Dear friends, like you, I'm having a hard time feeling good about America right now.  I'm not sure if it's my impatience or the twisting of truth by those who want to win at all costs;  I don't know if I'm more uneasy over not knowing who our next president will be or the fact it might be determined by a panel of biased judges.

          But despite the uncertainty of the presidency, one thing is certain, winter!  It's cold outside!  Winter is a fact of life and can't be denied.  None of us can say, "Thank you, but winter does not apply to me."  You can say that in southern California, but not in Colorado.  Open the door and the cold winds smack us all in the face, regardless of race, creed, gender or our political bent.  And if we don't take our weather seriously, it can kill us.

          It takes a special person to survive winter.  People who live in warm climates don't have to think about what they'll wear or how they'll drive.  They just get dressed and go.  Here, if you get up it'll probably be in the dark and if you go, it may be on icy streets.  It takes intelligence and planning to survive bone-chilling cold.  It takes none of that to live in Florida where the only blizzard is one of nonsense.  Someone has observed that when someone from the north moves to the south it raises the I.Q. in both places.  Signs all around show the passing of fall and the coming of winter.

          In today's Gospel Jesus speaks to His disciples about signs that indicate the passing of one age to another.  Devastating events such as wars, earthquakes and famines will take place.  They, too, apply to us all and cannot be denied.  The unsettled times we live in are all signs of the End of the Age.  But the signs we see are only the beginning, the "birth pangs" of the End Times.

          Birth pangs are a miserable experience for the one in labor, but without the pain of birth, new life is not possible.  So we, the baptized people of God, can and must accept the events that bring pain, all the while trusting that this pain is not the last word.  There is hope, even in the midst of tragedy.  Christ has promised that after all these things have happened, He will come again, ushering in the Kingdom we're waiting for, the time of no more tears.

          No one waits until snow fills the house before shutting the door.  Likewise, Christians need not wait for devastation to strike before we come together for solace and comfort.  Thus, we gather regularly to worship and to hear God's Word.  We're comforted by His presence in Holy Communion, and we encourage each other with hope that keeps us going.

          My job is to share my hope with you;  your job is to share it with others.  If we keep it to ourselves, the ripple effect stops and someone loses out.  Peter said, "Always be ready to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have." (1 Peter 3:15)  Let's keep the ripples of hope moving on out!

          Any troubles that come are always made worse if we're not prepared.  Hence one lesson today says, "Do not forsake meeting together, as the habit of some is, but encourage one another, and all the more as we see the Day of judgment approaching." (Hebrews 10:25)

          When we pray the Lord's Prayer, we conclude, "For Thine is the kingdom and the power and the glory, forever and ever, Amen."  He is the One who has brought us into His Kingdom, and He gives us power for life.  Through Him we share in eternal glory.  Assured by each other, we carry on, trusting in Christ and placing ourselves in His protecting hands, come what may.

          This little band of men were touring Jerusalem and the disciples were amazed and dazzled by the Temple and its incredible construction, but Jesus wasn't impressed.  "Not one stone here will be left on another; every one will be thrown down," He said.  God's "little things" count for much more.  And you've heard of them: "love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, gentleness, faithfulness..." (Galatians 5:22).  The things of this world count for little;  in other words, nothing lasts.  It will all be torn down.

          The temple destroyed?  Everyone within earshot thought this impossible, yet 40 years later, Roman legions conquered Jerusalem, and their Corps of Engineers spent the next 12 months - one whole year - methodically destroying every building, business, and home, breaking everything breakable, totally levelling this once magnificent city.  Jesus was right!  By 72 AD, every last particle of beauty the Disciples fawned over was thrown down.  Tourists today see only a few massive temple stones too big to move, but the city of Jesus' day lies in ruins 15 feet beneath the streets.

          Jerusalem was torn down in 40 years, but the words of Jesus still remain 2,000 years later!  "The grass withers and the flowers fall, but the word of the Lord stands forever." (1 Peter 1:24)  The Word is the Good News of forgiveness and new life in Christ!  It is God giving His only Son and His Son doing the things that make us acceptable to God.  It is Christ redeeming us from Satan by dying in our place.  The Word of God is about hope!  It's also about us giving our lives to God.

          Last week I told the story about little Jennifer who was willing to give up her imitation pearls because she loved her Daddy, and so her Daddy replaced them with genuine pearls, more precious than anything she had.  But she had to give hers up first.  Only when we're willing to live God's way can we have the blessings He can give us.  The cheap pearls of this world gain us nothing, but God stands ready to give us the genuine article if we just come to Him in faith.

          Our Heavenly Father isn't cold-hearted for asking us to give up our precious earthly treasures.  Indeed, it would be the height of cruelty if He didn't show us the better way, because trusting in cheap pearls leads to death.  But trusting in His love and providence leads to life.  But we must be willing to make some changes in our life.  When you and I trust in Christ, life can't stay the same.

          A King was once visiting the villages of his kingdom, receiving his peoples' cheers and admiration.  As the King entered the market square in one village, peasants surrounded his royal carriage.  To the amazement of all, a brash young farmer stepped up and spoke.  "Grant me a favor, Sire," he pleaded.  "Give me some special blessing only you can give."  The villagers were astounded at the King's response.  "Of course," he said.  "Come here, get in my carriage and come to the palace.  You may marry my daughter, be my son-in-law and live in luxury for the rest of your days."

          The young man was delighted.  It all sounded too good to be true.  But then he stopped for a moment to consider the offer.  No more Saturday nights at the tavern.  No more of his old friends.  He'd have to take a bath every day!  He'd have to learn court manners and have official duties.  The young man lowered his eyes in the presence of the King and said, "No Sire, no thank you.  It would take me from the comforts of my home.  I would be too uncomfortable.  It would ask too much of me."  And the King left that village with his greatest blessing declined.

          God wants to give us His great blessings, but His blessings leave us with responsibilities.  When God created us as new people in Christ, His intention was that we do the good works He has had in mind for us all along.  The blessing of eternal life is a free gift.  In response to His love for us, we do good works.  St. Paul said it so well: "For we are God's workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do." (Ephesians 2:10)  God our heavenly King offers us the place of greatest honor in His Kingdom, but we can't keep living like before.  It will take some changes in our lives.

          One very cold and snowy night a man found a flock of bluebirds caught in the storm, flopping around in the snow and in danger of freezing.  He wanted to help them, so he opened his garage doors wide, and turned on a light to entice them in, but the birds only ignored it.  He sprinkled bread crumbs on the snow, but the birds ignored the crumbs.  He tried catching them, and shooing them into the barn, but they scattered in every direction.

          Suddenly, he realized they were afraid of him.  "To them I'm a strange and terrifying creature," he thought.  "If only I could think of some way to let them know they can trust me so they'd understand I'm not trying to hurt them, but to help them."  But how?  They could not be lead or chased because they feared him.  "If only I could be a bird myself," he thought.  "If only I could be a bird and mingle with them and speak their language, and tell them not to be afraid, and show them the way to the warm and safe barn.  But, I'd have to become one of them so they could see and hear and understand."

          That's Christ, my friends.  That's how He dealt with us.  He became a man because it was the only way.  God didn't make us robots, but creatures with choice.  Like the birds, we fly here and there, away from God because we are afraid.  But Christ became one of us and showed us the way.

          Our problems and pains here on earth are only temporary.  Governments don't really matter.  Don't be afraid, just believe.  "When you hear of wars and rumors of wars, do not be alarmed.  Such things must happen...  Nation will rise against nation...  There will be earthquakes ... and famines.  These are the beginning of birth pains."  Think of it!  If birth pangs are here, the baby's on the way!  Christ will come again!  We've nothing to fear!  We have a good life now and eternal life waiting!

          We have nothing permanent here, my friends.  New things get old, new ideas get outdated, and new leaders disappoint us.  As the saying goes, "Only one life, 'Twill soon be passed; only what's done for Christ will last."  It all starts with trusting Him.  Do that and you're ready for whatever comes.  There is no pain so great He cannot soothe it, no mountain so high He can't overcome it.  In Christ, we have hope beyond our pain.  He's beckoning us into the shelter, my friends.  Don't run the other way!  Get into His carriage, and receive the treasures of His Kingdom.  Amen!

Copyright © 2000 by Pastor Bob Tasler.  All rights reserved.