The Eternal Coming
Commentary
Promises are made.Everybody looks for signs. Many set dates and devise calendars. The dates pass without anything happening. The cycle begins again.
Two things appear always to be the case:
1. God always makes promises.
2. People generally misunderstand.
1. God promises to move in the midst of human affairs and take some sort of action. It is the way we know God. We do not know what he looks like but we can tell what he is like by what he does. Generally we know best about what he does as we view the scene in retrospect.
2. Inevitably we attempt to make his promises concrete and definite. If one can be specific it seems to help. The problem is that all too often the specifics are drawn in terms of our hopes, our dreams, our ideas.
That God is going to act is seldom under question. Whether he is going to act as we imagine or project is always subject to question.
Another dimension of our thinking about God's promises needs consideration. It is interesting that when we try to be specific about what God will do we set it out as if what God is to do will be the last thing he will do. The biblical record depicts a God who moves from one event to another, never bringing off some end we envision, but always walking into the future ahead of us.
All our talk about second comings, the end of things, etc. seems to me to be quite wide of the biblical message.
What we discover in the biblical record is a God who is constantly making an advent. He shows up on every scene. He is involved in every place. No hour is without his presence. To say that he is the Alpha and Omega is not to say that he was there at the outset and will determine the end. It is, rather, to say that no place exists and no time marches by without his notice and his care.
OUTLINE I
A Definition of Faith: Waiting
Jeremiah 33:14-16
Introduction: Old Testament sermons ought never to be preached without a history lesson. Review the background of the times of Jeremiah. Inform the people of the times of the exile of the early sixth century B.C. Let them live for a few moments with the despair of Psalm 77 and 137. Only then are they ready for such messages as those brought by the prophet Jeremiah.
Jeremiah's Advice: Contrary to the popular prophets of his day, Jeremiah contends that the exile is going to last a while and the exiles ought to settle in for a long siege. Check out chapter 29.
The people of Jeremiah's day were pretty much like us. No matter what God had done for them in the past they wanted to know what he had done for them lately. They, too, worshiped at the altars of the gods who promised instant response. When the response was not instant they despaired and were ready to look elsewhere for gods. Ask the people if that sounds familiar.
Jeremiah's Word: Jeremiah offers God's word and nothing else. The day will come when God will act. They can depend on it. That is all they are going to get -- his promise.
Jeremiah's word is a call to faith. It is a call to commit one's cause to God and to wait. Perhaps he and the poet of Psalm 27 were contemporaries.
The prophet word is always the same: You can bet on God. He vindicates his people. Probably never on their calendar of expectations but in the end it will be God whose will is revealed and done.
Conclusion: Call to mind several circumstances which relate to your congregation and show our impatience. Ask whether we are willing to trust -- and wait.
OUTLINE II
In the Meantime
Luke 21:25-36
Introduction: Do some work on the situation existent at the time of the writing of the Gospel of Luke. If one listens with a sharp ear, the sound of a church in trouble is in the air. These are the days of Domitian and terrible persecution. There are those who are looking for a heavenly rescue. Take a look at Acts 1. The disciples who are looking up in the sky have their eyes brought back to earth by the man in white. It is the Gospel of Luke that depicts a church moving from awaiting some cosmic rescue to being a church turned to the world. The words of Luke are addressed to such a church.
Cosmic Signs: All the universe is involved in God's actions. These are dramatic words couched in good apocalyptic style. They depict a situation of fear and dread. Too often we focus too much on this passage when we should focus on the next one.
What God Will Do: A word of encouragement is spoken. Look up, raise your heads, you are about to be saved. The imagery is from Daniel. It is a word of encouragement for the faithful.
Earthly Signs: Everywhere there are parables for what is envisioned. Both in heaven and earth. But do not linger looking at signs.
What God Will Do: Surely God is in all that takes place. There is a word of warning to those who are not alert. Watch. Be ready. Hang in there.
Conclusion: Both the call to faithfulness and the warning against carelessness are timely in any age. In any age this message has relevance to any congregation that is composed of both kinds of persons. They come to a people now who, like Luke's people, live between despair and hope, in the meantime and are encouraged to be faithful.
OUTLINE III
What to Wish
1 Thessalonians 3:9-13
Introduction: Do some work on Paul's relationship with the congregation at Thessalonica. See Acts 17 for an interesting sidelight. The very tenor of the passage for today indicates that Paul had a good relationship with these people and coveted for them God's best gifts.
A. A Strengthened Faith: What better gift to wish for others? Paul knows where to begin. He wants to strengthen and prepare the inner person.
B. An Increase in Love: Paul then turns to their relationships with one another. Now that they are individually stronger, they need to work on their fellowship. A good thing for any church.
C. Holiness: Now Paul covets for them that which prepares them for their relationship with God. He wants them to be acceptable to God and ready to enter the presence of God and their Lord Jesus Christ.
Conclusion: What more could one wish for his friends or for his church? Verses 11-13 comprise the kind of prayer we ought to be praying for one another, and this entire passage comprises the kind of wishing we ought to be wishing for one another.
Two things appear always to be the case:
1. God always makes promises.
2. People generally misunderstand.
1. God promises to move in the midst of human affairs and take some sort of action. It is the way we know God. We do not know what he looks like but we can tell what he is like by what he does. Generally we know best about what he does as we view the scene in retrospect.
2. Inevitably we attempt to make his promises concrete and definite. If one can be specific it seems to help. The problem is that all too often the specifics are drawn in terms of our hopes, our dreams, our ideas.
That God is going to act is seldom under question. Whether he is going to act as we imagine or project is always subject to question.
Another dimension of our thinking about God's promises needs consideration. It is interesting that when we try to be specific about what God will do we set it out as if what God is to do will be the last thing he will do. The biblical record depicts a God who moves from one event to another, never bringing off some end we envision, but always walking into the future ahead of us.
All our talk about second comings, the end of things, etc. seems to me to be quite wide of the biblical message.
What we discover in the biblical record is a God who is constantly making an advent. He shows up on every scene. He is involved in every place. No hour is without his presence. To say that he is the Alpha and Omega is not to say that he was there at the outset and will determine the end. It is, rather, to say that no place exists and no time marches by without his notice and his care.
OUTLINE I
A Definition of Faith: Waiting
Jeremiah 33:14-16
Introduction: Old Testament sermons ought never to be preached without a history lesson. Review the background of the times of Jeremiah. Inform the people of the times of the exile of the early sixth century B.C. Let them live for a few moments with the despair of Psalm 77 and 137. Only then are they ready for such messages as those brought by the prophet Jeremiah.
Jeremiah's Advice: Contrary to the popular prophets of his day, Jeremiah contends that the exile is going to last a while and the exiles ought to settle in for a long siege. Check out chapter 29.
The people of Jeremiah's day were pretty much like us. No matter what God had done for them in the past they wanted to know what he had done for them lately. They, too, worshiped at the altars of the gods who promised instant response. When the response was not instant they despaired and were ready to look elsewhere for gods. Ask the people if that sounds familiar.
Jeremiah's Word: Jeremiah offers God's word and nothing else. The day will come when God will act. They can depend on it. That is all they are going to get -- his promise.
Jeremiah's word is a call to faith. It is a call to commit one's cause to God and to wait. Perhaps he and the poet of Psalm 27 were contemporaries.
The prophet word is always the same: You can bet on God. He vindicates his people. Probably never on their calendar of expectations but in the end it will be God whose will is revealed and done.
Conclusion: Call to mind several circumstances which relate to your congregation and show our impatience. Ask whether we are willing to trust -- and wait.
OUTLINE II
In the Meantime
Luke 21:25-36
Introduction: Do some work on the situation existent at the time of the writing of the Gospel of Luke. If one listens with a sharp ear, the sound of a church in trouble is in the air. These are the days of Domitian and terrible persecution. There are those who are looking for a heavenly rescue. Take a look at Acts 1. The disciples who are looking up in the sky have their eyes brought back to earth by the man in white. It is the Gospel of Luke that depicts a church moving from awaiting some cosmic rescue to being a church turned to the world. The words of Luke are addressed to such a church.
Cosmic Signs: All the universe is involved in God's actions. These are dramatic words couched in good apocalyptic style. They depict a situation of fear and dread. Too often we focus too much on this passage when we should focus on the next one.
What God Will Do: A word of encouragement is spoken. Look up, raise your heads, you are about to be saved. The imagery is from Daniel. It is a word of encouragement for the faithful.
Earthly Signs: Everywhere there are parables for what is envisioned. Both in heaven and earth. But do not linger looking at signs.
What God Will Do: Surely God is in all that takes place. There is a word of warning to those who are not alert. Watch. Be ready. Hang in there.
Conclusion: Both the call to faithfulness and the warning against carelessness are timely in any age. In any age this message has relevance to any congregation that is composed of both kinds of persons. They come to a people now who, like Luke's people, live between despair and hope, in the meantime and are encouraged to be faithful.
OUTLINE III
What to Wish
1 Thessalonians 3:9-13
Introduction: Do some work on Paul's relationship with the congregation at Thessalonica. See Acts 17 for an interesting sidelight. The very tenor of the passage for today indicates that Paul had a good relationship with these people and coveted for them God's best gifts.
A. A Strengthened Faith: What better gift to wish for others? Paul knows where to begin. He wants to strengthen and prepare the inner person.
B. An Increase in Love: Paul then turns to their relationships with one another. Now that they are individually stronger, they need to work on their fellowship. A good thing for any church.
C. Holiness: Now Paul covets for them that which prepares them for their relationship with God. He wants them to be acceptable to God and ready to enter the presence of God and their Lord Jesus Christ.
Conclusion: What more could one wish for his friends or for his church? Verses 11-13 comprise the kind of prayer we ought to be praying for one another, and this entire passage comprises the kind of wishing we ought to be wishing for one another.
