COMPANY'S COMING!
SERMON #1 OF THE ADVENT SERIES “HOPE IS IN THE WAY”
MATTHEW 24:36-51
Big Idea: When company is coming there is a certain “look” that accompanies the anticipation; the same is true as we patiently await the return of Jesus.
INTRO:
A TIME OF CELEBRATION IS AT HAND! Yes, a time of celebration is at hand – a new year begins today! “But”, I hear you say, “hang on a sec! It isn’t January 1st, it’s December 1st!” Ah, true it is, but just the same, a new year begins today! The Church’s new year, that is. Today it’s the first Sunday in Advent, and the season of Advent begins the Church year for the Christian Church around the world. The traditional liturgical color for Advent (like that of Lent) is … Purple. Advent (also like Lent) traditionally being a season of reflection, repentance, preparation, waiting, anticipation, and longing.
Advent means “arrival” and it is the season when we reflect upon our readiness (or lack of it!) to welcome Jesus. We reflect upon what His coming means for us; not only his first arrival (Christmas) but also his “second coming” … not to mention the potential that is here for us to receive a fresh visit/arrival from his Spirit during this season.
So we prepare, wait for, anticipate and long for his coming – which we celebrate each year at Christmas. Our Gospel readings and candle lightings aid us as we seek personal spiritual renewal and prepare to welcome Jesus into our lives afresh.
A TIME OF CELEBRATION IS INDEED AT HAND!
And with that we have chosen Matthew 24:36-51 as our worship theme and sermon text this morning.
MATTHEW 24:36-51
36 "No one knows about that day or hour, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father. 37 As it was in the days of Noah, so it will be at the coming of the Son of Man. 38 For in the days before the flood, people were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, up to the day Noah entered the ark; 39 and they knew nothing about what would happen until the flood came and took them all away. That is how it will be at the coming of the Son of Man. 40 Two men will be in the field; one will be taken and the other left. 41 Two women will be grinding with a hand mill; one will be taken and the other left. 42 "Therefore keep watch, because you do not know on what day your Lord will come. 43 But understand this: If the owner of the house had known at what time of night the thief was coming, he would have kept watch and would not have let his house be broken into. 44 So you also must be ready, because the Son of Man will come at an hour when you do not expect him. 45 "Who then is the faithful and wise servant, whom the master has put in charge of the servants in his household to give them their food at the proper time? 46 It will be good for that servant whose master finds him doing so when he returns. 47 I tell you the truth, he will put him in charge of all his possessions. 48 But suppose that servant is wicked and says to himself, 'My master is staying away a long time,' 49 and he then begins to beat his fellow servants and to eat and drink with drunkards. 50 The master of that servant will come on a day when he does not expect him and at an hour he is not aware of. 51 He will cut him to pieces and assign him a place with the hypocrites, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.
This might seem like a strange “Christmas text” but it is a perfect Advent text. Jesus prefaces his parable with a statement of the reality of what it means to harbor the deepest longing in every Christian’s heart, waiting for his coming. He knows of the impatience of the human spirit, how easily we give up, when we’re waiting – and waiting – and waiting … and nothing seems to happen. Jesus says, “Keep watch, because you do not know on what day your Lord will come.” That charge by Jesus includes not only a sense of watchfulness but also a need for waiting, patience, hope, and anticipation.
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The scenario was acted out in thousands of homes this past Thanksgiving week. The arrival of company was preceded by Hopeful Anticipation. Now such anticipation has a certain look about it. Take my daughter for example. She and Kris hosted Thanksgiving this week and everyone was coming from a long distance away.
• Vickie and me (Mimi and Papa) were arriving from 600 miles north.
• Uncle Craig and Auntie Val were arriving from 800 miles west.
• Great Grandma and Great Grandpa (Gigi and G-Pa) were coming from 500 miles south.
We were all to arrive in Richmond Tuesday afternoon.
But days before the arrival the anticipation began and, as I said, it has a certain look about it. Tiffany and Kris begin making preparations.
• Where will everyone sleep? We need to make some space available.
• What will everyone eat? We need to make a menu.
• What will everyone do? We need to find all the board games and gather some wood for a bond fire.
They begin by doing a bit of extra cleaning. They put away the clutter that has gathered here and there. Now no one would ever look, but since company is coming Tiffany cleans the baseboards and removes some dust from above the doorframes.
After preparing a menu Tiffany, by her own admission, goes to the grocery store and bought more groceries in that one visit than she has ever bought at any single time before.
Kris takes care of a few home preparations and gathers wood for a bonfire.
Through all of this Mommy and Daddy keep telling little Kameron that company is coming. Now there is a tradition upon Mimi and Papa’s arrival. I go to the large living room window and tap on it until Kameron sees me through it and then we race to the front door for our greeting. As Tiffany tells him that we are coming he begins to stand and look out the window calling for us. He looks for Uncle Craig, Auntie Val, Gigi and G-Pa too.
The anticipation builds as the expected day arrives.
But then it happens. Tuesday’s big storm changes everything.
Tiffany is a school teacher and their starting time is delayed so she knows others will be affected. Sure enough; delays become inevitable and waiting begins to require a lot of patience and HOPEFUL ANTICIPATION. She begins to send texts.
• Gigi and G-Pa have ice in Tennessee; they will start the trip when it warms up a bit.
• Mimi and Papa have snow and the driving will be very slow and somewhat treacherous at times.
• Uncle Craig and Auntie Val are flying and all the flights are delayed – their connecting flight is in jeopardy.
Now school is out; Tiffany and Kris are home and Kameron is making frequent visits to the window looking for the expected and anticipated company. Tiffany sends more texts for updates and things simply are not progressing well. Snow is heavier in Pennsylvania and Craig’s stuck in Atlanta – they are hoping a soon-to-arrive flight from Philadelphia will have room to take them on its next leg to Richmond.
There is nothing left to do but wait and hope. The soup is made; they choose to keep it warm. Afternoon turns into evening. Evening turns into night. Night turns into early morning Wednesday.
Kris and Tiffany reassure each other that the preparations have not been in vain. They reassure Kameron that company is indeed coming.
And then … it happens … headlights hit the windows. People began piling out of cars … company has come as promised! The celebration can begin!
The menu planning, the clutter removal, the extra patience, it all pays off and the Thanksgiving reunion is a great success!
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There is a lot of similarity between our Advent expectations and the family reunion.
GET RID OF THE CLUTTER
Advent is a time for “putting our spiritual house in order.” By examining our priorities through the spiritual discipline of prayer and reflection on Jesus’ words, we can empty our house of the clutter that hinders our readiness to welcome Jesus, the Master, into our lives.
Then there’s the clutter of our desire for material things –the latest Xbox, the newest tablet or cell-phone … all the things that commercials on TV try to convince us will make our Christmas complete! WE CAN SWEEP THOSE DESIRES AWAY!
Now I’m no “humbug”, and I enjoy celebrating Christmas as much as any other Christian. But what’s Christmas all about? It’s about celebrating the arrival of Jesus. We need to be sure we’re ready to welcome him again, whenever he comes to dwell with and within us.
“Keep watch, because you do not know on what day your Lord will come.” Will it be in the evening? Will it be at midnight? Will it be at dawn, or later in the morning? We don’t know – but we must be found alert, vigilant and welcoming.
HOPEFUL ANTICIPATION GIVES US A MESSAGE TO SHARE
Hopeful anticipation gives us a message to share as we wait. Just as Tiffany and Kris’ reminders to Kameron built excitement in Him, so our anticipation of Jesus’ arrival can be shared with others so they, too, can begin looking for the Savior’s return. They, too, can experience the new life that a transforming visit of His Spirit brings.
WE WAIT PATIENTLY WITH HOPEFUL ANTICIPATION
Hopeful anticipation also means being patient as we wait. It means not giving-up. It means keeping the soup warm and frequent trips to the window. It means going about our duties and responsibilities with a sense of purpose and expectation.
It means reminding and reassuring each other that Jesus is coming. And we are not waiting for his coming only at the end of time – but also for a fresh sense of his presence amongst us today.
For Jesus still comes to us through His Word as, through His church, through His Spirit, and through opportunities of service. That’s why we are called to be watchful, to patiently wait, and to prepare for His arrival.
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And when He does come … there will be a celebration meal! That is partially what the Lord’s Supper reminds us. The Bible says, The Lord Jesus, on the night he was betrayed, took bread, and when he had given thanks, he broke it and said, "This is my body, which is for you; do this in remembrance of me." In the same way, after supper he took the cup, saying, "This cup is the new covenant in my blood; do this, whenever you drink it, in remembrance of me." FOR WHENEVER YOU EAT THIS BREAD AND DRINK THIS CUP, YOU PROCLAIM THE LORD'S DEATH UNTIL HE COMES. (1 Corinthians 11:23-26)
As we receive communion today let’s do so as an act of preparation. Let’s do so with a whisper on our lips that says “Even so, come Lord Jesus” (Rev. 22:20).
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** Special thanks to Rev. Michael B. Perrot of Salford, Manchester, England for the sermon intro.
This sermon is provided by Dr. Kenneth Pell
Potsdam Church of the Nazarene
Potsdam, New York
www.potsdam-naz.org
