Advent 1C
November 28, 2021
Good Shepherd, Wells, MN
Luke 21.25-36
One of the first things I noticed about Good Shepherd was the signs. There are signs indicating what this building is, rightfully so. There are signs indicating various places to enter: almost like the “Let’s Make a Deal,” Door #1, Door #2, etc. There are signs directing you to the various parts of the building, such as the nave, offices, fellowship hall and all-important restrooms. But there are other signs. There are Bible verses written in calligraphy on walls giving thanks, messages of encouragement touting faith, trust and love. There are signs promoting prayers for missionaries and service personnel. There are signs of the acrostic, GSLCW, “Grow, Care, Love, Share, and Worship.” As the song says, “Sign, sign, everywhere a sign!” Yet, in all of the signs I’ve read, I have not seen any signs of hope.
In our Gospel reading from Luke today, Jesus talks at length about signs as precursors of events that purportedly come at the end of time. Today begins the new church year, which follows a particular and familiar rhythm: the First Sunday of Advent marks the shift from a lectionary focused on one Gospel to the next, in this case from Mark’s Gospel to that of Luke. It’s also a feature of the lectionary that the last few weeks of Pentecost focus on the end times in one Gospel and the First Sunday of Advent does the same in the next Gospel, though they do so differently.
Whereas the emphasis at the end of Pentecost was to prepare Jesus’ followers for the crucifixion and persecution to take place, which will be their fate as well, in Advent emphasis is on Jesus’ so-called Second Coming. As we say in the liturgy of Holy Communion, “Christ has died, Christ has risen, Christ will come again.” The idea is that Advent reminds us that the Christ who came as a babe in Bethlehem will not only come again at the end of time, whenever that happens, but continues to come here and now.
Signs typically point us toward a goal or destination and it’s tempting to read Jesus’ words about signs as a road map for when the end times are upon us. Indeed, many have fallen into that trap though both Jesus and scripture warn us against doing just that. If it’s not trying to pinpoint an exact date and time, as several have failed to do, it is writing popular fiction about what the coming of Jesus looks like, who will survive and who won’t. But I think these activities, though interesting, are not the intent of Jesus or of Scripture. It’s like reading the signs around Good Shepherd as a way to get to Chicago. Rather than speculation, which raises anxiety, these passages are meant to encourage and give hope.
I said earlier that there were no signs of hope at Good Shepherd, but I was being a bit disingenuous. I think there are signs of hope at Good Shepherd, just not written on the walls. Rather, the signs of hope are written in your hearts. Each of you received a slip when you came today and I’d like you to take it out now. The slip says, “My greatest hope for Good Shepherd Lutheran Church is …” and I want each of you to finish that sentence with one thought and only one thought (anything else will be ignored).
This is the first of several activities that will invite your thoughts as we prepare for your next pastor. At the end of the service, please put the completed slips in the basket in the center of the aisle. I'll be using this information with the council and the Shepherding (Transition) Team early next year.
The theme for the First Sunday of Advent is hope, a certain sign of Jesus’ promise to come again. You are also signs of that promise. Thanks be to God. Amen.
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