This morning I want to break one of the commandments. I’m going to break the seventh commandment. I will give you one hundred golden points for you in heaven if you know which commandment that is for us Lutherans without looking at the next sentence. Stealing, good job. I’m not sure what you will do with your meaningless golden points in heaven but drag the heavy things around with you everywhere you go. But, you’re the one who wanted the stupid things, so that’s not my problem now is it?
Back to stealing. I really want to do it now and I don’t care if you see me. I want to steal this great, apocalyptic, end times text from Matthew back from people who would do it harm. You know, those people who would make you fear the coming of the Lord by telling you to shape up or you will be left behind when God rips away your righteous loved ones from right beside you. Rip, there goes…who was that? Oh, it was Dad, there’s his tighty-whities right there on the floor. Rip there goes the mother-in-law. Oh well. The Lord wants her? Who understands the ways of the Lord? Rip, the dog too? No, no, not Spot. Come back Spot. Why did I constantly tell you, you where such a good dog? No, bad dog, bad dog, lay down now! Come back, I’m feeling lonely here.
“Jira!”
“Yes, Lord I assume?”
“You should have paid more attention to me. You should have been a great person. Instead, you were dumb. Now you can suffer the wars of Armageddon.”
“I’m sorry Lord. Please forgive me. I’m lonely. Jesus remember me when you come into your kingdom?”
“Nice try, but too late. I’ll be nice though and send back your mother-in-law for company.”
“Nooooooooooooooooooooooo!”
Ok, everything you just read right there: total bologna. I even love my mother-in-law. If I could have a wish granted this morning it would be that every time a faithful person would read these apocalyptic words from Matthew the person wouldn’t be put into a state of fear from these images that false prophets have placed into our brains. I don’t want people to imagine their loved ones being ripped away from them into the air. I don’t want people to believe that an unloving, unforgiving Jesus is furiously shooting darting glances back down at us as we perish in world war three. It kind of goes against our basic beliefs in grace by faith doesn’t it? Rather, I wish that people could see the hope and joy that comes from waiting expectantly for our loving Lord. The Lord’s coming is not something to fear, but something to celebrate…something to prepare for.
It’s sad to me that these false prophets of our times might cause people to wait expectantly for the coming of their first baby with more hope and joy than they would their own Lord. Not that waiting for your very first child should be joyless. It should be just the opposite and that’s my point. New parents, as soon as they find out that they are expecting start to prepare their homes out of hope and joy for the coming of their baby. The plodding walk of everyday life is suddenly turned into dancing. Their feet cause them to spin and twirl through the house searching for pieces of clutter that no longer matter. They need to create a space in their life to love their new child. In the dancing search to clear the way for this anticipated new love, they may find old, dusty but beloved gifts that might be cleaned up and used once again. Rooms are cleared out, cribs are built, walls are painted, and people are invited over to celebrate. Of course, they don’t know exactly when their little bundle of love will come to them, but that does not hold up their excited preparations.
I don’t know if you realize this, but love is coming to town. Love is come to your house. We don’t know when, for “about that day and hour no one knows, neither the angels of heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father.” Never-the-less, the Lord is coming and already the very idea is turning our plodding footsteps into dancing. Space needs to be cleared. The murky, moldy concern on the floor that you’ve been wading through for the past few weeks…you know which one…it can be mopped up. Those grudges over there where the Lord’s bed needs to go don’t need to be taking up space. On the frig most of the “important” tasks really aren’t all that important. The marker board can be wiped clear for more important, Christ-like tasks. Take time now to haul all your garbage out. Let it roll off your back and onto the curb. Do you feel yourself getting lighter already? Do you feel your feet moving lighter? The Lord is on the way! Love is coming to your heart. The Lord hasn’t arrived yet, but your light dancing is a clear sign to all that hope has already moved you.
If there is any sadness in this apocalyptic text, it’s not that people will be ripped away from us and flung up into the air not to be seen ever again, rather that our sister may not see that love has come to town. The phrase, “one will be taken” is not about people being lifted away into heaven. It should more rightly read, “one will go along with and one will be left,” like the disciples go along with Jesus when he calls them to follow. Our sister, unfortunately, just continues to sit there and grind her wheat or plunk away at her computer doing her work.
As Brian Stoffregen notes in his online gospel commentary, "Work is important. You need to provide food and shelter for yourself and your family; but there is something more important than your work: the Son of Man could come. God might show up without an appointment. He could arrive unexpectedly. What would you tell him if you were busy at work? 'Don't bother me now, I've got work to do. Come back during my break, then we can visit. Make an appointment with my secretary.'" Some things in life are much more important.
The Lord is coming. Love is coming to town to stay with you. It’s a deeper and more devoted love than anything you have felt before. And, it’s cause for dancing. Do you feel the anticipation, like waiting for the arrival of your first child? The feet are already starting to move and dance as if the Lord were already here aren’t they? This Advent, don’t fear doing a little house work in your soul. It’s about time that we clear out our souls and our lives and allow space for God to enter.
Quoted Commentary from Brian Stoffregen can be found here: http://www.crossmarks.com/brian/matt24x36.htm
All Scripture quotes are from the New Revised Standard Version Bible, copyrighted, 1989 by the Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the U.S.A., and is used by permission. All rights reserved.
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