Sermon Index
November 21, 2021
Last Sunday of the Church Year
When will the end of the world come? When will Christ return to this earth? Only God knows. It could be soon, in our life time, or way off in the future. But does it make any difference when it will happen? Probably, not. Does it make a difference that it will happen? Definitely, yes. That is what I want to talk about today. Why it is important that Christ return.
Christ promised to return. Our Christian Creeds confess that we believe it. But why is it so important? I am going to list six reasons. You can probably add to this list yourself.
Reason #1. It means an end to the evil and injustice of this world. This world is under the rule of the devil. Christ will make a final end to the reign of Satan when he returns. We who are suffering because of the sin and evil of this world look forward to the justice of God. Then wars will end. Then sickness and poverty and famine will end. We love our family and friends and even all other people and so we are sickened by what we see and hear, and so look forward to the end of their suffering. We also look forward to the end of our own personal pain and grief.
It is important that Christ return. Reason #2. It gives me power to endure, to cope. I know there is a limit to the pain and frustration, so I can "gambaru" and try to endure. Because Christ is going to return and end everything, it gives us patience to endure the problems we have now. For example. A mother cannot get enough sleep when there is a new-born baby in the family, but in a while, the baby can sleep through the night, so mother knows that soon she will get a rest. Another example. There is a co-worker that we cannot get along with, but we know that that co-worker is going to be transferred in six months, so we can put up with that person for a while. I often have a bad headache, but I know that if I take aspirin and drink coffee, that it will go away in a few hours or by tomorrow, so I don't go and chop off my head to get rid of the pain. You know that even if this is a bad sermon, in a few minutes it will be over, so you don't get up and walk out. Because Christ is going to return and end everything, it gives us patience to endure the problems we have now.
t is important that Christ return. Reason #3. It gives me hope for the present. I know that Christ will answer the prayer, "Thy Kingdom Come." We know that his rule as King is in our lives right now. This is why there is hope and meaning for our lives.
It is important that Christ return. Reason #4. It gives purpose to our lives. The purpose is salvation. The love of God is shown in salvation: in the Exodus, in the Death and Resurrection of Christ, and in his Return. Here we see the full love of God. He died on the cross to forgive our sin, and the result of that forgiveness is eternal life. When Christ returns, that promised eternal life will be finally given to us. This is the purpose of our lives. We live in order to thank and praise God for salvation. We have been forgiven in order that we may freely love God and our neighbor.
It is important that Christ return. Reason #5. It gives direction to our lives. Life is not one big repeating circle. There is direction. Genesis 1:1, "In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth." Revelation 22:20, "He who testifies to these things says, 'Surely I am coming soon.' Amen. Come, Lord Jesus!" The direction is salvation. My old seminary professor, Robert Bertram said that life is like rowing a boat. We sit facing the back of the boat. To guide the rowboat we don't look forward, we have to look to the rear. We know where we have been, and so we know where we are going. We know what God did for us in Christ. Christ was born, he died, he arose, he ascended: therefore we know what comes next. We know how God has acted in our lives. We know he has blessed us in our baptism. We know that he has sent his Holy Spirit to bring us to faith. We know that the Holy Spirit has guided us in the love of God. We know what the Will of God is for our lives. That will is to live in the faith and joy and confidence as we pray Lord's Prayer. Our sail is firmly set to catch the breath of the Holy Spirit, and so we can move forward in life with confidence.
It is important that Christ return. Reason #6. Finally, it makes our lives important. God loves us so much that he sent his Son Jesus Christ. We are individually so important that our names are written in the Book of Life. We are so important that he has prepared a place, a mansion, for us. We are that important to God, and so we must take care of our bodies and souls. It IS important how we live, how we act, how we work and play, how we dress, how we believe, how we think, how we love others, how we pray, how we worship, and it is important how we look forward to the coming of Christ.
Amen.
Michael Nearhood, Pastor
Okinawa Lutheran Church