“SAVIOR SAVING HIS SAINTS”
Saint Luke 21: 25-36
Populus Zion: 6 December Anno Domini 2020
Fr Jay Watson, SSP
You are correctly informed, told, GOSPELLED by The Lord’s Psalm: “daughter of Zion behold, thy Salvation cometh.”
And if you believe that, which you do, it’s not because of anything in you. It’s not because of your works, not even your Bible reading and prayers. You confess that you are SAVED by Grace, through faith…through! It is all The Lord’s Work.
The Word has been preached to you. The Word was first poured upon your infant head. The Word will be placed on your tongues. But, because you are weak and fearfully fragile at times, Christ also gives you empirical signs of His presence, plans, and perfect preservation of your salvation.
To be sure His words to the “12” were true and still are true. “There shall be signs in the sun, and in the moon, and in the stars…” This isn’t so much astronomy and astro-physics, as it is Revelation talk—that which IS and IS COMING. This is what the theologians call “inaugurated eschatology,” i.e. the end and fulfillment of all things is already upon us. The birth of the final Advent is now being felt in both Braxton-Hicks twinges and in real imminent birth contractions.
Will the moon do strange things in 2021? I don’t know. Has the moon had strange appearances over the last two millennia? Yes it has. Will there be dangerous sun-spot activity which could affect temperatures on earth—sending it back into a “little Ice-age” as we’ve had before over the 20 centuries? Yes. Will global communications be disturbed? One can only hope. But behold, the sun was darkened and dreadful deep shade covered the Judea and the city of Jerusalem on that awe-filled Friday…from 12:00 noon to 3:00 p.m.
Every one of Christ’s predictions to the Disciples was two-fold and telescoping. The signs which preceded the destruction of David’s City in 70 A.D. were “types” of the final end of all things when He comes again in glory.
Has there ever been a time when nations were not distressed; when the sea and its waves were not roaring? Of course not.
The pagan who has only the “now,” the present, the mammon of stuff but no hope for life after death, turns health, prosperity, entertainment, and material goods into his god. Lazarus, you the daughter of Zion, always waits, confesses, and believes, while the rich man dines sumptuously and inanely…until that time when his heart fails him for fear, when the powers of heaven shall be shaken.
But not you, daughter of Zion. You behold your salvation coming. You believe your salvation is not a thing, concept, or mere “state-of-affairs,” but, a Man—an enfleshed God/Man.
You understand the parable of the fig tree. The fig tree, the olive tree, the mustard seed tree, you correctly perceive all to be “types” of the Church—that green ever-living branch producing body of Christ wherein all the birds of the air do come to nest; all the sheep find safety and peace in the Church’s green pastures.
The burglar, the one illegally and illicitly inside the wedding hall without the white garment of faith (Baptism) is terrified when the noises at the door, the shaking, rattling, and bursting open, touch his ear—the Master has come home. But for you, daughter of Zion, you children of the heavenly Father, those same signs, noises, the buds shooting forth, cause joy in your hearts and souls—your Jesus returns.
His words to the faithless will be like thunder, earthquake, and roaring waves—a Titanic being pulled under waves of fire; a guillotine blade descending. They will see their Judge, whom they pierced.
But you, “The Lord shall cause His glorious voice to be heard, and ye shall have gladness of heart.” You are rescued from the roiling and boiling waves of the Sea of Galilee; you do not sink beneath its foam. Like Peter you are touched by the hand of Christ and SAVED by His precious Word, Body, and Blood. You are placed into His Churchly ship, and are at once at safe haven.
You have seen all things come to pass. You have witnessed death, destruction, natural disasters. You have witnessed persecution of Saints, fall of nations, wars, and deaths of family and friends. You have witnessed apostasies and Baptisms, sin and absolution.
You confess that the Kingdom of God is nigh at hand. You are in its very antechamber, soon to be beckoned to festal table; Holy Blood giving altar. You do look up from sinful heart to absolving font. You look up from blackened sin to pure Redeemer sitting on His crucifix, His throne of Glory, tabernacling “for you” on this altar this day of Glory.
Luke records your Salvation, your Savior speaking to you and all disciples: “Heaven and earth shall pass away; but My Words shall not pass away.”
Your sin passes away washed clean by Jesus’ keeping of the Law. Your guilt, punishment, and grim fate passes away as it was atoned for by Jesus’ suffering and death on the cross. His merciful love for you never passes away. His tender words of peace and homecoming for you never passes away. His life for you never passes away—in a moment, in the flickering of an eye, the trumpet will sound and your eternity will be! And now, firm and resolute you abide—the foretaste of the feast to come.
In the Name of the Father and + of the Son and of The Holy Ghost
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