(Nov. 27) Sunday Snippet

Mark 13:24-37

The question the gospel puts before us today while we are waiting for the end of the world, while we are living in this time between times, is really very basic and quite simple:  In our teacher’s absence, are we putting forth effort to complete our assignment? 

When Jesus was here with us in the flesh - that was one thing - but in Christ’ absence, in the time between his first Advent and the next - what of our discipleship then? Things between us and God tend to be fine when we are in Church on Sunday eating the bread, drinking the cup, feeling the fellowship, saturating our souls with goodness, noticing the nearness of God. But what about later, when you walk out the church door and are back in the world again?  What then?

God has put us in charge of the classroom, each with our own work to do, and all God is asking of us in order to fulfill our assignment is really very basic and rather quite simple: “Do a good job - behave - believe.” Christ is coming again, and we need him to come again, too many of God’s children have become unruly, too many of God’s classrooms are not working on their assignments, too many of God’s children still don’t take their spirituality seriously enough. 

While we long for Christ’ return, as Israel longed for the coming of the Lord in the Old Testament “Oh, that you would burst from the heavens and come down!  Oh how the mountains would quake in your presence.”  (Isaiah the prophet proclaimed, 64:1)  “Since the day of the Lord will come like a thief…you ought to live holy and godly lives as you look forward to the day of God and speed its coming.”  (Peter points out in his second letter to the church… 3:10-12).

While we long for the time when the classroom will be a place of harmony and peace; for the time when things will finally be straightened out; the time when the wicked will perish and the faithful will at last receive their righteous reward… While we long for this moment in time, we need not be overly concerned about exactly when ‘the end of the world’ will come, we need not stand around wondering what we should do, we do not need to waste time with worry because while we wait for the Teacher to return, in the meantime, while we wait, God has given us homework to do!