Looking Forward

Zephyr United Methodist Church

Early First United Methodist Church

November 27, 2005

First Sunday of Advent

Rev. Eddie Smart

Mark 13:24-37 (NRSV)

"But in those days, after that suffering, the sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give its light, ²⁵and the stars will be falling from heaven, and the powers in the heavens will be shaken.

²⁶Then they will see 'the Son of Man coming in clouds' with great power and glory. ²⁷Then he will send out the angels, and gather his elect from the four winds, from the ends of the earth to the ends of heaven.

²⁸"From the fig tree learn its lesson: as soon as its branch becomes tender and puts forth its leaves, you know that summer is near. ²⁹So also, when you see these things taking place, you know that he is near, at the very gates. ³⁰Truly I tell you, this generation will not pass away until all these things have taken place. ³¹Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will not pass away.

³²"But about that day or hour no one knows, neither the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father. ³³Beware, keep alert; for you do not know when the time will come. ³⁴It is like a man going on a journey, when he leaves home and puts his slaves in charge, each with his work, and commands the doorkeeper to be on the watch. ³⁵Therefore, keep awake--for you do not know when the master of the house will come, in the evening, or at midnight, or at cockcrow, or at dawn, ³⁶or else he may find you asleep when he comes suddenly. ³⁷And what I say to you I say to all: Keep awake."

What on earth does this text from Mark’s gospel have to do with preparing for the coming of Jesus? Mark’s gospel that doesn’t say a word about the birth of Jesus. A passage from the end of his gospel in a section that has been called the “little apocalypse.” Why would I be reading from this text on the first Sunday of Advent?

It would have been in the early part of 1967, I was working as a cooperative engineering student at LTV Aerospace (if that was its name that year). That meant I was still going to UTA, majoring in Aerospace Engineering, and alternating semesters between full time work and full time studies. I was working in the Maintainability group. We wrote the instruction manuals for the Navy’s F-8 fighter aircraft. That was the plane in which John Glenn sat a world speed record.

As I started in that group, I was given book after book to read. These were books giving detailed instructions on such subjects as removing a panel to change a fuse. Talk about page turners.

One day after lunch, I was sitting at my desk reading a maintenance book. My chair was pulled up to the desk, the book was sitting on the desk in front of me and my chin was being held up by the palms of each hand with my elbows propped on the desk.

All of a sudden I could hear my boss’ voice. I could sense that he was sitting on my desk looking at me. He was saying, “Smart. Smart are you asleep?” I popped my head up and said, “Who me? I was just reading this book.” He was kind and I was caught in the act. How embarrassing to get caught like that!

Keep alert! Keep awake! Keep awake! Advent. You know–the period that includes the four Sundays before Christmas. You remember–Advent. It is derived from the Latin word, adventus, and means “coming.” Advent is about coming, the coming of Jesus. It is about keeping alert and staying awake. Jesus says in our two little mini-parables, don’t get caught sleeping. Advent is about Jesus coming at Christmas, but also about Christ return at the end of time.

Today’s passage is apocalyptic. It is about the end times. It begins with signs of the time and a description of the Son of Man coming on clouds. The signs mentioned this morning came from the writings of Joel, Deuteronomy, Isaiah and Daniel. The reference to Jesus as the Son of Man comes from the Daniel 7:13 prophecy.

Jesus talks about a fig tree. He talks about the branches being tender and bearing leaves. In this parable the fig tree never dies. Remember another story of Jesus and a fig tree. That tree withers. Jensen suggests that “the blossoming fig is the Son of Man, who brings new life to the faithful.” He sees it as a hopeful sign.

Jesus reaffirms that only the Father, not even Jesus, knows the time. He tells us to “Beware, keep alert” because we do not know the time. We do not know the kairos. The Greeks have two words for time, Chronos and Kairos. Chronos is chronological time while Kairos relates to a crucial time or a decisive moment. It is a pivotal time in history. Jesus is saying we do not know the decisive moment in history that will be pivotal. Richard Donovan points out that when we miss the chronos time it means rescheduling, but when we miss the kairos time it means we missed the boat. Jesus is talking about a moment in time that will have eternal consequences.

He then begins this parable about a man taking a journey. The owner leaves putting his slaves in charge. They are each given jobs to do. And then comes the instruction to keep awake for the slaves do not know when the master will return. Four periods of time are mentioned–evening, mid-night, cock crow and dawn. These are all Roman night watches. These are the times when we are least alert, least awake, least watchful. There is the warning “or else he may find you asleep when he comes suddenly.”

Do you remember our Lord’s last visit to the Garden of Gethsemane. Peter, James and John are told to “keep awake.” Jesus goes some distance away to pray. What does he find when he returns? They are asleep. Jesus tells the three to “keep awake and pray.” Jesus leaves again, prays again and returns to find them–you know the story–asleep. It happens one more time. Three times these closest of disciples fail to “Keep awake.”

It is not easy to keep awake. It is e specially difficult to keep awake during the middle of the night. Some of us want to coast when possible. We want to catch a few zzzzzzzz.

Last year someone found a suspicious device in a Philadelphia train station. Only two months earlier, terrorist bombs had killed hundreds in Madrid train stations, so railroads were on the alert. When someone spotted the device in Philly, police and FBI agents descended on the train station. The device appeared to be a transmitter, but they couldn't figure out its purpose. Finally a train mechanic confessed. The device was a motion detector. He had configured it to warn him when anyone entered his area so that he could nap without being discovered.

We are celebrating Advent, the coming. We anticipate the arrival of the Christ child. We also anticipate the arrival of the resurrected Christ. Jesus warns, “Keep awake” – “Keep alert.”

The parables says each slave is given work to do, and that they are to keep awake. The master is gone and each has assigned work to do. They are warned that they need to keep alert, because the master will return. Craddock tells us that the message is clear. Christ will return with signs that are obvious. In that in between time, that time between the leaving of the Christ and the return of the Christ, Christians have a job to do. They are to be about their work without worrying about the when of Jesus return.

So what is this work? Loving God and loving neighbor. Making disciples, baptizing and teaching them. Feeding the hungry, offering drink to the thirst, visiting those who are sick or in prison, providing clothes for the naked. Loving others because God first loved us. Seeking first the Kingdom of God. Pray without ceasing.

We are celebrating Advent, the coming. We anticipate the arrival of the Christ child. We also anticipate the arrival of the resurrected Christ. Jesus warns, “Keep awake” – “Keep alert.”

I admire the way Fred Craddock is able to close a sermon or even his commentary on a text. He is an observant man. He goes right to the source as he brings his commentary on today’s text to a close. Yes, he goes right to the source.

It’s right there. It is right in front of our eyes. Open up your Bibles and see for yourself. It is right there. The last verse of our text, Mark 13:37. Do you see it?

“³⁷And what I say to you I say to all: Keep awake." Jesus is talking to ALL of us. Keep awake. It can be a hard thing to do.

How do we do it? By being faithful in our work, just as if we were already in the presence of the Christ whose coming we long to see.