You are laughing at him. The botched 94 prophecy. The crazy math. The apparel and advertisements. The specificity of it all. 6pm, in each time zone, really?
But what are they laughing at? The media, your neighbor, and the rest. They are laughing at all the above stuff too. But really I think they are laughing ultimately at the idea that Jesus will break into this world and bring it all to an end. Judgment. Consequence. Recompense. Blessing. Inheritance. Reward. That is what I think they are really laughing at. They are laughing at the central hope of your faith and mine. That Easter has eternal consequence. That Jesus will return to judge the quick and the dead. That the natural ways of this world are not unalterable.
So while we can have a little fun this day, we must also be clear to confess to our world this day that while we are not expecting the return of Jesus tomorrow at 6pm necessarily, we are truly expecting him. We must say that we believe that Jesus broke into this world from the heavens once before and will do so again. Then to save. Now to judge. Yes. on that day the wicked will receive him as the judge of their vile ways. And we will receive him as the judge who comes to deliver his righteous ones.
It is not just Harold Camping they think is crazy. It is you also. Oh, they would be fine with you going to a church that believes on paper in such a day. But if you really take it seriously,most people would discreetly shuffle away from you. And if you live your life in way that witnesses that belief, then they are likely to suggest counseling. The whole world is planning always for a tomorrow that may not come. Those of us who are ever watchful for the return of Jesus make those who are sure of years to come very uncomfortable. If his return is true and imminent, it casts doubt on so much of what they value and do each day.
And you know what? I think it is why we are so quick to get caught up in the contagious chuckling about Camping. It is much easier if we just laugh than if we reflect on our lives. We too have large parts of our lives that really are exposed as vile when the return of Christ is considered. The thousands sitting in church and personal banks accounts testify against us. The lost we continue to ignore plague our conscious. The sins we allow to remain in our lives hammer us right to hell. It is then that we must pray,
Come not in terror, as the King of kings,
But kind and good, with healing in Thy wings;
Tears for all woes, a heart for every plea.
Come, Friend of sinners, thus abide with me.
Yes, it is when we consider the return of Jesus that we remember that if not for the grace of God manifested to us on the Cross of Christ and delivered to us in word and sacrament, we would be left crying and not laughing at the thought of his return. That day would be terror that would make us forget 9-11. But thanks be to God, we need not fear that day. Indeed he does come with healing in his wings. Even the parts of our lives which have been in constant antagonism to our belief that he will return are forgiven. And know that, we need not cry nor laugh when we ponder his return, but simply anticipate it with joy.
We can anticipate it with joy privately in our hearts and corporately together as the Church. And we can do so before our world. We can tell them this day, “Don’t throw out the baby with the bath water. Camping is wrong. But Christ’s return is certain. Be reconciled to God in Christ Jesus.â€
