Redeemer Lutheran Church

1106 Shreveport-Barksdale Hwy

Shreveport, LA  71105

(318) 868-5778

Pastor Perry Culver

Come join the family

Lift Up Your Heads

(Luke 21:25-36)

     This is the first Sunday of Advent, a season of HOPE. Advent means "coming" and it carries a twofold meaning. The First Advent is the coming of Christ through the birth of the long awaited Christ-child at Christmas. The Second Advent is the Second Coming of Christ on the Last Day when He comes a cloud with power and great glory. We too celebrate the twofold nature of Advent. We celebrate the coming of Christmas and we also look forward with hope for Christ to return on the last day, or Second Advent. Christ promises us that He will return. This is the same Christ that fulfilled a promise by coming to us on Christmas. We have learned from the past several weeks that Jesus is coming and we are to wait with endurance and to be on Guard and Alert.

     Our sermon text is based on the Gospel Luke. Today’s reading is the only time that Luke describes the signs that will accompany the end of the world. He states:

     Luke, like all the other writers, speaks of the Son of Man coming in a cloud with power and great glory. The disciples, like us, want to know when is Jesus coming back, the Second Advent. Jesus states that there will be signs in the sun, moon and stars. The sun will go dark, the moon will not be seen, and the stars will fall as the heavenly bodies are being shaken. What God has created will be reduced to chaos. When everything as we know it is being destroyed, that is ... nature itself, we know Jesus is coming. This destroying of the Heavens and the Earth is the ultimate fulfillment of the Law, where God WILL carry out his judgment on ALL of creation. It is sin that brings destruction and death. Not just the sins of the unbelievers, but even the sins of believers, and yes... that includes your sins.

     You will know when this is happening. Not only will nature be shaken, but mankind will be shaken. Jesus states that "men will faint from fear" over what is coming on the world. It is at this time that you will see the Son of Man coming in the clouds in all his glory. We will not be seeing Jesus as the people saw Him while He was on earth because we will see Him in His full glory, like Peter, James and John saw at the Transfiguration. When He comes, what will be your response?

     Jesus tells us: 28 When these things begin to take place, stand up and lift up your heads, because your redemption is drawing near." Jesus states that you are to "stand up" and "lift up your heads" because redemption is drawing near. While unbelievers are fainting from fear, you will see the coming of Peace. Instead of fainting or recoiling into a fetal position with you head held down to keep from seeing what is happening, Jesus tells us to stand up and lift up your heads with confidence. Your Savior is coming! There is only one thing that separates us from those who faint with fear, ... and that is FAITH. It is through Faith in Jesus that you will stand up and lift up your heads and stand before Jesus with confidence. Those who are not believers in Jesus, will have anguish, perplexity, fear, and fainting. But to those who hear the Word of God and do not reject it, Jesus offers comfort and hope, and a new beginning. The coming of the Son of Man only intensifies the fear of unbelievers while at the same time, brings Good News to the faithful.

     Jesus tells us that we need to be watching and on guard. He gives you this parable:

We can learn a lot from a fig tree, or many signs that nature gives us. After living in Fort Wayne, Indiana for three years, I’ve learned to see the signs of the season, something we don’t really experience down here in the South. Up north, there are four distinct seasons and each is easily discerned. You can look at a tree and know when Spring is beginning when you see the fresh green buds popping up on the tree limbs. It was exciting to go out and see the trees coming to life. Spring was a green season, a season of growth and beauty. When the green begins to fade away and becomes dry and brittle, you know that Summer is near or here. Everybody looked forward to Fall which was highlighted with the changing colors of the leaves. Fall was absolutely beautiful when a grove of trees changed from green to a calico mixture of green, yellow, orange and red. People from the South miss this,... we Southerners have only 2 real seasons, hot and comfortable. When the leaves are gone and there is chill in the air, you know that winter is near. The signs of the seasons are very discernable up north. It is interesting that after living up north, I was watching a movie filmed in Chicago and the family flew down to Houston to escape the winter and to play some golf. I laughed when they showed them sitting down at the clubhouse at a table located outside on a terrace. In the background was the golf course and there were no leaves on the trees. I quickly knew that they did not shoot that footage of film down in Houston because most of those trees would have had leaves on them, even in the winter.

     Jesus is telling us to watch for the signs, the signs are obvious, like the effects of the seasons on a fig tree. Jesus states:

Jesus is teaching us when he says "I tell you the truth" and he uses these words when He is drawing special attention to what he is saying. He is telling you that the End of Times will not come until ALL the signs have happened. When ALL these things have happened, then the End will come. Jesus states:33 Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will never pass away.

     Last week, the sermon included the parable of the Master leaving his house and leaving his servants in charge. The parable stated that we are to stay alert and be on guard and not let the master return and catch you sleeping. Jesus again gives you this warning:

Jesus is telling you today to be careful and warns against falling into self indulgence, recklessness, immorality, drunkenness, and other things that will lead you away from God and His Word. Jesus tells us to:

     To be able to stand before the Son of Man with our heads lifted up, Jesus is telling you to "be always on the watch" and to "pray". It is interesting that when Christians are asked the question: "What are your weaknesses in you spiritual life?", most Christians report a weakness in prayer. Many are quick to pray when they feel helpless, but slow to give thanks. If you want to stand before God with your heads lifted up, then you need to include prayer in you daily life. Our attitude towards life is one of watching and praying. This sounds legalistic to say you need to watch and pray,... and in a way it is. But I venture to ask you "do you feel that your will power is stronger than that Jesus Christ’s? Let’s not forget that when Jesus faced death on the cross, He went into the garden and prayed to God for strength. Scripture tells us that right before his arrest, that He went to the garden on the Mount of Olives. Listen to Luke 22:40-42:

40 On reaching the place, he said to them, "Pray that you will not fall into temptation." 41 He withdrew about a stone’s throw beyond them, knelt down and prayed, 42 "Father, if you are willing, take this cup from me; yet not my will, but yours be done."

He asked his disciples to pray and Jesus himself prayed. You too need to pray that you will not fall into temptation, that you will endure to the Second Advent.

     Today’s message is one of "Hope". In the First Advent, the wise men lifted up their heads to see the star. In the Second Advent, you are to stand straight and to lift up your heads to see Christ coming in the clouds. The end is not to be feared, but greeted with head held high as the Son of Man comes with redemption to usher you to the heavenly banquet table. The ability to lift your head will not come from you, but from Jesus Christ. He is the one who gave you faith. He is the one who came in the First Advent, born in a manger. He is the one that died for your sins. He is the one that brings forgiveness of your sins. And it is He who will come again in the Second Advent to take you to a new heaven and earth. He loves you very much and he will come and get you. You will not be afraid because He has given you faith. Amen.