Calvin Synod Herald, 2013 (114. évfolyam, 3-12. szám)
2013-11-01 / 11-12. szám
8 CALVIN SYNOD HERALD Like a Thief in the Night Text: Matthew 24:36-44 The season of Advent grew in the early church less about preparing to celebrate a birth and more about faithful expectations of the Lord’s return. So it should be this year. My Ford Taurus emits “beep/beep/beep. . .” if I drive off without fastening the seat belt. And if I still ignore it again comes the beep/beep/beep. “Click it or ticket” the highway sign flashes. But the seat belt is an annoyance. It is sometimes uncomfortable. Some of us do not like authority telling us what to do. But it’s past time to buckle up. It’s hard to prepare for the unexpected: “I’m a good driver,” I tell myself. “The accident will happen to the other guy,” I say. “Nobody’s going to drive out in front of me,” I say to the rear-view mirror. “Only the other guy needs a seat belt.” We prepare well for the expected. We put the trash out the evening before the pick-up. If there’s an exam tomorrow we can cram tonight. If it’s April 14 we can at last complete the tax return. If we’re going to see the dentist tomorrow we can brush extra well. If we’re off to the podiatrist we’ll make sure not to put on “holy socks.” If the event is unexpected, we often ignore the best advice. • How do you prepare for the 100 year flood? • If we had lived in East Germany in 1985, it would have been hard to believe in five years the Berlin wall would fall. • It must have been difficult for South African people to believe apartheid would end, let alone with minimal bloodshed. • Who would have guessed that the Egyptian leader, Anwar Sadat, would go to Jerusalem in search of peace? (One of the astounding events of the 20th century.) • In spite of massive scientific evidence it’s hard for us to believe we’re polluting the atmosphere enough to warm the climate. In Advent we hear the call to prepare for the Day of the Lord. But we have trouble preparing for the unexpected - for what has never happened. We’re like Noah’s neighbors. “What are you doing Noah?” “Building an ark?” “What’s an ark?” “A big covered boat.” “Why?” “‘Cause God said so.” “Why does God want you to do that?” ‘“Cause it’s going to rain.” “What’s rain, Noah?” “Water falling from the sky.” “But why such a sturdy boat, Noah?” “It’s going to rain hard for a long time.” “Better leave the top off, Noah. Build a reservoir.” The devout in first century Palestine were amazingly alert. They prepared for the coming of Messiah. When? They did not know. But they were expectant. .. Talk about a 100 year flood! They had been waiting for Messiah for 1,000 years - ever since David reigned in Jerusalem. When any prophetic voice was raised, like that of John the Baptist, they asked, “Is this the Messiah?” They expected a powerful conqueror who would throw off Roman occupation and restore the Davidic throne. What did they get? A baby in a Bethlehem manger. He came like a thief in the night. Improbable! Unexpected! Surprising! So what do we look for in the year of our Lord, 2013? What’s on the horizon at this beginning of a new Christian year? • Do we look for the Christ descending on the clouds of the eastern morning? • Do we look for a divinely aided evolution into the paradise of the kingdom of God? • Do we look for some other enactment of the promise? I cannot say for sure. The text says no one knows. Only God knows. Beware of those who have it all figured out. Perhaps the one thing Advent does not allow to believers is to refuse to live expectantly. My professor, Willard Taylor, used to say, “Believers always live up against the end.” Expectant believers are very practical people. They get up in the morning and do what needs to be done. In the image of Jesus’ parable, they have purchased a supply of oil and their lamp wicks are trimmed and burning. They are not out on some hillside gazing at the sky. The expectant ones live with the negligent ones, working in the field of human endeavor. Martin Luther is alleged to have replied when asked what he would do if he knew the Lord was coming the next day, “Plant a tree.” The only way to be ready for the expected/unexpected Advent of our Lord is to be about our task at hand. Namely: • Increase our time, talent and treasure toward Christian endeavor; • Teach our children and grandchildren the story of Jesus and His love; • Invite an unchurched friend to worship with us. We pray and prepare for the expected/unexpected Advent of our Lord by doing what the ancient prophet said, to “love kindness, do justice and walk humbly with God.” Amen. Rev. David B. Bowman
