Sunday 7 August 2016

'Jesus is coming back - quick look busy' Transcript of Sermon St Bertelins's (Stafford) 7th August 2016


Sermon – St Bertelins Trinity 11 2016

Isaiah 1.1,10-20 Hebrews 11:1-3, 8-16 Luke 12.32-40

‘Christ has died, Christ has risen, Christ will come again.’

Words that we will shortly be saying. Words that encapsulate something of the core beliefs of the Christian faith.

At first glance, our Gospel reading today may appear to be saying something about Jesus’ ‘coming again.’

‘You must also be ready, because the Son of Man will come at an hour when you do not expect him.’

‘Son of Man’ is a well-known phrase from the Book of Daniel.  However, we do not have time to explore all that means especially within the context of judgement outlined in Daniel 7, with the exception of this important piece.

“In my vision at night I looked, and there before me was one like a son of man, coming with the clouds of heaven. He approached the Ancient of Days and was led into his presence.  He was given authority, glory and sovereign power; all nations and peoples of every language worshiped him. His dominion is an everlasting dominion that will not pass away, and his kingdom is one that will never be destroyed.

Here, and in the passage we heard from Hebrews and in the opening words of our Gospel readings are important reminders that God is a God of promises and that He is faithful in keeping those promises.

There are those who put great store by trying to interpret the signs, the times and the seasons, the time when God will fulfil his promises to create a new heaven and earth - and bring judgment.  There are those who declare that we are currently in the last days and the return of Jesus Christ is imminent.

Indeed, you can find those who argue that Brexit was prophesied in the Scriptures, particularly in Daniel and Revelation. Because the European Union is one of the last beasts described in the visions and it will not prevail.

One of my under the radar ministries is responding to questions sent in by email to a web site set up by the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association UK. www.peacewithgod.org.uk
I had one such question recently asking if Anita Fuentes was orthodox because some had been calling her out as a wolf.

(The wolf reference is to the false prophets of Matthew 7.15)

I watched a few of her video talks and I was unable to detect anything unorthodox. However, she was very firmly in that tradition that we are now living in the last days.

(However, one question must be, since the Ascension of Jesus, have we not always been living in the ‘last days’?) 

There have always been those who have sought to interpret the times seeking to predict the time of Jesus’ second coming by trying to match up world events with Scripture and in particular the very complex apocalyptic writings.

When we do consider such a passage as we have before us today we must first let it sit in its own context.

We must remember that with either natural perception or with divine insight, (you can choose which) Jesus could see the way things we going to work out.

He could see that if the People of God continued along the path of rebellion against Rome on the one hand, and compliance and acquiescence on the other, things were going to turn out very badly. 

This of course happened with destruction of Jerusalem with the Temple razed to the ground by Titus the son of Vespasian in AD 70.

Reading the actual account by Josephus, a contemporary Jewish historian, brings the full horror into sharp focus.

Secondly, although we are encouraged to be attentive to signs, we are primarily to be about the business of building and proclaiming God’s Kingdom because we do not know at what hour he will return.

The idea of being ready for the master’s return reminds me of my time as an apprentice jockey in Newmarket.

We had one older stable lad who did not ride out anymore. When the horses had gone out on exercise, he would sit around and not do very much of anything. However, as soon as he heard the horses coming back he would dip his hand in the water bucket, splash it on his forehead and then begin to run around huffing and puffing. The Governor, Bruce Hobbs, was not fooled - nor is God.

This for me is the key to the whole ‘Christ will come again.’

I take my cue from Luke’s second book, The Acts of the Apostles. Luke begins his second volume in the same way he ends his first, by reference to the Ascension.

It is Acts 1.6 we read; ‘So when they had gathered together, they began to ask him, “Lord, is this the time when you are restoring the kingdom to Israel?”

And Jesus replied; … You are not permitted to know the times or periods that the Father has set by his own authority.

The story goes on to tell us that the disciples stood there staring into space – but then asked by angels why they were standing there looking into the sky.

As they would say in Lancashire, ‘don’t stand there gawping, you have a job to do.’

That job was to preach and proclaim the Kingdom of God. To announce that the last days were now breaking into the present. 

That there would come a time of judgment and of vindication in fulfilment of prophesies and promises, but how, when, and where – the answer to those questions are in God’s gift, not ours.

Therefore, we might ask what is our task as the People of God today, as the People of God at St Bertelins.

Christ has died, Christ has risen, Christ will come again – are we not called to live in that reality.

The life, death, resurrection and ascension and the second coming of Jesus.

Are we not called to ponder very carefully where we place our treasure, where we place our energies, where we place our allegiances ‘For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.’ 

We heard last week about a man who put his treasure in bigger barns he built – today’s Gospel reading picks up that story, encouraging us not to worry over things like this because God loves us, and wants to give us the Kingdom.

‘For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.’   

As we live in the ‘now and not yet’ of God’s coming Kingdom are we not called to heed the words of the Prophet Isaiah that our worship, our gathering here week by week does not become mere empty ritual with no power of transformation?

‘I hate your new moon festivals and all this trampling of my courts.’

‘Stop doing wrong, learn to do right. Seek justice, encourage the oppressed. Defend the cause of the fatherless and please the case of the widow.’

What we do here only makes sense by what we do out there, in the world, amongst our families, in the neighbourhood, in the shops, at our places of work and our places of leisure.

We had a glimpse of what this looks like last week when over 500 young people came off camp at Soul Survivor.  I went up on the Sunday night and as I expected the worship was very loud, very full on, full of energy and passion.

This passionate worship spilled out naturally as these young people came to work alongside the churches in Stafford to bring a blessing to the town. They washed cars, cleared gardens, and picked up litter, prayed with people and did all manner of things as part of Love Stafford. Love Stafford because God loves Stafford and they helped us show that by demonstrating servant hearts.

I mentioned earlier an email question about Anita Fuentes. In my reply, making reference to the second coming I said that I was mildly interested when world events appeared to match up to some Biblical prophecy, but my main focus is on doing what God has called me to do.

If I have not been called to glory before Jesus returns, I am secure in the knowledge that God will know where to find me.

In closing let me ask; where is your heart and your treasure this morning?

What is it that God is calling you to do individually?

What is God calling you to do as the People of God set in this community?

Remember that the Church of God does not have a mission; the God of mission has a church.

Do you believe God delights in your worship?

Does this worship naturally spill out in acts of loving service, in proclamation of the Gospel in both words and deeds?

Christ has died, Christ has risen, Christ will come again.

However, should he come today would he find faith and faithful people here at St Bertelins – dressed and ready for service with the lights on?

 Let us pray…

O Saviour Christ, in whose way of love lays the secret of all life, and the hope of all people, we pray for quiet courage to match this hour. We did not choose to be born or to live in such an age; but let its problems challenge us, its discoveries exhilarate us, its injustices anger us, it possibilities inspire us, and its vigour renew us. Pour out upon us a fresh indwelling of the Holy Spirit; make us bold and courageous in sharing faith in both word and deed for your Kingdom’s sake we ask.

Amen







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