Matthew 24: 36-44
Some people get excited for the World Cup soccer games as if everyone becomes a young child on the field, but this year, many people are mindful of the serious questions which surround this sporting event in Qatar, owing to the host country’s human rights record about Qatar’s treatment of foreign workers and its persecution of LGBTQ people.
In 2016, Amnesty International accused Qatar of using forced labour to help build a new stadium in Doha. While there is a wake-up call about labour exploitation around the world, there is an opinion that we can still disagree without endorsing those unagreeable elements by participating in the event with prayers for sports to be a force for good.
In a London-based Anglican weekly newspaper Churchtimes, however, one of the bishops in England said that it would be common sense for churches to attempt to avoid holding a carol service at the same time as the final on the afternoon of Sunday, December 18. For himself, though, he expressed frustration as he would have to stand slightly to one side of it, saying, “the whole thing is so morally tarnished as to undermine the spirit of football.”
It would be so odd for the church to ignore the carol tradition, yet as a soccer fan, I can’t help but feel the similar dilemma when I put myself in the shoes of those abused foreign workers in Qatar. Can we shake hands easily with those who neglect their responsibility for their wrong doings on their fellow human beings?
The nature of religion is notoriously hard to define, but religion is enmeshed in ritual as well as social and ethical concerns. And, certainly, we try to do our very best to engage ourselves with prayer and care, reflecting on human rights issues and global tensions. Moreover, the followers of Christ need to remember the reason why Jesus came to earth.
He came down to earth to forgive sinners and to invite them to his heavenly kingdom. But we also need to pay attention to the conversation of Jesus with the penitential criminal in the Gospel that we read last Sunday (Luke 23: 33-43).
If we focus only on Jesus’ words, “Today, you will be with me in Paradise,” we fail to understand the whole story. The criminal acknowledges his wrong deed that he thinks deserves condemnation. And, he turns to Jesus for a heavenly consolation and God’s mercy and grace. This is the part for us to participate in as we wait for the return of Christ with hope and humility.
We lit the first Advent candle today. The lighting of one, two, three, then four candles during the weeks of advent is a reminder that we wait for Jesus, the Light of the World. To wait for Jesus is to be ready to meet him in all the ways he comes. It is important that Christians observe Advent not only as a time of preparation for Christmas but also in realization that Christ’s coming kingdom stands in judgement over the injustices of our present world.
The followers of Christ are given duties to fulfill, that is, to participate in God’s mission in the world, to do justice, love kindness, and walk humbly with him (Mic 6.8). Each one of us has to be a God’s messenger, a prophet.
After picturing the glory of the Messiah’s reign, Isaiah challenges Judah to live in the Messiah’s reign right now, saying: “O house of Jacob, come, let us walk in the light of the Lord!” We are called to order our life, following God’s truth and his ways.
Jesus reigns in our lives, our minds, and our hearts right now. It means we enjoy the blessings of the Messiah’s reign right now. What is it that puts you down, if any, that brings darkness into your life? Carry the light of the Lord in your hand. He will dispel the darkness, and you will be safe because you walk in the light.
A 19th century influential English preacher Charles Spurgeon said, “You know that, if you were to go to Australia in a good sound ship, you would get there even if you were always to lie down in the hold among the luggage and the rats; but I should like to go in a first-class cabin, and I do not see why you and I, if we are going to heaven, should not go first-class.”
Let go of your worries and enjoy a ride with Jesus each moment you breathe. There will be conflicts between nations and individuals, of course, as long as we live, but they will be justly resolved by the Messiah and those who reign with him. It isn’t the reign of the Messiah itself that will change the hearts of humankind. We will still need to trust in Jesus, and his work on our behalf, for our salvation. Yet, we have work to do.
Apostle Paul says, “You know what time it is, how it is now the moment for you to wake from sleep. For salvation is nearer to us now than when we became believers. The night is far gone, the day is near. Let us then lay aside the works of darkness and put on the armour of light.”
You know what time it is. Advent is not merely a time to light the candles on the wreath, change the colours around the altar, and sing the familiar carols. Advent is a time to prepare our hearts by examining our life with the light of the Lord as we wait for him, to make his vision our vision, his mission our mission, to bring in the world God’s hope to the hopeless, his peace to the ones with no peace, his love to the ones with no love, and his joy to the ones with no joy.
Employing the apocalyptic language, Jesus warns to his followers: “Keep awake therefore, for you do not know on what day your Lord is coming” (Mt 24.42). Jesus spoke this discourse, known as the Olivet discourse, to his disciples privately on the Mount of Olives, opposite of Herod’s Temple. This message was given during the turbulent events of the Lord’s last week before the crucifixion.
Some biblical scholars argue that the Great Tribulation occurred during the first century, seeing it as a past event, but others view that the Great Tribulation is still to come, and prophetic passages are considered as being of great value in teaching truths about God to be applied to present life.
Neither the angels of heaven, nor ordinary human beings, nor even Jesus himself knows the timing of his Return or Second Coming. Only the Father knows such things (Mt 24.36). But, we don’t live with a vague hope. Jesus instills in us the blessed hope that he will return one day to raise the quick and dead, as the creeds affirm.
Remember the story of Noah. Noah’s family was left behind, yet safe and sound on board the ark. The left behind are those blessed who have escaped the great judgement just as Noah’s family escaped the flood. Noah didn’t know what was ahead but was obedient to God. Likewise, the prudential advice is that the faithful must stay vigilant and awake, knowing that Christ will return, though the timing remains unknown.
The imagery of Jesus returning like a thief in the night implies an arrival at an unexpected time. We don’t have a timetable in the Scriptures, but we don’t have to be anxious because we have assurance about the things hoped for and conviction about the things not yet seen.
Our God is the same God who had a covenant with Noah by showing him the rainbow. We live in hope for eternity as we wait for the Messiah. May we be a prophetic people and messengers of God’s hope.
Advent blessings!
Image: Advent and Triumph of Christ by Hans Memling (circa 1433 - 1494), Bavarian State Painting Collections, Munich, Germany