Grace, mercy, and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ
So then let us not sleep, as others do, but let us keep awake and be sober. So that after all we’ve already said in the service explaining the liturgy, so that you do not sleep, this is a short sermon. Keep awake because the Day of Judgment will arrive, even if folks in the neighborhood laugh at the claim. Scripture says the Day will come like a thief in the night (Mt. 24:43). Unbelievers will be judged (Zeph. 1:7-16). Believers will experience liberation and peace forever and ever.
For that reason let us prepare. How shall we who believe prepare? Let us pray for the unbelieving. Let us proclaim the Savior to the world. Let us look forward to the day we shall see our Lord face to face. And let us ask the right questions today. Is the best question, “What hour will our Lord return?” The church prefers to ask “What time is it now?” Do you see the difference in the questions? We don’t aim to decipher the hour by magic numbers, fret about lovely homes left behind or listen to the “nutters” predict a particular day and hour. The church that believes lives each hour trusting Jesus; and the church that believes lives as sojourners, traveling to a better home. Like Abraham, we see a better country from afar; we’re heading there not knowing when our Lord will return. So we prepare for both delay and his immediate return.
That’s the perspective of faith, faith in the eternal and infinite Lord Jesus Christ. This perspective overcomes our temporal and finite trials. Our trials will end when our Lord returns at the right time, as He came in the fullness of time. The first coming ended God’s wrath against sin and sinner, when Jesus paid the penalty of our sin. We look ahead in part by looking back at the benefits of His cross bestowed in Baptism. You were justified. You were brought you out of slavery and adopted as children of God. You now call God “our Father” as His holy priesthood. Even now you are seated with Christ in heavenly places. So as we receive Jesus’ body and blood today, we worship with the angels and saints around the divine throne. This is your Savior’s doing when you were baptized into Christ (Rm 6:3). His word preached trust into your heart and you died to sin and rose to new life. You received a living faith from the One who already brought you into eternity. His life now flows into you even as His blood flowed for you. He will sustain you in mortal combat against death, the devil, and your flesh. Come that Great Day, death shall die, the devil is bound and your body will be transfigured.
Until then, Jesus Christ sustains your faith through His word and sacraments. By this pilgrim faith, you serve your neighbor until the Lord calls you home. Husbands provide for wives, mothers change diapers, children obey their parents, employees work honestly and this pleases the Father, because of faith. The church prays and speaks the Word into the world of unbelief, because the time is short. When love suffers for faith’s sake, for Christ’s sake, we rejoice that the Lord calls many out of darkness into His glorious light. In this way remain awake for Christ’s return. Wear the helmet of salvation soberly and confess in hope, even confess your shortcomings in faith and hope. Then receive Him who forgave all your sin. Receive Him who says, “take, eat, take, drink, this is my body, this is my blood for the forgiveness of sin.” So encourage one another, building each other up in the most holy faith. In Jesus your Saviour, you will conquer all temporal, finite, and futile works of sin and the devil. You will outlive the grave. Today Jesus Christ grants you the eternal, the infinite, the perfect, the holy. Oh Lord, come quickly, maranatha!
The peace of God which passes all understanding keep your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus our Lord. (Amen)
