|
|
|
The sermon for December 8 was on Luke 21:25-36
Grace and peace to you . . .
The theme of Advent is not that Christmas is coming. The theme of Advent
is that Jesus is coming. The Son of Man, the Judge of all the living and the
dead, is coming in a cloud with power and great glory. While it is true that
most will be caught unawares and unready on that Day, it is not because Jesus
did not warn mankind of His return. He is gracious to all as He lists the signs
of His coming, both here in this lesson and throughout the Scriptures. He is
gracious to you as He reminds you that His coming brings not your condemnation,
but your redemption. He is gracious to you as He counts you worthy to stand
before Him on that great and awesome Last Day.
Consider the signs which Jesus lists here of His return. There will be
signs in the sun, in the moon, and in the stars. On the earth there will be the
distress of nations with perplexity. There will be the sea and waves roaring.
When have there not been eclipses of the sun and moon? When have there not been
falling stars? When has there not been distress of nations with perplexity? And
when have the sea and the waves stopped their roaring? All these signs have been
occurring since Jesus uttered this warning! How, then, should you take this
gracious warning of Christ?
The unbelievers scoff at these words of Jesus. Because these signs are so
common, they regard them merely as natural events and as the normal course of
the world. They utterly reject the idea that these are signs of the end of time.
Although God provides them with ample warning of His return, they ignore His
Word and waste the time He gives for repentance. They carry on as they always
have, weighed down with carousing, drunkenness, and the cares of this life.
Judgment Day will come on them unexpectedly as a snare, and their hearts will
fail them from fear when the Son of Man comes.
How are you spending this Advent season? Are you caught up in the
frenzied, mad rush to prepare for the perfect Christmas, or are you preparing
for the coming of the Son of Man by repenting of your sins and receiving His
forgiveness? Are you scurrying off to one Christmas get-together after another,
weighed down with carousing, or are you waiting expectantly for the
Because of their commonness, very few people pay any attention to the
gracious warning signs of the coming of the Son of Man. But, Jesus did not
foretell these signs so that no one would recognize them or take them to heart.
Rather, Jesus foretells all these signs so that you will recognize them when
they appear. He foretells them so that you may rejoice when you see them, and
have no fear. “When these things begin to happen,” Jesus says, “look up
and lift up your heads, because your redemption draws near.”
A believer does not scoff at the words of Jesus. Rather, you take them to
heart. When you see an eclipse, you see a sign of Christ’s return. When you
see a falling star, you are reminded of that Day when all stars will be
extinguished. When you hear of all the distress and perplexity on the earth, you
know that your redemption is getting nearer and nearer. When you hear the roar
of the waves and the sea, you take to heart the warning of Jesus and rejoice at
the promise of His return. The commonness of these signs are not proof of their
falsehood, as the unbeliever thinks; rather, the commonness of these signs is
proof of God’s constant, gracious reminders that your redemption draws near.
My dear Christian, take heed to God’s gracious reminders. Is there an
eclipse of the sun or moon? Hear God telling you, “I am coming soon to save
you.” Did you witness a meteor shower? “Take heart,” God says, “I am
coming soon to save you.” Is all that sword rattling in
At His first advent, on that holy night so long ago when the shepherds
watched over their flocks, Jesus came with His glory hidden from sight. He came
as an infant, and few recognized the arrival of God in the flesh. Likewise,
Jesus continues to come unto His people, as He draws near to you in the
preaching of His Word, in the giving of Absolution, in the sacred bath of
Baptism (which you witnessed this morning). Did you see Jesus coming to little
Micha when the water was poured on his head? Indeed, Jesus did come, but your
eyes saw only the water. In like manner, Jesus comes to you here in His Body and
Blood to forgive you all your sins. Do your eyes behold the tender meat of
God’s Body and the thick redness of His Blood? Of course not! Nevertheless, He
comes to you now in these ways, with His glory hidden from human sight.
On the Last Day, there will be no question as to the arrival of Christ
with His glory fully revealed. The powers of heaven will be shaken and men’s
hearts will fail them from fear. Then you will see the Son of Man coming in a
cloud with power and great glory. Then you will see Him with your own eyes; He
will not remain hidden. Then you will see Him in His Body, the same Body which
was born of the Virgin Mary, and you will behold His face. For those caught
unaware, like a bird caught in a snare, His coming will be the source of
unspeakable dread. Their carousing and drunkenness will be stopped short, and
the sobering judgment will begin. All flesh will stand before the glorious Son
of Man. How will you stand?
Have no fear of that Day, dear Christian. Jesus does not speak the words
of this text in order to frighten you, but to comfort you. He does not say,
“Your condemnation draws near,” but, “your redemption draws near.” While
the unbeliever quakes from fear at the Lord’s return, you will lift up your
head with joy. Finally all the troubles of this life will pass away, and you
will enter into eternal glory. Finally, your constant prayer, “Thy kingdom
come,” will be answered. Finally, your once sinful flesh will be glorified and
you will be troubled by sin no more. The coming of the Son of Man is not the
coming of terror and death for you, but the coming of your redemption and
eternal life.
Jesus gives you further comfort with the short parable of the fig tree,
and all the trees. Consider what blessed Luther preaches of this parable:
“Pure words of comfort are these. [Jesus] does not put forth a parable
from the fall or winter season when all the trees are bare and the dreary days
begin; but a parable from the spring and summer season, when everything is
joyous, when all creation buds forth and rejoices. By this He clearly teaches
that [you] are to look forward to the Last Day with as much joy and delight as
all creation shows in spring and summer. What is the meaning of this parable if
in it He does not teach [you] this?”
Jesus gives you comfort in this lesson. He comforts you when He says,
“Your redemption draws near.” He comforts you with a parable of ripeness and
joy, not of barrenness and death. He further comforts you when He says, “My
words will by no means pass away.” This is the foundation of your comfort.
Without the precious Word of God, you would know nothing of His love toward you.
If His Word were unreliable or temporary, then it would offer no lasting
comfort. But the promises of God are certain and trustworthy. Even as the Last
Day comes and heaven and earth are passing away before your very eyes, you have
no reason for fear. You rest secure on the very Word of God, which will by no
means pass away. This is Jesus’ comfort to you.
Finally, Jesus concludes His comfort in this lesson with a reminder of
how your redemption comes to you on the Last Day. This comfort comes as you
carefully listen to what Jesus says about standing before the Son of Man. He
says, “Pray always that you may be counted worthy . . . to stand before the
Son of Man.” Being able to stand before the Judge of both the living and the
dead does not happen by your own ability or works. Because of your sins, you are
not worthy to stand before God. Yet, in Christ, you are counted
worthy to stand before Him. That you are counted worthy in Christ is your
greatest comfort on the Last Day. When God counts you worthy, it does not matter
that you are a poor, miserable sinner. When God counts you worthy, it does not
matter that you are weighed down with carousing, drunkenness, or the cares of
this life. God indeed counts you worthy; and so, you are
worthy to stand before the Son of Man when He comes.
Therefore, when you see the signs of the End, you have no reason to fear.
Are there signs in the sun, moon, and stars? Rejoice; your redemption draws
near! Is there distress of nations with perplexity? See and know for yourself
that the ripeness of eternal, summer joy in the |
|
Last Updated: 7/15/2008 |