Mysterious Hope
Advent 1B – NL2
December 3, 2023
Our Savior’s, Faribault, MN
Jeremiah 33.14-18; Mark 8.27-29
You may already know this by now, but I love to read novels, especially murder mysteries. One of my favorite Minnesota authors, either Allen Eskens or William Kent Krueger (I don’t remember which) said that all stories are mysteries because you don’t know how they will turn out. Early on in a story, especially if it’s not particularly engaging, I’ll wonder where this story is going and not until half or two-thirds in that I find I’m really hooked and can’t wait to see how it ends. Then, at the denouement, I can usually see the breadcrumbs the author left earlier, but sometimes I’m mad because it seems the ending is pulled out of thin air. Even so, very often the ending isn’t what I expect, which is great, but I can see how we got there.
Today is the First Sunday of Advent, a time of preparation for the celebration of Jesus’ birth. We all know the story, of course, and more or less how it ends. Yet, here we are reading it again just as we do each year. I’d like us to think of these Advent texts as theological breadcrumbs scattered along the way that give us hints of what is to come. The themes of Advent include not only preparation, but of watching and waiting as well. So, I’m asking you today: Can we not rush to the “end” but rather examine the breadcrumbs to see what they tell us about that ending?
One breadcrumb today comes from the prophet Jeremiah, a singularly depressing fellow. Life starts out pretty good prophecy-wise as he encourages the reforms proclaimed by King Josiah. We met Josiah last week who did not walk in the ways of his father and grandfather, kings who “did what was evil in the sight of the Lord.” Sadly, neither Josiah nor his reforms lasted long enough as both his son and grandson will do the same thing as Josiah’s father and grandfather. Meanwhile, Jeremiah was faced with the resulting blowback because of their apostasy, first from Egypt and then Babylon.
During Jeremiah’s time, the southern kingdom of Judah went from being a vassal state of Egypt to being destroyed by the Babylonians. This much the same that happened to the northern kingdom of Israel 200 years before, except it was the Assyrians who were the aggressors. Jeremiah will be urging the people to repent and not resist the coming siege to the very end. Imprisoned by the palace guard, Jeremiah will be abducted and taken to live out his days in Egypt, but not until he utters a word of hope amid total devastation. His promise: even though there are no kings left in Judah, it’s not the end. The breadcrumb he places states that there will be a day when a new king will arise, one that is different from all the rest. This king will execute justice and righteousness.
This word of hope is important for Our Savior’s Lutheran Church as we wonder about our future, especially in view of the events of the past few months, even years, that leave us wondering where God is. To probe this hope a bit, I’d like you to do an exercise with me by being “Jeremiahs.” As you find yourself in this ongoing story today, what is your greatest hope for OSLC in the coming years? After you receive Holy Communion, fill out a Hope Slip at either table by completing the sentence, “My greatest hope for Our Savior’s is … .” The church council will read through the slips to get a sense of what your hopes and dreams are. Then the Transition Team will process the slips more intensely early next year.
There’s one more breadcrumb in our readings today, Peter’s assertion that it is Jesus who will be this Messiah. We also know this because we’ve read the end of the story happening at Easter. But we also know what Peter and the others don’t know yet, and what Jeremiah predicts, that Jesus is unexpectedly so. It will take a long time for the disciples and the early church to realize that what they have found in Jesus is far more important than what they were looking for.
One more thing that I learned in an early college literature class. The American novel that developed was different from its predecessors in that the American novel was open-ended. It left you wondering what happened next. As we go through Advent to Christmas and beyond, I encourage you to savor this time. Not only to sit with the “breadcrumbs” but also to discover those clues about what God is doing as you prepare for your next settled lead pastor, and not assume you know the ending. Because like the great American novels, the story is open-ended and still being written. What’s your greatest hope for Our Savior’s and how might God answer in unexpected ways? Watch and wait as you prepare. Amen.
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