Matthew 24:36-44

This passage occurs for Advent 1, year A.  I don't normally preach on this passage because 

• I usually use Luke 1 for Advent Gospels
• I love the Isaiah passage paired with this Gospel

Summary:  How one approaches this passage probably depends on how one has preached during November.  Do you have one more sermon about the "end" times?  This passage is very sharp and present a real dichotomy between those saved and not saved.  If you go this route, a Lutheran sense of sinner and saint might be helpful.  Also, some reflections on γρηγορεῖτε, which means "be woke!"  This might offer a "fun" way to play with super "buzz" word in our culture today.

παρουσια ("coming"; Matthew 24:37, 39): This word can mean simply "presence."  It can also meant "coming" -- literally translated as "Advent" by Jerome when he translated the Greek into Latin.

BDAG has some helpful insight (as usual)

• "On one hand the word served as a sacred expression for the coming of a hidden divinity, who makes his presence felt by a revelation of his power, or whose presence is celebrated in the cult."
• "On the other hand, it became the official term for a visit of a person of high rank, especially of kings and emperors visiting a province."

Is Christ speaking about his spiritual presence among us?  It sounds more like the final victory procession.  If one wants to know what this looks like, one can turn to apocalyptic parts of the New Testament.  Or just read the triumphal entry of Jesus into Jerusalem (Palm Sunday).  This Sunday might be interesting to build off of Christ the King.  What kind of triumphal procession does Jesus normally take?  Fascinatingly, in the Middle Ages, the preaching text for Advent 1 was the Palm Sunday passage!

κατακλυσμος (literally, cataclysm; 24:38, 39)  Jesus references a time of great destruction in which the righteous are saved through the ark.  This is hard; but is it meant to point out the destruction or ultimate salvation?  To what extent is destruction a part of creation?  How can we get to the new creation without the old creation dying?

Lastly, παραλαμβανω and αφιημι (24:40, 41)  These words are an interesting pairing.  They could mean "taken and left behind."  But they can just as easily mean "received and forgiven." 

Possible solutions:  

• Accept the fact that half of the people on earth will be left behind when Jesus comes, awaiting their opportunity to repent (or as the next parable suggests, await punishment).
• Move to a sinner/saint understanding -- in each person resides two people. The saint is received; the sinner is forgiven, but this means, truly, left behind.
• That some are taken and others forgiven.  Both good outcomes and the result of Jesus coming among us.

γρηγορεῖτε ("awake", 24:42)  This verb is in the present tense, meaning that it is an on-going action.  It should be translated "Stay awake" or in modern parlance "be woke."  This might serve as an interesting sermon then to reflect on what we are supposed to be woke about.  Turns out it is not identity politics, but the coming of Christ.  What might it mean to focus our attention and thoughts on his ultimate arrival?  This could lean into Advent and Advent piety around prayer, singing and giving.  

But what about the marginalized?  Are they forgotten or at least removed from focus?  It we read ahead a bit into Matthew, we eventually come upon the story of the sheep and goats, and the command to "do to the least of these..."  I wonder if this is what it means to be awake for Jesus, some how to be awake for those in need here on earth, but also to be awake for the coming of Christ.  This seems quite a challenge for us during life:  Some how to be awake to an ultimate reality that must dawn while being awake to the needs of the present reality.  This might be a fairly abstract sermon most times of the year, but I think the Advent context allows us to ground this in real life.  This Christmas season, what is the focus of our people?  Most people are focusing on all sorts of things besides Jesus.  They will want the law, the call to focus on Christ; they expect this from their pastors.  And I think most will intuitively agree -- every Christmas movie points this way -- you can't focus on the ultimate without including generosity towards others in need.