From Being Troubled to
Hopeful Expectations
Luke 21: 25-36 (KJV)
Dr. William S. Epps, Senior Pastor
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Sunday, November 28, 2021 |
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25And there shall be signs in the sun, and in the moon, and in the stars; and upon the earth distress of nations, with perplexity; the sea and the waves roaring; 26Men's hearts failing them for fear, and for looking after those things which are coming on the earth: for the powers of heaven shall be shaken. 27And then shall they see the Son of man coming in a cloud with power and great glory. 28And when these things begin to come to pass, then look up, and lift up your heads; for your redemption draweth nigh. 29And he spake to them a parable; Behold the fig tree, and all the trees; 30When they now shoot forth, ye see and know of your own selves that summer is now nigh at hand. 31So likewise ye, when ye see these things come to pass, know ye that the kingdom of God is nigh at hand. 32Verily I say unto you, This generation shall not pass away, till all be fulfilled. 33Heaven and earth shall pass away: but my words shall not pass away. 34And take heed to yourselves, lest at any time your hearts be overcharged with being excessive, and cares of this life, and so that day come upon you unawares. 35For as a snare shall it come on all them that dwell on the face of the whole earth. 36Watch ye therefore, and pray always, that ye may be accounted worthy to escape all these things that shall come to pass, and to stand before the Son of man. Luke 21:25-36 (KJV)
Introduction
Advent is a time of anticipation about possibilities. Imagine the expectation of looking forward to something with bated breath. Advent is that special time of the year that reminds us that in spite of the very best intentions the world has yet to be redeemed. This season attempts to capture a spirit of hope, a spirit of yearning, some new and unique expression of God's fresh beginning to save a world gone wrong.
On the first Sunday in Advent we light a candle as a symbol of hopeful expectation. We express our desire with the words of a traditional melody which says,
O Come O come Emmanuel, And ransom captive Israel, that mourns in lonely exile here, until the Son of God appear; rejoice, rejoice Emmanuel,
shall come to thee, O Israel.
This is the first Sunday of Advent: We light this first candle as a sign of our hope. Hope that you can meet us, even in the mess of our world. Hope that you still see us, though we feel we are lost in the rubble. Let this light be the guide that brings us to Emmanuel once more. O Come, O Come Emmanuel.
This request captures the essence of what we desire now and always. We are all looking forward to something, expectantly anticipating the fulfillment of what we most desire. Advent acknowledges the past with what has occurred, affirms the present with what is happening and looks forward to the future in an attitude of expectancy over what God continues to do in the life of humankind.
O Come O come Emmanuel and save us from the destruction we continually cause ourselves. Save us from the apathy, bitterness, complicity, cruelty, greed, isolation, pride and selfishness which is so prevalent in our lives and world. Save us from destroying ourselves.
Consider what it means to invite and welcome the Lord into your acknowledging your need.
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Monday, November 29, 2021 |
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It's hard to jump straight to that place of excited expectation. Wishful thinking, we are told, is belief in what might be or can be despite the ruinous reality that is so prevalent in our world. We all hope and wish. No matter how good or how bad things might be, you always have something for which to wish to make it better, to improve the situation you are experiencing. Let's figure out how to get from wishing and hoping to anticipating with joyful optimism. It's certainly a better place than hopelessness or cynicism stuck with a pessimistic perspective about life and living.
Let me share what I have shared before about this special time of the year, Advent. If even for a brief moment, we get merry like Christmas and happy like New year and we cease warring with one another and get along for a little while, which indicates that if we want to be better we can do better. The music of this particular season of the year is filled with enthusiasm, excitement, and expectation. Joy is something that is characteristic of the Advent Season for believers in Christ as well as the world at large. We celebrate the birth of a babe in a manager who reminds us of the majestic, miraculous and mysterious quality of existence/life. Birth creates an atmosphere of anticipation, fulfillment and possibilities. Birth is a life changing experience which reminds us of the beauty of being despite the difficulties of reality. Birth is representative of the challenges of existence for life requiring affection, attention and assurance. Birth is symbolic of the hope that expectation fosters about the promise and potential for living (newsletter / December 2016).
Consider what birth means as a beginning of something you have anticipated and wanted.
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Tuesday, November 30, 2021 |
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Consider some of the implications of this passage for our daily living with matters pertaining to our personal lives, to matters pertaining to our collective life as a nation. Jesus utters a message about the future.
Firstly, there are signs that should trouble people
25And there shall be signs in the sun, and in the moon, and in the stars; and upon the earth distress of nations, with perplexity; the sea and the waves roaring; 26Men's hearts failing them for fear, and for looking after those things which are coming on the earth: for the powers of heaven shall be shaken. Luke 21:25-26
Look at the signs of the times in which we are living. Global warming, inability to get consensus on how to live together with respect for one another, lack of mutual concern for the common good of all, widespread prejudice and violence, the pandemic threatening lives, rampant homelessness, and you name it. All over the earth there is the distress of peoples.
Consider the troubling experiences and events that are
frighteningly apparent each day.
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Wednesday, December 1, 2021 |
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Luke shares a series of terrifying events. Jesus presents images of both cosmic and political upheaval (“seas and waves roaring,” “nations in anguish”) to speak about this event. The unrighteous will be terrified by these events, but faithful disciples of Jesus need not fear, for the coming of the Son of Man will signal their deliverance and salvation.
The bruises and brokenness caused by a culture of discrimination, intimidation, prejudice and violence should be troubling to people. Political authoritarianism, racial and religious intolerance, economic and cultural nationalism fueling conflicts across the world should trouble you.
Sometimes we struggle to understand what's going on. Sometimes it seems things go from bad to worse.
Mother, mother
There's too many of you crying
Brother, brother, brother
There's far too many of you dying
You know we've got to find a way
To bring some lovin' here today, yeah
Father, father
We don't need to escalate
You see, war is not the answer
For only love can conquer hate
You know we've got to find a way
To bring some lovin' here today
What's Going On Marvin Gaye
We are troubled by the current crises confronting us as a nation and a world.
Consider what it means to have Immanuel come to show us the way to stop destroying ourselves and others.
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Thursday, December 2, 2021 |
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Secondly, troubling signs are a time to witness to the reality of the nearness of the presence of the Lord in your life.
27And then shall they see the Son of man coming in a cloud with power and great glory. 28And when these things begin to come to pass, then look up, and lift up your heads; for your redemption draweth nigh. Luke 21:27-28
Disciples are not to be so preoccupied with these events as to be terrified or led astray by those who claim to have probed the divine mysteries about what is frightening. This is a time to witness to the reality of the presence of the Lord in your life.
At the center of the reading from Luke for this week is the parable of the fig tree.
This parable is not, probably, what we normally think of when we think "parable." There really isn't a story, per se, which is what we might expect -- no little old lady searching for coins, no sons, or servants, or stewards. There isn't the point (or skewer) that is the trademark of the parable hidden in the palm of Jesus' hand as He tells it, where the reader is caught (and stuck) at the end.
This "parable" is really more of an observation and a warning. It heralds the coming of the Son of Man, calling the listener to have eyes to see the signs, and the good sense to be ready. Jesus tells us that there are signs that indicate the arrival, the advent, the presence, and the power of the Kingdom of God. Like leaves on a fig tree (or pimples on the brow of an adolescent), such signs can show us our redemption, and our Redeemer; this is an important part of what we need to be about as children of that Kingdom: looking for its signs that remind us when things are seemingly at their worst, your redemption from ruin is near.
When you see leaves sprouting, you know that summer is coming soon. In the same way, when you see the signs that are troubling, your redemption is near. Jesus is using the imagery that when the leaves sprout, you know that something else is right around the corner, the fruit is about to appear.
Deliverance and redemption are near when things are at their worse. Many times
things appear to get worse before they get better. Assurance of the faithfulness of the Lord to be present in all of life's changing scenes particularly the troubling signs of a time that seems out of joint.
Consider what it means that in the midst of ruin redemption is nigh because the Lord is coming to you in your circumstance.
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Thirdly, don't let the cares of this world exhaust your patience
34And take heed to yourselves, lest at any time your hearts be overcharged with being excessive, and cares of this life, and so that day come upon you unawares. 35For as a snare shall it come on all them that dwell on the face of the whole earth. 36Watch ye therefore, and pray always, that ye may be accounted worthy to escape all these things that shall come to pass, and to stand before the Son of man. Luke 21:34-36
Patience, it seems, may be exactly what is at issue for the fledgling Christian community as it awaits the day of the Lord. The need for patience, endurance, and trust may well have been amplified when to all appearances it appears that ruin is inevitable.
Patience in this life is often the key issue for us as well. Patience in the face of promises yet to be kept; patience in the meantime of enduring illness, broken relationships, and unrealized expectations or hopes; patience after all our patience has run out.
1The Greek Philosopher Epictetus (55-135 CE) (a Greek stoic philosopher) clearly had patience in mind when he turned to the fig and the fig tree as an illustration, saying, "No great thing is created suddenly, any more than a bunch of grapes or a fig. If you tell me that you desire a fig, I answer you that there must be time. Let it first blossom, then bear fruit, then ripen."
Parents need patience. Children, too, need to learn to be patient with the progress of their own growth and development. As we seek to be raised as children in the Kingdom of God, patience is key in watching for the signs, in living in the Gospel, and in our daily lives as congregations and as individuals.
Consider what it means to avoid being excessive in what you are doing as it will exhaust your energy.
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Saturday, December 4, 2021 |
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Author and research scientist Shane Lopez in his book, Making Hope Happen, describes the act of planning things in the future. Nexting the positive events we hope to experience during the coming months. When you really think about it, taking the time to anticipate a positive future might be one of the highest priorities we can have. Faith and Hope both require patience. FAITH (Forging Ahead Ingeniously Through Hindrances / HOPE (Help Overcoming Perplexing Experiences).
Nexting helps us create our lives by design rather than default. We can determine what we are going to do and how we are going to live. We can envision a positive future and give ourselves to clinging to that vision with every fiber of our being and say with the poet, “If you can force your heart and nerve and sinew to serve your turn long after they are gone, and so hold on when there is nothing in your except the will which says, hold on.” If by Rudyard Kipling.
Jesus exhorts his followers to “be on guard,” lest they fall into self-indulgence and forget God and God’s ways.
The Gospel ends with an exhortation to pray and watch all that they say and do in the context of the Gospel. In other words, “What would Jesus say or do in this situation?” For the faithful disciple, the coming of the Son of Man will not be a fearful event. Rather, it will be a day of triumph and joy, a day of hopeful expectation about a consummate celebration that brings to past the fulfillment of life and life abundantly.
One final note: I noted earlier that the parable lies at the center of this selection from Luke 21. The two verses that introduce and, in a sense, summarize it, serve as something of an exhortation to the Christian calling, and a primer of what it means to be patient.
"Now when these things begin to take place, stand up and raise your heads, because your redemption is drawing near. Stand-up! Raise up your heads! Be alert! Pray for the strength to stand! Luke 21:28
Be alert at all times, praying that you may have the strength to escape all these things that will take place, and to stand having done everything to stand,
stand anyhow. Luke 21:36
Conclusion
Advent is a time of hopeful expectations although signs of trouble can be seen as was said in the play by Ossie Davis entitled Purlie Victorious, "Have you ever wondered what the world can become; well it ain’t coming to an end, the world ain’t coming to an end my friend, the world is coming to a start."
O Come O come Emmanuel and save us from the destruction we cause ourselves. Save us from the apathy, bitterness, complicity, cruelty, isolation, pride and selfishness which is so prevalent in our lives. O Come O come Emmanuel and save us from the destruction we cause ourselves.
Thank you Lord for redeeming us to restart the world by ending what destroys life.
Consider what it means “to be on guard,” lest you fall into self-indulgence and forget God and God’s ways.
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