2nd Sunday in Advent + Luke 21:25-36 + December 9, 2018

In the Name of the Father and of the Son + and of the Holy Ghost. Amen.

The first Sunday in Advent focuses our attention on Christ’s first advent in the flesh when He came in humility and meekness to win salvation for sinful humanity. This Sunday draws our attention to His Second Advent when He will descend from heaven in glory. Before He returns, “there will be signs in the sun, in the moon, and in the stars; and on the earth distress of nations, with perplexity, the sea and waves roaring; men’s hearts failing them from fear and the expectation of those things which are coming on the earth, for the powers of heaven will be shaken.” These aren’t specific signs that each only happen once. These are signs that we see in every generation since the Lord’s ascension. We see signs in the sun, the moon, and the stars. Just last summer when we witnessed the solar eclipse. Because we live in a world where information races across the globe via the internet, we are acutely away of the distress of the nations. There is always a war going on somewhere in the world while we hear rumors of new wars each day it seems. The more we consider the state of modern life the more perplexed we become because we don’t see a solution to every problem, large or small. Hurricanes and tsunamis are signs in the sea.

Mankind witnesses all this and the courage of most fails with fear. These signs make men tremble because they know that such signs mean the world is racing toward its end. Most people see these signs and ignore them. They imagine that they are just part of life. There have always been such signs in the heavens, among the nations, and in the seas and the world hasn’t ended yet so it probably won’t. This isn’t helped by the movies. Hollywood loves the “end-of-the-world” genre. The silver screen has shown the world ending from a new ice age, from meteor impact, and from zombies. But in each of these movies there is still a remnant of humanity that survives the end. Even after mass extinction there humanity has a glimmer of hope that there will yet be a future for humanity. All this does is focus our thoughts on the signs themselves rather than that to which the signs point. After illustrating the various signs in the heavens, among the nations, and in the seas, Jesus says, “Then they will see the Son of Man coming in a cloud with power and great glory.” After these signs then Christ will return. The signs are not just signs of an end that really isn’t an end. They’re not obstacles for humanity to overcome through technology and the determination of the human spirit. They portent Christ, who will return to judge the living and the dead.

He shows this by the parable. “Look at the fig tree, and all the trees. When they are already budding, you see and know for yourselves that summer is now near.” In the central Texas we could say “When you see the buds on the cedar, you see and know for yourself that the allergy season is near.” The signs of the end are not to be understood for their own sake. They are like the buds on the tree. They show us that the next season is upon us. The unbelieving world, which doesn’t think Christ will return and doesn’t want Christ to return, sees the signs but willfully ignore  what comes next. They carouse and fornicate. They overindulge in the good things of this life. They let the cares of this life be their ‘end all be all’ because they imagine that this life is all there is. Because they don’t believe Christ they live their lives, heads down, focused solely upon the things of this life: their work, their riches, their reputation, their desires and their fun. And when signs do appear in the heavens, among the nations, and in the sea, they don’t consider them and repent. It’s as if they look at the tree. They see its buds. But refuse to admit that summer is next.

This is not to be so among you who trust in Christ and believe His word. All of these signs call us to consider what happens next. The Father sent the Son into the flesh “when the fullness of time had come” (Gal 4:4). Jesus says in Matthew 24:36, “that day and hour no one knows, not even the angels of heaven, but My Father only.” When the time is completed, God the Son in human flesh, the Son of Man, will come again to judge the living and dead. Our focus isn’t to be on the signs themselves. They are like the buds of a tree, showing us that the next season is upon us. Nor are we to worry about how mankind might lessen them or survive them. The Christian’s focus is to be upon what the signs point to. Your Lord tells you, “Now when these things begin to happen, look up and lift up your heads, because your redemption draws near.” There’s no reason to be perplexed. There’s no reason that your courage should fail. When you see the signs look up because that’s the direction from which Christ will come. Heavenward is your salvation. As the buds of the tree show you that summer is near, the signs means that your redemption draws near.

Take heed to yourselves then, how you live. Do not emulate the world with its carousing, fornication, drunkenness and overindulgence. These things weigh you down and direct your eyes to the things of this life. And lest you think that you have no reason to be on your guard because carousing and drunkenness don’t tempt you, Jesus adds the most dangerous temptation: the “cares of this life.” This is the most dangerous because it doesn’t seem a sin. It is far more insidious than carousing and drunkenness. Just as those are sins, so is losing oneself in this life so that you neglect Christ. He doesn’t want you to abandon your posts, your work, you marriage, your family, and your business. What He warns you against is worrying over the cares of this life so that your eyes, which should be directed heavenward, are instead fixed upon the things of this life as if there is only this life. “Set your mind on things above, not on things on the earth,” the Apostle says (Col. 3:2). Do not forsake your responsibilities and labor. Rather acknowledge that all those things as gifts from God’s hand that He has freely given and may freely take. Do not let worry overtake you about the cares of this life than you cease to trust the God who gave them to you. God gives you the work but not the worry. Worry is how the cares of this life weigh you down.

“Watch therefore, and pray always that you may be counted worthy to escape all these things that will come to pass, and to stand before the Son of Man.” Watch for His coming. Notice the buds on the trees, the signs of His return, but don’t them worry you or vex you. They aren’t signs of the end of the world. They are signs that Christ draws near with your redemption. “Whatever things were written before were written for our learning, that we through the patience and comfort of the Scriptures might have hope” (Rom. 15:4). Jesus tells you all this today so that you do not fear His coming but have hope. Hope does not disappoint because hope is the certainty that Christ is coming to take His baptized faithful to the riches of heavenly paradise. Hope brings with it the joy of knowing that when Christ returns we will no longer be plagued with the sins that entangle us or the threat of death that haunts us. Hope rests upon the peace of conscience that only faith brings, which trusts that for Christ’s sake God forgives all our sins and does not count them against us. “May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, that you may abound in hope by the power of the Holy Spirit” (Rom 15:13). Take heed! Watch! All who trust Christ for their salvation will stand before Him on the Last Day when brings your redemption near.

In the Name of the Father and of the Son + and of the Holy Ghost. Amen.