November 20, 2022 —
Jesus is the Alpha and the Omega, the “A” and the “Z”, the One who was, and is, and is to come. His concept of “soon” is different than ours. Therefore, the Scriptures repeatedly tell us to be patient and pray, “Come, Lord Jesus.”
Our Old Testament Lesson is from the book of the minor prophet Habakkuk. Our text is from 609 B.C., just before the first captives were taken to Babylon (Chaldea). Judah’s moral decay and fall was almost complete, and the Lord is not patient forever. God will intervene when a nation turns against Him. But believers need not worry, for “the righteous one will live by his faith.” (That passage is so key, St. Paul quotes it in two of his epistles as God’s summary of how we are saved.)
Once again, our Second Lesson comes from the Book of Revelation. Twice Jesus says He is coming soon in this reading and then He says, “the time is near.” Since that is the case, what is His advice? “I am coming soon! Blessed is the one who holds on to the words of the prophecy of this book.” Watchful Waiting means being in the Word!
In the Gospel Lesson Jesus also tells us to wait watchfully. He adds another twist, though, namely, that “the Son of Man is coming at an hour when you are not expecting him.” In our day and age, fewer and fewer are expecting Jesus’ return. With a secular world surrounding us, it’s very easy for us Christians to get drowsy spiritually and forget about this important truth: Jesus could come any time, day or night. How do we stay prepared? By remaining faithfully connected to Him through the Means of Grace, the Gospel in Word and Sacrament. Do not neglect church! Do not neglect the Sacrament! Do not forget your Baptism which made you a child of God! Instead, as Luther encourages in the Small Catechism, mark yourself when you get up each morning with the sign of the holy cross in the Name of the Father, and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and do the same when you lie down each night, praying “I thank you my heavenly Father, through Jesus Christ your dear Son, that you have kept me….”
We’ll focus on the Old Testament Lesson (and the rest of Habakkuk) in our sermon this Sunday: “Wait for it: The Righteous Will Live by Faith”
This Week’s Lessons:
Habakkuk 1:1–3; 2:1-4 (sermon text)
Revelation 22:6–13
Luke 12:35–40
Psalm 130