Luke 21.25-36

This time of year, the Advent and Christmas season, we are often brought into Charles Dickens’ classic piece of literature, A Christmas Carol.  

Whether it is a direct read of his text or a visual representation of his work with Donald Duck, Mickey Mouse, or comedian Jim Carrey, playing the famed characters of Ebenezer Scrooge, Jacob Marley, and nephew Fred, we are left encouraged at the end of the story by changed hearts and reconciliation summed up by these words of Dickens:

“It’s always something, to know you’ve done the most you could. But don’t leave off hoping, or it’s of no use doing anything. Hope, hope to the last.”

In our American culture, we have many cliches about hope.

Some of those sayings go like this:

“Where there’s life, there’s hope.”

“Every cloud has a silver lining.”

“Hope springs eternal!”

“Never give up hope!”

Or, ”I am prepared for the worst, but hope for the best.” 

Hope has also been the theme of many hit songs.

For example,

Journey’s 1981, Don’t Stop Believin’.

The Beatles’ 1969, Here Comes the Sun.

Tom Petty’s 1989, I Won’t Back Down.

Bill Withers’ 1972, Lean on Me.

As well as, Louis Armstrong’s 1959, What a Beautiful World.

And, hope has been a talking and writing point for theologians, politicians, authors, and philosophers.

Pastor and Civil activist Martin Luther King, Jr. said, “We must accept finite disappointment, but never lose infinite hope.”

Current best selling fantasy author Sarah J. Maas said, “We need hope, or else we cannot endure.”

However, I believe Ms. Mass borrowed that idea and reworked a quote from the prolific 19th Century Russian writer Fyodor Dostoyevsky who famously said, “To live without hope is to cease to live.”

The dictionary defines Hope as a feeling of expectation and desire for a certain thing to happen.

During the Advent season, the four Sundays leading up to Christmas, we annually explore the themes of Hope, Peace, Joy, and Love. 

This morning, we will focus on the hope we have while waiting for Jesus’ coming to us.

With that being said, let’s hear from the lectionary text chosen for this first Sunday in Advent.

Luke 21:25–36 records these sayings of Jesus:

[25] “And there will be signs in sun and moon and stars, and on the earth distress of nations in perplexity because of the roaring of the sea and the waves, [26] people fainting with fear and with foreboding of what is coming on the world. For the powers of the heavens will be shaken. [27] And then they will see the Son of Man coming in a cloud with power and great glory. [28] Now when these things begin to take place, straighten up and raise your heads, because your redemption is drawing near.”

[29] And he told them a parable: “Look at the fig tree, and all the trees. [30] As soon as they come out in leaf, you see for yourselves and know that the summer is already near. [31] So also, when you see these things taking place, you know that the kingdom of God is near. [32] Truly, I say to you, this generation will not pass away until all has taken place. [33] Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will not pass away.

[34] “But watch yourselves lest your hearts be weighed down with dissipation and drunkenness and cares of this life, and that day come upon you suddenly like a trap. [35] For it will come upon all who dwell on the face of the whole earth. [36] But stay awake at all times, praying that you may have strength to escape all these things that are going to take place, and to stand before the Son of Man.” (ESV)

Here, the physician and biographer, Luke, writes down what ended up being the final words that Jesus spoke at the temple before his crucifixion.  

And, Jesus’ words on that day were words that instilled hope in all who heard and believed him.

Jesus’ words point out that the world will seem to be falling apart, almost everyday, but God is still in control and God is still fulfilling His promise to the world and to you—a promise for eternal safety and security though the rescue of salvation.

When you turn on the news and see images of floods devastating North Carolina, rockets flying between Russia and the Ukraine, and political riots and protests across the globe, you are given a very clear picture that something is not right out there.  However, as many of those disturbing images and words tell us, the actions and consequences driving those sad realities are propelled by the human race and therefore there is also something not right inside the human being.

Psalm 51:5 tells us what is wrong on the inside of the human being when the author, King David admits,

[5] Behold, I was brought forth in iniquity,

and in sin did my mother conceive me. (ESV)

And, as Paul the apostle writes in his letter to the Christians in the city of Rome,

[12] Therefore, just as sin came into the world through one man, and death through sin, and so death spread to all men because all sinned…(Romans 5:12, ESV)

And,

[18] For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the glory that is to be revealed to us. [19] For the creation waits with eager longing for the revealing of the sons of God. [20] For the creation was subjected to futility, not willingly, but because of him who subjected it, in hope [21] that the creation itself will be set free from its bondage to corruption and obtain the freedom of the glory of the children of God. (Romans 8:18–21, ESV)

Because of sin, both the human being and the created order are corrupted and falling apart and falling away from God.

The good news we have, despite the brokenness of humanity and creation that followed the Fall in the Garden of Eden, is that God still promises us that one day He would fix and restore all things through a Savior who would right every wrong, and reconcile every wreck to God.

That is the hope Jesus gives us in today’s Biblical text.  Jesus is pointing to the end of the world as we know and tells us that we will be fine if we stand strong with faith in him as the One who was always Faithful to God for us.  

In these three pericopes, or passages, Jesus tells us that there are three reasons to have hope in Him and God the Father today.

First, there is hope in Jesus’ coming to us because his presences signals redemption is drawing near.

Ephesians 1:7:

[7] In [Jesus] we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of his grace, (ESV)

Second, there is hope in Jesus’ coming to us because his presence with us means His Word is true.

2 Corinthians 1:20:

[20] For all the promises of God find their Yes in [Jesus]. That is why it is through him that we utter our Amen to God for his glory. (ESV)

And, third, there is hope in Jesus’ coming to us because his presence with us means we will have strength to stand before the Son of Man — meaning God — at the gates of Heaven.

Isaiah 54:10:

[10] For the mountains may depart

and the hills be removed,

but my steadfast love shall not depart from you,

and my covenant of peace shall not be removed,”

says the LORD, who has compassion on you. (ESV)

Through Jesus’ perfectly lived life, when measured against God’s commands for life and love, Jesus death on the cross to forgive you of the falling away and falling apart that happens when you sinfully and selfishly love yourself more than God and others, and Jesus resurrection from the dead to defeat the power of sin and death that separates you from God forever, you are able to stand strong, even as the world falls apart around you, because you are safe and secure today, tomorrow, and forever in God’s loving arms.

One of my favorite theologians of this era is Albert Mohlher Jr. Mohler is the current President of the Southern Baptist Theological Seminary.  This week he wrote about the hope of Christmas, meaning the hope of Jesus coming to us in response to John 1.4-5 which says:

[4] In him was life, and the life was the light of men. [5] The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it. (John 1:4–5, ESV)

Mohler’s following commentary is this:

The need of this Light points to the harrowing reality of the darkness. All humanity lives under the black shadow of sin and shame. The darkness which blanketed the world inhibited everyone from seeing and knowing God. Darkness befell the creation all the way back in Genesis 3 when Adam and Eve, through a display of high treason, disobeyed God and subsequently plunged the creation and the cosmos under the shadow of sin. God, however, promised a day of redemption. Indeed, in Genesis 3, God cursed the serpent, pronouncing, “I will put hostility between you and the woman, and between your offspring and her offspring. He will strike your head, and you will strike his heel” (Gen. 3:15). From that day forward, God continually spoke of a day when the curse would be reversed, when the light would break through the darkness, when redemption would rescue people from their sin. 

That is what happened at Jesus’s birth. The birth of Christ marked the culmination of all God’s promises. God incarnate had come as “the true light that gives light to everyone” (John 1:9). This marks the glory of Christmas.

Speaking about hope being an integral part of the human condition’s ability to focus and carry on day to day comes from 20th Century South African Anglican Bishop who spent his days an anti-apartheid and human rights activist.  Tutu said:

“Hope is being able to see that there is light despite all of the darkness.”

The sin of humanity has done what it has always done best — turned away from the glory of God to stare intently and intensely in the mirror admiring the glory of the self.

We live in a time where materialism has replaced the Messiah and Santa has replaced the Savior.

We, therefore, live in a time where hope is both misplaced and lost altogether for many.  Maybe even you. 

This Advent season, on this Sunday of Hope, live with a changed heart, being reconciled to God through His gift of Jesus.

And, like a child who stays awake on Christmas Eve because of the overwhelming excitement of hope they have for presents on Christmas Morning, I encourage you, with Jesus’ words to, “Stay awake at all times, praying” being overwhelmed by the joy of Jesus’ coming to you so that you won’t be faithless in fear, and won’t be distracted by debauchery.  But, instead, be strengthened by God to stand strong through the joys and trials of life always prepared to give an answer for the hope that you have — Jesus your Savior who has come on Christmas and who is coming again at the final trumpet to lead us into our eternal home of Heaven.

This is the Word of God for you today.

This is the Grace of God for you today.

Amen.

Reverend Fred Scragg V.

December 1, 2024.

Prayer:

Almighty God,

You alone can bring into order the unruly wills and affections of sinners: Grant us grace to love what You command and desire what You promise; that, among the quick and many changes of the world, our hearts may surely there be fixed where true joys are to be found; 

Give us grace to cast away the words of darkness, and put on the armor of light, now in the time of this mortal life in which Your Son Jesus Christ came to visit us in great humility; that in the last day, when He shall come again in His glorious majesty to judge both the living and the dead, we may rise to life immoral;

through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen.

Benediction:

Go, in peace today.  Live in the hope that is yours when Jesus comes to you.  You are redeemed from sin.  God’s promises always come true in your life.  And, you will stand strong before God until the end and in the end.