Sermons for the Month

Jesus Christ ... Our HOPE
DATE: November 30th, 2003
SERVICE: First Sunday in Advent
THEME: HOPE
TEXT: Luke 21:25-36

“To all of you Saints here this morning, grace and peace to you from God our Father, from His Son, Jesus Christ and His Holy Spirit. AMEN

Hope is the theme for this First Sunday in Advent. The word "hope" is one which we use often. How many times this week did you hope for something? Perhaps you said, "I hope there is no family trauma on Thanksgiving Day," or, on a lighter note, "I hope there's enough turkey left over to make one more sandwich." (Maybe you said, "I hope that turkey is gone, finally.") Maybe you hoped it would not rain, or snow or that someone would call. Throughout our lives, whether it involves minor issues like the ones I just mentioned, or major ones, we spend a lot of time "hoping for the best."

To say that today, the First Sunday in Advent, is really quite significant. For Christians having hope does not imply simply that we are crossing our fingers and counting on luck to carry us through. I did a word study on the Greek word for hope and found that in the Biblical tradition to have hope is to expect the good.

If you "hoped for the best", then you truly believed that the best would come to pass. The opposite of hope was the concept of fear; to be without hope implied being afraid of what the future will bring.

Now this is important … that fear was thought to be impossible for the children of God. They could only have hope. Why? Because it is being one of God's chosen that makes hope possible. We have hope because we have confidence in God's love for us. To have hope is to trust in God's goodness.

If that's what we believe then hope is not just an idle phrase; it's a reality in our lives. The coming of Jesus makes it possible for us to expect the good.

How, then, does that expectation relate to today's Gospel lesson? Last weekend I was talking on the phone with my friend Ed who is a pastor in North Carolina. He asked me what I was looking forward to in the coming weeks and I replied, "The Season of Advent." (You will note that I said Advent, not Christmas.)

I enjoy the intention of Advent - the quietness, the mood of expectation, the lighting of the Advent wreath and the Advent hymns. But then Ed said something only a Pastor would say, "Are you looking forward to the texts?", and his tone implied that he was not. Evidently he, like I, and read the scripture lessons designated for the four Sundays in Advent and groaned.

Gospel lessons like the one we just read not only are difficult to understand, but also are often misrepresented in popular literature and by television preachers. Focus is often placed on using the scripture an indication of when Jesus in going to return. People note changes in weather patterns or in the tides and say, "See, it's a sign. He'll return by next week." And, yet, if there is anything that's abundantly clear in scripture it is that no one but God knows when Jesus will return, not even Jesus himself.

The fact is that the language of the Gospel about the sun, the moon and the stars is poetic in nature. It reflects Jewish scripture - the Psalms and the Prophetic writings - and is not intended to be taken literally. It does not lend itself to scientific analysis nor does it connect to specific events.

The point of this text is not to scare people. I can't stress that enough. These words remind us that God will intervene in human history and that's a promise, not a threat.

The emphasis is on HOPE because for the children of God there is no reason to fear what the future will bring.

On that day when Jesus comes with power and great glory we are to welcome him with joy. "Stand up," the text says, "and raise your heads because your redemption is drawing near." Does that sound like the posture of someone who is afraid or of someone who is filled with hope?

It's interesting that this is the only place in all four Gospels that the Greek word for redemption is used. It means that a person is released from payment of a fee. It implies being set free. So it is that when we see Jesus coming in the clouds we are seeing our freedom.

For now we live in an imperfect world, a world marked by suffering, conflict, violence and death. From tragedies that affect thousands - the AIDS epidemic in Africa or war in Iraq - to those that are closer to home, like an untimely death by accident or illness, our world is an imperfect place filled with imperfect people.

When our lives on this earth end, we are at peace in God's care, but evil still prevails in the existence we left behind. But, one day, Jesus will return in glory and for those who died believing and those who are living in faith there will be an end to evil. Imperfection will be no more and God's kingdom will come. This is our ultimate hope.

In the mean time, though, we find hope in God's goodness and God's love, which are unfailing. And, we are not to become overwhelmed or apathetic. Jesus mentions three potential threats as we wait for freedom to come - dissipation, drunkenness and the worries of this life.

We all know what drunkenness is; to put it simply it is to use a substance to dull ones inhibitions, judgment and thus limit that person's mental and physical abilities. But what's dissipation? The word in Greek was commonly used to refer to nausea which results from being drunk. In other words, it's that which drains one's energy. Or, to broaden the definition, it is that which squanders time, money, relationships and lives. That brings us to the third threat, worry, which is very similar to dissipation. Worry causes us to waste time and energy. It is the opposite of faith.

In fact, all three of these - dissipation, drunkenness and worry - have the potential to kill our spirits and destroy our faith. Jesus says to watch out for them, to pray for the strength to avoid them and for the ability to live faith-filled lives until the day of freedom arrives.

For believers, what a day that will be! What a great, hope-filled day that will be. I cannot read this text without remembering the song that is performed in the musical and movie, Funny Lady. It begins very quietly, "When you are down and out, life up your head and shout, it's going to be a great day." Or, I think of the African-American preacher Gardner Taylor who is reported to have written a sermon on this text that ended in this way, "Look up! Look up!" and then with a soft, deliberate voice, "For your redemption - draweth - nigh!"

What a wonderful proclamation of for all who have suffered, for all who have endured the turmoil of an imperfect world. Freedom is on its way. In the meantime, pray for the spiritual energy to do God's will.

But when you see the Son of Man coming in a cloud, with power and great glory, do not hide, do not be afraid, but stand up, raise up your head and look hope and freedom full in the face. He, Jesus, is drawing near.

AMEN

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