Luke 21:25-36 Advent 2 2006 - "WHAT A WASTE!!"
I. What a waste!
II. What a Savior!
25“There will be signs in the sun, the moon, and the stars, and on the earth distress among nations confused by the roaring of the sea and the waves.
26People will faint from fear and foreboding of what is coming upon the world, for the powers of the heavens will be shaken.
27Then they will see ‘the Son of Man coming in a cloud’ with power and great glory.
28Now when these things begin to take place, stand up and raise your heads, because your redemption is drawing near.”
29Then he told them a parable: “Look at the fig tree and all the trees;
30as soon as they sprout leaves you can see for yourselves and know that summer is already near.
31So also, when you see these things taking place, you know that the kingdom of God is near.
32Truly I tell you, this generation will not pass away until all things have taken place.
33Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will not pass away.
34“Be on guard so that your hearts are not weighed down with dissipation and drunkenness and the worries of this life, and that day catch you unexpectedly,
35like a trap. For it will come upon all who live on the face of the whole earth.
36Be alert at all times, praying that you may have the strength to escape all these things that will take place, and to stand before the Son of Man.”
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We wait for God.
He comes by surprise, in His own way and in His own time. That’s the benefit of being God.
But for us, God through Scripture has given us vague and cryptic words about that time. And we hate that. But that is what we are stuck with. No concrete evidence, no date, no time. The end comes when it comes!
And yet he tells us what we are to do: Prayerfully alert!
Prayer, repentance, personal pilgrimages are very much a challenge for us today. It is a challenge.
Our hearts get weighed down - DISSIPATION! (definition) "useless or profitless activity; using or expending or consuming thoughtlessly or carelessly;" "if the effort brings no compensating gain it is a waste"; "mindless dissipation of natural resources" it also mean useless indulgence in sensual pleasure
It seems strange that the slang word for being drunk on booze or stoned on weed is WASTED - Man was I wasted!!!
How right they are - WHAT A WASTE!! Jesus would say. What a waste of mind and body gifts from God!!
That is why even though we do not like it (because of that old Adam) - Advent is a time for prayer and repentance. "Fasting days" in the Church. We would rather party! Its time for jolly old st. nick - its a time to shop till you drop and run to every place for cookies and rum punch!!
Its a time to think not because we want to - but because that is the thrust of what Jesus is saying here!!
The thrust of what Jesus says - sounds like Lent! Its not party time!
The first Sin bogs us down in the mud of life.
It happens to all people!
Johnny Cash died in 2003 - that same year he had his last hit - The song’s Title was "Hurt" - It was a song from the heavy metal rock band nine inch nails.
In the song, the protagonist has already killed himself - and he is now reflecting on his life. After all his escapades, involving drugs, deceit, and his quest for fame and fortune, he realizes that he has gained ultimately nothing. "An Empire of dirt" And he speculates whether he would change if given another chance. The oldJohnny Cash was a hit with MTV, more so with those old rock stars.
In 1959 Johnny cash released an album "hymns of Johnny Cash"
This past fall one more song of Johnny Cash is having an interesting impact. The Song, "God’s Gonna Cut You Down" A stark song about repentance and sin. And the strange part is that the video has artists from all over our country, the famous and infamous in this video - How they cant run from God. He will eventually cut them down.
And how strange it is - that in our technical, advanced country it still has to deal with liars and back-biters and sinners - it still has to deal with sin.
“Be on guard so that your hearts are not weighed down with dissipation and drunkenness and the worries of this life, and that day catch you unexpectedly,
Wastefulness and drunkenness, for the saints in Christ, Jesus warns us not to get bogged down in sin, without faith. Without Jesus Christ as Lord and God!
Jesus points out one other thing about sin. Sin makes us fear. Where do we get courage?
We are afraid of the consequences, the unknown, we hate waiting for bad news.
For many people. The end of this world as we know it - the approach of their own death - they are things we cannot see past.
26People will faint from fear and foreboding of what is coming upon the world, for the powers of the heavens will be shaken.
27Then they will see ‘the Son of Man coming in a cloud’ with power and great glory.
What a waste we are because of sin!! But thanks be to God...
II. What a Savior!!
Listen to Psalm 80
Give ear, O Shepherd of Israel,
You who lead Jacob like a flock.
Restore us, O God;
cause Your face to shine, and we shall be saved!
Return, we beseech You, O God of Hosts,*
look down from heaven and see.
Let Your hand be upon the Man of Your right hand,
upon the Son of Man whom You made strong for Yourself.
It is the Word of God like this - that gives us comfort and hope.
When life is a waste, we turn to the creator of life to take us from waste - to a child of God. A believer in Christ. A saint. Made holy by the precious blood shed upon the cross.
a. He frees us out of the mire! His is the way of truth and life.
b. He gives a a Holy Direction! He sets each one of us on a personal pilgrimage. Advent and Christmas is full of travelling!
Mary and Joseph travel to Bethlehem, Mary visits Elizabeth, Magi travel from the east - Shepherds travel from the fields.
In our own individual lives, each one of us has different personality -- each one has their special set of sins. Each one has individual flaws. But also we have gifts, we have strengths and abilities. More importantly we have a God who knows us.
I have a favorite picture that someone gave me when I left our last parish. Its a picture with a message - being the Art minor in college - I really like these kind of religious expressions. (some are just pics of Jesus) DESCRIBE PICTURE [its a picture of Jesus working on a square block of wood, the only color in the picture are the tiny shavings they are blue - use this image how you wish to make the point]
Jesus the carpenter working on a block of wood. I am that wood. You are that piece of wood. He works on us.
We are so selfish - to the point of thinking that we can help ourselves. If we just pray enough, sing enough, read enough. But when it comes down to the truth - its what God has already done for us in Christ Jesus that saves us. And each one of us is His child. REMEMBER THAT IN OUR CHURCH MEETINGS!! EACH ONE OF US IS HIS!!! AND HE IS WATCHING US!!
AND INTO THIS CONFUSION OF SIN - INTO OUR WASTE AND FEARS -- HE WORKS ON US
We have a dumpster out back of this church - at times the truck misses a week of two and the dumpster fills up - the garbage piles up till its over the brim and stacked up - over flowing with garbage and trash!! We call the fellow and the truck eventually comes and takes it away.
Jesus gives us a way to rid ourselves of our waste by-products of life.
III. Waste Disposal: a two step process
a. Shedding sin
b. Clothed in Christ
In plain words Jesus tells us to repent and pray. That is what Advent is all about - preparation for Jesus.
Get rid of that waste of sin -- call God on the phone of prayer.
And return to that challenge he gives to us - and that challenge is to continue on your personal pilgrimage to heaven.
WE CAN SAY TO GOD:
“Forgive us for thinking that prayer is a waste of time and help us to see that without prayer our work is a waste of time.
Forgive us for thinking that repentance is a waste of time and help us to see that without repentance our life is a waste of time.”
Think of What Jesus Christ did for you. His own pilgrimage which started on the manger in Bethlehem, ended at Calvary.
Where His life atoned for our sin
We shed the sin by the Cross of Jesus Christ, confess our sins, turn to Him as the only way truth and life.
And for that pilgrimage we have Christ close to us - like our clothes are. Through the Mighty Baptism of God’s Word and Water - Jesus’ work upon the cross washes away our sins and clothes us with His righteousness.
Baptized, believing, following Jesus Christ - we are ready for whatever may come - without spiritual waste and fear.
AMEN
