Signs are all around us. Some are more obvious than others. Signs signify something: a fact, a predictive likely outcome, or to describe a deeper reality. There are signs which some may understand and others may not; signs that people can understand a little of the meaning, all of the meaning, or not at all depending on the sign and the person. There are signs that everyone should be able to tell what the meaning is. The behavior of birds or animals may be a sign to people in the know, that a severe and harsh winter is coming or perhaps their behavior may indicate a mild winter, that rain or an earthquake is imminent. This behavior may seem obvious to those who have over the years observed the connections or who have been taught these observations, but for most people in the city or who have never stopped to watch and pay attention, they haven’t a clue. To them, it is not obvious and they cannot read, understand or interpret the signs at all.
But on the other hand, there are different kinds of signs that just about everyone should be able to understand. Take traffic signs for example. We see traffic signs all around: walk, don’t walk, green and red lights, speed limits, stop signs, yield, yet there are people who choose to ignore those signs all the time or even some of the time. They ignore these signs even though they are signs to warn, to threaten, to predict that if you disobey these signs you run the risk of a ticket, an accident, or worse. These people justify themselves: “Well, I am in a hurry today. I don’t see a police officer. I won’t get caught. Nobody will get hurt and nobody obeys that law, anyway.”
It is very much like the signs written about in the Bible and then the signs that we see in our society today. To a Christian, one is informed by Scripture, these signs are perfectly clear. Signs that seem as though all people should be able to understand. For example, all around us, there are signs that point to an ordered universe and a creator that is very generous, as well as signs that point to the fact that in the midst of order there is a brokenness, a dysfunction. That there are natural rules and laws that are helpful but if broken create problems.
The world sees the signs but it has no idea what they mean. They see the grandeur of the stars and cosmos, but they do not see a creator or an order, though it is there. They see chance, a big bang, and string theory. The world sees an earth which is growing older and groaning with its fires, earthquakes, changing and shifting seasons, and they see global warming and climate change that humanity caused and that humanity can solve. They see any disease as purely a matter for science, not as a sign that disease is a symptom of a greater germ. They do not wonder at its cause, nor as an opportunity to think of mortality and what lies on the other side of death, to seek hope beyond this life. Instead, they look to gods: like the government, to the medical community for a solution. When there is war, they reason it away that the conflicts are caused by something solvable: economic, or religious, or political alone. They look to the weapons and the armies of the nations and whomever they are fighting. “The solution is in the might and will and economic backing of those involved” they figure. When there is trouble among men and women, parents, teachers, neighbors, coworkers and employers, the family, in communities large and small, they see injustice that again only the government, psychologists, or sociologists can solve.
Some of the world’s solutions may be helpful here or there at least for a short time, but many solutions end up causing more damage in observable and not observable ways. Why is that? Why can they not find permanent solutions? Because they do not understand the meaning of the signs, the root cause of trouble, nor to what and to whom they point. They would never look to themselves or a great moral failing within humanity. Some signs they may observe but because of their belief that humanity is somehow naturally good, they cannot process it fully. Much like habitual traffic breakers, other signs they ignore altogether.
Who can read these signs? How are they to be read?
Holy Scripture explains the why and the what for all the signs written and unwritten. It explains from the creation of the universe, to the events of every generation, to the daily struggles, choices, and condition of each individual: what is happening and why.
It explains who it is who set up the signs in the first place. God, the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. But also, it explains the why: He created all things out of love and because that is His nature to be creative, caring, and loving. That is why there is order and bountiful harvests, food, pleasure, and joy to be experienced here on earth. He is also just and will not allow evil to go unpunished. Adam and Eve allowed evil into their hearts and they rebelled against the one Law that was established by God, but the reason for their disobedience is explained in the 1st commandment: “you shall have no other gods”. Adam and Eve worshiped themselves and wanted to be God. They ignored the massive weight of signs pointing to the love of God and how bountiful is His love, forsaking any trust, instead they listened to the voice of Satan who pointed them to the one sign of warning and challenged them to disobey it. So, they disobeyed it, they were caught, and they were punished.
When we see the signs of the world groaning and wearing out, it points to this: the curse of Adam and Eve, to sin, and to the reality that there will be an end to this universe. Disease, famine, war, bloodshed, famine, the signs of the moon and stars, these are all signs pointing to the brokenness because of the curse upon sin, and are a result of the ongoing sins of mankind.
God continues to allow the bounty and joy upon earth to show that He is still loving and merciful, but God allows those signs of wrath so that people would realize that there is something wrong, realizing their mortality and then be open to repentance.
Holy Scripture is the key to a more clear understanding. Only those who have been introduced to the Word of God, who have been taught, who have themselves been brought through the higher signs that gives and works faith can there be understanding and hope. By nature, we in clouded unbelief need the Lord to come to us and speak by and through these higher signs through which the Holy Spirit overcomes our fallen ignorance and sin.
What are these higher signs? Holy Baptism, the Sacrament of the Altar, confession and Absolution. These all reveal and bring God’s solution to our brokenness, to our breaking of the 10 commandments, to our making gods of ourselves and then receiving in our flesh the trouble and the hardships of doing so. God is merciful and loving, and so He has sent a solution, a solution that points back to Him, and glorifies His merciful nature and His love. Jesus Christ, the Son of God, and now Son of Man. He has died on the cross, taking upon Himself the full punishment for sin upon His flesh, and then rising again to show that there is an end to death, there is a newness and re-creation beyond this life.
But this salvation and revelation can only come by waiting upon the Lord and believing in Him by faith, that He is your God and Lord. That He loved you enough to reach out and lead you to Him and there is no salvation within yourself and the passing things of this world.
For many this realization began at Baptism. The sign of Holy Baptism (water with the Name and Word of God) was used by the Lord to wash us in the blood of Christ’s crucifixion sacrifice, drowning the old Adam, to bring us forth in the reality and sign of Christ’s resurrection: God’s new creation by faith in Him. With this sign of the cross, with faith comes understanding, wisdom, and hope.
The flesh may war against this, and many it is who have been shown the solution to the signs of trouble and hardship in Christ, yet reject Him and His grace, but the Lord doesn’t give up. He continues to send forth His Holy Spirit to work upon our hearts and minds to draw us back to Himself by His Word, by the promise of Baptism, using the witness of our parents, or our Christian brothers and sisters, our fellow congregation members who reflect the love of God in Jesus Christ, and point us back to Jesus Christ and Him crucified. This is where God reveals His love again. Who is our present and future hope.
Jesus Christ will surely come again in the fullness of His glory to bring an end to the brokenness of this world. To bring about the fullness of His new creation begun for us in baptism. He will raise the dead and judge the believers and unbelievers. Believers shall live forever body and soul never to die again, living with Him celebrating His love and victory over sin, death and the devil in His joy.
He loves you. He sent Jesus for you and for your sake. Do not ignore or take for granted His signs, rather return, repent, rejoice, and receive from Him the fullness of the revelation of His love and hope for you.
He continues to come to His people, to you who come in repentance and faith. He uses the simple signs of bread and wine, to deliver the greater reality of His presence and love in the body and blood of Jesus Christ given and shed for the forgiveness of sins. This He gives as a joy, a peace giving refreshment, a strengthening of faith and the confession of His name, as we continue to live in this world according to His purpose ever looking at, living for, and rejoicing in the love of God in Christ Jesus crucified and raised for our transgressions.
As we see the signs of sin all around us, as we see the trouble within the world, let us cling to Him all the more by faith. Remember, Jesus said, “Now when these things begin to take place, straighten up and raise your heads, because your redemption is drawing near.” And so it is: your eternal redemption in Jesus Christ’s name. Amen.
Pr. Aaron Kangas