End Times
Pentecost 26 – November 17, 2024
Daniel 12:1-3
Psalm 16
Hebrews 10”11-25
Mark 13:1-8
In our scripture study this past week one of the pastors there said how much he disliked the texts chosen for these last few Sundays of the year. I can understand that. People seem to be fascinated by the end. In fact, I have received more questions about these texts and others that talk about the end times. They are not alone. People have been asking about them since Jesus’ time as the disciples show us here today. I would guess the questioning even goes back farther than that. Whole books and denominations have been based on someone’s interpretation of these texts that talk about the “end times.” Jesus’ words for today don't help. There always are earthquakes and, it seems, wars as well. I do remind you that Jesus himself said that he did not know when the time would come.
When people ask me when I usually answer with a question: “If they knew, let’s say June 20, 2025, would they change their life?” If they answer with a no, then I point out that when it comes doesn’t matter. If they answer, “Yes,” then we have much more work to do because that indicates they know they are not living up to God’s standards. In fact that is the reason we find references to the end time in the Bible. They are to remind us that we are to be prepared for the time when it does come.
But what must we do to prepare for that day? Our texts today don't say much about this. From Hebrews we learn that the difficult part has been done for us. That is to be made clean for the day in which we will be called into the sacred space that surrounds God. The curtain that once separated us from God’s holy place has been opened up for us so that we may enter. That was done by Jesus’ sacrifice of his own life for us. But that does not mean we are to just sit around and wait, or worse, try to calculate the date of Jesus’ return. We are called to live lives that are different than the world.
Depending upon how you count it, there seems to be four tasks that we are given in order to prepare ourselves for the coming days. First, in Hebrews we are called not to forget to meet together. For us, that is speaking to the choir. But for those who are not with us this is the message the writer of Hebrews gives. It is not that we have to gather together but when we do our togetherness strengthens us and prepares us for the days ahead. Not just to prepare for the last days but for every day that is before us. Together we share our hopes and dreams and our troubles and pains. Sharing them with each other and with God. Once refreshed in the Lord we are able to perform the other three tasks. Provoke one another to love and good deeds. And the fourth thing we are to do is Daniel’s instruction: to lead many to righteousness. Yet these four things are what we are to do all the time. God has called us to live our lives as if the end time has already come. We no longer need to worry when it may come or how it will come for we are being made ready by God as we answer God’s call to gather together and strengthen each other so that we can love others and to do good deeds. Then when the day comes we will not be caught unaware or at a loss and will accept God’s judgment whatever it may be.