A Sermon for the Twenty-fourth Sunday After Pentecost
The Reverend Pat Gillespie

Malachi 3:13--4:2a,5-6
Psalm 98
2 Thessalonians
s 3:6-13 Luke 21:5-19

"See, the day is coming, burning like an oven, when all the arrogant and all evildoers will be stubble" (Malachi) . . . "The days will come when not one stone will be left upon another; all will be thrown down ... there will be dreadful portents and great signs from heaven" (Luke) . . . "A global financial crash, nuclear meltdowns, hospital life-support system shut downs, a collapse of the air-traffic system are possible without proper attention now" (NY Times 4/2/97).

The media says the apocalypse is coming. It's called Y2K -- the millennium bug. Y2K: year two thousand. There are groups in a state of panic everywhere from the Federal Reserve Board to 14 year old computer geeks to church prayer groups like one called "The Y2K Prayer Shield."

Our way of life is dependent on computers and when the computer calendars turn over for the year 2000 the computers will read "00" and think it means "1900," so folks fear that everything will shut down. It's not just the internet that's in a panic. Even here in Minnesota people are preparing for disaster: Fleet Farm is sold out of survival equipment almost as soon as it arrives. The world of computers -- our beautiful temple, adorned with many wonders of which we are rightly proud -- will be thrown down.

And that's not the only disaster that seems familiar in today's readings. As I sat last night reading "Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom..." I got a call from a young woman in great distress because her friend was going to be sent off to the Gulf ... maybe to war. Then again one reads "... and in various places famines and plagues" -- and one only need listen to the news from Honduras and Guatemala.

So what's a good Christian to do? Which bumper sticker shall we put on our cars? "In the event of the rapture, this care will be empty!" Or "In the event of the rapture, may I have your car?"

What is Jesus talking about? -- the destruction of the Temple, of the Hebrew people's pride and joy. How can such a massive structure be destroyed? The stones themselves were huge -- 60 long 7 1/2 high 9 wide -- and precious gifts from all the known world adorned it. A contemporary writer described the temple as "looming over Jerusalem like a snow clad mountain" (Josephus, Jewish Wars) A source of national pride. But it was destroyed, as Luke knew when he wrote this gospel passage.

Destruction and disaster. And yet God's plan goes on. Again and again we build awesome structures for God or for ourselves -- the impressive Tower of Babel, the magnificent Temple at Jerusalem, the brilliant Information systems of the computer world. And again and again when we rely on them they come crashing down around us.

Doomsday. Destruction. War. Famine. What kind of a God allows this? "It is in vain to serve God. What do we profit by keeping his command?" (Malachi ). When personal disaster and suffering hits -- job loss, illness, death of a loved one. What kind of God allows this? What do we profit be keeping his command?

God responds to the question in Malachi. We are told that "The Lord took note and listened." In response the "book of remembrance" is written including "those who revere God and think on God's name." So, if your name's in the book, you get bumper sticker A and the rising sun of righteousness with healing wings; if not, you get the empty car and it seems also the burning oven?

Is your name in the book? How are we to know? Like the disciples in Luke, I want to ask for a sign of some sort. But instead of offering a sign, Jesus tells us to "Beware that [we] are not led astray!" We're told not to listen to people "coming in his name," and then that we'll be persecuted and betrayed.

Who is going to want to be a follower of Jesus after this kind of message? The Y2K doomsday is enough. Must Christians suffer persecution and betrayal on Jesus' account? Let's just ignore it all and go on with life as usual and hope that that is what Jesus means by the "endurance" that will gain us our souls. Don't panic. Just wait and don't do anything. Let God take care of it. When personal disaster and suffering hits -- job loss, illness, death of a loved one -- is the answer the same? Don't panic. Just wait and don't do anything? Let God take care of it?

But there's another voice here. Did you hear it? "Now we command you, beloved, in the name of our lord Jesus Christ, to keep away from believers who are living in idleness and not according to the tradition that they received from us. Brothers and sisters, do not be weary in doing what is right" (Thessalonians). The end times may be coming, but the faithful believer lives not in idleness but continues to do what is right according the tradition. Maybe this is how we are to "revere the Lord" and so have our names written in that Book of Remembrance.

So what's our tradition? What's right to do? We've got the Ten Commandments. But they only tell us what NOT to do. Where do we look in the tradition to find what's right to do. Our Book of Common Prayer is a good place to start. There are some promises there that new believers make -- things the tradition tells believers to do. They are summed up in the Baptismal Covenant. What work does it tell us to do? Prayer and fellowship, turning toward God, and proclaiming the good news. Serving Christ in all people, striving for justice & peace, and respecting the dignity of every human being. That's plenty to do -- doesn't leave much room for idleness.

So even in the face of disaster and doom, keep it up: Send food or medical supplies or money to Honduras. Pray hard for those who suffer. Tell a friend about God's love. Look for Christ in every person you meet. Advocate for those who cannot speak for themselves. You can imagine your own list to live out your baptismal covenant. Don't be idle. Keep it up.

Even when it seems the world is ending, keep it up. Martin Luther, following wise rabbis before him, said something like "If I know the world ends tomorrow, what shall I do today? I'll plant a tree." Don't be idle. Continue with the work God has given you. This is endurance. This is hope.

Towers and temples fall to the ground. Nations go to war and computer systems self destruct. Friends betray us and illness shatters our lives. But through it all God keeps God's people as a parent with a beloved child. When your world falls apart and doomsday seems just around the corner the response of the faithful is not idleness but continuing to work for God's kingdom: plant trees, look for Christ here and now, strive for justice and peace.

"Brothers and sisters, do not be weary in doing what is right." For sooner or later, the sun of righteousness SHALL rise over you with healing in its wings.

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