2nd Sunday before Advent

Readings: Daniel 12v1-3; Psalm 16; Hebrews 10v11-25; Mark13v1-8.

Let us pray: May the words of my mouth, and the thoughts and meditations of all our hearts, be acceptable in your sight, O Lord, our strength and our redeemer.

A Word: At this time of year, as the Church year draws to its close, the readings point us to consider the 4 last things that we are called to prepare for as we live out our lives as Christians.

The first of these last things is: Jesus' return at the time of the 2nd coming. ln the gospel of Mark we hear Jesus telling his disciples that in the time before the end of all things there will be famines as well as nations and kingdoms rising up against each other. ln Daniel, we hear that when the end is coming, the great archangel Michael shall arise because the end times will be a time of great anguish for the world.

The second of the last 4 things is: the final judgement; a time that will occur after Jesus returns. ln Daniel, we hear that for the final judgement: those who are sleeping in the dust of the earth shall be awakened to face judgement. When we come to judgement, the letter to the Hebrews tells us that we can have confidence because Jesus offered himself as a sacrifice for sins for ever. A promise that means that no-one is beyond hope and that everyone can be forgiven.

This gift of forgiveness is really important because after the final judgement comes the third and fourth of the last things. These are whether we are invited into heaven or sent into hell. Daniel describes these places in this way: heaven is being sent into everlasting life; and hell is being sent away in shame to everlasting contempt.

So, who will go to heaven and who will go to hell? Daniel tells of a book of life in which everyone who is named in it will be delivered and sent to heaven. The psalm tells us about faithful people whose souls will be shown the path of life, a path that will take them into the presence of the Lord, a place where they will be full of joy, in the hand of God, for evermore. However, the psalm also describes the hell that the faithful will be saved from in the words that the faithful people will not be abandoned to the pit of death.

As a Christian, these 4 last things are things we are waiting for and should not be afraid of. For, in Hebrews we hear that Jesus has opened up a new life for everyone washed clean by Jesus' sacrifice, becoming a people that Jesus will find named in the Book of Life, his faithful people, a people living for God who have been washed clean and made fit to be sent into everlasting life, a place where everyone who gets there will be full of joy. in the hand of God, for evermore.

Let us pray: Heavenly Father, gracious Lord, we thank you for Jesus who came to earth to destroy the works of the devil and transform us so we become the children of God and heirs of eternal life. Lord we pray that you will make us more like Jesus, so that when he comes in power and glory, we will be brought to the fullness of life for which we long; and also bring others with us into your kingdom. Amen

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