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January 2005
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The 1st Sunday in Advent In the Name of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, who is coming again to judge the living and the dead. Grace, mercy, and peace be with you! Amen! There is a story that once there was a zoo with a very interesting exhibit called “The Peaceable Kingdom”, featuring a lion and a lamb together in the same cage – and apparently getting along fine with each other. Everyone who saw it marveled at the scene. Finally, one day someone asked the zookeeper how this was possible. “Oh,” he said, “That’s easy. Each morning I just put in a fresh lamb!” Today we begin a new church year, and with it we also turn our attention to the Gospel of Mark as our primary gospel text each week. Mark was writing during a very turbulent time. Most commentators believe that this gospel was written during the Jewish revolt against Rome around 70 A.D. One of the major issues that Mark’s Christian community had to wrestle with was how to live as God’s faithful people in the midst of a world that was almost literally “going to hell in a hand basket” – or to put it in another way, how to live as lambs in the midst of lions! Mark’s 13th chapter especially, from which we have today’s gospel reading, gives some guidance on this subject. This chapter is known as the “Little Apocalypse” because it tells us about events that are to happen in the last days. None of the events are happy ones but are rather full of suffering and pain. According to Mark, things are only going to get worse and worse until Jesus Christ finally comes again in his power and glory. In the verses immediately before today’s gospel passage, Jesus warns his disciples that as the end draws near there will be more and more wars and rumors of wars, more and more persecutions from without, and often conflicts and betrayals even from our closest family members and friends. Idolatry and the glorification of evil will become more and more the norm. And finally, as mentioned in today’s passage, even the signs of the heavens themselves will begin to fail as the sun and moon are darkened and the stars begin to fall. This certainly is not an image of the future that many of us would like to have. We would much rather think of the future as being something like “The Peaceable Kingdom” in which everything is wonderful. For example, after the Cold War ended about fifteen years ago, books were written about how a new golden age was about to come into existence. The date of 11/9 – the date that the Berlin Wall fell in 1989 – was viewed as the beginning of a new world that would be far better than what we had before. Many people were dreaming about how the “peace dividend” resulting from less military spending would transform society as billions of dollars previously marked for defense would instead be redirected for programs to help better humanity. There were visions that we could cut taxes, and still have a lot of funds left over to help provide better healthcare for all and to help alleviate (and perhaps even eliminate) poverty. If we had our preference, that is certainly the kind of future that we would like to imagine. We would like to think that everything is going to get better and better in the years to come, and that the coming of God’s kingdom will eventually transform our entire world into a utopia. Except, we know that it is not going to be like that! Any illusions people might have had about our world getting better and better were shattered by the “flip-side” of 11/9 – the date of 9/11 in 2001! Hatred and evil are still around in ways that are perhaps worse than ever before. Because of what happened on 9/11, America is now engaged in a “War against Terrorism” in countries like Afghanistan and Iraq. Terror and evil are all around us, not just in other parts of the world but also within our midst. Our world has had many changes since the end of the Cold War fifteen years ago, but they are not necessarily for the better. We don’t know who to trust anymore as many of yesterday’s enemies are now our friends, but many of yesterday’s friends are now our enemies. And of course, this is true not just with nations, but also with our personal relationships as well. During the past fifteen years, many among us have experienced the destruction of friendships, marriages, and families that used to be a source of love and joy in our lives. Jesus says, “Truly I tell you, this generation will not pass away until all these things have taken place.” This does not mean, as many commentators have misinterpreted, that Jesus was telling his disciples that he would return as the glorious Son of Man before his generation passed away. He was simply telling them – and us – that the generation of sinful and evil people will always be with us in the world until he comes again. No matter what we do and no matter how hard we try, we will never be able to eliminate the forces of sin, hatred and evil. So then, what are we to do? Jesus gives two very important pieces of advice. He begins by saying; “Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will not pass away.” – and then goes on to say, “Beware, keep alert; for you do not know when the time will come.” This world is constantly tempting us to stray from Jesus’ teachings and way of living. Mark’s original readers in 70 A.D. were tempted to hate their enemies, to use violence and join their compatriots’ rebellion against Rome. We Christians today in 2005 A.D. are also being tempted to “hate” our enemies and to hurt and kill them in the same way that they may try to hurt and kill us. Jesus warns us in today’s gospel not to give in to these impulses. We are called to remain faithful to walking in his way of love, forgiveness, and peace come what may. Even in the midst of lions, we lambs must remember that we ARE lambs – GOD’S LAMBS – and live accordingly – for only thus can we remain true to who and WHOSE we are. Jesus says, “Beware, keep alert; for you do not know when the time will come.” In this saying he is not so much telling us to watch for his return, but rather to “beware” and “watch out” for the unbelieving and sinful generation that seeks to deceive us so that we do not live as God’s people should. “Beware” of people who teach that doing evil to others is the way of answering those who do evil to us. “Watch out” for students to think that cheating is the way to get good grades. “Watch out” for those teenagers who think that drinking and drugs and sex are necessary in order to have a good time and enjoy life. “Watch out” for those adults whose jokes and language betray disrespect for other people and God. “Watch out” for the worldly attitude of being concerned only about me and what I want and what is mine. Watch out! Beware! Keep alert! For it is an unbelieving, sinful, and even evil society and world that we live in! It is so easy for us to get sucked into and become a part of that worldly way of thinking and acting. Jesus in today’s gospel calls on his followers to watch out for these temptations and to not be deceived by the world’s empty promises and ways of doing things. It is only HIS words and HIS way of living that will last past the last days! (From Brian Stoffregen, Faith Lutheran Church, 1000 D St., Marysville, CA 95901) Yes, in many ways we here today are just like Mark’s original readers of around 70 A.D. With terror and evil and all kinds of temptations around us, it is often hard for us to live as God’s faithful people. But yet that is what we are called on to do. As we begin this Season of Advent, may we renew our commitment to following our Lord Jesus Christ at all times and in all seasons – for it is HIS way, and his alone, which will bring us to eternal life! Even though the “kingdom” we are in may seem to be anything BUT “peaceable”, may we still seek to always live as Christ’s LAMBS! And at the end, Jesus promises that he WILL save us! For as we heard, when he comes as the SON OF MAN in clouds with great power and glory, he will send out his angels and gather his elect from the four winds, from the ends of the earth to the ends of heaven. That is the hope we always have to look forward to! Even in the midst of suffering, evil, and temptation, we know that our Lord will always be with us and bring us through. He will come again and at last do away with all the “lions” that oppress us. Then we shall live in his kingdom – his “PEACEABLE KINGDOM” – forever and ever! May the Lord bless you as we wait for his coming during this season of Advent, and always. Amen! -------------------- George R. Karres, Pella Lutheran Church 418 W. Main Street Sidney, MT 59270
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