“Let us hold unswervingly to the hope we profess, for he who promised is faithful.” (Hebrews 10:23)
“Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength.” (Deuteronomy 6:5)
Prop: ruby slippers (you may use these as an example of an “anchoring” metaphor/sign) OR bud of a fig tree // recommended: Holy Communion elements
One of the most mesmerizing tales of the 20th century was The Wizard of Oz starring a young Judy Garland. It was first and foremost a foray into the world of dreams. But what made this musical so memorable was its awe-inspiring demonstration of “dazzling new” technicolor pictures.
The film starts in a black and white realism, that seems to mirror Dorothy’s black and white understanding of life on her family’s Kansas farm. When a tornado sweeps through the rural countryside, Dorothy bumps her head and a story arises from the twilight of her unconscious mind that may be imaginary, but is peppered with colorful clues and characters from her real Kansas life.
If you pay attention to those hints and clues and metaphors, you discover that Dorothy’s dream world is rooted in her own true identity: her love of friends and family, her sense of home. When she awakens, those clues will be the triggers that remind and refresh her soul of the love that she’s never lost but which is right there for her to embrace. Understanding the relationships that make her life valuable creates for her an exquisitely beautiful new view of her home and family, free of simplistic dichotomies and shadowy misunderstandings.
The story? Your “dream come true” may already be in your own backyard.
[Hold up the ruby slippers.]
For Dorothy, the clue to her identity lies in her ruby slippers --a metaphor with the power to transport her back to where her heart truly belongs. But the true power isn’t in the shoes. The true power is the love graven in her heart, and her heart’s desire to find the true meaning of home.
Jesus wants his disciples to understand something very similar. Despite the darkness coming, despite the trials and tribulations he knows they will face on account of him, despite all of the turmoil he knows is in store, the chaos and confusion, the false prophets, and distractions, and misunderstandings, and misleading ideas about him and about God, Jesus wants his disciples to stay alert to the “signs” of God in their midst, the “metaphors” that point to truth, and to Jesus’ presence among them even in the midst of sorrow and suffering. Jesus wants us to stay focused on who we are –followers of Jesus— even when doubt may tempt to consume us.
“Pay attention!” he says. “Stay focused!” “Heed the signs!” “Don’t get distracted!” “Stay true to Me.” “Stay rooted in who you know God to be!”
“Don’t let your faith falter!”
The word in Greek is blepete. But its equivalent in Hebrew is “sim lev!” In Hebrew, it means, “pay attention.” But its etymology means, “put your heart into it!”
“Sim lev!” “Put your heart …into it!”
Those of you in a relationship know that the best gift you can give someone is your attention, your presence of mind and heart. Relationships thrive on “engagement.”
It’s a cool word….right? And I’m sure some of you are thinking about “engagement” as we approach Valentine’s Day this year. Engagement means that you are “engaged” in that relationship intimately. The opposite is detachment. When you are in love with someone, you engage with them in what I like to call “deep knowing.”
It’s no different in our relationship with Jesus. When we “engage” our hearts and minds with Jesus, we are entering into a kind of relationship in which we experience “deep knowing.” Deep knowing is that sense of really knowing someone –how they feel about things, what’s meaningful to him or her, his or her values and dreams, the depths of his or her soul. Deep knowing means taking the time to “put our hearts” into getting to know someone else in a very intimate way, so that no matter what challenges come your way, you “know” that person well enough to respect him or her, and to know his or her love for you is dedicated and true, lasting and loyal. Deep knowing is the assurance of presence, and the ability to hold that person in your heart, even when not physically present.
Those who have had a loved one pass away know exactly what I mean. That person lives on in your heart in ways that are inexplicable, and undeniable. Love….never dies.
“Deep knowing.”
Just as we get to “know” our partners and our spouses intimately and well, we are able to recognize Jesus in ways that we couldn’t before, and to know He is there, even when hard times set in, if only we “put our hearts” into knowing Him.
“Paying attention” to the signs of Jesus in our midst is a decision to keep our hearts engaged in that relationship with Jesus, even when doubt creeps in, even when lies about him are told, even in a culture that doesn’t believe, even when our faith is assaulted and challenged.
Worship…. is “paying attention” to God in the midst of distractions. Prayer…. is “paying attention” to God in the midst of a noisy culture. Getting to know Jesus –through scriptures, through personal encounter, through meditation, through fellowship with each other, through Holy Communion, through all of the ways that keep you “engaged” with Jesus, that keep your heart focused on him --all of this leads to a faith that cannot be broken, and an assurance that he is always near.
The shema, the prayer Jesus himself prayed and quoted, commands us to love God with all of our hearts, minds, and strength. We are to “put our hearts” into loving God and getting to know Jesus in all of the ways we can. We are to “hold fast” to those things we know are true about him and about His love for us. We are to “take heed” not to be distracted by those who would lead us astray.
Hold sway, Jesus tells us. Don’t lose faith. Look sharp. See Jesus as the Savior he is. The clues are all around you in beautiful reminders of His love and care. You just need to “pay attention.”
Jesus tried his best to remind his disciples that they were not alone, would not be alone in the times to come. But by following him, they were guaranteed a different kind of life, an assured future, in which they would be loved and cared for.
“I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit in you.” said God through the prophet Ezekiel. “I am with you to the end of the age,” Jesus promised.
Dorothy, in the Wizard of Oz, had a dream. She dreamt that good prevails over evil, that her friends would always be friends, that she could find her way home, despite all the forces of evil. She dreamt that hope is born in the heart, and that what is most important harbors in the heart.
She was right.
Sometimes living in the world can seem like a bad dream. Sometimes more a nightmare than a nightingale. Reality is not reality TV. Life is full of pain and tragedy and unfairness. But within your life, within the lives of your friends and your family, your neighbors and even your foes, lie clues that there is something much bigger than all of this pain and tragedy. Your heart can resonate with joy, and hope, and laughter, and love when Jesus name is spoken, and the signs of his Spirit poke through like a rainbow through the clouds.
Jesus is Lord.
Dorothy may have had ruby slippers to connect her to her heart’s home, although it took her a good deal of time to remember what they meant to her. When we get engaged, we offer a ring, a circular symbol that always draws us back to that first-love in which we gave our hearts.
Jesus too gives us a metaphor of our engagement –his body and his blood. Through this “communion” with Him, we are reminded, pulled back into that “deep knowing” with Him, conscious of His presence in our lives, recommitted to our loyalty and love. Jesus is our heart’s focus. We place our hearts in His hands, and put our hearts in Him.
And there are so many other reminders too.
You can see Jesus in the cry of a baby, in the first buds of a spring fig tree, in the joy of relationships, in the solitude of silence. You can see him in the faces of loved ones, in the kindness of a neighbor, in the generosity of a stranger, and even in the dawn of yet another day.
When your heart is rooted in Jesus, you will always find your way home, your truth, your steady rock, your love, your true identity, …your way to God.
Pay attention. Keep your heart rooted in Jesus. Look sharp. Hold sway. Stay the course. Keep your heart focused on Him.
“Sim lev!”
In Him you will find your hope. In Him you will find your assurance. In Him you will discover your salvation.
*The photo for this sermon comes from Technology of the Heart
Based on the Story Lectionary
Major Text
Jesus Tells His Disciples to Heed the Signs of the End of the Age (Mark 13; Matthew 24)
Minor Text
The Story of Noah (Genesis 5-7)
Abraham Attempts to Sacrifice His Son Isaac But Due to God’s Sign Declines (Genesis 22)
Hold Fast to the Lord and You Will Receive God’s Abundance (Deuteronomy 30)
The Ebenezer Stone Represents Holding Fast to God and God’s Help to Israel (1 Samuel 7)
Psalm 26: Examine My Heart and Mind for I Have Been Faithful
Psalm 73: I Will Stay Steadfast to the Lord Despite Those Around Me Who Seem to Flourish
Psalm 119: I Seek You with All My Heart…Do Not Let Me Stray from You
Daniel is Saved from Lions Due to His Steadfast Faith in God (Daniel 6)
The Story of Job
All Those Who Hold Fast to the Lord Will Be Blessed (Isaiah 56:1-8)
The Tribes Hold Fast to the Lord (Joshua 22)
Paul’s Advice to the Thessalonians to Hold Fast to God and Be Loving to All (I Thessalonians 5)
The Victory of the Lamb for Those Who Have Held Fast to Jesus (Revelation 12)
Jesus Tells His Disciples to Heed the Signs of the End of the Age as Told by Mark
As Jesus was leaving the temple, one of his disciples said to him, “Look, Teacher! What massive stones! What magnificent buildings!”
“Do you see all these great buildings?” replied Jesus. “Not one stone here will be left on another; every one will be thrown down.”
As Jesus was sitting on the Mount of Olives opposite the temple, Peter, James, John and Andrew asked him privately, “Tell us, when will these things happen? And what will be the sign that they are all about to be fulfilled?”
Jesus said to them: “Watch out that no one deceives you. Many will come in my name, claiming, ‘I am he,’ and will deceive many. When you hear of wars and rumors of wars, do not be alarmed. Such things must happen, but the end is still to come. Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. There will be earthquakes in various places, and famines. These are the beginning of birth pains.
“You must be on your guard. You will be handed over to the local councils and flogged in the synagogues.
On account of me you will stand before governors and kings as witnesses to them. And the gospel must first be preached to all nations.
Whenever you are arrested and brought to trial, do not worry beforehand about what to say. Just say whatever is given you at the time, for it is not you speaking, but the Holy Spirit.
“Brother will betray brother to death, and a father his child. Children will rebel against their parents and have them put to death. Everyone will hate you because of me, but the one who stands firm to the end will be saved.
“When you see ‘the abomination that causes desolation’ standing where it does not belong—let the reader understand—then let those who are in Judea flee to the mountains. Let no one on the housetop go down or enter the house to take anything out. Let no one in the field go back to get their cloak. How dreadful it will be in those days for pregnant women and nursing mothers! Pray that this will not take place in winter, because those will be days of distress unequaled from the beginning, when God created the world, until now—and never to be equaled again.
“If the Lord had not cut short those days, no one would survive. But for the sake of the elect, whom he has chosen, he has shortened them.
At that time if anyone says to you, ‘Look, here is the Messiah!’ or, ‘Look, there he is!’ do not believe it. For false messiahs and false prophets will appear and perform signs and wonders to deceive, if possible, even the elect. So be on your guard; I have told you everything ahead of time.
“But in those days, following that distress, “‘the sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give its light; the stars will fall from the sky, and the heavenly bodies will be shaken.’ “At that time, people will see the Son of Man coming in clouds with great power and glory. And he will send his angels and gather his elect from the four winds, from the ends of the earth to the ends of the heavens.
“Now learn this lesson from the fig tree: As soon as its twigs get tender and its leaves come out, you know that summer is near. Even so, when you see these things happening, you know that it is near, right at the door. Truly I tell you, this generation will certainly not pass away until all these things have happened.
Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will never pass away.
“But about that day or hour no one knows, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father.
Be on guard! Be alert! You do not know when that time will come. It’s like a man going away: He leaves his house and puts his servants in charge, each with their assigned task, and tells the one at the door to keep watch. “Therefore, keep watch because you do not know when the owner of the house will come back—whether in the evening, or at midnight, or when the rooster crows, or at dawn. If he comes suddenly, do not let him find you sleeping. What I say to you, I say to everyone: ‘Watch!’”
Jesus Tells His Disciples to Heed the Signs of the End of the Age According to Matthew
Jesus left the temple and was walking away when his disciples came up to him to call his attention to its buildings.
“Do you see all these things?” he asked. “Truly I tell you, not one stone here will be left on another; every one will be thrown down.”
As Jesus was sitting on the Mount of Olives, the disciples came to him privately. “Tell us,” they said, “when will this happen, and what will be the sign of your coming and of the end of the age?”
Jesus answered: “Watch out that no one deceives you. For many will come in my name, claiming, ‘I am the Messiah,’ and will deceive many.
You will hear of wars and rumors of wars, but see to it that you are not alarmed. Such things must happen, but the end is still to come. Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. There will be famines and earthquakes in various places. All these are the beginning of birth pains.
“Then you will be handed over to be persecuted and put to death, and you will be hated by all nations because of me. At that time many will turn away from the faith and will betray and hate each other, and many false prophets will appear and deceive many people.
Because of the increase of wickedness, the love of most will grow cold, but the one who stands firm to the end will be saved. And this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in the whole world as a testimony to all nations, and then the end will come.
“So when you see standing in the holy place ‘the abomination that causes desolation,’ spoken of through the prophet Daniel—let the reader understand— then let those who are in Judea flee to the mountains. Let no one on the housetop go down to take anything out of the house. Let no one in the field go back to get their cloak.
How dreadful it will be in those days for pregnant women and nursing mothers! Pray that your flight will not take place in winter or on the Sabbath. For then there will be great distress, unequaled from the beginning of the world until now—and never to be equaled again.
“If those days had not been cut short, no one would survive, but for the sake of the elect those days will be shortened.
At that time if anyone says to you, ‘Look, here is the Messiah!’ or, ‘There he is!’ do not believe it. For false messiahs and false prophets will appear and perform great signs and wonders to deceive, if possible, even the elect.
See, I have told you ahead of time. “So if anyone tells you, ‘There he is, out in the wilderness,’ do not go out; or, ‘Here he is, in the inner rooms,’ do not believe it.
For as lightning that comes from the east is visible even in the west, so will be the coming of the Son of Man. Wherever there is a carcass, there the vultures will gather.
“Immediately after the distress of those days, “‘the sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give its light; the stars will fall from the sky, and the heavenly bodies will be shaken.’ “Then will appear the sign of the Son of Man in heaven. And then all the peoples of the earth will mourn when they see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of heaven, with power and great glory. And he will send his angels with a loud trumpet call, and they will gather his elect from the four winds, from one end of the heavens to the other.
“Now learn this lesson from the fig tree: As soon as its twigs get tender and its leaves come out, you know that summer is near. Even so, when you see all these things, you know that it is near, right at the door. Truly I tell you, this generation will certainly not pass away until all these things have happened.
Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will never pass away.
“But about that day or hour no one knows, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father.
As it was in the days of Noah, so it will be at the coming of the Son of Man. For in the days before the flood, people were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, up to the day Noah entered the ark; and they knew nothing about what would happen until the flood came and took them all away. That is how it will be at the coming of the Son of Man.
Two men will be in the field; one will be taken and the other left. Two women will be grinding with a hand mill; one will be taken and the other left. “Therefore, keep watch, because you do not know on what day your Lord will come.
But understand this: If the owner of the house had known at what time of night the thief was coming, he would have kept watch and would not have let his house be broken into. So you also must be ready, because the Son of Man will come at an hour when you do not expect him.
“Who then is the faithful and wise servant, whom the master has put in charge of the servants in his household to give them their food at the proper time? It will be good for that servant whose master finds him doing so when he returns. Truly I tell you, he will put him in charge of all his possessions.
But suppose that servant is wicked and says to himself, ‘My master is staying away a long time,’ and he then begins to beat his fellow servants and to eat and drink with drunkards. The master of that servant will come on a day when he does not expect him and at an hour he is not aware of. He will cut him to pieces and assign him a place with the hypocrites, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.
Image Exegesis: Signs at the End of the Age / Look Sharp and Hold Sway!
“But Christ is faithful as the Son over God’s house. And we are his house, if indeed we hold firmly to our confidence and the hope in which we glory.” (Hebrews 3:6)
“And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the Lord’s people.” (Ephesians 6:18)
“The end of all things is near. Therefore, be alert and of sober mind so that you may pray.” (1 Peter 4:7)
The metaphor of the budding fig tree in Jesus story stands out above all of the warnings of signs to come, as a symbol of hope, of life out of darkness.
The warning, “blepete,” means to look sharp, pay attention to your surroundings, to be alert tas its archaic meaning indicates “to wear the purple crown.” To hold sway then is to retain the crown no matter what, to endure, to persevere. To hold strong in the face of attack. The Hebrew chazaq (hold fast) as well as the command “sim lev!” (put your heart) into it, both indicate the importance of staying the course (or “way”) –Jesus’ way.
Distraction is the enemy of intimacy. Detachment is the enemy of engagement. “Paying attention” to God in the midst of distractions keeps our heart engaged with God and our salvation (our journey home to our garden and our ultimate walk with God) assured.
Jesus uses the metaphor of spring –the budding of the fig. The fig tree is a bit unusual in that it bears fruit twice. The first bearing is usually not edible. The second toward fall is the true fruit. One must “pay attention” to make sure…to watch and wait….and “wait for it….” so that you see the signs of the true fruit.
Paying attention to signs is important for Jesus. He knows his disciples are going to encounter difficulty and pain, doubt and persecution. He knows it will be hard. He needs them to stay the course, and to stay loyal and rooted in Him. Only in this way, will love and God’s kingdom prevail.
Interestingly, the fruit of the fig looks something like the heart. To pay attention in Hebrew literally means, to “put your heart” into it.
When we practice an instrument, if we truly want to play well, we need to put our heart into practicing and learning.
When we learn a sport, if we truly want to play well, we need passion and gusto and dedication and heart.
In fact, we say often, if someone loses faith in something, “he or she has lost heart in it.” Or “his or her heart just isn’t in it.”
What we mean is that the passion is gone.
Much like our own relationships, our relationship with Jesus needs to have “heart.” We need to be passionate and exuberant about Jesus and His promises to us. We need to hold fast in our relationship with Him, do everything we can to nurture that relationship, and to keep it strong and loving, even when doubt challenges us or others tell us He’s not really there.
To “have heart” is to stay the course in faith.
Take hold of a fig. You can find them in your stores. Hold it. Feel its fleshy exterior, it’s tender interior….full of seeds, full of hope. For Christians, that heart lies too in our Eucharist. The bread and wine/juice offered by Jesus so that we might remember his sacrifice, his life, his presence, and his love for us.
We must never take for granted Jesus’ love for us…or His promise to us. The more we focus on the metaphors that bind us to Him, the more we will “take heart” and never waver in our faithfulness to Him.