Dressed and Ready (1): For a Do-Over

. 1 min read

2014/11/30
Christ Church, Mountain Top, Advent 1
Message,
Isaiah 64.1-9, Mark 13.24-37
Opening
theme:
Do-over,
learned from school yard kick-ball
Children:
Getting
ready for Christmas
Getting
ready for Jesus coming
      To build something better, sometimes you
need to tear down
      Building blocks
Message
body:
We
went on a journey this week
      Oliver at the door when we returned from
York
      Oliver waiting for Robin to arrive
Contradiction:
      Fig tree – summer is near
      Day and hour no one knows, not the angels
or even the Son

Living
as if the time is near
      Theologically, Jesus’ coming inaugurates
the end times and his crucifixion and resurrection is the “beginning of the end”
      Awake (not sleeping, Oliver) – READY
            Sleep
walking through life
      DRESSED (not in your jammies, or yesterday’s)
Even
heaven and earth need a fresh start, a do-over
      No more let sins and sorrows grow, nor
thorns infest the ground
      He comes to make his blessings flow, far
as the curse is found
We
need a do-over
      But if it is only about a second chance …
we’re just not good enough
            Eustace, Voyage of the Dawn Treader, shedding his dragon skin
      We need a make-over
            All our righteous deeds are like
filthy rags (Isa 64.6)
                  Dirty rags
            Even our goodness is polluted –
motive, kindness in return

      We need some new clothes