Advent Meditation Series: Liberated by God's Grace

Matthew 24:36-44

Liberated by God's Grace

Stir up your power, Lord Christ, and come.
Come to us in all the moments of our lives.
Help us to watch so that we are amazed by
your love. Bless us in our Advent journey.
Amen.

But of that day and hour no one knows…and they knew nothing until the flood came and swept them all away, so too will be the coming of the Son of Man…two will be in the field; one will be taken and one will be left. Two women will be grinding meal together; one will be taken and one will be left…you must also be ready, for the Son of Man is coming at an unexpected hour.

Welcome to Advent.

This warning from Jesus comes after Jesus’ words about the end of the world. The apocalypse is upon us, there will be tribulation and the world will see the day of God’s vengeance on human sin. This doesn’t seem to quite fit with the Christmas decorations, lovely carols, and relentless merriness that has been in stores, in advertisement, and in the media since Labor/Labour Day. It is jarring to hear about judgement and the Second Coming whilst shopping for that perfect Christmas sweater or sampling figgy pudding. And what about our Lord’s admonition to be awake, be aware, be ever-vigilant? We won’t know the hour. We might be left behind. At the very least it is exhausting to be on watch all day every day.

How is this passage from Matthew good news, and how is it good news at this time of the year? Where is the grace and how do these verses help us to know that we are liberated by God’s grace? It sounds like the law to me. It seems to be about what we need to do to be ready on that great and terrible day, what action we must take so that we will be taken and not left behind. Blessed Advent? Bah humbug!

There is a secular counterpart to this apocalypse. Young children are taught that Santa Claus is keeping track of who is “naughty or nice,” meting out consequences and rewards accordingly. Popular Christmas song lyrics, while upbeat in cadence, deliver messages that instill dread. The message is clear: Be awake, be aware, be ever vigilant. The day is drawing nigh.

It is interesting that pop culture can give voice to the prevailing theology of many in our churches. We don’t trust that God’s promised grace is real and for us and so we come to believe and act that the word of God is not gracious, but vengeful and punishing. Through that lens there is no way that we can see the gospel for the first Sunday in Advent as the announcement that we are liberated by
God’s grace.

But hear the Good News. Jesus was announcing the end of the world. It is the day of God’s vengeance on human sin. And this is what God’s vengeance looks like: a helpless baby in a stable in Bethlehem, a helpless man on a cross outside of Jerusalem. The end of the old world of sin and death has come exclusively through God’s reconciling mercy.

Matthew 24: 36–44 is God’s word of promise, a gift to us that we might open ourselves, our eyes, our lives to the incredible, surprising, immeasurable and intimate love of God. It’s right there in front of us—two men working in a field, two women grinding meal—in the ordinary, in the everyday. God doesn’t want us to miss it. God wants us to watch. ✦



The Rev. Elizabeth A. Eaton, Presiding Bishop, Evangelical Lutheran Church in America

Borrowed from a series of Advent devotions prepared by the leaders of Anglican and Lutheran churches in full communion. Click here for the full booklet.

Christ is King

This coming Sunday is known as the Feast of Christ the King. It celebrates Christ's authority as King and Lord over all things in heaven and on earth. He is the One in control and has complete sovereignty over the people and animals of the earth, even the earth itself, the universe, and beyond. (1 Chronicles 29:11-12) This year, with the election being so close to Christ the King Sunday, it has caused me to think about Who is in control, Who really is King. Our nation and all of the nations on earth are in God's Kingdom and always will be.

In preparing for Sunday's music each week, I spend time with the text of the psalm and apply musical sounds to the words. For this Sunday, it is Psalm 46. After reading through it, I decided to spend some extra time studying it because the words struck me. The psalm speaks to how God is our refuge, our strength and how we should not fear even though the world is falling apart all around us. He is the One there for us. The psalm continues to speak about nations, kingdoms, and the earth being under His authority. The end of the psalm tells us to "Be still, then, and know that I am God." This verse has always had a special place in my heart, but to connect it to the opening of the psalm, the nations, and how He is King made me desire to just be still and know that He is God, know that He is indeed King.

I hope that you take some time before Sunday to read through it, study it. Let the words penetrate to the depths of your heart and may you know that Christ is your King.

PSALM 46 

God is our refuge and strength,
a very present help in trouble.

Therefore we will not fear, though the earth be moved,
and though the mountains be toppled into the depths of the sea;
Though its waters rage and foam,
and though the mountains tremble at its tumult.

The LORD of hosts is with us;
the God of Jacob is our stronghold.

There is a river whose streams make glad the city of God,
the holy habitation of the Most High.
God is in the midst of her; she shall not be overthrown;
God shall help her at the break of day.
The nations make much ado, and the kingdoms are shaken;
God has spoken, and the earth shall melt away.

The LORD of hosts is with us;
the God of Jacob is our stronghold.
 

Come now and look upon the works of the LORD,
what awesome things he has done on earth.
It is he who makes war to cease in all the world;
he breaks the bow, and shatters the spear,
and burns the shields with fire.

“Be still, then, and know that I am God;
I will be exalted among the nations;
I will be exalted in the earth.”

The LORD of hosts is with us;
the God of Jacob is our stronghold.
 

Compassion

On Monday at Theology on Tap we were joined by Carolyn Witt Jones, who spoke to us about compassion, and the city of Lexington's initiative to take on the Charter for Compassion. As Carolyn explained what the Charter for Compassion was and how individuals sought to use it to make a difference in our community she shared with us her own experience at Yates Elementary School where she recently lead a Mix It Up Day. On Mix It Up Day the students were "mixed up" into different lunch table arrangements; instead of sitting with their usual friends (where races were typically parceled out into clumps around the lunch room), students had the oppertunity to make new friends as they ate lunch in a "mixed up" group of peers. Through this experience the students were able to find that they had more in common with their peers of different races then they may have previously thought before.

Carolyn's experience with the students of Yates Elementary School reminded me of my own experience in Israel. During seminary I had the oppertunity to travel to Israel and stay at St. George's College. Here we were able to learn about a lot of the efforts taking place in the community to support the Palestinian and Israeli relations. One of those efforts was lead by a former Hassidic Jew, who started an after school program for Israeli Jews and Palestinian Muslims. This program allowed for children from two very conflicted communities to come together and do what children do best, play. Here children were able to see through their national and religious differences and get down to the serious business of fun and games. The most moving and astonishing aspect of this program was the difference it made in the lives of these children's parents. While the children had no problems quickly putting their differences aside, the parents were a different story. But, as they continued to pick their children up week after week, they slowly but surely began to interact and communicate with one another, sharing the common bond of their children's friendships.

Today, in the wee hours of the morning, the long awaited announcement  from what seemed like an even longer presidential campaign was made. No matter my feelings on the outcome, it is obvious that we find ourselves in the midst of a very torn and divisive country. As we look forward to our future it is our call not only as members of a democratic country, but moreover as Christians, to find compassion for our neighbors in this nation. Never before has our country seen this much division, or felt this much pain from overdue reconciliation. It is our duty to love our neighbors as ourselves, and find a way to come together. Before we can begin this work, we will need to show ourselves a little compassion, being sensitive to the fresh news we have just received. As we continue to move forward as a country, we need an intentional return to the compassion that Christ showed the world, and calls us to show each other. We can be active participants in our future, as we come together, and bring the kingdom of God closer to this broken world, starting first by showing our neighbors a little more compassion.

As we seek to find solace and comfort, let us look to the words of our most compassionate God, in Psalm 46:
God is our refuge and strength,
   a very present help in trouble.
Therefore we will not fear, though the earth should change,
   though the mountains shake in the heart of the sea;
though its waters roar and foam,
   though the mountains tremble with its tumult.
God is in the midst of the city; it shall not be moved;
   God will help it when the morning dawns.
‘Be still, and know that I am God!
   I am exalted among the nations,
   I am exalted in the earth.’
The Lord of hosts is with us;
   the God of Jacob is our refuge.

If you are in need of conversation or prayer know your clergy are here for you. We are happy to make ourselves available during this time.