Be watching as the Lord returns.

 

Sermon for Advent 1, December 3,2023

Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.  Amen.

Mark 13:26-37  ²⁶Then you will see the Son of Man coming on clouds with great power and glory.  ²⁷At that time he will send out his angels and gather his elect from the four winds, from the farthest end of the earth to the farthest end of the sky.  ²⁸“Learn from this illustration of the fig tree: Whenever its branch becomes tender and sprouts leaves, you know that summer is near.  ²⁹So also when you see these things happening, you will know that he is near—at the doors!  ³⁰Amen I tell you: This generation will certainly not pass away until all these things happen.  ³¹Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will never pass away.  ³²“No one knows about that day or hour, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father.  ³³Watch!  Be alert and pray, because you do not know when the time will come.  ³⁴It is like a man going away on a journey.  When he left his home, he put his servants in charge and assigned what each one was to do.  He also commanded the doorkeeper to keep watch.  ³⁵Therefore keep watch, because you do not know when the owner of the house is coming: whether in the evening, or at midnight, or when the rooster crows, or early in the morning.  ³⁶If he comes suddenly, do not let him find you sleeping.  ³⁷What I say to you, I say to everyone: Keep watch! (EHV)

Be watching as the Lord returns.

Dear fellow redeemed,

            How long would you wait at the airport to pick up a family member if you had no idea when that person’s plane was scheduled to arrive?  It sounds preposterous, doesn’t it?  No one would expect you to wait continually without some idea of when that person might arrive, would he?

To the people of the world, it certainly sounds crazy that we would wait in eager expectation for a Savior to return from someplace we don’t yet really know at a time that no one could possibly guess.  Yet, those same people who may call us crazy don’t know what they are missing.

There are a lot of opinions and myths floating around in our times about how or when this world might end.  Many are consumed with worry and plans for what we might do to stop this world from ending, at least the world as we know it.  Yet, God doesn’t leave us in the dark about the end.  The only thing He withholds is the actual date and time.  Still, God isn’t without His purpose in keeping us in suspense.  Rather, so that we will be saved by faith, Be watching as the Lord returns.

Immediately before He spoke the words of this text, Jesus gave an extensive list of things that must happen before His ultimate return to earth.  All of them have been happening for nearly two thousand years.  The only signs remaining are those happenings Jesus spoke of concerning Judgment Day.  Now, this is not to say that I know when Judgment Day will occur, for if I pretended to know and to tell you when that day would happen, it would mark me as a false prophet.  So, what is the point?

First, Jesus tells us what will happen: “Then you will see the Son of Man coming on clouds with great power and glory.  At that time he will send out his angels and gather his elect from the four winds, from the farthest end of the earth to the farthest end of the sky.”  Among the myths that float around our world is that people will have time to change their ways once Jesus returns.  However, Jesus makes it clear that when He returns, it will be with a display of His full divine majesty and power, and the final harvest of souls for His Father’s house will be accomplished in moments, not years.  Furthermore, those who demand visible proof that Jesus is who He claims to be before they will believe will get that visible evidence, but it will be too late.  What Mark leaves unsaid is that those not gathered with the elect will not get a second chance at faith, but instead, they will be gathered as weeds and discarded into the fires of hell.

Jesus said, “Learn from this illustration of the fig tree: Whenever its branch becomes tender and sprouts leaves, you know that summer is near.  So also when you see these things happening, you will know that he is near—at the doors!”  We easily recognize when summer is right around the corner, therefore, since all the signs Jesus gave us have been happening for centuries, it is even more clear that His return is imminent.  No matter when Jesus will return, we will be without excuse if we are not expecting and eagerly awaiting His arrival to judge the world.

The next sentence has confused many, but we needn’t be mystified by it.  Jesus said, “Amen I tell you: This generation will certainly not pass away until all these things happen.  Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will never pass away.”  Scholars have long debated what Jesus meant by the word, generations, but it doesn’t really matter.  Whether Jesus was speaking of the tribe of Israel, or the unbelieving hoards that so clearly ruled His day, both groups still exist and will until His prophecy is proven true.  It clearly did not mean just that forty-year section of the population we might randomly call a generation. 

Still, the primary point, and our reason for hope, is that the words of the Man who lived, died, and rose again in fulfillment of all God’s prophecies, will never be lost.  No word of God has ever been found false.  Even the actions of Christ’s enemies merely support what Jesus promised.  For this reason, we put our entire confidence in Jesus’ words.  When He said, “I lay down my life for the sheep, (John 10:15) we can be completely certain that He laid His life against the wood of that cruel cross for you and me.  When Jesus said, “I am going to prepare a place for you.  And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and take you to be with me, so that you may also be where I am,” (John 14:2-3) we can know with certainty that not only is Jesus returning as promised but He will have a home ready for our eternal dwelling place, so Be watching as the Lord returns.

As you all know, Jesus told us time and again, “No one knows about that day or hour, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father.”  Therefore, we won’t spend any time speculating about the day or hour.  Rather, we will focus on what our Lord assigned us before He left.

Our duty and command is this: “Watch!  Be alert and pray, because you do not know when the time will come.  It is like a man going away on a journey.  When he left his home, he put his servants in charge and assigned what each one was to do.  He also commanded the doorkeeper to keep watch.”  Our job is not to speculate about the when.  Our sole purpose in this life is to do those things our Lord has commanded of us.  Ordinary things like trust Him.  Believe His words.  Serve in our vocations as dedicated servants who want to honor our Lord.  Among the commands was to repent, to believe in Him, to share the Good News of all Jesus has done for us, to bring our children into His presence so that He might bless them with faith.  We lead our children to Jesus’ living water, pray for them, guide them, and lead them by example so that they too receive His salvation.  Together as His assembly of believers, we are to reach out both near and far with the promise of the Gospel so that many more little ones of faith may yet come to know Jesus and believe in Him as Lord and Savior.

We do none of these things in the hope of earning a reward toward salvation.  Rather, we serve our Lord as the beloved One He is who rescued us out of the curse of eternal torment by paying with His own lifeblood the price for our eternal freedom from the devil, the world, and our own sinful flesh.  We serve Jesus out of thanks for the washing of baptism that cleansed us of all guilt and connected us with His life, death, and resurrection, so that we are assured that we too will rise from the grave triumphant over the devil’s chains.

We don’t know the day or hour of Jesus’ return because God the Father chose not to reveal that to anyone.  Even Jesus laid that knowledge aside as He lived as one of us on earth.  But Jesus also tells us, “If he comes suddenly, do not let him find you sleeping.  What I say to you, I say to everyone: Keep watch!”  This is not a command concerning our physical rest, but that we never be found outside of our faith in Jesus.  Jesus invited all people, “Come to me all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.” (Matthew 11:28)  Jesus’ love and concern for mankind is universal, just as His Father in heaven “wants all people to be saved and come to the knowledge of the truth.” (1 Timothy 2:4)  Therefore, His invitation to all people, Be watching as the Lord returns.

By pleading with everyone to keep watch, Jesus again demonstrates His concern for all of humanity.  Our loving Savior didn’t lay down His life for only a few but for all.  Long ago, the Father explained to the Son, “It is too small a thing that you should just be my servant to raise up only the tribes of Jacob and to restore the ones I have preserved in Israel, so I will appoint you to be a light for the nations, so that my salvation will be known to the end of the earth.” (Isaiah 49:6)  Jesus likewise shared this truth with those around Him, “For God so loved the world that he gave his only-begotten Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish, but have eternal life.” (John 3:16)

The main point of this text is to remind us that the things of this world will pass away, but the message of the Bible is true forever.  Therefore, we need to keep our focus, and the worship of our whole lives, centered in God’s Word and not any earthly concern.  Seed time and harvest are indeed important, but not more important than spending time hand in hand with the Lord Jesus in worship, prayer, and the hearing of His word.  Earthly riches will come and go.  Political winds will change and often be against those who believe in Jesus.  Yet, whether we have peace on earth, or persecution most cruel, let us trust in the One Man who came from the Father full of grace and truth, Jesus Christ, the Father’s Son. 

By the very mouth of Jesus, we have promises such as: “I am the resurrection and the life.  Whoever believes in me will live, even if he dies.  And whoever lives and believes in me will never perish.” (John 11:25-26)  He said, “But be courageous!  I have overcome the world.” (John 16:33)  And, “Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved.” (Mark 16:16)  Through the power of His Holy Spirit, we are assured, “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” (1 John 1:9)

Therefore, dear friends, let us not be sleeping in neglect of our Friend who gave His life on the cross so that we are purified and holy in God’s sight, who pours out His own blood along with His body in the Supper by which He again forgives our sins and strengthens us to endure throughout the hardships and trials of this rebellious world.  Heed the invitation.  Be watching as the Lord returns.  Amen.

The peace of God which passes all understanding, keep your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus unto life everlasting.  Amen.