renewed in the spirit of service and sacrifice which anticipates your Kingdom. Lord God, may our hands not be clean on that day when we see You face to face. May we have the hands of working people, soiled with the labor of our Love. A Love that originates with You. For your Love was demonstrated through the gift of Christ, born so many years ago. May we be ever-hopeful in that most Merciful Gift, mindful of the persistent need we have for such a Love; mindful of the persistent need the world has for such a Love. Let us be instruments of Love, agents of Love, givers of Love. Remind us that Love is not a possession, it is an action. Give us the strength, courage, and desire to Love, so that one day we might witness the Glorious coming of the Kingdom of Love. For we are Yours, and we Love You. Amen.

The Coming Kingdom of Hope

Luke 21: 25-36

Well December sure hit with a gust of cold air. It seems as if the heavens were letting forth the pent up November weather, sending it our way in one tumultuous blast. I have been known to sleep through most things, including earthquakes. That’s right, as an elementary school child in Oregon I once slept soundly and undisturbed in a shaking bed that rattled away from the wall. My mom had steadied herself in the door-frame of my room and later recounted her amazement at the depth of my sleep. Yet, despite this miraculous ability to sleep through the most grievous conditions, I awoke at 5:00am on Friday morning to the bitter howling of the wind and the intense onslaught of the rain. This gusty display of nature’s might brought with it the bitter cold we haven’t experienced for some time. December 1st truly felt like a new month; a colder, harsher month than pleasant November.

The furious display of nature reminded me quite vividly of our scripture passage this morning. The power of the heavens shaking was transparently real to me as I tried to sleep. And although the storm brought me out of my deep slumber, it did not prevent me from finally falling back to sleep. I had seen the weather predictions before I went to bed the previous evening. I had been warned that the coming cold front would bring strong winds and wintry temperatures. Thus, though the storm was intense, it did not worry me. Although the winds blew with great force, I was not alarmed. And though the rains came forcefully, I did not lie awake. My eyes eventually rested, comforted by the hope that the storm was but momentary. The storm would soon come to an end, and all would be calm.

Turn with me in your bibles to the gospel of Luke, chapter 21. As you flip through your bibles this morning, let me warn you about the nature of the text we are about to read. This is by no means a simple passage to understand and interpret. The particular text we have before us is termed “apocalyptic” meaning that it is an “uncovering” or “revelation,” specifically in regards to the end of times. Apocalyptic literature is often accompanied by highly symbolic and allegorical wording and imagery, leaving the removed reader with much to investigate. We are not the specific audience that the author of Luke could have had in mind when the text was written. To think that Luke was written for us to understand in our own terminology would be awfully arrogant and simply implausible. Thus we must put ourselves in the place of the intended readers in order to get at the original meaning of the author. But let’s examine the author’s words first:

Luke 21: 25-36

To give some literary context, the passage we just read is immediately preceded by Jesus’ description of the destruction of Jerusalem. In this, Jesus foretells the downfall of Jerusalem by gentile, or pagan, forces. This is important to us and the reader, because in 70 CE Roman forces destroyed the Jewish temple in Jerusalem and occupied the city. Not only was the Sanhedrin abolished, but the cultic center of the Jewish religion was wiped out. This was considered a climax in Jewish notions of suffering and persecution, a truly historic event.

At the time that Luke was written, this event had already taken place. So for the readers of Luke, the destruction of Jerusalem is not as much foretelling as “what came to pass.” They themselves are the people who have experienced wrath and are utterly distressed. The Jewish and Gentile readers could both identify with the political and religious turmoil that existed. When we transition to this morning’s passage, we move from the already fulfilled to the “future fulfillment.” This future fulfillment is the storied coming of the Son of Man. What we must pay careful attention to is the description of fear, foreboding, perplexity and roaring. The earth is torn asunder, and it is amidst such suffering and torment that the Son of Man comes with great glory.

In the glory of the coming Son of Man, the author of Luke gives the following exhortation: “straighten up and raise your heads, because your redemption is drawing near” (v. 28). There is hope in torment. There is light at the end of the tunnel. The dark and troublesome life that plagues the oppressed and persecuted is not without a cure, a solution, a foundation of hope. There is meaning in suffering, a goal despite pain. What an encouraging word to hear for those who first read the book of Luke. What a tremendously powerful thing for us to hear as we read this morning. Fear not, for there is hope. Do not be distressed by the difficulty you face, for there is a light shining in the darkness; a redeemer who comes with power and glory.

The next section of scripture serves as a symbolic clarification of the above mentioned material. It serves several important functions. First, it uses terminology and concepts present in the Jewish scriptures (Deuteronomy, Hosea, and Micah). Often, the fig tree represents the peace and prosperity of Israel. Thus, the reference to the fig tree, along with all the trees, represents the peace and prosperity for Israel and all the earth that is close at hand in the Kingdom of God. Second, this portion of our passage makes an important connection. No longer is the coming of the Son of Man spoken of, but the Kingdom of God. This parable ultimately links the Son of Man with the Kingdom of God. We cannot separate these two for they are intimately related. The glory and power associated with the Son of Man gives us the flavor and expectation for the Kingdom of God. The Son of Man, who brings redemption near, transforms the Kingdom of God into a Kingdom of Redemption. A Kingdom of Redemption is one that offers us great Hope; something to be anticipated, expected, prepared for, and sought after.

Finally, the parable portion of our passage functions to offer us a specific Hope, that of a promise. Jesus is recorded as saying: “Truly I say to you, this generation will not pass away until all has taken place. Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will not pass away.” For the author of Luke, the first readers of these words would have great expectation for the immediate coming of the Son of Man. The identification of “this generation” can be interpreted many ways, but it is quite evident that “this generation” refers specifically to the people living in “that time and place.” “This generation” meant those who were reading, those who eventually did pass away. In light of this, many interpreters of this passage—in an attempt to preserve the “truth” of Jesus’ claims—argue that Jesus meant a type of people, like Jews, Christians, or sinners. Thus, “this generation” has yet to pass away and can be applied today.

No matter how you interpret such a difficult passage, the final promise is the most important, for it does not require a time or place. This is the transcendent promise of God. “My words” are the spoken promises of Christ's redemption. “Will not pass away” points to the binding, eternal nature of that promised redemption. Despite the fleeting goodness of our world, God's promised redemption is always at hand, always near.

Thus, we have a great Hope. We have the hope of an eternal promise, God's promised Redemption. God, through Christ, has promised us that our “redemption is drawing near” (v. 28), and that the Kingdom of God is at hand (v. 31). We may not know the exact date or hour, but we do know that we wait in eager anticipation, expecting the kingdom to be very close, just as the first readers did. We share their anticipation, expectation, participation, and longing. We share with those first readers of Luke the Hope that God has brought us Redemption through Christ, and that the ensuing Kingdom of Hope, the ensuing Kingdom of Hope will arrive with the Power and Glory of Christ.

Thus, the preservation of Christ's promise gives us profound Hope. We have a meaningful future to work toward, a meaningful Kingdom to eagerly wait for. But how do we look toward the future? How do we eagerly wait for the Kingdom of God? Our passage this morning continues in verses 34-36 to explain the traps that await us in our waiting. We may easily fall prey to the concerns of this world, leaving our meaningful future expectations and embracing the fleeting nature of the world. We turn our focus away from the coming Kingdom of God, the future Hope, and begin looking only inward. We begin to care only for ourselves. It is here that the author of Luke refers to drunkenness and dissipation, to carelessness and forgetfulness. We cannot debase life by becoming selfish, forgetting the ever-lasting promise of God. Instead we must rely on God for the strength and courage to persevere through our difficult times. We must pray and commune with our source of Hope and Endurance. We must fully embrace God's Promise.

We can not debase life, we must instead up-build the Kingdom of God. We must do all of this in light of the Hope we have in our life's meaning, in Christ's power. Actions must accompany our Hope, lest our Hope only be fanciful wish-making. When we forget the Promise of God, then our Hope loses its power, its force. We lose our strength, our perseverance, our courage. Let that not be the case today. Let us look upon God and not ourselves. May our Hope be in the One who Promised us Redemption. May we embrace and not debase the life we have been given, so that we may build up the Kingdom of Hope, the Kingdom of God. This first advent Sunday, truly embrace the Hope that exists in God's Kingdom. Wait in anticipation and expectation, but also participate because of your longing. We make our anticipation and expectation real in our participation. So participate in your Hope, build up God's Kingdom.

Benediction:

May the God of Hope and Love ground us in Mercy and Grace. May we find the Hope that You have Promised through the word's and deeds of the Risen Christ. May we not forget the future implications of the Christmas season, the Kingdom that Christ ushered forth. But may we also not forget that this is an incomplete Kingdom, one that needs our hands and feet, our mouths and ears, our thoughts and prayers. This is the Kingdom of Redemption, of Hope, and of God. Let us be renewed in the anticipation, expectation, participation, and longing for that Hope. For it is in the Christ that are made whole, and in Christ that we go forth in Hope. Amen.