Advent 2 The Sunday of the End Signs December 10, 2017

Advent 2
Luke 21:25-36
December 10, 2017

“What Help Are You Looking For?”

In the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.  Amen.

Let me summarize the Gospel reading for you. Jesus says, “The times are bad. But don’t get drunk.” Basically. He says, “But watch yourselves lest your hearts be weighed down with dissipation and drunkenness and cares of this life, and that day come upon you suddenly like a trap.”  Two words there – dissipation and drunkenness. But basically just two different words for drinking too much.

Now one of the biggest reasons people drink too much is what? I know there are several, of course. But one of the biggest reasons is what? To escape reality. It’s a way, albeit an unhelpful way, to deal with the sufferings and hardships of life. Yes, Jesus is right, the times are bad. Times are hard. And often we look to just escape. To escape reality. To relieve the stress, we say.

Now what about us Christians? Is that the way to deal with the hard facts of this life? To just try and escape reality? Ignore reality? Of course not. That’s why Jesus brings it up. He doesn’t want you to try and escape the reality. But to deal with it.

The whole world is suffering. The whole world. You and I often believe this little lie that the devil pedals around that, “I’m the only one.” I’m the only one who can’t get it together. I’m the only one whose life is so miserably full of sin. I’m the only one who sits in bed at night disgusted with myself—what I said and did.  I’m the only one who suffers the pains of conscience and regret. I’m the only one with problems at home. I’m the only one who can’t stop drinking, can’t stop gambling, or can’t stop whatever other addiction we’re suffering under.

We look at others around us and think, “If only I were like them.” Look at how well they manage everything. They don’t have any of the problems that I have. They aren’t suffering like I am. Their family is wonderful. Their job is perfect. They’re always happy.

What a lie the devil sells! And we buy it up! It’s not true. Nobody gets off easy in this world. Everybody suffers. Everybody is given their crosses to bear. And they’re all heavy. You and I haven’t been singled out by God. Everyone is hurting the same as you are. Of course, it’s not the same crosses. Not the same sufferings. But each of us suffers.

We never know what hidden sufferings and sins our brothers and sisters are enduring at any given moment. We don’t know the mental anguish, the physical pain, the grief, the trauma, the abuse, the addictions, the unloving spouse. We don’t know what they are, but we know they’re there.

The world is broken. All of it. It does us no good to pretend it’s not. True, there is much, much joy in this life and in our Savior Jesus Christ. But that joy is mixed in with much trial. Just look around us. The signs are everywhere. Wars. Earthquakes and hurricanes. Flooding. Pollution. The total breakdown of family. Addictions rampant.

In some ways, technology has blinded us to this reality. Someone can easily say, “No, everything’s getting better. Look at all the technological advances.” But those are only one part of the story. What about the side that we don’t even know how to have meaningful conversations anymore? What about the side that we’re becoming illiterate? What about the capacity of nuclear technology to utterly destroy whole peoples? What about the capacity of technology to mess with the very meaning of what it is to be human?

No, make no mistake. These are hard times. We’re all in them. Now why does Jesus tell us that the world will continue in these hard times until He comes again? Why does He make such a big deal of telling us of the wars, earthquakes, famines, false prophets, violence, etc? Because what He does NOT want you to do is run away from Him and try to escape the reality.

Jesus knows that these hard times can be dangerous to faith. Many have lost faith in the midst of evil and suffering. We can’t understand why a loving God would allow such evil. We have difficulty making sense of God in the midst of divorce, in the midst of war, in the midst of illness, in the midst of pain, in the midst of death. And so, sometimes the easier route is escape. To run away from God.

So, lest you be confused in your pain and suffering, lest you run away from God in your shame and guilt, lest you try to escape reality when the world shakes and totters—Jesus gives you His promise. First of all, let’s be clear what the promise isn’t.

Jesus doesn’t promise that He will come and make it all better in your life. He doesn’t promise to take away every bit of pain and suffering. He doesn’t promise to end all wars here on earth and bring peace everywhere. He doesn’t promise to make every marriage and family perfect. He doesn’t promise you that you’ll never get sick or die. He doesn’t promise that everything will be easy.

Remember—that’s not what He came for, is it? He came to suffer and die Himself. What He promises—is that He comes to suffer with you right in the midst of the hard times. He knows you are suffering, friends. He knows you are suffering. He knows your pain, your guilt, your shame, your addictions, your grief…all of it. And that is why He comes to suffer with you.

Not to make everything better this instant—but to suffer with you. We aren’t above our Master, Jesus. He suffered. We suffer. But this Good Friday will be giving way to Easter morning. That is His promise.

So here’s what we will do with these hard and evil times. We won’t go to the bottle, or whatever it is, and try to escape the reality. No, we will find our joy and hope in the One who comes to be with us and suffer with us. We will commend ourselves to the One who promises that He will not forsake us, not tempt us beyond our ability, and will use all things for our good and for our hope.

We will find Jesus where He promises to be found.  In the words of Holy Scripture. We will pray.  We will find Him under the bread and wine for the forgiveness of our sins.  We’re not looking for life to be made perfect and for Jesus to make everything better the way we want.  No, we’re looking for Him to be right here with us in the midst of all the evil and hardness of this life.

And He is. He is with you. And as you walk with Him through this valley of the shadow of death, you have His promise that your full redemption is coming. The fullness of Easter morning is coming. The fullness of heaven’s glory is coming. For the Son of Man will appear in the clouds. Suddenly. And we’re ready for Him. We’re waiting for Him.

We can’t wait for that day when He will create the heavens and the earth all new.  When sin and death will be no more. And when all the evil and suffering of this life is no more.

Until then, we face the reality of these hard times head on. We don’t pretend it’s not there or try to escape it. We face it together. You are not alone. Your Savior Jesus is with You in His Word and Sacrament. Your brothers and sisters in the Church are with you. Because none of us has it together. We’re all broken. And together we bear our burdens and crosses with Jesus and together we look forward with joy to His future coming.

In Jesus’ name. Amen.