by Pastor George Carlson

Grace and peace and hope to you from God our Father and from Christ Jesus, the coming one, our Reconciler.

Happy New Year! Really? Yes! Happy New Year! Today marks the beginning of a new year on the church calendar. I know this new year does not appear on the civil calendar. The Christian church lives with two different calendars, neither of which existed when Jesus walked this earth…the church’s liturgical calendar and the Gregorian calendar we all use.

In this new church we year focus on the gospel of Luke. But we don’t begin at the beginning of this gospel. Today’s text comes almost at the end. Jesus already had entered Jerusalem for his last week of earthly life. Today’s gospel reading lifts up facing endings rather than beginnings.

You and I each face endings throughout our lives. Think about endings you have faced. I pause now so you can think about endings you have faced. (Pause for 30 seconds) Now I will name some endings. If you feel comfortable doing so, I ask you to raise your hand if you have faced that ending:

• End of school year
• Completion of a university degree
• Resigned from a job
• Terminated from employment
• Break up of dating relationship
• Divorce
• Loss of house by fire or other disaster
• Completion of a renovation project
• Moving from a home of 25 years or more
• Loss of good health
• Loss of mobility
• Loss of hearing
• Death of a parent
• Death of a child
• Death of a spouse

We anticipate some endings, others come with no warning. In whatever way an ending comes, we need to face it. Jesus knew that. Luke writes that Jesus had told his followers twice that he would suffer, be rejected, tortured, and killed (Luke 9:22 and 18:32-33). Jesus faced his own ending with deep dedication. He kept doing what God willed…that he loves others no matter who they were or what consequences he would face.

Jesus pointed out several dramatic signs that cause endings—we refer to them as natural disasters. Today we hear of earthquakes, hurricanes, wildfires, climate change, all of which bring endings. Jesus spoke of distress among nations; today we hear of tensions and fighting in several places, of migrants trying to cross borders, of Afghanis in Fort McCoy, of wrangling over redistricting congressional or state legislature districts, of covid vaccines or mask-wearing. How do we face the endings these events, these circumstances bring? Jesus spoke of people fainting from fear and foreboding.

Listen to what Jesus said: “Now when these things begin to take place, stand up and raise your heads, because your redemption is drawing near.” (Luke 21:28) Does that sound easier said than done? By the time Luke wrote this gospel several decades had passed since Jesus had died and been raised. People to whom Luke wrote expected that Jesus would have returned already. Luke writes to remind them of the counsel of Jesus. I hear Jesus say look to the future, not the past. I know we can get caught up in what has happened in the past, the disruptions to our lives, what we’ve lost. Jesus knew, just as we know, that we can’t undo the past. He said to look to the future. Redemption is drawing near. Trusting that promise of Jesus, that freedom from distress and harm in the future will happen, gives us strength to live today.

Jesus tells us to look at hopeful signs of newness today. Every spring we see buds on trees, bulging ground where a buried bulb pushes up new growth, migrating birds returning to nesting areas…all these and more point to the renewing power and presence of God. Jesus saw those as signs that the kingdom of God is near. I think we often look for spectacular, dramatic signs of God’s presence. Jesus sees signs in the common, ordinary events and happenings of creation that God is near. Trusting that God is near can give us courage and strength to face today and the future. Jesus trusted God’s presence even as he faced suffering and death.

The last paragraph in today’s text speaks another truth. Our hearts get weighed down, our lives can feel so heavy due to the endings we face, the challenges that come our way. We may try to avoid or escape them. Jesus spoke the truth when he said, “Be on guard so that your hearts are not weighed down with dissipation and drunkenness and the worries of this life…” (Luke 21:34). Jesus knew that his followers would see other ways to face the future, losing focus and indulging in addictive behavior and fretting and stewing over things beyond our control. He said to his followers and us, “Be alert at all times, praying that you may have the strength to escape all these things that will take place, and to stand before the Son of Man.” (Luke 21:36)

We have no idea when we will stand before the Son of Man. We prepare for the birth of Jesus, his first coming, during the Advent season every church year. But first, today’s text reminds us that Jesus will come again. We heard Luke tell us that Jesus said, “…the powers of the heavens will be shaken. Then they will see ‘the Son of Man coming in a cloud’ with power and great glory” (Luke 21:26b, 27) No one knows when that future will happen. We don’t have the power to determine that future. We have today. We have only this present moment for certain. The signs of new life we see around us in the present help give us confidence that God continues to bring life where only death looked real. Jesus wants us to live fully in this day, this one day that we have for sure. As we each face unknown futures, Jesus has good news for us in three short phrases today:

• “…stand up and raise your heads, because your redemption is drawing near.” (Luke 21:28b)
• “Be on guard so that your hearts are not weighed down…” (Luke 21:34a)
• “Be alert at all times, praying that you may have the strength to escape all these things that will take place, and to stand before the Son of Man.” (Luke 21:36)