Time is of the essence in knowing where we are and who we
are. Advent is particularly vital in that regard. The church runs counter to
the culture in this month before Christmas, smacking up against consumerism and
triumphalism.
Let this Sunday set the context of the church as standing
for what is eternal and ultimate––balm in the season of sorrow for many who
live through this social, joyous, partying time with memories of loss or regret
or loneliness. Let the promises of the eschatological goodness of God shine
through because some voices will be decrying the state of things, anticipating
a devastating Second Coming of Christ.
Now, you may know there are two
schools of thought in the Christian community regarding the Second Coming. One
school believes that Jesus will indeed come back in a cosmic way, much like
Luke describes. . . .
The other school of thought thinks
that the Second Coming was the product of . . . the literal way [of thinking] pictured
by Luke. These people think that the motif of the Second Coming is a figurative
way of saying that God continues to work to help the world to manifest God's
purposes among as many people and in as many places as possible. There won't be
one great transformative event, but God is always at work.
[Both] viewpoints . . . infuse us
with hope, whether hope for the return of Jesus on the clouds, or the hope that
comes from recognizing that God is perpetually at work in every situation to
try to lure people into joining God's purposes. And, both of these viewpoints
believe that the season between now and whatever comes next is a time not for
passivity but for passion. – Ronald J. Allen
We do not need to fear that these texts are all hell
breaking loose because the wrong political party is in power––no matter who has
the reins. Instead, we are reminded that God has the last word, and it is
forgiveness, hope, and joy.
Luke 21:25-36
No cowering required! The day of
deliverance may seem fearsome, especially in many contemporary portrayals of
warfare, terror and disaster. . . . Amidst all this, Jesus' counsel seems oddly
comforting: “Stand! Raise your heads! Redemption is near!” God acts to save,
not to terrify. . . God beckons us to consider the future that we may yearn for
but cannot imagine with any clarity—for it will surely be beyond our
expectations, filling us with inexpressible joy.
Yes, a child will be born in
Bethlehem in a few short weeks, but there is yet better news for us—Immanuel is
also the one-who-is-coming, the one who makes all things new, the one whose
arrival will commence the new age, when all shall be well, and all manner of
things shall be well. – Scott Haldeman
Jeremiah
33:14-16
The prophet announces the promise that those who have been
pulled away from their people will be re-united, and the two kingdoms will once
again be one.
But the chapter opens with Jeremiah
in prison and the city under siege (33:1–5), and so preachers speaking in these
troubled times can say with the prophet that the promises of a righteous
kingdom are never void. . . . [This text] insists that God's engagement with
this world is moving steadily toward a real practice of righteousness and
justice. Preachers can call for social structures that prevent some from taking
advantage of the vulnerable, but also for growth in personal character that
protects the structures from corruption. – Paul E. Koptak
1 Thessalonians
3:9-13
How shall we traverse the busy-ness of this time of year? The
body of Christ envelops us in the promise of satisfying community and solitary rest.
Bound by Spirit and yet separated
physically, the teacher/evangelist desires continually to be among the young
church soon again—to see, hear and touch those whose strivings in the faith
provides him with such joy and hope. Such is the gift of balance between days
together and days alone for the Body—a balance not easy to achieve and hold.
Dietrich Bonhoeffer writes: “Only
in the fellowship do we learn to be rightly alone and only in aloneness do we
learn to live rightly in the fellowship. It is not as though the one preceded
the other; both begin at the same time, namely with the call of Christ … (Life Together [New York: Harper and
Brothers, 1954], 77–78). – Scott Haldeman
Ronald J. Allen is professor of preaching and New Testament at
Christian Theological Seminary, Indianapolis, Indiana.
W. Scott Haldeman is
associate professor of worship at Chicago Theological Seminary, Chicago,
Illinois.
Paul E. Koptak is
professor of communication and biblical interpretation at North Park
Theological Seminary, Chicago, Illinois.
Homily Service 40, no. 1 (2006): 5-14.
No comments:
Post a Comment