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Advent I November 28, 2010 Matthew 24:36-44 It was the first night I spent in the house Cindy and I are renting out by Lake Hubert. Friends had come from northern California and I had been visiting with them until about 10 or so in the evening. I had not thought to leave a porch light on, and when I parked my car, turned off the headlights and got out to make my way to the house, I realized for the first time just how dark it was with no street lights, no lights from the closest neighbors, surrounded by tall pine trees, only the light from the stars to give any light at all. It took a few moments, but after my eyes adjusted, I could see that the door bell was lit. I managed to make my way to the house, got the door open and went inside. Sometime after Cindy got here and our furniture arrived, I got up in the middle of the night and went out into the living room. I have no idea why I was up, but it was dark. Really dark. I know I stubbed my toe on Cindy's piano, and I know I walked into a couch, but I eventually got to where I was going without turning on a light. Now we have all had these kinds of experiences at one time or another in our lives. But what we might not always be cognizant of, is that we are often walking around in the dark, even in the middle of the day. Think of it this way, we get so involved in living our lives, work, retirement, getting the kids ready, thinking about the grandkids, planning our next fishing trip, thinking about fishing opener, duck opener, deer opener, the bottle opener, that we lose sight of not only who we are, but what we are about. We get so caught up in our stuff, getting more stuff, which often means working harder, longer, smarter, that we start to think that stuff is what life is all about. And we walk in the dark, thinking that we can see fully. But the truth of the matter is we cannot see fully, we are not only distracted, but blinded. It is dark and we do not know where we are going, where we have been, what we are going to do when we get there. We stub our toes, stumble, walking into that which we ought not walk into, and in general do not go where we should be going. So what does this have to do with the first Sunday in Advent, with our Gospel this morning? At first glance, it might seem like we are going off on a tangent or in a new direction. But that is not the case! If you think back to what you have been hearing from Pastor Glenn and myself over the past few months, you will see a definite connection. It is a connection that some folks might say is there only by coincidence, certainly not by design! Let us consider the readings you have heard this morning because all of them tie directly into everything we have been talking about. Remember all the talk about excitement, vision, mission, commitment? Remember how we talked about worship, study of scripture, generous giving, conversation among the faithful, praying and serving? It is all part of discipleship. And that is what our readings today are talking about. Jesus tells us there will be two working in field, one will be taken; he tells us two women will be grinding meal and one will be taken. Now interestingly enough, the word translated as "taken" does not mean anything like the event some of our Christian brothers and sisters call the "rapture." It does not mean that one will be "floating in the air." No, the word translated as "taken" literally means "to go along with." It has the same meaning as Jesus taking Peter, James and John up on the mountain, or Jesus calling the fishermen and tax collectors to follow him, and they answer his call. It means "come along with me, let us walk down the road together." You might say that this has a double-meaning in that yes indeed, we await Christ's second coming when he will take us with him, but in the same way he has already called us and we walk with him, we walk with the light of the world. And remember also that Jesus calls us the light of the world, so as we walk down the road together, his light shines through us. The one who calls, who takes, the one whom we follow is Jesus. Jesus told us "I am the light of the world." Jesus who calls us to follow him, to leave our nets, our cares and concerns. Jesus who calls us to walk in the light, to walk in him. To walk as disciples. Jesus is telling us, as does the prophet Isaiah in our first reading today, "come, let us walk in the light of the Lord." The apostle Paul tells us in our reading from Romans to "put on the armor of light." Put on the armor of light and you will not walk in darkness, you will not be blinded by the cares, needs, concerns of the world. You will not be caught up in the things that the world considers essential. In other words, you will not walk in the darkness and stub your toe or walk into a couch! Jesus tells us we must be ready, and disciples, those walking in his light, beside him and following him, will be ready, for his second coming. Jesus tells us that he will come again in an unexpected hour. And for us, as Lutherans, as Christians, expecting the unexpected lightens the darkness. AMEN Lutheran Church of the Cross, Nisswa, Minnesota |
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