Rev. Stephen Hand
Grace, mercy and peace be unto you from God our Father and from our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.
The universe is a really big place, and even light, which travels so fast that science wasn’t even able to measure its speed until the 19th century, even that light takes about four and a quarter years just to travel from the sun’s closest star to reach us here on Earth. Our own galaxy contains hundreds of billions of stars, and it would take light about 100,000 years to travel from one edge of the Milky Way to the other. And if you think that’s big, consider that scientists estimate here that there are about 2 trillion galaxies in the observable universe. Each galaxy is unique, ranging in size from 10,000 light years to hundreds of light years. This is really a universe that is far bigger than most of our imaginations can really handle. And the reason that I bring this up is that I want you to have some kind of feeling for what’s happening in today’s Gospel, when Jesus teaches us that someday it will all go away.
Jesus said the sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give its light, and the stars will be falling from heaven, and the powers in the heavens will be shaken. Someday, the entirety of the universe, with all of its trillions of galaxies, each holding hundreds of billions of stars, will simply no longer be. It is as if God has turned off the great big universe switch. And he is going to turn it off indeed. The sun, the moon and all the stars will simply just stop.
It’s hard for us to imagine the end, the end of everything on that last day. We all tend to be fascinated, though, at the end times, “what will happen on that day?” Every pastor knows that he will be asked to teach a class on Revelation at some point, piles of books and movies fantasize about the mayhem and destruction, the obliteration by asteroid or earthquake or maybe being “left behind,” doomed on some airliner. During the 50s and 60s, duck-and-cover exercises were held for every US citizen by the Civil Defense from children to the elderly, as we were encouraged to practice so that they could really be ready for the events of the inevitability of nuclear war. During the 14th century, many thought that the black plague and the epidemics that it brought were the end. Such disasters fall far, far short to the end that Jesus has described here.
The apostles were also fascinated by this as well. And so they asked, “Tell us, when will these things be, and what will be the sign of your coming and of the end of the age?” Our Lord is clear on this. And so also, at Augsburg in 1530 the reformers were able to state, from scripture, “our churches teach that at the end of the world, Christ will appear for judgment and will raise all the dead. He will give the godly and elect eternal life and everlasting joys, but He will condemn ungodly people and the devils to be tormented without end.”
The last day will be entirely different than any of the most grandiose of imaginations. The Holy Spirit inspired Peter to describe it in this way, “the day of the Lord will come like a thief, and then the heavens will pass away with a roar, and the heavenly bodies will be burned up and dissolved, and the earth and the works that are done on it will be exposed.” The universe will go back to the beginning, when the earth was without form and void and darkness was over the face of the deep, and the Spirit of God was hovering over the face of the waters. This would be absolutely terrifying if it weren’t for one thing–those who live to see that day will see the Son of Man coming in clouds with great power and glory, and the vision of the returning Lord will totally occupy all of our thoughts. Nothing else will matter.
There will be two responses, then, to Jesus’ return. Those who are not ready will be terrified as they see Jesus return to judge and condemn. But those who are ready will see Jesus with joy as their Savior and Redeemer approaches. Those who are not ready will have nothing to look forward to except an eternity of punishment, while those who are ready will have nothing to look forward to but an eternity of joy. It is much better to be ready upon his return.
Jesus could certainly return at any time, but Jesus said, “But concerning that day or that hour no one knows, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father.” That is the reason Jesus taught His disciples and us to be ready at all times. Now, there are many who get all hung up on when Jesus will return. They try to predict what the political situation will be on the last day, even though Jesus specifically said that no one knows the day or the hour. People try to guess. They make maps. They make plans. They try to construct Jesus’ itinerary as if He was going on a trip. But really, none of us know. But none of these things are really important.
Jesus tells us what is important, though. Instead of wearing ourselves out on useless diversions, why not listen to the words of Christ? His main teaching for us in the Gospel today is repeated by several words, be on guard. Keep awake. Stay awake. Stay awake. Stay awake. It’s almost as if He’s trying to tell you something. Notice how often Jesus repeats Himself. When someone repeats themselves like this, we know that it’s pretty important. And here Jesus tells us to be on guard and to stay awake five times. How important this teaching must be. For Jesus used the word picture of a doorman waiting for his master to return from a trip.
Now, the reason the doorman must keep watch or stay awake is that he is to be ready when the master returns. Thus to stay awake means to be ready for your master. Since Christ is our master, we have to ask, how then can we be ready? Certainly, our material wealth can’t help us. When the sun darkens, the moon fails to give light, and the stars fall from the sky, our material wealth will certainly be long gone. Our stuff will disappear with the rest of the universe.
But what about our good works? Consider your life in the light of the 10 Commandments. Have you loved God with all of your resources? Has God’s name always been holy to you and used only to call for help in times of trouble, for prayer, for praise, for Thanksgiving? Have you gladly heard and learned God’s word, or have you despised God’s Word by making Sunday School and the Divine Service a low priority in your lives? Have you loved your neighbor as yourself? Have you always respected your parents and other authorities? Have you respected other people’s life, property, reputation? Have you kept your thoughts pure.
I know that when I examine myself in this way, all I see are not works that are good, but works of shame. Now if we relied on any of our own resources on that day, we shall wish that the earth was still there so that we could hide and call to the mountains, “fall on us and hide us from the face of him who is seated on the throne and from the wrath of the Lamb of God. For the great day of their wrath has come, and who can stand?” On the last day only the true God will remain. All the false gods will pass away with the earth. The only salvation that remains will be the very One who reveals Himself in all power and glory coming in the clouds. That One is Jesus, Christ.
He is the only one who can give us salvation. And how does He do this? Jesus, who will come in power and glory, came once before, not in power and glory, but in poverty and in humility. And although He is the master of all, He came not as master, but as servant of all. He lived the perfect life that we could never live, and then He allowed men to crucify Him so that He could offer Himself as a sacrifice that we could never make. In His death, He conquered death so that the grave could not hold Him. And on the Sunday after His friends laid Him in the tomb, He rose from the dead to live forevermore. And now He makes an offering to us. He offers to take away our sin and cover up us with His righteousness. He offers to restore our broken relationship with God. He offers us forgiveness of sins, life and salvation. He offers these things to us as He reveals Himself in both God’s Word and in the Sacraments. The Holy Spirit uses those Words and Sacraments to build and sustain our faith in Jesus Christ. And it is by that faith that we are on guard, that we are awake, that we are watchful. It is the Holy Spirit’s gift of faith that in Jesus Christ that keeps us ready for the return of the Son who comes in power and glory.
Indeed, there is something quite wonderful about the readiness that the Holy Spirit gives us through faith in Christ. It prepares us for the end of our time on earth, no matter how it happens. After all, many will not see that last day before they leave this earth through death. For death comes to young and old, to rich and poor, to athlete and couch potato. Just as no one knows the day that the world will end, so too none of us knows if we will be around when He indeed comes.
The same faith in Jesus Christ that keeps us watchful and ready for the one also keeps us watchful for the other. Whether we leave this world at the end of our own lives or at the end of the world, the same readiness saves us no matter how it comes. It is God who saves us by His Father’s Grace, for the Son’s sake, through the gift of the Holy Spirit and faith. Jesus will return on the last day to judge all humanity, fulfilling not only Old Testament prophecy, but His own predictions. And while no one will enter the kingdom of God by works, nor will any religion save anyone, because Jesus died and rose for us, and because the Holy Spirit created and sustained, saving faith in His people, we can be sure of our salvation no matter how fearsome that day may be.
Indeed, you have been redeemed. God has taken care of all. There’s nothing that you need to do but have faith, believe, come to this place to hear God’s word, to receive His gifts, not only for the strengthening of our faith, but for equipping us to stay awake. To be on the ready.
In the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
Please stand.
May the peace of God, which passes all understanding, keep your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus, until life everlasting. Amen.