Matthew 24:36-44

First Sunday in Advent, Year A | November 27, 2022 | Sermon Text: Matthew 24:36-44 | Dave Brooks |

At the foot of scarred Mount St Helens lies a lake filled with bleached, water-soaked logs. Called Spirit Lake, it was for many years a popular place for vacationers who boated, fished, and swam in its waters. On its shores were several camps and lodges, including one called the Mt. Saint Helens Lodge, owned by a man named Harry R. Truman.

Through the spring of 1980, as geologists and seismologists crawled all over the restless mountain, Mr. Truman was urged, warned, and begged to leave his lodge for safety. He repeatedly refused. The rumbles that he felt was only his own 83-year-old body. The steam and lava were far away and would not block escape. He had hoarded food and water in an old mine shaft behind the lodge. To every entreaty Mr. Truman insisted that there was no great danger, that the mountain was no threat, and that he would not move because he knew better than those who insisted that he go.

Mr. Truman was still in his lodge when the mountain exploded on May 18, 1980.

He was never seen again.

[S]tay awake, for you do not know on what day your Lord is coming. But know this, that if the master of the house had known in what part of the night the thief was coming, he would have stayed awake and would not have let his house be broken into. Therefore you also must be ready, for the Son of Man is coming at an hour you do not expect.

As we begin Advent, that season in the church year that calls us to be watchful, our Lord’s warning about not being caught unawares is a call for us to be ready—to be prepared. We know the importance of being prepared. Financial gurus ask us if we are prepared for retirement. Parents pack a diaper bag to be prepared for any need their child may have. Homeowners prepare their houses and property when a hurricane is forecast. Many of us just completed trips to visit family and friends, and we know that safety on the road begins with ensuring the car is checked out and repaired if needed.

Many over the centuries have heard our Lord’s call to be prepared and thought that the right approach was to read the signs of the times. Like theological seismologists, such people crawl over the Scriptures and sift every bit of contemporary data in the hope that they will be able to predict when things are going to blow. To such persons, Jesus gives a stern warning: of that day and hour, no one knows—not the angels that are before the throne of God, nor even the Son himself; none know what the Father’s plan is. To insist that events unfolding in our own day are readable by us mortals is sheer arrogance. No, our preparations cannot lead us there.

Rather, as we understand from retirement planners, parents, homeowners and travelers, proper preparation means being clear about goals, developing appropriate skills and cultivating sufficient resources. But because we are claimed by our Lord, our readiness will look different than what the world might say is preparation.

When we as Christians seek clarity about goals, we want to be clear about our Lord’s goals. Let his will prevail, including in us! Jesus has a heart for the least, the little and the left out. He sees those that the world never notices. He draws near to those who think they are alone. When the world says flee, we Christians should draw near and befriend. In this holiday season, to whom is the Lord directing your attention? What signs are at work, what rumbles can you feel that alert you to move toward someone who needs friendship, support and care?

But preparation is more than being ready to move. Movement requires certain skills. Scouting teaches boys and girls to learn how to read maps, use compasses and study the environment to move purposefully, deliberately, quickly or slowly as conditions demand. As Christians, we develop skills of the Spirit such as prayer or Scriptural wisdom so that we might recognize when our Lord has arrived, when our Lord is at work in another’s life, when we are being called on to give witness and praise to our Lord’s work. Rather than being caught off guard, we watch for the signs of our Lord’s approaching in the lives of others.

Preparation also means having sufficient resources at hand. But rather than hoarding the wealth of the world, we invest in one another, for we recognize that this community, this gathering, this koinonia is our great resource. We do not need every gift, nor do we need to be equal to every situation, for our Lord surrounds us with brothers and sisters who supply what we lack. We share what we have been given and rejoice when others can do the same. We make room for others to contribute; we do not stand by and let others shoulder the entire load. Together, with our Lord in our midst, we are sufficient for what we will face.

Most of all, as we Christians prepare, make ready, we have our Lord’s promise. This word of warning is not the last thing Matthew reports Jesus saying. Matthew ends with Jesus’ assurance that he will be with us as we go into the world with good news. No matter the danger, no matter the threat, we who belong to Christ are held fast by him. Our lives are in his keeping, even to the end of the age. Amen.

Pr. Dave Brooks

Durham, NC USA

Pr.Dave.Brooks@zoho.com