“Even When Everything is Not Fine”
December 1, 2024
Luke 21:25–36
‘There will be signs in the sun, the moon, and the stars, and on the earth distress among nations confused by the roaring of the sea and the waves. People will faint from fear and foreboding of what is coming upon the world, for the powers of the heavens will be shaken. Then they will see “the Son of Man coming in a cloud” with power and great glory. Now when these things begin to take place, stand up and raise your heads, because your redemption is drawing near.’
Then he told them a parable: ‘Look at the fig tree and all the trees; as soon as they sprout leaves you can see for yourselves and know that summer is already near. So also, when you see these things taking place, you know that the kingdom of God is near. Truly I tell you, this generation will not pass away until all things have taken place. Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will not pass away.
‘Be on guard so that your hearts are not weighed down with dissipation and drunkenness and the worries of this life, and that day does not catch you unexpectedly, like a trap. For it will come upon all who live on the face of the whole earth. Be alert at all times, praying that you may have the strength to escape all these things that will take place, and to stand before the Son of Man.’ ****
In recent weeks it has been a pleasure to spend time with a variety of people to enjoy conversation, laughter and catching up after a spell of not having freedom of movement for such activity. Once again nighttime prayers of thanks includes names of a larger number of people who have been part of the day.
In the conversations of recent weeks, what I have heard more of are words of concern, discouragement, frustration and fear. Perhaps you have participated in conversations in which someone mentions a discouraging development in the world, or society, or in these days’ tumultuous politics. I find that when someone weighs in with their own take on present
glooms the shape of the conversation sags. Good cheer gets replaced by a cloud of pessimism. Only a shift to chatter about the weather or the upside standings of the Packers or Vikings tends to readily rescue the moment. Despair is easy to come by in anxious and divided times.
One of the greatest gifts God hands to each of us is our ability to choose. Through our choices we become certain kinds of people. Attitudinal choices and adjustments in outlook reveal what kind of people we get to become. This reminds me of a cartoon featuring a couple walking the beach at sunset. They have obviously been arguing. “All right, Suzie,” the man says exasperatedly. “You win. It is great to be alive!”
Despite our episodic dispositions of doom, it is great to be alive. Have you ever seen negative energy taking you somewhere significant? Our complaining about many aspects of life rarely brings satisfying results. And cynicism about the world around us is just a way of keeping distance and exempting oneself from responsibility or involvement.
Carla Aday is a pastor at a Kansas City church and in a recent article quotes poet and theologian Christian Wiman: “Cynicism is nothing but a retreat into your own little refuge where you can point and make judgments, all the while feeling a sense of superiority.” To be Christian is to behave in a Christ-like manner. In this season, Christ empowers us to be for good and noble things rather than only against what disturbs us. https://www.cccckc.org/finding-high-road/#
The season of Advent starts today with a biblical text presenting “signs” that sound like gloom but actually previews the risen Jesus in power and glory: ‘There will be signs in the sun, the moon, and the stars, and on the earth distress among nations confused by the roaring of the sea and the waves. People will faint from fear and foreboding of what is coming upon the world, for the powers of the heavens will be shaken. Then they will see “the Son of Man coming in a cloud” with power and great glory.
In four weeks at the end of Advent the “sign” is humility and helplessness of a newborn who is “good news of great joy for all the people.” Power and glory on the one hand and humility and helplessness on the other. A warning that the “nations” will be “distressed” and “anxious” (21:26), set alongside a message of profound hope and “good news of great joy.” As odd as it might seem to draw these contradicting images together, there is wisdom in it.
Parker Palmer, a Wisconsin based teacher, writer and activist notes in his book The Promise of Paradox, “The way we respond to contradiction is pivotal to our spiritual lives.” Paradox requires both/and instead of either/or thinking. Keeping space for paradox is difficult, especially in America
today. It seems there is only the option of either/or in this polarized country. “If you’re not with us, you’re against us.”
Jesus speaks of the contradiction, too. He says there will anxiety, dread and fear that will seep into people’s lives as they witness chaos, calamity, persecution, cosmic signs of the end times. This might seem like a strange way to begin the season of Advent. But Advent is far more about a future hope than an event long ago. Jesus does promise a day when the Son of Man will arrive, a just reckoning will happen, and the faithful will see redemption — and these words of promise will not pass away. But this promise calls not for strategic predicting as much as for realizing that our faith in troubling times is not in vain. Faithful actions and attitudes are needed even more.
In view of this, Advent rightly focuses neither simply on Jesus’ future return nor on a reflection of a birth in Bethlehem. Advent focuses also on his arrival today in daily life and faith. It does not take foretelling of the end of all things or the remembering of birth 2000 years ago for someone to encounter Jesus in a profound way. Such an encounter is worth looking for and embracing now.
Our world is riddled with uncertainty, injustice, conflict, indifference, pain, judgment, and condemnation of anyone who looks or thinks differently. However chaotic and uncertain our world is, Jesus promises a day when his return will bring about lasting salvation, justice, redemption, and healing. This promise changes everything and the good news of Advent is that this sure and future hope is here, beginning now through loving words, actions and attitudes of people like you.
