- Psalmody: Isaiah 30:30a, 29a, c;Psalm 80:1a;50:2-3a, 5;85:6-7; Baruch 5:5a;4:36b
- Lection: Song of Songs 2:8b-14;Romans 15:4-13;St. Luke 21:25-33
In the Name of the Father and of the ✠ Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
People of Zion, behold the Lord is nigh. He, the kingdom of heaven, is at hand. He came into Jerusalem lowly, mounted on a donkey, bringing salvation unto us who sat in darkness. But we have seen a great Light. We see each and every time that we come into this glorious abode of Light, that this same glorious, saving King comes lowly again and again unto us. The cup of blessing which we bless, is it not the communion of the Blood of Christ? The bread which we break, is it not the communion of the Body of Christ? Thanks be to God that it is, that His Holy Supper is His ongoing advent to feed His Holy Church with true meat and true drink. It is by this ongoing blessed advent at His altar, at His table, that we eat of the fruit of the tree of Life upon which our dear Savior bled in His first Advent. It is a most essential fruit, one never to lose its value regardless of world markets, shortages, inflation, nor recession. His words will never pass away, thus what they declare about this Holy Communion shall stand throughout all time for the benefit of those who come to the feast that He sets before us.
It is a most essential fruit, because we know from the Holy Scriptures, we see with our own eyes, that on the earth there are signs of distress of nations, with perplexity; men’s hearts failing them from fear and the expectation of those things which are coming on the earth. But the worldly mind fears the wrong things. It fears climate change, inequality, misgendering, politicians, and, ironically, good order. It fears godly morality. It fears wives submitting to their husbands. It fears manly leadership, especially if the man is heterosexual, white, and Christian. Sadly, it fears true life, exchanging the truth of God for the lie, worshiping and serving the creature rather than the Creator, Who is blessed forever, amen. Beloved, even if climate change ever becomes a true threat, it will still be no threat to your soul. Even if the nations as we know them, our own included, crumble and fall as all those have of the past, it will still be no threat to your soul. Even if man is threatened with death for refusing to denounce Jesus, such an evil death will still be no threat to your soul. For what can man do to you? Do not fear those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. But rather fear Him who is able to destroy both soul and body in hell.
The Son of Man is coming in a cloud with power and great glory to destroy the wicked who fear, love, and trust in the creature rather than the Creator. He is Whom men’s hearts should fear, because without the salvation that the gracious King brings, all live without hope. With hope amiss, foolish worldly things shall grip the faithless heart with fear, distress, and perplexity, bound up and sinking under the weight of the perishable. That is the condition of the now, that nothing is understood, considered, or reflected upon aright. Yet, life without Christ has the much more horrid reality that as the world worsens, it worsens not without end. The worsening shall stop. It shall stop at its culmination though when the King of Glory returns and all those who are in spiritual distress now by no belief in Him, will only the distress come to its climax at His glorious appearing. The faithless heart will be full of dread and loathing at the sight of Jesus’ return, at His full revelation to bring about the End. It will only be then that all the grandstanding, self-aggrandizing, and clamor over vain things will no longer be the heart and mind’s main concern. The full weight of hopelessness will ascend upon every dark heart. Indeed, that will truly be much for which to have distress.
But the Christian hope shall abide. The signs in the sun, in the moon, and in the stars may strike temporary fear in those who believe, but then faith takes over. We intimately know the One Who made the lights of the sky. He telleth the number of the stars; He calleth them all by their names. Great is our Lord, and of great power: His understanding is infinite. Therefore, since it is this Mighty One Who has condescended Himself, taking upon our own frail form, suffering as one of us unto death after riding into Jerusalem to show that His shed blood brings eternal victory over all that is perishing, over all evil, over death itself; since it is the One Who placed the stars and calls them by name, we shall fear nothing being stirred in the heavens, for none of it is out of our Lord’s control. He has proven His faithfulness in the heavens. He has orchestrated the symphony of the heavenly bodies, creating and sustaining them by His mighty Word; the same Word by which He makes you anew, setting you in the place prepared for you by Christ through the forgiveness of your sins. He calls you by name. He gives you a future and a hope because both rest in Him. Hope in Him.
He shall come to judge the nations. He shall put all of His enemies under His feet. Yet in both stunning strikes, those who dwell in the safety of the shadow of His wing will not fall into distress or perplexity. Our hearts shall not fail us, for they shall be filled by His Eternal Spirit. Have faith. Have hope that when the time comes, when severe tests of faith come, especially at the Last Day, what Jesus comes to give you now, to guard and keep in you now by His words that will not pass away, will do what you need them to do: to not only not fail in heart, but to stir up everlasting rejoicing even as troubling signs precede the End. Yea, you shall rejoice when the full glory of the Almighty is revealed for all creation to behold on the Last Day. Every knee shall bow and every tongue confess that Jesus is Lord; the wicked being finally forced to; the redeemed in Christ gladly doing so, falling down in overwhelming joy, thanksgiving, praise, and fulfilled hope knowing that our redemption draws near.
Dear children of God, people of His pasture, and sheep of His hand, as you travel home today, you shall see no fig tree, nor oak, nor poplar budding. You will see snow, bear trees, cold birds searching for feeders, life chilled through. Do not live in these days as if this is what will last. You have a hope that God has revealed to you even in His creation. You know what awaits in March, April, and May. You know what He has ordained for the future: new life, warmth, beauty, sweet aroma, bliss. You know that these trying signs of snow, and wind chills, and ice melt are but signs that new life is coming. Rejoice in these days. Rejoice in the King Who comes bringing salvation unto you. Rejoice that even when heaven and earth pass away, the words of Christ will by no means pass away. In them do we have certain hope that will never fail us, even if the world, each other, and the stars do. Christ is our certainty unto the Eternal Day. Let us forever see that all these present signs, and the ones still to come, teach us to keep our hope in Him.
In ✠ Jesus’ Name. Amen.
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