Practical Advice for the End Times
St. Paul’s United Methodist Church
1 Thessalonians 4: 13 - 18, Rev. Marianne Niesen, November 9, 2008
Imagine for a moment that you are a member of a small ‘alternative community’ of faith living around the year 50 in Thessalonika, an important city in the Roman empire. Your city, the capital of Macedonia, is a port on the Aegean Sea. It is located on the trade routes heading east and west, north and south. Thessalonika - even the name sounds important and you are proud of your city. Just a few years earlier, a charismatic leader named Paul had passed through. That wasn’t unusual - people passed through your town all the time - many of them claiming to have the newest revelation of truth, the newest product, the newest thing that would make life easier or better. But this ‘Paul’ was different. You were caught up in his vision. Despite hard economic times, Paul proclaimed - and lived - a path of generosity that transformed life. Despite a climate of fear that pervaded the politics of the empire, Paul preached a vision of hope that he said was the way life was meant to be. He pointed to the life and death of a man named Jesus who was executed by the Romans - crucified, no less - and who still lived. God had raised him from the dead. This Jesus, Paul insisted, was the prince of peace, the savior of the world. That had caught your attention because you were a good citizen of the empire and you knew that Caesar Augustus was the prince of peace and the savior of the world. Everyone said so. Those very words were etched in stone on the walls and over the entrances to cities and towns all over the empire. But that Paul had seemed convinced and, indeed, the environment of hope among his followers and the spirit of generosity with which the people around him lived was compelling. They lived their faith every day - with who they were and what they had. You’d tried to ignore it at first - but you couldn’t. Fear was everywhere - except among those ‘Christians.’ So, you decided to get closer and eventually you and your whole family joined the group. It was a place of refuge and hope in a very uncertain and dangerous world.
You worked your regular job, of course, but little by little you spent most of your free time with the community of Christ-followers. You gave generously, supporting the ministry of Paul and the church in Jerusalem. You cared for the poor among you and for those living on the edge of the society at large. Before he had left for the next town, Paul had said love one another with mutual affection; outdo one another in showing honor - and you had done just that. Paul had told you about his own experience of meeting the risen crucified Jesus. It had happened in Damascus. Those were the days Paul didn’t much like Christ-followers. He thought they were blasphemers - followers of a convicted, executed criminal and they deserved to be roughed up a bit. He was good at that - until the day that criminal himself appeared to him amid light and ecstasy. Paul wept about the experience every time he talked about it. I saw the Lord! I didn’t deserve it or earn it but that Jesus changed my life, transforming fear to love, self-righteousness to generosity. Join us and you too will share in this new creation! Join us, for he is coming soon once again and you will see him as I did! Paul was convinced of that - Jesus would come again soon - and all believers would have that vision. Caesar Augustus promised many things . . . but he never promised that. That little ‘new age’ community became your lifeline. But as the days and weeks went on, you began to wonder . . . when would Jesus come? How long was the wait? And then, your good friend died. Then, your Mom. And there were others. You buried them all, as always, outside the walls of the city. Weeks became months became years. You wondered, all of you, now what? What will happen to these longtime members of our community who will not be alive to see the Lord? What if I die before he comes? It was hard to maintain hope in the midst of fear. It was what they call a ‘crisis of faith’ for you and for the community.
That is a rough approximation of the situation among the Christians in Thessolonika. The firm conviction that the end of the world was near was one of the many things about which Paul was wrong. You see, Paul’s theology, his preaching, was primarily pastoral. He would probably be baffled by the numbers of books written about his ‘theological thought.’ Paul himself would probably say I have only one theology - and it is about becoming a ‘new creation’ in Christ. Following the way of Jesus is your hope and your acts of generosity and service are the hope of the world. Don’t write books - do that! For Paul, it was always about hope, hope in Christ - knowing Christ would change you and, through you, the world. So Paul’s desire when he wrote his letters was to encourage and support the believers as they awaited what he believed was the immanent return of Jesus.
Some Christians believe that the text I read today is about something else, something they call the rapture. This event - which they assert will be soon - is when Christ will come and take the righteous dead and the righteous living to heaven. Books like those in the ‘Left Behind’ series capitalize on this idea, the point of which is to create adequate fear and anxiety so people will join the ranks of fundamentalist Christians and be ready. The long introduction I just gave is designed to set that idea to rest. Any use of Paul to create an atmosphere of fear is a mis-use of Paul. Hope was his hallmark. Hope in Christ. This text is Paul’s incredibly kind and sensitive answer to the question about what happens to those who have already died when the Lord comes. Paul didn’t know for sure - but his tenacious hope told him that no one would be turned away. The end was good news, not fearful news. So, he took an image that would be familiar to the people to whom he wrote and said . . . "it’ll look something like a parousia."
That may be an unfamiliar word to some of you - but it would have been a very well known concept to the Thessalonikans. Today, ‘end time’ folks use the word ‘parousia’ to mean only one thing - the fearful and vengeful coming of Christ on the last day. But the Greek word itself, which means ‘arrival’ or ‘coming,’ referred to any royal visitation. The ‘parousia’ was a state event when the king and his entourage came to a city. They would arrive at the gates and would be announced by a herald who would blow a trumpet and proclaim he’s here. That, of course, at a time before newspapers or mass media, would alert the townsfolk about what was happening. A reception committee would go to meet the king and escort him inside the city walls where all would join in the processions and celebrations.
That’s the image Paul wanted the concerned Thessalonikans to have. When Christ comes, and he is heralded at the gate, the first ones to meet him will be none other than those who are buried outside those gates. The deceased. In fact, that’s the reception committee! And then we’ll all join them! We’ll all be together. In other words, of course, the beloved dead will be part of this. Don’t worry about that. And, of course - the second assurance follows closely - don’t worry about yourselves either. Don’t be concerned about the end at all . . . it’s your meeting with Christ, your vision, that’s a good thing. Put aside all fear - live in hope. Turn your attention to living!
My shorthand translation of this message is. . . don’t worry about the dead, they’re with God. Don’t worry about yourselves, God is with you. Live in hope. Encourage each other. A bit later in the text, Paul wrote ‘put on the breastplate of faith and love’ and ‘build each other up.’ Paul was clear . . . the fundamental message of Christianity was one of hope. And, his charge to those small communities of faith? Live as I taught you . . . with hope, generosity and love. Fear and anxiety had no place.
Paul was wrong about the timing of the end of the world and the coming of Christ. But, nevertheless, this message was absolutely right. In the game of fear and anxiety, don’t play! Instead, live as people of hope no matter what. Do good, encourage each other, be generous, serve no matter what. Interestingly, his message is both firmly rooted in time . . . which is why we get that image of the parousia so mixed up. . . and, at the same time, his message is absolutely timeless. It’s amazing to me that Christians through the years have insisted on predicting and fostering fear about the end of the world. That’s simply a mis-use - even an abuse - of Paul.
I like that story about the boy and his father who were planning a fishing trip for the next day. That evening as the father was putting his son to bed, the boy hugged his father's neck and said, "Daddy, thank you for tomorrow." That’s captures Paul’s point.
There are some of us here who are absolutely thrilled with the results of the recent election. The election of Barack Obama is, we believe, a good and needed step toward new policies and a new agenda that are desperately needed as we deal with war, a crumbling economy, inadequate healthcare and our seriously damaged reputation in the world. But there are others of us who are disappointed, concerned, and suspicious of a leader so young and inexperienced. Or, who simply disagree with his policies. Elections, by nature, always result in elation and disappointment. I suggest to you that a translation of Paul’s message for us today, on November 9, 2008 in the midst of a country in economic decline following a hard-fought election, would go like this . . .
for those of us who are disappointed, angry, fearful or, even in agony . . . get over it! This isn’t the end of the world and there’s work to do!
for those whose excitement is palpable, who relish this moment of victory . . . get on with it! This isn’t the end of the world and there’s work to do!
So, live as people of hope no matter what. Do good, encourage each other, be generous, serve no matter what.
As you know, we are in the midst of our stewardship emphasis at St. Paul’s. It is, admittedly, a difficult time to talk about giving. Stories about the economic downturn abound. For many of us, our pensions and savings have taken a hit. We’re worried. From all reports, things here in Helena are more stable than many places; employment here has held its own. Still, we’re worried. I didn’t know all of this would be going on when I chose this text for today. In fact, I almost changed my mind . . . after all, who wants to hear about the ‘rapture’ when the real world is in such crisis? And then I realized that these are precisely the times for which Paul was writing. And, his challenge is really the challenge of stewardship for people of faith precisely at times like this. He gave practical advice for the end times. And his advice was exactly the opposite of conventional wisdom . . . the best way to confront the uncertainty and fear of the world is to live as people of hope. And, this hope is not a feeling . . . it is an action. In fact, real hope is built with countless small actions of generosity and service in the face of all warnings to the contrary.
A minister wrote to a wealthy businessman, and requested a donation for the church. He promptly received a blunt refusal, which ended with these words: "As far as I can see, this Christian business is just one continuous GIVE, GIVE, GIVE!" Not long after, the minister wrote the following reply: "I wish to thank you for the best definition of the Christian life that I have yet heard!" Generosity is part of the deal!
In your bulletin today, you will find something we fondly call the ‘step chart.’ I’m hoping most of you received it in a mailing this past week as well. It is a snapshot of giving at St. Paul’s . I encourage you to find yourself on it and celebrate the ways you have already been generous during these times. And then consider how you might grow in faith this year through your giving. Like moving up a step toward tithing. One of the longstanding ways people of faith have stayed generous no matter what is through percentage giving . . . that’s giving ‘off the top’ a portion of the blessings in your life. That’s been incredibly freeing for Lyle and me. Our gift is deducted from our checking account each month. Wee don’t worry about it. It is our action of hope no matter what.
There was a knock on the door of his hut. Answering, the missionary found one of the native boys holding a large fish in his hands. The boy said, "You taught us what tithing is, so here -- I've brought you my tithe." As the missionary gratefully took the fish, he asked the young lad, "If this is your tithe, where are the other nine fish?" At this, the young boy beamed and said, "Oh, they're still in the river. I'm going back to catch them now." That’s hope!
What would it be like if we here at St. Paul’s, despite the very real economic challenges out there, did what we could to live up to our namesake - St. Paul. The people in Thessalonika had a lot to worry about. Like us, things were tight, the country was at war almost constantly and there were political factions. In addition to that, Christians - unlike us - were a tiny minority whose members were often under attack and they thought the end of the world was immanent. Despite all that, Paul challenged them to live in a way that would make Jesus proud to return whenever that happened. The cornerstone of that life was hope, generosity and service. The context has changed since then, the challenge has not. What, then, shall we do?
