READ | SERMON NOTES
Advent: A Season of Watching and Waiting
Advent marks the beginning of the Christian year. It recalls Christ’s first coming while preparing us for His promised return. The colour purple reminds us of preparation, reflection and anticipation.
Amid the lights, shopping, and festivities of the season, Advent calls Christians to something deeper: to reflect on who we are waiting for and how we are preparing our lives for His return. Scripture in this season does not invite nostalgia, it calls us to readiness.
Isaiah’s Vision: God’s Peace Beyond Turmoil
A World in Turmoil – Our world is marked by turbulence, natural disasters, prolonged typhoons, volcanic eruptions, political unrest and ongoing wars. News of floods, storms and conflicts heightens anxiety, and many speculate about the end times. Predictions of rapture dates circulate, and some prepare anxiously. Yet Isaiah calls us to a different posture; hope grounded not in fear, but in God’s promises.
Isaiah’s Picture of Hope – Isaiah 2 presents a vision of nations streaming to the mountain of the Lord, seeking His ways and living in peace (Isaiah 2:2-3). Weapons of war will be turned into tools of cultivation; swords into ploughshares, spears into pruning hooks (Isaiah 2:4). Aggression becomes agriculture; destruction becomes life-sustaining work. Isaiah’s prophecy reminds us that God’s future is not defined by human fear, but by divine peace. True conversion transforms instruments of harm into instruments of life. It is a vision of justice and peace breaking into human history.
Jesus’ Teaching: Misconceptions About the End Times
The Disciples’ Question – In the Olivet Discourse, the disciples ask Jesus about the end times (Matthew 24-25, Mark 13 and Luke 21). He responds with apocalyptic imagery, drawing from Daniel and Jewish writings. He warns of upheaval, false prophets, and the need for discernment. Christians across generations have asked the same question: When will Jesus return?
“No One Knows the Day or Hour” – Jesus provides a clear answer in Matthew 24:36 and 42: “No one knows the day or hour, not the angels, not even the Son, only the Father knows.” This discredits anyone claiming to predict dates or times. Yet many remain fixated on signs, forecasts, and dramatic interpretations of world events.
The Problem with Popular Rapture Theology – Modern ideas of a sudden rapture, popularised by the “Left Behind” series, are recent and not rooted in historic Christian teaching. Early Church thinkers did not teach that believers would disappear prior to judgment. Such speculation can distract from Scripture’s central call of faithful living and vigilance.
The Days of Noah: Who Is Really “Left Behind”?
A Misunderstood Analogy – Jesus compares His return to the days of Noah (Matthew 24:37-39). People lived as usual; eating, drinking, and marrying until the flood came. Those swept away faced judgment. Noah and his family, safely in the ark, were left behind in God’s mercy. In Jesus’ teaching, being “taken away” is judgment, while being “left behind” is mercy. This reverses the modern rapture narrative, where the “left behind” are mistakenly seen as unfortunate.
Vigilance, Not Speculation – Jesus emphasises that many will be unprepared. Like Noah’s contemporaries, complacency and indifference are spiritual dangers. We are called not to predict timing, but to remain awake, alert and faithful. As one scholar observes: God reveals enough about the future to give us hope, but not so much that we cease to live by faith.
Staying Awake: Readiness Over Prediction
Like a Thief in the Night – Jesus warns that His return will be sudden like a thief in the night (Matthew 24:43-44). No thief announces plans. Likewise, speculation about timelines distracts believers from preparation. We know He will return; we do not know when.
Like Expectant Parents – Waiting for Christ is like awaiting childbirth. Doctors may estimate due dates, but no one knows the exact hour. Parents stay ready; so must we in watching, praying and living faithfully.
Avoiding Distractions – Matthew cautions us not to be consumed by signs or global crises. Signs point toward Christ and they do not replace Him. Fixation on rapture predictions risks missing His presence in the here and now.
Seeing Christ in the Present: A Story of Awakening
Max Lucado in his book “Gentle Thunder” tells of a man weighed down by grief and decline. A pastor told him he had committed “the sin of ignorance”, failing to recognise that one of his neighbours could be the Messiah in disguise. The man began observing others carefully. Slowly, he noticed acts of kindness, goodwill and grace. His outlook changed. Hope returned; his steps lightened. When asked why he was joyful, he replied: “I don’t fully know. I just started looking intently for God.” His heart changed not because circumstances improved, but because he learned to watch and recognise God’s presence.
Conclusion: Look Intently for the Saviour
Many still stare at the skies, seeking signs of Christ’s return, yet miss Him in the people around them, in daily grace, and in the quiet workings of God. Jesus commands us in Matthew 24:42: “Therefore keep watch.” Stay awake. Stay alert. Do not be distracted by fear, speculation or sensational predictions. Look intently for the Saviour – in Scripture, in prayer, in faithful living and in the people He places before you.
Christ will return. Until then, let us live with hope, remain vigilant and keep our eyes fixed on Him.
PONDER | REFLECTION QUESTIONS
- How has the Holy Spirit spoken to you through the preaching of God’s word?
- How would you summarise the message of this section or story?
- What are the implications for us through this message?
a. What are the personal implications (for you)?
b. What are the communal implications (for our gospel community)?
c. What are the missional implications (for those we want to reach for Christ)?
