Do you lay awake at night worried about God’s final judgment and who will “make the cut” (or who shouldn’t!)?? Here’s my updated version of what Jesus says to his followers in Matthew 24:3644: “About that day and hour, no one knows… Two will be out working in their yard; one will be taken, and one will be left… Two will be grocery shopping in Walmart; one will be taken, and one will be left… Two will be driving down the highway to work, or home watching a football game, or sitting in their doctor’s office, or doing something fun with their friends; one will be taken, and one will be left…” How are you liking these odds??
“Keep awake therefore, for you do not know on what day your Lord is coming.”
We begin this season of Advent with Jesus teaching us about “the end,” calling us to be constantly watchful.
Oftentimes, we hear Jesus’ words as a dire warning: “Be prepared, or else!” Obviously, spiritual separation from our Creator is a critical thing, both while we’re alive and after we die, and we take that very seriously. That potential separation, though, has been used to inspire a great deal of fear. Remember the famous sermon given by Jonathan Edwards in 1741, “Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God”? He describes God dangling sinners and unbelievers by a thread over the fiery pit of hell, just waiting to drop them in at the moment of judgment!
Scaring people into faithfulness by threatening them with hellfire and damnation isn’t how Jesus operates.
Instead of hearing Jesus’ words in Matthew’s Gospel as threat, what if we considered them as Jesus intended – as an invitation and encouragement to faithfulness, and a reassurance of God’s promise to us of life in his kingdom?
Jesus urges us to stay awake and not drop our Christian faith and hope because an incredibly wonderful life with God is waiting for us down the road and he wants us to be there. How we live now will determine whether we are “taken” or “left” when that end time comes.
How do you live “awake”? First of all, with joy and hope, trusting in God’s goodness, love, and care. You remain prayerful, humble, and grateful for the gifts you have received. You stay mindful of the needs of others. You ask for forgiveness and make sure you also forgive. You treat everyone equally with dignity and respect and show people God loves them! You let God love YOU, which is sometimes the hardest of all. And you don’t waste time and energy judging others or trying to identify when exactly the end is going to happen.
All these things keep us awake. We don’t have to be “super holy;” sacredness is attached to our ordinary living. Mother Teresa said it beautifully: “Not all of us can do great things, but we can do small things with great love.”
So, hear Jesus’ invitation with joy, not fear, and stay awake!
Trinity Episcopal Church welcomes you each Sunday at 10 a.m., where you will find a warm congregation, uplifting liturgy, and the good news of God’s love shared in word and sacrament. All are welcome; be part of a community that stands together in faith and love.
