"Christ Will Come Again"
based on John 14:1-6 (3 of 3)
Advent Midweek - 3,
Pastor
Our reading for this evening from the
Gospel of St. John, chapter 14 - a text familiar to most of us I imagine - it's
certainly one of great comfort. For here
Jesus invites, "Let not your hearts
be troubled. Trust in God; trust also in
me." These words of Jesus have
no doubt comforted many of God's saints over the years - perhaps even us. In fact these verses are ones that I'll often
use during a pastoral care visit - especially when someone is quite sick or
even approaching death.
But I think what makes these words so
comforting to many are that they are not just words of invitation, but it's
that these words of invitation are tied to a promise by Jesus - a promise that
He will come again. For Jesus continues,
"In my Father's house are many
rooms; if it were not so, I would have told you. I am going there to prepare a place for
you. And if I go and prepare a place for
you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I
am."
"I will come back," Jesus promises. And
in fact that's the focus of our time here this evening as we conclude our look
at the "comings" or "advents" of Christ. Two weeks ago - as
we will do again next week at this time - we rejoiced in the fact that Christ came
and took on our humanity - "the Word
became flesh and made His dwelling among us" that He might go to
Calvary's cross. Last week we remembered
that Jesus still DOES come even yet to us - through His Word, in His
Sacraments. Christ does yet come to us.
But you know all of that - those
"comings" of Christ - whether it be in the
flesh at
And so it is that in our reading for
this evening, anchoring that comfort that He gives us, at the heart of his
invitation to trust in Him, Jesus promises, "I
will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I
am." And indeed, that really is
the goal of our faith, isn't it? The day of the resurrection - the return of our Lord Jesus in all
glory to take us - body and soul - to our eternal home. He will grant us that room that He has
prepared for us in heaven. That is the
goal of our faith.
But I must say, I
have a concern. If that's the
goal of our faith - do we live like it? I
mean our goal should determine our focus, right? But yet, where is our focus? … I came across
an interesting quote just yesterday from CS Lewis - a popular Christian writer
of the 20th century. But he was speaking
against some in the Christian church - Stoics - who try to push the notion that
to desire our own good and to enjoy life is a bad thing. To desire joy and pleasure these Stoics would
say, is a bad thing - much too strong. BUT
Lewis says that "if we consider the unblushing promises of reward and the
staggering nature of the rewards promised in the Gospels, it would seem that
our Lord finds our desires" - that is our desires for enjoyment -
"not too strong, but too weak. We
are half-hearted creatures," Lewis continues, "fooling about with
drink and sex and ambition when infinite joy is offered us, like an ignorant
child who wants to go on making mud pies in a slum because he cannot imagine
what is meant by the offer of a holiday at the sea. We are far too easily pleased," Lewis
asserts. ..
"Infinite joy is offered
us," as Jesus does in our Gospel text for this evening - heaven itself is
our eternal destination. But yet are we
trying to make our heaven on this fallen earth as if it has anything of any
real, lasting joy? Like "ignorant
children" do we go on making mud pies in a slum"? … Yes are the treasures of this world our
focus? … Not that we cannot enjoy life - after all it is all a gift from God,
but where is our focus? On the slum that we have made out of
this world - or on that goal of our faith - God's paradise of heaven? …
Jesus has become flesh - taking on
our sins and even our death that He might save His people from their sins. He has come to you through the waters of Holy
Baptism and even continues to come to you with His mercy and forgiveness at His
table and with His words of absolution.
He has come to you personally that you might indeed be counted among His
people. And He has promised that He will
come again saying, "I will come back
and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am.".
He has promised. And He
will. He will come again. He promises.
And so during this Advent season - as
Christmas - the celebration of Christ's first advent grows ever closer and
closer - as we prepare for that celebration - let us not loose focus on the
fact that Christ will come again. Let us
live our lives in joyful
expectation of receiving that goal of our faith - the day of Christ's return in
glory - His final and forever Advent. Yes
let's stop making mud pies in the slums and fix our eyes heavenward on our
coming Savior - our Lord Jesus Christ.
And may the peace of God which …