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INTRO
If you are like me, you enjoy looking for signs of the seasons.
Colors changing on the trees, summer plants dying off, grapes ripening, first frost, the smell of wood burning, pumpkin anything & everything in the stores and shops.
The Gustafsons treated me to Pumpkin-spice Biscotti - very nice!
Some of you already experienced the first snow.
I love these signs because they bring back great memories and help me look forward to what’s coming next.
Jesus shared with his disciples the Signs of the Times so they would know what to expect and how to prepare.
Sadly they probably didn’t have pumpkin spice pitas in Jerusalem.
I know there are a number of you that get really excited about Revelation prophecy and watching for the signs of Christ’s return.
Some of you like to share news accounts and reports from end-times enthusiasts with even more signs that the end is near.
But let me ask you to listen more closely to Jesus’ own words to his followers.
What did he actually tell his disciples then, and how does he want us to respond today?
Series
We are resuming our series from Mark’s Gospel: The Crown & The Cross.
Mark shows Jesus as a man with a clear message and mission, and the reader is called to actively response to the message.
Jesus’ responses always helped his listeners better understand God’s heart and his statements are typically clear commands for us to follow.
In the first half of Mark the emphasis was on seeing Jesus revealed as Messiah - the King who deserved the crown.
The second half’s focus is on Jesus in Jerusalem fulfilling His life’s mission to suffer and die on the cross - and to rise from the dead.
Two weeks ago, when we were in Mark 12 together Jesus warned of the empty worship of the religious leaders then an example of a widow's small gift as the right way to worship - to Love God and Love others more.
That final rebuke of religious hypocrisy ties in to today’s passage about the future of the Temple.
We are starting part 1 of 2 in Mark 13 this week.
Our parallel passages are in Matthew 24 and Luke 21.
PRAY
READ Mark 13:1-13
Temple Destruction Prophesied
Jesus’ public ministry and teaching was officially over.
He is now alone again with his disciples and preparing them for his final days.
It is the middle of Holy Week with just a few days left.
Jesus and his disciples left the temple and were on their way to the Mount of Olives.
Ezek 11:22-23 tells us that this is where Messiah will return and for that reason, this passage is often called the Olivet Discourse.
150 ft higher than Jerusalem.
They could look across the Kidron Valley and see the Temple in it’s splendor.
(v. 1) As they left the Temple, a disciple said Rabbi (teacher) look at these wonderful stones and buildings!
And the 60 year project of rebuilding the Temple was truly amazing.
It was considered a wonder of the Roman world.
Listen to this description of the Temple in the historical writings of Josephus.
The exterior of the building wanted nothing that could astound either mind or eye.
For, being covered on all sides with massive plates of gold, the sun was no sooner up than it radiated so fiery a flash that persons straining to look at it were compelled to avert their eyes, as from the solar rays.
To approaching strangers it appeared from a distance like a snow-clad mountain; for all that was not overlaid with gold was of the purest white.
(War 5. 222–223)
According to another account from Josephus, some of the individual stones were thirty-seven feet long by twelve feet high by eighteen feet deep.
That’s almost the size of a tractor trailer.
Jesus had just been teaching in the Temple that religious show and hypocrisy was not what God wanted at all.
He wanted love from his followers and for them to love others.
He also told the religious leaders that the Worship of God would leave the temple and be available to all people.
Jesus responded with a very specific prophesy, but without the typical vision or cloaked meaning of the prophets.
This was God himself speaking.
He knew what would happen and could speak with authority.
v. 2 Jesus said, You see these impressive buildings?
Not one of these enormous stones will be left on top of each other.
The Jews were convinced of the permanence of this magnificent structure, not only because of the stability of construction, but also because it represented God’s presence among them.
How could the Temple be destroyed?
Why would God allow that to happen again?
How could God’s kingdom come without the central place of worship?
Then with Peter, James, John and Andrew - the first four he called back on the Sea of Galilee.
This scene came full circle to the beginning of Mark’s gospel.
These faithful followers were still with Jesus.
They asked Two Questions: When will this happen?
What will be the sign?
In Schnabel’s commentary on Mark he said, “It is better to understand the two-part question as referring to the same event: the destruction of the temple.”
So that also helps us apply Jesus’ answers in reference to the Temple.
Jesus does not directly answer the questions. he does not give them a specific date or even a year, but instead he offers warnings about how they should live as His disciples and what to expect in the future.
Warnings
Many of the Old Testament prophecies had multiple fulfillments.
It’s like a near and far mountain range that from a great distance look like they are right on top of each other.
Jesus was predicting both near and farther off events without putting them in specific chronological order.
The coming destruction of Jerusalem and the Temple only foreshadowed a future destruction that would ultimately usher in God’s earthly millennial Kingdom.
Jesus was prophesying both the short-term destruction of Jerusalem and the further off future end times.
That is what makes this a difficult passage to interpret.
Jesus is not giving details so his followers will spend their time speculating about the end, but instead calling them to watchfulness and faithfulness in the present.
Jesus was answering their questions in his own way.
He seems to be much more interested in preparing them for the future than in predicting the exact timing and even sequence of events.
Notice he never answers their question of “when these things will be” but instead tells they what signs or indications they will see.
Jesus does not want his followers to be wrapped up in dates and predictions - instead he urges them to be watchful and stay on task - share the Gospel.
As we go through this private teaching to the inner circle of disciples we see his warnings and then his encouragement.
Don’t be mislead or deceived
Don’t be alarmed
Be on your guard
Don’t be anxious
You will be hated
Let’s briefly look at each of these warnings.
v. 5 Don’t be deceived or mislead.
Many imposters will come saying they are me, Jesus the Messiah.
They will try to get you to follow them.
But it’s not me.
I will tell you about my return.
It will be amazing!
You won’t miss it.
Don’t believe these false messiahs and false teachers.
v. 6 Don’t be alarmed.
There will be wars and rumors of wars.
It’s not the end yet.
National and kingdom against kingdom huge wars will continue to take place.
Earthquakes will take place in various places and famines around the world.
And in fact, there were a number of severe earthquakes recorded throughout the middle east in the first century.
This is nothing new.
The frequency or magnitude has not increased.
We just hear about them faster and more often due to instant news reporting.
As Alayna read for us in Romans 8, God’s creation, has been groaning with the burden of sin, awaiting its ultimate renewal with the new heaven and new earth.
Earthquakes, volcanoes erupting, hurricanes, typhoons are all part of fallen world breaking down.
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