Proper 28, Year C
Left Behind
Fr. Keith Oglesby,
St. Aidan’s Episcopal Church, Alpharetta, Georgia
In the early 1970’s, one of the best
selling books in America was The Late Great Planet Earth
by Hal Lindsey. The gist of the book was interpreting current events
in light of supposed predictions from the Bible. Some of the central
predictions were focused on the creation of the state of Israel as
an indication of the soon return of Christ and the view that the
Soviet Union was Gog or Magog or some other long ago predicted enemy
that would fight the people of God at Armageddon, the final battle
at the end of time. Now some of us might dismiss this book, first
published in 1970. But to give its influence some context, the New
York Times called it the number one non-fiction best
seller of the decade. Its influence and the thinking it represents
cannot be discounted. Let’s be honest—we all want to know how the
story of human life turns out and we’d like some assurance that we
are on the right side of history.
The power and popularity of “end
times” literature is seen more recently in the Left Behind
series. I won’t ask who has read one or more of the books; believe
it or not, over 50 million copies have been sold in
this series! These works of fiction have created an alternative
worldview that has captured the imagination of millions of people.
Many of them—hopefully—just see these works as exciting—but
fictional-- page turners. Too many, I am afraid, may see
them as a type of almost sacred literature that really does predict
the future and therefore forms and justifies how they live. If you
believe you are part of a chosen people who will be miraculously
lifted up from planet earth when things get really bad, then it is
easier to care less about things that matter to the rest of us who
are “left behind”—issues like stewardship of the environment and
practical care for people in need; or just the routine joys and
responsibilities of family and daily life. What we believe, the
words we use, the stories we tell—especially during times of
uncertainty—really do matter.
Not unlike the people who have read
The Late Great Planet Earth or Left Behind,
people in Jesus’ day and in the first decades of the church wanted
to have it figured out, they wanted to know when catastrophic events
would occur and they wanted to know what they should do in
preparation for that time. Today’s passage begins with Jesus
predicting that the Temple—the center of his people’s social,
cultural and religious life—would be destroyed. Those who hear him
are amazed and ask for a sign about when this will occur. Jesus
responds with a vague answer and offers “signs” that really could
apply at almost any time in human history—the rise of false
prophets, the spread of wars, the persecution of people for their
faith and-- later in the rest of this section which we did not read
today-- he speaks of an increase in all types of natural disasters
that apply to the whole earth. These are scary things for people,
events that get even the most sophisticated of us thinking about
what it all means. Just imagine-- what if we read in the paper
tomorrow that a huge comet was heading straight toward Earth. How
would that affect—or perhaps better stated, reveal—our view of life
and how we live?
So how do we respond to
this passage and its message about destruction, chaos, persecution
and death? What do we think of people who use it and other passages
like it as a way to explain what’s going on in the world today? How
do we feel when we are uncertain about life? How do we
manage the human impulse to be “in the know” even when we are really
confused and unsure?
Let’s go back and look at the Gospel a
little closer. What we find may surprise us.
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First, Jesus says, “Beware—do
not be led astray by people saying the time is near.” The
irony of these words is almost too much. An entire religious
industry worth millions and millions of dollars has been built
upon people doing exactly what the Lord warns us against. If
someone starts saying that they know the code and
they understand the mystery of life and when the end will come, we
should realize that these people are deceiving us.
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Also, when you hear of terrible
things—wars, earthquakes, famine, plagues, signs in heaven and
persecution on earth—do not be terrified. Now of
course this is easier said than done, especially if you are in the
midst of one of these horrible situations. It is hard for many of
us in the security and stability of our suburban homes to even
imagine these types of concerns. The point to remember is that
fear can be used to manipulate us and deter us from the work that
God calls us to do.
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Finally, what does Jesus tell us to
do instead of being fooled by charlatans or
terrified by our fears? To trust God for what we are
to say and do in difficult circumstances. Now in their original
context, these words have provided strength and guidance for
Christians in the midst of persecution not only in the early
church but in many parts of the world even today. Trusting in God
to speak to us through one another is also an alternative to being
manipulated by fear and the desire for certainty.
Very clearly, the emphasis of our Lord
is not on trying to figure things out so that we will
know when the end times will occur. Rather the emphasis is on being
faithful. As Fred Craddock writes about this passage in his
commentary on Luke,
“The life of disciples after all is
said and done, is not one of speculation or observation but of
behavior and relationship…There will be an end to life as it now
is, an end that comes as both judgment and redemption.
Whether we go or he comes…contemplation of that fact
should have some sanctifying influence.” (Interpretation,
p. 248)
So how are we to be faithful? How does
the sanctifying influence from contemplating the end of life change
and guide us? Again let’s turn to today’s lessons:
The epistle for today is a
continuation of last week’s reading which also addressed the
question of the “end time.” Last week we read, “Do not be
alarmed…let no one deceive you about the day of the Lord.” You see
even two thousand years ago the church was dealing with the same
type of problem. That warning about deception is the context for
Paul’s famous instruction which we heard today, “Anyone unwilling to
work should not eat.” This statement is not a harsh
slam against the unemployed, but rather an admonition against people
who became so preoccupied with predicting the end time that they
stopped working. And if their idleness was not bad enough, they also
became busy bodies, more concerned with telling people what to do
and what to believe than with simple hard work in order to support
themselves and their families and also to have enough left over to
share with others. The final words from the reading point us to a
clearer understanding of what faithfulness means, even in the midst
of uncertainty—“do not be weary in doing what is right.”
Working and sharing what we have are
simple but central ways we can be faithful. But there is more.
Remember what we heard in the Gospel? Jesus instructs the disciples
that when they are persecuted, this will give them an opportunity to
testify to the powerful. Let’s consider what might happen if we turn
that instruction on its head. An important way for us
to be faithful is to seek out those people on the margins of our
society—those without power—and listen to them.
Christ has promised that he will give them the words to say so that
they can testify to those with power. That testimony is an
opportunity for the powerful to be transformed. Because-- even if it
was possible-- our faithfulness will not be found in accurately
predicting the return of Christ. Rather our faithfulness will be
found in seeking out the people who are not heard, the people who
are not cared for, the people who are ignored; and then developing a
relationship, even a community, so that we are able to find and
serve Christ in them.
How could this work practically? As we
pray and are aware of the world we live in, the Lord will bring
people into our minds and into our lives that are different from us.
This difference could be based upon many different factors-- race,
class, age, health and many more. As we encounter people who are
different from us, the next step is to engage them in a way that
both respects their dignity but also encourages them to share their
story with us. This could be something formal that the church
facilitates through ministry opportunities or it could be the result
of the chance encounters of everyday life. Regardless of how this
occurs, I think we may be surprised by what we discover.
Next spring, several fellow members of
our parish—youths and adults—will be going on a mission trip to
Central America. That will be an excellent opportunity to work hard
and share what we have. Based on the experience of people on prior
mission trips, it will also be a special chance to hear from others,
those on the margins of our affluent lives, and have our lives
changed by their witness to us.
We also don’t have to travel far away
to have our lives changed. There are also opportunities right here
in Atlanta—at Peachtree Pine, Holy Comforter and many others—where
we can practically serve others and develop relationships with those
who have been “left behind,” the people in whom Christ has promised
to be present, the people that can truly transform our faith and our
life. Amen.
