Reuben's Sermon for 2nd. Sunday before Advent:
Proper 28 (33):
Reuben's Theme: "Who is this who is coming? - Our Saviour is coming!"

(2nd. Sunday before Advent) - MORNING MASS:
0930hrs at Saint Aidan's Church - Billy Mill.
Sunday, 16th. November 2003 Anno Domini.
Morning Mass: Daniel 12.1-3 Psalm 16 Hebrews 10.11-14, (15-18), 19-25 Mark 13.1-8

November 16, 2003 Cycle B 2nd. Sunday before Advent.

COLLECT
Heavenly Father,
whose blessed Son was revealed
to destroy the works of the devil
and to make us the children of God and heirs of eternal life:
grant that we, having this hope,
may purify ourselves even as he is pure;
that when he shall appear in power and great glory
we may be made like him
in his eternal and glorious kingdom;
where he is alive and reigns with you,
in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
one God, now and for ever.

Morning Masses:

FIRST READING Daniel 12.1-3
A reading from the book of Daniel.
In the third year of King Cyrus a word was revealed to Daniel.
1 'At that time Michael, the great prince,the protector of your people, shall arise. There shall be a time of anguish, such as has never occurred since nations first came into existence. But at that time your people shall be delivered, everyone who is found written in the book.
2 Many of those who sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake, some to everlasting life, and some to shame and everlasting contempt.
3 Those who are wise shall shine like the brightness of the sky, and those who lead many to righteousness, like the stars for ever and ever.'

PSALM Psalm 16
R R You, Lord, are my portion and my cup.
1 Protect me, O God, for I take refuge in you; I have said to the Lord, 'You are my Lord, my good above all other.'
2 All my delight is upon the godly that are in the land, upon those who are noble among the people. R R
3 But those who run after other gods shall have their troubles multiplied.
4 Their libations of blood I will not offer, nor take the names of their gods upon my lips.
5 O Lord, you are my portion and my cup; it is you who uphold my lot. R R
6 My boundaries enclose a pleasant land; indeed, I have a goodly heritage.
7 I will bless the Lord who gives me counsel; my heart teaches me, night after night.
8 I have set the Lord always before me; because he is at my right hand I shall not fall. R R
9 My heart, therefore, is glad and my spirit rejoices; my body also shall rest in hope.
10 For you will not abandon me to the grave, nor let your holy one see the Pit.
11 You will show me the path of life; in your presence there is fullness of joy, and in your right hand are pleasures for evermore. R R

SECOND READING Hebrews 10.11-14, (15-18), 19-25
A reading from the letter to the Hebrews.
11 Every priest stands day after day at his service, offering again and again the same sacrifices that can never take away sins.
12 But when Christ had offered for all time a single sacrifice for sins, 'he sat down at the right hand of God,'
13 and since then has been waiting 'until his enemies would be made a footstool for his feet.'
14 For by a single offering he has perfected for all time those who are sanctified.
[ 15 And the Holy Spirit also testifies to us, for after saying,
16 'This is the covenant that I will make with them after those days, says the Lord: I will put my laws in their hearts, and I will write them on their minds,'
17 he also adds, 'I will remember their sins and their lawless deeds no more.'
18 Where there is forgiveness of these, there is no longer any offering for sin. ]
19 Therefore, my friends, since we have confidence to enter the sanctuary by the blood of Jesus,
20 by the new and living way that he opened for us through the curtain (that is, through his flesh),
21 and since we have a great priest over the house of God,
22 let us approach with a true heart in full assurance of faith, with our hearts sprinkled clean from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water.
23 Let us hold fast to the confession of our hope without wavering, for he who has promised is faithful.
24 And let us consider how to provoke one another to love and good deeds,
25 not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day approaching.

GOSPEL Mark 13.1-8
Hear the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ according to Mark.
1 As Jesus came out of the temple, one of his disciples said to him, 'Look, Teacher, what large stones and what large buildings!'
2 Then Jesus asked him, 'Do you see these great buildings? Not one stone will be left here upon another; all will be thrown down.'
3 When he was sitting on the Mount of Olives opposite the temple, Peter, James, John, and Andrew asked him privately,
4 'Tell us, when will this be, and what will be the sign that all these things are about to be accomplished?'
5 Then Jesus began to say to them, 'Beware that no one leads you astray.
6 Many will come in my name and say, "I am he!" and they will lead many astray.
7 When you hear of wars and rumours of wars, do not be alarmed; this must take place, but the end is still to come.
8 For nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom; there will be earthquakes in various places; there will be famines. This is but the beginning of the birth pangs.'

POST COMMUNION
Gracious Lord,
in this holy sacrament
you give substance to our hope:
bring us at the last
to that fullness of life for which we long;
through Jesus Christ our Saviour.

Reuben's Theme: "Who is this who is coming?"

+ In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, Amen.

Well, here we are.

This is the second Sunday before Advent!

The nights are drawing in...
...and already, there is a feeling of preparation for Christmas in the air.

Partly due to the fact that the shops have been promoting Christmas shopping since mid-October...
...but mostly because of what our senses are telling us.

As I said, the darker nights.

But also that autumnal bite in the air.

The crisp mornings.

The early sunsets.

The way the sun hangs lower in the sky throughout the day.

The way Tv aerials suddenly decide to fall over.

The smell of garden fires.

The leaves... ...the smell... ...the feel of... ...change...

...As nature prepares for winter...
...and we think of preparing for Christmas

Our first reading today was from the book of Daniel.

The Book of Daniel is the first Old Testament book to speak explicitly of resurrection, though he was thinking only of the Jewish nation when he wrote. "But at that time your people shall be delivered, everyone who is found written in the book. Many of those who sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake, some to everlasting life, and some to shame and everlasting contempt"

When the day comes, and all the terrible troubles are past, those who have shown themselves wise by their faithful obedience to God will rise to shine like stars for ever.

All evil will be done away.

There will be a time of terrible troubles, but after that salvation for those faithful to God.

In the letter to the Hebrews (our second reading this morning), we are reminded that Jesus has dealt with sin, once and for all!

Almost restating what was read from the letter to the Hebrews last week on Remembrance Sunday, but in more detail.

Jesus, God in human form, offered himself as a permanent sacrifice - a single offering Removing the stain of sin completely... ...something that the Old Testament animal sacrifices could not do.

As the letter says, "Every priest stands day after day at his service, offering again and again the same sacrifices that can never take away sins.
But when Christ had offered for all time a single sacrifice for sins, He sat down at the right hand of God,"

So... The way is open...

We can come right into God's presence - it's up to us!

Christ's death has made it possible.

He put an end to death by dying for us!

Now... ...here comes the good bit!

What does Jesus Himself have to say?

In today's Gospel, Jesus speaks of the coming of The Kingdom.

Now what brings this on?

Well, Jesus and the disciples are coming out of the temple.

The disciples are feeling spiritually refreshed.

They are in a good mood.

They are admiring the large buildings and enormous stones.

One of them turns to Jesus and comments about the grand architecture.
"Look, Teacher, what large stones and what large buildings!"

The thing is, if you make a comment to Jesus, you are rewarded with wisdom - often beyond your understanding.

Jesus loves the disciples (the future of the Christian Church) and all who are to follow... ...and that means us.

He needs to warn the disciples and prepare them.

He needs to warn us and prepare us!

"Do you see these great buildings?" says Jesus, "Not one stone will be left here upon another; all will be thrown down."

That shuts them up for a while... ...and they were in such a good mood as well.

I wonder what they were thinking, as they walked to the Mount of Olives?

I wonder what they said to each other?

Jesus had left them thinking... ....wondering.... ...and possibly a little worried.

After a while, Peter, James, John and Andrew approached Him (away from the others). "Tell us, when will this be, and what will be the sign that all these things are about to be accomplished?"

And of course, Jesus does not give them a straight answer.

But he does answer their answer in full.

He wants to make them think.

He wants to prepare His disciples... ...and the Christian Church to come (us) for the long period leading up to the coming of the Kingdom.

The time when He will come again.

"Beware that no one leads you astray." He says.

Jesus goes on to warn them (and us), "Many will come in my name and say, 'I am he!' and they will lead many astray."

What has this to do with the fall of the great buildings in Jerusalem?

What is Jesus telling them?

What is Jesus telling us?

He goes on, "When you hear of wars and rumours of wars, do not be alarmed; this must take place, but the end is still to come."

The end? Now this is getting worrying!

"For nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom....
there will be earthquakes in various places....
there will be famines....
....This is but the beginning of the birth pangs."

When we; watch on television, listen to the radio and read in the newspapers; the news from around the world, don't we get just a little worried?

I know I do.

Nation is rising against nation...
...and over the past hundred years it has been getting worse!

Wars between nations (and within nations) are bringing misery, death and destruction to many peoples.

There is great unrest and fear in many parts of the world.

As I speak the authorities in this country are on the second highest possible alert because of the threat of terrorist attacks.

Let's face it, Evil and Calamity seem to be alive and well all over our world today... ...Where will it all end?

Yet still, in the midst of all the troubles, we hear stories of goodness, kindness and love.

The occasional story reaches the news media...

Stories of Jews helping Palestinians...

Stories of Muslims protecting Christians

Stories of ordinary people's care and compassion for their fellow human being.

While there is death and destruction, war and violence - God watches on as the meek inherit the earth.

Now, at face value that seems a little ridiculous...
...the meek inheriting the earth!

But when you think about it, it's a mathematical certainty!

Only the meek will be left! (and probably not many of them either).

Those who hate and kill will have killed each other!

It's simple mathematics.

Also, while the greedy, the selfish and the inconsiderate pollute and wreck the thin and delicate envelope that we live in...

... 'the atmosphere' ...

God sets the atmosphere to rent revenge upon us...

...all of us.... ....the guilty and the innocent.

Violent storms and floods erupt as the atmosphere and our environment tries to repair itself.

We burn our fossil fuels, and waste our resources...
....knowing that (if we continue) in 50 years time there will be constant cloud.

But remember...

God has created this planet to repair itself whatever we do!

And if anyone gets in the way as this planet repairs herself...
....Heaven help them..... ....LITERALLY!

But it's not all gloom.
Jesus tells us of the coming of the kingdom.
I'm not saying don't worry....
Worry!
Be very worried!!
But also remember what Jesus said in today's Gospel
"For nation will rise against nation...
and kingdom against kingdom...
there will be earthquakes in various places...
there will be famines....
....This is but the beginning of the birth pangs."

THE BIRTH PANGS? ....THE BIRTH OF WHAT?
THE BIRTH OF THAT WHICH IS TO COME!

The only way to God and everlasting life is through Jesus.
If we follow Jesus there is nothing to fear, not even death!
WHAT IS IT THAT IS COMING?
WHO IS IT THAT IS COMING?
OUR SAVIOUR IS COMING!
AGAIN!!
As we start to prepare for Christmas this Advent, think not only of celebrating Christmas past...
...but also of preparing for Christmas future...
...when Jesus will come again...
And when Our Saviour comes?...

The prophet Micah tells us all about it...

It shall come to pass, in the latter days, that the mountain of the house of the LORD shall be established as the highest of the mountains, and shall be raised up above the hills; and peoples shall flow to it, and many nations shall come, and say: "Come, let us go up to the mountain of the LORD, to the house of the God of Jacob; that he may teach us his ways and we may walk in his paths." For out of Zion shall go forth the law, and the word of the LORD from Jerusalem.
He shall judge between many peoples, and shall decide for strong nations afar off; and they shall beat their swords into plowshares, and their spears into pruning hooks; nation shall not lift up sword against nation, neither shall they learn war any more; but they shall sit, every man, under his vine and under his fig tree, and none shall make them afraid; for the mouth of the LORD of hosts has spoken.
For all the peoples walk each in the name of its god, but we will walk in the name of the LORD our God for ever and ever...

Gracious Lord, in the holy sacrament that we will receive at this Mass, you give substance to our hope:
bring us at the last to that fullness of life for which we long;
through Jesus Christ our Saviour. Amen.
"Who is this who is coming? - Our Saviour, is coming!"
Maybe sooner than we think!
Are we ready?
Are you ready?
Advent starts on 30th. November.... ....Two weeks time!
Lets MAKE ourselves ready!

+ In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, Amen.

1607 words
© Reuben Condie 2003