Sermon Index
November 26, 2017, The Last Sunday after Pentecost, The Last Sunday of the Church Year
Today is the Last Sunday of the Church Year. As such we think about the Last Things of the World. We think about the end of the world, the second coming of Christ, the resurrection of the dead, the judgment of the world, and eternal life. We confess our faith in the words of the Creeds.
APOSTLE’S CREED I believe in the Holy Spirit, the Holy catholic Church, the communion of saints, the forgiveness of sins, the resurrection of the body, and the life everlasting. Amen.
NICENE CREED We look for the resurrection of the dead, and the life of the world to come. Amen.
Since this year is the 500th Anniversary of the Lutheran Reformation, I have been preaching recently on themes that have been important in the Lutheran church all these years. The second coming of Christ, the resurrection, the judgment and eternal life are teachings of all Christian churches. Today I want to mention what has not been important in Lutheran Circles, eg. Millennialism, the earthly kingdom of God, Adventism, reincarnation, purgatory, and the like. There are two main problems with these ideas. The first is that they are not founded on clear words of scripture. The second is that they distract from or diminish the Gospel of the cross, death and resurrection of Jesus Christ.
Millennialism is based on the very unclear words of Revelations Chapter 20. The word means “1000 years.” In the book of Revelations, there are many dragons and beasts, so is this 1000 years also just a figure of speech? Is it in the future, in the past, or are we in it right now? Will it be a time of violence or a time of peace? Is it Armageddon or the Garden of Eden? Jesus never talked about setting up a kingdom on this earth, “my kingdom is not of this world” he told Pontius Pilate (John 18:36). And even if it were, why would Jesus set up a kingdom for only a thousand years if he was going to give us eternal life in heaven? It makes no sense. As a figure of violence and persecution however, it does give some comfort to know that the power of the devil will be destroyed after a period of time, but 1000 years is little comfort to those caught up in it and who will die because of the hatred of this world. Rather than 1000 years, it is better to think about the 3 days: Good Friday, Holy Saturday, and Easter Sunday. That is pure Gospel. That gives hope and comfort to know that Jesus died to forgive our sin and give us eternal salvation. No matter if our life is happy or filled with sorrow, the resurrection of Jesus gives us the hope and joy of our own resurrection and eternal life.
Adventism is the idea that Jesus will come back soon, perhaps at a particular date that can be figured out by reading the obscure passages in the Book of Daniel and other places. Seventh Day Adventist and other groups have done this without success. But Jesus said clearly that the time of his Return is a secret. The clear word of Jesus is Mark 13:32, “No one knows about the day or hour, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father.” This means that we must always be ready for the return of Christ. Matthew 24:44, “You also must be ready, because the Son of Man will come at an hour when you do not expect Him.” So how do we get ready? It is by faith in Jesus Christ. This faith knows that Jesus came the first time: he was born in Bethlehem, he died on the cross and rose on the third day. By looking at the past we are prepared for the future.
Reincarnation is a pagan religion idea, but it has a similar purpose as Purgatory. They are both to purify the soul for Nirvana or Heaven. Neither are in the Bible. Purgatory is not necessary because Jesus died on the cross to purify us, and the Holy Spirit makes us holy in baptism and forgiveness. As far as reincarnation is concerned, Hebrews 9:27 says, “Just as man is destined to die once, and after that to face judgment, so Christ was sacrificed once to take away the sins of many people.”
One more: how hot is hell? In today’s Gospel reading, the Judge says, “Then he will say to those on his left, ‘Depart from me, you cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels’” (Mt. 25:41). “And these will go away into eternal punishment, but the righteous into eternal life” (Mt. 25:46). There is an old expression, “it scared the hell out of me.” The threat of hell should be enough to make people want to believe in Jesus as their Savior from hell. But the wonderful promises of heaven are more frequent in the Bible, for example, Psalm 23. “The Lord is my Shepherd. He makes me to lie down in green pastures, he restore my soul. … Surely goodness and mercy will follow me all the days of my life, and I will dwell in the house of the LORD forever.”
There is a quotation attributed to Luther. On the internet I found it in two styles: “Even if I knew that tomorrow the world would go to pieces, I would still plant my apple tree.” And, “If I knew the world was to end tomorrow, I would still plant an apple tree today.” "Wenn ich wüsste, dass morgen der jüngste Tag wäre, würde ich heute noch ein Apfelbäumchen pflanzen." But these words are not in Luther’s writings and are no older than 1944 and so some scholars believe it originated in the German Confessing Church, which used it to inspire hope and perseverance during its opposition to the Nazi dictatorship. Would Luther have said something like this? Perhaps. Maybe to show that he did not believe those people who said it was the last day, which Jesus said we cannot humanly know. And if the quote means that troubles in the world were going to begin, like the Nazi persecution, then perhaps he would want to give hope to people that God would give fruit-like blessings in the future. My favorite interpretation that I read was that Martin enjoyed gardening, and so on this last day he would enjoy the life that God had given him. Or that we should continue in the calling that God has given us. Students keep studying for tests, carpenters keep building houses, mothers keep cooking and taking care of children, everyone continues to trust God and to love God and the neighbor, because: Christ is with me today, tomorrow, and to eternity.
Amen.
Michael Nearhood, Pastor
Okinawa Lutheran Church