In Jesus Holy Name November 28, 2021
Text: Luke 21:25-27 Advent I Redeemer
“Advent: A Time to Watch and Prepare”
Today, is the first Sunday in Advent. Here’s the question: "Are you ready for Christmas? I know it is probably a crazy question when you haven’t even finished the last of the Turkey and pumpkin pie. But I know that left over turkey and dressing does not stop people from putting up their Christmas tree, even on the day after Thanksgiving.
Here we are, the 1st Sunday in Advent and our own church does not even have our Christmas tree up yet! How did the day catch us unaware and un prepared? Were we to concerned about other things? This is what Jesus was warning us about. ”Don’t let me catch you unprepared for my return to earth.” Watch be Prepared.
Watch and be ready. It sounds like an easy thing to do. It's not. It's not, because it is not our human nature to watch and wait for anything. That is why people already have their trees up and shopping in process.
This year…people have been warned: There is a ”Supply Chain” problem. Ships are backed up in ports unable to unload their cargo. There may empty shelves, you better shop early. The race to prepare for Christmas has been going on for weeks. We have been warned. Order NOW! Don’t wait!
If the dire warnings about a “supply chain” problem has caused worry, and fear, then why have the words of Jesus “Watch! Be Ready!” not caused the same concern? I suppose it’s just our human nature to put things off, unless warned.
There is an old story which speaks about the day when the devil called a council of his chief servants. The purpose of the conference was to improve their methods and increase their effectiveness in stealing souls from the Savior. During the discussion, one demon said, "I propose that our representatives go to the earth and tell everyone that the Bible is a myth." (from a sermon by Rev. Ken Klaus)
Satan smiled and nodded approvingly. He commented, "Not bad. The idea has some merit, but I think we may be able to do better." One of the devil's closest advisers suggested, "Why not be direct. Let's have our associates tell everyone, "Relax, after all, there is no God, no Savior, no hell, and no heaven."
His suggestion received a standing ovation when he got up and said, "My friends, my fellow members of the hellish host, we must be more clever. Yes, there are some humans who are too busy to think about Judgment Day. They don’t even think their name will appear in an obituary in their local paper. Too Busy.
He continued, "No, I suggest this: let our salesmen canvass their territories and suggest the following to their clients. They should say: 'Yes, the Bible is true, and the Savior is real.' And then... and this part of the plan is absolutely crucial; let our sales force add, 'These things are true, but there really is no need to hurry. Judgment Day hasn't come for thousands of years. The return of Jesus is not about to happen in the next few minutes.' Then whisper in their ear: 'There's no need to rush into repentance and redemption. Take your time; take your time.'"
At that moment the conversation and convention ended. The devils and demons, knew they had heard a plan which would work, That's why today, every time Jesus says, "Repent, be baptized, be saved." Every time the Savior says "Watch and wait..."; Satan's sales force adds, "By all means. Absolutely you should watch and wait for Jesus' return. You should repent of your many misdeeds and feel sorrow for your sins. You should do all these things and you will do them... tomorrow. As for today, it's highly unlikely that Jesus is coming back today." So, leave your bible on its shelf. Don’t concern yourself with worship.
The plan has proven incredibly successful, we hate to watch and we hate to wait. We know because our children, and grandchildren when observing the Christmas tree ask: “how much longer”… do we have to wait? Yes, but if we put up this Advent Calendar there will be little gifts each day…Will that help you wait?
When watching for signs of the Lord’s coming in world events it is easy to take our eyes off the purpose of life. “Living each day knowing that eternal life depends on our focus on the cross and empty grave.
If you doubt me, may I point to the story of passenger vessel, the Costa Concordia which sank in 2012 and snuffed out the lives of 32 people. Did it make a difference that the ship's Captain had turned off the vessel's navigation system... Did it make a difference that the captain didn't have his reading glasses and had to keep asking for help to see the ship's instruments? Did it make a difference that the Concordia sailed far closer to land than any other cruise line? Of course; these things made a difference but mostly the disaster occurred because the people who should have been watching, weren't. No, it's difficult to watch and wait.
Next Sunday, December 5th, America will remember how, on December 7, 1941, 353 Japanese airplanes, in an attempted surprise attack, swarmed over America's fleet at Pearl Harbor. The day was a disaster, in a few short hours, 2,400 lives were lost, 8 battleships were taken out of commission, 6 major airfields were destroyed as were most of their planes. Now I say it was an attempted surprise attack, because it really wasn't a surprise at all.
The following information I share with you was never made public during the war, It would have caused a terrible reaction among the already demoralized nation. That being said, you should know that at 7 a.m., when the Japanese warplanes were 137 miles and 50 minutes away, two U.S. soldiers, stationed at a small outpost saw their little radar screen fill up with dots. These soldiers notified their lieutenant who decided these planes must be coming in from California.
Without another thought he said, "Don't worry about it." If he had sounded the alert, there might have been time to scramble the planes at Pearl Harbor, There might have been time to do something. But this lieutenant, at the most critical moment of his career, didn't keep watch. It's not normal for people to watch and wait.
But that's enough of history. Let us concentrate our attention on the words of Jesus who wants to warn the world, who wants to warn you and me about the moment of our judgment, that moment when it will be too late for you or me to make changes in our plans concerning eternity.
You should know Jesus wasn't telling us to quit our jobs or stop planting seeds in our fields. The Lord wasn't urging us to cut our ties to family and friends. He wasn't telling us to pack up a few essential belongings and go to live by ourselves in a cave or out in the desert. He wasn't telling us to gather everybody together and climb to the top of a mountain on a certain, specific day. He wasn't telling us to get out our calculators and try to figure out the day when He comes back in judgment. Jesus said: “nobody knows the day or hour” so put the calculator away.
And if you're wondering what you SHOULD do, the answer is simple. Christians should keep busy living each day in readiness for when the Lord will come. He wants us to do the things we have to do, which we ought and should do.
Here is an example: “During the past few days every mother, every grandmother who was basting the turkey in her kitchen and mashing the potatoes, was at the same time, listening for her children's car in the driveway. She was better prepared for Thanksgiving Day than the grandmother who plunked herself down on a chair in the living room, pulled back the curtains, and just waited for her children's unknown arrival. The first Grandma is better prepared because she's working and she's watching and she's really ready for the moment of celebration.
(Ibid Rev. Klaus)
Have you put eternity on the back burner because you believe Judgment Day is not going to be today, tomorrow, or anytime soon?
If that is the case, "That is dangerous and unwise." Now it is true, Jesus may NOT come to judge the entire world today or tomorrow. But that doesn't mean He isn't coming to judge you. Are you sure, are you absolutely sure that you will see the end of this day or the rising of the sun which may come tomorrow? You may have a tragic car wreck in the valley fog on the way home.
New cases “Coronavirus” are still causing hospitalizations and death, even for some who have been fully vaccinated. No one seems to be immune from this invisible enemy. We wear masks and gloves because we don’t know when or where the virus will strike. Masks and gloves will not protect you when your final days on earth arrive from standing before the Judge of the Universe.
If this message lasts 20 minutes, more than 2,100 people will have breathed their last. Jesus may not have come back to judge the world, but He has judged them. And if, at the moment of their deaths, He was not their Savior when they breathed their last, they were lost for all of eternity.
That is why I ask, "Are you prepared? Is your soul ready for the coming of the Son of God? And when He appears, or when His hand reaches for yours at your bedside, there is no second chance to reconsider. Is your eternal address secure? It can be if it is not. Listen to the words of Jesus in John 6:47 (read)
It was in the early 1900s that a young man, with other young men, were all applying for the position of a telegraph operator. The group talked with each other as they waited in the outer office, for the boss to arrive. Nobody paid much attention for the small sounds of dots and dashes which came over a small loudspeaker.
Then, without warning, one young man jumped up and rushed into the employer's office. He returned, shouting, "I got the job." When the others doubted him, he said, "I did get the job and you might have to." Those dots and dashes said, 'I'm in my office and I'll hire the first alert man who hears these words correctly."
In a similar way the Lord says, "I will save all those who hear My Word, believe in My Son and stay waiting for the time this invitation becomes a reality."
