25th
Sunday After Pentecost – Year B Mark 13:1-8
November 15, 2015 Panzer
Liturgical Service
I finished my sermon early this week, but after the terror attacks in Beirut, Baghdad & Paris, I was more convinced than ever that even the Revised Common Lectionary is equipped to handle whatever happens in the world. My reference to events in Paris in no way lessens the tragedy of terror around the world... but it is a place where many of my friends and family have visited, so it feels especially relateable to those who might hear or read this message... Deb
,
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| One of my favorite "What if?" novels... creepy and thought provoking, all at the same time. |
In the real world, if you watch the TV
news or read the news online, the impression is reinforced - the world is pretty
messed up. There are not just wars and rumors of wars, but it seems that there
is trouble in every direction. Religious wars, culture wars, political war, wars
between the races, genders and among people of different ages… It’s really easy
to get lured into a pessimistic state; in fact, staying positive and unafraid
is really quite hard.
Of course, we are not the first generation
to feel this way. For centuries after the fall of the Kingdom of Israel and
before the birth of Christ, communities were expecting the end of the world.
The prophets of the Old Testament, and especially Daniel, were all about
instructing the people of God in the art of trusting and living for God. Their
writings challenged the people to see God with them, even in the midst of
trouble, even when it looked like hope is gone.
The Hebrew bible reading for today is one
such writing. The book of Daniel was probably the last book written before
Christ’s birth, and was penned at a time of severe persecution of the
Israelites. It is the clearest Jewish writing about physical resurrection… the
promise is that even in death, the righteous can receive the justice due them
because life for those with faith transcends death.[i]
The letter to the Hebrews reminds us
that human kings and leaders are just that… human. We can put trust in them to
accomplish goals and succeed in the short term, but only Jesus Christ, seated
at the right hand of God, can be trusted for everything. The Jews looked to the
priests to be their mediators to God, but through Jesus Christ, we all have
access to the Almighty. But the question often remains, what does that do for
us – or maybe even better – what do we do with that knowledge?[ii]
Our gospel lesson is our last reading
from Mark for the next two years. Our passage today is often called “the little Apocalypse” (which means revelation, not
doomsday, BTW), a precursor to the Apocalypse or Revelation of John, written about
thirty years later, during a time of intense Christian persecution. This
passage finds Jesus in Jerusalem in the last week of his life. He has been
teaching in the Temple, where he noted the behavior of both the haves and the
have nots. Last week we heard the story of the widow’s mite – she gave only two
coins, but it was everything she had.
As Jesus and his followers walk outside,
he continues to teach on this point. Looking at the Temple behind him, he
foretold – not predicted – its destruction. Now I’m willing to bet that this
was almost unbelievable to the disciples. The Temple was the one established
symbol of the presence of God. It was built under the instruction and direction
of God by the Israelites to mark the end of their exile, wandering and
establishing their Kingdom as God’s Kingdom. For the Jews, the Temple
represented the pinnacle of power for both religion and government. The Greeks
and then the Romans may have taken over the land, but the Temple represented
the hope that the reign of God would be re-established. For Jesus to talk about
it being destroyed… well, it’s no wonder they killed him. That was enough to push
the Jewish leaders right over the edge.
The disciples’ concern is much more
immediate: When is it going to happen? And how will they recognize it when it
comes? Whether they are trying to figure out how to stop it or just get away
from it, Jesus’ answer reminds us of the finite nature of our understanding
about the multi-faceted nature of the Kingdom of God.
Surely we can empathize with them. Many
of us have lived in Europe during a time when we have felt safer here than we
did in the US. We travel unafraid, but cautious. But terror attacks in cities
not too far away, and tourist communities targeted make us wonder, too, “When
is the next bad thing going to happen?”
In the world of religion, it seems that
there is always a new prophet on the horizon claiming the end of the world is
at hand, often giving years and dates and times. We worried about the end of
the millennium (remember Y2K?). People worry aloud that earthquakes, wars,
famines, fires, and floods surely must be signs that the end is near. We want
there to be some way to prepare for the end and to recognize it when it comes.
But Jesus tells his disciples (and us)
that while that’s natural, these kinds of prophets lead people astray. We will have wars and rumors of wars –
nations and kingdoms will assert themselves against one another – and
earthquakes, famines and other natural disasters will occur – but they are not
a guarantee that the end has come.[iii]
In the hours before Jesus’ death, the
disciples and most of his followers scattered. It must have felt like their
world was indeed ending. But Jesus’ words here, just a few days earlier, give
his death a new perspective. He ended
with this phrase, “This is but the beginning of the birth pangs.” It’s
important to focus on this because Jesus knew he was going to die, but didn’t
see his death as the end of everything, but as a kind of birth. Over and over again, Jesus proclaimed, “The
kingdom of God is at hand.”
Babies are born every day. They are
conceived and nurtured in the water of the womb, and then one day the labor
starts. It is for most moms and dads, a day of great pain and anxiety, or at
the very least a day of great anticipation... then the miracle of birth. And new
part of life begins.
We want so desperately to know what’s
going to happen in the future. Originally, I was thinking about the
overwhelming feelings that we are combating as we look down the road a few
years to Shawn’s retirement from the Air Force. There are days when we want to
know what it will look like so we can stop worrying about what it’s going to
look like… it’s easy to peer into the future and feel afraid.
But then the most recent terror attack
happened in Paris, and I had something new, something more immediate to worry
about. Traveling to cool places is one of the blessings of living here, so far
away from family and friends. And when that joy is replaced by fear, well that
is exactly what Jesus is warning us against.
Jesus wants us to be ready for whatever
comes our way. Change is not the exception – it’s the rule. As Christians, we
should be the ones who are not just prepared for change, but those who expect
it. After all, Jesus started a new way of living and was arguably the single
greatest agent of change the world has ever known. His leadership and his
teachings toppled one of the most power military empires. And all this was
accomplished after his death by followers that initially deserted him, and
without even picking up a sword.
His ideas have lived through his
followers and brought us to today. The world has not remained stagnant during
these 2000 years. But the message of grace and love and peace has survived even
the turmoil of complex world dynamics, even wars and rumors of wars, and helps
us continue to live and speak a word of hope.
Early in him ministry, Jesus told his
followers, “Do not be afraid.” He wanted them to know that life wasn’t going to
be free and easy, but that would be filled with unexpected joy. Jesus calls us
to see the chaos around us and be unafraid. Dawn Chesser writes,
We can’t ourselves get completely swept away in the excitement of change, but neither should be afraid of it. It doesn’t help to sit around weeping and wailing and beating our brows against the walls of the past. We should strive to live in the present and look forward to what the future holds. And in the meantime, we must be alert, vigilant, and involved in the world around us while keeping our faith in the timeless, living message of Jesus Christ, who said, “Repent. Turn around. Change and believe the good news from God. The right time has come. The right time is right now. The kingdom of God is very, very near. Turn away from your self-centered, fear-driven controlling ways and believe in the good news!” Because at the very worst, our present trials and tribulations are only the first pangs of childbirth. Something wonderful is always being born. The old is always giving way to make room for the new![iv]
I call it living in the grey… seeing and
feeling uncertainty around us, and still acknowledging the presence and power
of Christ in the world. It was hard for the first Christian followers and hard
for us today. God promises us eternal life, but it’s not by the means that we
expect. We can be tricked into believing that if “we work hard enough, are pious
enough, make ourselves acceptable enough, or attain enough we’ll leave all our
uncertainties and insecurities behind.”[v]
But that’s just not true. Choosing
Christ does not put an end to uncertainty or insecurity at all. What is does is
promises to help us understand who we are as children of God, not as children
of the world. God created us in his image, sustains us in the midst of trials
and joys, and loves us unconditionally.
It turns out that the antidote to uncertainty isn’t certainty, but courage; and the best response to insecurity is the confidence that comes from knowing that God esteems you worthy of dignity, honor, and love. Rooted in these promises, we are better equipped to resist all pretenders to throne and give our allegiance to the One who gave all things for us. (David Sellery) [vi]
Friday night as we were preparing for
bed, the word of the Paris attacks began to filter through. Quickly, photos and
memes and posts appeared on Facebook asking for prayers for the victims, their
families and the people of France. Within an hour, the President of France asked
people to leave the streets and find shelter. And then a remarkable thing happened.
The citizens of Paris began posting
invitations for those looking for a safe place to come and stay with them. OpenDoor – PorteOuverte… strangers housed strangers, and cab drivers offered people free rides to their homes or hotels.[vii] In the midst of tragedy and uncertainty, it was a reminder that just because it looks like it might be the end, we don’t have to act like it is.
Jesus call us to be aware – the Kingdom
of God is near. And until he comes again, we are called to be salt to flavor
the world, leaven to raise us above the evil around us, and light to a world
where darkness seems to be pressing in. Go, be the hands and feet and voice of
Christ! Go, be love!
Peace, Deb
[i]
Gail Ramshaw, Lectionary Notes, Lectionary 33, Year B, https://members.sundaysandseasons.com/Home/TextsAndResources/2015-11-15/0#resources
[ii]
Ibid.
[iii]
Dawn Chesser, Discipleship Ministries, 25th Sunday after Pentecost,
Year B, http://www.umcdiscipleship.org/worship/lectionary-calendar/twenty-fifth-sunday-after-pentecost-B#notes3
[iv]
Ibid.
[vi] Ibid.
[vii]
Sebastian Murdock,” Parisians Can Use A Twitter Hashtag To Seek Shelter During
Terrorist Attacks”, Huffington Post, http://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/paris-france-terrorist-attack-trending-twitter_5646676ee4b0603773491b7a
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