Friday of Easter 4

Enduring the Labor Pains

1 Thessalonians 5:2-3 (ESV) “The day of the Lord will come like a thief in the night. While people are saying, 'There is peace and security,' then sudden destruction will come upon them as labor pains come upon a pregnant woman, and they will not escape."

Mark 13:5ff (ESV) Jesus began to say to them, “See that no one leads you astray. Many will come in my name, saying, ‘I am he!’ and they will lead many astray. And when you hear of wars and rumors of wars, do not be alarmed. This must take place, but the end is not yet. For nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. There will be earthquakes in various places; there will be famines. These are but the beginning of the birth pains. ^… brother will deliver brother over to death, and the father his child, and children will rise against parents and have them put to death. And you will be hated by all for my name’s sake. But the one who endures to the end will be saved.”

Seven times now Heidi and I have awaited the birth of a child. Although you have a due date, so often that’s just a ballpark guess. Our children have been born as early as 3 weeks sooner than expected or as late as a week past the due date. Sometimes children are premature or miss their due date by several weeks. While we try to predict the onset of labor, it’s really just an educated guess. Similarly, anyone who tries to guess when Christ will return is misguided, since in 1 Thessalonians the Lord says that it will come suddenly, at an hour we don’t expect, like a thief in the night. So we must be on constant alert, watchful, sober, prayerful, living in repentance.

In Mark’s Gospel, Jesus uses a different metaphor about labor, in which He emphasizes that sometimes the birth pains last a long time. Once the birth pains have begun, there is much labor and suffering still to endure. This is why Jesus so aptly compares the onset of birth pains with the signs of His return on the Last Day to judge the living and the dead. He says that false prophets will come to lead people away from Christ, and wars and famines and earthquakes will happen, and Christians will be persecuted for their loyalty to Christ. Jesus says, “These are but the beginning of the birth pains.” There has been much labor and suffering endured by God’s people over the centuries, and it could be that we still have to endure much more before Christ returns.

So we continue to wait for our Lord's final coming. And as you endure the continuation of spiritual birth pains today, remember that there is deliverance coming, just as St. Paul promises in 1 Thessalonians 5: “God has not destined us for wrath, but to obtain salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ, who died for us so that whether we are awake or asleep we might live with him.”

And as Jesus promises His disciples in our Gospel reading for Easter 4: “Truly, truly, I say to you, you will weep and lament, but the world will rejoice. You will be sorrowful, but your sorrow will turn into joy. When a woman is giving birth, she has sorrow because her hour has come, but when she has delivered the baby, she no longer remembers the anguish, for joy that a human being has been born into the world. So also you have sorrow now, but I will see you again, and your hearts will rejoice, and no one will take your joy from you” (John 16:20-22). Even so, Lord Jesus, come quickly!

Almighty God, Your Son, Jesus Christ, chose to suffer pain before going up to joy and crucifixion before entering into glory. Mercifully grant that we, who walk in the way of the cross, may find this path to be the way of life and peace; through Jesus Christ, our Lord, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen.