liff and Saltillo UM Churches
First Sunday of Advent
December 1, 2002
“Slowing Down for Reflection”
Luke 21:25-26
Introduction: When I was growing up, there was a woman at our church who would always say, “STAY ready so you won’t have to GET ready.”
She was saying basically what today’s scripture says--live your lives in such a way that you will be ready if Jesus should come today. Each week in the Apostle’s Creed you say, “I believe that he shall come to judge the quick and the dead.” Live your lives in such a way that you won’t be caught off guard if that day would be today.
How do we do this in our busy 21st century lifestyles when our days are filled to the brim and overflowing with all kinds of obligations and responsibilities. How can we find time--or take time when everything seems to crowd out thoughts of the spiritual side of life to the point that we think of it as optional. After all we have to go to work, babysit the grandchildren, shop till we drop, and think about the bills and financial responsibilities. Maybe after the rush of the season there will be more time to concentrate on thinking about reading the Bible, praying, going to Bible study and church. After all we do have other priorities too.
Well, another year is almost gone--the weeks fly by quickly and we often still do not have our lives in order. A time for slowing down and reflecting has never come. We are not ready for Christmas and we are not ready for Jesus either. Many people will say, “I used to go to Sunday school and church, I heard the Bible stories when I was growing up, I was faithful to go to church but I “just got out of the habit.”
The First Sunday of Advent is a special time set aside in the Christian calendar to “Slow down for reflection.” Just how prepared are you if Jesus should come today?” Would he break into your live unexpectedly?
Let’s take a look at today’s scripture and see how it applies to our individual lives.
1. Fear about the Uncertainty of World Events: People in Jesus’ time were fearful about the uncertainty of the times. And today’s scripture begins sounding like it came right from this week’s news headlines as well.
“Amazing things will happen to the sun, moon, and stars. On earth, nations will be afraid because of the roar and fury of the sea. [ The roaring of the sea is mentioned in Isaiah 17:12 and the sea often symbolizes chaos or stands for a source of fear. ] They will not know what to do. People will be so afraid they will faint. They will wonder what is happening to the whole world” (vs 25, 26 New Century Version).
Does that sound familiar? World leaders are not in agreement as to how to go about solving the problems caused by terrorist groups. People do not know if they can feel safe in their own communities or in public places. People worry about the safety of their children. There is a greater sense of fear lurking in our minds as we live our daily lives today. News reports of being on elevated terror alerts don’t help us to feel calm and peaceful. Not only are there heightned terror alerts but there are overwhelming natural disasters in the form of tornados, earthquakes, floods and other devastating events. Add fearfulness to the stresses of our already fast-paced lifestyle and we can identify with what Jesus was talking about in Luke. We might think, “What if it lands on my doorstep. What if...?
Jesus is saying, “Well, WHAT IF...” “When these things begin to take place, stand up and lift up your heads, because your redemption is drawing near--the time when God will free you is near.”
Jesus then went on to give an example that they could all understand. He said, “Look at the fig tree and other trees. When their leaves appear, you know that summer is near.” It’s the same way when the kingdom of God is getting near. Know that as you are waiting and looking forward to Christ’s Second Advent that it will unfold in due time just like the First Advent. Once the sequence begins, it will be brought to completion. Jesus gives ASSURANCE concerning these events. He is not going to leave us in a state of fear and anxiety. He will bring us through to completion.
People will ask you, “Are you ready for Christmas?” Most of the time we say, “Not yet.” “Still have more shopping to do. Still have more cookies to bake.” Well, Christmas is coming whether or not you are ready. The days go by and the events unfold.
Jesus said he would come back and these events have been unfolding throughout history. One day He will appear. We don’t have to be fearful, however, if we are ready. He doesn’t leave us at the fear stage. He gives us instructions as to what we need to do.
2. Being Ready: He says, “But be on your guard. Don’t let the sharp edge of your expectation get dulled by parties, and drinking, and shopping. Otherwise that day is going to take you by complete surprise, spring in on you suddenly like a trap, for it’s going to come on everyone, everywhere at once. So whatever you do, don’t go to sleep at the switch. Pray constantly that you will have the strength and wits to make it through and end up on your feet before the Son of Man.” (Message Bible).
Another translation says. “Be careful. Do not spend your time feasting and drinking or don’t be too busy with worldly things. The NIV says, “Be careful or your hearts will be weighed down by the ANXIETIES OF LIFE. (vs. 34). If you do that, you will not be able to think straight and then that day might come when you are not ready and it will close like a trap on all people on earth. SO BE READY ALL THE TIME.
Story of Wally:
"The Call of the Barnyard"
(Author Unknown)
A flock of wild ducks were flying in formation, heading south for the Winter. They formed a beautiful "V" in the sky, and were admired by everyone who saw them from below.
One day, Wally, one of the wild ducks in the formation, spotted something on the ground that caught his eye. It was a barnyard with a flock of tame ducks who lived on the farm. They were waddling around on the ground, quacking merrily and eating corn that was thrown on the ground for them every day.
Wally liked what he saw. "It sure would be nice to have some of that corn," he thought to himself. "And all this flying is very tiring. I’d like to just waddle around for a while." So after thinking it over a while, Wally left the formation of wild ducks, made a sharp dive to the left, and headed for the barn yard.
He landed among the tame ducks, and began to waddle around and quack merrily. He also started eating corn. The formation of wild ducks continued their journey south, but Wally didn’t care. I’ll rejoin them when they come back this way in a few months, he said to himself.
Several months went by and sure enough, Wally looked up and spotted the flock of wild ducks in formation, heading north. They looked beautiful up there. And Wally was tired of the barn yard.
It was muddy and everywhere he waddled, nothing but duck-doo. "It’s time to leave," said Wally. So Wally flapped his wings furiously and tried to get airborne. But he had gained some weight from all his corn eating, and he hadn’t exercised his wings much either.
He finally got off the ground, but he was flying too low and slammed into the side of the barn. He fell to the ground with a thud and said to himself,"Oh well, I’ll just wait until they fly South in a few months. Then I’ll rejoin them and become a wild duck again."
But when the flock flew overhead once more, Wally again tried to lift himself out of the barn yard. He simply didn’t have the strength. Every Winter and every Spring, he saw his wild duck friends flying over head, and they would call out to him. But his attempts to leave were all in vain.
Eventually Wally no longer paid any attention to the wild ducks flying overhead. He hardly even noticed them. He had after all, become a barnyard duck.
Sometimes we get tired of being wild ducks . . . followers of Jesus Christ. It’s not always easy to be obedient to God and to discipline ourselves to hang in there for the long haul. When we are feeling that way, that’s when Satan tempts us to "fall out of formation" and to join the barnyard ducks . . . the world . . .
But see what happened to Wally. He thought he would just "check it out" for a while and then leave when he wanted to. But he couldn’t do it. Sin is like that. Sin is a trap, and it has a way of changing us into people we don’t even want to become.
Eventually, we lose touch with whom we really are . . . the sons and daughters of The Most High; We become barnyard ducks.
3. How Does Your Life Reflect verse 36?:
“So be ready all the time.” You might say how can I live in such a way that I would be ready all the time. That doesn’t seem possible. That seems overwhelming to me.
There is a saying that “You can eat an elephant one bite at a time.” You say, “What in the world does that mean?” It simply means that as you slow down for reflection on this first Sunday of Advent you can make sure that you are forgiven of all known sin in your life today. You can root out the unforgiveness and bitterness that has crept in over the past weeks and months--things you were not even aware of. You can deal with your current priorities. Take a look at where you have gotten off track--where you have left Jesus behind. Go back and start over again. Get rid of the non-essential things that have moved into your life and that take up your valuable, productive time.
Be ready TODAY. Then move on to tomorrow. Serve him one step at a time. That is like “eating an elephant one bit at a time.” It is not impossible anymore. As you slow down and pause for reflection, you can watch that sin does not get a foothold in your life. Watching and praying must go together.
Readiness: Get Ready
A mother was explaining, to her little girl, the death of her father. The mother said: "God has sent for your father and will send for us, but I do not know just when." Finally, the little girl said: "If we do not know just when God is going to send for us, do you not think we had better pack up and get ready to go? God might send when we are not ready."
CONCLUSION: What will you do this week to become better at watching and praying? How will you live READY so that you won’t have to GET READY? How will the assurance of Jesus help you to rise about the fearfulness of current events?
Readiness: Clean When He Comes
A man visiting a certain school told the classthat he would give a prize to the student whose desk he found in the best order when he returned. "But when will you return?" some of them asked. "I can’t tell you that," was the answer. A little girl, who had been noted for her disorderly habits, announced that she meant to win the prize. "You!" her schoolmates jeered; "why, your desk is always messed up." "Oh! but I mean to clean it the first of every week." "But suppose he should come at the end of the week? someone asked. "Then I will clean it every morning." "But he may come at the end of the day." For a moment the little girl was silent. "I know what I’ll do," she said decidedly, "I’ll just keep it clean." --McCartney
II Peter 3:14 in speaking about the coming of the Lord says, “Dear friends we are waiting for this to happen. So try as hard as you can to be without sin and without fault. Try to be at peace with God. Remember we are saved because our Lord is patient...Dear friends, you ALREADY KNOW about this. Be careful. Do not let evil people lead you away by the wrong they do. Be careful so that you will not fall from your strong faith. But grow in grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Glory be to him now and forever. Amen” (v.17)
Today on this first Sunday of Advent, “Slow down for Reflection.”
