Scripture: Jeremiah 33:14-16; Luke 21:25-36
Theme: First Sunday of Advent
Title: Prepare the Way - STAND UP!
This sermon shares with us the message of Jesus for this day - a Message of Hope as 1. We Stand 2. We Raise Our Heads - message for Advent 2018
INTRO:
Grace and peace from God our Father and from Jesus Christ our King, Savior and LORD!
Welcome to the First Sunday of the 2018 Advent Season.
You may be asking - What in the world is Advent?
Well it is:
“The season of the year that specifically proclaims the comings (First and Last) of the LORD JESUS Christ—whose birth we will prepare to celebrate once again, who comes continually through the Word and the Holy Spirit, and whose Second Coming we await in full glory and honor!”
Over the next few Sundays we will be looking at passages that will help us enjoy this time of year, grow deeper spiritually and assist us to radically celebrate both Jesus' birth and His Second Coming.
This morning our Gospel passage takes us into a period of time around 30 - 35 years after Jesus' death and resurrection ( ca. 60 - 65 AD). A great deal has been and is going on:
-Philip, Lydia, Barnabas, Priscilla, Silas and Timothy and hundreds of others are sharing the message of Jesus all around the world.
-The Apostle Paul has been sent to Rome to await his trial with the real possibility that he will be executed for his faith proclaiming Jesus as Messiah and LORD.
-The Apostle Peter has been traveling all over the Middle East and only on the rare occasion does he make it back to the Promise Land.
-The Church of Jesus Christ is growing everywhere both in the Jewish world and especially in the Gentile world.
Luke's passage contains a prophesy. A prophesy that came from the lips of Jesus to his disciples and the people of Israel. A prophesy that looked like it was beginning to be fulfilled in their lifetime. And while Luke does write more to a Gentile audience than a Jewish one he is very concerned that Jesus' words be heard and heeded by everyone.
All around were signs that Jesus' words of warning were coming to pass. Jesus had foretold that if Jerusalem and God's People did not repent, accept His invitation to be rescued and redeemed that a day of destruction would come up the both of them. Jesus had furthermore sent His Holy Spirit to guide and lead the Church so that such a disaster could be averted.
Now, Israel and the Roman Empire were in a great state of uncertainty and anxiety. Over the past 30+ years one leader after another had taken the throne with each one pulling the People of Israel and the Roman Empire into all kinds of different directions. For one brief period of time it looked like a time of peace and prosperity was just on the horizon. However, over the last few years that horizon had been filling with the clouds of war. It appeared very soon that God's People and Rome would be at war with one another.
It is in the mix of all this mess that Luke shares our passage. He wants the Jews to understand that what Jesus prophesied some 30 -35 years ago was right around the corner. If God's People did not heed the salvation message of Jesus then they would end up losing their Temple, their nation and perhaps their very existence (Sadly, that is exactly what happened in less than 10 years - AD 70).
Luke was telling His Gentile believers to hang on because not only did it look like the land of Israel was in for a big shake up but that the whole Empire would soon be quaking and quivering. If things did not change everything and everyone all over the world would be in mortal danger.
But in the midst of all of this Luke shares this amazing message of hope. Luke is a believer and he knows that the LORD GOD always has a message of hope. In many ways it is a message that is very similar to the message of hope that the Prophet Jeremiah shared from the LORD hundreds of years ago when the Babylonian nation fell leaving God's People uncertain about their future as well. It is a message of hope, of expectation and a message of how God is and will be stepping into History once again.
It is a message that reminds us of two important things that we all can do whether we find ourselves in a time of peace or uncertainty. We find these two important things in verse 28. There are two very little words or phrases that can help us a great deal today.
For when we look around you have to admit that our time looks a lot like the time period of First Century Christianity. Our nation and our world are in a time of uncertainty and unrest. From all appearances it appears that something disastrous is looming just around the corner for us as well.
Today we have U. S. President Trump, Russian President Putin, China's President Xi Jinping, North Korea's Kim Jong Un along with a host of others that seem to love to do nothing more than create one global crisis after another. One any given day one of them or one of the other world leaders hints of starting some kind of economic, social or military conflict that sends shock waves all over the world.
We have Fake News streaming from all kinds of media sources not just from the United States but from all over the globe. Everywhere there seems to be some kind of conspiracy theory trolling around creating unrest and finally you have this 24/7 steady stream of anxiety, worry, hatred filling the air waves and the media sites.
On top of all of that for the first time since the time of the Tower of Babel over 50% of humanity once again live in major urban areas. This urbanization is radically transforming our planet socially, politically, economically and spiritually. What is remarkable is the fact that all of this has happened in the span of some 30 years. In 1990 only 13% of the people in the world lived in large urban areas whereas today it is over 50%. More people today live in an urban area than live in a rural area.
Take the city of Shanghai, China for example. A mere 40 years ago it was just a small out of the place fishing village. Today, some 16 million people call it home and over 3,000 towers and skyscrapers fill its skies. Take the city of Lagos, Nigeria. Back in 1960 it was home to around 700,000 people but today over 21 million people live in and around Lagos.
Back when Lt. Colonel Doolittle and his air forces hit Tokyo and his 16 B-25 Mitchells did their best to level the city no one had any idea where the city would be almost 70 years later. I don't think anyone could have imagined then that there would be nearly nearly 40 million people living in the Tokyo Metro Area.
In fact, there are now more than 25 megalopolis around the world where more than 10 - 37 million people are packed in like sardines in a can.
As a result of all of this it is very easy to create massive panic all over the world. When that many people live that close together and are needing the amount of food, water, shelter and clothing things can quickly come apart at the seams. History has shown us that when that many people live that close together it has always been a haven for sin and evil to run amuck. Currently, no major city on earth presently feels safe and secure and no major city could last a few weeks without a constant stream of food and water coming its way. We have set ourselves up for a major disaster.
Historians tell us that over 70 - 80 million died as a result of World War II. That is a staggering number of people. However, did you know today that if you bombed just three of the largest megalopolis in the world you could potentially wipe out over 90 million people. Just three cities alone - over 90 million people. All of this has caused national leaders to be more and more concerned about the ability of either an enemy or a rogue nation causing massive harm to their nation and then to the world at large.
Population control, disease control, environmental control and a hundred other things are crashing down around us at all times. Our world is becoming more and more of a mess and no one knows how to get us all together before we try to kill each other again. World War III seems to just be around the corner.
Even the Global Church of Jesus is facing a crisis. While we are some 2 billion strong we are not unified and at times it appears that we are at war with one another. Walk out of a typical Pentecostal Service, a Nazarene Service, a Presbyterian Service or even Catholic Service and you could get the sense that we don't like one another.
And we all know that the world does not understand or even like the Church. Talk to the average person on the street and many of them at least in the Western World believe that the church is out of style. Christianity is outdated. It is boring and irrelevant. After all, who needs Christianity and grace now that we have Facebook and the Internet?
Many in the world believe that what we need is more sex, social gatherings, sports, entertainment and anything that can take away our pain, our fears and our boredom. What we need is someone to provide everything for us so that we can sit back and chill out. What we need is a revolution that will bring all of us more money and pleasure in our lives.
After all, if Jesus and Christianity were so special why are there so many problems in so many churches and denominations? Hasn't Christianity had 2,000 years to solve the world's problems? If Christianity has all the answers why is no one listening anymore?
So, what are we to do today?
What message do we have for our world, for our communities, for our families and for ourselves?
How do we have hope and how can we share the message of Hope?
Luke tells us that we are to do the same things that Jesus wanted his followers to do when He was on the planet. He wants us to do the same thing that His Holy Spirit told Luke to write in this passage.
I. Jesus wants us to take a STAND
He doesn't want us to:
+Sit Down
+Run Away
+Hide
+Compromise
+Be Quiet
He wants us to STAND -
He wants us to be:
SPIRIT-FILLED, TRUSTING AND NOT DEFEATED DISCIPLES
Jesus wants us to Stand Up and Be His Spirit-filled Witness
Have you ever sat down and seriously thought about where the World be without the Church of Jesus Christ?
+Although the Church is not perfect and it does have some problems it has and is still leading the way against slavery, trafficking and other social injustices all over the world.
+The Church has and is leading the way for people to receive needed needed medical care all over the world.
+The Church has and is leading the way for people to receive essential care during national and global disasters.
+The Church has and is leading the way for people to have an education all over the world.
If it had not been for the Church of Jesus Christ, mankind would have destroyed itself multiple times over the past 2,000 years. The Church may not be perfect but the Holy Spirit has led and guided the Church to save the world time and time again. And now is definitely not the time for us to shrink away - we must stand up and trust God and be a positive witness today.
If ever the world needed to hear the message of Jesus - the message of Hope it is today. If ever the world needed to see our Light and taste the Salt of the Holy Spirit it is today.
And the harvest fields are ripe all around us.
For example, did you know that over 100 new people move into the Nashville area each and every day? That is over 3,000 people every month. That means you could start a number of new churches in Nashville each and every month. And Springfield is only a 40 minute drive away from Nashville. Did you know that even in our county (Robertson County) over 15,000 people have moved here in the last 20 years? 15,000 new people. That is enough people to fill 150 churches with 100 people each Sunday. We must understand that the harvest fields are ripe all around us.
Did you know that Dollar General is opening 3 new stores each and every week all over the United States? Dollar Tree, Target and Lowe's are all opening new stores all over the US as well. Business is booming because people are booming.
What am I saying? Big business and small business know that people are coming and will be coming for years to come. Counties like Davidson, Robertson and others know that in the next few years that hundreds and thousands of new families will be arriving. They are not closing down or hiding. Instead, they are building roads, putting in infrastructures and preparing the way. They are not hiding, not being quiet or sitting down. They are getting ready as fast as they can. They are taking a stand for progress and new life.
We in the Church must not be caught in these last days being unprepared for the Great Awakening and Revival. Even as the Bible tells us that perilous are coming it also tells us of a great awakening being on the horizon.
We must understand that in any given year or decade a whole new generation of people are going to be all around us. We must understand that instead of hiding we need to start standing up. We need to start sharing the message of Hope. We need to start telling people about Jesus.
If the LORD is leading or at least allowing all these people groups to come together then we must understand that He has a plan. At no time since the Tower of Babel is there a better time to tell people about Jesus. At no time in history can we touch more people than we can today.
But we have got to begin thinking differently. Instead of focusing on why people are not coming to Church we have to take a Stand. People like it when people take a stand because they can understand them. They may not immediately join them, they may not always appreciate the stand but they can understand it and respect it. And in time I believe that God will bless the stand and help us be fruitful.
Today, we need to take a stand for:
+The Bible - It is God's Word - we don't need to always try to explain it away or to try to do our best to somehow defend the Bible - we need to just say that the Bible is God's Word and it was given to us through the Inspiration of His Holy Spirit. We need to Stand on that truth. We need to proclaim that the Bible contains all that is necessary for us to find and experience redemption and to live a life of holiness both today and in the life to come. We need to proclaim that the Bible is God's Word - Plain and Simple. And we need to read it and live by it.
+Jesus Christ - Our Savior and LORD. We need to tell the world that Jesus Is the Only Begotten Son of God. We need to proclaim and be a witness that Jesus is the Way the Truth and the Life - there is no other name that can rescue us, redeem us and enable us to be restored into the image of God Almighty.
+Holiness. We believe in a God of holiness and we are to be a people dedicated to a life of holiness. We believe that God can and will save and sanctify through the power of His Holy Spirit. We believe that the holiness lifestyle is a progressive lifestyle that enables a person, a family and a community to be able to live a life according to the fruit of the Holy Spirit. We believe that God can and will enable us to live the Abundant Life here on earth as a genuine human being reflecting God's glory and honor.
+Missions - we believe that God has and will anoint us with His Holy Spirit and will lead us to pour our lives into the lives of others so that all of creation can be rescued, redeemed and restored into the image of Jesus Christ our Savior and LORD. We believe that we are called to share the message of Jesus Christ with everyone around the world including those in our own neighborhoods. We believe that Jesus Christ is coming again and we want to do our best to help everyone we can to be ready for His Second Coming.
We are a people who STAND - WHO STAND FOR JESUS!
II. Secondly, we are a people who are Raising Our Heads (and hands)
All around us people are losing hope. They are losing hope in themselves, in their families and in their communities. They are losing hope in believing that tomorrow is going to be better than today or yesteryear.
People are full of anxiety, depression and confusion. They are looking down, looking backwards or not looking at all.
We who are in Christ are to have our heads looking up. The Apostle Paul understood this as he wrote in Colossians chapter three -
"So, if you have been raised with Christ, seek the things which are above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. Set your mind on things that are above, not on things of that are on earth, for you have died and your life is hidden with Christ in God."
It is so easy for us to focus our attention here on this earth and on its pain and problems. It is so easy for us to get tunnel vision. It is so easy for us to get so mired down in the things of this earth that we live our whole lives below the level God died for us.
New creation is our God given gift. New Life is our Birthright in Jesus. Jesus tells us that we can be Born Again; Born Anew. Jesus tells us that we can die out to our past life of sin and be reborn through the Holy Spirit. We can be infilled with God's Own Holy Spirit.
Let me say that again - We can be filled with God's Own Holy Spirit. This is the same Holy Spirit that helped the Father and the Son create all of creation - every star, every comet, every asteroid, every planet and everything that exists. This is the same Holy Spirit that leads, guides, anoints, pours out blessings and makes living the holy life enjoyable and exciting. This is the same Holy Spirit that fell on the disciples in the Upper Room with Holy Fire.
This is the same Holy Spirit that if we read our Bibles and read Christian History we see that empowered people to be able to live above the pains, the sufferings, the ignorance and the ills of the world. This is the same Holy Spirit that teaches us that a Christian is a New Person who thinks differently, who lives differently and who is different than non-Christians.
That is why we are to look up and not down to sin. We are to not look down to what Jesus referred to as dissipation and drunkedness of the age.
If we are not careful we will find ourselves getting caught up in all the stuff of this world. Especially this time of the year. We will find ourselves getting upset with all the commercialism, all the greed and the wrong focus on what it means to give and on all that Santa stuff. We find ourselves at odds with our family and friends and with the world in general.
Just let it be - plain and simple. Don't get all stressed out about Santa or Rudolph or even Elf on the Shelf. Don't get caught up by all the commercialism. Don't get caught up in all the crazy stuff that goes on during this time of the year.
Instead, keep your head lifted high. In other words, keep your mind on what is most important. This is the Season of Advent - this is the time when we once again focus on the reality that Jesus came into our world. Think about that for a moment. Jesus Christ - the Son of God came into our world. He left His Home in Heaven and Came to be Among Us.
This is the time when we focus on the reason why Jesus came into our world - to rescue us from the power and penalty of sin. Jesus Came to bring all of us a New Life. Jesus Came to defeat the powers of Evil and to Infill Us with His Holy Spirit. Jesus came to help us experience the Abundant Life - the Life that He, the Father and the Holy Spirit planned for Adam and Eve and all of Humanity in the First Place.
And we are to be ready for Jesus' Second Coming.
In this same passage Luke tells us that Jesus sounded forth the message of being Alert. Being alert to stand up. Being alert to keep our heads up. Being alert and on guard against the wiles of the Devil. Being alert so that we don't miss the joy of this season or of life in general.
If we are not careful we will live 50 - 60 - 70 years or more in a mere whisper of time and realize that we were too busy doing all the stuff, getting involved in all of the stuff of this earthly life that we have not prepared ourselves to living forever and ever. We have not enjoyed the life that Jesus went to the Cross for and we have not opened up our hearts and experienced the majesty and wonder of God Himself.
It is so easy to get caught up in all the stuff of this life - working a job, paying the bills, buying, fixing and living in a house. Making sure that there is food on the table. Doing our best to get along with our family and friends. Trying to do our best to scrape up a little extra for when the rains and the storms come in our lives.
We can get so caught up that we forget who owns the cattle on a thousand hills. We can forget who in the blink of an eye can feed 5,000 and clothes the grasses of the fields. We can forget who can in one quick moment led us from the prisons of Egypt to the throne of the Pharaoh. We can forget who can take us from a burning bush on the backside of the wilderness and lead us toward a land full of milk and honey.
This morning, let's take a stand and enjoy this year.
- Let's take a stand and enjoy knowing Jesus as Our Savior and LORD.
- Let's take a stand and live out the blessings that can come from a life of holiness - freedom, love, grace, mercy and peace.
- Let's take a stand and be a light for everyone to see - a light that comes from the love of God shining in and through you.
- Let's take a stand and be the salt that people will hunger for who seek after God's holiness and righteousness.
Let us LIFT UP OUR HEADS
We don't have to allow the World, the Devil or Sin to cause Us to think the wrong way, to become depressed or to focus on the evils of the age.
- Let's LIFT up our heads and turn off noise - the dissipation - the TV, the internet, social media and the like and realize that one day and perhaps one day soon - we will be lifting up our heads and seeing Our Lord Jesus coming out of the Sky to take all of us to the New Heaven and the New Earth. Let us Lift up our heads and focus on Our Savior and LORD JESUS CHRIST.
Yes, Babylon captured God's People but the day came with Babylon fell and soon the People of God were returning to Israel to rebuild the wall, the Temple and their nation.
Yes, Rome captured God's People but the day came when Rome fell and today we no longer see the Roman Empire but we do see the reemergence of God's People in Israel.
Today, the world may be going crazy and we may well be on the brink of another time of war and/or collapse. But we do not have to hide, to quit or to allow sin to rule the day. We do not have fall victim to hopelessness. Instead, we can:
TAKE A STAND - WE CAN TAKE A STAND FOR GOD
RAISE UP OUR HEADS - WE CAN FOCUS ON RIGHTEOUSNESS/HOLINESS/PURITY
The People of God did not wake up to Jesus' warnings. They fell victim to sin and in the end were destroyed.
Today - we can be alert - we can be active in living and sharing our faith. We can be a positive witness for Christ. We can make a difference. We can be a difference.
The question we have to answer this First Sunday of Advent is - Will We?
Will we take a Stand?
Will we lift up our Heads?
Will we be a light shining for Christ in the darkness?
Will this great time when so many people can be reached by the Hope of Jesus be realized by the Church?
Closing Song - Stand Up, Stand Up for Jesus or
“Let it Be Jesus” by Jonas Myrin, Matt Redman, and Chris Tomlin
Prayer/Blessing/Sending Forth
