Second Coming

Shaken

Posted on by Betsy

This past Sunday I was invited to preach at my church for the first Sunday of Advent. Imagine my excitement! It lasted all the way up until I looked up the lectionary assignment for Advent Week One:

Luke 21:25-28, 34-36 Common English Bible

25 “There will be signs in the sun, moon, and stars. On the earth, there will be dismay among nations in their confusion over the roaring of the sea and surging waves. 26 The planets and other heavenly bodies will be shaken, causing people to faint from fear and foreboding of what is coming upon the world. 27 Then they will see the Human One coming on a cloud with power and great splendor. 28 Now when these things begin to happen, stand up straight and raise your heads, because your redemption is near.”

34 “Take care that your hearts aren’t dulled by drinking parties, drunkenness, and the anxieties of day-to-day life. Don’t let that day fall upon you unexpectedly, 35 like a trap. It will come upon everyone who lives on the face of the whole earth. 36  Stay alert at all times, praying that you are strong enough to escape everything that is about to happen and to stand before the Human One.” 

My first response was to catch my breath and reconsider the invitation. Here we would be, in our beautifully adorned Sanctuary for that first Advent celebration, surrounded by lit garland with shells and starfish all over the altar, a huge glowing Chrismon tree, a new banner with beautiful stained glass imagery, and I would get to rise up in the middle of all that beauty and preach about the end of the world. Somehow the images of signs in the moon and stars, the planets shaking, and the people fainting from fear and foreboding did not seem in concert with the warm holly-jolly ambiance.

But the more I studied it, the more it seemed appropriate. Our world seems to be going through dark times right now. The uncertainty that faces our nation, the rumors that Social Security, Medicare, and other social programs will soon be changed, the wars that continue in Ukraine and the Middle East, the outbreaks of violence in our streets, this pervasive feeling of insecurity … people are truly shaken. I am truly shaken. For many people, these are dark times indeed. What will happen next? Only God knows.

But remember what Jesus promises in this Scripture … in the darkest moment, the Son of Man will come in a cloud with great power and glory. This Scripture on the Second Coming comes at just the perfect time for us. For one, like many of Jesus’ teachings, it is a call to hope for those who are facing hard times. And that, unless I miss my guess, includes all of us. 

The point of this text, in fact the point of the entire gospel is this: When there is nothing you can do — nothing — God will act on your behalf. When you are out of resources, out of time, out of patience, out of help, out of hope, when the sea is foaming and the tide is about to take you under, when you have nothing left, no defense, nothing to fight back with, no shred of hope to grasp onto—that is the time to look up, for when things are darkest, that is when you can see the Son in his glory. 

“Stand up straight, raise up your heads, because your redemption is drawing near.” Jesus says. Salvation is on the way, not because you can figure a way out, not because you have kept your chin up and your upper lip stiff, not because the fictitious “Universe” will use its non-existent power to reverse your course, but because God is going to act. Our Christian hope does not rest in what we might do, but in what God will do. It is God who acts when we cannot. It is God who saves when we are hopelessly mired in sin and shame. It is God who gives us the victory when we are utterly defeated.

And death, even death does not thwart God. God gave us victory over death through the resurrection of Jesus Christ. The Scriptures assure us that our hope does not lie in our immortal souls, but in God’s resurrecting power to bring life out of death. 

So, yes. Bring on the prophecy of doom and gloom. We will defiantly raise up our heads and when we do, we will see him coming.

Our redemption draws near.

Clouds of Glory by Mary Anne Mong

Dark Times

Posted on by Betsy

Sometimes, in moments of frustration and despair, I think that we are living in dark times. The continuing war in the Middle East, the continuing war in Ukraine, the recent devastation of Hurricane Helene and the one on the way this week, the continuing war in our nation over human rights, border issues, the economy, the rule of law, the impending elections … dark times indeed.

Have you ever noticed that it has to be very, very dark in order to see the stars?

I remember a trip we took to the Big Island in Hawaii many years ago. At night, this island’s streetlights shine through very muted yellow lightbulbs so that the space observatory at the top of Mauna Kea can see the stars, planets, and celestial bodies clearly. There is a strict lighting ordinance in effect for all of the homes and businesses on the island that ensures the darkest of skies possible. Mauna Kea has 12 separate nonprofit observatories, which makes this area the most scientifically productive site of astronomy in the world.

When it is dark enough, you can see the stars.

Today’s passage from Luke describes the upheaval that we will experience when Jesus returns. The end times will be marked with changes and disruption in the sun, moon, stars, planets, and other heavenly bodies. It sounds horrific.

Luke 21:25-28, 34-36 (Common English Bible)

25 “There will be signs in the sun, moon, and stars. On the earth, there will be dismay among nations in their confusion over the roaring of the sea and surging waves. 26 The planets and other heavenly bodies will be shaken, causing people to faint from fear and foreboding of what is coming upon the world. 27 Then they will see the Human One coming on a cloud with power and great splendor. 

28 Now when these things begin to happen, stand up straight and raise your heads, because your redemption is near.”

“RAISE UP YOUR HEADS, because your redemption is drawing near.” Jesus says. Salvation is on the way, not because you can figure a way out, not because you have kept your chin up and your upper lip stiff, not because the fictitious “Universe” will use its non-existent power to reverse your course, but because God is going to act. Our Christian hope does not rest in what we might do, but in what God will do. It is God who acts when we cannot. It is God who saves when we are hopelessly mired in sin and shame. It is God who gives us the victory when we are utterly defeated.

The point of this text, in fact the point of the entire gospel is this: When there is nothing you can do—nothing—God will act on your behalf. When you are out of resources, out of time, out of patience, out of help, out of hope, when the sea is foaming and the tide is about to take you under, when you have nothing left, no defense, nothing to fight back with so shred of hope to grasp onto—that is the time to lift up your head, for when things are darkest, then you can see the stars. 

So what should we do in the meantime, in these dark times? Jesus continues:

34 “Take care that your hearts aren’t dulled by drinking parties, drunkenness, and the anxieties of day-to-day life. Don’t let that day fall upon you unexpectedly, 35 like a trap. It will come upon everyone who lives on the face of the whole earth. 36  Stay alert at all times, praying that you are strong enough to escape everything that is about to happen and to stand before the Human One.” 

Take care of your hearts. Stay alert. Pray for strength. Find a way to be a light in someone’s darkness.

And look up.

Moonrise by Michelle Robertson

Grow in Grace

Posted on by Betsy

Did your high school require you to study a foreign language? Mine did. I took four years of French with Madame Viola, a lovely, bubbly, cheerful teacher who loved the French language and its people. She was one of my favorite teachers, and in my junior year, eleven of us traveled with her to France for a week of full language immersion. It was an incredible experience, and one of my best friends from band was on the trip and was my roommate. She ended up becoming a French teacher herself.

We studied and practiced the language daily. In our fourth year, the class was quite small and so we were able to read novels in French together and really advance our skills. When I entered Penn State the following fall, I tested out of (and received credit for) the first two levels of college French, all thanks to our incredible high school experience.

Do you think I can speak much French today? Not a chance. Non, mon ami. Je ne parle pas Francais maitenant. And oui, I had to Google that in French to get it right. When I stopped studying and growing in my ability to speak French, my language skill diminished.

Our passage from 2 Peter today is a reminder that we need to be growing in our understanding and knowledge of God every day. He warned of the end times, when heaven and earth will pass away, and cautioned the people to make every effort to be found pure and faultless as they waited for the end.

2 Peter 3 (Common English Bible)

11 Since everything will be destroyed in this way, what sort of people ought you to be? You must live holy and godly lives, 12 waiting for and hastening the coming day of God. Because of that day, the heavens will be destroyed by fire and the elements will melt away in the flames. 13 But according to his promise we are waiting for a new heaven and a new earth, where righteousness is at home.

14 Therefore, dear friends, while you are waiting for these things to happen, make every effort to be found by him in peace—pure and faultless.15 Consider the patience of our Lord to be salvation, just as our dear friend and brother Paul wrote to you according to the wisdom given to him,16 speaking of these things in all his letters. Some of his remarks are hard to understand, and people who are ignorant and whose faith is weak twist them to their own destruction, just as they do the other scriptures.

I believe we are living in the times Peter wrote about in verse 16. God’s word is constantly being twisted by ignorance and a lack of Biblical scholarship. That is why it is imperative for us to be serious about our daily Bible study routines. Like learning a foreign language, it takes diligence, practice, and serious study to understand God’s Word.

17 Therefore, dear friends, since you have been warned in advance, be on guard so that you aren’t led off course into the error of sinful people, and lose your own safe position. 18 Instead, grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and savior Jesus Christ. To him belongs glory now and forever. Amen.

May our daily devotional work allow us to grow in grace together! Thank you for coming along on this journey with me.

Growing into Nana’s Shoes

People Get Ready

Posted on by Betsy

The recent solar eclipse raised a lot of interest in the apocalypse. Some folks thought that it might usher in the Second Coming, as Scripture talks about the world going dark just before Christ returns. As you can see by the fact that we’re all still here, that didn’t happen. My running partner and I were speculating about what might happen if it had. We decided that being ushered into the heavenly realm would certainly mean that we would be eternally located in our happy place, which for us involved being the caretakers of all the dogs who have gone to heaven before us. The idea of running a Celestial Doggy Day care was very appealing to us. People could drop their dogs off with us on their way to their choir practice and harp lessons. Doesn’t that sound heavenly??

In the fourth chapter of 1 Thessalonians, Paul addresses the Second Coming head on:

13 Brothers and sisters, we want you to know about people who have died so that you won’t mourn like others who don’t have any hope. 14 Since we believe that Jesus died and rose, so we also believe that God will bring with him those who have died in Jesus. 15 What we are saying is a message from the Lord: we who are alive and still around at the Lord’s coming definitely won’t go ahead of those who have died. 

16 This is because the Lord himself will come down from heaven with the signal of a shout by the head angel and a blast on God’s trumpet. First, those who are dead in Christ will rise.17 Then, we who are living and still around will be taken up together with them in the clouds to meet with the Lord in the air. That way we will always be with the Lord. 18 So encourage each other with these words.

Paul paints images of signals, shouts, head angels making proclamations, and trumpet blasts, which raise goosebumps on our arms and causes feathered hope to rise in our hearts. Not to be confused with Scriptures on the “rapture,” this passage falls in line with our expectations from the book of Matthew which describes it this way:

“Then the sign of the Human One will appear in the sky. At that time all the tribes of the earth will be full of sadness, and they will see the Human One coming in the heavenly clouds with power and great splendor. 31 He will send his angels with the sound of a great trumpet, and they will gather his chosen ones from the four corners of the earth, from one end of the sky to the other” (Matthew 24:30-31).

Paul clarifies that the Lord will come down at the sound of the trumpet and those who are dead will rise, joining those who are still living. This last bit of encouragement about the Second Coming was precious to the church, and it is precious to us as well.

Christ’s triumphal return is reminiscent of the royal processionals of earth’s great kings. Even in our lifetime, we experienced the pageantry and pomp of King Charles III of Britain when he took the throne in 2023. You may remember the tens of thousands of people who lined the street to welcome their new king that day as he was driven by eight white horses in a centuries old Gold State Coach surrounded by over 4,000 members of the Royal Navy, Royal Army, Royal Marines, the Tri Service Guard of Honor, and the Royal British Legion. It was spectacular and as some would say, “fit for a king.” How will we welcome our King when his time comes to return? Will it be a big and noisy spectacle of crowds cheering and trumpets blasting, or will we groan in sorrow because we aren’t ready? 

 Paul envisions Jesus coming from heaven to earth on a kind of celestial highway that will lead him straight to the graveyards in order to resurrect the dead. This offers a word of hope that when we die in Jesus we will arise in Jesus and never be separated from him. Matthew 25 explains what will happen next: 

Matthew 25:31-33 (Common English Bible)

Now when the Human One comes in his majesty and all his angels are with him, he will sit on his majestic throne. 32 All the nations will be gathered in front of him. He will separate them from each other, just as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats. 33 He will put the sheep on his right side. But the goats he will put on his left” (Matthew 25:31-33).

Understanding that the judging of the nations is coming should serve as a wake-up call to us today. Where will you stand at the end? If Jesus were to return tomorrow, would the church be ready? Are you living your life everyday with the expectation that Jesus’ return could happen at any moment?

People get ready! Jesus is comin’.

Celestial Highway by Michelle Robertson

When all Hell Breaks Loose

Posted on by Betsy

Our lectionary passage today is filled with foreboding. This is a strange way to welcome the first Sunday of Advent, but Jesus was very purposeful in his words about what will happen at the Second Coming. Perhaps it is a sober and thoughtful way to start Advent, before we get too caught up in the “parties and drinking and shopping,” as Eugene Peterson says in The Message version of this Scripture. It is a good reminder that the first coming that we celebrate on December 25 was only a precursor to the second one. Let’s dive in:

Luke 21 (The Message)

25-26 “It will seem like all hell has broken loose—sun, moon, stars, earth, sea, in an uproar and everyone all over the world in a panic, the wind knocked out of them by the threat of doom, the powers-that-be quaking.

27-28 “And then—then!—they’ll see the Son of Man welcomed in grand style—a glorious welcome! When all this starts to happen, up on your feet. Stand tall with your heads high. Help is on the way!”

Even in the terror of what he is describing, Jesus gives us this word of assurance. We, who follow him, are encouraged to stand up, stand tall, look up, and see our redemption coming. While the unbelieving world will be cowering and quaking, believers will be able to stand and watch as the Son of Man reclaims the earth.

29-33 He told them a story. “Look at a fig tree. Any tree for that matter. When the leaves begin to show, one look tells you that summer is right around the corner. The same here—when you see these things happen, you know God’s kingdom is about here. Don’t brush this off: I’m not just saying this for some future generation, but for this one, too—these things will happen. Sky and earth will wear out; my words won’t wear out.

The realization that at some point heaven and earth will pass away but God’s words will remain is good reason for us to do what we are doing right now. We should stay in the word, study the word, and be in the word on a daily basis.

34-36 “But be on your guard. Don’t let the sharp edge of your expectation get dulled by parties and drinking and shopping. Otherwise, that Day is going to take you by complete surprise, spring on you suddenly like a trap, for it’s going to come on everyone, everywhere, at once. So, whatever you do, don’t fall asleep at the wheel. Pray constantly that you will have the strength and wits to make it through everything that’s coming and end up on your feet before the Son of Man.”

Our job, then, is to be ready and to be constantly on the alert for signs that Jesus is about to return. In the meantime, while we wait, we have work to do. We must pray and stay focused on the One who is coming. God’s kingdom is about here! How will you live that out your life today?

Be ready.

The Day of the Lord is at Hand by Michelle Robertson

H.O.P.E.

Posted on by Betsy

A long time ago I did a children’s sermon on the word “hope” and used it as an acronym to explain what it means to have hope. Hope is wanting something to get better. So we can have HOPE when we remember that there are always (H)elpers who will come alongside of us when we are in trouble. And if we remain (O)pen to seeing what God is doing all around us, it can help us to realize that God is working for good in our situation. Of course, HOPE comes to us when we (P)ray, and we should always (E)xpect that God is listening to us and will answer in his time, because his Word promises exactly that. That’s hope!

I want you to think of places in your life where you are lacking hope. Perhaps your job situation or your business is crumbling around you. Maybe your marriage or a relationship is in trouble. A challenging child or your teenager might be a dark place for you today, or maybe a betrayal or argument has kept you up at night.

Whatever is going on in your life that has left you feeling hopeless, this scripture is for you:

Zechariah 9 (New Revised Standard Version)

Rejoice greatly, O daughter Zion!
    Shout aloud, O daughter Jerusalem!
Lo, your king comes to you;
    triumphant and victorious is he,
humble and riding on a donkey,
    on a colt, the foal of a donkey.

Does that sound like Jesus? Zechariah was an Old Testament prophet, proclaiming the coming of the long-awaited Messiah. With New Testament hindsight, we can see Jesus entering Jerusalem on Palm Sunday in this passage.

10 He will cut off the chariot from Ephraim
    and the war-horse from Jerusalem;
and the battle bow shall be cut off,
    and he shall command peace to the nations;
his dominion shall be from sea to sea,
    and from the River to the ends of the earth.

As Christian readers, we see a prefiguring of Christ’s Second Coming in this verse. We all long for the day when Christ’s dominion will rule the earth and his peace will be known in every nation. Come, Lord Jesus, come!

11 As for you also, because of the blood of my covenant with you,
    I will set your prisoners free from the waterless pit.
12 Return to your stronghold, O prisoners of hope;
    today I declare that I will restore to you double.

Here’s where it gets personal. You have a blood-covenant relationship with Christ if you are part of his flock. He is active right now in setting you free from the waterless pit of your despair. So return to your stronghold by looking for helpers, opening your heart to God’s activity, praying without ceasing, and expecting God to restore you. Hope is your stronghold. Cling to that.

In times of great distress, God calls us to be prisoners of hope. May we never let go of that chain.

“Hope is a thing with feathers…” by Michelle Robertson (quote by Emily Dickinson)

Arise

Posted on by Betsy

Raise your hand if you are a Wordle fan. I love word games and puzzles so this online game from the New York Times is right up my alley. It is a five-letter word game where you have six tries to get the correct word. Letters in the right place turn green; letters that are somewhere in the puzzle but not in the right place turn yellow, and incorrect letters are gray.

People have come up with starting words that use popular letters, such as adieu. A while ago I was using either weary or teary as my first guess since they have common vowels that might be in the word. One day I was listening to NPR, and I heard the New York Times puzzle master, Will Shorts, say that he starts with either arise or arose.

So now, depending on the kind of day I am having, I start with either weary or arise. My mood dictates my choice, and obviously I am having a good day when I choose arise.

On this Epiphany Day, we revisit Isaiah’s beautiful passage on the regathering of the nation of Israel after the Redeemer conquered all opposition and called the people back home. They have been living in the darkness of the diaspora and have longed to return. Now, the gloom has been lifted and God has not only shone his light on them but enables them to be a light to the surrounding nations.

No one can ignore this dawning radiance.

Isaiah 60 (Common English Bible)

Arise! Shine! Your light has come;
    the Lord’s glory has shone upon you.
2 Though darkness covers the earth
    and gloom the nations,
    the Lord will shine upon you;
    God’s glory will appear over you.
3 Nations will come to your light
    and kings to your dawning radiance.

Our New Testament lenses read Christ all through this passage. Christ is the light that has come and will come again. Christ is the radiance that obliterates the darkness of our sins, burdens, addictions, estrangements, and sorrows. Christ even obliterates the darkness of death. He invites us to lift up our eyes and see our own reflected radiance in his presence.

4 Lift up your eyes and look all around:
    they are all gathered; they have come to you.
Your sons will come from far away,
    and your daughters on caregivers’ hips.
5 Then you will see and be radiant;
    your heart will tremble and open wide,
    because the sea’s abundance will be turned over to you;
    the nations’ wealth will come to you.
6 Countless camels will cover your land,
    young camels from Midian and Ephah.
They will all come from Sheba,
    carrying gold and incense,
    proclaiming the Lord’s praises.

This is such a beautiful foretelling of the Second Coming as well. When Jesus returns, the nations will gather in Israel and bask in the glow of his light. The glory of God will appear over the earth and every knee will bow in its radiance.

On this Epiphany Day, God invites us to arise and turn away from the darkness to walk in the light of Christ and invite others to walk along with us. We have but one job to do today. Lift up your eyes! Look all around! Then you will see and be radiant.

Shine on!

Your Light Has Come by Michelle Robertson

Just Around the Corner

Posted on by Betsy

The road to the little island where I live is a curvy mess right now. A two-year road improvement project is underway, and while we will all appreciate the raising of the surface that will mitigate some of our flooding issues and with wider shoulders that will protect bikes and walkers, living with the project is a challenge. We are forced down to one lane in as many as three different spots to accommodate the heavy equipment and the diligent workers. Human and mechanical stop/slow indicators are the norm now, and you never know how many you will encounter on a trip. This road is the only way off the island, so many of our conversations with neighbors sound like accounts of a great gambling adventure where we brag about not having to stop at all or only having to stop once. Having to stop three times can make you late for appointments … just ask my church Administrative Assistant, who also lives back here. When I get to the office and am late for a meeting, the first thing we do is compare our journeys.

The most challenging part isn’t even the added time it takes to complete to your journey. It is not knowing what is around the next corner. Because of the number of blind curves in the road, you can find yourself sailing along at the high speed of 35MPH only to have to slam your brakes on when you realize the cars in your lane are standing still at the stop sign, which you couldn’t see due to the curve.

That is exactly where we are in this last week of Advent. Christmas is literally around the corner, and here we sit at a stop sign waiting for the signal to change.

Some of have arrived at this stop sign in a moment of panic, realizing that we aren’t entirely ready for what is to come in less than a week. The panic shopping has begun as we search through Amazon to find what can be delivered before Sunday. The aisles of the local stores are crowded with people like us who, for whatever reason, got behind in our preparations and thought we had more time. Others choose to try to find last-minutes sales and they have waited here on purpose.

We have talked a lot this Advent about the season of waiting for the first coming as a preparation for anticipating the Second Coming. This is a particular emphasis of this lectionary cycle. Cycle A does not allow us to linger lovingly at the baby’s manger but continues to push us out of the creche to confront the reality of the Second Coming. We breeze though the nativity with a nod to its participants on the way to what lies beyond the crucifixion. We are invited to consider the end of this means.

Titus pulls us in that direction. What is hidden around the Christmas Day curve is the reason for Christ’s arrival on earth. We are reminded of the things that he purchased on the cross: forgiveness for all, salvation for all, a changed life while we wait, and the excited expectation of the Second Coming:

Titus 2 (The Message)

11-14 God’s readiness to give and forgive is now public. Salvation’s available for everyone! We’re being shown how to turn our backs on a godless, indulgent life, and how to take on a God-filled, God-honoring life. This new life is starting right now, and is whetting our appetites for the glorious day when our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ, appears.

While you linger in your festive living room, sitting by the lit Christmas tree and go over your plans for Christmas Day one more time, remember what he came. Jesus came to be a light in the darkness of this world, He came to conquer it and lead us to a future with hope. He came in humility but will return in glory. He was born to save souls and will return to resurrect the Body. He lived a life judged by men but will come back to judge mankind. His crucifixion will be completed with his coronation when all the world will proclaim him king.

He offered himself as a sacrifice to free us from a dark, rebellious life into this good, pure life, making us a people he can be proud of, energetic in goodness.

So be energetic in goodness as you wait. Everything we have longed for is just around the corner.

The Forest for the Trees by Mary Anne Mong