This week I took to Google looking for a list and I found it. The list contains the names of astrologers, mathematicians, physicists, historians, explorers, cult leaders, authors, theologians and preachers. It has bishops, monks, cardinals and popes. It has names like Tim Lahay, Jerry Falwell, Hal Lindsy, Pat Robertson and John Hagee. It’s got names like Christopher Columbus, ancient church father Iraneus, Jonathan Edwards, John Wesley and even a certain German monk named Martin Luther. Over 176 entries, all predictions about when the end of time, the apocalypse, when Jesus would return or the end of the world, however you want to phrase it. The predictions based on really weird math, the millennium, the millennium plus 33 years, the black death, special or secret knowledge, the fact that Good Friday fell on the same day as the feast of Annunciation, the Bubonic plague and London Fire, a forest fire on a cloudy day, the dimensions of Noah’s Ark, the pyramids at Giza, Halley’s Comet, the Halle-Bopp Comet, and the second millennium among other other equally interesting bases. One case was even a woman named Mary Bateman, who in 1806, wrote “Christ is Coming” in corrosive ink on eggs and stuffed them back into chickens to be re-laid. Quite a few have led to panic while a few have led to mass suicide or murder and one case to some very unhappy chickens. These are only the well known predictions and they do not include predictions for the future. Many, many of these predictions came from Christians and Christian leaders. A lot of ink and time has been spent on these assertions and predictions. It really is a shame that we don’t have some sort of guidance or that Jesus didn’t say anything about when it’s going to be. Hashtag extreme sarcasm. There are all those names, but I am going to give you a quote from a slightly different source that should be our answer to the question, “when?” The quote comes from a lyric from Ozzy Osbourne, the heavy metal artist that was reviled during the Satanic Panic of the 1980’s. People look to me and say, “Is the end near, when is the final day? What’s the future of mankind? How do I know, I got left behind?” Everyone goes through changes, Looking to find the truth. Don’t look at me for answers. Don’t ask me, I don’t know.” Isn’t that exactly what Jesus was trying to get across in today’s Gospel? We as Christians have to do a lot better. Fear of the unknown is what drives this speculation. We want to make the unknown a sure thing so that we can deal with it. We were reborn to be a people of faith not a people of fear. It’s amazing how ignored Jesus’ words are here. No one knows, not even him. Wasn’t trying to know more than God what set Adam and Eve off on the wrong path? So many sermons, so many books devoted, so much time wasted on the “When?” Here’s a question. When has there ever been a time when there has not been “two in the field; one taken and one left? Or, Two women grinding meal together; one taken and one left?” I doubt that there are many that are hearing this who have not experienced the unexpected loss or just loss of a loved one and being left to experience the reality of just how unknown things are. Jesus talked about the guy who was doing so well with his farm that he became preoccupied with his wealth and all of his stuff. He became self-absorbed and self-centered and started referring to himself in the third person and decided he had it made and would just focus on himself and his leisure and relax, eat, drink, be merry. Jesus ended the parable by saying, “God said to him, ‘You fool! This very night your life is being demanded of you. And the things you have prepared, whose will they be?’ So it is with those who store up treasures for themselves but are not rich toward God.” This is something that we as followers of Christ have to do better at. Sometimes we can even get so self-centered on “my salvation” that we forsake Jesus’ mission to extend grace and love to others, to heal others, to clothe others and to feed and protect others. Jesus died for us while we were still sinners. Jesus extended amazing grace to us and freed us from sin and death. Faith is realizing that we don’t need to know the “when” because we are ready. We have been made right. We are not called to wring our hands and waste time worrying about the future but about the “right now”. During advent, I want to highlight the now and ways that we can participate and are participating in Christ’s mission. Lutheran World Relief, Founded in 1945 by Lutherans in the U.S., is an international aid and development organization that partners with communities to help them develop productive and stable economies, improve resilience in the face of a changing climate, and respond to natural disasters and humanitarian crises. In 2019, Lutheran World Relief joined the Corus International family, an ensemble of global leaders united in a commitment to ending poverty, suffering and injustice once and for all. Today, I would like to share a story and observance by Pastor Tim Krick, the Congregational Engagement Manager for Lutheran World Relief. On the surface, the gospel lesson for this week appears to be a prooftext for the rapture. But in fact, this Scripture serves as a call to the church that until Christ comes again, our work is not complete. We are not to be complacent and idle since we know not the hour or day. It will be a glorious and unexpected return, and so we must work actively to prepare the world for it. A mother never expects to flee her home with her children, but that’s exactly the horrifying situation Kristina and her children found themselves in. They were living a peaceful life in Ukraine when the bombing started, and in a matter of moments their world turned completely upside down. After fleeing to a nearby school basement, they found themselves huddled in fear with others from their community and remained there for two weeks. Only sparingly did they dare to leave the basement, dashing home for a quick shower when they felt safe. It was during one of those outings, as bombs flew across the sky and her children ill from the poor living conditions, that Kristina realized she had to get out. Their very lives depended on it. That night, she took her family to the train station. As they were boarding, the station was bombed, but Kristina miraculously — and barely — still managed to escape to Poland with her children. Once in Poland, Kristina and her children were welcomed with open arms. Volunteers provided food, drink and warm handshakes to let them know they were not alone. Because of the love of Lutheran World Relief donors, Kristina also received emergency cash funds that will give her the needed money to find an apartment and time to find a job. As Christians, we believe that with the return of Christ, all will be put right. We are not there yet. As Kristina’s story so clearly shows, earth and heaven are not one. Our world still faces the devastation of war, poverty, homelessness and other injustices. We cannot stand idle and complacent, waiting for the day when it is “on earth as it is in heaven.” We could live as if we were in a doctor’s office lobby, ignoring those who suffer around us, staring at our phones and waiting for someone to come through the door to call out our name. Or we can dare to have the courage of mothers like Kristina and the compassion of the volunteers who greeted her family. Stand, watch and act. This gospel invites us to stay awake — for the sake of our neighbors — and prepare for the time we all await. The time, the when is not in some distant future, it is now. Christ did not leave us because he has promised to be with us in bread and wine and whenever two or more are gathered in his name. This is a time for Living that Faith. That time when we are reunited with those that have gone before will come, but now let us heed pastor Tim’s call to Stand, watch and act for our neighbors. Let’s meet our neighbor Kristina and hear her story…… The Lord be with you. Let us pray. Stir up your power, Lord Christ, and come. By your merciful protection save us from the threatening dangers of our sins, and enlighten our walk in the way of your salvation, for you live and reign with the Father and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen…….Jesus describes his second coming as a sudden, turbulent event that will bring about deep change to our normal, day-to-day lives. Therefore, he urges people to stay awake, be aware, and wait expectantly, because the Son of Man will come unannounced. The holy gospel is according to Matthew the 24th chapter. [Jesus said to the disciples,] “About that day and hour no one knows, neither the angels of heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father. For as the days of Noah were, so will be the coming of the Son of Man. For as in those days before the flood they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day Noah entered the ark, and they knew nothing until the flood came and swept them all away, so too will be the coming of the Son of Man. Then two will be in the field; one will be taken and one will be left. Two women will be grinding meal together; one will be taken and one will be left. Keep awake therefore, for you do not know on what day your Lord is coming. But understand this: if the owner of the house had known in what part of the night the thief was coming, he would have stayedawake and would not have let his house be broken into. Therefore you also must be ready, for the Son of Man is coming at an unexpected hour.” The Gospel of the lord, praise to you O Christ.
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