Expect Birth Pains
Advent 2018 What To Expect When You're Expecting • Sermon • Submitted
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Today is the first Sunday of advent; we begin a series called “What to Expect When You’re Expecting.” Advent means coming. During the season of advent, we connect with the longing, the waiting, the hopes and dreams Israel had while they waited for the coming of the messiah.
The celebration of Christmas is more than a mere retelling of Christ’s birth. When we think of Jesus’ birth, we must not forget the pain and suffering that accompanies all births. Eve’s sin caused pain during childbirth to be greatly increased. We think of the pain Mary suffered. We remember the suffering of all the mothers and fathers of Bethlehem whose children were killed under Herod’s orders. When we think of the birth of Christ, we cannot help but also think of His suffering and death. Pain and suffering are part of life. But in the midst of all this pain and suffering, we have hope. Hope in the reality of the resurrection. Hope in the reality of the conquest of death. Hope in the second coming of Christ. Hope and joy in expecting the unexpected.
All the people of Israel were eagerly anticipating the arrival of the messiah. They had been longing for him. They could not wait to see him, to learn what he was like. They expected great things from him. For us, we are in the advent of Christ’s return. And we wait just as eagerly.
We are in the birth pains, the beginning of labour. After 8½ months of waiting, the birth pains begin, and you know that the baby will come soon. For some women the baby comes within a day or so, with other women, they have to wait for weeks on end. Waiting, waiting, never knowing when it will happen, the due date comes and goes. People always asking, “Has the baby come yet?” The worst part is that you know it might happen at any time, but you do not know when. The questions people are always asking mirror your own questions. By asking them, they show that they are waiting just as eagerly as you are!
That’s exactly how it is with Christians all over the world. We eagerly, anxiously await the return of Christ. Even the disciples couldn’t wait for it to happen!
Look at the beginning of chapter 24. After preaching to the Pharisees at the temple, Jesus left. The disciples come up to him, and call attention to the temple buildings. Even though they had been with Jesus for a while, they still had trouble letting go of their messianic expectations. Most of the Jews were expecting a messiah that would take over the nation, throw the Romans out, extend the borders to include all the land God promised to Abraham, and establish God’s kingdom on earth. The disciples had a hard time letting go of that picture of the messiah. Much like a father might have a hard time at first, when his wife gives birth to a boy, and he was expecting a girl. The joy and the excitement are there, but there is a small twinge of something, unexpected.
Now the other thing is that the disciples believed that the temple built by Herod, truly one of the most magnificent buildings in the known world, would have to remain in order to usher in the kingdom of God. It made an imposing structure. The market place built adjacent to the temple was the largest building in the Roman Empire until they built the Coliseum in Rome. It would be a blow, it would be inconceivable to hear and believe Jesus’ words that the whole area would be destroyed. The disciples could not imagine something like that. To help us understand, try to imagine not seeing the buildings of Lethbridge University. It’s hard isn’t it?
Ten minutes later, they are sitting on the Mount of Olives, looking across the valley toward the beautiful city, and the huge, imposing temple mount.
So, the disciples try a different tack. “Tell us,” they said, “when will this happen, and what will be the sign of your coming and the end of the age.” The first thing Jesus says is, “Watch out that no one deceives you.” He goes on to describe, in verses 4-14, the end of the age. These things will all take place: there will be false Christs, there will be wars and rumours of wars, nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. Famines and earthquakes, all these will be the beginning of the birth pains. They will not be the hard, painful labour, but the warnings that labour is soon to begin. Then Jesus’ followers will be handed over to be persecuted and put to death, hated by all nations because of him. Many will turn away from the faith, betraying and hating each other. Many false prophets will appear and deceive many people. The gospel will be preached to all nations.
That’s what Jesus said would happen. We must not become worried or fearful about all the troubles happening in the world around us. We must not allow others to deceive us. Heaven and earth will pass away, but Jesus’ words will never pass away. As long as we cling to the authority of the scriptures, we will not go astray. We must do what we can to bring justice and mercy, but we must not worry or be afraid. We have the assurance of everlasting life! We know what is going to happen! When mothers begin to have birth pains, they know that the child will soon arrive. When we see the birth pains all around us, we know that Christ will soon arrive.
Jesus himself did not know the day or the hour, as he states in verse 36. Only the Father in heaven knows. Those of us who have had children know the last few days can be very trying. It is very hard to be patient, to give the timing over to the Lord.
Because we are in the Advent of the Second coming of Christ, we need to learn to wait patiently. It is not an easy thing to do. The waiting period is full of unknowns, just like waiting during pregnancy. Pregnant mothers also face numerous unknowns. Is it a boy or a girl? Will she be healthy? Will the child reach full-term, or be late? Will I miscarry? Will I be able to handle the responsibility of looking after this child 24-7? The same clearly happened with the first advent. The Israelites were getting antsy. They were anticipating the coming of the messiah. Some of them took advantage by setting themselves up as the Christ. They knew that what the Jews were really looking forward to was a kingly messiah. Someone who would be born into the kingly line of David, who would kick all the foreign oppressors out, and rule Israel in a way David, only dreamed. But when the true messiah came, they did not want to accept him. Even though Isaiah spoke these words about Jesus, “He had no beauty or majesty to attract us to him, nothing in his appearance that we should desire him” many did not believe” (). He did not come with power and authority. He was not like David. He was humble and caring. He hung out with sinners. He blasted the righteous. He was the opposite of what they expected.
The same clearly happened with the first advent. The Israelites were getting antsy. They were anticipating the coming of the messiah. Some of them took advantage by setting themselves up as the Christ. They knew that what the Jews were really looking forward to was a kingly messiah. Someone who would be born into the kingly line of David, who would kick all the foreign oppressors out, and rule Israel in a way David, only dreamed. But when the true messiah came, they did not want to accept him. Even though Isaiah spoke these words about Jesus, “He had no beauty or majesty to attract us to him, nothing in his appearance that we should desire him” many did not believe” (). He did not come with power and authority. He was not like David. He was humble and caring. He hung out with sinners. He blasted the righteous. He was the opposite of what they expected.
God the Father sent his Son to earth so that he would draw many sons and daughters to him. If God had wanted admirers and fans, he would have sent a sports star. If God had wanted robots, he would have sent a scientist. If God had wanted unthinking, blindly loyal subjects, he would have sent a brainwasher. But God wanted heirs, sons and daughters, so he sent His Son, to gather sons and daughters around him. A king would alienate himself because of his kingliness. A High priest would be out of touch. God sent His Son to establish neither a worldly kingdom, nor a worldly priesthood. Rather He sent His Son to reach everyone, rich, poor, young and old. He is the exact person we need.
Yes, we are living in the Advent of Christ’s return. We know that birth pains are happening, and will worsen; the long moment right before the total joy we will experience when Christ returns. Jesus tells us to find hope in each season. As long as God keeps sending the spring after winter, we have hope. Every day the sun comes up, and birds find food because God has ordained it. This is our Father’s World. The future is securely in the Father’s hands.
This Sunday, and all the Sundays of the Christmas season will connect us to the hope that we have for the future. We have every reason to delight and to rejoice. As a couple rejoices when they learn they are expecting a child, whether by pregnancy or adoption, Christians rejoice in the coming of our Lord. That is what where our hope lies! Amen.