“The world might stop in ten minutes; meanwhile, we are to go on doing our duty. The great thing is to be found at one’s post as a child of God, living each day as though it were our last, but planning as though our world might last a hundred years.” – CS Lewis from “Cross-Examination” in God in the Dock.
In Luke 21 Jesus talks about signs and wonders, terrifying and all too common in our world today. There are days when it seems we might self-destruct within the next “ten minutes” as Lewis noted. In verse 31 Jesus says, “When you see these things taking place, you know the kingdom of God is near.” And in verse 32, “This generation will not pass until all things have taken place.”
So what are we (many generations later) to make of these predictions while people are still making “end time” predictions (which Jesus promised would happen many generations ago)? Could it be that the kingdom is both already come and still be not yet? The kingdom of God has already come, it is in our hearts if Jesus reigns there, and… there is another kingdom coming.
The kingdom of God is both now and not yet, just like Christmas. Signs and wonders are all around us and Advent is about preparing for it. How do we prepare for that which already is and is simultaneously not yet? To live as if Jesus was not yet born would be to deny our hearts the peace of kingdom-living now. To deny that peace has not yet come for all would be to deny the sacred work to which we are still called. This is Advent in a nutshell; getting ready for Christmas – the mass of Christ – God with us – as if he is already here and yet we anticipate his birth! Won’t you join us at Middletown Community UMC this Sunday as we get ready together?
Rev. Shannon Kimbell- Auth is Pastor at Middletown Community United Methodist Church. Please join us at 11 a.m. this Sunday as we begin our Advent journey. All Are Welcome.
