Revelation 22b

Translation

Now I, John, am the one who heard and saw these things. When I heard and saw, I fell down to worship before the feet of the angel explaining these things to me. He said to me, “Don’t do that! I am a fellow servant with you and your brothers of the prophets and those who keep the words of this book. Worship God.” And he said to me, “Do not seal up the words of the prophecy of this book, because the time is near. Let the unrighteous work unrighteousness still, and those who are defiled defile still, and the righteous work righteousness still, and the holy work holiness still.”

“Look! I am coming soon, and my reward with me, to pay back to each according to his work. I am the Alpha and the Omega, the First and the Last, the Beginning and the End. Blessed are those who wash their robes, that they might be worthy of the tree of life and to enter the gateway to the city. Outside are the dogs, sorcerers, sexually immoral, murderers, idolaters, and everyone who loves and practices falsehood.

I, Jesus, sent my angel to testify about these things to you for the Church. I am the root, the descendant of David, the bright morning star. The spirit and the bride say, “Come.” Those who hear say, “Come”. Let all who thirst come, and let all who want receive the water of life freely.

I testify to all who hear the words of the prophecy of this book. If anyone should add to them, God will add to them the plagues written in this book. If anyone should take away from the words of this book of prophecy, God will take away their inheritance of the tree of life, and from the Holy City written in this book.”

The one who testifies these things says, “Yes! Come quickly! Amen, Come Lord Jesus!”

The grace of the Lord Jesus be with you all. Amen.

Holidays: Hope and Despair

Thanksgiving reminder of new life (Easton) and joy in life (seeing family)

Also a reminder of death (lost loved ones, sick loved ones)

The Thanksgiving/Christmas season is paradoxical

On the one hand: Hope

On the other: despair

Depression and anxiety tend to skyrocket during the winter months, especially around Christmas

Where is God?

There is a deep irony that, in the time we remember that God drew near in Christ, we often begin to wonder, “Where is God?”

Due to grief, loss, even our own pains and illnesses, we begin to wonder with the psalmist (Ps 10)

The New Revised Standard Version Prayer for Deliverance from Enemies

Why, O LORD, do you stand far off?

Why do you hide yourself in times of trouble?

Perhaps it is even more than mere grief, or anger at God.

We may pray and not feel the same joy and assurance as before

We might ask for gifts of healing, peace, or comfort that we had previously recieved, and find them no more

We might find that the hope we once found in scripture and worship seems very distant now

In short, we long for God, but cannot find him. Why, O LORD, do you stand far off? Why do you hide yourself in times of trouble?

Spirit filled Grief?

“God, who is everywhere, never leaves us.  Yet He seems sometimes to be present, sometimes absent.  If we do not know Him well, we do not realize that He may be more present to us when he is absent than when He is present” - Thomas Merton

When God seems to stand far off, might He not really be near?

Whole of Revelation: Perseverance through persecution

Rome and Satan raged against the Church, and yet John encouraged them that Christ was coming soon to defeat these evils and lift them up

But are we then wrong to feel this grief?

Psalm 13 NRSV

To the leader. A Psalm of David. How long, O Lord? Will you forget me forever? How long will you hide your face from me? How long must I bear pain in my soul, and have sorrow in my heart all day long? How long shall my enemy be exalted over me? Consider and answer me, O Lord my God! Give light to my eyes, or I will sleep the sleep of death, and my enemy will say, “I have prevailed”; my foes will rejoice because I am shaken. But I trusted in your steadfast love; my heart shall rejoice in your salvation. I will sing to the Lord, because he has dealt bountifully with me.

Romans 8

The New Revised Standard Version Future Glory

22 We know that the whole creation has been groaning in labor pains until now; 23 and not only the creation, but we ourselves, who have the first fruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly while we wait for adoption, the redemption of our bodies. 24 For in hope we were saved. Now hope that is seen is not hope. For who hopes for what is seen? 25 But if we hope for what we do not see, we wait for it with patience.

26 Likewise the Spirit helps us in our weakness; for we do not know how to pray as we ought, but that very Spirit intercedes with sighs too deep for words. 27 And God, who searches the heart, knows what is the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for the saints according to the will of God.

Advent: Hope through Despair

Benediction

The New Revised Standard Version Introduction and Salutation

Look! He is coming with the clouds;

every eye will see him,

even those who pierced him;

and on his account all the tribes of the earth will wail.

So it is to be. Amen.