This past Tuesday morning, while raiding the Walmart shelves of all their pre-built gingerbread houses, I was within earshot of two employees talking with each other. They were loud, and clearly not happy.  I have no idea what the context of their conversation was, but some of the phrases I overheard them say were: “How were we supposed to know?”  “That might be true, but I had no idea.” “Well, no one told me.” Their tones were clearly infused with much exasperation and annoyance.  Again, I have no idea what their gripe was about. I quickly carted up my gingerbread boxes and went on my way. Curious though I was, I did not want to eavesdrop on their frustrations. However, their complaints come to mind as we near our Last Sunday of the Church Year this coming weekend.  As I’ve mentioned in church recently, the last weeks of the church calendar focus on the return of Jesus.  “And He will come again with glory to judge both the living and the end, whose kingdom will have no end.” (Nicene Creed)
 
Jesus is coming. Again. In Glory. With a purpose. To establish His Kingdom and usher in a new creation. To sift the wheat from the chaff, to separate the sheep from the goats, to divide the righteous from the unrighteous.  In this moment, all who call on the name of Jesus will be saved. This is the beautiful, comforting promise of the scriptures. When will this be? Of course, no one knows.  Thus, in the meantime, we have a job to do.  The Apostle Paul writes in Romans 10:14, “How can people have faith in the Lord and ask him to save them, if they have never heard about him? And how can they hear, unless someone tells them?” (CEV) This is not a desperate plea only for the church to raise up pastors and missionaries. This is a directive for all of God’s people to be vocal about their faith. They echo the words of Jesus from a couple of Sundays ago urging His disciples to look for the opportunities around them to bear witness (cf. Luke 21:13).  As Christians, we have been declared righteous by God—only by His grace revealed to us in the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus.  This means that whenever Christ does return, we have nothing to fear. We are saved already and will be kept forever safe in the hull of His church. 
 
This is not an exclusive club; it is open to all. 
And... there is always room for more!
With the holidays approaching, can you invite a friend or neighbor to hear the Good News about Jesus, the Word made Flesh, with you? 

How about at our Thanksgiving Eve worship? Advent by Candlelight? Advent Luncheons? Live Nativity? Christmas Eve or Christmas Day worship? How about a local Christmas concert? A movie or play based on the Nativity story? A Sunday worship service (no matter where that might be)? Invite them. Sit with them. Take them out for a meal or hot cocoa afterwards.
 
Opportunities abound here at church, and in many other places this time of year, to engage people with the hope and joy of Jesus. Going back to the perturbed words of the Walmart employees… how else could they know? What if no one tells them?  Not about some new store policy or shelve-stocking mandate, but about the reason for our Christmas celebrations!
How will your dear friends and family know, unless you speak up and invite them?
 
“Love people, serve people and point them to Jesus when they ask why you care.” (unknown)
 
“I believe as we work, God will always give us opportunities to tell others about his Son. ... We are there to reach out to love them and to save them, and as a Christian, I do this in the name of Jesus Christ.” (Franklin Graham)
 
“But in your hearts revere Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have, [doing so] with gentleness and respect…” (1 Peter 3:15 NIV)

Psalm 99:1 declares: “The Lord reigns; let the nations tremble.”   In every age, God’s people have looked around at the world and wondered what’s happening. Leaders rise and fall. Nations boast and threaten. Policies change. Uncertainty spreads. Divisions increase. Hostility gets louder. It can be easy to feel anxious or powerless as we watch the news or think about the future. But God’s Word reminds us of something far greater and far more certain: the Lord reigns. 

Our God is not surprised by the events of this world. He is not wringing His hands or trying to regain control. He is not shocked; He is not mocked. From His throne, He rules over all things — presidents, parliaments, wars, and economies. Even when earthly rulers seem powerful, their authority is only temporary and permitted by the One who holds all power in His hands. As the prophet Daniel said, “He changes times and seasons; He deposes kings and raises up others” (Daniel 2:21).
 
To be sure, much of our reality and God’s action is thus veiled in mystery. We cannot pretend to know or fully comprehend the works of God; so much remains hidden. We will never fully grasp all the things God allows to take place—whether we applaud them or are offput by them. Nevertheless, for those who belong to Christ, this truth is not meant to make us fearful but comforted. Because the same Lord who reigns over the nations is also the Lord who hung on the cross for our salvation. His sovereign rule is not cold or distant — it is loving and purposeful. He rules for the sake of His people, for the good of His Church, and for the glory of His name.
 
So… when the headlines seem heavy or politics seem chaotic, we remember—Jesus is still Lord. He always will be. God not only preserves His creation, but He is actively involved in caring for it. He exists in it. He is present in our modern-day context. Our crucified, risen King sits on the throne even now. His kingdom cannot be shaken, and His promises cannot fail.

• “This, therefore, is also essentially necessary and wholesome for Christians to know: That God foreknows nothing by contingency, but that He foresees, purposes, and does all things according to His immutable, eternal, and infallible will.” (Martin Luther)

 

• “For if you doubt, or are too proud to acknowledge, that God foreknows and wills all things, not contingently, but necessarily and immutably, how can you believe, trust, and rely upon His promises? … The greatest and only consolation of Christians in all adversities lies in knowing that God does not lie, but brings all things to pass immutably, and that His will can neither be resisted, changed nor hindered.” (Martin Luther)

 

• “Most Christians salute the sovereignty of God but live like they believe in the sovereignty of man.” (R.C. Sproul)

 

• ““If I go to Jesus, he’s not under my control. He lets things happen that I don’t understand. He doesn’t do things according to my plan, or in a way that makes sense to me. But if Jesus is God, then he’s got to be great enough to have some reasons to let you go through things you don’t understand. His power is unbounded, but so are his wisdom and love.” (Tim Keller)