Eschatology

We live like people who expect to be around forever. Many have ceased to watch the eastern sky. Many no longer pray “Maranatha—come quickly, Lord Jesus.” Many would frankly be disappointed to see all of this come to an end. We’ve settled in—we’ve bought long term CD’s, built houses and lands, gotten comfortable. We’ve given our place of watchfulness over to conspiracy nuts and book peddlers. But make no mistake—Jesus said there will come a time when the King will appear in all His glory. There will be a reckoning. There will be judgment. The old will be rent apart…all things will become new, and just, and full of life.

Today is the Anniversary of Pearl Harbor, a day that still lives in infamy. Some here at Hopwood remember that day...a day the United States was invaded by a hostile force bent on destruction and domination. Everyone who heard the news knew that life in the US would never be the same again.
Today we gather in the dark, dead of Winter, with our country fighting two wars, with our economy bleeding jobs, with disease and poverty ravaging the peoples of the world, we gather this morning to remember a an entirely different kind of invasion.

    This morning we light the first candle of Advent.  Isn’t it strange that the brightest season of light begins in darkness with the lighting of a single candle?  I don’t know about you, but I could use some light, for the darkness is deep.  Killing and famine and division and pain have their hands on our throats.  Uncertainty and gloom surround our own violent involvement in Iraq and Afghanistan.  Concern over the health and livability of our earthly home is worrisome.  Dark clouds of anxiety and doubt shadow our families and relationships, making it hard to see your hand in front of your face.  And here’s another strange thing...the readings for this first Sunday of Advent, this first Sunday of the Christian Church’s year begin with news of apocalypse...signs in the heavens, raging seas, troubled nations, fearful people.  Bring on the light!

What is, therefore, our task today?  Shall I answer: “Faith, hope, and love?”  That sounds beautiful.  But I would say courage.  No, even that is not challenging enough to be the whole truth.  Our task today is recklessness.  For what we Christians lack...(is) a holy rage–the recklessness which comes from the knowledge of God and humanity.  The ability to rage when justice lies prostrate on the streets, and when the lie rages across the face of the earth... a holy anger about the things that are wrong in the world....to rage when little children must die of hunger, when the tables of the rich are sagging with food...Kaj Munk, Danish Pastor murdered by Gestapo, 1944.

Each week we gather around this table and pull out family stories.  As we re-tell our stories, and read more stories from the Word week by week, a couple of things takes place.  Our ancestors come to life in our midst...they regain their voices, they re-inhabit their places among us...in a very real sense, we re-member them, we once again give them hands and feet and voices and invite them to continue to live among us.  And we remember that we are a part of something larger than ourselves, building upon the foundation of those who have gone before.
    Our readings this morning  remind us that we are a part of a drama that began long, long ago...and will continue for who knows how long after we’re gone.

    The election of 2004 is over.  How are you feeling?  Some of you...I’d say about 52% of you, many of you sitting on the right side of the sanctuary...look pretty chipper, hopeful.  Those of us who live in a Red state of mind are breathing a big sigh of relief–we’re ready to get over the unpleasantness of the election and get back to work.  We’ve got taxes to cut, nations to liberate, borders to defend, constitutional amendments to write, political capital to spend, moral values to uphold.  Are you a Red Stater?  Perhaps you feel that for the first time in a long time God’s people have stood up in an election and been counted...and this time, thank you, thanks to Florida and Ohio...it only took one night!
    And some of you...as many as, say,  48% of you... those of you who look for seats on the left side of the sanctuary... look pretty blue today.  You are in a purple haze, a cobalt funk.  We blue voters are in a bit of a shock, not sure if the country can take four more years of fractured grammar, spiraling deficits...four more year of freedom fries.  Blue voters in this election get a little nervous when the news media talk about an evangelical vote.  Hey, we’re Christians too, just not that kind of Christian.