Sunday November 29, 2009 Luke 21:25-36

Welcome to the first Sunday in Advent. I hope you had an enjoyable Thanksgiving and safe travel. In studying for the adult education class for last Sunday, which was on Advent, I discovered things about Advent that I hadn’t known even though I have celebrated the Advent season for my whole life. I discovered that Advent is about looking forward to the “second coming” of Jesus. I thought it was celebrating the birth of Jesus as this is what we focus on at this time of the church calendar and it is that too, but the main focus is our waiting for his return. Advent is a watchfulness waiting. Our text for this week is in Luke. This is a continuation of the same story that we were looking at on November 15 in Mark 13:1-8 where Jesus is on the Mount of Olives with his disciples who have commented on how great the temple building was. We flip to Luke to continue the story. The disciples want to know when this destruction will take place.

V25-26 This is written as apocalyptic literature. It is using cosmic imagery to describe the theological significance of the socoi-political and military catastrophe that is coming. The signs in the sun, the moon, and the stars mean nothing will look stable on this planet. Everything will be in perceived turmoil, the whole earth will seem to be in distress and this roaring of the sea and waves will be God’s power on display. People will faint from this show of God’s awesome power which will shake the heavens.

V27 The people will then see the Son of Man (Daniel 7:13, the true people of God, Jesus) coming with the power of God. In the Old Testament a cloud was always the symbol of God’s presence. It led the people in the wilderness, it shook Mount Sinai and it resided in the tabernacle and temple. So this does not mean Jesus will come floating down on a fluffy nice white cloud with a harpist playing. It is imagery that Jesus, the representative of the true people of God (the new Israel), will return with God’s presence and power. Now, at the beginning of Acts in chapter one verse 9 Jesus ascends in a cloud and we get the visual picture that he is floating away on this cloud to be with God in heaven (some far off place in the sky). It really says Jesus is transforming his presence here on earth and is entering God’s presence (the cloud). He isn’t going anywhere; he is still here with us but in a different form which we can’t visually see. Jesus’ presence with God is the vindication (the stamp of approval) that his prediction of the destruction of the city and temple was correct and that his mission was correct.

V28 When the disciples and others start to see these signs-great upheavals politically, militarily and so forth they will know their redemption is drawing near. These are the things people will have to experience as they walk through life and this serves as a reminder of the coming of the final day of this age and the dawning of the age to come, not the world ending with the earth destroyed. They are not to despair but look forward to the rescue to come - a renewal of creation on earth and living in the presence of God.

V29-31 Just as they can look at the fig tree and determine which season it is by its appearance so too they can determine when the kingdom of God is near by using these events. The fig tree is a reminder of how to read the unfolding course of history.

V32 This coming destruction will take place within their lifetimes.

V33 God’s kingdom will always exist, it won’t pass away. The earth is destructible (as we are proving to ourselves by the way we are misusing it) but God’s kingdom is indestructible and eternal.

V34-36 Be on guard, be watchful, be attentive to what is going on but don’t focus on it. Instead focus on the kingdom of God and do His work here on earth. Don’t get caught up with everyday life and let this event trap you unexpectedly. It will happen to everyone who resides on earth, it will affect all. Be alert and pray that you will be prepared to stand before Jesus.

Even though this text is about the coming destruction of the temple and Jerusalem it applies to us today. In this season of Advent we are not to let everyday life carry us away from the real importance of this time. There will be a return of Jesus and we had better be prepared for it; we need to be watchful and alert. The world likes to distract us by using this season to buy, buy, and buy. Christmas things were in the stores long before Halloween and black Friday is coming. Every night on the news we are told “don’t wait to buy as it may not be there when you go.” Maybe we can set aside time to forgo the pull of this world and be watchful, attentive and anticipate His reappearing. We can contemplate his initial appearance in a humble manner (as a helpless baby), those outcasts who were first informed (shepherds and pagan kings) and the opposition that faced him at every turn. What if we were to set aside time each day to meditate on Advent? Our church is having meditative Advent services on Thursdays in December that last 30 minutes, take advantage of them and center yourself on the true meaning of the season.