St. Luke’s Evangelical Lutheran Church – Watertown, WI
Pastor Mark Gartner
Sermon for Saints Triumphant –November 16^th and November 19^th, 2006

Dear saints of the LORD,

Earlier this month I was trying to help my mother-in-law mix her troubles with her satellite TV company. After much talking it was figured out that they would come and install a new receiver in her home. They said that we would need to be home between 1-4 pm. I hate when you hear those words, We will be there between such and such a time and there is a long amount of time between those times. What are you supposed to do? Are you really supposed to drop everything and sit in your house for 3 hours or more waiting for the repairman to come? Do you chance it and run some errands hoping he doesn’t come while you are gone? Do you pray real heard that he comes closer to the earlier time so that you don’t have to wait so long. From what I can remember the Satellite repairman came closer to the earlier time and it wasn’t so bad. How many of you are like me and can’t stand to wait? We want it and we want it now.

As we come closer to the end of another Christian Church year we have been told by God himself that he would come again. The only problem is that he kind of gave us a vague time fame. He wasn’t real specific. So what are we supposed to do as we wait for Jesus’ 2^nd return? Are we chance it and not be ready when he comes? Are we going to sit around and be ready at anytime for his return? Are we going to grumble and complain because it seems like he never is going to show up? Daniel in our words for today tells us that we need to think about Judgment Day all the time. Our theme for today is:

Daniel was one of God’s writers who was privileged enough to have God speak to him in visions. These visions were very unique. These visions at times might seem difficult to understand, but God uses this unique form of revealing himself to help us as God’s children as we walk our journey on this earth. Not many of God’s writers were spoken to in visions. Daniel and the prophet Ezekiel and the apostle John who wrote the book of Revelation after seeing a vision from God were the only ones that really saw visions, which they then recorded down for us. Certainly people like the apostle Paul and a few others saw visions, but God spoke almost entirely to Daniel, Ezekiel and John through visions.

Who exactly was Daniel? Daniel came from Israel and was carried off into captivity by the Babylonians. He and a number of friends received much of their intellectual training in Babylon. They were being trained to be servant for the kings of the Babylonians. Through Daniel’s God given abilities he was able to interpret the dreams of King Nebuchadnezzar and other kings. This led to him being moved to a position of high responsibility in the king’s palace. Daniel remained in Babylon the rest of his ministry and even saw the people of Israel return home to Israel after their 70-year captivity. God used Daniel and his words to remind the earthly kings of Babylon and other godless nations that God was in control and that they would eventually lose power to other nations that God would raise up. Daniel while in captivity was also able to encourage and uplift the exiled Jews with God’s law and gospel that was found in his writings.

The words of our text draw on some very clear and comforting words for all believers. God would send a Deliverer who would destroy the powers of the world and free God’s people from their captives. Certainly Daniel could see that God would continue to free the people of Israel from the earthly leaders and nations who held them captive, but more importantly he wanted Christians of all times to know that Jesus on Judgment Day would free all his children from the captivity of sin and the Devil.

Let me ask you a question? Is the world getting better or worse? Is the world that we live in safer and better than the world of past years? There are some that are of the opinion that things are getting better because people are getting smarter and we have more things to make our lives better and easier. Others might argue that things have gotten worse – pointing out all of the evil things that we see and hear on a daily basis. It is interesting to note that Jesus tells us that we need to be aware that things are going to be getting worse as we get closer to Judgment Day. He tells us that it is going to get real bad, "For then there will be a great distress, unequaled from the beginning of world until now – and never to be equaled again. If those days had not been cut short, no one would survive, but for the sake of the elect those days will be shortened." (Matthew 24:21-22) Matthew is describing the days that we are living in. The days of the New Testament Age. The days from the time of Jesus until the end of the world.

It is during this time of distress that God will send his Son to cut short these days, "At that time Michael, the great prince who protects your people, will arise. There will be a time of distress such as has not happened from the beginning of nations until then. But at that time your people—everyone whose name is found written in the book—will be delivered. ²Multitudes who sleep in the dust of the earth will awake: some to everlasting life, others to shame and everlasting contempt. " These words tell us everything that we need to know. Jesus is gong to return again. He will send his mighty angels out into the world, led by Michael the archangel. And Jesus is returning with one thing in mind. He is coming to be the heavenly Judge. He is coming to see how ready we actually are.

I think that all people have played the game hide and seek. The object as we all know is to hide in a such a good spot that the one person can’t find you. When the one person begins to count everyone goes and tries to find their hiding spot. When the counter is done he yells out, Ready or not here I come. I can remember all too many times that you would hear one of the other kids yell out, I am not ready yet, keep counting. As we live in this world we are reminded that Jesus did return to be with his Father in heaven when he ascended. In a way he is the one that is counting. We are the ones on this earth. At the right time Jesus is going to return. The difference is that this is not a game. We can not yell, I am not ready -- keep counting,. Jesus is coming and he is coming again to judge the living and the dead.

As he says, "Multitudes who sleep in the dust of the earth will awake: some to everlasting life, others to shame and everlasting contempt." Even those who have died before this day will be raised. Some will be united with their souls that are already in heaven. Others will be reunited with their souls that are enduring shame and everlasting contempt in hell. We don’t have to worry about what is going to happen with our bodies. Jesus will find our bodies and will bring them safely to be with him. But what will be our reaction as we think about Judgment Day?

"But at that time your people—everyone whose name is found written in the book—will be delivered." Not to long ago someone dropped off the newspaper clipping of all my College classmates. You know which ones I mean. Those fancy ones that you had to get done for the yearbook. It was kind of interesting to look back through those pictures. It gave me the opportunity to think back about these classmates. Some of them I had to admit I had forgotten. Some of them I knew and remembered like it was yesterday in the dorm. In much the same way on Judgment Day, Jesus is going to look into the Book of Life. The main difference is that Jesus has not forgotten who is in the Book of Life. He knows all his sheep and calls them by name. This is comforting, but how do we get our name in this wonderful Book of Life? It is not because we are such good friends with God. It is for different reasons.

Jesus reminds us often that our names are not written in this because of anything we have done or deserve. Daniel describes believers with the word "wise". "Those who are wise will shine like the brightness of the heavens, and those who lead many to righteousness, like the stars for ever and ever." Those who are wise will shine. Those who are wise will be in heaven. Those who are wise will be in the Book of Life. But what makes us wise? Maybe we can look at it from another point of view. What make us foolish? Maybe this is easier to answer. We are foolish when we don’t have the Holy Spirit living in us. "The man without the Spirit does not accept the things that come from the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him, and he cannot understands them, because they are spiritually discerned." (1 Corinthians 2:14) We are foolish when we don’t faith in our hearts. We are foolish when we think we don’t need the grace of God to be in heaven. Those without Jesus are foolish.

But the words of Daniel tell us that those who are wise will be glorified on the Last Day. We have the power to be foolish, but we don’t have the power make ourselves wise. That doesn’t sound fair, but the wisdom we are talking about comes only through the work of the Holy Spirit through his Word and Sacraments of Baptism and Lord’s Supper. As I look out here today, I see a group of people that are very wise. I see children who are very young that are wise, and I see adults we have been on this earth for a long time who are just as wise as the young children. What a joy to see the wisdom of God at work in your hearts. The great thing about God’s wisdom is that we can’t make it better or more wise.

Because of this wisdom, Daniel tells us that we will be delivered on this last day. The distress and evil of this world will be done at that point. We will be raised with the multitudes of those who have been made wise in the Lord. When is the last time that we long for -- the day that will bring us into this eternal bliss? When was the last time we spent a moment of our time reflecting on this day that we call Judgment Day? To be honest it is something that doesn’t occupy much of our time. Yes, we know it will be a great day, but I have so many things to worry about that seem more pressing at this time. But what can be more pressing or more important than living our lives with the knowledge that one day Jesus will be coming again so that we will be delivered eternally from our sin and the attacks of the Devil. It is very clear that Devil is trying to distract us from living for this day. He wants us to be unprepared for the greatest day of all

The final part of Daniel’s words for us reminds us that God wants us to be one of those who is active in our faith and active in leading others to know about Jesus. Daniel commends those who are using their time and talents to make sure that everyone is ready, "and those who lead many to righteousness, like the stars for ever and ever." Those who know of this true wisdom that comes from the Lord and share this wisdom will be in heaven. Not because they did such a good work, but because they showed that their faith is alive and active. They are ready and they want others to be ready also. May we live our lives using all the opportunities that God gives us to lead others to God’s righteousness. Live our lives to share the simple yet important news of a Savior who delivered us from sin and will return once more to take all his children to heaven. This might be pastors and teachers This might be parents and grandparents. This might be the one who by word and example led others to see that Jesus is the central part of salvation.

When will the end come? The truth is clear. We don’t know. But we are certain that the end will come and that God has something special waiting for those who are filled with the wisdom that comes from God alone. This wisdom is ours by faith through the work of the Holy Spirit. Amen.