Mark 13:24-37                        You’d better Watch Out!!                              27/11/11

  "But in those days, following that distress, "'the sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give its light; {25} the stars will fall from the sky, and the heavenly bodies will be shaken.' {26} "At that time men will see the Son of Man coming in clouds with great power and glory. {27} And he will send his angels and gather his elect from the four winds, from the ends of the earth to the ends of the heavens. {28} "Now learn this lesson from the fig tree: As soon as its twigs get tender and its leaves come out, you know that summer is near. {29} Even so, when you see these things happening, you know that it is near, right at the door. {30} I tell you the truth, this generation will certainly not pass away until all these things have happened. {31} Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will never pass away. {32} "No one knows about that day or hour, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father. {33} Be on guard! Be alert ! You do not know when that time will come. {34} It's like a man going away: He leaves his house and puts his servants in charge, each with his assigned task, and tells the one at the door to keep watch. {35} "Therefore keep watch because you do not know when the owner of the house will come back--whether in the evening, or at midnight, or when the rooster crows, or at dawn. {36} If he comes suddenly, do not let him find you sleeping. {37} What I say to you, I say to everyone: 'Watch!'"

 Here today we begin another Advent season, which is a reminder that Christmas is just around the corner. Not that we need too much reminding that this is so. The shopping centres are well and truly geared up to make sure that we are ready and prepared for this coming event. They are out to make sure that we do not get caught short, by having too few or too little in the gifts we give. Because after all; how embarrassing would that be?

 So as we begin our lead up to Christmas the message is clearly out there. And that message is summed up with the popular song: ‘You’d better watch out. You’d better not cry. Santa Claus is coming to town.’ Now sadly how true is that, when it comes to our Christmas preparations? We all are being encouraged to, and are in a greater or lesser degree, looking more for Santa to come at Christmas than we are for Jesus. We are far more looking to and spending our time and our efforts with the material things of Christmas, than for that which Christmas is truly all about.

 Now here in this reading Jesus gives us a sober warning. Watch out! Watch out that you don’t get caught napping. Watch out that you don’t lose your focus on that which is all important. Watch out that you don’t miss out when Jesus returns in all his glory. Because; "At that time men will see the Son of Man coming in clouds with great power and glory. And he will send his angels and gather his elect. Be on guard! Be alert ! You do not know when that time will come.”

Here Jesus makes one thing quite clear to us: The timing of his second coming will be unexpected. As much as he says we can know that this time is coming and that it will come sooner than we might like to think; nobody except the Father knows when it will actually be. Just as we know that with the fig tree: As soon as its twigs get tender and its leaves come out, you know that summer is near; so the signs are all there that end is drawing close for our end. The signs are there for us all to see that it is not far off; it will come, nothing is surer. So we had better be ready and prepared.

 However Jesus also makes the point that we are to avoid speculating when this might be. If we think about it, we can understand that. Because what happens if we know when it will take place? It is bit like a lot of my mate’s years ago, when it came to talk about going to church and taking the Christian faith seriously: ‘Yes look I’m busy at the moment. I’ve got plenty of time yet. I’ll wait until later in life.’ I’m sure you have all heard that sort of thing. They speculate that they will be around for many, many more years yet, and so they will leave it till later on. We all know that most of those people with that attitude end up dying before they think their time us up, and before they have taken seriously God and what he has to say to them.

 As well as that, when Jesus says no one knows about that day or hour, he is warning us to be wary of those who claim to have some superior knowledge as to when and how it will take place. They are really con men and women. Instead of spending time seeking an exact time for his appearance, he is saying that we are to get on with being and doing what we are called to do. We are to be ready and prepared for whenever the bridegroom comes; whether it is sooner or later.

 Instead of speculation about these things he is encouraging us to look forward with watchful and joyful anticipation. Just as young children look forward eagerly to Christmas morn, so too should we be anticipating Jesus’ coming: eager, alert and watchful. These children already know that there are good things in store for them in a few weeks time. So even though they play and do their chores and all kinds of other things, they have clearly in their minds what is to come. We often hear them talking about what they might receive and what they would like. And as the days get nearer so does the anticipation and the excitement; they are counting down the days; they are alert to all that is happening around them which might give them clues.

 Surely now we as Christians would have a similar attitude toward our Lord’s coming. Surely we have something to look forward to that is infinitely greater than the toys that our children get. Surely eternal life in heaven is the greatest and most important things that we could ever hope to attain. Surely being in the presence of Jesus is something that we would eagerly and joyfully look forward to with great anticipation.

 But sadly of course that is not the case. We think that what we have here, and what we achieve for ourselves, is what life is all about. We look forward in anticipation to making more money and having more material possessions. We seek more the presence of sports stars and influential people, than Jesus’ presence. We have become overly preoccupied with our daily lives, and our here and now. This world around is where we place our emphasis.

So when it comes to things spiritual and more importantly Christ and his presence with us, we more often than not have become drowsy and are even in danger of falling asleep altogether. Though we have been called to keep watch for the benefit of others, we are just keeping ourselves awake.

 That being the case we need to take note of Jesus’ little parable, where he says: “It's like a man going away: He leaves his house and puts his servants in charge, each with his assigned task, and tells the one at the door to keep watch. "Therefore keep watch because you do not know when the owner of the house will come back--whether in the evening, or at midnight, or when the rooster crows, or at dawn. If he comes suddenly, do not let him find you sleeping.  What I say to you, I say to everyone: 'Watch!'"

So in a few moments time as you come forward and kneel at the Altar rail, be strengthened for this task, as Jesus comes to you in a very real way. There he comes to you to forgive you and also strengthen you so that you can stay awake and alert. There he comes to you so that he can go with you as you go about your daily life.

 Also through his Word he comes to you so that you may not be distracted by the busyness of life and the desires of the things that the world around us sees as important. There he continues to remind you of the great gift of eternal life that he has won for you. That Jesus and his death on the cross is what has made it all possible for us.

Then also as Christmas approaches be reminded again that God has come into our world in the person of baby Jesus. He came as one of us so that he might help us in our great need. He came to die on the cross so that we might have the forgiveness of sins and the assurance of life and salvation. He came to be with us so that we can know that he loves and cares about us and that he wants us to be with him in eternity.

Then as you are continually being reminded of these things, he will keep you awake and alert. He will be continually kept before you so that you may know that you are ready and prepared, because he has done all that is necessary for you and your salvation. Then your anticipation, joy and hope will continue to be increased, so that you will not be distracted or fall asleep. Your focus will be shifted to Jesus and all that he has done for you, so that you will long to be with him and give him all glory, now and always.

So What I say to you, I say to everyone: 'Watch!' AMEN.

 Pastor Roger Atze

Glandore/Underdale Lutheran Parish

Ephesians 1:15-23       In Christ, a sure hope of a glorious inheritance!                        20/11/11

For this reason, ever since I heard about your faith in the Lord Jesus and your love for all the saints, {16} I have not stopped giving thanks for you, remembering you in my prayers. {17} I keep asking that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the glorious Father, may give you the Spirit of wisdom and revelation, so that you may know him better. {18} I pray also that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which he has called you, the riches of his glorious inheritance in the saints, {19} and his incomparably great power for us who believe. That power is like the working of his mighty strength, {20} which he exerted in Christ when he raised him from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly realms, {21} far above all rule and authority, power and dominion, and every title that can be given, not only in the present age but also in the one to come. {22} And God placed all things under his feet and appointed him to be head over everything for the church, {23} which is his body, the fullness of him who fills everything in every way.

Today is the last Sunday of the Church Year and our attention is drawn to the end of all things and to that which is truly important in life. As we think of loved ones and friends who have passed on before us and even our own lives and what is good and important, we are here drawn to the inevitable conclusion, that it is being connected to Jesus Christ that is what is important, now and for the end as well. Like Paul, we give thanks to God for those who live and die, with Jesus Christ as their Lord and Saviour: For those who are in Christ there is the sure hope of a glorious inheritance.

 So there is nothing more important for us to do than to focus on and place our trust in Jesus Christ our Lord and Saviour. Our readings of the last weeks have reminded us of how terrible that Last Day will be for many people, however here we are reminded of who Jesus Christ is and how important he is in enabling us to face thinking about that day with confidence and hope. Whenever we look anywhere else other than Jesus for our confidence and hope we are left in uncertainty, despair, or with a misplaced and false hope. The Scriptures are very clear that there is only one sure and certain hope for that day.

We and our world so often want to put that focus and hope on ourselves and what we do. ‘He/she was a good person, therefore they will be OK.’ ‘They were good church people,’ or ‘they always helped and cared for other people.’ And there are many other responses as to why people will fare well when it comes to facing the Lord and the Last Day. Yet the Bible is very clear that our destiny does not rest on how ‘good’ we are or are not: None of us are good enough to deserve entry into heaven.

Sure that is a ‘bitter pill’ for our human ego. We all too often want to put ourselves in the centre of the picture. Life is all about, I, me and myself, first and foremost. However here we are reminded again that is Jesus Christ who is central and most important. He and what he says is what needs to be our guiding light in all matters spiritual. His view of the Last Day and what will take place is what is paramount, not our ideas.

 As a result, yes, that Last Day will be a horrible day for those who choose to ignore what God has to say and who do not take Jesus Christ seriously. However, on the other hand, for those who believe that Jesus Christ is their Lord and Saviour, that Day will be a great and glorious Day. It will be a day when we join with our loved ones who have died in the Lord and with all the saints and angels, to never again be separated. But even more importantly and significantly greater will be the fact that we will be gathered into the presence of our great and glorious God and there enjoy eternal peace, rest and joy in his midst, without any worry, sickness, pain or death ever again.

 With such a wonderful outcome of life awaiting those who are in the Lord, we are here and now encouraged by these words of St Paul to the Ephesians and to us also. His prayer for us all is that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the glorious Father, may give us the Spirit of wisdom and revelation, so that we may know him better. He knows very well that our human tendency is to turn our focus in on ourselves, so he prays that God’s Spirit, who knows what is good and right and for our lasting good, might impart to us the things that are important for this life; and for us to be able to stand with confidence on that last great day. At the same time this Spirit knows and works with and through the revelation that God has given to us in his Word: For again, it is what we have in the Bible that is what is important for us to know as we go through life.

In that, we are again reminded that the primary task of the Holy Spirit is to help us to know our Lord in a greater way. The Bible is very clear that our God is the Creator and preserver of all things. He is a Holy and Awesome God who is not to be messed with or taken for granted. His holiness is such that he cannot tolerate sin: in fact he pronounced death on Adam and Eve and all who sin. However his love for us was such that he promised a way out for all who look to and place their trust in him. Then in the fullness of time he sent his Son into our world to take care of God’s holiness and wrath so that we might be forgiven and be acceptable in his sight, despite our sin. He died on the cross as punishment for our sin, so that God may look with favour on us and give us his peace.

So the Holy Spirit is seeking for us to have a greater knowledge of God in this way so that we can truly appreciate who he is and what he has done for us. All so that we will have the confidence to face that Last Day knowing that all will be well for us: Not because of anything that we have done, but because of Jesus Christ and his death and resurrection. This is what Paul next goes on about.

 He prays that the eyes of our heart may be enlightened in order that we may know the hope to which he has called us, the riches of his glorious inheritance in the saints. In a world that is chasing dream after dream, which is here today and gone tomorrow, the Spirit’s aim is to enlighten us so that we can have a sure and certain hope that is truly great. God wants and has called us to be able to live confidently and positively throughout our life. We can do so when we know for sure that God has made possible his glorious inheritance in the saints. This inheritance is so rich: we will be a part of that which is perfect in every way.  

 Not only is the Spirit seeking to build up in us that knowledge of this hope, but also of God’s incomparably great power for us who believe. The hope we have is not an empty promise, but is accompanied with the power to do the impossible. When we look to ourselves we see that it is impossible for God to accept us, as we do not even come close to living up to God’s expectations of us. We have sinned much and deserve to have God completely abandon us and bar us from eternity. However the same power is at work for us as it did for Jesus.

How great is that power? Here we are drawn to see what God has done for this Jesus on whom was laid the sin of all of us. He was so abhorrent and unacceptable that God punished him with the worst death possible. However God’s power was such that he raised him from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly realms, far above all rule and authority, power and dominion, and every title that can be given, not only in the present age but also in the one to come. That is amazing. The one who took on himself all the horrendous sin of every single human-being; and was as a result seen by God to be the very worst of sinners and cursed as such; is now raised to life and given the highest position of all. That is something that is way beyond what is reasonable and possible from a human perspective.

But even more than that, we are told that: God placed all things under his feet and appointed him to be head over everything for the church, which is his body, the fullness of him who fills everything in every way.

This Jesus, who willingly took on himself our sin so that we might be forgiven, is now the one who rules over everything and who wants to fill us with everything good in every way. He wants to do all he can so that we can be with him in glory.

 So then, as we look to him and allow his Spirit to work in us, we can have every confidence to go forward positively and with certainty. We know that for all of those who look to him and trust him, that Last Day is not something horrible; but that which will be the very best. For there we will be given the riches of his glorious inheritance in the saints. We will join with all our loved ones who are in the Lord and all the saints, to forever share in the perfection of what God intends for his people. There to give glory and honour to our great God, Father, Son and Holy Spirit. To whom, after-all, belongs all glory and honour now and always. Amen.

Pastor Roger Atze

Glandore/Underdale Lutheran Parish

1 Thessalonians 5:1-11                        Living together with Christ    13/11/11

(1)                Now, brothers, about times and dates we do not need to write to you, {2} for you know very well that the day of the Lord will come like a thief in the night. {3} While people are saying, "Peace and safety," destruction will come on them suddenly, as labour pains on a pregnant woman, and they will not escape. {4} But you, brothers, are not in darkness so that this day should surprise you like a thief. {5} You are all sons of the light and sons of the day. We do not belong to the night or to the darkness. {6} So then, let us not be like others, who are asleep, but let us be alert and self-controlled. {7} For those who sleep, sleep at night, and those who get drunk, get drunk at night. {8} But since we belong to the day, let us be self-controlled, putting on faith and love as a breastplate, and the hope of salvation as a helmet. {9} For God did not appoint us to suffer wrath but to receive salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ. {10} He died for us so that, whether we are awake or asleep, we may live together with him. {11} Therefore encourage one another and build each other up, just as in fact you are doing.

You and I have been appointed to live together with Christ, now and for all eternity. Christ himself died in our place on the cross so that this might be so. Then at our baptism he inexplicably joined himself to us so that we can be absolutely sure that this is so for each of us personally. Thereby we have been appointed to live together with Christ for time and eternity. This is a wonderful message for us as we go about our daily lives.

However here at this time of the year we are reminded that we need to be careful that we do not take these things for granted: There will come a time when we will be called to give account of our faith and life. Also the message here is that we do not know how soon that might be for us. It will come suddenly; as a thief in the night.

The danger for us is that we will fall into the pattern and ways of this world: that we will be caught napping. Paul likens this danger to living in the night: and what do we do at night? We sleep or we get drunk: we mostly don’t function as we are intended to do.. Now is that not life for most people today? And is there not that danger for each of us as well?

When it comes to our spiritual lives there is that danger that we fall asleep on the job. ‘She’ll be right. I’m OK. It is all under control. So what if I don’t go to church much at all. I’ve got my faith.’ So we nod off to sleep. But even if we are regular and active we can so easily fall into the trap of thinking that we are living in peace and safety and so there is not too much to worry about; so we relax in our thinking and attitudes with regard to the faith. The truth can be bent a little here and there; we can give way in many different ways. We can get drowsy and nod off so easily.

 At the same time there is that temptation to drink on the job. In fact we are in serious danger of becoming drunk. We have so much sought pleasure and enjoyment from life that we have lost touch with reality. Our thinking becomes so easily, ‘what is good for me from my perspective,’ is what is important: even when it comes to the faith and our worship. In fact, seeking our own pleasure and gratification so easily becomes paramount in our lives, and we more and more lose perspective of that which is truly good and right.

Now in the face of this we need to remember, that it is at those times that we can so easily be caught out by the thief. The thief in fact chooses those times when we are not vigilant to get to us. We are easy prey at those times. We only need to look around us to see all those that have been caught out and who have not just drifted, but have even become anti-christian. Sadly there are so many of our friends and neighbours who will lose out all together.

But hey look, that is not what God wants, or surely, what we want either. God did not die for us, and come to us in baptism, to then go and appoint us to suffer wrath. He has saved us; he has appointed us instead to be together with him, whether we are awake or asleep: whether we are here or in eternity. He wants to be a part of our lives always. He wants us to have peace, hope and confidence as we go through life, and to enjoy eternal rest with him in heaven.

That is why Paul goes on to encourage us to be alert and self-controlled. We are children of the light; so we are called to live as though we are in the day. We get on with the business of life that we are called to do as God’s people. Now that of course is far from easy, for society operates with different values and a different focus. It is so easy to get caught up in the thinking around us that has little time for Christianity and which promotes ethics and morals that are not good and compatible with how God would have us live, so that we can be at peace with God and with one another.

 So we are called to be alert. Just as if we are at work, operating machinery, where our mind needs to be on the job; so also we need that same kind of thinking when it comes to living our lives as Christians. We need to be aware of the dangers, as well focussing on what has to be done and the opportunities that are before us.

 
At the same time he tells us to be self-controlled. In an age when the attitude is that we are to give free rein to self and what we want, God calls us to keep a good check on our desires. Our thoughts need to be again on loving God and our neighbour: that is giving thought to them and what they want, rather than on what we selfishly want for ourselves.

 That is where Paul’s next thoughts turn. To be self-controlled for him means, putting on faith and love as a breastplate. The breastplate covers the vital organs and so spares our life from death. So in order to be protected from coming to spiritual harm, we are to cover our lives with faith and love. That is, to place our complete trust and confidence in God and who he is and what he has and is doing for us through Jesus Christ and what he has done for us through his death on the cross, and to look to him first and foremost in all that we do. We are to love the Lord our God, with all our heart, soul, mind and strength, and to love our neighbour as we do ourselves. Then he is suggesting that we will be significantly protected from having our life being stolen from us.

To add to that he says that we need to have the hope of salvation as a helmet. To protect our head; that is our thinking and reasoning capacity, we are to hold in the forefront of our thinking the sure and certain hope of eternal life that we have as a result of Christ living in us. Because of him we have salvation, guaranteed; and no one and nothing can take that away from us. Because that is certainly the greatest trick in Satan’s armoury: He constantly seeks to get us to doubt whether we really are saved; and he seeks to get us to think that we need to try harder and do more and be better; and then when we fail to despair.

 
However as we remain alert and self-controlled in this way, we can continue to have that sure and certain hope that whether we are awake or asleep, we will live together with Christ. He does now live in us, and as we continue to remain in him, nothing in all of creation can separate us from this love.

 Paul then concludes, therefore encourage one another and build each other up, just as in fact you are doing. I believe that this is also God’s message to us here this today. He would have us also encourage and build each other up in this way by continuing to work together as his people, and as we particularly encourage one another to look to and focus on Jesus Christ and his death on the cross for us. That we gather together as often as we can so that he can strengthen and encourage us as individuals and as a whole. We gather in worship knowing that because Christ is in each of us, we are one with each other. Also in that worship God continually reminds us that we, in our baptism, are joined to him, and that at the Lord’s Table we again receive his real presence in our lives; and so are strengthened in our knowledge that nothing in all creation can separate us from his love. Then he sends us out into our daily lives with the assurance of his blessing.

 With that knowledge we can go forward with hope and confidence into each day of the rest of our lives, giving all glory to him who is our Lord and Saviour. We can face the Last Day with certainty and the assurance that all will be well for us. While destruction comes on those who have turned their backs on Jesus Christ, we can have the certainty that we are  sons of the light and sons of the day. We do not belong to the night or to the darkness. We are and will live together with our Lord, giving him the glory that is due to him. For again, to him alone belongs all glory and honour, now and always. AMEN.

Pastor Roger Atze

Glandore/Underdale Lutheran Parish