Advent 1 (Luke 21:25-36)  12/02/2012

Listen to an audio recording <select here>

I imagine that many of us have special memories from our past, vivid memories that are so unforgettable the experience seems to have occurred only recently. One of my lasting memories happened when I was just a young boy, many years ago. As a young grade school student, I was allowed to go home to eat my lunch and then return back to school in the afternoon. My parents worked but I was fortunate that my grandparents lived just down the street and I was able to have lunch at their home …and grandmothers are known to spoil their grandchildren! I was quite happy until one day I was told that my grandparents would be going on a one week vacation and I would have to have lunch at a nearby neighbor’s house. The neighbor was a very good friend of my parents’ and a loving mother of three children. But I wanted no part of this new routine, even if the change was only for one week. The day of my new lunch location loomed in front of me until the day had finally come. I walked down the street and as I arrived in front of my neighbor’s house I saw her at the front door waving at me. My own house was just a bit further down the road and as I approached my neighbor’s front walk I decided to run as fast as I could to reach the comfort of my own home. My mother’s friend seemed to expect something funny might happen and in moments I noticed her quickly heading toward her bicycle. Now, a young boy running in canvas sneakers is no match for a determined mother riding a bicycle…and I quickly noticed a large fir tree in a neighbor’s yard. I crouched behind the large tree and hid myself behind the trunk and the green drooping branches. I tried to remain quiet as I watched her ride by me, calling my name and looking throughout the neighborhood. She returned in no time and suddenly stopped in front of the tree, looked through the branches and called for me to come out. I thought that I might “faint from fear and foreboding of what was coming.” (Luke 21:26a)

Welcome to the season of Advent! Advent is a season that is associated with joyful music, festive lights, and hope-filled promises; yet this morning we hear the author of Luke’s Gospel account tell us that people will be filled with fear and foreboding of what is coming upon the world as our Savior Christ returns to us. (Luke 21:26) Our Gospel lesson this morning brings our attention to the powerful story of our redemption and restoration; a story of a time when God’s creation will be restored and brought to the perfection that God intended for everything and everyone. We are told this morning that the restoration of God’s creation will be an event of power and great glory; an event so dramatic the entire universe will participate: the sun, the moon, and the stars will reveal the glory of God and the sea and the waves will roar! The imagery of this story is powerful and the words draw our attention to the decisive actions of God. Certainly this is an event that is beyond our control and beyond our comprehension. We cannot count down the number of shopping days left until we see the events we have heard this morning. The redemption of God’s entire creation is something that transcends anything we might be able to imagine and the enormity of its power and glory may give us reason to faint at the thought of that day…or perhaps hide behind a fir tree in fear of what is coming.

But what is the truth of Christ’s coming? The season of Advent reminds us that we are not simply preparing to celebrate the birth of a baby named Jesus in a manger in Bethlehem; we are not simply waiting for a holy gift that solves all the challenges of our life; the season of Advent calls upon each of us to prepare and participate in God’s ongoing renewal of creation. Throughout the season of Advent we prepare for the coming of Christ, the coming of the Anointed One who enters into human history to redeem and restore us to God. In our Gospel lesson this morning, Jesus tells his followers that when God comes in glory, “stand up and raise your heads, because your redemption is drawing near.” (Luke 21:28) Do not crouch low and hide behind a tree; do not faint from fear and foreboding. Fear and hiding are actions that limit our connection with others, but Jesus is telling us to stand up and raise our heads. Just as the angel Gabriel came to the shepherds and proclaimed, “Do not be afraid; for see – I am bringing you good news of great joy for all the people.” (Luke 2:10)

These four short weeks of Advent are given to us as a time to draw close to God in prayer and preparation; a time to listen to God’s movement in our lives; a time to prepare to live in a new way; a time to ready ourselves for the redemption and restoration of God’s creation, of which we have been called to participate. The British author C.S. Lewis, whose work we recently reviewed in the Sunday forum, imagined the restoration of God’s creation and the vision of those who participate in that restoration as God’s children. On the day of the coming of Christ, Lewis wrote, the children of God will not only see the full glory of Heaven but their eyes will be opened to see that all that existed before that day was indeed Heaven as well.[i] Lewis’ imagery reflects not only the power and glory of Christ’s coming but shows forth the promise that the continual presence of God’s love and glory will finally be revealed. These are among the holy images of Advent; the sacred journey we are called to take during this season of preparation for the coming of Jesus Christ.

My mother’s good friend continued to call me as I looked out through the branches. Although I enjoyed the relative safety of my fir tree, I stood up and moved on. I do not remember lunch but I do remember running away from your parents’ friends is never a good idea. I also remember that standing up and being open to new ideas can be challenging, but in the end it is rewarding and live giving. Crouching low behind fir trees never leads one to open spaces and new frontiers. Throughout this Advent season, I ask you to consider what seems to make your spirit full of fear and foreboding. And as you notice the many fir trees of this season, I ask you to imagine yourself coming out from the safety of that tree and lifting your spirit with the words of Christ, “Stand up and raise your heads, because your redemption is drawing near.” (Luke 21:28)

AMEN.