Rev. Roland J. Wells, Jr. - Pastor

The First Sunday of Advent - December 1, 2002

Lessons: Psalm 16:1-11; 1Corinthians15:12-20; John 5:20-29 (Texts printed below.)

"Keeping Watch"

Introduction:

When I was a youngster, we didn't have the high-tech tents or high-tech sleeping bags available today. We read about things like 'goose down' sleeping bags, but on a workingman's salary, those things just weren't available for kids. But that didn't stop us from winter camping.

It was quite a production. We'd usually do it for the first time each year on this weekend. We'd cut down some small green trees, lash them together with ropes, and make a lean-to. We'd cover that with the heavy canvas tarps we had back then, and cover that with snow. Then we'd shovel out inside, cover it with plastic, and fill that with straw. Then the sleeping bags went in on the straw. And a big reflector of logs was lashed up about six feet in front of this 20-foot long lean to, and then we'd start cutting firewood. We'd cut down dead trees, haul dead trees, cut up dead trees for the rest of the day. That was to keep warm all night.

At night, we'd keep a 20-foot long fire going all night. Here comes the hard part. The kids would have to take turns all night in two-hour shifts, to keep watch. Keeping watch meant three rather serious things: 1) Keeping the fire going. 2) Keeping watch over the fire, so a stray spark wouldn't start all that hay and Boy Scouts on fire. And most importantly, 3) Staying awake, so you could do the other two. Keeping watch. Staying awake. Keeping the fire going. That's what we're going to talk about today. Keeping watch. Staying awake. Keeping the fire going. Because Jesus is coming back.

I) Keeping Watch

Even though we were pretty young, we knew that keeping watch was important. On one hand, if we didn't, everybody would grow cold; on the other, by preventing fire, everybody's life depended on it. Keeping watch is important.

In the Christian church worldwide, what is 2002 like? The whole church in Europe and North America is growing cold. We see the mainline denominations crashing. The National Council of Churches organization has all but disappeared. Its liberal supporting churches can't afford to support it anymore.. In south Minneapolis there are 28 ELCA churches. In the last decade three have grown or held their own. Thank God we're one of the three. But the other 25 have lost a total of over 7,000 members! The church is growing cold.

Part of our job as Christians is to keep watch. We've worked hard for 130 years to keep watch in the church. As others have gone asleep, we've kept awake. We've kept watch. We have kept the Gospel alive in the Church. We have tended the fire, and kept the fire going for the sake of all to remain warm. We've sent out hundreds around the church, to tend the flame all over the world.

The flame of the Church worldwide is burning well in Africa, in Asia and in South America. But at home here, there have not been enough to tend the fire. We've seen dozens of seminarians go out from here in the past 15 years. We've seen over 100 people attend the School of Urban Ministries. We are trying hard to pass on the flame.

The one keeping watch has to also protect from the dangerous fire. Fire, if it begins to destroy, is hard to stop.

We live in an era when many fires are threatening to burn the sleeping Christians. A low regard for God's Word is the central threat. From that come all the rest of the burning problems. It sounds so simple, but it's true. When God's Word is ignored, the Church burns, not with the Spirit, but with the demonic light of flaming steeples. In the next ten years we will see hundreds, maybe thousands of historic churches-Methodist, Episcopal, Presbyterian, UCC and Lutheran- closing. These will be in two places--the core cities and the rural areas. Thousands of mainline churches will be closed, turned into other uses, torn down, sold to other Christian denominations or made into Mosques. That's already happening in the Twin Cities.

We will continue to stand, but it will get harder and harder. Wake up America. Jesus is coming back.

II) Staying Awake

We live in a time like no other. We thought we were heading for a glorious time of peace- the Cold War had come to an end, the Soviet missiles were no longer aimed at us. Watch out for those who cry 'Peace! Peace!" but there is no peace. (Jer 6:14, 8:11) Now, instead we worry about our plane flights, our tall buildings, large crowds, opening letters and our children going to war in --Babylon?

We live in a time when Israel exists as a country, in basically the same boundaries for the first time since Solomon. It's called Israel again for the first time 3,000 years. The Palestinians live in two odd places-- exactly where the Philistines did 3,000 years ago, and where the Samaritans did 2,000 years ago. We see millions of Jews gathered together in Israel, for the first time since the Romans drove them out in 70 AD. We hear Hebrew daily being spoken on radios and TV news- after being a 'dead' language for 2,500 years. The 'fig tree' of the Bible, Israel has sprouted. Then there are other signs.

About a month ago on Public Radio I heard a governmental speaker say how one of the fastest ways to have more security, was to make the information on our drivers licences our official I.D. He said something like, "If all our personal information was all on our drivers licenses, we would have secure I.D., and we would know instantly if the person was an imposter. You could use it to check in at the airport. You could use it for instant access to anyplace secure. You could even use it to replace all credit cards. If we got rid of cash and only used cards, we could get rid of the terrorist flow of funds. All we need is a universal I.D.: Does that ring a bell?

Revelations, chapter 13 tells of a powerful world leader that will rise up near the end. Of that leader, it says: (Rev. 13:16-17) Also (the Beast) causes all, both small and great, both rich and poor, both free and slave, to be marked on the right hand or the forehead, so that no one can buy or sell who does not have the mark, that is, the name of the beast or the number of its name.

But Pastor, what does that have to do with drivers licenses?

Two weeks ago, on Saturday, November 16, on the National Public Radio program, "All Things Considered"* they had an amazing little segment. It was about a new electronic marvel. A tiny computer ID chip that is implantable under the skin. The segment began with a story about a lady was so happy that she had recovered her lost cat. A scanner at the pound had picked up the chip's signal, and the kitty was returned to its owner. Right now it's getting down to a few hundred dollars, but soon will be getting cheaper. What a great deal for diabetics, or Alzheimers folks who get lost! And children can be implanted, so that they can be identified. And scanners could be put everywhere to watch for these missing children.

Better yet, we could beat the terrorists if everybody had a perfect form of ID implanted right in them. No more credit cards, no more drivers licenses- we'd each have a fool-proof ID built right in that could be instantly checked. No more drug money, no more terrorists. All we need is that little digital chip. And now they're finishing up work on a GPS component- so once one of these digital chips are implanted, any person on earth can be tracked anywhere on earth, at any time. No more missing people, a perfect ID- we wouldn't even need money- and no more lost children- isn't this great? You'd know where your teenager was with the car! Just with a few numbers! Listen carefully again:

Also (the Beast) causes all, both small and great, both rich and poor, both free and slave, to be marked on the right hand or the forehead, so that no one can buy or sell who does not have the mark, that is, the name of the beast or the number of its name.

We need a universal digital ID to make everyone safe-- that was one story- and now they can implant it, and you can use it like a credit card, get rid of all money, and they can track you anywhere on the globe. And it's undergoing final development right now. You'll need it for security at work. No big deal, right? They can track you anywhere on the globe, and you can't buy or sell, or even work without having one.

Don't ever let anyone implant you or your children! It's time to watch and pray and stay awake. The Book of Revelation is on the news!

III) Keep the Fire Going

To simply pause and look at the world around us is enough to make any thinking, aware person amazed. In the midst of all this, it's even more amazing to see the American church so soundly asleep. It's so busy in politics of left and right. It's so busy in social causes. It smugly ignores the Bible when the living God desires to speak to his church. We see the greatest expansion of Christianity in the history of the world going on all around us, and our ELCA is pulling back its missionaries to an all-time low.

Now is the time to throw logs on the fire. Now is the time for bold proclamation. Now is the time to warm the church. Watching the pendulum swings of history, the Lutheran church is overdue for a renewal. Throughout history the Lutheran church has never swung as widely as other bodies, not anchored so securely to Scripture. But our moorings there have weakened as well.

It's time to pray as never before for a revival. It's time to beg God to raise up leaders. It's time to beg God to move in his church. Maybe it will come from the African church, or the Asian church; it will be unlike any other revival's form, because revivals never happen twice the same way. I think it will be urban; I think it will meet the needs of people, while boldly proclaiming the Gospel. The revival will come from those who are awake, tending the fire.

But only God knows how. The winter is here. The winter is here for the church. It's time to throw some logs on the fire. Will you pray? Will you be ready? Will you go? Will you spend yourself to call folks to faith? Will you hear the call? Invitation. Amen.

* go to http://discover.npr.org/rundowns/rundown.jhtml?prgId=2&prgDate=November/16/2002

then click on article marked "

Implant Could Safeguard Children, Alzheimer's Patients "

Texts: Advent 1 - December 1, 2002

Psalm 16:1-11

A miktam of David. Keep me safe, O God, for in you I take refuge. 2 I said to the LORD, "You are my Lord; apart from you I have no good thing." 3 As for the saints who are in the land, they are the glorious ones in whom is all my delight. 4 The sorrows of those will increase who run after other gods. I will not pour out their libations of blood or take up their names on my lips. 5 LORD, you have assigned me my portion and my cup; you have made my lot secure. 6 The boundary lines have fallen for me in pleasant places; surely I have a delightful inheritance. 7 I will praise the LORD, who counsels me; even at night my heart instructs me. 8 I have set the LORD always before me. Because he is at my right hand, I will not be shaken. 9 Therefore my heart is glad and my tongue rejoices; my body also will rest secure, 10 because you will not abandon me to the grave, nor will you let your Holy One see decay. 11 You have made known to me the path of life; you will fill me with joy in your presence, with eternal pleasures at your right hand.

1Corinthians 15:12-20

But if it is preached that Christ has been raised from the dead, how can some of you say that there is no resurrection of the dead? 13 If there is no resurrection of the dead, then not even Christ has been raised. 14 And if Christ has not been raised, our preaching is useless and so is your faith. 15 More than that, we are then found to be false witnesses about God, for we have testified about God that he raised Christ from the dead. But he did not raise him if in fact the dead are not raised. 16 For if the dead are not raised, then Christ has not been raised either. 17 And if Christ has not been raised, your faith is futile; you are still in your sins. 18 Then those also who have fallen asleep in Christ are lost. 19 If only for this life we have hope in Christ, we are to be pitied more than all men. 20 But Christ has indeed been raised from the dead, the first fruits of those who have fallen asleep.

John 5:20-29

The Father loves the Son and shows him all that he himself is doing; and he will show him greater works than these, so that you will be astonished. 21 Indeed, just as the Father raises the dead and gives them life, so also the Son gives life to whomever he wishes. 22 The Father judges no one but has given all judgment to the Son, 23 so that all may honor the Son just as they honor the Father. Anyone who does not honor the Son does not honor the Father who sent him. 24 Very truly, I tell you, anyone who hears my word and believes him who sent me has eternal life, and does not come under judgment, but has passed from death to life. 25 "Very truly, I tell you, the hour is coming, and is now here, when the dead will hear the voice of the Son of God, and those who hear will live. 26 For just as the Father has life in himself, so he has granted the Son also to have life in himself; 27 and he has given him authority to execute judgment, because he is the Son of Man. 28 Do not be astonished at this; for the hour is coming when all who are in their graves will hear his voice 29 and will come out--those who have done good, to the resurrection of life, and those who have done evil, to the resurrection of condemnation.