The text of the sermon delivered by Rev. Kirk Moore at Union Congregational United Church of Christ in Somonauk, IL on November 29, 2009
This morning’s Bible reading is from Luke 21:25-36
Dangerous talk
That rabble-rouser Jesus is at it again! In this week’s Bible reading from Luke 21:25-36, he’s talking about the powers of the heavens being shaken.
Who are the powers of the heavens? In Jesus time that was Rome. For Christians, Rome represented everything that was wrong with the world. Shaking up the powers of the heavens pointed to a change in the way things worked. It offered hope to those who lived under the rule of tyrants.
But Jesus words are revolutionary. Claiming that the powers of this world will be shaken up and that “the one” would come with power and glory may bring us a visual of earthquakes and solar flares and all kinds of natural destruction while Jesus comes in and saves the day. For Rome, it would have brought visions of the emperor and kings and governors being thrown from their places of power while a new emperor came to take over.
Dangerous talk.
And then Jesus goes and talks about “this generation” not passing away until all things have taken place.
Way back when – the early followers of Christ expected that he was going to return very soon – as in “during their lifetime.”
And it didn’t happen that way. Why? Does “this generation” mean something different from 40-some years? There must be some explanation. Some have said that “this generation” refers to humanity’s generation. I don’t know for sure – but I believe that it meant something different than the people originally thought. God’s good at doing that.
Over the years people have predicted dates for Christ’s return. There have been hundreds of predictions covering dates like 500, 1000, 1420, 1666, 1809, 1910, 1949, 1967 and at least 30 predicting some date between 1980 and 2012. (Foreboding music . . .) Well. We know for sure that all things cannot take place until Hollywood makes a movie about the end and a vampire movie targeted almost exclusively at women brings in 142 million dollars during it’s first US box office weekend.
Uh. . .
What are all the “Here it when it’s gonna happen” predictors thinking? Nobody knows how or when the story ends. We don’t get insider information so that we can stock up on fuel and food and water before all hell breaks loose.
Dangerous talk.
Jesus had some instructions for the disciples about preparing, however. It starts with the short parable of the fig tree. He took the attention off of scary things and put it on to more ordinary things. The fig tree sprouts leaves at regular intervals. The seasons come and go. And while they were in that mindset, he gave them the instructions. And what were they? Wait. Be patient. Pray. The season will come soon enough. Just keep alert and don’t get all wrapped up in the worries of life.
There is no call to panic as if catastrophe was imminent.
There is no call to rise up and fight.
There is no call to stock up on fuel and food and water and to build bomb shelters
There is no call to any kind of violence at all.
We’re good at getting angry and pointing our guns and tanks and bombs at each other. We all need to stop. Instead of looking at violent times as something God is orchestrating or something that is holy and necessary, what if we saw it simply as violence? Everything that we attach to the violence — divine retribution, holy cleansing, stopping terror etc isn’t good. It is just violence.
And in the end of today’s reading Jesus makes no call to any kind of violence. His words of waiting and patience and prayer were loud and clear then and they are loud and clear now.
Put down your weapons.
Stop expecting the worst.
Live focused on me and the hope that I bring.
Dangerous talk.
And it is with that dangerous talk that we enter this Advent season. We’re preparing for the celebration of Jesus birth. We’re going to worry that our decorations aren’t perfect, that we can’t buy enough or get the perfect presents. We’re going to be swamped and wonder how so much activity can be packed into such a short time. We’re going to wonder if we will be able to survive the month.
And Jesus has instructions for us.
Wait. Be patient. Pray. The season will come soon enough. Just keep alert and don’t get all wrapped up in the worries of life.
And one more for me. Don’t get too uptight that you can’t end this week’s sermon with some profound thought that ends with the title: Signs.
Close with prayer.
Union Congregational, United Church of Christ - Somonauk, IL 