Expectations

Mark 13:24-37

     This is the first Sunday of Advent, Advent is a season of preparation. Advent is about acknowledging that we need a savior. This is the season when we are reminded that we need to keep a posture of wakefulness as a spiritual discipline. It is about expectations.

     Advent is not about getting ready for December 25^th. It's not like Jesus will be born on that day. We celebrate his birth on that day but Emmanuel, God with us, Jesus has already been born and lives on.

We can make all the preparations possible to get ready for an event that will happen in about a month, but if we are just getting ready for the day, the day will pass and nothing will have changed. We all have expectations around this Holiday. What we expect, reflects what is in our heart.

     Back in 1999 around this time of year there was a lot of talk about the problems that the changing of the year to 2000 would cause with computer systems that used only the last to digits of they year rather than all four. Remember? Y2k was, for some, impending doom. I have a friend of a friend who quit his job in Chicago moved back to Michigan and stockpiled food. I wasn't too worried but I was curious, so I stayed up on December 31 with my 3-year-old son my 6 month old little girl and my wife to watch as the clock ticked past 11:59. And as you know, nothing happened. I think that some were actually disappointed. If you put so much energy into an event, a date the inevitable consequence is that when that date passes there will be a let down. How about the poor fellow who keeps predicting the end of the world on specific dates and keeps getting it wrong. I want to know how sure he actually feels. Does he sell his stuff? Does he quit his job? Does he come clean about his past like a prisoner on death row? My guess is that he is using expectation to draw attention to himself or at least to his message.

     According to the scripture today, there will come a time when things will be radically changed. “the sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give its light, and the stars will be falling from heaven, and the powers in the heavens will be shaken. And then they will see “the Son of Man coming in clouds with great power and glory.” These words of Jesus demonstrate great urgency. He even says that they will happen soon. “Truly, I say to you, this generation will not pass away until all these things take place.” But then he goes on to say that we wont know when these things will happen. He tells a story as an illustration about someone going on a journey and leaving his affairs to his servants. And that when the master returns, he expects the servants to be awake. Jesus final words on this is “What I say to you, I say to all: “Stay awake.” He didn't say, “try and guess when I am coming again and on that day be ready.” that would be just cruel considering it has been nearly 2000 years since his resurrection and ascension.

     So its not about the expectation of an event. It is the posture of wakefulness. So what does that mean for us?

     It means that Jesus expected us to wake up from our spiritual sleep and be alert and attentive to what he is doing in the world and to participate with him in the ordering of the kingdom. In the Gospel lesson Jesus used physical wakefulness as an example but I am absolutely certain he didn't intend for us to go with out sleep. But we can use physical sleep and wakefulness as an example.

To be alert and attentive we need to be well rested. God said that we should labor for 6 days and on the seventh day we should rest. When I was going to Ferris State University before the whole internet thing we had to register for classes by phone. The problem was that we had specific times that we were allowed to register. Often our time began in the middle of the night. So to get the classes we wanted we would have to stay up all night to make sure that we registered as early as possible during our designated time. It became a thing. My friends and I would all register, stay up all night then go out for breakfast the next morning. Of course the next day was shot because I was so tired. Sacrificing your rest, your health, your sanity, your peace is no way to stay wakeful. We are designed to have periods of activity and of rest. This is true of our Spiritual life as well. Some times we are active and sometimes we are in retreat. There are times when we engage the world and it is also necessary once and while to disengage. The trick is to not engage so long that you burn out and to not disengage so long that you disconnect.

       To stay awake spiritually we need something to hold our attention. Jesus Christ, our Lord should always be at the center of our attention. Jesus should be at the heart of all our motives. This may be difficult. We have so many mundane things in a day that we can easily become distracted. How do you keep Jesus at the center of your attention, when you have a million things to do and not enough time to do them? How can you keep your motives all about God's will when every thing in the world seems to pull your attention away? This is where regular spiritual discipline and practice comes in. If you want to be a better piano player, basketball player, quilter, pastor... you practice more, you push yourself to try new things and you pay attention to what you are doing and learn from your mistakes. I often hear people say they don't know how to pray. My best advise it to just try it. Talk to God without any fear of “getting it wrong.” I used to see my cousins every holiday. There was always that awkward time when we first arrived when we had to re-familiarize ourselves with each other, then we would be off and running. God know you. You can't get it wrong. You just have to get used to doing it. But Praying is just one of the spiritual disciplines; just one of the ways you can direct your attention toward God.

      When I have a particularly full schedule I intentionally set an alarm on my phone to go off every hour. It is a bell and when I hear it, no matter what I am doing I pause and acknowledge the presence of Jesus. We have to be intentional about where we put our attention.

      To stay awake we need to be well nourished. When the kids and I did the 24-hour fast last week, there were several of the youth that took naps during the day. Without nourishment the body has no energy. We need spiritual nourishment to stay awake as well. I find nourishment in reading Holy scriptures, and in worship. Jesus once compared him self to a vine and we are the branches. If we stay connected to the vine we will have life. When we disconnect we will wither and waste away.

      To stay awake it helps to have someone with us. I probably would never have been able to schedule my classes and stay up all night if I were by myself. Likewise, it is good go have companions along for the journey. The conversations we have after worship, the Sunday School classes, the simple meal, the Christmas party, all those things that we do together as the body of Christ helps us each to keep focused and to stay awake.

      This is advent. It is not a time of getting ready for one particular date that will come and go. It is a season to remind us that we need to always be prepared to receive Jesus in what ever form he may appear. So how is it with you today on this first Sunday of Advent? It is time to wake up. The king is coming! Would you pray with me?