The Coming of the Son of Man

O that you would tear open the heavens and come down, so that the mountains would quake at your presence— as when fire kindles brushwood and the fire causes water to boil— to make your name known to your adversaries, so that the nations might tremble at your presence! When you did awesome deeds that we did not expect, you came down, the mountains quaked at your presence. From ages past no one has heard, no ear has perceived, no eye has seen any God besides you, who works for those who wait for him. You meet those who gladly do right, those who remember you in your ways. But you were angry, and we sinned; because you hid yourself we transgressed. We have all become like one who is unclean, and all our righteous deeds are like a filthy cloth. We all fade like a leaf, and our iniquities, like the wind, take us away. There is no one who calls on your name, or attempts to take hold of you; for you have hidden your face from us, and have delivered us into the hand of our iniquity. Yet, O Lord, you are our Father; we are the clay, and you are our potter; we are all the work of your hand. Do not be exceedingly angry, O Lord, and do not remember iniquity forever. Now consider, we are all your people.

Gospel Reading

The Gospel of the Year is Mark.

Only 16 chapters in Mark. Reading from ch. 13. Near the end. Jesus is in Jerusalem. At the temple. Look how amazing! Jesus is speaking about the day of his return and how the disciples must stay alert for it.

Mark 13:24–37 NRSV

“But in those days, after that suffering, the sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give its light, and the stars will be falling from heaven, and the powers in the heavens will be shaken. Then they will see ‘the Son of Man coming in clouds’ with great power and glory. Then he will send out the angels, and gather his elect from the four winds, from the ends of the earth to the ends of heaven. “From the fig tree learn its lesson: as soon as its branch becomes tender and puts forth its leaves, you know that summer is near. So also, when you see these things taking place, you know that he is near, at the very gates. Truly I tell you, this generation will not pass away until all these things have taken place. Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will not pass away. “But about that day or hour no one knows, neither the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father. Beware, keep alert; for you do not know when the time will come. It is like a man going on a journey, when he leaves home and puts his slaves in charge, each with his work, and commands the doorkeeper to be on the watch. Therefore, keep awake—for you do not know when the master of the house will come, in the evening, or at midnight, or at cockcrow, or at dawn, or else he may find you asleep when he comes suddenly. And what I say to you I say to all: Keep awake.”

Prayer for Illumination:

Gracious God, heaven and earth will pass away, but your words will not pass away: Your Word stands forever. May our generation be attentive so that, by the power of your Holy Spirit, we remember your ways and gladly do right, meeting you wherever and whenever you appear. In Christ’s name we pray. Amen.

Introduction

Jesus says, Keep awake!

I hear the call to be awake and cannot help but think of how the metaphor of being awake is prevalent in current social discourse.

Some would say that to be awake is to see patterns of injustice, so subtly hidden, and so deeply entrenched in society that they seem impervious to change. Yet, we can and must see them and be alert to them, and take action for change.

Jesus says, Keep awake. He wants us to see and be alert and to take action. He is not talking about a social or political agenda, however. Our goal today is to hear what Jesus wants us to be awake to.

Exegesis

Jesus is with his disciples at the temple precincts. Center of ancient Jewish society, culture, and religion. They are impressed. There is nothing so wonderful and enduring as this!

But Jesus knew full well how sin affected temple worship. Recall: How he threw the moneychanger out, you have made my Father’s house a den of thieves!

Jesus says, there is a whole new reality on the way.

The Great Day is a Day of Judgment

The sun will be darkened, the moon will not give its light, the stars falling, the powers of heaven shaken. cf: Isaiah 13, 24; Jeremiah 4; Ezekiel 32; Daniel 7.

Symbolic: The end of history. All human structures — religious, political, military, social — as powerful and glorious and permanent as they seem will fall. Just as amazing as if the stars, the sun, and moon, were to come crashing down!

Disciples say: Impossible. No one can/would destroy the temple. Glorious and permanent. Jesus reminds them: That is what our ancestors thought about the first temple. With its curtains embroidered with sun, moon, stars, and representing the power of heaven, The Babylonians destroyed it.

Great Day will happen on a cosmic scale in the future. Not just the temple, but everything will fall.

A Day of Rescue. Son of Man on the clouds and great glory. Gather his elect from the four winds.

Again Old Testament Exile to Babylon and Assyria.

The Jews had been scattered to the four winds, seemed hopeless. Deuteronomy 30:4. Isaiah 11:12.

God brought them back to Jersualem.

(Jesus and his disciples are enjoying the site as he speaks these words.)

So on the great future day, Those who belong to God, no matter how far away they are, scattered, he will bring them.

Learn the lesson of the fig tree: every season it puts for leaves and you know it is summer.

Look at the cycle of history. History repeats itself. People build up in this world, get attached to it, think it is permanent...Forget about the kingdom of God.

Don’t make that mistake.

Only the Kingdom of God is eternal and glorious. One day I will bring it.

To bolster their confidence in him.

In fact some of you here, this generation will see it. Or at least get glimpses of it. AND THEY DID.

The destruction of the temple inJerusalem. 70AD.

The very temple they are admiring, gone.

My words will not pass away. Heaven and earth may, but you will remember these words of mine.

The glorious coming of Jesus.

The disciples saw that too. Resurrection. Ascension. John the apostle with his vision in Revelation.

My words will not pass away. Heaven and earth may, but you will remember these words of mine.

Jesus word to his disciples: Keep Awake!

like a door keeper.

Don’t be found asleep.

I was once in a convenience store. Clerk was asleep. Lower self looked around. Hmmm…I guess I can just take whatever I want…But I coughed instead.

Jesus said, keep awake!

The master could come at any time. Evening, midnight, cockcrow, dawn...

Tracing out the passion story

evening - Judas departs, the disciples were confused. They weren’t awake!

midnight - the Garden of Eden. Can’t you stay awake!

Cockcrow - Peter’s denial

Dawn - Jesus being alone on trial and going to the cross.

Events with is disciples serve as a little cough to show them how dangerous falling asleep is.

Stay Awake!

Interpretation

Jesus wants us to be awake and alert and ready…for what? For the day of his visitation. Daily and on the Great Day.

That means looking at our lives and rooting out all forms of spiritual apathy. To stop living in sins that we should forsake. To HOPE for the Kingdom of God.

As surely as the disciples went through the night of the passion to resurrection, we go through life in this world to the new Kingdom.

We are to be passionate:

Isaiah 64:1 NRSV

O that you would tear open the heavens and come down, so that the mountains would quake at your presence—

We are to forsake the deeds of world and the flesh

Romans 13:11–14 NRSV

Besides this, you know what time it is, how it is now the moment for you to wake from sleep. For salvation is nearer to us now than when we became believers; the night is far gone, the day is near. Let us then lay aside the works of darkness and put on the armor of light; let us live honorably as in the day, not in reveling and drunkenness, not in debauchery and licentiousness, not in quarreling and jealousy. Instead, put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh, to gratify its desires.

We are to never despair of seeing Jesus.

Gandalf: Expect me when you see me!

“I may be away for a good while; but I’ll come and see you again, as soon as I can. Expect me when you see me! I shall slip in quietly.” — Gandalf (LOTR (pp. 40-41)

Application

Surprising Lenten practices for the season of Advent. Advent practices. Like we do in Lent.

Get up early for prayer

Psalm - at sunrise I pray and wait for you. Psalm 5:1-3

Psalm 5:1–3 NRSV

Give ear to my words, O Lord; give heed to my sighing. Listen to the sound of my cry, my King and my God, for to you I pray. O Lord, in the morning you hear my voice; in the morning I plead my case to you, and watch.

Frozen — Else: go back to sleep! Anna: the sky is awake, so I’m awake! We have to play!

PCUSA BCWDP

Loving God, as the rising sun chases away the night, so you have scattered the power of death in the rising of Jesus Christ, and you bring us all blessings in him. (Thursday morning prayer)

Women at the tomb. It was at early dawn that they saw the Lord and were commissioned with the good news!

The rest of the world is asleep, symbolic of awaking from this world to the Kingdom of God.

Fasting and bodily discipline

emptying the stomach to fill the spirit. Body gets hungry, like a sign pointing to the desires of the spirit.

sleep on the floor.

give up tv.

Giving and serving

Blessed are those servants whom the Lord finds working (Matthew 24:46) keeping the door open.

Conclusion

He wants us to be awake. Seeing the need for justice in this world and ready for his arrival which alone brings the Kingdom of God.

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