Jeremiah 33.14-16; Luke 21.25-36
How very interesting …
Jesus talks of things ending.
Just like Jeremiah talked of things ending.
And nobody liked Jeremiah very much … threw him in jail they did … tried to hush him up - Keep quiet Jeremiah - you sound like a traitor - those are seditious words Jeremiah … no true patriot would talk like you do.
No one liked Jeremiah when he talked about the end of things.
And apparently, no one liked Jesus, either … it wasn’t long before the plot to kill Jesus picked up steam and got going … folks didn’t like Jesus, the way he talked about their beloved temple, their wonderful city, full of beautiful architecture and massive buildings, bright and shining, powerful and big … a place of wealth, pomp and circumstance … don’t talk about our city that way, Jesus, you make us feel bad!
This beautiful temple, says Jesus - it won’t last very long. Time is coming when the temple will be demolished; not one stone left upon the other … everything upside down and gone crazy … some of you will be thrown into prison; some of you will die … but don’t be fearful, says Jesus to the disciples.
All of this will give you opportunity.
Opportunity to testify … to speak words of truth … and don’t worry what you’ll say at that moment … I’ll give you the right words to speak, when the hammer falls, when the sword strikes, when you’re on trial, and the world hates you because of me … I will give you the right words!
As for Jerusalem, Jerusalem will come to end.
Don’t hang on to it … let it go … flee to the hills … get out while you can … nothing lasts, and don’t for a moment think it will.
And when it feels like the world is ending, when everything is lost, when violence and death hold great power, stand up straight, raise your heads, your redemption is near.
Heaven and earth will pass away, or at least, that’s what it will feel like, but my words will endure.
Stay alert at all times.
Pray that you are strong.
Strong enough to escape what is about to happen.
Strong enough to stand before the Human One, the Son of Man, the LORD God Almighty.
Wow!
Sounds serious, doesn’t it?
But that’s Advent for you.
The old must pass away in order for the new to arrive … new beginnings require old endings.
Last Sunday, we ended a series of messages about “end times” … I find it fascinating that our Advent Season begins today with readings from Jeremiah and Luke … readings about “end times” … things coming to an end … important things, beautiful things, powerful things … things we cherish and love and defend … even religious things, spiritual things … holy buildings and sacred places …
For Jeremiah and Luke, it’s all about Jerusalem … the temple … the center of the world as some thought … the most important city on the face of the earth as some thought … not Rome with all its political power … nor Alexandria with all its learning … but Jerusalem.
The City of David … the city set on a hill … Jerusalem the Golden … the fabled city of the ark, the hopes and dreams of God’s people centered in the music and drama of the temple … it was everyone’s dream to visit the city, especially during a holiday season - like Passover …
Jesus says: It’s all going to end …
But don’t be afraid, says Jesus … your redemption is near.
A challenge to us … what our eyes see and what God is doing do not easily align for us …
To our eyes, things may look bad … but in God’s ways and times, the outworking of God’s great purpose is sure and certain.
Stand up straight! says Jesus.
Don’t slouch around like a wet rag … don’t give in to the negative … don’t be Eeyore.
Eeyore is a wonderful little character in Winnie the Pooh stories … Eeyore is a soulful little grey stuffed donkey who is mostly gloomy, depressed, pessimistic and discouraged …
Eeyore has his ways:
When someone says how-do-you-do, just say you didn’t.
"It's snowing still," said Eeyore gloomily.
"So it is."
"And freezing."
"Is it?"
"Yes," said Eeyore. "However," he said, brightening up a little, "we haven't had an earthquake lately."
Eeyore walked all round Tigger one way, and then turned and walked round him the other way.
"What did you say it was?" he asked.
"Tigger."
"Ah!" said Eeyore.
"He's just come," explained Piglet.
"Ah!" said Eeyore again.
He thought for a long time and then said: "When is he going?"
The Season of Advent - Stand up straight! says Jesus.
Don’t slouch around like a wet rag … don’t give in to the negative …
Yesterday, December 1, the day Rosa Parks said “Enough!” - on that bus in Montgomery, Alabama, 1955, when the bus driver asked her to give up her seat in the “colored” section of the bus for a white man, Ms. Parks said, “Enough!”
Stand up straight, says Jesus … don’t slouch around like a wet rag … don’t give into the negative.
Good things, godly things, are happening … and you can grow and change and evolve, and learn anew the wonders of God’s great love.
“I am what I am” we sometimes say … as if nothing could change … but we can always change … an old dog can learn new tricks …
Sometimes it feels as if it’s too late … but it’s never too late for God, and it’s never too late for love … it’s never too late to learn more about Christ and grow in his grace.
It’s never too late to be wiser and smarter and kinder and more loving … it’s never to late to learn more about justice and the care of the earth, and how to be generous, and how to think large thoughts and have great ideas driven by the best in humankind’s history, and by the best that God has given to us in Jesus Christ.
I have a friend who always says, “God will provide!”
There’s a certain beauty to this kind of faith … it has the feel of a child’s faith, doesn’t it? “God will provide!”
Mazzy Little Rose, my new granddaughter, knows that Mom and Dad are there, that Mom and Dad will give to her what she needs, when she needs it.
When Jesus tells us to be like a child, Jesus tells us to trust …
My Father in heaven will provide … I don’t know how … I don’t know when … but my Father in heaven will provide.
I think of Huell Howser who recently announced his retirement … his TV program, “California’s Gold” told us stories of the commonplace in an uncommon way … Howser found beauty and fascination in out-of-the-way places, with folks we’d never otherwise see or talk to, in the backwaters and byways of California …
Howser had good eyes to see how grand people are, and how good is everyone’s gifts … he celebrated everyone, and found delight in all things great and small.
In times such as ours, to have good eyes … eyes to see goodness and hope and beauty and strength … the courage to live in goodness, the faith to believe that God is at work in all things, strength to endure when adversity hammers us on every side, and the greatest strength of all - when we side with God, God stands at our side - yea, though I walk through the Valley of the Shadow of Death, I will fear no evil, for thou art with me!
Hold on and be brave; be smart, be creative, be bold and daring … stand up straight and raise your heads … your redemption is near.
In the midst of adversity, hope.
When walls are falling down, God is drawing near.
When the end comes, there is always another beginning.
My Father in heaven will provide … I don’t know how … I don’t know when … but my Father in heaven will provide.
Amen and Amen!
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