12-2-12 - Be Prepared! aka Pastor Sean compares Jesus to a Disney Villian

²⁵“There will be signs in the sun, the moon, and the stars, and on the earth distress among nations confused by the roaring of the sea and the waves. ²⁶People will faint from fear and foreboding of what is coming upon the world, for the powers of the heavens will be shaken.²⁷Then they will see ‘the Son of Man coming in a cloud’ with power and great glory. ²⁸Now when these things begin to take place, stand up and raise your heads, because your redemption is drawing near.”

²⁹Then he told them a parable: “Look at the fig tree and all the trees;³⁰as soon as they sprout leaves you can see for yourselves and know that summer is already near. ³¹So also, when you see these things taking place, you know that the kingdom of God is near. ³²Truly I tell you, this generation will not pass away until all things have taken place. ³³Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will not pass away. ³⁴“Be on guard so that your hearts are not weighed down with dissipation and drunkenness and the worries of this life, and that day catch you unexpectedly, ³⁵like a trap. For it will come upon all who live on the face of the whole earth. ³⁶Be alert at all times, praying that you may have the strength to escape all these things that will take place, and to stand before the Son of Man.”

               When I read this passage, I think about two things, the Boy Scouts Motto, which is Be Prepared, and the Lion King, when Scar sings “Be Prepared!”  While Scar may be the villain who is throwing a coup, his words still ring true for Christ as well. “So prepare for a chance of a lifetime/Be prepared for sensational news. A shining new era/Is tiptoeing nearer.”  For we are preparing and staying alert for a time that is brighter than the one we are in now, a time when Christ is truly present and where hearts are all united into one, when we are redeemed from our sinful natures and live in peace and love.  

               Today we pray and we hope for a taste of this redemption, a glimmer of the world that is to be with Christ’s reigning, where tears will be brushed away and pain will no longer be known.  Today we pray for healing, in all of its aspects.  We pray that healing may come upon our bodies, that disease may be forced out, that our parts may be mended, and we may find wholeness.  For we know that our bodies are not these evil things that we need to cast off, but instead are God’s creation, and have been named as good by our loving creator.  And thus God cares for our bodies and cares about our bodies, and gifts us the gifts of doctors and nurses and researchers who are the hands of God, working to bring about healing.

But healing is not something that just affects us physically, but instead it is something that works within us to bring about completeness and wholeness.  For instance, in the cases of the lepers who were healed, they were healed of more than just a skin disease, they were healed of the stigmas that were placed upon them and they were able to return to their homes instead of being forced into exile.  Healing brings about the opportunity to be in community again and to have one’s identity restored.  And it is this restoration that is the real emphasis of healing in the scriptures.  Not the physical healing, but the healing that it brings about spiritually and relationally.  What matters is that we are able to be close to God and to one another, that we can find forgiveness and that we and find commonality and identity beyond what ailments we may have or stigmas that are placed upon us.  So we pray for healing, not just for our bodies, but for our place in society and for our relationships.

Relationships are a hard thing to heal though, especially when the people are not interested in having relationship.  It is often said that Hatred is the opposite of Love, but that is not true, for when one has hatred in their heart they still care enough about the other person in order to dislike them, there is still relationship.  The real opposite to love is indifference, when the person matters so little that they are completely ignored and disengaged. 

And our calling to is be the hands of God, showing love instead of hatred and instead of indifference.  In this way we may be a force of healing in this world, healing every aspect of our lives.  When we show compassion to our brothers and sisters, when we seek and give forgiveness, we are truly living out our calling as Christians, as the Body of Christ, and we glorify God’s holy name.  Forgiveness is possibly the hardest part of the Christian life and call though.  It is hard to admit fault and to as for it, and it is also hard to let go of the anger that can serve as a driving force in our lives. It is far easier to belive in God than it is to forgive, and yet God’s love for us gives us the strength and the courage to ask for and to give forgiveness.

As we gather to be healed, and to be prayed over, I hope that we may have some time to reflect on healing, on the hope that it brings, and the promises that God has for us that shine through that healing.  I pray that each of us may experience healing in our lives, in our bodies, our spirits, our minds, and our relationships, that we may grow ever closer to the will of God and the Hope and strength that He brings and the redemption that he gives us each day. 

Amen