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.