He Comes with Hope

Scripture — Luke 21:25-36 (NRSV)

“There will be signs in the sun, the moon, and the stars and on the earth distress among nations confused by the roaring of the sea and the waves. People will faint from fear and foreboding of what is coming upon the world, for the powers of the heavens will be shaken. Then they will see ‘the Son of Man coming in a cloud’ with power and great glory. Now when these things begin to take place, stand up and raise your heads, because your redemption is drawing near.”

Then he told them a parable: “Look at the fig tree and all the trees; as soon as they sprout leaves you can see for yourselves and know that summer is already near. So also, when you see these things taking place, you know that the kingdom of God is near. Truly I tell you, this generation will not pass away until all things have taken place. Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will not pass away.

“Be on guard so that your hearts are not weighed down with dissipation and drunkenness and the worries of this life and that day does not catch you unexpectedly, like a trap. For it will come upon all who live on the face of the whole earth. Be alert at all times, praying that you may have the strength to escape all these things that will take place and to stand before the Son of Man.”

Devotion

Scripture repeats itself. Long before Paul’s words to the Romans “and endurance produces character, and character produces hope, and hope does not put us to shame” Scripture has reiterated that hope is a fundamental human gift. Joseph hoped for a better place for his people and his remains (Gen 50:25). The Korahites asked their souls why they were so downcast and concluded to “hope for God” (Psalm 42). Angels reminded Mary to remember and to have hope because nothing is too hard for God (Luke 1:37).  Scripture has no problem reminding us that every generation has had to come to terms with the context of their need for objective hope.

Today our post-modern and post-enlightenment cultural framework doesn’t lend well to hope as a gift. Whether in the church or in the broader culture we don’t have to hope when there is no need to wait. It is of prime value to have it (whatever it is) now. There is a metric and a strategy to maturity, success, resources, and so on. One only needs to know the steps to get there.

It all works until it does not work. And when it does not work it is not _always _some intrinsic failure on our part or a step missed or a scapegoat (or excuse) attributed to another. Sometimes in a broken world, some things just don’t work right. For now.

As Jesus anticipated his departure, he shared with his disciples what applied then and now. There is something to hope for. There is a kingdom that both has come and will come, where the Son will return and the redemption of all of creation will be fulfilled and the advent of Jesus will be where he shall reign forever and ever. But until then, there will be some setbacks. Before that advent, there will be waiting with options. We can wait with disdain and despondence. Or we can wait with transcendent eyes in another kingdom.

Jesus provided the resources needed for hope that waits on Jesus’ arrival. First, he told them to watch for tension and chaos (Luke 21:25-28.) Fear and tension are not enjoyable, but necessary. Secondly, he told them to look for the signs. Signs aren’t the destination; signs point to the destination. Jesus’ word never goes away and it points us to all truth.

Finally, he put the resources and hope in a specific place: in the disciple. Jesus reminded them that they can “be on guard” against whatever is going on. They can be prepared so that nothing “catches them unexpectedly.”  And finally, they can pray which is strength and can lead to deliverance.

Advent can be difficult in a culture where affluence abounds and where just about anything can be delivered. Corporate hope is difficult when individual achievement is readily available. Hope is often undervalued—ascribed to people and groups as an excuse for not bootstrapping success. But that is not the message of the kingdom of God. God’s kingdom takes chaos and disorder and tells us that his citizens know even when they think they have it all, they don’t.

God came creating the world out of chaos and into form in all its goodness. And by Genesis 3, humanity found a way to shatter shalom into personal salvation endeavors. And God told Eve, the mother of every living person, that there will be redemption. God came for Sarah and Zipporah, Esther, and Mary. Jesus came to his disciples and told them to remain hopeful until all things came to pass. And all of them got a glimpse of what will be and a reminder of not yet. And then God came to you.

Maybe in our time, we suffer with affluence which leads to the same danger: distraction. He comes to us pointing out signs of an advent that applies to success or setback. We have to wait because we have not arrived. And we have not arrived because he has not arrived. Until then, be on guard so that your hearts are not weighed down.

Find all Life for Leaders devotions here. Explore what the Bible has to say about work at the unique website of our partners, the Theology of Work Project. Reflection on today’s Life for Leaders theme can be found here: Watch Out! .