YEAR C 2018 advent 1

Advent I, 2018
Jeremiah 33:14-16
Psalm 25:1-10
I Thessalonians 3:9-13
Luke 21:25-36

In the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.  Amen.

So, happy Advent, y'all!  You probably weren’t expecting that Gospel reading, were you?  You were maybe expecting something about a baby?  Or maybe some shepherds seeing angels?  Or maybe even John the Baptist standing by a river?  But I’m pretty sure that people “fainting from fear and foreboding of what is coming upon the world, for the powers of the heavens will be shaken” was not what you had in mind when you saw all the pretty decorations in the room this morning.

Well, let’s jump right in here.  As usual, you’ve probably been hearing Christmas carols since, oh, I don’t know, the day after Halloween?  And you might even have been playing them yourself since the day after Thanksgiving.  It’s hard not to join right in, since everybody else is doing it.  You know, peer pressure and all that.  Outside these walls, you’re surrounded by a society that is full-on celebrating Christmas, while we’re in here listening to Jesus talk about the end of the world.  Jesus is the reason for the season . . . that isn’t here yet.

This disconnect can make it seem like the Church is out of sync with the culture.  But, of course, in reality, it is the culture that is out of sync with the Church.  Because, Christmas starts on December 25th, and Christmas goes until January 6th, which is when you’ll be receiving your twelve drummers a drumming.  But our American culture has taken our particular feast, celebrating the birth of the Savior, and decided it really starts around Thanksgiving.  Which is fine, whatever, but let’s remember who is actually out of sync with whom around here.  Jesus is the reason for the season . . . that we are waiting another 23 days for.  Okay.  Rant off.

On to the text at hand, the comforting little story of the time when people will be fainting from fear and foreboding of what is coming upon the world, for the powers of the heavens will be shaken.  This gospel reading we heard today falls into the category of what we call apocalyptic literature.  We tend to think of the word “apocalypse” as having something to do with death and destruction and the end times.  But the word “apocalypse” means an uncovering, a disclosing if you will.  Something is going to be revealed, not destroyed.  It’s like unwrapping a gift, which means on Christmas morning your family will be enjoying a lovely little apocalypse together around the Christmas tree.

So, today, Jesus is revealing something to the disciples.  He is not predicting a coming destruction:  he is disclosing some truth to them.  Which means we need to try to find out what that truth is.  What is he telling them?  Well, just two things.  First, the Kingdom is at hand, and second, so pay attention.  Amen.  Please rise for the Creed.  Just kidding.  Let’s break those two things down a little.

What does it mean to say that the kingdom of heaven is at hand?  Well, in popular thought, the phrase “the kingdom is at hand” is connected to a guy with a bullhorn and a sandwich board out on the street corner, right?  Someone yelling at us about the need to repent because destruction is coming.  Or, how we’d better get ready because Jesus is coming back, and he’s really, really mad at us because he hates us so much.  And that way of thinking about the phrase starts from thinking “at hand” means “coming up in time.”  But this phrase, “at hand,” does not mean, “coming up next.”  It means within reach.  Like, you’re watching a show on Hulu and there’s a commercial coming up, so keep the remote at hand.  Within reach of your hand.

Thinking of the kingdom at hand in this way changes everything.  The kingdom of heaven is at hand: right here.  It’s right next to you.  All around you.  The kingdom of heaven is near, doesn’t mean it’s nearly here, or it’s coming up at the next exit.  It means near to you.  The kingdom is within reach.  That’s the first part of the apocalypse.  And the second part is related to it.

Pay attention.  Most of the rest of this gospel reading is about this idea of paying attention.  Be on guard so that your hearts will not be weighed down with the worries of this life.  The distractions of life, the inattention of being so busy, no matter the season.  We run the risk of not seeing what is all around us because we’re so busy being busy all the time.  Jesus says, be alert at all times.  Notice that Jesus is not saying, I’m coming back, so look busy.  No, in fact, he’s saying quite the opposite.  Stop being so busy and distracted with the worries of this life that you miss what is at hand.  And what is at hand, you ask?  Why, the Kingdom of heaven is at hand.

Jesus tells us, “When you see these things begin to take place, stand up and raise your heads, because your redemption is drawing near.”  What things is he talking about?  What are these signs?  Jesus says, “There will be signs in the sun, the moon, and the stars, and on the earth distress among nations confused by the roaring of the sea and the waves. People will faint from fear and foreboding of what is coming upon the world, for the powers of the heavens will be shaken.”

Are we seeing those signs?  Well, some people try to read into natural disasters and international conflicts, and then scare everybody by saying Jesus is coming back, and he’s really, really mad at us because he hates us so much.  I don’t have to go through the entire list for you, because I’m sure you’ve seen examples.  You know, God sent AIDS because people are gay, hurricanes happen because New Orleans parties too much, California wildfires happen because democrats live there.  These are the signs that Jesus is coming back, and man is he angry!

But forget all that.  Those people are just making stuff up because they have a microphone or a typewriter and have anger issues.  You don’t need to look at natural disasters or international conflicts to see the signs. 

“People will faint from fear and foreboding of what is coming upon the world, for the powers of the heavens will be shaken.”  Impossibly large language for impossibly large events, but which apply to you and me as well.  Specific times in our lives are just like that.  Tragedy hits us and the world is turned upside down.  Our only love gets cancer.  We lose the one job in the family.  Someone we care about dies unexpectedly.  People we love go to jail, have tragic accidents, turn their backs on us when we need them.

In these moments, for all we can see, the sky is dark, the sea is crashing down upon us, the world is shaking and the heavens are shaken.  These are the signs of this day and this hour, whether or not Jesus is ever coming back.  And when our world is crashing down around us, Jesus has a message for us:  “When these things begin to take place, stand up and raise your heads, because your redemption is drawing near.”

You don’t need to look at the world to know you need redemption.  Look at your own life.  Look at the suffering of those who live around you, or work with you, or sleep under the overpass.  We know we need redemption because the world is not as it should be.  And if we keep awake, if we pay attention, we will see the signs.  And when we see the signs, we should stand up and look up, because redemption is drawing near.

Jesus doesn’t tell us what to do about any of this, though, does he?  No, what he tells us to do is to keep awake and watch.  Pay attention.  The kingdom of God is at hand—right next to you.  And that is exactly what gives us hope in the midst of darkness.  When we see distress among nations, and when we are confused by the roaring of the sea and the waves, look up, because redemption is drawing near.  When people faint from fear and foreboding of what is coming upon the world, look up, because redemption is drawing near.  When people try to tell you that you don’t matter, or that you are not loved by God, or that the coming of Jesus means condemnation, look up, because redemption is drawing near.

You are loved by the God who created you.  You are loved by the God who has redeemed you.  You are loved by the God who sustains you.  Keep awake to that truth, be alert to that reality, because your redemption has already come near.  In fact, your redemption is at hand.

Amen