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St. Andrew's Church
An Anglican Church • Grimsby, Ontario, Canada
Preached by
Stuart Pike
Rector
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Advent 1 A - Great Expectations
St. Andrew's Church, Grimsby
7 November 2007
Matthew 24: 36-44
I used to have a good friend in High School who was close enough to play tricks on. We were close enough to know each other's locker combinations. That is way too much power to give to a high school friend. We would booby-trap each others' lockers. Hardly a few days could go by, without one of us opening our locker to be greeted with the cold splash of the carefully placed cup of ice-water. Or something else jumping out at us. And always the reply was, "I'm gonna get you. When you least expect it, expect it."
We lived in great expectation. Always looking over our shoulder. Expectation: it's a word that could be good or not so good.
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Advent is a time of Great Expectations.
But there's a problem in today's Gospel.
Is it the Good News Gospel proclaiming the glorious coming of Jesus? The coming of light into the darkness? Or is it bad news about impending doom and destruction?
Today we begin a New Church Year with the season of Advent: the season of new beginnings and the season of Great Expectation and hope as we await the coming of Christ. Some people think that Advent is simply the season before Christmas - a time to prepare for Jesus' coming as a little babe all wrapped up in swaddling clothes and gently laid in a manger. Jesus came into this dark world to be the light which shines in the darkness. Isaiah speaks of this darkness:
"For darkness shall cover the earth, and thick darkness the peoples; but the Lord will arise upon you, and his glory will appear over you."
So we decorate our homes with lights and frivolity against the ever-shortening days and the encroaching night. And we wait for Christmas.
Although preparing for Jesus' coming at Christmas, what we really are doing in Advent is preparing for Jesus to come at the end of time. The End of Time!
And so it is a time of great expectations.
What are my expectations about Jesus coming?
What are your expectations about Jesus coming?
Are they great expectations?
Is this a time of great hope?
Or great dread?
What's the greatness in the expectation?
Jesus' disciples wanted to know what to expect. Jesus was telling them how not one stone of the temple would remain on another - all of it would be thrown down. They wanted to know the answers to the questions of how? And when? What should we expect?
In Matthew 24:3 they ask: "Tell us, when will this be, and what will be the sign of your coming and of the end of the age?" Today's Gospel reading is part of his reply. In this dark age, they want to know, when will the light of Christ shine? But Jesus' words are disturbing. No one knows when it will be he says: No one - not the angels in heaven, not even the son, but only the Father. Great expectations.
When, O Lord?
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Great expectations.
I remember the escalation of friendly hostilities bringing us to the point to when I opened my locker to the sound of a hiss. Is that something leaking air? Is there a soccer ball in here? A Balloon? Where is that noise coming from? Desperately looking through the disorganized pile of books and clothes until, with my head immersed inside the locker, the biggest firecracker went off. And my heart stopped! And my brain exploded!
We were fully into our pyro-maniacal stage at the time.
He now owns a huge fireworks company!
Man, I'll get you: when you least expect it!
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Great expectations.
What do I expect - I need to know the time. When will this happen, Lord?
Jesus says we'll be caught off guard: Just like in the time of Noah, they were doing their own thing They were partying and getting married and everything was the way it always was. Until the flood came and swept all those people away! And they were gone. They didn't have a clue. They were wiped out.
What can I expect, Lord?
Is this the expectation of Advent? This all sounds like such a time of darkness. Is this what I can expect about your coming at the end of time? What can I do to stop this, Lord?
Then Jesus says:
"Two will be in the field, one will be take and one will be left. Two women will be grinding meal together one will be taken and one will be left.
Which will I be, Lord?
Will I be taken?
Will I be left?
Which will you be?
Taken?
Left?
Am I the only one here who feels anxiety about this?
Is this expectation hopeful? Or dreadful? What on earth can I do about all of this, Lord?
And then Jesus says, "Keep awake, therefore."
Maybe this is something which I can do:
You do not know on what day your Lord is coming.
Keep awake, therefore!
Is that what I need to do? Lord knows I need my sleep! How do I keep awake?
Jesus says:
But understand this: if the owner of the house had known what part of the night the thief was coming, he would have stayed awake and would not have let his house be broken into.
The thief comes in the night, we must stay awake. We must be awake in the night - in the darkness.
And Isaiah says:
O House of Jacob, come, Let us walk in the light of the Lord!
And Paul says:
It is now the moment for you to wake from sleep.
And,
the night is far gone, the day is near.
And,
Let us then lay aside the works of darkness and put on the armor of light.
Great expectations.
What is my expectation of the coming of the Jesus at the end of time?
Or:
Great expectations: What is Jesus' expectation of me?
Who can I be now? What if I am chosen? What if I am swept into the kingdom of God instead of swept by the flood into the sea?
Great expectations!
Can I? Can I? Can I can I can. I CAN.
The dawn can break and I can see the Lord and I can be brought home.
Great expectations! It's not about my expectations of Jesus. It's about Jesus having great expectations of me!
I can keep awake, and ready for the Jesus' coming I can put on the armor of light - You can put on the armor of light even yet in the darkness.
For it is still night, But dawn is approaching.
The Son of man is coming With great expectations of you and me. Halleluiah! Amen.
