November 27, 2005

Advent 1

It is 27 days until Christmas Eve.  It’s coming!  Maybe you’re not ready for it, but you know it’s coming.  You know who IS ready for it?  Our children!  No one has to tell them to get ready.  No one has to encourage them to be excited about it!  They’re already counting the days.  And since it’s Christmas, that’s not a bad thing.  It’s good to be ready for Christ’s coming.

A young woman was expecting a date.  She was dressed up and waiting patiently.  However, by the time he was an hour late, she figured she’d been stood up.  So, she took off her makeup, put on her pajamas, gathered all the junk food in the house and sat down to watch TV with the dog.  As her favourite show was just coming on, the doorbell rang.  It was her date!  He stared at her wide-eyed:  “I’m two hours late, and you’re still not ready??”

Question:  Have you put on your pajamas and given up on God?  Are you living like He is not coming anymore?  Or are you living like He is coming – at any time?

In our text, Jesus tells a story.  A man, the owner of an estate, heads out on a trip.  He doesn’t say when he will be back.  While he is gone, he leaves his house under the care of his servants.  He puts them in charge to take care of it until he gets back.  He wants everyone to continue doing their duties while he is gone, and appoints a watchman to watch for his return.

Jesus is the master.  The servants are his followers.  The master’s journey was Jesus’ ascending to heaven.  The watchmen are the servants of his church who are there to remind and encourage Jesus’ followers to be doing what they should be.  The tasks each is to do are the things Jesus told us to do: Go and make disciples, teaching and baptizing.  Worshipping.  Serving.  Witnessing.  Loving and encouraging.  Growing in faith.  Living lives of love.  And the return we are all waiting for is the last day when Jesus will come.

Jesus is coming!  On the last day.  He is coming for the second time.  The first time was as a baby in a manger.  This time it will be in glory from the clouds of heaven.  Both comings are what Advent season is all about.  Advent means coming.  And so we need to Wait and Watch for Advent!  Both for the celebration of Jesus’ first coming, and for the eager expectation of his second coming!  That is what Jesus is urgently pleading us to do in this scripture lesson!  Be on guard!  Be alert!  Keep watch!  Be ready for Advent!

First, Keep Your Eyes Open!  The Lord didn’t just tell us to wait for Him.  But also to watch for Him.  The difference between waiting and watching is illustrated in this story from a Scottish fishing village.  After days at sea, the skipper of a fishing boat was returning.  As the boat neared the shore, the men gazed eagerly toward the dock, where a group of their loved ones were waiting.  The skipper, looking through his glass, identified some of the women, saying, “I see Bill’s Mary, and there is Tom’s Margaret, and David’s Anne.”  One man was very anxious because his wife was not there.  He left the boat with a heavy heart and went up the hill, where he saw a light in his cottage.  As he opened the door, his wife ran to meet him, saying, “I have been waiting for you!”  He replied, “Yes, but the other men’s wives were watching for them.”

There is a difference between waiting and watching.  Our Lord wants us to do both for his coming.  He wants us to be watching and waiting.  To keep our eyes open!  To be ready!  To be alert, on guard, on the lookout!  He wants us to wait for Him like children wait for Christmas!  They don’t have to be told to be excited.  Neither should we.  They don’t know when it is coming.  Neither do we.  It could happen any time, but probably when we would expect it least!

Secondly, Keep Your Hands Busy!  Remember what Jesus said?  “He leaves his house and puts his servants in charge, each with his assigned task, and tells the one at the door to keep watch.”  Each servant has an assigned task.  Every follower of Jesus has something they should be doing for Him!  During the time our Master, Jesus, is away from us, every single one of us, you and me, have a gift, a skill, a job, a meaningful purpose that we are to be working at and carrying out for Him.  Everyone has a job to be doing!  Are YOU doing YOURS?

Are you doing the task your Lord has given you to do?  There is no such thing as an inactive follower of Christ!  There is no such thing as a Christian without a job.  You have at least one!  Are you being a father as God would have you be – as your Father in heaven?  Are you being a mother who is loving your family?  Are you being a son or daughter who is respecting your parents and growing in your faith?  Are you being a senior citizen who is an example to those younger?  Are you a faithful employee, working hard for your boss?  Are you a fair employer?  Are you teaching with all your gifts?  Learning with all your mind?

Giving God your all? Are you worshiping Him every day?  Serving your neighbours in love?  Telling others about Jesus with your words and actions?  Encouraging other followers of Jesus?  Getting into God’s Word every day to nourish your faith?  OR, are you being selfish with others?  Not putting much time into worshiping God?  Concerned more about what YOU get out of life?  Neglecting the study of his Word?  Being dishonest at your job?  Using others to get ahead?  And running from opportunities to share your faith in Jesus?

What do you think Christ wants to see you doing when He returns?  What do you think is the best way to show Him how thankful you are to Him for what He has given you?  What do you think is the best way to be prepared for His return?  To be ready for Advent?  Without a doubt, it is Keeping our Hands Busy!  Doing the jobs He has given us!  Using the skills He gave us!  Thanking Him with our lives!  That is how to wait and watch for Advent!

A tourist was traveling in Italy.  When he reached a castle, a friendly old gardener opened the gate and showed him the grounds which he kept in perfect order.  The tourist asked when the owner of the castle had last been there.  “12 years ago,” the old man answered.  “Does he ever write to you?”  “No.”  “From whom do you get your instructions?”  “From his agent in Milan.”  “Does he come?”  “Never.”  “Who, then, comes here?”  “No one usually.  Once in a while a tourist comes.”  “But you must keep this garden in such fine condition, as though you expected your master to come tomorrow?”  The old gardener promptly replied, “Today, sir, today!!”

Jesus is coming, friends!  Let’s be ready today!  Jesus comes at Christmas as a Babe in a manger!  Jesus comes at Epiphany as the light of the world in this world of darkness!  Jesus comes on a cross as we relive his passion during Lent.  Jesus comes in an empty tomb as we celebrate his resurrection during Easter!  Jesus comes through his Holy Spirit to equip us as the tongues of fire remind us on Pentecost.  Jesus comes in the bread, wine, body, and blood we receive in Holy Communion.  Jesus comes through water and Word in baptism.  Jesus comes every day as we study his Word.  Jesus comes through other Christians, as they live like Him and become Christ to one another.  And Jesus will come again, in person, visibly, to take us home!

So finally,  Keep Your Hearts Awake!  “If he comes suddenly, do not let him find you sleeping.”  Don’t let Jesus find you sleeping!  Be awake!  He’s not talking about a good night’s sleep.  He is talking about spiritual sleep.  About not being conscious, or aware of his love!  Not trusting in Jesus for forgiveness and salvation.  That’s the sleep of the soul.  Unbelief.  That is the kind of SLEEP that you don’t want Jesus to catch you in when He comes!  Are you sleeping?  Human nature likes to put things off until tomorrow.  “Tomorrow… I’ll start thinking about spiritual matters, going to church, getting serious about my Christian responsibilities, teaching my children about Jesus…”  Tomorrow… But tomorrow may be too late!  Today is the time to be ready!  Trust in Jesus for his forgiveness now!  Live your life according to that faith He has given you now!  Let your heart be awake and waiting for Him!

When a plane flies into the airport, the controller knows all the details of the flight pattern.  He knows exactly where it will be at various stages of the flight, when it departed, and when it will arrive.  So is he excited to see it arrive?  No.  But consider the young woman whose fiancé is on that flight!  She doesn’t know all those details.  She knows the approximate time, and that is about it.  She doesn’t see it land.  She is just looking at the door from which he will walk out of.  And she can’t wait!  She is excited and overjoyed at the prospect of his coming!

I would rather have a heart full of anxious anticipation for the coming of Christ than know all the details of his return and be indifferent about it.  And that is what Jesus wants.  That’s why He’s only told us what He has.  So we’ll have joyful hearts waiting in hope!

Why?  Because He isn’t coming to condemn you and me!  He isn’t angry!  He comes in love and forgiveness for those who are waiting for Him in eager faith and hope!  He comes to bring us gifts of forgiveness and eternal life!  He comes bringing us the gift of Himself!  This is nothing to fear!  We can’t wait until our Master returns!  We can’t wait until Christmas – the coming of Christ!  Because He is coming for us!  To give us our salvation!

I recently flew home after being gone 4 days.  My children were there at the airport waiting for me.  They were right in front of the door that opens from customs.  You can’t see through it.  You can’t see what’s behind it.  So the kids had no idea what was behind it.  They weren’t sure when my plane had landed, or how long it would take me to get through that door.  But they knew one thing.  Daddy was coming home.  No one had to tell them to be excited.  So what were they doing?  Climbing as close as they could to that door, with their eyes peeled on it.  And how did they greet me?  With squeals of joy and big hugs!  Smiles from ear to ear.  Why?  Because they knew I loved them.  And they loved me too.  On top of that, I came with gifts!

Our Master is coming.  His time away from us will be over.  It is Advent.  Let’s be ready.  Let’s be doing what we should be doing. Let’s live as we should be living.  And let’s keep our eyes wide open, looking at that door!  Let’s be awake; ready to receive the gifts He comes bearing, ready to be embraced by his open arms, and ready to enjoy the love He gives.   Amen.

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