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Gospel: Mark 13:24-32
Jesus said to his disciples:
“In those days after that tribulation
the sun will be darkened,
and the moon will not give its light,
and the stars will be falling from the sky,
and the powers in the heavens will be shaken.
“And then they will see ‘the Son of Man coming in the clouds’
with great power and glory,
and then he will send out the angels
and gather his elect from the four winds,
from the end of the earth to the end of the sky.
“Learn a lesson from the fig tree.
When its branch becomes tender and sprouts leaves,
you know that summer is near.
In the same way, when you see these things happening,
know that he is near, at the gates.
Amen, I say to you,
this generation will not pass away
until all these things have taken place.
Heaven and earth will pass away,
but my words will not pass away.
“But of that day or hour, no one knows,
neither the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father.”
The Gospel of the Lord.
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In his retirement, Thomas Jefferson, our nation’s third president, carried out a project he had contemplated for years.
He took a razor blade and cut and pasted various passages from the Gospels into a single narrative of Christ’s life from his birth to his crucifixion. However, Jefferson intentionally left a few things out: any mention of angels, miracles, or signs of Christ’s divinity.
All that was left were the Lord’s moral teachings. This became known as, “The Jefferson Bible,” which was held in secret until Jefferson’s death.
The original script has been preserved by the Smithsonian in Washington.
Jefferson did what many human beings are tempted to do: he created a version of God in his own image and likeness, keeping what he liked and tossing out what he didn’t.
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At first glance, today’s Gospel passage might be one of those extra sections we’d be tempted to cut out, because Jesus speaks about something uncomfortable, the end of the world – and by inclusion, the end of our own lives here on earth.
“The sun will be darkened, the moon will not give its light, the stars will be falling from the sky, and the powers in the heavens will be shaken,” he says.
Who wants to live to see that? And why are we hearing such a jolting Gospel passage now?
Here we are in the middle of November, getting into the holiday spirit of Thanksgiving and Christmas, waiting for relatives to visit, turkey at the table, Santa Claus, twinkling lights, and, of course, the most important event – the birth of our Savior!
‘Tis the season to be jolly!
And, suddenly, wham!
We’re hit with a passage like this, the end of the world.
Why?
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As with any page in the Bible, all things must be put into their proper context.
First, consider who will bring an end to the world – not the Evil One, but Jesus Christ, our friend; our Savior; the one who has, “loved us and given himself for us.” A face-to-face encounter with the Son of God is meant to be a moment of tremendous awe and joy!
In two short weeks, when we start singing, “O Come, O Come, Emmanuel,” we should mean it. Come, Lord, save us. Save us from the fear, anxiety, and suffering that, at times, paralyze us.
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Secondly, consider what is ending versus what is not.
What is coming to an end are depressing things like: darkness, war, sin, suffering, and death. Things that have plagued our world ever since Adam and Eve had their offspring and their son, Cain, murdered his brother, Abel.
What will not end is life. Jesus tells us plainly, “Whoever believes in me has eternal life.”
Not here, but in heaven. The place where our swords will be beaten into plowshares, our spears into pruning hooks; where the lion lays down with the lamb; where we will walk and not grow weary, run and not grow faint.
In that sense, the end of this world is a good thing, because it brings an end to darkness. Saint John foresaw this moment as he describes in the Book of Revelation:
“I saw a new heaven and a new earth. I also saw the holy city, a new Jerusalem. I heard a loud voice from the throne saying… ‘He will wipe every tear from their eyes, and there shall be no more death or mourning, wailing or pain, for the old order has passed away.’”
That’s good news!
Yet how do I feel about it? Does this idea of Christ’s return inspire fear or hope in my heart?
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Remember, Christians are people of the resurrection. We are called to be joyful, even with a passage like this.
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But this Gospel passage is not only about the physical world – or our own lives – ending at some unknown point in time; it’s also about our need to detach ourselves from it now.
Saint Mark wrote his Gospel, in part, as a spiritual “gut check,” reminding Christians that all things – with the exception of love – are passing. We should be careful not to become like the rich young man, too attached to worldly things to ever let go.
As we approach yet another holiday season, perhaps we might consider: How attached am I to material things? What might I give away? Have I stored up any treasure in heaven?
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While the end of the world seems distant and dreary, for Christians, it’s simply good news. May we say what we mean and mean what we say:
Come, Lord Jesus.
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Image credits: (1) Unsplash (2) Common Ninja (3) WELS Congregational Services