Advent 2

1  The Kingdom on Earth is Ending

Some of us here lived during the Cold war:

The constant threat of attack by nuclear missiles. The Soviet Union being the great, evil empire,

and only the United States standing against it.

Then came the rise of Gorbachev, and perestroika, and glasnost.

The Soviet Union was being transformed — a new revolution. The Berlin Wall came down,

and finally, the Soviet Union was replaced.

Now there is only Russia and a collection of other nations.

We even have fellowship with Lutherans in some of them:

like the Ukrainian Lutheran Church in Ukraine.

The late 1980s and the 1990s have brought great change:

the end of a great empire,

and the beginning of a new era.

What happened with the Soviet Union

has happened with many great nations through the ages.

It may well happen here, too.

But today Jesus speaks to us about an even greater ending:

the end of God’s kingdom on Earth. In fact, it’s the end of Earth itself.

Just as there can be great uncertainty

about the end of a nation,

so also there is great uncertainty

about the End of Earth.

Just as we may see signs when a nation’s strength is fading, so there will also be signs of the coming end of this world.

Jesus shows us how to prepare for it.

Of this we may be sure: the Kingdom on Earth is ending.

So we watch and pray So we look to the Word of Christ

2  Luke 21:25–36

“And there will be signs in the sun, in the moon, and in the stars; and on the earth distress of nations, with perplexity, the sea and the waves roaring; men’s hearts failing them from fear and the expectation of those things which are coming on the earth, for the powers of heaven will be shaken. Then they will see the Son of Man coming in a cloud with power and great glory. Now when these things begin to happen, look up and lift up your heads, because your redemption draws near.”

Then He spoke to them a parable: “Look at the fig tree, and all the trees. When they are already budding, you see and know for yourselves that summer is now near. So you also, when you see these things happening, know that the kingdom of God is near. Assuredly, I say to you, this generation will by no means pass away till all things take place. Heaven and earth will pass away, but My words will by no means pass away.

“But take heed to yourselves, lest your hearts be weighed down with carousing, drunkenness, and cares of this life, and that Day come on you unexpectedly. For it will come as a snare on all those who dwell on the face of the whole earth. Watch therefore, and pray always that you may be counted worthy to escape all these things that will come to pass, and to stand before the Son of Man.”

2.1  So we watch and pray

The Kingdom on Earth is ending,

so we watch and pray.

There are certain lands in the world

where the people have become accustomed to change.

Wars between neighboring countries

have brought one new ruler after another.

The history of Palestine is one example,

during the time between the Old Testament and the New.

Just before our text, Jesus was describing

the coming destruction of Jerusalem by the Roman army.

But now He’s telling us about something much greater.

Armies and nations come and go,

but the people living in a place can adapt and live on.

So life for the Russian people has continued

under the Czars, under the communists, and now in the Russian Federation.

But when the end of the kingdom on Earth comes,

there will be no adapting, no living on afterward.

No matter where people may live on the globe,

their nations and countries will dissolve. Differences of race will mean nothing.

All that will matter will be human beings

and their Judge.

This will be a huge change.

You can probably think of some events during your life

that have influenced you most profoundly:

Pearl Harbor, September 11, Apollo 11, Columbine, the shuttle Columbia, or others.

There are only two events in all history

that compare to the changes that Jesus describes in our text:

The creation of the world is one, and the work of Jesus Christ is the other.

It doesn’t matter what you, or I, or anyone else may think.

The day will come, and everyone living will be changed forever.

It will be Earth-shaking.

When will it happen?

Many have guessed, and have been proven wrong. Jesus said, (Mark 13:32):

But of that day and hour no one knows, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father.

You can safely ignore any prediction

that says exactly when the world will end.

Why, then, does Jesus bother to tell us that it’s coming?

Because He knows our weakness, even better than we do. He knows our sinful nature.

But take heed to yourselves, lest your hearts be weighed down with carousing, drunkenness, and cares of this life, and that Day come on you unexpectedly. For it will come as a snare on all those who dwell on the face of the whole earth.

You may have had bad dreams or nightmares,

only to wake up at some point with the sounds and images still fresh in your mind.

Do you remember the feeling of relief that it was only a dream?

There will be no waking up from the Day of the Lord. There will be no turning off the television,

or leaving the movie theater.

Jesus wants us to realize how dangerous it is

to let ourselves become unprepared

even for a little while.

Debauchery, carousing, drunkenness:

these things fill the heart and mind with emptiness, leaving a person dazed and unprepared to meet his Maker.

I’m sure that such behavior has its moments,

but how meaningless! How fleeting!

Food and drink are truly valuable for the body,

but when that day has come, their time will be done.

Earthy speech and conduct may seem amusing,

but when the Earth is about to burn, it won’t be funny any more.

Snap! The trap springs shut, and everything has changed.

Jesus warns us because He is truly concerned about our future.

We have to live as though the Day is already upon us.

Watch therefore, and pray always that you may be counted worthy to escape all these things that will come to pass, and to stand before the Son of Man.

What should we pray?

“That you be counted worthy.”

But you already know that you’re not worthy.

Not worthy of God’s perfection. Not worthy of eternal life.

So we have to begin by asking God’s forgiveness.

Only when we have that, may we ask for His help.

Watch and pray. Keep ready.

God’s Word does not lie. The kingdom on earth is ending.

2.2  So we look to the Word of Christ

The kingdom on earth is ending,

so we look to the Word of Christ.

We are taught from early on

that life on earth depends upon many factors, like:

the content of Earth’s atmosphere, the temperature of the Earth, the abundance of water, and the intricate balance of the world’s ecology.

But nearly all the energy required for life on Earth

comes from the sun.

No matter what you believe about global warming,

it’s certainly created a lot of concern in world-wide media.

That’s based only on a some scientific observations

that most of us wouldn’t have noticed.

But what if something happened that nobody could miss?

Suppose the sun suddenly began to go dark,

or to brighten quickly in intensity?

Suppose you were stargazing one night,

and you noticed a swath of stars waver and disappear?

Suppose a huge comet or asteroid was discovered

on a collision course with Earth?

There have been movies about such terrifying things,

like Deep Impact, and Armageddon,

both ten years old next Spring.

This is what Jesus foretold:

“There will be signs in the sun, in the moon, and in the stars; and on the earth distress of nations, with perplexity, the sea and the waves roaring; men’s hearts failing them from fear and the expectation of those things which are coming on the earth, for the powers of heaven will be shaken.”

It may be fun summertime entertainment at the movies,

but you would never want to live in such a time.

The thing is, you don’t have that choice.

We just don’t know when it will be.

Everyone trusts in something,

even if it’s only their own mind.

The schools of our land teach us

to place our trust in science:

the human study of the universe.

Trouble is, science can only predict things

based upon what people have observed.

Nobody has observed what Jesus foretold.

Some people trust in the abilities of our community.

That was the message in the 2 movies I mentioned.

But the shaking of the heavens that Jesus foretold

will be much greater than man can handle: on the earth distress of nations, with perplexity.

The only comfort when these signs appear

will be that Jesus already predicted them long ago.

As terrible as the end of the heavens and earth will be,

something even greater and more terrible will happen next. Then they will see the Son of Man coming in a cloud with power and great glory.

Then it will be clear

that these times are not just a crisis of human survival, but a personal crisis for everyone

who is not ready to stand before the Son of Man.

More than a crisis: this will be the end.

When living Christians like us see and hear this happening,

we will also flinch inwardly.

You see, within our hearts is a sinful nature.

It has resisted death all our lives on earth,

but on that day, it will die forever.

Our sinful nature will die,

but our holy, spiritual nature will live on.

The old Adam within us hates the sight of Jesus,

and the sound of His Word.

But by God’s grace, we have already died to sin,

so that we may live to God.

When we repent of our sins before God,

acknowledging our guilt, asking His forgiveness,

Then we receive the benefit of Christ’s atoning death.

His death becomes ours, as our sins are forgiven. We live again through Him.

This is the meaning of our Baptism:

“Such baptizing with water means that the old Adam in us should, by daily contrition and repentance, be drowned and die with all sins and evil lusts; and that a new man daily come forth and arise, who shall live before God in righteousness and purity forever.” (Small Catechism, The Meaning of Baptism)

Romans 6:10–11: For the death that He died, He died to sin once for all; but the life that He lives, He lives to God. Likewise you also, reckon yourselves to be dead indeed to sin, but alive to God in Christ Jesus our Lord.

So it’s you to whom Jesus speaks:

Now when these things begin to happen, look up and lift up your heads, because your redemption draws near.

In that time of great distress,

when (Psa. 46) the earth is removed and the mountains are carried into the midst of the sea,

what will be left for us to trust in?

Only God’s Word.

The nations raged, the kingdoms were moved; He uttered His voice, the earth melted.

Jesus said: Heaven and earth will pass away, but My words will by no means pass away.

It’s the same Word of Law and Gospel that we have right now.

It shows us the truth about our sin. It proclaims the truth about our Savior.

The Word of the Lord endures forever.

By that Word,

God has provided you with eternal righteousness.

The Kingdom on Earth is ending.

So we watch and pray. So we look to the Word of Christ.

Amen.

Soli Deo Gloria!