It’s Later Than You Think!

I’m 80 years old, fer cryin’ out loud. Haven’t I done enough for the Kingdom? More than 40 years a pastor of United Methodist congregations. Baptized, married & buried hundreds of people (hatched, matched, and dispatched). Been on countless committees. Is there more for me to do? Scriptures to be presented on the upcoming weekend remind us that time is of the essence, that we have limited moments to point out the Good News through Christ…

The book of JONAH tells about God’s perseverance, though we be reluctant prophets. Vv. 3:1-5, 10 pick up the tale after the Fish has regurgitated Jonah: God may be saying, “OK–now let’s try it again!” The time period appears in the message, “40 days more, and Ninevah will be overthrown”. We Ninevites need to get on with our turning around, not to be distracted by other things on our agenda. According to this story, the People of Ninevah DID center their lives on YHWH, causing YHWH to change [God’s] mind about the ensuing calamity.

St. Paul expected the Second Coming of Christ, the Parousia, to happen very soon. So he told the CORINTHIANS (I, 7:29-31) that “the appointed time has grown short”. Here was an urgency to get rid of the temporal–even the good parts–in order to fully embrace the Christian lifestyle. Our days have been numbered, and we can no longer count on Tomorrow to point out the inbreaking Presence of God to those nearby. Our choices are difficult ones: either order our relationships and possessions to correspond with this mission; or to eliminate them completely! ”For the present form of this world is passing away.”

MARK 1:14-20 presents this sort of Jesus, going about his neighborhood with the message that God will have an incredible state of affairs breaking into the present time. Mark’s sense of urgency appears several times in his writing as “immediately”. Gathering Simon & Andrew, James & John to assist him with this proclamation, Jesus announces that “the time is fulfilled, and the Kingdom of God has drawn near”. Ted Smith likens this to an alarm clock: something has to happen, and you need to take care of it! (FEASTING on the WORD, B 1:285) 

So I’m compelled to tell the Story and BE IT, also. I recognize more than ever that my days are limited, and that I’d better get on with it. Many things distract me, and my life is cluttered with Stuff. Like the Wiffenpoofs, I expect to “pass and be forgotten with the rest”. In the meantime perhaps I can point to what God is doing in the world.

In the process of unfolding,   Horace Brown King

Please join me every Tuesday as we explore the lectionary assignments for the upcoming weekend; at horacebrownking.com