Introduction
This is an odd pericope to jump into the narrative of Luke. And part of that is because Luke stay close to both Mark and Matthew in this apocalyptic section. And so, I would say that this week is not the week to jump into Luke’s narrative as much. And that’s doubly true because the next three weeks are perfect to do so. Luke’s John the Baptist for two weeks and then the Magnificat. So, use this as a strong transition week and lean into the apocalypse a little bit.
The Signs Are Here!
All the signs are here! It’s that time of year. Christmas music is on the radio and every commercial! Cheesy Christmas movies are on Netflix… I would know because I have already watched 3 of them. Decorations are popping up everywhere. Trees are going up. Lights cover houses and yards. Those digital projections are shining on half the houses on my street. Nativity scenes with Mary, Joseph, and the baby Jesus, shepherds and wise men, donkeys and sheep.
There is no way for us not to know that Christmas is coming. Even if you feel like me and you have no idea where October and November went, for the next 26 days, the world around us will make sure that we know that Christmas is coming.
The signs are all around us. That’s how we know that Christmas is almost here.
But, as I forecasted a few weeks ago, Jesus’ message for us today describes different signs than what we would not necessarily describe as Christmas-y.
Just before our assigned reading for today, Jesus says some things that may sounds pretty similar to what we heard from the Gospel of Mark a few weeks ago.
Jesus says in verses 9-11: 9“When you hear of wars and insurrections, do not be terrified; for these things must take place first, but the end will not follow immediately.” 10 Then he said to them, “Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom; 11 there will be great earthquakes, and in various places famines and plagues; and there will be dreadful portents and great signs from heaven.
May sound familiar.
Then in verses 25-28, Jesus says: 25 “There will be signs in the sun, the moon, and the stars, and on the earth distress among nations confused by the roaring of the sea and the waves. 26 People will faint from fear and foreboding of what is coming upon the world, for the powers of the heavens will be shaken. 27 Then they will see ‘the Son of Man coming in a cloud’ with power and great glory. 28 Now when these things begin to take place, stand up and raise your heads, because your redemption is drawing near.”
So, when we hear of wars and insurrections. When we hear of earthquakes and floods, fires and storms. When we hear of people panicking. When we hear of tragedies and the earth seeming to crumble… When you see these signs, Jesus tells us that is when we know that redemption is near?
So, was I wrong a few weeks back? Are we really in the end times?
But as I said a couple weeks ago, all of these things listed are constantly taking place. So, maybe we shouldn’t run to our doomsday shelters. Maybe when Jesus says redemption, he means it in a slightly different way.
As the disciples are starting to panic, and our own pulses start to race as we hear this text, Jesus tells us a short parable: “Look at the fig tree and all the trees; 30 as soon as they sprout leaves you can see for yourselves and know that summer is already near. 31 So also, when you see these things taking place, you know that the kingdom of God is near.”
When these things take place, redemption is near. The kingdom of God is near.
The Lesson of the Fig Tree
When we see fig trees sprouting their leaves, we know that summer is coming. Just like when we see decorations and lights covering houses and Rudolf the Red nose reindeer on every radio station, we know that Christmas is near. And in the same way, Jesus says that there are signs for when the kingdom is near.
When we see war, we know that the kingdom is near. When we see natural disasters, we know that the kingdom is near. When we see tragedy and turmoil… When we see panic and fear… When we see these signs, we know that the kingdom of God is near.
When the world is breaking, God’s kingdom breaks in, offering an opportunity for life and change.
God does not cause these things to happen. God does not cause wars to start and nation to go up against nation. God does not cause natural disasters. God does not cause tragedies in our communities and in our nation. God does not cause any of these things.
But God’s kingdom is always breaking through in these moments, giving us an opportunity to make this world as it is in heaven.
For we are the ones that prepare the way (especially in Luke’s Gospel). Ushering in the kingdom of God with our own hands. Our own voices. Our own minds. By the power of the Holy Spirit guiding us.
God does not cause war, but through it, we can work to be peace makers in this world.
God does not cause natural disasters, but in them we can work to be God’s hands in this world, to be first responders, to be care-givers, to provide offerings.
God does not cause tragedies to communities, but God calls us to more than prayer, God calls us to action to prevent the tragedies from ever happening again.
God does not cause oppression, but God calls us to break down the systems that cause oppression and to lift up those who have been oppressed.
And when it’s your own world that is breaking, when hardship, job loss, or tragedy impacts your life, hear the hope that the kingdom is near. God is breaking into your life through the communities around you, through this congregation, through your loved ones and your supports. God’s kingdom breaks through to be there for you.
In Advent, this season of anticipation and waiting, we are not waiting for the birth of Christ, for that has already happened.
But in Advent, we await Christ’s return, we await God’s kingdom coming to this earth.
My siblings, the signs are all around us, the kingdom is near. Like the fig tree sprouting. Like Christmas lights shining all around. The signs are before us.
The world is beckoning the Kingdom of God to come! So, let us prepare the way for that kingdom. Let us usher it in! Knowing that with the power of Christ within us, we can proclaim “Let thy kingdom come. Thy will be done. On earth as it is in heaven.”
Preaching Possibilities
Active Faith, Active Advent
One thing that will be abundantly clear in Year C is that Luke emphasizes an active faith. Throughout Luke-Acts it is clear the disciples, the Church, will have a role to play. We are not bystanders. We are participants in the ministry with Christ and for Christ by the power of the Holy Spirit.
And so, how do we have an active Advent? John the Baptist will call us to bear fruits worthy of repentance. The fig tree sprouts leaves. These are very lively images of plant life in a literal season of dormancy.
Next we get “Prepare the way”? How do we prep our congregations to be ready to receive that message and to be ready to be active in this Year C and throughout our faith journeys?
Hope as Resistance
In the face of a world that often feels overwhelmed by chaos—wars, disasters, tragedies, and fear—hope becomes an act of defiance. Jesus tells us to stand up and raise our heads when the world is breaking, because our redemption is drawing near. This isn’t a passive act. It’s a bold declaration that even when everything seems to be falling apart, God’s kingdom is breaking in, bringing renewal and life.
Hope is not wishful thinking or naive optimism. Hope is grounded in the promise that God is at work in the world, even in the moments of shadow. Hope resists the temptation to give in to fear or despair. It resists the narrative that says nothing can change or that the brokenness of this world will have the last word. Hope proclaims that God’s kingdom is near—that wars do not have the final victory, that disasters cannot destroy God’s love, and that even in grief and loss, life and redemption are possible.
To hope is to resist the forces of hopelessness by actively seeking and building signs of the kingdom. It’s caring for neighbors, speaking out for justice, offering comfort to the grieving, and creating communities of love and belonging. Hope resists by working, waiting, and trusting in God’s promises.
Advent is a season of hope, not just for what will one day come, but for what God is already doing in the here and now. So, we stand up, raise our heads, and with courage proclaim: the kingdom is near. God’s redemption is breaking into the world. Hope is alive. And hope will lead us forward.
Micah Krey 
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