THE SIGNS OF THE TIMES
Luke 21: 25-36

Grace, mercy, and peace be to you from God our Father, and from our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Amen.  Our text for this mornings meditation is recorded in the Gospel lesson appointed for today, St. Luke, chapter 21, verses 25 through 36, particularly these words: “Jesus said to them, “And there will be signs in sun and moon and stars. Look up and raise your heads, because your redemption is drawing near. But take heed to yourselves lest your hearts be weighed down with dissipation and drunkenness and cares of this life. But watch at all times, praying that you may have strength to escape all these things that will take place, and to stand before the Son of Man.” This is our text.

In the name of our blessed Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, dear Christian friends. If you take a trip down to 1960 these days, you will see that things are different from the last time you were down there. This time, it is hard to find a parking place at the shopping center where usually Parking is plentiful. This time you have to stand in a long line to be checked out, rather than just going right through. This time there is a big tent with a lot of cedar, spruce, fir, and pine trees all over what used to be a vacant lot. Everywhere, in every store, there are sales going on, and the usually small toy section, now takes up about 1/3 of the store. One might say, “All these things are signs of the times.”

In December, as we prepare for Christmas, there are many happy days of gatherings and parties, but those days are also going to be very frantic. Traffic will be heavy, shopping will be heavy, check out lines will be long, and tempers will be wearing thin. As people get into the hustle and bustle of the Christmas season, sometimes they get so wrapped up in what they are doing that they forget why they are doing it.

But let us take a few moments this morning, looking at the things that are happening around us, and see just how we are preparing for the TWO comings of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ; as the child of Bethlehem, AND as our glorious King.

First of all, there are preparations to be made for both comings. There are a lot of preparations going on all around us for the Christmas season. Lights on houses, decorations in store windows, trees with tinsel and lights. People are trying to get all the names together on their Christmas card list, and the shopping for that perfect gift for the aunt or uncle who has everything — has begun. BUT IS THAT ALL THERE IS TO PREPARING FOR CHRISTMAS? If this is all that we are doing — then we will not be prepared for Christmas when it comes.

We also need to prepare our hearts spiritually for the coming of the Christ child. We need to open our hearts to the real fact that – it is for us and for our sins that Jesus Christ was born. It was for you and for me that God became man and dwelt among us. We celebrate Christmas, because of a gift that God himself has given to us! Are you preparing for the birthday of your Savior – or are you just preparing for the holiday?

AND as we look for the second coming of our Savior, we have preparations to make. Our text warns us, “When these things begin to take place, look up and raise your heads, because your redemption is drawing near.” The “signs of the times” are here. The things that God promised would happen, have happened. The fig tree is in full leaf! Any serious student of the Scriptures knows that the second coming of Christ has to be near. So we need to prepare for this second coming — HOW?? Through firm and sure Faith in Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior. Which is strengthened through Worship, through Holy Communion, and through Bible Study. Through Prayer and repentance. And Through service to God and to fellowman. This is how we prepare for that day of the Lord!

But as always, when there is much that needs to be done, there is very little time in which to do it! I’m sure you have already noticed that there are only 25 shopping days left before Christmas. Just 25 days to find all the gifts, mail all the cards, clean the whole house, lay by the food for the family gathering, get the cookies made, and all those other things we do before Christmas. There is one thing about Christmas that we surely can’t change — and that is the date. We can’t say “Hold off another week,” because when Dec. 25 roles around, that day is Christmas, ready or not.

The day of the Lord is also like that! It cannot be postponed! For when Jesus returns in Glory, with all his angels, that’s all. That’s the end of time as we know it, and the beginning of Eternity. We don’t know the day — but that day is coming soon.

And because it is coming soon, we need to be prepared — just listen to the warning sounded in our text, “Take heed to yourselves lest your hearts be weighed down with dissipation and drunkenness and cares of this life, and that day come upon you suddenly like a snare.”

The text warns us to “take heed” so that we don’t get trapped. That is a very good warning in this busy Christmas season. Far too many people will say on Saturday, December 26th, “I’m Glad the Christmas season is over!” But, Dec. 26 is JUST THE SECOND DAY OF CHRISTMAS — and there are 12 days of Christmas. Listen to the text — take “HEED TO YOURSELVES” — Don’t let the cares of this life — the shopping, the wrapping, the tinsel, and the toys separate you from the real meaning of Christmas — “Unto you a child is born, Unto you a son is given.”

And likewise “TAKE HEED TO YOURSELVES” so that Christ’s second coming in glory, does not also find you bogged down in cares of this earthly life — don’t get so busy with property or homes, or family, or friends, or fortune — that you forget God and his grace and His love and His plans for your life. Don’t get so tied up with this world, that you forget the eternity which God himself has prepared for you with himself in heaven.

So this Christmas season, “TAKE HEED TO YOURSELF!” Make sure that this season is the joyful and happy season that it should be. Before you begin each and every task — remind yourself why we celebrate this season and why you give those gifts. Remind yourself that this special season is about that wondrous gift of love, given by God to each and every person. This season is dedicated to the gift of God’s son, given to a dying world, so that all who believe in him might have eternal life with God in heaven when Christ comes again.

Christ came — and on that coming he paid the price for our sins. He is coming again, and this time, he promises to take us to be with him forever!

This is HIS season. Let us prepare our hearts and prepare our lives for HIS coming. Come Lord Jesus, come Quickly! Amen.

May the peace of God which passes all understanding, keep your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus unto life everlasting. Amen.