Advent First Sunday 2019
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I forget where I was the day after Halloween, but I noticed something unmistakable. I heard it faintly and found my self singing along to it, chestnuts roasting on an open fire, Jack frost nipping at your nose. But I was like wait, it is not even Thanksgiving yet.
Don’t they usually wait until after thanksgiving for the Christmas music to start? I thinkthis the first year that we started Christmas season the day after Halloween instead of after Thanksgiving?
At this pace we will soon be having Christmas season year round, January 1st begins the next Christmas season.
Well this Sunday marks the first day a new season for the Church. Today is the first day of Advent. You will notice that we changed the decorations, the color is purple, representing royalty, because the season of Advent is about reliving the story of God’s people as they waited for the advent or coming of the king.
So during Advent we anticipate and remember when Jesus came as a baby in a manger, but as we heard in our readings there is also a future edge to Advent as well. A waiting and anticipating when Jesus will come again.
Traditionally it is a time Christians have used to take stock of their lives, to prepare their hearts and lives for the arrival of the king, knowing that when Jesus comes again he will come to judge the world, and more than changing the decorations, we are to seek to straighten up and raise our heads as Jesus said, or “to cast away the works of darkness, and put on the armor of light” as John prayed this morning. So that our lives are in order and prepared for his coming.
But here is the thing most of us don’t live in light that Jesus is coming again, either we think it wont happen, because it is so far off, because that is just pie in the sky, or we think what difference does it make for me as a Christian, I am saved, how would Jesus coming as judge change how I act now.
We are
Everyone should seek to live a blameless life, but some times we don’t know
Develop the idea that we should love blameless lives
This morning what I hope we see is that because Jesus is coming again we should seek to, as Jesus said, straighten up our lives.
We need Jesus to come again as judge. But we have problems with this idea, first if we are Christians, we think what need is there for me to be judged? Or maybe it is not whether or not a judgement is needed, but maybe the idea of God judgement is just offensive. How could a loving God judge people and send them to hell?
Jesus is coming again as judge we should live blameless lives.
So first,
Why Because Jesus will come again as judge
Jesus comes to bring Justice
Jesus comes to bring Justice
In We read
So earlier we read Jesus talking about the last judgment and he says referring to himself
Then the Lord will go out and fight against those nations as when he fights on a day of battle.
Zecharia
As we read in Acts
Zechariah was a prophet before the time of Jesus and so inspired by God he sees a vision of the future day when God will come and vanquish the enemies of God’s people.
because he has fixed a day on which he will judge the world in righteousness by a man whom he has appointed; and of this he has given assurance to all by raising him from the dead.”
Where he will judge the world. Where everyone will one day have to give account to God, and their eternal fate will be assigned.
In a vision he is seeing judgment day, the day when God will put right all the wrong that is in the world.
Where everyone will one day have to give account to God, and their eternal fate will be assigned.
Now maybe you are sitting here and thinking, whew I am not sure, maybe your like most people in America and think I don’t know if a loving God would really judge people.
“Then he will say to those on his left, ‘Depart from me, you cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels.
Matthew 25:41-
Surely a loving God cannot also be a judging God.
people sometimes object to God’s judgment, because you might think that a loving God would not be a judging God.
One of the most common objections to Christianity is that a loving God would not be a judging God
But here is the thing it is precisely because God is loving that he comes to bring justice in the world.
We know this reality, that those who love deeply will sometimes be filled with red hot anger. Those mamma bears out there know this, if someone messes with your baby they will surly feel your wrath.
And take that feeling and make it cosmic and infinite and you have a sense of God’s love and also anger at injustice.
And God’s love is so great for humanity, for his creation, that he is angry with the evil in this world. If he were somehow indifferent to evil, he would not be loving.
Illustration:
Miroslav Volf, a Yale professor, in his book Exclusion and Embrace writes about God’s judgment. He was born in Croatia and saw some of the most horrific evil and injustice done to his people durring the wars in the 90’s. And in his book talks about how the judgment of God helps us live peaceable today,
And he said this:
if God were not angry at injustice and did not make the final end to violence God would not be worthy of our worship...in a world of violence we are faced with an inescapable alternative: either God’s violence or human violence.
Most people who insist on God’s “nonviolence” cannot resist using violence themselves (or tacitly sanctioning its use by others).
Some deem the talk of God’s judgment irreverent, but think nothing of entrusting judgment into human hands, persuaded presumably that this is less dangerous and more humane than to believe in a God who judges!
That we should bring “down the powerful from their thrones” () seems responsible; that God should do the same, as the song of that revolutionary Virgin explicitly states, seems crude. And so violence thrives, secretly nourished by belief in a God who refuses to wield the sword.
Then he paints this picture
Imagine that you are delivering a lecture in a war zone.
Among your listeners are people whose cities and villages have been first plundered, then burned and leveled to the ground, whose daughters and sisters have been raped, whose fathers and brothers have had their throats slit.
The topic of the lecture: a Christian attitude toward violence. The thesis: we should not retaliate since God is perfect noncoercive love.
Soon you would discover that it takes the quiet of a suburban home for the birth of the thesis that human nonviolence corresponds to God’s refusal to judge.
In a scorched land, soaked in the blood of the innocent, that view will invariably die.
Application:
Volf Quote
Application:
Jesus is coming again, and when he does he will put an end to evil, every thing that is wrong will be put to right, and there is great comfort in knowing that all the evil that has been perpetrated against you God will deal with one day.
We don’t have to take vengeance into our own hands, we can know that the one who has slandered your reputation, or cheated, or harmed you or abused you will have to stand before the judgment seat of Jesus.
Every one of us will have to give an account to God.
There is no one who gets away with evil. And because Jesus will come to bring justice it means we don’t have to take vengeance into our own hands we can allow God to be the judge, and we can know that he will vindicate things.
But we also know that while every one has been sinned against, we also know we are not always the innocent party.
We can live peaceable lives now because we know that things will be put to rights
And
Jesus coming to bring justice also means that everyone will have to give an account.
And if you are like me and struggle to live up to your own standards how much more do we fall short of God’s standards.
We will have to give an account for every thing thought, every action and every word.
God’s word says:
Therefore do not pronounce judgment before the time, before the Lord comes, who will bring to light the things now hidden in darkness and will disclose the purposes of the heart. Then each one will receive his commendation from God.
or as Jesus said:
As Jesus said:
Nothing is covered up that will not be revealed, or hidden that will not be known.
Luke
Luke 12:2
and in another place he said:
and in another place he said:
Nothing is covered up that will not be revealed, or hidden that will not be known.
I tell you, on the day of judgment people will give account for every careless word they speak,
Jesus will come again and when he does we will have to give an account to him. Knowing that all will be revealed with Jesus returns again should cause us to as John prayed this morning to “cast off the works of darkness and put on the armor of light.
We can as we say every Sunday, all our problems, we seed to the cross of Christ.
Jesus will come again and when he does we will have to give an account to him. Knowing that all will be revealed with Jesus returns again should cause us to as John prayed this morning to “cast off the works of darkness and put on the armor of light. To think twice about
How will we face God in that moment when all is revealed, when we stand at his last judgment?
For every We should as we prayed this morning, “cast off the works of darkness and put on the armor of light.
Well, Jesus comes not only to judge, but also
But this is a misunderstanding of what is happening. The common notion of the last judgment is that God is tossing people into hell against their wills, and that he is like “sorry your too late,” But this is not the case.
But this is not the case, humanity was created to live in loving relationship with God, dependent on him to live, love, and find joy, but
Humanity was created to live in loving relationship with God, dependent on him to live, love, to flourish, and find joy with him, and so the further you get from his presence the more hell you experience.
Jesus describes hell as fire, something that causes burning or disintegration.
Tim Keller describes hell this way:
Even in this life we can see the kind of soul disintegration that self-centeredness creates. We know how selfishness and self absorption lead to piercing bitterness, nauseating envy, paralyzing anxiety, paranoid thoughts, and the mental denials and distortions that accompany them.
He goes on to say:
Now ask the question ‘What if when we die we don’t end, but spiritually our life extends on into eternity?’ Hell, then is the trajectory of a soul living a self -absorbed, self-centered life, going on forever and ever.”
God in the end is giving people what they most want, their freedom from him, and that freedom just so happens to be hell.
CS Lewis says this:
Their are only two kinds of people—those who say ‘Thy will be done’ to God or those to whom God in the end says ‘thy will be done.’ All that are in hell choose it. With out self-choice it wouldn't be hell, no soul that seriously and constantly desires joy will ever miss it.”
Sub point 1: A God of love would not send people to hell
Illustration CS Lewis The Great Divorce
Well
Illustration: Volf Quote
Application:
We can live peaceable lives now because we know that things will be put to rights
MP 2: Jesus comes to provide mercy
MP 2: Jesus comes to provide mercy
Look with me at verse 4 and 5
Look with me at verse 4 and 5
On that day his feet shall stand on the Mount of Olives that lies before Jerusalem on the east, and the Mount of Olives shall be split in two from east to west by a very wide valley, so that one half of the Mount shall move northward, and the other half southward. And you shall flee to the valley of my mountains, for the valley of the mountains shall reach to Azal. And you shall flee as you fled from the earthquake in the days of Uzziah king of Judah. Then the Lord my God will come, and all the holy ones with him.
So here we have Zechariah seeing a vision a symbolic drama of the future it is this devastating image of what will happen when God comes to put an end to evil.
You have this mountain, the mount of Olives, being ripped apart, with this great earthquake and in the middle you have now this extremely wide valley that provides escape from the judgment of God.
And this future judgment that we all will face one day actually invaded the past when Jesus became flesh.
Jesus makes this valley of escape. God does not desire to end his creation, he became human, he became man in Jesus and it was his two feet that stood on the mountain, Jesus ascended the hill and when he hung on the cross he took no shelter from the anger that God has toward injustice and evil, but instead Jesus took the full force of God’s anger so that a valley of escape might be made.
In Jesus, God shows that he is just, he is not indifferent to evil, someone had to endure the cost of sin,
He is just in putting an end to evil, and at the same time in his justice he shows himself merciful making a way of safety.
and at the same time merciful making a way of safety.
So when we read in verse 5 this valley of escape made,
And you shall flee to the valley of my mountains, for the valley of the mountains shall reach to Azal. And you shall flee as you fled from the earthquake in the days of Uzziah king of Judah. Then the Lord my God will come, and all the holy ones with him.
We see the fulfillment of this in Jesus. Jesus was crushed under the weight of God’s judgment and the force is so powerful it is likened to an earthquake breaking apart mountains.
In Jesus we
The Judgment of God fell on Jesus, he
sacrifice of himself provides for us safety so that the judgment that would have justly fallen on us instead fell on him.
Why? Because there is no one who would escape the judgment, no one is qualified, it did not matter who you were if there was not a valley made there would be no escape.
And when the dust settles what we see is a valley proving safety for all.
Illustration:
There is no greater love than to lay down your life for your friends. To give life for another. The most powerful stories we know usually involve someone who gives of themselves for another. Think about Lord of the Rings, Gandalf standing in the gap shouting you shall not pass to the evil Balrog so that his friends could escape.
Who will be judged?
Or Harry Potter, who knew that as long as he lived Voldemort would too, and the only way he could save his friends from being destroyed and killed themselves, was to go and face Voldemort, not to fight him, but to die. So he headed of into the woods alone to face Voldemort, and there because he loved his friends so much willingly died so that they might live.
We love these stories and others, not just because they are fun or inspiring, but because they touch upon the very fabric of reality.
They echo the true story, that God became man so that he might die in our place, so that he would take the just judgment for sin, so that justice could be satisfied. And Mercy would triumph.
Application:
So what do we do with the mercy of Jesus.
First, if you are not a Christian this morning, and you have not even thought of the possibility that you will face Jesus one day, let alone what you will say, know this. His mercy is for you. He took all the judgment possible so that you might be safe.
No matter what he will forgive you, and you can know the assurance and joy that comes from his everlasting mercy.
And for those of you Christians this morning, know this that at the last judgment every hateful though you have had, every lustful look, every mean word, every violent action will be revealed,
but in that moment, with all the saints and all the angles of heaven you will shout and weep for joy for the love and mercy of Jesus will shine the brightest.
For all will know how great Jesus love is for you, that he he loved you so much he was willing to take the justice you deserved.
Every one of our sins will only go to prove how great the mercy of Jesus is.
And rather than hanging your head in shame, you head will be adorned with a crown of glory. No longer are you in darkness, but clothed in the armor of light, the life of Jesus.
Conclusion:
When Jesus comes again we must be found in him
motivation for living a blameless life today
receive the blameless life of Jesus
Jesus will come to judge people
Objection 1: A God of love would not Judge
Volf Quote
Objection 2:
CS Lewis The Great Divorce
MP 1: Because Jesus will come to judge Christians we should live blameless lives
Illustration:
Application: We should live blameless lives
MP 2: Because Jesus will come to judge non-Christians
Volf Quote
Objection 2: A God of love would not send people to hell
CS Lewis The Great Divorce
Application: Receive the blameless life of Jesus
Conclusion:
Advent is upon us, our colors are purple now because we remember when the king came and we look forward to the king returning. Jesus has come and will come again.
FCF:
But
And Jesus came for a reason, he did not come to inspire people, he did not come to educate people, and he did not come to motivate action, Jesus came to save.
We needed a savior we needed a king to make things right.
In his first coming he came as a suffering servant taking the justice of God in our place, and showing the mercy God has toward us. And when he comes again he will come as conquering king.
Advent has come, the colors have changed, it is purple now. The color of royalty, the color of kings. I recently heard a small child singing “Christ
So let us cast away the works of darkness, and put on the armor of light.
Don’t be fooled by your nativity scene he came to take on the evil forces of this world
We have this nativity set that we got out this weekend, and it is one that is plastic and like toys so kids can play with it and you don’t have to worry about them breaking it. So my oldest was setting it up and it had little baby Jesus there in the hay and it had a sweet little angle that sits on top and plays music when you push the button.
Almighty God, give us grace to cast away the works of darkness, and put on the armor of light, now in the time of this mortal life in which your Son Jesus Christ came to visit us in great humility; that in the last day, when he shall come again in his glorious majesty to judge both the living and the dead, we may rise to the life immortal; through him who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen.
But as we
Don’t be fooled by your nativity scene he came to take on the evil forces of this world
So we and he did just that.
Application: Live in his kingdom of light not in fear, but in hope