Advent 2A - First Thoughts

Second Sunday in Advent, Year A

Upon my first read of this week's texts, these verses jump out at me from the OT, PS, and NT lections:

Isaiah 11:9

They will not hurt or destroy on all my holy mountain; for the earth will be full of the knowledge of the LORD as the waters cover the sea.

Psalm 72:19

Blessed be his glorious name forever; may his glory fill the whole earth. Amen and Amen.

Romans 15:5-6

May the God of steadfastness and encouragement grant you to live in harmony with one another, in accordance with Christ Jesus, that together you may with one voice glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.

When you look at the words "grant you to live in harmony with one another" juxtaposed against the reading from Isaiah, we realize that God's intention is for those who war against each other to live together in peace. In our world of violence, terrorism, and war, we long for the place where the lion can lie down with the lamb. We are tempted to despair, wondering if such a world could ever exist.

But that is the new reality which is breaking forth in the Kingdom of God. Living in the already-not-yet means that we continue to strive for peace and harmony, even though we know that the Kingdom of God is not yet fully come. But knowing that the Kingdom of God is already at hand means that must look for the glimpses and glimmers of the Kingdom breaking in among us. We must strive to live at peace with all people. When we are able to do that, we rejoice and glorify God. At that time, "the earth will be full of the knowledge of the LORD as the waters cover the sea."

Advent 1A - Additional Thoughts - The Thief

Matthew 24:43

But understand this: if the owner of the house had known in what part of the night the thief was coming, he would have stayed awake and would not have let his house be broken into.

Let me just play around with the ideas presented in yesterday's entry. If (and this still a big if) we are to understand the 'left behind' people as the forgiven people who remain, and those who were 'taken' are the unrepentant, then this question follows: what's with the owner of the house? Who is the thief? and what is he stealing?

I'm not really comfortable with the suggestion that Jesus is stealing away the unrepentant and that we have to protect them from the thief...and that becomes the logical extension if you allegorize this too much...

However, there might be a message for us in these words:

But understand this: if the Christians had known in what part of the night the Son was going to return, they would have stayed busy at the Great Commission in order that none would be taken away.

Hmmm....something to think about.

Advent 1A - Additional Thoughts - Secret Rapture?

Nazarene eschatology is pretty broad and non-dogmatic. Our Article of Faith pretty much states that Christ will Return, and that those who are found in Him will be caught up for a meeting in the air. We don't state where the saints will go after the meeting (to Heaven? or back to earth?), and we don't have any doctrine regarding raptures or great tribulations.

XV. Second Coming of Christ

19. We believe that the Lord Jesus Christ will come again; that we who are alive at His coming shall not precede them that are asleep in Christ Jesus; but that, if we are abiding in Him, we shall be caught up with the risen saints to meet the Lord in the air, so that we shall ever be with the Lord.

(Matthew 25:31-46; John 14:1-3; Acts 1:9-11; Philippians 3:20-21; 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18; Titus 2:11-14; Hebrews 9:26-28; 2 Peter 3:3-15; Revelation 1:7-8; 22:7-20)

I'm sure that this brings about great consternation to those who have purchased and read all of the Left Behind series, as well as others who have been brought up learning about the rapture and the great tribulation.

This week's passage is a classic text which is used by proponents of the Secret Rapture. However, a closer look might show otherwise... as Paul Nuechterlein points out.

Exegetical Notes

1. Matthew 24:38-39: "For as in those days before the flood they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day Noah entered the ark, and they knew nothing until the flood came and swept them all away, so too will be the coming of the Son of Man." The Greek word for "swept away," airo, more generally means "take up," "carry away," or "remove." It occurs 19 times in Matthew. In other words, it has a similar meaning as that of being taken up in the rapture, though it does often have more violent connotations. In other words, couldn't we say that according to this verse those in the flood experience a kind of rapture, being carried away in it? Which would mean that it was only Noah and his family who were left behind after the flood waters receded.

2. The Greek word for "the coming" of the Son of Man in 24:39 is parousia.

3. Matthew 24:40-41: "Then 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." The Greek word for "taken" in these two verses is paralambano (16 occurrences in Matt.). The word for "left" is aphiemi, the meaning of which the Friborg Lexicon says:

(1) send off or away, let go (MT 27.50); (2) as a legal technical term divorce (1C 7.11); (3) abandon, leave behind (MT 26.56); (4) of duty and obligation reject, set aside, neglect (MK 7.8); (5) of toleration let go, leave in peace, allow (MK 11.6); (6) of sins or debts forgive, pardon, cancel (LU 7.47); (7) give or utter a loud cry (MK 15.37).
What a range of meanings! From "leave behind" to "forgive"! Is it just a coincidence that the word for left behind here is also the word for forgive?

In other words...who is 'left behind' at the Return of Christ? Is it those destined for eternal destruction?

Or, just like Noah was 'left in peace/forgiven' at the time of the flood, will it be those who are found in Christ that will be 'left behind' at the second coming, and the others will be taken away?

Interesting questions. I won't address them in my sermon, but they are questions worthy of further study at a later date.

Advent 1A - First Thoughts

First Sunday in Advent, Year A

Matthew 24:36-44

24:36 "But about that day and hour no one knows, neither the angels of heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father.

24:37 For as the days of Noah were, so will be the coming of the Son of Man.

24:38 For as in those days before the flood they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day Noah entered the ark,

24:39 and they knew nothing until the flood came and swept them all away, so too will be the coming of the Son of Man.

24:40 Then two will be in the field; one will be taken and one will be left.

24:41 Two women will be grinding meal together; one will be taken and one will be left.

24:42 Keep awake therefore, for you do not know on what day your Lord is coming.

24:43 But understand this: if the owner of the house had known in what part of the night the thief was coming, he would have stayed awake and would not have let his house be broken into.

24:44 Therefore you also must be ready, for the Son of Man is coming at an unexpected hour.

This passage, taken in conjunction with the Romans passage gives us a great reminder to "Wake Up," and to stay alert. We live in a time when it simply can't be "life as normal," but we are aware of a greater reality. The contrast between the coming of the Son of Man and the flood is disturbing, to say that least. Just as they had no idea that a cataclysmic event was about to occur, we often march through life as though tomorrow will be just like today.

While I attempt to treat Advent as separate from my treatment of Christmas (and not confuse the two seasons), it occured to me that we are told to stay awake in preparation for the coming of Christ. This is nothing like what we were told as children when preparing for the coming of Santa. Then, we were told to go to sleep--for Santa only comes to houses with sleeping children.

While there are obvious cosmic differences between Santa and Jesus (and it seems crass to even speak of them in the same sermon, let alone the same sentence), there might be some interesting lessons to learn her. There were reasons why we were told to sleep as children waiting for Santa, and there are reasons that Christ tells us to stay awake as we prepare for His return.

1) We want to be surprised by Santa--we don't want to be surprised by Jesus.
2) Santa prefers his anonymity--Jesus will be noticed and glorified when He returns.
3) The scale of consequences is different--the difference between some gifts and an eternity.
4) We slept as children so that time would seem to pass more quickly--we need to be awake, and make the most of every minute.

May we never be so anxious for Christ to return that we forget that there are people who have never heard the Good News!