蜜豆直播

Sunday, December 3

Psalm 80:1-7, 17-19; Isaiah 64:1-9; Mark 13:24-37; 1 Corinthians 1:3-9

鈥淜eep alert,鈥� Jesus said, because Advent (Jesus鈥� 鈥渃oming鈥�) begins today!

The church actually spends four dedicated Sundays preparing for Jesus鈥� arrival, including many weekday and weeknight events as well. Christians and non-Christians alike light candles, decorate homes, put up manger scenes, bring Christmas trees indoors, buy gifts, sing carols, hang stockings, dress children to look like wise men, angels, and shepherds, and nearly everyone gets into the holiday spirit.

For all of this expended energy, Christmas reminds us that just as surely as Jesus came the first time, he will come again. Truth is, God likely will catch as many of us by surprise the second time as Jesus did when he came the first time. Never mind that many books have been written prognosticating the timeline for Jesus鈥� next arrival; Jesus鈥� wise council was simple and straightforward: 鈥淜eep alert!鈥� for 鈥測ou do not know when the time will come鈥� (Mark 13:33).

In fact, much of Mark 13 describes the end of the Temple in Jerusalem, which actually fell in A.D. 70. Following his earlier remarks, Jesus transitioned to describe the coming of the Son of Man in 鈥渢hose days after that tribulation.鈥� His simple shift from 鈥渢hese鈥� (鈥渢his鈥�) to 鈥渢hose鈥� (鈥渢hat鈥�) indicates a movement from the 鈥渘ear鈥� to the 鈥渇ar.鈥� The 鈥渘ear鈥� Jerusalem of Jesus鈥� day fell just as Jesus had predicted that it would, within 40 years of his saying so. And just as directly as Jesus had declared that destruction, he said that the 鈥渇ar鈥� coming of the Son of Man may be in the evening, at midnight, at cockcrow, or at dawn (v. 35). His coming will be as sudden as a returning homeowner who had been away on business but had not given the housekeepers an anticipated return date. So be ready, because no one knows when he will return, neither the angels nor the Son, only the Father (v. 32)!

Paul spoke similarly to the Corinthians of his day that they should 鈥渨ait for the revealing of our Lord Jesus Christ鈥� (1 Corinthians 1:7), echoing the words of the Psalmist: 鈥淩estore us, O God of hosts; let your face shine, that we may be saved鈥� (80:7). Each one of these verses captures what Isaiah had shared once with God鈥檚 people: 鈥淥 that you would tear open the heavens and come down, so that the mountains would quake at your presence鈥� (64:1).

These verses all speak with and use intervention language. God鈥檚 people often need an intervention.
We need something to interrupt our routines, something to shake us out of our complacency, something that challenges our misguided ways, and something that refocuses our energy and efforts on God and on other people鈥攏ot on ourselves.

I am reminded of the medallion that hangs in many places on 蜜豆直播 University鈥檚 campus. It bears the important Latin phrase: Pro Deo et Humanitate鈥斺�淔or God and Humanity.鈥� When we keep things in that order: God first, and humanity in close proximity, we will be ready for the Son of Man鈥檚 coming this Christmas 2023.

Robert W. Canoy
Dean, School of Divinity and Professor of Theology