Sermon for 19 November 2000, Matins, St Mary Magdalen, Sheet, published on www.trikeshed.com

Bible readings: Daniel 12:1-3, Mark 13:1-8

In five billion years time our Sun will run out of fuel. There will no longer be enough energy in its nuclear reactions to balance the enormous pressure due to gravity. The Sun will collapse, which will then heat it up again until a shell of hydrogen ignites in nuclear fusion, causing the Sun to swell into a red giant. It will engulf Mercury, Venus and then planet Earth.

This is the accepted scientific view of what will happen. One of the exciting things about science and about the Bible is that the more science you do, or the more you dig into the Bible’s teaching, the more the one seems to underline the other. Both have blown apart fondly held ideas. At one time the Sun’s warmth and power must have seemed everlasting (mind you, five billion years is not far short). When Jesus and his disciples were looking over the valley to the Temple, a building bigger than York Minster and faced with gold, that too must have seemed invincible (what massive stones, what magnificent buildings), yet 40 years later it was to lie in ruins. When I was a boy very few people were questioning the popular belief that the earth’s climate was stable for a long time, let alone thinking that we were affecting it – and now we face the very real possibility that our grandchildren or even our children will wake up one day to be told that the northern polar ice cap has disappeared. And who would have thought even three weeks ago that as cherished an institution as the US electoral system would be looking so vulnerable [the 2000 election was so close it was decided by the Florida result after several court hearings.]

And both our readings, from Daniel and Mark, give us the same message. What seems permanent will be dashed away. Things will come to an end. Something which we may need less convincing of than our ancestors. And Jesus’ teaching helps us to know what we should do about it. And there is great scope for getting it wrong, which is why Daniel reminds us that those who lead many to righteousness will shine like the stars. It’s important how we lead others in matters as grave as the return of Jesus and the end of the world. Basically there are two possible responses.

First there is what I call the ‘obsessive panic response’ – I’m not a medic, I just made that one up. Jesus is coming, the end is nigh. What sometimes happens is a very unhealthy preoccupation with what will happen and when, a kind of distortion of real life. There hardly seems to be a year go by without some sect or other announcing the end of the world, all wrongly as it happens, and some, sad to say, claiming the name of Jesus. But Jesus is very clear about this. No preoccupation or obsession with my return. No one knows the day or the hour. See that no-one deceives you. These signs you see are nothing – just the beginning of birth pangs.

So, don’t be obsessed with signs that the last days are upon us. Do not be alarmed, we are told. Now this in turn can bring one of two responses in us. The first is the laissez-faire attitude. This world is coming to an end – no need to worry about it. Concentrate on winning souls. Sadly I have heard sermons along the lines that environmentalism is not a Christian concern because this world is going to end anyway. The other response, and this is what I hope will be the response of all of us, is to look at these great events of the future, to say ‘that is for God to decide about’ and to concentrate on living our lives as we were meant to. It’s almost as if the knowledge that the world will end one day kind of puts us in our place – we can concentrate on doing our duty, secure in the knowledge that ultimately we are not imprisoned here.

It’s interesting that both Daniel and Jesus wish us to be wise in those times. Many will come claiming ‘I am he’ and will deceive many. These are jittery times. My prayer is that in our dealings with others and in the influence we have we will not panic, that we will take the long view and that we will impart God’s wisdom, as befits our special place in this finite world. And my prayer is that in showing the way in those times, and these times, we, the Church, may as Daniel writes, shine like the brightness of the heavens.

© Mike Knee, 2000

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