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Today as we begin a new church year, we lit the first candle for Advent. This first candle is known as the Candle of Hope. It is a symbolic expression of what we need first in our hearts to make our Advent spiritual journey to the Christmas manger. In the book of Hebrews we read, “Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen.” Before we can have faith, we need to have hope. Without hope, we are destined to live a life without purpose. It is having a hope that tomorrow will be a better day that keeps human life moving forward. A life without hope is a life filled with despair.
As Christians we have placed our hope in Christ. This does not mean that Christians are never tempted to fall into despair. Like all humans we are faced with temptations. The scriptures confirm that Christ was tempted in all things, but sinned not. Because Christ was able to overcome all temptations, including hopelessness – we too who are joined with Christ can know victory through Him who knew no sin. By keeping our eyes on Christ, we can overcome despair in knowing that Jesus is our Hope.
No matter how difficult our lives may become, as Christians we know what the end of the story for this world will be. In the Eucharist liturgy for Advent, we declare, “Christ has died. Christ is risen. Christ will come again”. This Memorial Acclamation is a declaration of our faith. This faith begins with our hope in Christ. It is this hope within us that Jesus, our Risen Lord, who overcame death, will return again.
In the gospel reading for today from Matthew, Jesus compares His return to earth “as the days of Noah were”. Matthew writes, “Jesus said to the disciples, ‘For as the days of Noah were, so will be the coming of the Son of Man. 38For as in those days before the flood they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day Noah entered the ark, 39and they knew nothing until the flood came and swept them all away, so too will be the coming of the Son of Man. 40Then two will be in the field; one will be taken and one will be left. 41Two women will be grinding meal together; one will be taken and one will be left.’”
In other words, life will be going on as usual and then unexpectedly something extraordinary is going to happen. Now the people who lived in the time of Noah were warned of the coming flood, but they chose to ignore the prophet Noah and to continue living in disobedience to God. So when the flood arrived, it took them by surprise because of their unbelief. Jesus warns us that the same thing will be happening here on earth when He returns.
People will be going about their daily business, when suddenly there will be a massive disappearance of people. To put it in today’s perspective: One moment four people will be playing a round of golf, then the next moment two will be gone and two will be left behind. Ten cars will be speeding down Interstate 75, when suddenly half of them will no longer have drivers. Airplanes will be flying in the air, when without warning many will be left without pilots or co-pilots. Ships will be out at sea when half the crew will simply disappear. As we look at the end times through our contemporary lenses, the return of Christ doesn’t sound so peaceful for those left behind. Many Christians refer to this end time event as the Rapture known as ‘the gathering up’ of the believers in Christ.
Years ago, I put a bumper sticker on the family van that read, “In case of Rapture, this vehicle will be unmanned.” My husband refused to let me be the driver when he was riding in it. It became a family joke. You can talk to him later about it after the service. Seriously now, the return of Christ as much as even we Christians try our best to down play it is no joking matter.
In fact, Jesus warns His followers to be ready. In Matthew’s gospel, Jesus says, “42Keep awake therefore, for you do not know on what day* your Lord is coming. 43But understand this: if the owner of the house had known in what part of the night the thief was coming, he would have stayed awake and would not have let his house be broken into. 44Therefore you also must be ready, for the Son of Man is coming at an unexpected hour.”
Apparently Jesus told His disciples that this event is going to take place. The fact that it has not taken place yet, does not mean that God has cancelled Jesus’ return trip to earth. It means that we need to still be on alert and even more so than the early Christians who lived each day and each moment as though Christ was returning immediately. Jesus’ prophecy states clearly that He will return at an unexpected hour. This is because not even Jesus the Son of God knows when He is coming back to earth. Only One Person knows this secret and that Person is the Father God.
We know this because in the preceding verse of Matthew before the reading for today Jesus says, “But about that day and hour no one knows, neither the angels of heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father.”
Now brothers and sisters in Christ, if the Father God is not telling Jesus when the hour of His return to earth is, I ask you how in the world are we to know? Some say that there are prophecies that have yet to be fulfilled, while others say that the scriptures have been fulfilled except for Christ’s return and even others declare that Christ’s return is metaphorical – meaning Christ living through us. As for where I stand on these matters, I look to Jesus who has the inside scoop and I take Him at His word. This is why I know that I must be ready at all times for Christ’s return. When I say, “Christ has died. Christ has risen. Christ will come again.’ I literally believe just like St. Paul and the Twelve Apostles that Jesus is truly returning.
Now I do not want you to take my word for it, so let us look at one more scripture today. Please turn in your pew Bibles to page 1261. We are going to be looking at the story of the Ascension of Christ as found in the Book of Acts, chapter one, verses six through eleven.
“So when they had come together, they asked him, ‘Lord, is this the time when you will restore the kingdom to Israel?’ 7He replied, ‘It is not for you to know the times or periods that the Father has set by his own authority. 8But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.’
9When he had said this, as they were watching, he was lifted up, and a cloud took him out of their sight. 10While he was going and they were gazing up towards heaven, suddenly two men in white robes stood by them. 11They said, ‘Men of Galilee, why do you stand looking up towards heaven? This Jesus, who has been taken up from you into heaven, will come in the same way as you saw him go into heaven.’”
Folks we Christians should all be suffering from neck cricks due to constant looking up into the skies for Jesus’ return. Can you imagine what would happen if we actually took Jesus’ words seriously and lived our lives accordingly? What if we made a habit of looking up at the sky and when people asked us what we were looking at, we would respond, “Looking for Jesus”. People might think we were crazy, but we could start a movement. Christians could be known as the “Looking for Jesus People”.
I understand that you might think this sounds nuts, but do you realize that Jesus’ return to earth is our greatest hope? When Jesus returns, it is all over except for the shouting. When Jesus returns, this world will no longer be able to hold us. Like a giant magnet in the sky, Jesus will draw all of us who are His to Him forever. Those of us who are still alive on this earth will literally be ‘caught up’. Death and sorrow will be no more. Despair will not even be a part of our vocabulary, because we will be with Christ forever. Our hope in Christ will become our reality. So as we begin this New Church Year, let us rejoice in Christ’s Return, knowing that Jesus is our Hope. May we be ready to meet Him face to face.
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