Mark 13:1-8
Apocalyptic literature is like trying to nail jello to the wall. It doesn't work and yet we try, we either try to name the date and time like the disciples or we end up avoiding it altogether because we don't think we can ever understand it. Yet what if we tried something more reasonable?
We have been walking the path of what it means to be a disciple, what if this part is no different? Instead of mucking about trying to say how imperfect our world is and how like the end times it is what if instead we look at it as a call to be disciples, even in the tough times. Jesus is not promising any magic wand or saving help, only what we know about life. Life is hard and sometimes it is downright challenging. Sometimes it feels we will never stop talking about the strife we cause in the world.
There are rumors of trouble hard spots and there are the rays of light, where the sun breaks through and we consider it a time to be hopeful once again. Then in a few more days there will be another shooting, another natural disaster, and another time eewhere we can say its the end of days or we can say how do we be disciples through this?
Every time we have a piece of apocalyptic literature is when people are going through the toughest times they think they have had. Israel in captivity in Babylon. Revelation during the time of Nero and the worst persecution of Christians that there was. Mark or Matthew and Luke in the face of Empire wanting to snuff out any other culture and replace it with their own. See all of these times are where people want to hear hope. They want to hear about how bad it might be, but then something better is coming.
We are the disciples for this. We are the planters of hope. Every ray of light we cast into this dark world is another reason to hope maybe, just maybe we might get something right. Think of it this way. Yesterday at convention we heard about our relationship with Luis. How it is drawing to a close because there is nothing more we can do. They are blocked from coming here, we are not able to go there. Yet even in the midst of refugee camps, tribes living in different ones there was this story Deb Goldfeder shared with us about the shoes we had sent. Remember those shoes? We sent them to help with the jigger fleas problem. By the time they got there the problem no longer was an issue. Yet Sosthen brought those shoes to a Dinka camp and it started something beautiful. He was asked to speak at their service because of the gift and found they didn't have chairs. So the Moru people made benches for them. Then the Dinka gave something to the Moru, a chance to dialogue. To apologize for all the hurt both sides have done. Deb said to us our shoes brought peace, we gave this gift to them in the refugee camps.
That is planting hope. So even though in South Sudan there is no peace, there is peacemaking in the refugee camp. Who knows where this will lead. And its all because we planted hope, which then planted hope, which then brought reconciliation in exile.
Rays of light, breaking through the darkness. We can never underestimate the value of this. We are Christ's disciples never underestimate the power we have to plant hope in the midst of the darkest of days. Go and do.
Apocalyptic literature is like trying to nail jello to the wall. It doesn't work and yet we try, we either try to name the date and time like the disciples or we end up avoiding it altogether because we don't think we can ever understand it. Yet what if we tried something more reasonable?
We have been walking the path of what it means to be a disciple, what if this part is no different? Instead of mucking about trying to say how imperfect our world is and how like the end times it is what if instead we look at it as a call to be disciples, even in the tough times. Jesus is not promising any magic wand or saving help, only what we know about life. Life is hard and sometimes it is downright challenging. Sometimes it feels we will never stop talking about the strife we cause in the world.
There are rumors of trouble hard spots and there are the rays of light, where the sun breaks through and we consider it a time to be hopeful once again. Then in a few more days there will be another shooting, another natural disaster, and another time eewhere we can say its the end of days or we can say how do we be disciples through this?
Every time we have a piece of apocalyptic literature is when people are going through the toughest times they think they have had. Israel in captivity in Babylon. Revelation during the time of Nero and the worst persecution of Christians that there was. Mark or Matthew and Luke in the face of Empire wanting to snuff out any other culture and replace it with their own. See all of these times are where people want to hear hope. They want to hear about how bad it might be, but then something better is coming.
We are the disciples for this. We are the planters of hope. Every ray of light we cast into this dark world is another reason to hope maybe, just maybe we might get something right. Think of it this way. Yesterday at convention we heard about our relationship with Luis. How it is drawing to a close because there is nothing more we can do. They are blocked from coming here, we are not able to go there. Yet even in the midst of refugee camps, tribes living in different ones there was this story Deb Goldfeder shared with us about the shoes we had sent. Remember those shoes? We sent them to help with the jigger fleas problem. By the time they got there the problem no longer was an issue. Yet Sosthen brought those shoes to a Dinka camp and it started something beautiful. He was asked to speak at their service because of the gift and found they didn't have chairs. So the Moru people made benches for them. Then the Dinka gave something to the Moru, a chance to dialogue. To apologize for all the hurt both sides have done. Deb said to us our shoes brought peace, we gave this gift to them in the refugee camps.
That is planting hope. So even though in South Sudan there is no peace, there is peacemaking in the refugee camp. Who knows where this will lead. And its all because we planted hope, which then planted hope, which then brought reconciliation in exile.
Rays of light, breaking through the darkness. We can never underestimate the value of this. We are Christ's disciples never underestimate the power we have to plant hope in the midst of the darkest of days. Go and do.
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