Living in Anticipation
Psalm 25: 1-10 read responsively and Luke 21:25-36
Preached by Linda Jo Peters ~ November 29, 2009
First Sunday in Advent
Unity Presbyterian Church ~ Terre Haute, Indiana

INTRODUCTION TO SCRIPTURE
Psalm 25: 1-10 expresses some of the most central and important theological themes in the Psalter: dependence on God for protection from enemies; requests for God to direct and teach; confession of sin and cries for forgiveness and confidence in God's abiding presence and faithfulness. The Psalm lays great ground for trust and patience that are integral to Advent.

1To you, O Lord, I lift up my soul.
2O my God, in you I trust; do not let me be put to shame; do not let my enemies exult over me.
3Do not let those who wait for you be put to shame; let them be ashamed who are wantonly treacherous.
4Make me to know your ways, O Lord; teach me your paths.
5Lead me in your truth, and teach me, for you are the God of my salvation; for you I wait all day long.
6Be mindful of your mercy, O Lord, and of your steadfast love, for they have been from of old.
7Do not remember the sins of my youth or my transgressions; according to your steadfast love remember me, for your goodness’ sake, O Lord!
8Good and upright is the Lord; therefore he instructs sinners in the way.
9He leads the humble in what is right, and teaches the humble his way.
10All the paths of the Lord are steadfast love and faithfulness, for those who keep his covenant and his decrees.

Luke 21:25-36
Here as we await the celebration of Jesus’ birth, it seems out of sync to read about end times. Luke is down right vague about when Jesus will return, refusing to offer any hint of a timetable. Instead, Luke asserts that, just as budding fig leaves unmistakably herald the advent of summer, so also will the signs of the coming kingdom be transparent to the Christian community. The emphasis shifts from when these things will happen, to encouraging the disciples to develop an attitude of anticipation. Anticipation is filled with expectation, hope and eagerness for the future to come. Living in anticipation is a whole lot different than living in fear and dread of what tomorrow will bring.25“There will be signs in the sun, the moon, and the stars, and on the earth distress among nations confused by the roaring of the sea and the waves. 26People will faint from fear and foreboding of what is coming upon the world, for the powers of the heavens will be shaken. 27Then they will see ‘the Son of Man coming in a cloud’ with power and great glory. 28Now when these things begin to take place, stand up and raise your heads, because your redemption is drawing near.”
29Then he told them a parable: “Look at the fig tree and all the trees; 30as soon as they sprout leaves you can see for yourselves and know that summer is already near. 31So also, when you see these things taking place, you know that the kingdom of God is near. 32Truly I tell you, this generation will not pass away until all things have taken place. 33Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will not pass away. 34“Be on guard so that your hearts are not weighed down with dissipation and drunkenness and the worries of this life, and that day catch you unexpectedly, 35like a trap. For it will come upon all who live on the face of the whole earth. 36Be alert at all times, praying that you may have the strength to escape all these things that will take place, and to stand before the Son of Man.”

SERMON
Let’s be honest. Talking about end times always seems out of sync with preparations for Christmas. Kate Huey, UCC pastor writes:
While we set up Nativity scenes with a sweet baby Jesus lying in a manger, (the lectionary reading has us encounter) the grown-up, just-about-to-die Jesus standing in the Temple, teaching about the coming catastrophe – the destruction of that Temple by the Romans... But Jesus seems to be talking about even more than the Temple’s destruction about the end of all things, the end of time itself. It certainly puts those Christmas preparations in a different perspective.[1]

A different perspective is hard to claim. We’re already in a rush. Getting the house clean and decorated, buying Christmas gifts, mailing cards and packages. Hurry, hurry there is still more to do. Then a real crisis hits and news comes that a family member is sick or lost a job. Your cousin’s marriage comes apart at the Thanksgiving dinner. Your perspective takes a hard right turn. We adjust to those crises each in our own way, but rarely with anticipation.

The other day, Dean Enslein gave me a wonder book to read called: Same Kind of Different As Me. About two men on very different paths and the woman whose life, love and sacrifice binds them as brothers. Ron Hall is an art dealer who has made a fortune in Fort Worth, TX. Denver Moore was an uneducated sharecropper who hitched a freight train and ended up homeless in Fort Worth. Ron’s wife, Debbie worked tirelessly with homeless people. As a servant of Jesus Christ, she first and always saw them as people. Denver first called Ron and Debbie Mr. and Mrs. Tuesday because that was the day they would regularly show up to help serve a meal. Debbie created a movie night, a salon day for the women, and birthday celebrations for the homeless for Fort Worth. Her battle with cancer brings these very different men close in faith. It is a wonderful story that reveals a change in perspective not only for Ron but Denver as well. Even with Debbie’s death they both live lives of anticipation for what tomorrow will bring.

It is back in the news more language about end times and the apocalyptic. How can we live with anticipation when the message about the future is not of hope but anxiety and fear? Wednesday as I was driving to work, the day was just so gray and depressing, I prayed for a change of attitude about the day and God gave me a view about anticipation about life itself. It is not the cloudy weather that makes me sad, but my own attitude. Jesus says, “Now when these things begin to take place stand up and raise your heads, because your redemption is drawing near.” It is this change of attitude that Jesus is asking us to make our faith a reality in our lives. Death, war, disease, financial and climatic disasters are never the GOOD NEWS OF JESUS CHRIST! JESUS IS ABOUT LIFE. Don’t let any despair rob you of the great joy of our faith. The birth of the baby is no different than his return; all is good because it is of God. Stand up and raise you heads, look for signs of the coming kingdom. The day was gray, but Springhill road was open! Do you remember the news from our friend Tom Logan that in spite of the terrible financial crisis the Marion Medical Mission Board’s increased their goal for shallow wells for 2009 to 2000 wells? Last year their goal was 1500 and 1733 wells were built! Guess how many they built this year – 2006! Stand up and raise you heads, look for signs of the coming kingdom. There all around us, we just need eyes to see and, ears to hear and hearts open to love and life, the we will be filled with anticipation. Like a child on Christmas Eve.
Rejoice, again , I say rejoice! Amen.
[1] “Sermon Seeds” by Kate Huey Advent 1C, 2009