Sermon - Advent 1 - November 27, 2011

Advent 1B.11
Mark 13:24-37

Wishing for the Right Messiah
If you read this week’s E-News from UniLu, you probably noticed my attempt at a Thanksgiving devotional. The impetus for that arose during staff meeting. I was sharing updates on my sister’s medical condition, and Donna comforted me by saying that a number of you, when calling the Church Office, had asked about her. Donna also said that a number had acknowledged a lack of information about my family. That struck me as odd; I think I talk about my family more than I should.

This sister of mine (Carolyn) is thirteen years older than me. Because my mother was in such poor health when I was born, Carolyn the sister fell into the role of “mother.” A role she continued throughout most of my life, and the life of my brother. That brother is only four years older than me, meaning Carolyn also has nine years on him. My parents reported being teased that they raised a baby-sitter, then the rest of their family.

Carolyn has been diagnosed with pancreatic cancer. Pancreatic cancer is particularly difficult to treat – as several of you are already aware. She is anxious; she is sad; but she is also doing okay. Throughout her sixty-seven years she has always done okay. In no small part due to her confidence that God is in control and that therefore all things will be right with the world.

Carolyn would have been a pastor, if that was an option for girls finishing high school in 1961. She has always been the best theologian in the family.

I grew up hearing the story of her Christmas wish list at age 5. Given the opportunity to ask for three things, her is what she asked for:
1) that everyone would have a home to live in;
2) that everyone would have food enough to eat; and
3) that everyone would have a mother and a father who loved them as much as her mother and father loved her.
Somewhat taken aback, the teacher who asked for her list wondered why she would ask for those three things. “Because,” Carolyn is reported to have said, “if everyone had these things, no one would go to war or hurt others or feel a need to steal.”

Just think of what it was like to grow up with an older sister who gave those kinds of answers.

It has been wonderful.

It is the time of year, when we are likely to be asked what we would wish for. The season of Advent is all about anticipating what will come our way. The Gospel text speaks of being awake, alert, and ready. Jesus speaks to a population who had grown complacent, to a people who had lowered their expectations. He tells them to observe the signs, so as not to miss the arrival of the one who would respond to that which was lacking in their lives. As we re-hear those words, I can’t help but wonder if we have grown complacent, if we have lowered our expectations. Would we even recognize Messiah’s arrival, were it to come, today?

What would that arrival look like? Many of Jesus’ contemporaries did not find in him the one whom they were seeking. They wanted something else, so they did not line up behind him or the kingdom of which he spoke. The way things played out, and the effect which he achieved was not what they were looking for. Some were looking for political power. Jesus’ kingdom was not of this world. Some wanted to continue their current way of life, and go out to Jesus when they wanted to hear a really good sermon. Jesus came to their city and their homes and announced that he wanted their every thought and their every action to reflect his presence.

Many of Jesus’ contemporaries did not recognize or were not willing to acknowledge the contours of his kingdom, and so they went away or turned away. Some even joined in the hysterical mob which thought shouting “Crucify him!” would remove from them the pain of knowing that the kingdom had come close to them but that they had chosen something different. They didn’t see what was right before them.

Do we see? Are we prepared to see? Do we even want to see?

I wasn’t here last week; I was at St. Michael, Greenville, helping them with their Stewardship Campaign. But I know the Gospel text you heard last week. It was the story of the separation of the sheep from the goats. They are divided, one from the other, the sheep representing those who do the will of God; the goats those who do not. What they do is feed the hungry, give drink to the thirsty, clothe the naked, heal the sick, and visit those in prison.

That text seems to be a justification of works righteousness (that you get to go to heaven if you do the right things, or are sent to hell for doing the wrong things.) Seems to be, until you get to the line where both the sheep and the goats ask “Lord, when did we see you in such a state, and care for you?” The answer exposes that those who do these things do not do them in order to obtain a reward; they do them because they share the mind and heart of God. They do them because they have understood, accepted, and are living the intentions of their master.

That was the text for Christ the King Sunday – the last Sunday of the Church Year, the Sunday on which everything comes to its ending. As we begin the new Church Year on Advent 1, as we return to the state of anticipation, perhaps that ending ought to direct us in considering what it is that we are to look for. Maybe that ending will help us be prepared to recognize (and follow) the Messiah who does speak the word of God and instruct us in the way of God.

It isn’t that God fails to come. The greater problem is our preference to continue to wait and watch for a Messiah more to our liking.

This One, the One spoken of in scripture, will assure us that we have nothing to fear. That neither life nor death nor anything in all creation will be able to separate us from God’s love. This one will tell us time and again that God’s peace has come upon us. This one will teach us all things and lead us in all things. This one will help us see that the few loaves and fish is enough to feed everyone, if we possess the courage it takes to share. This one will show us that serving others is the path to life. This one will show us all these things; but many will prefer to wait for another, for something different.

Being awake, being alert, being ready might need to start with being honest about what it is that we are looking for. Are we hoping for some jolly fellow in a red suit who will grant us permission to ask for an IPad, or will we be ready to accept the One whose humble beginnings set the stage for the remainder of his life?

We don’t “wish” for things, we pray for them. And what we pray for is that God would make us aware of how everything we need has already been provided. We pray that what is true for God and in God’s kingdom might also be true in our lives.

Be awake; be alert. Be ready to accept the Messiah and be prepared to live according to what he tells us is the way to eternal life.

Amen.