November 21, 2021                                  Text:  Mark 13:24-37

Dear Friends in Christ,

    On May 19, 1780, the sky over Hartford, CT and much of New England, darkened so quickly and ominously that some members of the Connecticut legislature, as they peered through the windows thought was world was ending.  They rose for an immediate adjournment.

    The speaker, Colonel Abraham Davenport, quelled the chaos when he rose and said, “The Day of Judgment is either approaching or it is not.  If it is not, there is no cause for adjournment.  If it is, I choose to be found doing my duty.  Therefore, I wish that candles be brought.”

    The end of the world as we know from the Bible is imminent.  What should we be doing now?  On this last Sunday of the Church Year the text is from the Book of Mark.  When it comes to the grand finale we have . . . 

“ALLURES, ALERTS, ASSURES”

    Our first word of the day is allure.  The end of the world always has a certain allure for us.  Jesus disciples were no different.  They want to know when.  They want details.

    People are fascinated by the end times.  Why the popularity of the Book of Revelation?  More people ask questions about this book more than any others in a Bible Study.  And then we still don’t completely understand it.  But the end times have such drama and oh Judgment Day.  We write books and make movies and have television shows like we are some kind of experts.  

    The only expert is the Lord.  There is such an allure for both the believer and the unbeliever.  The believer is confident of a new and a new earth.  The believer knows that Jesus’ return is a good thing for now and for eternity.  The unbeliever on the other hand is scared.  They may not say it, but down deep they know they may be facing an eternity of hell.  When the trumpet sounds it is too late.  They wonder, “Could I have been wrong all along?”  The predictions must make God laugh.  Even Jesus says in verse 32 that He, Jesus, doesn’t know the day or hour.

    That brings us to word two of our day – alert.  “Be on guard, keep awake.  For you do not know when the time will come.”  Are you on alert?  Are you anxious with expectation or dreading the moment?  We’ve lived through some big moments but if Jesus returns – wow – now there is something to talk about in heaven.  The good news, the 24-hour cable news channels can’t cover it to death!

    Our lives are full of trouble and challenges.  But Jesus tells us:  “The one who endures to the end will be saved.” (Mk. 24:13)  We don’t walk alone.  Jesus is alongside as we wait.  You can and you do endure because Jesus lived, died, and rose for you.

    That leads to our final word of the day and that word is…assure.  Christ is coming.  Trusting in Christ we have his full assurance.  We wait with joy because the Lord has put sin and death in their eternal places.  We have light and life and forgiveness and hope.

    Be assured through His Word.  “Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will not pass away.” (v. 32)  His Word assures of forgiveness and we share that with others.  His Word assures of love and we share that with others.  His Good News of salvation assures us and we share that with others.  

    For thirty years I have preached to three different congregations that the Lord is going to return.  I see the signs.  You see the signs.  Pray that day will be here sooner rather than later, the day there will be no more headaches, no more stress, no more fears, no more tears, no more virus, no more sorrow and no more death.  I can’t wait for heaven.  No more political footballs, everything works and nothing breaks down.   The showers are always hot and the toilet paper is plentiful and soft. Truthfully we know that won’t matter.  What will matter is being in the presence of Almighty God – another wow moment.  

    As Christians, we live in Him now by faith, and on that Last Day we will be with Him forever in love.  That is good news for us and all who believe.  With faith in Christ, there is forgiveness for all our sins.  There is hope when things seem hopeless.  There is life after death.  There is eternity.  With Jesus, we are more than conquerors.  That is why Jesus lived, died, and rose for you.  So, not just allured – stay alert, be assured.  Jesus is coming.

                        Amen. 

November 14, 2021 – Stewardship Sunday        Text:  Colossians 4:3, 5-6

Dear Friends in Christ,

    If you are mentally able to do this I want you to think back in life when citizens of the world did not carry around phones.   Hard to do when I recently heard that more of the world’s population owns a phone than have a running toilet.  There is something wrong with that picture, but I digress.  Ok, are you back to that time?  Before phones many people but not all wore watches.  I rarely wore one.  If I wasn’t near a bank or inside I was asking people what time it was.  As someone who respected my parent’s curfew and being at places on time, I was finding someone with a watch and saying, “Excuse me, do you have the time?”

    Were you like me?  Even if you have always been a watch wearer you have probably had a moment or two where you asked the same question, “Excuse me, do you have the time?”

    Today is Stewardship Sunday and the direction we take on this day of Sabbath rest is a simple one . . .

“EXCUSE ME, DO YOU HAVE THE TIME?”

    We begin by asking ourselves, “Excuse me, do you have the time?”  Well, do you?  Do you have enough time?  Do you feel squeezed, pressured, on edge and now the holidays are coming and well . . .  Paul writes in verse 5, “making the best use of the time?”  Do we do that?

    Do we ever waste time?  This afternoon is a bad example because I am going to the nursing home to conduct worship but on many Sundays I like to relax and watch sports?  Is that bad?  Depending on your view of sports your answer may be yes or no.  We all have things we do with our time that others may not find productive.  Does God expect us to always be out sharing His Word?  No, that too is unrealistic.  The Lord understands we all need our rest, our down time, our alone time.  It prepares our minds and our bodies to be useful in His Kingdom.

    Let’s ask God the question, “Excuse me, do you have the time?”  God is not subject to time but He is the Creator of time.  So, He has the time but does He need the time.  Scripture says this, “But when the time had fully come, God sent His Son, born of a woman, born under law, to redeem those under law, that we might receive the full rights of sons.” (Gal. 4:4-5)

    Jesus came at exactly the right time.  He kept the Law of Moses perfectly because we could not.  He bought us back from sin and gave us our freedom.  He did this on a cross at a specific time in the history of our world.  He provided us forgiveness for when we waste the time.  We are freed from the guilt that we should be doing more.  Even Jesus had to have time away.  Didn’t the disciples drive him a little crazy at times.  “Wake up Lord, the wind and the waves!”  “I’m the greatest, no I’m the greatest.”  “Let these hungry people go home.”  Even when he would go away sometimes they would have to follow just like a child following his mother to the tub.  In spite of all that, He loved them and died for them and rose for them.  He does the same for each of us.  The Lord gives us a fresh start as his children to spend our time for God’s purposes.

    We ask Paul, “Excuse me do you have the time?”  He wanted the time as he writes in verse 3, “At the same time, pray also for us that God may open to us a door for the word, to declare the mystery of Christ, on account of which I am in prison.”  Paul needed the prayers of the believers.  He needed opportunities to share the Gospel.  He wanted to use his time wisely.  A big picture view of his life certainly confirms that.  We think of him as one of the greatest Christian missionaries who ever lived.

    How do you see yourself?  Is time usage a strength or weakness?  “Excuse me, do you have the time?”  You do, so listen to Paul.  “Walk in wisdom toward outsiders, making the best use of the time.  Let your speech always be gracious, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how you ought to answer each person.”  (v. 5-6)  Before unbelievers the Word we proclaim should be done in a favorable light.  We strive through the work of the Holy Spirit for tact and sincerity so that our words take root.  Let your love flow to the person you are speaking to.  Do you use words like blessing, forgiven, saved, hopeful a lot?  Or are you complaining, whining, wondering why things are so bad for you?

    Take this perspective home with you.  10 of us from Good Shepherd went to a movie this week based on the story of Rev. Richard and Sabina Wurmbrand.  Converts to Christianity who were tortured for Christ.  We sat through a half hour of previews that just kept playing over and over.  We were watching people in prison and being beaten for their faith.  As I sat there I thought, “We are all antsy to get this thing moving but we are in a comfortable theater.  There are millions around the world who are experiencing what the Wurmbrand’s went through.”  Can the Lord use your time?  Can you pray for the people around the world who can be imprisoned for having a Bible or even speaking the name of Jesus?  Can our brothers and sisters in Christ count on you?

    Help us Lord to use the time you give us for your glory.

                                    Amen.