Isaiah 64:1-9
1 O that you would tear open the heavens and come down, so that the mountains would quake at your presence— 2 ” as when fire kindles brushwood and the fire causes water to boil— to make your name known to your adversaries, so that the nations might tremble at your presence!
Mark 13:24-37
24 ”But in those days, after that suffering,
the sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give its light, 25 and the stars will be falling from heaven, and the powers in the heavens will be shaken.
26 Then they will see ‘the Son of Man coming in clouds’ with great power and glory. 27 Then he will send out the angels, and gather his elect from the four winds, from the ends of the earth to the ends of heaven. 28 ”From the fig tree learn its lesson: as soon as its branch becomes tender and puts forth its leaves, you know that summer is near. 29 So also, when you see these things taking place, you know that he is near, at the very gates. 30 Truly I tell you, this generation will not pass away until all these things have taken place. 31 Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will not pass away. 32 ”But about that day or hour no one knows, neither the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father. 33 Beware, keep alert; for you do not know when the time will come. 34 It is like a man going on a journey, when he leaves home and puts his slaves in charge, each with his work, and commands the doorkeeper to be on the watch. 35 Therefore, keep awake—for you do not know when the master of the house will come, in the evening, or at midnight, or at cockcrow, or at dawn, 36 or else he may find you asleep when he comes suddenly. 37 And what I say to you I say to all: Keep awake.”
Sermon
“O that you would tear open the heavens and come down, to make your name known”
Today the prophet Isaiah voices similar concerns that we often have. His world seems to be crumbling around him. It seems that everyone he knows has forgotten God. He says; “All have sinned and there is no one who calls on you or attempts to take hold of you any more.” It seems that times are good for the people and they no longer feel the need to rely on God as they used to. Isaiah sees how God has become so irrelevant to the people… They are not interested in what God might think or do. They just don’t care. But Isaiah is one of the few who actually thinks about God…and he too wants God to be more active and more visible. He wishes that God would do awesome deeds of the past and make the mountains quake. He wishes that God presence would be so startling…like a brush fire… so everyone and especially his adversaries would know…this comes from God.
Similar to Isaiah’s musings and wishes… we sometimes have asked or we have heard other people musing or wishing that God’s presence would be more obvious. When a loved one or we become sick we wish that God would become more present…we wish that God would do those miracles that we hear happen for people in the Bible…and even people from our times who have been healed.
We wish that God would that God’s presence would become more obvious and more shocking to the people of the world. We wish that God would tear open the heaven and water the parched places inAfricawhere hunger seems to have become a constant companion. In our country we wish that God would show proper displeasure to criminals who organize gangs, deal in drugs and prostitution. We wish that God would intervene in countries where human rights are being ignored…where they are being imprisoned, tortured, or killed because they are asking for good government and fair treatment. We wish that God would stand and speak directly to perpetrators and leaders who abuse and whose citizens live in daily fear…. We wish that God would stand and speak clearly…showing them that they have been seen, and God is not pleased. If only God would become more obvious and more active in the affairs of the world and in our lives…wouldn’t it be better.
While we often are eager for God to tear open the heavens and come hoping for personal healing…or for rain or that criminals and dictators will get a stern message about God’s displeasure …when it comes to our own activities we aren’t always so anxious. Sometimes we would be caught doing something which is hard to explain. We may be caught sinning at the moment God appears…and all of a sudden our good and righteous deeds will seem like filthy rags. Sometimes, are not ready for God to come. We still have very important things to do… and have no time for God or to be elected and gathered from the four winds. When we too busy or are doing things… which we know are displeasing to God…the sudden appearance of the Son of Man coming with great power and glory is probably more than a little discomforting for us. We hope that when the Son of Man comes in cosmic glory we will be ready.
Like many we look for signs about when that might happen… Earth quakes, hurricanes, floods, and wars cause us to worry that our world is crumbling and coming to an end… and Jesus is coming to gather his elect and save them from the destruction. As we look back in history and learn more about the science all of the natural events like earthquakes, hurricanes, draughts, and floods have constantly occurred. And wars have happened since God created humans…
Rather than these very literal understandings of today’s gospel…Jesus is more likely describing what happens to us in similar times. He is talking about our personal world and how it can be shaken to the core…by events beyond our control. Sometimes events can be cosmic as described and we are caught up in them…and sometimes the events are more personal like disease or family wars… Regardless of the origin…whether everyone around us is also experiencing it…or whether it is personal and goes unnoticed by other people… it is frightening…and may even cause despair.
At these moments when everything seems darkest when in our world the sun and moon refuse to shine…that is the time to look for the Son of Man coming. When the stars fall from the sky…and everything in our life appears completely hopeless…Jesus is on his way and gathers us in to God’s loving arms. When everything is out of control… and nothing is left… Jesus comes in the clouds and gives us hope. His assurance is this; Even though heaven and earth should pass away for us his words will never pass away. He will be with us every step of our journey.
Last week, while I was at the rural ministries’ conference I heard an almost unbelievable story…in which best describes Jesus assurances. It is the personal story of one of the people there. At age 28, this man was diagnosed with stage four cancer… which means it was very advanced and untreatable. He was moved to palliative care, with only days or weeks to live. In the palliative ward his needs were provided for by a team of caring professionals. At this moment when all should have been hopeless…a deep unexplainable peace came over him. Never before or after has he experienced the hope and contentment of that time. He is now close to 60 and it looking very healthy. The experience has changed his life and he will never be the same.
Jesus encourages us and gives us hope…to look for the signs of his nearness. The signs of his nearness are like the every day signs we see in nature. For instance like in the spring when the trees begin budding …the grass changes from brown to green…and when the gardens and crops begin to sprout…we know that the long days of summer will soon come. Similarly, we can look for the signs of Jesus coming near… When our whole world is darkest, crumbling around us, and appears hopeless …Jesus is very near…gathering us in…and loving us. Finally Jesus encourages us not to forget this message… When we keep awake and watch closely we will know when Jesus will be near.
Today let us be people of hope trusting in Christ our Lord… Let us open our eyes to see the signs which show us when Jesus is near us. Let us listen to his loving words of hope and assurance. And finally let us open our hearts with the knowledge that the Son of Man comes to gather everyone from the four winds, from the ends of the earth, and from the ends of heaven…to himself. And finally let us take the hope Jesus wishes for us…out into our daily lives… to the people we meet…that they may also know the hope which is so near. Thanks be to God. Amen
