Randy Pausch had been diagnosed with cancer and later died at age 47 this past July of 2008. He delivered his last lecture in September of 2007 and had the 400 seat lecture hall filled. Over the course of 53 conversations with Jeffrey Zaslow, they wrote a book called The Last Lecture. He appeared on Oprah and was ABC News one of its three Persons of the Year. Keep awake is what Randy Pausch tried to tell people before he died this past summer.[1]
Jesus was lecturing the disciples one last time before his death and resurrection. It wasn’t in a classroom but probably on the road to
When that day arrives, the elect will be gathered. There is no mention about what happens to the unbelievers. This reminds us that we are not to judge others. We should not rush to judge those who reject the gospel; nowhere does Jesus to focus their attention upon the fate of unbelievers; nor should we spend much time telling them where they might go. We are called to be awake and to watch. We should have care and attention of the garden at which you are called to serve; take care of the assigned tasks that are your responsibility.[2]
Now in the Old Testament, there were three main examples about staying awake[3]. The main image of staying awake during the night is that of the watchman. The first image is that of those serving in the vineyard garden. They would build a watchtower around a vineyard to keep out thieves in the night. It was a sin to fall asleep on the job. The second image of those that were to stay awake as watchmen were the guards on the city wall. They would warn the city that they were going to be attacked. They would sound the alarm and make the city aware of what was going to happen. The third image of the watchman in the Old Testament is from the role of the prophets. The Prophets were called to keep awake toward evil that lies nearby. They would warn the people and be convicted themselves of the sin that is ever near. The prophets sometimes sounded like a man who was lecturing the people and warning them about the consequence to their poor behavior.
So we are called to stay awake. We are called to beware and be-aware this Christmas season. We were made very aware my friends of the 6am wake up call to go shopping on Friday. We were very aware that the K-mart sale was ending at noon on the buy one get one free “Leapster” games that were on sale. Of course I was aware of the stressful driving season when I went to get the car and meet Tammy over at Borders, where she was buying a book for herself so that I could give it to her for Christmas – my kind of shopping. In the parking lot, there was all this honking as someone was impatiently waiting to nab a handicap parking spot from someone who was slowly getting ready to leave. Ah, beware of the shopping stress!
We are very aware that Christmas is coming as soon as we have heard the music playing on the radio since the end of October; or we have seen the endless catalogs in the mail or those advertisements on television. We know that the marketing of Christmas is all around us long before it is actually here.
So today we are aware that advent has begun. Advent means Coming – Christ has come; Christ is here; Christ will come again. Today we celebrate three advents of Christ. Christ has come to bring life. Christ is here present in the midst of us wherever to or more are gathered in his name, and in the bread and wine; and in the word proclaimed when we share the word with one another in action and in words. Christ will come again and there will be no more pain, no more sorrow. He shall reign forever and ever.
Yesterday I was invited to join a “Facebook” group called the “Advent Conspiracy”. I’ve been getting into blogging the past few months. Initially I thought it was some anti-Advent group. Some people don’t like Advent because they want to get right to Christmas. You know what December 25th is? Christmas! Not a trick question. The twelve days of Christmas are AFTER Christmas. We are still in Advent and we are waiting patiently. Well the group “Advent Conspiracy” is described this way, (whisper) “Advent Conspiracy is an international movement restoring the scandal of Christmas by substituting compassion for consumption”[4]. Oh, what a prophetic word today you are called to hear and be awake and alert.
Beware of consumption! Be-aware of compassion. Be-aware of the gift of life that is Christ. WAKE UP and beware of falling into lethargy as Christians. Be-aware that Jesus is coming to us soon and we don’t know when. God is waking us up from our slumber. We are called to keep awake. To be servants tending to the assigned tasks each of us has in life.
A few years ago, there was a study that showed two out of three kids will sleep through the fire alarm sounding in your home. They have new ones that you can record your voice and it will play over and over again to wake them up. Not that they listen to your voice while they are awake, but they will more readily wake up when they hear you warning them to wake up.
God is trying to whisper to us to wake up and beware of that great fire. Listen to the sweet voice of God calling out to you this day as we gather. Let us pray: Gracious God, you are calling out to us to hear your voice today. We gather in this season of waiting uncertain about celebrating anything. Many feel loss or fear or pain during this season. Speak to us with your sweet voice that we may hear you calling to us. We pray in Jesus name, Amen.
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