The Sunday Link- Our Hope is Jesus – Matthew 24:3-24 | SL20251130

Today is the first Sunday of Advent, a season of waiting — we wait for the coming of the Lord.  Advent focuses on three “comings” — Jesus’ arrival in history as the babe born of the virgin Mary, his glorious return at the end of the age, and his intermediate entrance into and presence in our personal lives by his Spirit.  Advent includes looking back and looking forward, looking in wonder at the promises of God from beginning to end.  The whole of the Old Testament is the text for Advent.

The theme for this week’s sermon is His Coming is Our Hope.

In our sermon, Matthew describes the day of the coming of the Lord and tells us to be ready.

BLESSING

• Mark 10:13‑16  Then they brought little children to Him, that He might touch them; but the disciples rebuked those who brought them.  ¹⁴ But when Jesus saw it, He was greatly displeased and said to them, “Let the little children come to Me, and do not forbid them; for of such is the kingdom of God.  ¹⁵ Assuredly, I say to you, whoever does not receive the kingdom of God as a little child will by no means enter it.”  ¹⁶ And He took them up in His arms, laid His hands on them, and blessed them.   

Officiant says:

Children are a blessing and a reason to rejoice.  For this reason, we follow Jesus’ example in blessing the small children in our congregations.

When one member rejoices, we all rejoice, and it is our pleasure today to join in celebrating this precious child and praying together to affirm God’s love for him/her and to thank God for his blessing and presence with him/her as  he/she grows throughout life.

Will [name of child’s] mother/father/parents please come forward, and all his/her brothers and sisters, too, if they would like?

When everyone is assembled, the officiant continues:

In Jesus, we are all children of the Father, completely dependent on him, just as this child is dependent on his/her [use appropriate relationship, whether parents/mother/guardian/uncle/aunt/grandmother, etc] for  life, protection, and training.  We respect and cherish [name of child] and know that our Father himself loves him/her even more deeply than any of us can.

Although this child is very young, [first names of parents or guardian] have already prayed countless times for him/her.  No doubt we shall pray for him/her many times again, each in our own way and privately before our Father in heaven.  Let us pray together now, rejoicing over this young life in our congregation, recognizing our dependence on our Creator, and committing this child to the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit.

The child may then be anointed with oil by dipping a finger in the oil and applying it to the child’s forehead^[1] while saying:

You are blessed by the Holy Spirit and beloved as the Father’s own child in Christ forever. Amen.

The officiant may then lay hands on the child’s head or shoulders and bless the child in prayer.

Sample prayer:

Father in heaven, we thank you for our adoption as your children through your Son Jesus Christ. Today we rejoice with [parents’ or guardians’ names] and their family  in the life of [child’s first name]. Thank you, Father, for giving us [child’s first name].  Guard him/her from danger and evil.  May the Holy Spirit assure him/her of your everlasting love  and of his/her place in your Son’s resurrection and ascension.

We pray for his/her parents/guardians, that you would bless them and their extended family with assurance and faith to raise [child’s first name] in the nurture and admonition of Christ, to know the gospel and rest in your love and power.  All this we pray in the name of Jesus our Savior and life, giving glory and thanks to you always. Amen.

If the blessing takes place during the worship service, the officiant concludes by asking the congregation to support the child as a part of the church family.

Officiant asks the congregation: “Do you receive [name of the child] into the fellowship of the Body of Christ here at [name of the congregation]?”

Congregation responds: “We do.”

Officiant asks: “Will you love, uphold and support [name of the child] in his/her life in Christ?”

Congregation responds: “We will, in the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ.”

Officiant states: “[Name of the child] we praise God and give thanks   for you   in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.”

SONG

SERMON

Our Hope is Jesus

Matthew 24:36-41, 42-44

Today is the first Sunday of Advent, and we focus on Jesus being our hope.  But what exactly are we hoping for?  We often talk about Jesus’ coming as if it is only something that happens in the future.  The truth is Jesus is already here — living in us through the Holy Spirit.  He is not only our hope for the future, but also our present reality.

For Christians, our biggest hope is tied into our waiting with anticipation for the full establishment of God’s kingdom — a time when there will be no more sadness, pain, or war.  This hope is described in the last book of the Bible, called REVELATION.  It paints a picture of a peaceful future where all suffering ends.  Is that something you hope for?

That hope isn’t just for the future.  Christians also believe Jesus is already with us in a spiritual way, through someone called the Holy Spirit — God who lives within believers.  So, Jesus is both a future hope and a present comfort.

This longing for a better world isn’t new or unique.  Even Jesus’ first followers — his students, called disciples — were hoping for freedom from the Roman Empire, which ruled over them harshly.  They believed Jesus was the one who would bring the change they had been waiting for — freedom from occupation and oppression.  How many people today long for this world to change?

Today’s sermon text in Matthew is part of one of Jesus’ longer discussions with his disciples, and is the direct result of their question, “Lord, when will the kingdom come, and what are the signs we should be watching for?”  When will the change we long for happen?

Let’s read Matthew 24:36-41, 42-44.

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 the 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 hour you do not expect.

After all the background he gave them about some of the signs they would experience,  and that we would look back on,  he was quite clear about the timing:

But about that day and hour no one knows, neither the angels of heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father. Matthew 24:36 NRSVUE

Even the Son of Man did not know the “day and hour” when he shared this with his disciples.  So, predicting any potential date is a foolish endeavor.

What Jesus seems to be telling the disciples (and us) is you (we) don’t need to worry.  Don’t worry about when; just know it will happen and be ready.  Have faith, trust me, it will happen.  And he continues:

For as the days of Noah were, so will be the coming of the Son of Man.  For as in the 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.  Matthew 24:37–39 NRSVUE

Jesus makes it even clearer — and a bit more relative for us to consider.  No one expected the flood.  Times seemed normal to most in Noah’s day, the people were living “normal” lives.  They were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage — in other words, they were living their lives, never expecting God’s intervention.

Peter describes Noah as a “preacher of righteousness,” indicating he spent time warning others of their wickedness.  Scripture doesn’t say, but we can assume his warnings were met with mockery and disbelief.

They never saw the flood coming, perhaps because they didn’t see things as being that bad.  They didn’t see the need for change.  Certainly, they hoped some things would change, better leadership perhaps, perhaps less taxation, more income, more freedom.  But  overall,  they didn’t see the need for God to intervene.  Maybe they were content with the status quo.  They knew nothing until the flood came and swept them away.

But there’s another way to look at this.  They didn’t see it coming because they had no hope things would change.  They accepted their way of life filled with pain and suffering as “the way it is.”   They had no hope for a solution, and Noah’s warning, if it reached them, didn’t make sense.  They had no hope because they had turned away from the One who gives us hope.

This is important to help us understand the next part of this passage.

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.  Matthew 24:40–41 NRSVUE

People have debated for centuries what this means.  But the bigger point is this: some people are ready for change, for rescue, for something better – and others are not.

And going back to the example of Noah, Jesus could be referring to their blindness.  “They knew nothing.”  They didn’t have an expectation of something better.  They had no hope in a Savior  because  they didn’t believe in a Savior.

Proverbs 29:18 says, “where there is no vision, the people perish” (KJV).  I like the way George Washington Carver stated this premise. He said, “Where there is no vision, there is no hope.”  Do you ever feel hopeless?  A modern version might be: “If you can’t imagine things getting better, you stop trying.”

Jesus continues:

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 hour you do not expect.  Matthew 24:42–44 NRSVUE

What could be the point Jesus is making here?  Jesus’ message has been consistent throughout Scripture — keep your eyes on me; I am love and you belong to me.

The one who loves you will usher in the kingdom.  We don’t need to worry about prophetic events or be fearful of a thief breaking into the house.  You don’t know what day Jesus will return, but you don’t need to know, because you are always ready to welcome him, to worship him, to join him, to participate with him.  And whenever he returns, we can be assured that it will be good because Jesus is good!  

So, we can live with a sense of anticipation, purpose, and hope, not dread.  Jesus is bringing the better world we hope for.  Believe in Jesus.  Trust that he is with you.  And live like someone who is waiting for something wonderful.

This week, take a few moments to quietly talk to God.  Ask for hope to grow in your heart.  Try to rest in the hope that things will change.

SONG OF RESPONSE

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