Advent 2 – Luke 21:25-36 – December 9th and 10th, 2023
In the Name of Christ Jesus, our Advent King +
There is a spiritual battle that is taking place, that takes place all around us constantly. While it's not common to speak of the Devil – seems too old fashioned or medieval, Satan is prowling around seeking your downfall. But even when I say that, there's still a tendency to not get the full picture. We think of Satan's temptations mainly as temptations to do bad, wicked, mean things – what's the image, the little devil on your shoulder saying, “Do it, do it!” That's part of it, but the Serpent is more crafty than any other creature in Creation. There's a larger game that is being played; a wider war is being leveled against you. Satan's chief goal isn't to get you to do bad things; we're all by nature sinful, we're going to do bad things anyway. Rather this; Satan's goal is to get you to forget about Jesus and the redemption He has won for you – and so the warfare that Satan engages in is this: by whatever means necessary, by hook or by crook, by fear or worry or anger or lust or greed or whatever, Satan tries to get you to ignore Christ and Him crucified. In our Gospel lesson we see Satan's attacks, the devil's use of fear or foreboding or busyness as tools used to distract you away from Jesus. The counter to this that Jesus teaches you is this: Now when these things begin to take place, straighten up and raise your heads, because your redemption is drawing near. Listen.
There will be signs in sun and moon and stars, and on the earth distress of nations because of the roaring of the sea and waves, people fainting with fear and with foreboding of what is coming on the world. For the powers of the heaven will be shaken. It never fails – whenever this text comes up, I can look at the news, and I can find more people telling me of impending disasters and troubles in the world. Last Sunday morning, CNN had an article about how coastal cities will be flooded in 100 years (because people apparently can't move), and then Monday morning I saw an article with someone lamenting extra cool zones in the sun, what's going on? And we've got an election coming up, so let's not even talk about the anger and the opinions painted as facts thrown out there - and then I just stopped looking at the news because it's the same thing, all the time. Look at what's happening – you need to be afraid! And so often it's the same fear mongers who were shouting the exact same things years ago – only the dates of destruction and doom are shifted. And as annoyed as I get at all this, it's easy to forget or ignore that there is a spiritual aspect to this. What does all this fear and anger do? It changes the way we look, the way we love, the way we care – or more to the point the way we stop loving or stop caring for people. And it shifts our focus to wild plans of what we need to do – if we just win this election or if we just stop eating so much tasty, yummy beef the world will be fixed. Now, O Christian, do you see the Spiritual shift there? We just had Thanksgiving a few weeks ago – see what God gives, see what our great Creator provides! And yet, we slide past Thanksgiving and suddenly everything in the world hinges on me – on what I do, what I support, how I change the world as though I'm the one actually in charge of things rather than God. Do you see what that move does to us Spiritually?
Over and against the fears, the panics, the god-absent man focused plans to fix everything, Jesus says something else. No, no, no – it's not about how you fix things. In fact, one of these days, these dire predictions and warnings will come true. The world, someday, will end. Dun dun duuuunnnnn. And when that day comes, it doesn't matter what choices I've made or what I've started eating – it's going to end. It might end for everyone as the Last Day, or it might just be my own personal end as my own death approaches. And you know what Jesus says to that? And then they will see the Son of Man coming in a cloud with power and great glory. All these things that people tell you will be the “end” - the dire and terrible thing... well, they are an end, but there's more. Jesus Christ, who once came humble and lowly as an infant, will come again. There is more to come even after these dire things – and you will see Him. You will see Jesus. Doesn't matter how the story of your life or this world turns out – you will see Jesus. Let's say you die – well, that's the end but not the end, because Jesus will raise you from the dead and you will see His second coming. Let's say it's the sweet meteor of doom that somes and smacks into the planet like a horrific celestial game of billards – well, that's an end, but you will also see Jesus, and He will come and He won't be bothered by any of this in the slightest because He's told you already this earth will be destroyed and He's going to make you a new one. And we could come up with countless other disaster scenarios to our hearts' content – but they all will and must resolve into what Jesus has promised – that He will come again, and His Kingdom will have no end.
Therefore, since this is the reality – that Jesus will come again - Jesus tells you, O Christian, to do something the world would never expect. Now, when these things begin to take place – when the worst of the worst predictions actually start happening – straighten up and raise your heads, because your redemption is drawing near. Don't cower in fear. Don't let Satan terrorize you with fear. Let's say the worst thing happens – so what – it just means you're closer to seeing Jesus return. Straighten up, raise your head, chin up and grin, because Satan can do his worst but it can't do a thing to Jesus, and Jesus always comes to redeem you. He came to win you salvation there on the Cross, and He's going to come again so that you see that salvation eternally – and there's not a thing Satan can do to stop Jesus.
So since Satan can't stop Jesus, the only trick he has left is to get you to try to forget Jesus. To pull your eyes off of Jesus. And Jesus tells you not to fall for that bait and switch, for that sleight of hand. Don't let Satan distract you – remember, Jesus has told you what things mean. Look at the fig tree, and all the trees. As soon as they come out in leaf, you see for yourselves and know that the summer is already near. So also, when you see these things taking place, you know that the kingdom of God is near. Truly, I say to you, this generation will not pass away until all has taken place. Satan tries, Satan tries to distract and terrify us, to make us forget that Jesus is our God and Savior. Nope – Jesus wins. And Jesus points this out to us because it will be hard for us to remember that Jesus wins. Fear and trouble will drive us. We don't recognize the kingdom of God like we ought. Jesus speaks this parable during Holy Week – and when Jesus goes to the Cross, what happens? Well, there were signs and distresses, sun blotted out and hours of darkness, the world shaken... and Christ winning redemption. And yet, on that Good Friday, so few saw or understood. Wicked crowds jeered thinking they had won political victories; other people cowered in fear of the day, disciples hid, Mary and John looked on in sorrow and heart break. Yet what was Good Friday? The soldier got it in part – truly this was the Son of God. But more than that – look, here is the promised redemption - Straighten up and raise your heads, because your redemption is drawing near. The tree of the Cross has a most wondrous leaf on it – Christ Jesus the life of the world! Redemption is near. Yet it was only later that the disciples saw and understood, only after the resurrection. Then they were ready to understand.
As Christians we learn to see all things through the Cross. We learn to see things through Easter. We learn to know that Christ will come again, as we confess every week in the Creed. And this is all driving and teaching us, in whatever situation we find ourselves, to straighten up and raise your heads, because your redemption is drawing near. This is the reality, this is the truth – this is what Christ Jesus has won already. And all Satan can do is distract you. But watch yourselves lest your hearts be weighed down with dissipation and drunkenness and cares of this life, and that day come upon you suddenly like a trap. Oh, the Devil is crafty. If simple fear won't distract you from Jesus, maybe dissipation will – maybe you will be spread so thin by so many things to do – because that's what dissipation is; fog dissipates when it spreads on out and goes away – maybe Satan can stretch you with so much busyness that you just don't think you have time for Jesus, for His Word. Or maybe a bit of drunkenness, party hard, enjoy life to the so called fullest – too much so called fun to pay attention to Jesus. Or maybe just the cares of this life, the humdrum every day slog. Whether they are opportunities or joys or sorrows or boredom, Satan will try to use them all to distract you from Jesus. Nope. In all those situations, when any of those things come around – But stay awake at all times, praying that you may have strength to escape all these things that are going to take place, and to stand before the Son of Man. Don't get bogged down by this – pray for strength, pray to be ready for Jesus to return. But Pastor – what if I see my weakness, but what if I fail? Well, you will be weak and you will fail. Oh well - straighten up and raise your heads, because your redemption is drawing near. Yeah, you are weak, but He is strong, and yes, He loves you – remember the song? Yeah, you fail – that's why you need to be redeemed – good thing that you know that your redeemer lives, what comfort this sweet sentence gives.
Jesus is coming, and He is coming to rescue you. The rescue has been done already with His birth, His death, His resurrection. Satan might try to terrify and distract you, but it doesn't change the fact that Jesus has already won – we're just waiting to see it. Therefore, this week, whatever you see - straighten up and raise your heads, because your redemption is drawing near. In the Name of Christ Jesus, our Advent King +
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