Mark 13 32-37
Last Sunday of the Year
Mark 13:32-37
November 23, 2003
“While the Teacher is Away”*
Introduction: I imagine that each of us can remember what happened when we were students back in school and the teacher announced that she was just going to step out of the class for a minute. I am sure you can remember words like - "Now class, I'm going down the hall to the office to make a call. While I am gone I am going to trust each one of you to act like ladies and gentlemen. Each of you has your work to do - I am going now and I'll be right back." And I am sure you can remember what happened after she got out the door. When the teacher is away, there is a test, a test that many people flunk. In my school days I remember vividly that all heck broke loose. Some kids worked - or tried to - while other kids made spit-balls, paper air-planes, and other missiles; others wandered around between the desks - talking to one, poking another, and so forth. Sometimes the whole affair got organized - one or two kids would stand near the door, listening for the teachers’ return, while their buddies ransacked the room, wrote notes on the board, or did something to one of the teacher’s books.
Right now the teacher is away - we are living between times, in the times between Christ's first coming -as a babe in the manger and his second coming - as Lord of glory and Judge of all.
We live between beginnings. And the question that the gospel poses for us today, while we are in this state is quite simply: are we going to pass the test set for us by our teacher's absence? Or are we going to flunk that test - just as so many of us did back when we were in school?
When Jesus was here on earth, his disciples often acted like unruly students. It seemed that they couldn’t get the lessons right, they failed to understand what Jesus was teaching. Not only that, when Jesus clearly asked them to do something, they often failed to do it. This is pointed out by our text where Jesus tells his disciples to be on guard, to be alert and to Watch. A few short hours later they would be falling asleep while Judas and the temple guard would come for Jesus to take him to be tried, beaten and finally crucified. They would fail the test as the teacher was taken away. In His absence the disciples were confused and disoriented and even unfaithful as we remember Even Peter denying His Lord three times. It seemed the case that things went well enough while Jesus was with them, but they were in chaos without Him. When Jesus was present, that was one thing, but when He was gone, that was another thing.
What about us? Things between us and God tend to be fine, when we are in here, at worship, while we are in this holy place in the presence of Christ, hearing God’s Word, receiving the body and blood of our Lord, touching and tasting the presence of God. But what about later, as we walk out the church door and we are back in the world? What then?
Isn't it a little bit like it was back in our school days when the teacher left the room? In a manner of speaking chaos breaks out. First we break free from our church clothes and then we break free of the restraints of our churchly attitude and get back to normal. But what passes for normal could often be called disgraceful if the Teacher, Jesus were present. In the end we are tempted to join the rest of the world, like the disciples, confused, disoriented and unfaithful.
Despite our unfaithfulness, Jesus Christ remained ever faithful, for His disciples, for us, and for all the people of the world. He faithfully allowed Himself to be judged and crucified to put an end to the chaos and confusion. For His sake and His death on the cross we are forgiven for our unfaithfulness and sinful thoughts and actions.
Through His death and resurrection and ascension to the right hand of the Father where He has all honor and glory, through His sending of the Holy Spirit Christ has made Himself ever present for us. This is especially true for us Christians. Christ is always present for us. While we may think that we come here to church to be in the presence of God, while we may think that when we leave here we leave Him behind, Christ goes with us into the world. While this may comfort us when we are troubled, this may give us discomfort as we act like the trouble makers, and act as though the teacher was away.
Our Lord does not want us to be troubled. That is why He sent us His Holy Spirit to guide us in His Word and to reflect His Words in our lives through acts of faith and love and towards all people. How do we do this? Jesus very clearly told His disciples and us to be on guard, be alert and to watch. And He told us an amazing parable about himself and us. Jesus said, “It’s like a man going away: He leaves his house and puts his servants in charge, each with his own assigned task, and tells the one at the door to keep watch. Therefore keep watch because you do not know when the owner of the house will come back…”
Jesus has left us in charge of the classroom. He has entrusted His students with running the class. He does this because he has enabled us to do what He asks. We can be on guard and vigilant living as Christians in the world. We don’t have to act as the people of the world do. We can be alert to false teaching and false doctrines and to what is clearly wrong in the world. We do not have to merely follow along as the world accepts the perversions of sexuality and the institution of marriage. We do not have to be lulled into sleep as we are exposed to more perversity on T.V. The Apostle Paul wrote, “You are all the sons of light and the sons of the day. We do not belong to the night or to the darkness. So then, let us not be like others, who are asleep, but let us be alert and self controlled. Finally we must stand watch knowing that this day brings us one more day closer to our Saviors appearing in glory and ushering in His eternal kingdom. And as our Lord has said, “It will be good for those servants whose master finds them watching when He comes.”
Like the teacher leaving the classroom, reminding the class to act like ladies and gentleman and to continue their assigned tasks, Jesus calls us to act like his faithful witnesses, not only in church, but through out our lives. He has called us to continue with our assigned task of faithfully hearing His Word, believing in Him, calling upon Him for forgiveness through confession and absolution and receiving strength in His Holy Supper. Thus enabled he calls us to the task of proclaiming His kingdom of grace and forgiveness which came through His cross and will culminate in His glory on the final Day of Judgment. If we want to be realistic about it, Jesus doesn’t need our help to accomplish what he wants done in this world. He could spread the gospel without our help. He could build churches without our offerings. He could teach through angels or through direct revelation. But instead, He put us in charge. He makes us key players in the salvation of sinners. He tells us that we are His spokesmen, chosen to tell the world that Jesus is the Savior of the world. This is our assigned task while the teacher is away.
The teacher, Jesus, will come, and the faithful and the unfaithful alike will see him coming, they will see him coming with his angels in the clouds with great power and glory - and the angels will be sent out to gather his elect from the four winds, from the ends of the earth to the ends of heaven, and there will be peace, - a peace greater than that which came when our earthly school teachers returned to their classes. There will be justice, more just than that which was meted out when the teacher opened her classroom door to behold what her students had done. Jesus Christ will bring more than peace or justice. He will bring love and grace. God’s mercy will be given to those who, above all else, trusted in Him as their Savior form sin and trusted in Him alone as the Lord of their salvation. Lord Jesus Christ, grant this to us all. Amen