The Coming King

Title: Endure Well Until That Hour – Redeemer City 3/19/23

Intro Self

· Adam, MDiv at Trinity, Wife Jenny

· Thank you for being a church that allows this.

o As I prepare for ministry, I was given the advice to not preach prophetic literature as a guest preacher… welp… throwing that advice out the window this week…

· Encourage participation in my ministry

Human Condition Backdrop:

What would it take for you to loose your faith?What would it take for you to become apathetic? Stop striving for your faith??

· Take a moment

Distractions:

· We are so prone to loose our focus on God. Who has already become distraught by the March Madness upsets? Clinging

Overwhelmed

· Life is to hard, to busy

· Family relationships are too stressed, broken

· I am getting close to finishing my MDiv Degree – I have been super stressed these past couple months as I face the mystery of magnitude of a future job taking care of people’s souls.

What in your life is hindering your faith from flourishing? Apathy? Doubt? Grief?

How do you deal with these problems?

· Personally, I have two ways I deal with these

o Work harder

o Run away, ignore, suppress my stress.

Transition

This is the human problem is what Mark 13 is trying to address.

The setting/genre: Farewell Discourse to disciples

Farewell discourse

· Most often applied to John’s gospel. But seen in

o Jacob’s in Gen 47:29-49:33

o Joshua’s in Josh 22-24,

o David’s in 1 Chr 28-29

o Jesus’s in Mark 13,

· The discourse is where a patriarch, leader, or king gives his final consolations and instructions to his followers for after he dies.

Surrounding narrative setting

· Mark 12 was Jesus’s final public ministry

o 3 arguments to create a politics of paradox, a robust bodily hope, and a double love

o Jesus is the better King than David and we can be part of his better kingdom.

§ if that sounds interesting, please go listen to the sermons the last two weeks.

· Mark 13 is his final teaching words to his disciples

· Mark 14 – narrative of the final Passover and his betrayal.

Sub Point 3:

· Disciples at this time don’t know this is the end, but Jesus does know his death is coming, and so he takes a moment to prepare his disciples.

And he does so in 3 main ways throughout this chapter.

Outline

Hope Endures Well Until the End

1) Stay True to the Jesus that Came

2) Endure Expected Sufferings

3) Hope in the Glorious and Imminent Victory

Slide Mark 13:1-6

1 And as he came out of the temple, one of his disciples said to him, “Look, Teacher, what wonderful stones and what wonderful buildings!” 2 And Jesus said to him, “Do you see these great buildings? There will not be left here one stone upon another that will not be thrown down.”

3 And as he sat on the Mount of Olives opposite the temple, Peter and James and John and Andrew asked him privately, 4 “Tell us, when will these things be, and what will be the sign when all these things are about to be accomplished?” 5 And Jesus began to say to them, “See that no one leads you astray. 6 Many will come in my name, saying, ‘I am he!’ and they will lead many astray.

Slide – Main 1: Stay True to the Jesus that Came

Text: 5 And Jesus began to say to them, “See that no one leads you astray. 6 Many will come in my name, saying, ‘I am he!’ and they will lead many astray.

Sub point 1:Stay the course

· We Don’t need to Look for another coming prophet or Messiah.

Sub Point 2:Don’t get your hope caught up in temples, prophets, or miracles – false glories of this earth

Application: What in this life is a symbol of how “wonderful” God is? – To the Disciples, they looked to the temple… What is that in your life? Christian America? Redeemer City Church?

Transition

So after Jesus tells them to not be led astray from himself, he then goes into setting their expectations of what will happen.

Slide – Main 2: Endure the Expected Sufferings

· Lets read through the following text, but see how Jesus covers all of these expected sufferings.

Slide – Mark 13:7-8

Text: 7 And when you hear of wars and rumors of wars, do not be alarmed. This must take place, but the end is not yet. 8 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.

Sub Point 1: National Wars and Natural Disasters

Slide – Mark 13:9-11

Text: 9 “But be on your guard. For they will deliver you over to councils, and you will be beaten in synagogues, and you will stand before governors and kings for my sake, to bear witness before them. 10 And the gospel must first be proclaimed to all nations. 11 And when they bring you to trial and deliver you over, do not be anxious beforehand what you are to say, but say whatever is given you in that hour, for it is not you who speak, but the Holy Spirit.

Sub point 2:Tested and Tried by the rest of culture

· Know this is coming

o Expectations often control Anxiety –

· it is so that we can be a witness of God’s faithfulness to the world

· Don’t be Anxious – the Holy Spirit is with you

Slide – Mark 13:12-13 – Rejected by Family

12 And brother will deliver brother over to death, and the father his child, and children will rise against parents and have them put to death. 13 And you will be hated by all for my name's sake. But the one who endures to the end will be saved.

Sub Point 3: This isn’t just global disasters, national wars, and culture wars, This is personal

Slide – Mark 13:24-23 – Proofs Against the Kingdom Reality

Text: 14 “But when you see the abomination of desolation standing where he ought not to be (let the reader understand), then let those who are in Judea flee to the mountains. 15 Let the one who is on the housetop not go down, nor enter his house, to take anything out, 16 and let the one who is in the field not turn back to take his cloak. 17 And alas for women who are pregnant and for those who are nursing infants in those days! 18 Pray that it may not happen in winter. 19 For in those days there will be such tribulation as has not been from the beginning of the creation that God created until now, and never will be. 20 And if the Lord had not cut short the days, no human being would be saved. But for the sake of the elect, whom he chose, he shortened the days. 21 And then if anyone says to you, ‘Look, here is the Christ!’ or ‘Look, there he is!’ do not believe it. 22 For false christs and false prophets will arise and perform signs and wonders, to lead astray, if possible, the elect. 23 But be on guard; I have told you all things beforehand.

Ok, there is a lot of references in here that might you might be confused by. First “the elect”

Next – Abomination of Desolation“The Detestable thing of Destructions

Interpretive Lens: The Condensing of Biblical Prophecy together

OT Prophets – Often talk about “the day of the Lord” “in that day”.

· These reference temporally close events

o Exile and return from exile

· These reference temporally far away events

o Jesus’s first coming and ministry as a suffering servant

· These reference eschatological end time events

o Complete destruction of God’s enemies and Restoration of God’s people.

Example: Abomination of Desolation (3 different applications)

· Reference of Daniel 9:27, OT “…On the wing of abominations shall come one who makes desolate….”

o might have been in reference to King Antiochus erecting an idol of Zeus in the temple

· Gospels, armies surrounding Jerusalem (Luke 21:20-21) – Could have been the Roman overtaking and destruction of the temple in AD 70.

· future, eschatological meaning – pertaining to the end times

Illustration: It is like painting a picture of a mountain range – all the distance between peaks gets condensed into a single plane and inked onto a canvas.

Application: When we read prophetic texts, it is important to look at the details and see if they apply to our time. But the main point of them is not that we would be able to predict what will happen, but rather that we can have hope that it will happen. And if it does happen, we can apply our hindsight bias and say “Look how faithful God was in prophesying about this, we can thus trust other prophecies he gives.”

Slide – Mark 13:24-23 – Proofs Against the Kingdom Reality

Sub Point 3:World Events that seem to prove God’s kingdom isn’t real.

o Would you question God’s existence if the American Church fell away?

There is a lot of cynicism in the world today.

· In Seminary, they use to have “apologetics” classes, that has now been replaced with a class on how to approach culture of “pluralism”. Where arguments aren’t good enough, everyone is encouraged just to believe what they believe.

o Our culture no longer basis it’s beliefs on truth – Be careful on how you absorb that assumption

· In the end, we are left with “What can I trust and who can I trust”

Slide – Endure the Expected Sufferings

Jesus covered all the bases that suffering can hit

· Global, personal

· Natural, spiritual

· This text is for the pastors in Iraq that have to flee so they won’t be killed, this is the reality of today

· This text is for us now who are unwilling to ever enterinto Iraq in the first place – ask your heart if you would give up your freedom from a country built on judea Christian standards

o Lets be thankful we live in a country with religious freedom, but don’t be anxious about that changing!

· Where in your life does it seem like God’s kingdom isn’t present?

o Family strife in my own family

o Anxiety about the future

o Broken relationships we don’t know how to handle

o This might be preparatory for what worse is coming

· What would it take for you to loose your faith?

Illustration

What does this look like?

· Oaks of Righteousness (Isaiah 61)

o Can endure the storms

o Not a skinny tree protected by the wind in a middle of a forest, grasping at the little light it can get through the canopy.

o We are supposed to be strong, enduring the storms of this life

o Overwhelming?? – find someone who is and be around them. Partner with them

· Find the single mother being faithful to God as she raises kids alone – That person is probably stronger than I – I don’t know if I would handle it as well.

o Partner with her, be around her, strengthen her, bear her burdens and in so doing increase your own strength.

· Talk with the friend that is doubting their faith? Overcome with Anxiety or Depression.

Transition

Jesus lays out expectations of sufferings. And so far, you might be thinking “well that doesn’t seem fun, nice, good, or right.” Why would I want that. I don’t want that.

· Fair point – I don’t like the sound of that either, but Jesus’s isn’t done with the discourse.

What is Jesus’ response then for dealing with these?

Slide – Mark 13:24-27 – The Glorious Return of Christ

Text: 24 “But in those days, after that tribulation, the sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give its light, 25 and the stars will be falling from heaven, and the powers in the heavens will be shaken. 26 And then they will see the Son of Man coming in clouds with great power and glory. 27 And then he will send out the angels and gather his electfrom the four winds, from the ends of the earth to the ends of heaven.

CHRIST IS RETURNING WITH POWER AND GLORY

So Excited! -

Sub point 1: Why is this the answer to such suffering? How does knowing we have eventual victory keep us on track to endure till that victory?

· Against our selfishness – our needs and desires will be satisfied

· Against Bandwagon Fan Temptation

· Hope produces a lifelong resilience to be self-sacrifically dying for God and others

o Hope allows for true Love

Sub Point 2: Jesus’s Glorious return will be greater than the glories of this earth. (both those against us that seem they will overtake us and those we are attracted to focus on instead)

· Temples, ministries, family, nations, beer, initimacy, your dog… Whatever is great, wonderful, glorious, and powerful on this earth will be overshadowed, overcome by the glory of the coming Messiah

Transition:

“But When” – we come back to the first question the disciples asked

· Lets look at the last part of this chapter

Slide – Mark 13:28-31

28 “From the fig tree learn its lesson: as soon as its branch becomes tender and puts out its leaves, you know that summer is near. 29 So also, when you see these things taking place, you know that he is near, at the very gates. 30 Truly, I say to you, this generation will not pass away until all these things take place. 31 Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will not pass away.

· So when we see these signs – all the sufferings that may hinder our faith – We know he is near

· All those false glories will fall away – but God’s Word, will not!

Slide – Mark 13:32-36

32 “But concerning that day or that hour, no one knows, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father. 33 Be on guard, keep awake. For you do not know when the time will come. 34 It is like a man going on a journey, when he leaves home and puts his servants in charge, each with his work, and commands the doorkeeper to stay awake. 35 Therefore stay awake—for you do not know when the master of the house will come, in the evening, or at midnight, or when the rooster crows, or in the morning— 36 lest he come suddenly and find you asleep. 37 And what I say to you I say to all: Stay awake.”

Wow! Jesus’ doesn’t know the when

- How can that be! Isn’t Jesus God??

o Yes – Jesus is both Divine God, and a lowly human man.

o How exactly those two nature work together! I wish I knew! It’s a mystery!

- But that is not the point of this passageis it? Is this trying to teach us about the nature of Christ? No

o This is to emphasize our inability to know the end!

o We are thrown into the deep end of not knowing

Application:

First - Don’t believe people who predict the end of the world!

Second – What is relevant to you is not the “when” But rather the “what and who”

· Like the OT prophecies – they are vague not so we can be predictive, but that we can have hope and glorify God in our hindsight bias.

· If God was true with his other prophecies, I can trust in these about his future coming!

Transition:

So what is this passage trying to encourage in us?

Slide – Hope in the Glorious and Imminent Victory- We are to know that the Jesus comes back in Power and Glory- Let that Hope be the response to our worldly Sorrows- So that we can stay true to the Jesus that has already come This is repeated throughout the passage with “Stay awake” “Be on Guard” “Don’t be Anxious”· These commands are repeated 10 times throughout this passage “be on guard…Stay awake” is vague – what does this look like?- Accept the gospel now – live according to light – build each other up- “Jesus is coming, Look busy”o This isn’t a guilt tripo We are not supposed to fake it

Conclusion

Hope Endures well Until the End

- Grow and work on maturing your expectations of suffering!

- Grow, work on mature, your hope! Your excitement for Jesus’s coming! Get excited for eternal life with him in Heaven and on the new earth!

Close in Prayer