Watch With Eager Expectation

Text: Luke 21:25-36

Theme: Watch with Eager Expectation

A. Seeing the signs of a failing world

B. Waiting for your Redeemer

Season: Advent 1c

Date: November 29, 2009

Web page: http://hancocklutheran.org/sermons/Watch-with-Eager-Expectation-Luke21_25-36.html

Grace and peace to you from God our Father and our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. The Word from God through which the Holy Spirit brings us hope in Jesus is Luke 21

"[Jesus said,] "There will be signs in the sun, moon, and stars. On the earth there will be distress among nations in perplexity over the sea’s roaring and surging, as people faint from fearful expectation of what’s coming upon civilization. For the powers of the heavens will be shaken. Then they will see the Son of Man coming in a cloud with power and great glory. When these things begin to happen, stand straight and lift up your head, because your redemption is near."

"He told them this parable, "Look at the fig tree and all the trees. When they put out their leaves, you know for yourselves by seeing it that summer is now near. So also when you see these things happen, you know that the kingdom of God is near. Truly I say to you that this kind of people will certainly not pass away until all these things come about. Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will certainly never pass away.

""Watch yourselves so that your hearts are not weighed down in hangovers, drunkenness, and the worries of daily life, and that day suddenly appears for you. For it will come as a trap on all who lounge on the face of the whole earth. But be awake at every moment, pleading that you have the strength to escape all that’s going to happen and to stand before the Son of Man." " (Luke 21:25-36)

Dear friends in Christ, fellow saints washed clean in the blood of our risen Savior:

"Aw Mom! Do I have to go home? It’s so much more fun here with my cousins. Look at all these neat toys they got."

It’s easy for children to get swept up in the excitement of the moment and forget how important home is. Home is where Daddy and Mommy are. Home provides us our food and clothing, our shelter and care. Home is that safe place when the world runs us down. Home is where tears are wiped away. Home, sweet home.

Heaven is your home, dear Christian. Yet instead of watching for heaven, we become weighed down with the things of this world. Through these words of Jesus may the Holy Spirit today lift up our eyes in eager expectation. That brings us to our theme: Watch with eager expectation. As you watch you will see the signs of a failing world and you will be waiting for your Redeemer. So watch with eager expectation.

A. Seeing the signs of a failing world

1. What earthly things are you eager for you?

His cousin’s toys seemed like so much fun. We as well easily get caught up in the toys of this world. I’m not only talking about the fun extras that amuse us, but also the necessities of life, namely food and clothing. How these things consume our eager expectation! We watch for them instead of watching for our true home.

How eager we are to unwrap that Christmas gift we’ve wanted! How eager to finish up work for the weekend or to get that harvest in! How eager to make those Thanksgiving weekend sales! How eager to see family and friends again! How eager to fill our stomachs when it start to grumble!

All those are good things and there’s nothing wrong with being eager about them. But our eagerness for them overwhelms our eagerness for our heavenly home. Just look at how eagerness for earthly things spurs us on. We get up early or stay up late. We spend money getting them and time enjoying them. They fill our thoughts and plans. Do we give the same eager devotion in anticipating our heavenly home?

2) What will happen to all earthly things?

Yet all these things pertaining to our earthly life wear out and break like a child’s toy. Jesus describes how the very fabric of our universe will unravel to the horror of all whose eager expectation has been focused on this world. "There will be signs in the sun, moon, and stars. On the earth, nations will be in anguish and perplexity at the roaring and tossing of the sea. Men faint from terror, apprehensive of what is coming on the world, for the heavenly bodies will be shaken" (Luke 21:25, 26 NIV).

I don’t know how it will all look, but when it happens, you will know. All people will know. How dreadful it will be for those who were not watching! Any whose eager expectation was built on this world will faint from fearful apprehension. All their hopes and dreams will come to an end for "heaven and earth will pass away" (Luke 21:33 NIV).