Tired of Waiting?, a sermon series for Advent, modified from a similar series at reformedworship.org, week 1 of 4, preached Dec 1, 2024
Prayer for Illumination
Scripture Luke 12:35-40
35 “Be dressed for action and have your lamps lit; 36 be like those who are waiting for their master to return from the wedding banquet, so they may open the door for him as soon as he arrives and knocks. 37 Blessed are those servants whom the Lord finds alert when he comes; truly I tell you, the master will fasten his belt and have them sit down to eat, and he will come and serve them. 38 If he comes during the middle of the night or near dawn and finds them so, blessed are those servants.
39 “But know this: if the owner of the house had known at what hour the thief was coming, he would not have let his house be broken into. 40 You also must be ready, for the Son of Man is coming at an hour you do not expect.”
41 Peter said, “Lord, are you telling this parable for us, or for everyone?” 42 And the Lord said, “Who, then, is the faithful and prudent steward whom the master will put in charge of his slaves, to give them their allowance of food at the proper times? 43 Blessed is that servant whom the master will find at work when he arrives.”
This too is the word of God for the people of God… (Thanks be to God)
Sermon Waiting in Hope, Active Waiting
It was about five years ago when I first sat with the Pastor Nominating Committee of this church in Lanny and Floyd’s living room. One of their questions for me was a typical interview question, “What do you think one of your biggest weaknesses is?” I didn’t play any games like I might have when I was younger, interviewing in the corporate world. I’ve come to accept that in church, we are expected to be more authentic and vulnerable, so I answered honestly, “I’m impatient.”
Now, to clarify, I don’t mind waiting when waiting is required. For example, I cannot accelerate time so I’m patient for Christmas to get here. It will arrive when it does. But, I’m impatient on things that don’t need to wait. I was impatient the other morning driving 18 mph behind someone where the speed limit is 40, and as they bumped their back tire over the curb as they turned into Acme. That person probably shouldn’t be driving at all. I’m impatient because I’ve been in conversations about a 12 month homeless shelter in Kent County for over 3 years, and we still don’t have one. Some say they want to address the homelessness problem, but who is willing to act with money, time, or space to house homeless people. I’m impatient when brave leaders want to try new things, but fear it might offend and so do nothing. I don’t like that kind of waiting.
The season before Christmas is all about waiting. Its called Advent, which means a coming to or a coming toward. In Advent, we remember we are waiting for something to come toward us. But what? And how will we wait? That’s what Jesus is talking about, what to wait for, how to wait.
Jesus’ advised style of waiting is being dressed, ready for action, and having lamps full, trimmed, and lit. We might assume waiting means being still until some time comes, like sitting in a doctor’s waiting room waiting for your name to be called. Jesus doesn’t entertain that kind of passive waiting. For Jesus, good waiting is active, aware, and prepared.
He says, “Be like those who are waiting for their Lord to return, so that they open the door for him as soon as he arrives and knocks.” What are we waiting for? The Lord. How should we wait? Be awake and alert, not stressed, not just busy, but dressed, prepared, attentive to what’s happening, ready to act quickly and decisively.
I returned to coaching soccer this fall and was working with someone who had never played goalkeeper. I had to teach her how to load her legs. When an opponent shoots, a goalie has to move in any direction to block the ball. New goalies tend to wait for the shot to happen then start moving. Good goalies know to take a little hop step right before the opponent shoots, and the goalie sinks down into a bit of a squat right before a shot. They get their big muscles in their thighs, calves, and feet loaded like a spring and ready to explode, so they can quickly, powerfully act when the ball leaves the shooters foot. A goalie has to wait for the shot, but a good goalie isn’t just waiting. They are prepared, alert, and ready to act quickly. That’s what Jesus is advising about how to wait.
Jesus goes on to say, “Blessed are those whom the master finds ready when he arrives; truly, I tell you, the master ties an apron around himself, and has them sit down to eat, and the master comes and serves the ready servants, no matter what hour it is.”
Too much of Christianity treats this life as a waiting room. Some Christian teaching says people have to believe in Jesus to have access to his waiting room. Then, once you’re in the waiting room, you just wait, until death when St. Peter opens a door, calls your name, and in you go.
That’s not how Jesus talks about this life. We are waiting for something, but not for death. We aren’t even waiting to get into heaven. We ARE waiting for God’s fullness, Christ’s kingdom to come to us on earth as it is in the heavens. We are waiting for Christ’s way, truth, and life to not be delayed or debated or compromised any longer, but for his beautiful truth, generous life, and non-violent way to be everywhere for all people and all creation. This life isn’t meant to be a waiting room away from the world where belief gets us an appointment and death gets us through to heaven. Yes, we are waiting, but we are called to do so in the midst of the world, dressed, aware, prepared, and ready to act quickly when God appears.
Then Jesus warns, “If those over the house had known at what hour the thief was coming, they would not have let the house be broken into. You also must be ready, for the Son of Man is coming at an hour you do not expect.” Jesus is telling us, there’s a third option. Option one was assuming we can passively wait, and that’s not what Jesus wants. He’s called us to option two, an active waiting, dressed, ready, prepared to jump into action whenever God appears. But Jesus knows some will be aware and prepared, and will spring into action, but not to open the door and welcome God, but will assume God is a thief trying to rob the place.
Some Christians and some Christian churches spend lots of energy and resources to protect themselves from the arrival of Jesus. A mom with a young child enters church and the mother is scowled at or scolded for the noises of her little one. A stranger enters and slides into a pew, only to get cold looks or is even asked to move by those who usually sit there. A man who slept in a tent and hasn’t showered, and has almost forgotten how to have conversation, goes ungreeted or untouched while others pass the peace of Christ. Some Christians still judge LGBTQ persons, or insist the Apostles Creed is the only confession to say, or only like old hymns played on an organ. Is this our waiting room where we are comfortable until the end, or is this where we prepare, serve, and jump into action when someone knocks? In another gospel, Jesus will say whatever we do to the least of these, the children, the stranger, the aliens, we do to him. But Jesus knows some people who say they love him will be alert and prepared and act against him, instead of for him.
I think that’s why Peter asks, “Lord, are you telling this parable for us, or for everyone?” Peter is wondering, “Jesus, are you saying we do that? That we don’t know the difference between God and a thief?” Jesus doesn’t let Peter off the hook. He says, “Who, then, is the faithful and prudent steward whom his master puts in charge of other servants to make sure they are fed and cared for? 43 Blessed are those who are found doing good work when the master arrives.”
Jesus tells Peter his better servants have a unique responsibility to take care of the others servants in the house, AND to be alert and prepared and ready for whoever is at the door. There has to be a care for and management of those inside, yes, but an excitement and bravery to open the door for God, even if others are afraid it isn’t God but a thief to steal what they have inside.
In the classic play, “Waiting for Godot” by Samuel Beckett, two characters are told to wait for Godot who never shows. Its message is that waiting for God is futile and foolish. Jesus doesn’t agree. Waiting for God is the Christian life. We are called to wait actively, expectantly for the coming of all Jesus promised—his Advent. While we wait, let’s be dressed and ready. While we wait, let our lamps be full, trimmed, and lit. While we wait, let’s keep everyone in the house active and cared for. While we wait, let’s stay alert to what’s going on outside, and ready to spring into action should anyone knock, assuming the stranger at the door is God, not a thief. While we wait, let knows this is a house waiting and working for God.
Amen? Amen.
Charge
As we wait for Christ's promised community to come alive among us, live as people of hope. May hope in Christ’s coming home sustain you. May God’s peace saturate the world around. May the joy of Holy Spirit strengthen you. And may the love of the triune God encircle you this day, this night, this moment, and forever more. Amen.
— adapted from a benediction by Rev. Joyce Borger
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