Who is in? Who is out?

Isaiah 2:1-5 Romans 13:11-14 Matthew 24:36-44 Psalm 122
The Rev. Stephen Denny

Keep Awake! You know what time it is, how it is now the moment for you to wake from sleep. Amen.

A common question asked when one begins to ponder the meaning of today’s Gospel reading is “who is in” and “who is out.” In other words, “will I be the one left behind or the one who will be taken?” This section of Matthew’s Gospel also causes one to ponder, “Is Jesus return imminent?”

If I have not already lost you, please take a moment. Relax, close your eyes and ask your self the following. “Am I in, part of God’s Kingdom;” or, “am I out?” Will I be the one taken; or, the one left behind?” Ask, “What must I do to inherit eternal life?” (The reader is encouraged to take time to do pause and reflect.)

Do you remember the story of the young man asking Jesus, “Teacher, what good deed must I do to have eternal life?” Jesus responds “Why do you ask me about what is good? There is only one who is good. If you wish to enter into life, keep the commandments.” The young man being aware that there were many commandments asks “Which ones?” Jesus responds, “You shall not murder. You shall not commit adultery; You shall not steal; You shall not bear false witness; Honor your father and mother; also, You shall love your neighbor as yourself.” The young man replies, “I have kept all these; what do I still lack?” Jesus says, “If you wish to be perfect, go, sell your possessions, and give the money to the poor and you will have treasure in heaven; then come, follow me.” “When the young man heard this word, he went away grieving, for he had many possessions.”

Jesus, wishing to illustrate a point to the disciples, says to them, “Truly I tell you, it will be hard for a rich person to enter the kingdom of heaven. Again I tell you, it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for someone who is rich to enter the kingdom of God.”

The disciples are astounded by this and ask, “Then who can be saved?”

Now for the punch line, let those who have ears to hear listen to what Jesus is saying to you, “For mortals it is impossible, but for God all things are possible.”

God so loved the world that he sent his only son that we should not perish but have eternal life.

Today, let us put to rest the question of whether you are in or out of God’s kingdom, realizing that with God, all things are possible.

Remember what Jesus said to the rich young man; “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.” And the rich man replies, “I have kept all these; what do I still lack?” The young man’s response is an interesting one, because he says he has kept all these commandments but believes he still lacks something.

Jesus tells the young man, “If you wish to be perfect, go sell your possessions, and give the money to the poor.

Think about this for a moment. The young man has just said he has kept the commandment, “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.” but Jesus tells the young man to rethink his keeping of the commandments, for he has many possessions. “If he has many possessions, and people are poor, how can he love his neighbor as himself?”

Jesus is saying to the young man and the disciples, being saved is not about your wealth or status in the community, or whether you are perfect, it is having faith that in God, all things are possible.

Remember the laundry list of commandments Jesus gave to the young man?
“You shall not murder.
You shall not commit adultery;
You shall not steal;
You shall not bear false witness;
Honor your father and mother;
also, You shall love your neighbor as yourself.”

I do not know about you, but my reading of this lists causes me to shudder, because, I know I have not kept them. If my saving was all about keeping these commandments, then there is no way I would be saved.

Something obvious about these commandments is every one of them is about our relationship to others. Every commandment is about building a community in order to participate in God’s life giving design for all people. Eternal life is about realizing our dependence on God’s saving power while we strive to be ready through our active participation in God’s kingdom. Again, Eternal life is about realizing our dependence on God’s saving power while striving to be ready through our active participation in God’s kingdom.

I think I have said a form of this in every sermon of the last several years, but it is important to say. Salvation comes from our faith that God can save us. God can shape us while we strive to love God, love our neighbors, and love ourselves. Being ready recognizes our dependence on God and our responsibility to build God’s kingdom on earth; to share the Good News of Salvation by living the Good news of salvation.

So who is left behind? Some would say, those who do not believe, those who do not recognize their dependence on God for forgiveness, those who do not realize they are lacking, or those who do not actively work to build the community of God on earth. Some would say, it would be disobeying the Holy Spirit. For me, I have to believe that, with God, all things are possible. To believe anything less would be to say the power of God to save is limited, that God’s love is not enough. The proper response for me is not to worry about if I am saved, but to build God’s community on earth in a way that loves and respects everyone.

We have two tasks:
To trust by faith that God’s love is enough; and, to love everyone as much as God does.

This does not mean we have to totally sacrifice ourselves in order to be saved because to love everyone, includes loving ourselves.

For me to love God, I have to make room in my life for God, and this is best achieved by my finding a proper balance between my doing out of love for God, and my being in the love of God. I have to find a balance between my response to a loving God and my allowing God to speak to me, to dwell with me.

Next question: is Jesus return imminent?
In the Gospel reading, Jesus drives home a point saying, “But about that day and hour no one knows, neither the angels of heaven, nor the Son, but only the father.” So lets not you and I worry so much about when Jesus will return. Let us instead look at how we live in the moment, dwelling in the love of God and sharing that love with others. Our task is not to determine the date of Jesus return, but to live every moment as if it were happening now. Keep awake.

If you are still with me, please indulge me one more time by closing your eyes and again ask yourself the following, “Am I in, part of God’s Kingdom; or, am I out?” Will I be the one taken; or, the one left behind?” Ask Jesus “What must I do to inherit eternal life?” Some of you may feel that you should be left behind for something you have done or left undone. If this is the case, ask Jesus to come and stand beside you and lead you to eternal life. (The reader is encouraged to take time to pause and reflect.)

As you and I go about our lives preparing for Christmas, the coming of the Christ child, let us be aware that the best gift we can share is the love of God.

O house of Saint John,
come, let us walk
in the light of the Lord. Amen.

The Lessons Appointed for Use on the First Sunday of Advent Year A RCL

Isaiah 2:1-5 Romans 13:11-14 Matthew 24:36-44 Psalm 122

Collect
Almighty God, give us grace to cast away the works of darkness, and put on the armor of light, now in the time of this mortal life in which your Son Jesus Christ came to visit us in great humility; that in the last day, when he shall come again in his glorious majesty to judge both the living and the dead, we may rise to the life immortal; through him who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen.

Isaiah 2:1-5
The word that Isaiah son of Amoz saw concerning Judah and Jerusalem.

In days to come
the mountain of the LORD's house
shall be established as the highest of the mountains,
and shall be raised above the hills;
all the nations shall stream to it.
Many peoples shall come and say,
"Come, let us go up to the mountain of the LORD,
to the house of the God of Jacob;
that he may teach us his ways
and that we may walk in his paths."
For out of Zion shall go forth instruction,
and the word of the LORD from Jerusalem.
He shall judge between the nations,
and shall arbitrate for many peoples;
they shall beat their swords into plowshares,
and their spears into pruning hooks;
nation shall not lift up sword against nation,
neither shall they learn war any more.
O house of Jacob,
come, let us walk
in the light of the LORD!

Psalm 122 Page 779, BCP
Laetatus sum

1 I was glad when they said to me, *
"Let us go to the house of the LORD."

2 Now our feet are standing *
within your gates, O Jerusalem.

3 Jerusalem is built as a city *
that is at unity with itself;

4 To which the tribes go up,
the tribes of the LORD, *
the assembly of Israel,
to praise the Name of the LORD.

5 For there are the thrones of judgment, *
the thrones of the house of David.

6 Pray for the peace of Jerusalem: *
"May they prosper who love you.

7 Peace be within your walls *
and quietness within your towers.

8 For my brethren and companions' sake, *
I pray for your prosperity.

9 Because of the house of the LORD our God, *
I will seek to do you good."

Romans 13:11-14
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 armor of light; let us live honorably as in the day, not in reveling and drunkenness, not in debauchery and licentiousness, not in quarreling and jealousy. Instead, put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh, to gratify its desires.

Matthew 24:36-44
Jesus said to the disciples, "But about that day and hour no one knows, neither the angels of heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father. For as the days of Noah were, so will be the coming of the Son of Man. For as in those days before the flood they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day Noah entered the ark, and they knew nothing until the flood came and swept them all away, so too will be the coming of the Son of Man. Then two will be in the field; one will be taken and one will be left. Two women will be grinding meal together; one will be taken and one will be left. Keep awake therefore, for you do not know on what day your Lord is coming. But understand this: if the owner of the house had known in what part of the night the thief was coming, he would have stayed awake and would not have let his house be broken into. Therefore you also must be ready, for the Son of Man is coming at an unexpected hour."