{"id":1036,"date":"2021-02-15T18:28:48","date_gmt":"2021-02-15T18:28:48","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/christforus.org\/NewSite\/?p=1036"},"modified":"2023-01-14T22:28:33","modified_gmt":"2023-01-14T22:28:33","slug":"worthy-to-stand-before-the-son-of-man","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/christforus.org\/NewSite\/index.php\/2021\/02\/15\/worthy-to-stand-before-the-son-of-man\/","title":{"rendered":"Worthy to Stand Before the Son of Man"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p><strong>The Second Sunday in Advent| December 8, 2019| Rev. Rolf Preus| St. Luke 21:25-36<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-audio\"><audio controls src=\"https:\/\/christforus.org\/NewSite\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/02\/Advent-Two-2019.mp3\"><\/audio><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>&#8220;And there will be signs in the sun, in the moon, and in the stars; and on the earth distress of nations, with perplexity, the sea and the waves roaring; men&#8217;s hearts failing them from fear and the expectation of those things which are coming on the earth, for the powers of heaven will be shaken.&nbsp; Then they will see the Son of Man coming in a cloud with power and great glory.&nbsp; Now when these things begin to happen, look up and lift up your heads, because your redemption draws near.&#8221;&nbsp; Then He spoke to them a parable: &#8220;Look at the fig tree, and all the trees.&nbsp; &#8220;When they are already budding, you see and know for yourselves that summer is now near.&nbsp; So you also, when you see these things happening, know that the kingdom of God is near.&nbsp; Assuredly, I say to you, this generation will by no means pass away till all things take place.&nbsp; Heaven and earth will pass away, but My words will by no means pass away.&nbsp; But take heed to yourselves, lest your hearts be weighed down with carousing, drunkenness, and cares of this life, and that Day come on you unexpectedly.&nbsp; For it will come as a snare on all those who dwell on the face of the whole earth.&nbsp; Watch therefore, and pray always that you may be counted worthy to escape all these things that will come to pass, and to stand before the Son of Man.&#8221; St. Luke 21:25-36<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Advent means coming.&nbsp; The first coming of Christ was at his birth in Bethlehem.&nbsp; The second coming of Christ will be when he comes to judge the living and the dead.&nbsp; His first advent was in humility.&nbsp; There was no room for him in the inn.&nbsp; His bed was a manger.&nbsp; His second advent will be in glory.&nbsp; Jesus says that \u201cmen\u2019s hearts [will fail] them from fear and the expectation of those things which are coming on the earth.\u201d&nbsp; He says, \u201cThen they will see the Son of Man coming in a cloud with power and great glory.\u201d&nbsp; His first advent was to bring God\u2019s peace and goodwill to this fallen world.&nbsp; The angels proclaimed to the shepherds, \u201cGlory be to God on high, and on earth peace, goodwill toward men.\u201d&nbsp; Christ\u2019s first advent was to save sinners.&nbsp; His second advent will be to judge.&nbsp; Those who in faith embrace the gospel of Christ\u2019s first advent will be ready to stand before the Son of Man at his second advent.&nbsp; For them, Judgment Day will be their redemption.&nbsp; The kingdom of God will be revealed.&nbsp; It will be a day of great joy and celebration.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>But most people won\u2019t be ready for Judgment Day.&nbsp; They are described in the hymn verse:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>But they who have always resisted his grace<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>And on their own virtue depended<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Shall then be condemned and cast out from his face<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Eternally lost and unfriended.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Have mercy upon us, O Jesus!<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Jesus preached the truth and he faced unbelief.&nbsp; And so it goes throughout history.&nbsp; The church will survive until the end of the world and so will the generation of unbelievers who stood before Jesus.&nbsp; Jesus said:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Assuredly, I say to you, this generation will by no means pass away till all things take place.&nbsp; Heaven and earth will pass away, but My words will by no means pass away.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>All of creation will pass away, Jesus says.&nbsp; This universe is not eternal.&nbsp; God created all that exists.&nbsp; He sustains everything he made by his almighty power.&nbsp; The time is coming when he will destroy what he made.&nbsp; Jesus says:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>There will be signs in the sun, in the moon, and in the stars; and on the earth distress of nations, with perplexity, the sea and the waves roaring; men&#8217;s hearts failing them from fear and the expectation of those things which are coming on the earth, for the powers of heaven will be shaken.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>When God brings this creation to an end, it will bring terror to those whose hearts were fixed on the things of this world.&nbsp; Their hearts will fail from fear.&nbsp; They will see the universe being destroyed.&nbsp; The god they worshipped will be brought to nothing by the God they scorned.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>God is not whoever or whatever you conceive him to be.&nbsp; If you want to see God and know God and receive the eternal gifts God alone can give you must look in the manger.&nbsp; He who lay in the manger made the world.&nbsp; The little baby who relied on his mother\u2019s milk is the Creator and Sustainer of the universe.&nbsp; He is our God.&nbsp; He is our Savior.&nbsp; He is our Judge.&nbsp; He who took upon himself the nature of our human race is he before whom the entire human race will stand to be judged.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Judgment Day is coming.&nbsp; Few believe it.&nbsp; Most ignore it.&nbsp; Life goes on and on.&nbsp; What Judgment Day?&nbsp; Jesus said:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>And as it was in the days of Noah, so it will be also in the days of the Son of Man: <strong><sup>&nbsp;<\/sup><\/strong>They ate, they drank, they married wives, they were given in marriage, until the day that Noah entered the ark, and the flood came and destroyed them all. . . Even so will it be in the day when the Son of Man is revealed. (Luke 17:26, 27, 30)<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>It will come like a thief in the night.&nbsp; It will spring like a trap.&nbsp; Nobody knows when.&nbsp; The only way to be ready to meet Jesus when he returns is to be ready to meet him at all times.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>What\u2019s the difference between a Christian and an unbeliever?&nbsp; All the difference in the world!&nbsp; Those who don\u2019t know Christ will see the universe torn apart and they will be terrified.&nbsp; Those who know Christ will see the universe torn apart.&nbsp; They will remember Jesus\u2019 words.&nbsp; They will see the imminent destruction of the world as the trees budding green, a sure sign that summer is near.&nbsp; The same event evokes terror and joy.&nbsp; It all depends on Jesus.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>What will Judgment Day be for you?&nbsp; Will your heart fail you for fear?&nbsp; Or will you look up and rejoice to see your redemption is at hand?&nbsp; Will you face punishment for your sins?&nbsp; Or will you partake of the eternal joys of God\u2019s kingdom?&nbsp; Will you be caught in a trap?&nbsp; Or will you be counted worthy to stand before the Son of Man?&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>But how can anyone be counted worthy?&nbsp; Doesn\u2019t the Bible teach that we are all sinful and unclean?&nbsp; Don\u2019t we confess our sins to God?&nbsp; Don\u2019t we confess that we deserve his eternal punishment?&nbsp; How can we hope to say that we are worthy to stand before the Son of Man?&nbsp; Or perhaps we cannot know, so we might as well enjoy life and live it to its fullest without worrying about what is beyond our control.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>We can know that we will be worthy.&nbsp; We can know that we will be able to stand on the last day with joy and not fear.&nbsp; How is that?&nbsp; What is it that will endure when this world is destroyed?&nbsp; When this universe is utterly destroyed and everything we have seen is no more, what will endure?&nbsp; What is it that will not pass away, not ever?&nbsp; Jesus says, \u201cHeaven and earth will pass away, but My words will by no means pass away.\u201d&nbsp; Our worthiness to stand; our confidence in our final redemption; our guarantee that we belong to the kingdom of God; all this is ours in the words of Christ that will never pass away.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Our worthiness to stand before the Judge of the living and the dead is found only in Jesus\u2019 words.&nbsp; When God the Father identified Jesus as his only begotten Son in whom he was well pleased, he said, \u201cListen to him.\u201d&nbsp; Listen!&nbsp; Take his words to heart.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Take to heart his warning.&nbsp; Jesus warns us of \u201ccarousing, drunkenness, and the cares of this life.\u201d&nbsp; Don\u2019t put your confidence in what is passing away.&nbsp; Don\u2019t entrust your future to what will surely be destroyed.&nbsp; Hold onto what God promises you in his word.&nbsp; Christ\u2019s words will make you worthy to stand before him on the last day.&nbsp; Take your stand on Jesus\u2019 words.&nbsp; God will raise you up above the cares and troubles of this life.&nbsp; He will prepare you for the second coming of the Lord Jesus Christ.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Christ\u2019s words call us to faith.&nbsp; Faith comes with repentance.&nbsp; Advent is a season of repentance.&nbsp; Our world knows nothing of repentance.&nbsp; That\u2019s why it doesn\u2019t observe Advent.&nbsp; Christmas starts in November.&nbsp; Christmas is no longer Christmas.&nbsp; It is not the celebration of God becoming flesh to rescue us sinners from our sins.&nbsp; It is just another feature of the life of \u201ccarousing, drunkenness, and cares of this life\u201d of which our Lord Jesus warned us.&nbsp;&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Advent is God\u2019s call to repentance.&nbsp; God calls us away from the false faith in the promises of a world destined for destruction.&nbsp; He calls us to faith by his eternal word to the Word made flesh.&nbsp; In his own flesh and blood he redeemed us body and soul.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Ah, but we don\u2019t feel it.&nbsp; Our bodies get old and weak and prone to disease.&nbsp; Our minds lose their sharpness.&nbsp; Where is our worthiness to stand?&nbsp; Where is our strength to face Judgment Day?&nbsp; Listen to the word of the Word made flesh who will judge the living and the dead.&nbsp; He who redeemed you on the cross tells you that your sins that he bore in his body are all forgiven.&nbsp; As surely as he rose from the dead, incorruptible, never to die again, when he returns he will bring full and final redemption to your body.&nbsp; \u201cLook up and lift up your heads,\u201d he says, \u201cBecause your redemption draws near.\u201d&nbsp; He who has redeemed you will redeem you.&nbsp; He will bring to your body the healing he has brought to your soul.&nbsp; The forgiveness he gained for you on Calvary he gave to you in the gospel.&nbsp; You have gotten this forgiveness through faith.&nbsp; What was gained, given, and gotten will transform you to make you fit for the eternal kingdom of God\u2019s glory.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The world will be destroyed, but his word endures forever.&nbsp; When faced with a choice between affection for the promises of this world and the promises of God\u2019s word we know where our affections lie.&nbsp; It\u2019s really very simple.&nbsp; This world is headed to destruction.&nbsp; It will come to an end.&nbsp; All of its promises are vain.&nbsp; You can keep nothing it gives you.&nbsp; What Christ gives us in his word cannot be taken away from us by anyone.&nbsp; When he forgives us our sins, there is nobody in heaven or on earth who can gainsay his absolution.&nbsp; It has the authority of his own blood and it is guaranteed by his infallible word.&nbsp; When he promises us redemption of our bodies, it is as good as done.&nbsp; These dying bodies will become immortal bodies, as God reveals his glory in us.&nbsp; When he promises us eternal life \u2013 even as this universe comes to a sudden end \u2013 his promise alone is our worthiness to stand in confidence before him when he returns to take us home.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>O sweet and blessed country,<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The home of God\u2019s elect!<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>O sweet and blessed country<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>That faithful hearts expect!<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>In mercy, Jesus, bring us<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>To that eternal rest<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>With You and God the Father<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>And Spirit ever blessed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Amen. <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>The Second Sunday in Advent| December 8, 2019| Rev. Rolf Preus| St. Luke 21:25-36 &#8220;And there will be signs in the sun, in the moon, and in the stars; and on the earth distress of nations, with perplexity, the sea and the waves roaring; men&#8217;s hearts failing them from fear and the expectation of&#8230;<\/p>\n<p class=\"read-more\"><a class=\"btn btn-default\" href=\"https:\/\/christforus.org\/NewSite\/index.php\/2021\/02\/15\/worthy-to-stand-before-the-son-of-man\/\"> Read More<span class=\"screen-reader-text\">  Read More<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":4,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[19,8,17,4],"tags":[160,291,238],"class_list":["post-1036","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-advent-2","category-latest-sermons","category-sermons-by-historical-lectionary","category-sermons-by-rolf-preus","tag-advent-2","tag-luke-21","tag-rolf-preus"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/christforus.org\/NewSite\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1036","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/christforus.org\/NewSite\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/christforus.org\/NewSite\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/christforus.org\/NewSite\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/4"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/christforus.org\/NewSite\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=1036"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/christforus.org\/NewSite\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1036\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":1039,"href":"https:\/\/christforus.org\/NewSite\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1036\/revisions\/1039"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/christforus.org\/NewSite\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1036"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/christforus.org\/NewSite\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=1036"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/christforus.org\/NewSite\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=1036"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}