“The end is near!”  You can all picture a cardboard cutout with those words painted on it, a man or woman standing on a street corner holding up the sign and yelling it at the top of their lungs to all who would hear.  Not too long ago, in regards to the ISIS attacks in Paris, there was one such person in the background of a newscast. I don’t know if anyone really pays much attention to such people, maybe for the good and maybe for the bad.  But they do have a point.  The end is near, since Jesus’ death and resurrection we are living in the end times, and as Christians part of our prayer is that Jesus will come quickly and save us.

One of the things that Jesus made very clear is that no one will know when these things will happen until they happen.  In last week's Gospel, the disciples asked, "When will these things be?" Jesus begins to tell His disciples of the destruction of Jerusalem and its temple in the year 70.  As He continues to explain things to His disciples, He also speaks about these last days Jesus said, "But concerning that day or that hour, no one knows, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father."  Even Jesus, in His state of humiliation, didn't know the time of the end.

If it was not necessary for even Jesus to know the time of the end, it is certainly not necessary for anyone else to know the time either.  Nevertheless, many have been seduced by the mystery of it all and actually set dates and times for Christ's return.  What a waste of time and resources.

But here’s a novel idea (insert sarcasm here…). Instead of wearing ourselves out on useless diversions, why not listen to the Words of Christ.  Instead of trying to delve into the infinite mysteries of God, why don’t we spend some time on what He has revealed, on what He wants us to know.  His main teaching in today's Gospel runs in perfect parallel with the main theme of last weeks Gospel.  Last week the theme was, "The one who endures to the end will be saved."  This week Jesus tells us to "Be on guard, keep awake, stay awake, stay awake, Stay awake."

Notice how often Jesus repeated Himself.  Here Jesus tells us to be on guard or to stay awake five times.  Maybe this is an important thing that we ought to listen to!  Jesus tells a story of a servant waiting for his master to return from a trip.  The reason the servant must keep watch or stay awake is that he is to be ready when the master returns.  Thus "to stay awake" means to be ready for our master's return.  Since Christ is our master, how can we be ready for His return? How do you pay attention?  How do you keep focused?

Certainly our material wealth can't help us.  When the sun darkens, the moon fails to give light, and the stars fall from the heaven, our material wealth will be long gone.  Our stuff will disappear with the rest of the universe.

What about our good works?  Consider your life in the light of the Ten Commandments.  Have you loved God with all your heart, mind, soul, and strength?  Has God's name always been holy to you and used only to call for help in times of trouble, for prayer, praise, and thanksgiving.  Have you gladly heard and learned God's Word or have you despised God's Word by making Sunday School and Divine Service a low priority in your life?  Have you loved your neighbor as yourself?  Have you always respected your parents and other authorities?  Have you respected other people's life, property, and reputation?  Have you kept your thoughts pure?

When we begin to pray the Small Catechism in the way it was meant to be prayed, focusing upon our sinfulness according to the Ten Commandments and our salvation according to the Creed, we confess the reality of living in a sinful world, that regardless of it’s splendor, will simply pass away. 

Look at the front of your bulletin cover for a moment.  Notice there is a cross and around it the letters VDMA.  This stands for the Latin phrase, Verbum Domini Manet in Aeternum, or in English, “The Word of the Lord remains forever.” This was the motto of the Lutheran Reformation, a confident expression of the enduring power and authority of God’s Word. The motto is based on 1 Peter 1:24–25. It first appeared in the court of Frederick the Wise in 1522. He had it sewn onto the right sleeve of the court’s official clothing, which was worn by prince and servant alike. It was used by Frederick’s successors, his brother John the Steadfast, and his nephew John Frederick the Magnanimous. It became the official motto of the Smalcaldic League and was used on flags, banners, swords, and uniforms as a symbol of the unity of the Lutheran laity who struggled to defend their beliefs, communities, families, and lives against those who were intent on destroying them.^[1]

This is part of Zion Lutheran Church’s 100^th anniversary logo as well, for the same reason—the Word of the Lord remains here. We focus first and foremost upon God’s means of grace.  For our Lord meets His people in His Word and Sacrament.  And it here that the Word remains for us, for our salvation, for our life. Though buildings change and people move in and out. Pews rearranged and banners differ, the Word remains. Though our nation prosper or fall, though heaven and earth give way, the word of the Lord will never pass away.

God has created this time before Jesus’ final coming that we may come to faith and call others to faith and salvation. We are to focus on the work He has given us to do.  To be good stewards of His creation, to use the gifts God has given us for the glory of God and in service to others. Rather than wasting time on trying to figure out exactly when Jesus will return, we should focus on receiving the eternal Word of Christ and bringing the Gospel to those who need to hear it so that they too are ready, are awake for Jesus’ return!

Jesus will return on that Last Day to judge all humanity, fulfilling the Old Testament prophecies and His promises.  And while no one knows when this will happen, there will be no doubt when it does.  St John writes in Revelation, “Behold, Christ is coming with the clouds, and every eye will see Him…”  No one will enter the kingdom of God by His own works, but only through faith in Christ. Because of His death and resurrection and because the Holy Spirit creates and sustains faith in the lives of God’s people, we can be sure of our salvation no matter what befalls us in this life.

All because of Jesus.  The Word of the Lord endures forever, though heaven and earth pass away, through all the Bibles burned up in the ash, because the Word has died and been raised from the dead never to die again. Death, destruction has no power over the Word because He is the first and the final Word, the Alpha and Omega, ‘who is and who was and who is to come, the Almighty.”