Keep Awake

Keep Awake warns Amos

            Keep awake so you don’t sleep walk into revenge. 
Amos hears his people praying for the Day of the LORD… 
they remember back to the time of the Conquest of Canaan, 
when the LORD of Armies was on the march 
and smote those who stood against God’s people…

            They expect a day soon coming
when the weather would turn against their enemies, 
when the elements and the Cosmos itself 
would fight against the enemies of Israel…

            They expect a day 
when the sun will be held in place, 
so there would be daylight and time enough 
for a new Joshua to slaughter their enemies…

            And Amos warns
—you’re expecting the best day ever,
—but the Day of the LORD will instead be 
a Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day!
Darkness and wild animals, 
venom and claw.

 

            Keep awake says Amos,
so you don’t use religion as a blanket to cover up bad behavior, 
baptize a society skewed for suffering and misery… 
Your religion literally stinks and can’t keep a tune,
You are using it as a dam that shuts up justice 
and makes righteousness into an irrigation ditch.

            Public officials take bribes, 
what little the poor have, 
is stripped from them, 
you hate the vulnerable immigrant.

 

            Wake up! 
            Instead of violence, 
embrace gentleness. 
In the face of tit for tat until the whole world runs with blood…
remember St. Augustine’s famous words, 
“Christians do not destroy evil, we redeem it.”

            Instead of sly festivals and offerings only for show, 
listen to the constant prophetic condemnation 
of self-righteous religion 
and hard hearted faith.

            Love is enough
—that is the only Law… 
            For when we are cured of all heaven storming ambition, 
we can look to our neighbor with love!

 

            Keep Awake, offers Paul in his earliest letter
—addressing the poor Thessalonians 
(they had hoped in end time prophecies, 
and they did not come to pass, 
and some had died, 
and the community was stricken to the heart).

            Keep awake, so you can see the Triumph
—the Parade that only Conquering Emperors are allowed
complete with an archangel as the official crier 
and heavenly trumpets heralding Jesus the Christ.

            You see, this piece of scripture we read today 
is NOT about “the Rapture”
but is a piece of encouragement 
to hold fast to the one historic confession of the faith
—JESUS IS LORD!

            This image of Jesus 
as the center of a Roman Triumph, 
points to Jesus’ Lordship…

            If you want to know what authority looks like
—don’t look to those stomping around in power and pomp
—but Christ, 
God human, God humiliated
—washing feet as a slave, 
executed as a criminal
—that’s real authority!

            

            Wake up!

            Such authority, such a God, such a Lord
—is not frightening, 
but represents the hope that we have in him…

            Our hope is not in some end times—whatever! 
No, our hope is that we have a home with God… 
For the Victorious One, conquering and exalted, 
is the one who joins us in our grief, 
who has loved us to death, and on to life!

            The one who is Lord forever, 
is the one who died and rose, 
who gathers us up and brings us to the Father.

 

            Keep Awake, warns Christ in this parable of Matthew.

            Matthew, who more than anyone other than Paul, 
wrestles with what Christian Community ought to look like
—and how it so often falls short.

            Matthew, who is the most cynical and critical 
of “Church-folk.” 
He consistently points out 
that there will always be those inside the church 
who are angels, 
and also those who are devils. 
We’re a mixed body
—the church is an admixture of these two groups, 
and we’ll never fully be able to judge 
who among us is the angel 
and who among us is devilish
—that is for God alone. 

            Matthew writes about One flock, 
filled with both sheep and goats.

            One field, 
filled with both wheat and weeds.

            And today, one wedding party
—10 bridesmaids
—all 10 have lamps 
and all 10 are in the same place, 
but five are wise, 
and five are foolish.

 

            I’m going to follow Luther’s reading of Matthew
—and push this maxim about the Church 
into the heart of every Christian
—We’re Simultaneously Justified and Sinner.
            I am both sheep and goat, 
wheat and weed, 
wise and foolish bridegroom.

            And so are all of you.

            There is division within us, 
within our church 
and within our souls.

            That’s to be expected, 
it should not surprise us, 
it should not shatter our trust in the Church, 
or make us fearful to come before God.

            Part of the jagged joy of Christian community 
is navigating each other’s rough edges 
and coming to terms with 
people with whom you disagree.

            For that matter, 
God already knows 
your foolishness and your wisdom, 
God already knows 
everything about your morality and mortality
—successes and stumbles.

 

            Wake up!

            For he is present among us, 
the Bridegroom!

            Open your eyes 
and light your lamps!

            The oil that runs freely
—you were sealed with it, 
the cross of Christ forever.

            Prepare and put on the Wedding Garb 
that is your Baptism!

            Go out into the world 
and find him in the eyes of your neighbor!
The Lord for whom we wait.

Amen.