Shepherd of the Springs
Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod

Theme: Preparation When the Time is Unknown

Therefore you also must be ready, for the Son of Man is coming at an hour you do not expect. (Vs. 44)

When it comes to being prepared for Christmas and our observance of the birth of Christ, there are some things that we think we understand, things that we can anticipate - things that we can factor into our preparation. For instance, because we know exactly when our day of celebration of Christ’s birthday will take place - December 25^th - we know just how many shopping days we have left. We know when we will have to have our packages mailed off to reach family and friends by the various shipping services, including the always adventurous U.S. Postal Service. And, We know when we will have to have to show up, and what we must bring to the various company or workplace get-togethers of the season that we will be attending. We even know, or we should know, when Shepherd will be holding its festival and divine service observances of the birth of Christ . . . . Of these events and perhaps others that are already on our calendar, we know the day and we know the hour for just how, when, and where we must be for all things to turn out as they should with a minimum of confusion and hassle.

But here this evening as we begin the preparation that is the Season of Advent, you are invited to prepare for more than our national December 25th observance of the birth of Jesus. You are invited to prepare for the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ to you, to you in a three-fold sense: yes, in to you as the Christ child born in Bethlehem, 2000 years ago, but also his coming to you again and again, reaching and nurturing a heart of faith through his Gospel and saving gifts; and then also, his climatic coming to bring this age to a close and usher you into the fullness of the salvation He has promised for you since before the creation of the foundations of this world. It is this final climactic coming of the Christ, that we consider this evening, but also, especially, the preparation that is needed to be ready for that day. What is particularly a problematic and a challenge for this preparation is that the time of his arrival is clouded in much uncertainty. When we focus on the coming of the risen and ascended Christ in all his glory, our preparation during the Advent Season involves a preparing for the unknown. Being and getting ready for to observe this coming of Christ means that our calendars and date books will be of no use, as Jesus indicates in our text; it will be a time least expected and he will come like a thief in the night.

What is particularly crucial to understand about this coming of our Lord is that it will be His last visitation to this fallen world of sinners. The days of grace, the days of the Lord’s presence to bring his peace with God to the lives of sinners in need of His reconciliation will come to an end in that day and hour. . . an unknown day and hour that will come as a surprise, a time least expected. In that day the gift of grace, the gift of reconciliation with God, will no longer be available to those who lack it. The Christ of glory will bring to a close the Christ of the cross. It will be a glorious day for all who are already living with Christ the crucified, for they shall be partakers of the Glory of the Lord and the fullness of his Kingdom. Those who have received the inheritance of his death to sin, will be raised up to resurrected new life that shares in His glory. God’s forbearance, and forgiveness will give way to wonderful forever.

But, and here is the sobering reality . . . this will come to pass only for those who are already living in the cross of our Lord. Only those who have died to sin with Him, will live with Him in glory. Only those who are joined to the cross will enjoy a day when the cross is transformed into glory. You must, in the words of Christ and the apostles, prepare for that day and be ready even though you do not know when it will be. Look therefore not at the condition of your calendar of events for this coming month or your bank account anticipating your events that connect with the culture’s Christmas season. Rather, look to the condition of your heart which would bear the crucified Christ and his saving gifts. It is the Lord who has made a kind of a manger out of your heart to bear Himself - the child of Bethlehem and the crucified Christ and all his gifts and promises. And that manger in which he is held in your heart is made of repentance and faith as it has been fashioned by the Spirit through the Law and Gospel. You are invited this Advent Season to reflect on its condition, your need of your Savior and the unexpected urgency of being ready to receive Him when He returns in glory - that day which will be the climax of Christmas, Easter, and Ascension Day.

Are you ready for the coming of your Lord? Today is the day to inspect your hunger and confidence in His forgiveness and divine inheritance. Today is the time to prepare making his manger in the heart - repentance and faith - robust by his Saving Word and work. Today is the time for such preparation. Its Advent. He is coming. When? Soon!

In the Name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. A-men.