Advent 1B 2023
Lutheran Service Book Three Year Lectionary • Sermon • Submitted • Presented
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Text: “35 Therefore stay awake—for you do not know when the master of the house will come, in the evening, or at midnight, or when the rooster crows, or in the morning— 36 lest he come suddenly and find you asleep. 37 And what I say to you I say to all: Stay awake.”” (Mark 13:35-37)
There can be something worse than being paranoid: being peaceful.
Peaceful seems like it would be better than paranoid by definition, but that’s not necessarily the case. That’s true in today’s gospel reading. It’s also true in our culture.
Some of you may be familiar with a book called “Amusing Ourselves to Death” by Neil Postman. If you’ll forgive me for oversimplifying the book ridiculously, he warns that we’re in danger of being enslaved. The danger isn’t the George Orwell vision of a future in which our thoughts are controlled by this great power above us, but because we have become addicted to our own amusement. As long as the newest television series keeps us entertained, as long as the Lions are playing well, as long as we’ve got the latest version of the Fortnight video game, then we’re content. We don’t worry about the decisions being made way off in Washington. They’re complicated. They force us to think, which isn’t very entertaining. So we go back to our binge-watching and video games. As I said, the book goes a lot further than that. But, in a nutshell, he warns that we’re amusing ourselves to death.
That’s very similar to Jesus’ warning today, as well: “Stay awake”!
This is the other side to the question of when Jesus will return. We don’t get all caught up, as some do, in trying to predict the day. We point to Mark 13:32 and stand firm on Jesus’ statement that no one knows the day or the hour that He will return except the Father. But make sure you hear the whole passage. “28 From the fig tree learn its lesson: as soon as its branch becomes tender and puts out its leaves, you know that summer is near” (Mark 13:28). No, don’t worry about predicting the day, but pay attention to the season. See the signs that Jesus has given and understand that He is coming back soon. The fact that you do not know the day or the hour should make you more vigilant, not less. Stay awake.
It is an important warning because that simple command is just as difficult for you and me as it was for the disciples with Jesus in the Garden of Gethsemane. “Could you not watch with me one hour?” Jesus asked Peter (Matthew 26:40; Mark 14:37). The spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak. It is easy to point the finger at the people around you who sleepwalk through life, chasing after their happiness at the bottom of a bottle or in a stranger’s bed or in a thousand different ways, but what about you?
There are far too many Christians who are sleepwalking through this life. Most Christians are not as crass as that. They would be embarrassed to carry on like unbelievers do— or, at least, they do a better job of hiding it. But that doesn’t mean that they’re awake. They were baptized once, but don’t make it back very often. They own a Bible, but never read it. Really the only time they think about God is when they need something— when they or someone they love are sick, when they struggling. But, as long as they’re comfortable, they have more important things to think about. “19 Their end is destruction, their god is their belly, and they glory in their shame, with minds set on earthly things” (Philippians 3:19).
They are completely at peace, right up until the moment that sudden destruction comes upon them (1 Thessalonians 5:3). The day will come upon them like a thief in the night (1 Thessalonians 5:2) and they will not escape the judgment (1 Thessalonians 5:3).
And it’s not just your own weakness that you’re fighting against. You have other reasons to stay awake that are just as urgent. St. Peter, for example, gives you a similar warning: “8 Be sober-minded; be watchful. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour” (1 Peter 5:8-9). He will gladly devour you and your faith by deceiving and misleading you into false belief, despair, and other great shame and vice.
“The devil instills in [you] an insatiable desire for earthly things so he can lead [you] away from the way of righteousness and bind [you] by the shackles of covetousness. He inflames [you] with the spur of wrath so [your] heart burns within to bring injury to my neighbor. Out of nowhere, the devil incites [you] to love and lust for pleasures, then he inspires jealousy and ambition in [your] soul. Before he casts [you] headlong into sin, he persuades [you] that sin is lighter than a feather, lighter than a leaf on the air. As soon as he casts [you] headlong into sin, he repeatedly asserts that sin is greater than heaven and earth and heavier than the balance of divine mercy. Finally, [you] am driven to despair.”
Johann Gerhard. “Meditations on Divine Mercy.”
He constantly— in a thousand ways— tries to drag you back into the sleep of sin and despair. Far too many are caught by him long before the Day of the Lord catches them.
Are you truly not asleep?
“My neighbor dies a physical death, and [you] mourn and groan day and night, though physical death brings no harm to the godly person because it provides a transition to the heavenly kingdom. [Your] neighbor dies a spiritual death by committing mortal sins, and [you] watch my neighbor die without concern. [You] am not grieved at all, though sin is the true death of the soul through which comes the inestimable loss of divine grace and eternal life.”
Johann Gerhard. “Meditations on Divine Mercy.”
There was, of course, one person in the Garden of Gethsemane that night who was able to stay awake, watching and praying. Not only was Jesus’ spirit willing, but His flesh was more than strong enough for the task. But that is obviously no surprise. His entire life and ministry He was preparing for the first Day of the Lord. It’s not clear if He knew, exactly, when that day was coming. But He know what would take place. And He was ready and willing.
That, first, Day of the Lord was, for Him a day of wrath and judgment. The sun was darkened and the moon did not give its light. (Mark 13:24). Satan did his worst, marshaling one of the great powers the earth has seen to cause Him to suffer and to die. But, with Jesus’ death, Satan’s power was undone. Even when Jesus’ body was laid in the tomb, it was only to sleep— to rest from all His work that He had done in redeeming His creation.
“[You] have no power that can sustain [you] against [the devil]. [Watch. Stay awake. Turn to] Christ, [the] most powerful lion of the tribe of Judah, ...in [Him] and through [Him you are] able to overcome this infernal lion (Revelation 5:5). [Christ has] fought and won for [you], [and, every day, He] fight[s] and win[s] in [you] so [His] strength may be made perfect in [your] weakness (2 Corinthians 12:9). [He opens the] eyes of [your] mind [from sinful sleep] so [you] can see these satanic traps. [He directs your] feet so [you] can flee the devil’s hidden snares. ...The presence of [His] grace confirms the promise of victory. [He prepares] and arm[s you] with the power of [His] might (Ephesians 6:10) so in this battle of the war, [you are] able to stand firm and hereafter judge that enemy by whom [you are] attacked (1 Corinthians 6:3).”
Johann Gerhard. “Meditations on Divine Mercy.”
“When [you] sleep, [Christ’s] providential eye watches over [you] to prevent that hellish enemy, who walks around like a roaring lion (1 Peter 5:8), from surprising [you] with his traps and powers. When Satan attacks [you] with his temptations by day, the strength of [Christ’s] right hand comforts [you] in the kindest way and prevents that deceitful tempter from enticing [you] into his snares. ”
Johann Gerhard. “Meditations on Divine Mercy.”
“4 …You are not in darkness, brothers, for [the Day of the Lord] to surprise you like a thief. 5 For you are all children of light, children of the day. We are not of the night or of the darkness. 6 So then let us not sleep, as others do, but let us keep awake and be sober. 7 For those who sleep, sleep at night, and those who get drunk, are drunk at night. 8 But since we belong to the day, let us be sober, having put on the breastplate of faith and love, and for a helmet the hope of salvation. 9 For God has not destined us for wrath, but to obtain salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ, 10 who died for us so that whether we are awake or asleep we might live with him.” (1 Thessalonians 5:4-10).
Satan will continue to attack you. “13 Be watchful, stand firm in the faith, act like men, be strong. 14 Let all that you do be done in love” (1 Corinthians 16:13-14)
Even in death, you will remain awake. As your body sleeps securely in the grave, your soul will continue praising God and praying for Christ’s return to this earth and the day when all things are made new.
“35 Therefore stay awake—for you do not know when the master of the house will come, in the evening, or at midnight, or when the rooster crows, or in the morning— 36 lest he come suddenly and find you asleep. 37 And what I say to you I say to all: Stay awake.”” (Mark 13:35-37)