Friends in Christ, +In the Name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Ghost.AMEN.
Saint Mark 13:24-32
Don't you love it when one of your friends starts off a conversation by saying quite solemnly, " There are two kinds of people..?"We are supposed to hold our breath for a billiant analysis. Please forgive me then when I start this message off with one. There are two kinds of people: those who believe that life ends with death, and those who believe that death is just the beginning. It was not so obvious to the Jews of the Old Testament. Daniel 12 1-3 talks about the archangel Michael, " The Great Prince." directing some really dramatic events. For the first time, a blief in the resurrection of the body is stated pretty clearly. Not everyone will be happy about that, off course, especially if they have not lived a good life.
Then Saint Mark's Gospel gives us Jesus' pprophecy about the end times. Again, it is pretty scary for people who have not prepared very well. After some giganci cosmic fireworks, with the sun, the moon and the stars going crazy, we will see the Son of Man coming in all His Glory. Why is He coming? He is coming to judge every person who was ever born. Some will enter into eternal joy, others into eternal pain.
There is no question that these readings should inspire us with a certain dread and fear. Yet, they are meant to give us great hope, especially in Hebrews 10:11-14, 18. here Blessed Saint Paul assures us that Jesus, the High Priest, took on Himself the burden of our sins and destroyed them through His one time sacrifice on Calvary. Jesus is a High Priest totally different ffrom the other High Priests, for when He comes again - on the clouds of heaven, He comes to save us and bring all people to salvation. This is just a very hopeful note in this next to the last Sunday of our Church year.
How many will be saved ? When will all this happen? Saint Mark's Gospel tells us no one knows the time or the place, except the Father. Dont bother to speculate, it is useless. What we do need is to live each day as though it were our last - in confident hope and constant love for God and for our neighbour.
AMEN.
Saint Mark 13:24-32
Don't you love it when one of your friends starts off a conversation by saying quite solemnly, " There are two kinds of people..?"We are supposed to hold our breath for a billiant analysis. Please forgive me then when I start this message off with one. There are two kinds of people: those who believe that life ends with death, and those who believe that death is just the beginning. It was not so obvious to the Jews of the Old Testament. Daniel 12 1-3 talks about the archangel Michael, " The Great Prince." directing some really dramatic events. For the first time, a blief in the resurrection of the body is stated pretty clearly. Not everyone will be happy about that, off course, especially if they have not lived a good life.
Then Saint Mark's Gospel gives us Jesus' pprophecy about the end times. Again, it is pretty scary for people who have not prepared very well. After some giganci cosmic fireworks, with the sun, the moon and the stars going crazy, we will see the Son of Man coming in all His Glory. Why is He coming? He is coming to judge every person who was ever born. Some will enter into eternal joy, others into eternal pain.
There is no question that these readings should inspire us with a certain dread and fear. Yet, they are meant to give us great hope, especially in Hebrews 10:11-14, 18. here Blessed Saint Paul assures us that Jesus, the High Priest, took on Himself the burden of our sins and destroyed them through His one time sacrifice on Calvary. Jesus is a High Priest totally different ffrom the other High Priests, for when He comes again - on the clouds of heaven, He comes to save us and bring all people to salvation. This is just a very hopeful note in this next to the last Sunday of our Church year.
How many will be saved ? When will all this happen? Saint Mark's Gospel tells us no one knows the time or the place, except the Father. Dont bother to speculate, it is useless. What we do need is to live each day as though it were our last - in confident hope and constant love for God and for our neighbour.
AMEN.
Have a blessed Sunday
Ed Bakker
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