Sermon for November 15th

If I were to ask you what was going to happen in December of the year 2012, you might think that I was asking a lot. How are you supposed to know? But some of you might actually respond with what you believe is a reasonable answer: On Dec. 21st, 2012 the Mayan calendar is going to run out and the apocalypse might begin.

The ancient Mayan civilization made many calendars, and one of them, called the “Long Count” calendar, has been marking time for 5,126 years . . . and it runs out on Dec. 21st, 2012. And some believe that this is a sign that the world will end. You don’t know what I’m talking about? Well, lucky you, because a lot of people not only know what I’m talking about but they are studying it, talking about it and getting quite worried.

There have been lots of books talking about the possibilities, lots of bloggers expressing their opinions about it, lots of opportunities to spend your money and stock your fallout shelter just in case you need extra supplies on December 22nd 2012. Ann Martin, from Cornell University, manages a website called, "Curious? Ask an Astronomer”. She says that people are scared, "It's too bad that we're getting e-mails from fourth-graders who are saying that they're too young to die," Martin said. "We had a mother of two young children who was afraid she wouldn't live to see them grow up.” Of course, some people aren’t afraid, they are excited! In fact, enough people are interested in all of this that there was a major motion picture that came out this weekend starring John Cusack. The title: 2012. Will you be going? Just in case you’ll get a glimpse into the future?

A reading from the gospel of Mark, chapter 13. “As Jesus came out of the temple, one of his disciples said to him, “Look, Teacher, what large stones and what large buildings!” Then Jesus asked him, “Do you see these great buildings! Not one stone will be left here upon another; all will be thrown down.” When he was sitting on the Mount of Olives opposite the temple, Peter, James, John and Andrew asked him privately, “Tell us, when will this be, and what will be the sign that all these things are about to be accomplished?” Then Jesus began to say to them . . . “Go, look to the ancient Mayan calendar and, behold, in the year 2012, the end of the world will come! Lucky that you’ll all be dead by then.”? No, that’s not what Jesus said.

The first thing he says is probably the most important part, so pay attention. Don’t miss this or you might regret it. Are you ready? Here goes, “Beware that no one leads you astray.” Beware that no one leads you astray. When I went off to college, my dad told me this good piece of advice: He said, “If anyone tells you that they have all the answers . . . run!” Run. Beware that no one leads you astray. There have been many people led astray as they “prepared” for the end of the world. The followers of David Koresh, the Branch Davidians, in Waco Texas who believed that they had found the Messiah and ended up dying tragically. Or how about the group, Heaven’s gate, who committed suicide in 1997 because they believed that the earth was about to be destroyed by the comet Hale-Bopp. Beware that no one leads you astray.

But you don’t have to belong to a cult to be led astray. It’s easier than you might think. You and I are led astray whenever we are led away from God’s Word into the dreams, speculations and imaginations of others. Or when we leave God’s clear words behind and choose to follow our own self-chosen opinions. We are called to test our own viewpoints, and the views of others, even when they are Christians, and compare these views to what has actually been revealed to us in Scripture. So many wish and hope and pray for God’s guidance to overcome their fears, not just about the end of the world but in lots of situations, but they never look to His Word where he has revealed himself for us. People sometimes say that the Bible is “irrelevant”, but isn’t it is that the Bible is TOO relevant and TOO clear for us. Perhaps this is really why we ignore it: so that we can choose our own path through life’s uncertainty without having to face a truth that might be contrary to what we want to hear.

Jesus says, “Many will come in my name and say, “I am he!” and they will lead many astray.” There are many churches, even many Christians, who talk about the end times, who say the name of Jesus or mention God for good measure, but when you start hearing about what they mean about the second coming, or by God and Jesus, you find a picture that is alien from what you would find in the Bible. The greatest heresies are usually hidden beneath good intentions and half truths. And while persecution from outside forces have always been a threat to the Christian church, it has been this internal strife, caused by the rejection and unbelief in God’s Word by Christian’s themselves, that has done the most harm. Beware that no one leads you astray. Jesus does not teach you to fear the apocalypse, but to fear and love God. Jesus does not teach you to trust in your own speculations, but to hold fast to the words God has given to you.

As Christians, we do not trust in the Mayan calendar, as interesting as it may be. There is no reason we cannot study it, learn from it and appreciate the culture that made it, but if it causes you to fear the end of the world, you are free to throw the Mayan calendar in the trash and trust completely in God’s Word, where Jesus does not warn about the end of the world, but warns about life apart from God. If Jesus Christ came today, not in 2012 or in some distant year, but right now, the question will not be how much fresh water you have stored for yourself in some underground shelter, but “Do you believe in the Son of Man, in Jesus Christ your Savior.” If you do not believe this, you have a bigger problem than losing your life in the world, you will have lost your life in Christ.

The future can create a lot of fear for us. We do not know what will happen. The important issue is not that you are ever afraid, fear is a normal part of life, but WHAT are you afraid of and what fears take priority over others. We are called to fear the right things. According to the author Jerry Sittser, “We should fear the loss of a child more than failure in a job, sickness more than pain, hell more than death. And we should fear God most of all, because only he has ultimate and final authority over life and death. Jesus explained, “I tell you, my friends, do not fear those who kill the body, and after that can do nothing more. But I will warn you whom to fear: fear him who, after he has killed, has authority to cast into hell. Yes, I tell you, fear him!’ As we fear God more, we will fear everything else less.” When you worry about death, are you worried more about losing the joys of this life, your family or your career, or about losing the joys of heaven—how you will be seen in the eyes of God? The danger of worrying about the apocalypse and such things is that we are tempted to put our fear in the wrong place-in this earthly world rather than in God himself.

Jesus said, “When you hear of wars and rumors of wars, do not be alarmed; this must take place, but the end is still to come. For nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom; there will be earthquakes in various places; there will be famines. This is but the beginning of the birth pangs.” Consider the future with all its possibilities. You could spend your life worrying and being afraid of what might happen in 2012 or even next week at your job. Or, you may trust that God has that future, whatever will happen, good and bad, in the palm of his hand. You are free. Free to trust him to deal with that. Leave it in His hands.

You are free to spend YOUR time and YOUR thoughts in this present day, living each moment that you are given by following God’s will for your life. What is God’s will? It’s not so much about WHAT you are going to do, but HOW you do it. God wills that you follow his commands and trust in his promises in whatever you are doing, in your everyday actions, thoughts and relationships. God’s will is not hidden from you to make you afraid. He has revealed His will in his Word, in the person of Jesus and in Scripture. Because no matter what has happened in your past, no matter what will happen in the future and no matter what is happening right at this very moment, Jesus Christ promises that he will be here with you, claiming you as his own, forgiving you for your sins, and calling you to a new life with Him—giving you peace to cast out all fear. And that’s as true today as it will be in 2012. Amen.