Mark 13 24-31 2006
Second-Last Sunday
Mark 13:24-31
November 19, 2006
The End is Near![i]
Introduction: We hear about good news. We hear about bad news. Today, we are going to learn about imminent terror and imminent joy, bad news, good news. Consider this example: You are alone at night and hear something outside. You don’t know what it is and it is dark. You might hear some crashing and banging going on. There is terror of the unknown. We might be frightened, because it could be a robber or something worse. Imminent terror is at the door. I remember the time my family was in Fort Wayne. It was in the fall of the year and we were gathered around the T.V. watching a scary movie. All of a sudden we heard the back door open as is someone was coming in the house. We all heard it. We immediately got up to see what or who was there. But there was nothing. I grabbed a frying pan and we began to search the house. We went in the basement, peered behind doors, waiting and watching and worrying about the unexpected. Our hearts were beating faster and faster and we huddled together for safety. In the end we found nothing and no one. But we weren’t sure and we were left with an unsettled feeling. After all, we all heard it. There was terror in the dark.
Then consider also the other side of the coin: It is dark at night, the yard light is on. You are waiting for your family or your friends to come for a visit. Finally, you hear the car doors open and slam and they come and knock at your door. You can’t see them yet but you know that they are here. There is imminent joy at the door.
Such descriptions describe the Last Day. For some when the Lord returns there is imminent terror. For others, the believers, there is imminent and great joy. We are told in the letter of James as you and I look forward to that time when the Lord returns: "Be patient and stand firm, because the Lord’s coming is near.
As this is the Second to Last Sunday in the church year we again reflect on the time when the Lord will come as He has promised. He will come with judgment and terror. He will come with joy and salvation. While we see signs of the end like changing seasons, we hold fast to the unchanging word of God. As Jesus said, “Heaven and earth will pass away, but My words will never pass away.”
In our text, Jesus is speaking to his disciples, not to scare them, but to prepare them. He is honest with them. He tells them that there will be days of distress. Jesus tells them that their ministry and their preaching weren’t going to be easy at times. They are going to be rejected by their families. In fact they are going to suffer for His sake and the sake of the gospel. They would even be put to death for following Him and believing in Him.
Jesus says: "But in those days, following that distress, ’the sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give its light; the stars will fall from the sky, and the heavenly bodies will be shaken.’" As the Scriptures tell us this would strike terror in the hearts of mankind to see such things as they wonder what is going to happen next. For some people this will bring imminent terror and danger. For Christians these are merely signs to prepare us and not to scare.
Jesus goes on: "At that time men will see the Son of Man coming in clouds with great power and glory." Jesus wanted his disciples to look for the signs and to realize that the Son of Man is going to return. He is not going to forsake them. This was to reassure them, because in a very short time, the disciples would see Jesus taken from them in His crucifixion. Then Jesus would come back to life, and he would be with them for another forty days teaching them and reassuring them that he was the Resurrection and the Life. After this Jesus would ascend into heaven. As Jesus ascends into heaven they are reminded that He would return again in the same way, on the clouds of glory.
Jesus then shows the disciples the signs will be as clear as the changing of the seasons: "Now learn this lesson from the fig tree: As soon as its twigs get tender and its leaves come out, you know that summer is near." The disciples knew the signs of the seasons. When trees bud, the summer was near. When the leaves fall, winter was near. Jesus continues: "Even so, when you see these things happening, you know that it is near, right at the door." The disciples were to notice signs like the changing seasons.
Today, we have to admit that when Jesus spoke these words and said His coming was near, right at the door, that that day is much closer today, than it was then, isn’t it? These words were spoken almost 2,000 years ago; so day after day and generation after generation, we have gotten closer to the day that the Lord is going to return.
We have to be prepared and not be like foolish people. We are not to wait and watch with terror, but with hope and anticipation. However, it seems even non-Christian people are starting to anticipate the end of the world. ABC aired a special show on T.V. just a couple months ago about how the world would end. People are talking about all of these catastrophes--hurricanes, tidal waves, warm and cold weather, global warning, snowstorms and all kinds of different signs in the skies." Some people are moved to consider that maybe God is saying something. Maybe He is trying to get our attention. Yet, we have not come to the time when the sun and moon have stopped shining, or the stars have begun to fall from heaven.
Judgment Day is near. It is at the door! That day and hour we do not know, but we are told to be ready. Luke tells us: "Be always on the watch, and pray that you may be able to escape all that is about to happen, and that you may be able to stand before the Son of Man."(Luke 21:36). Of course, the Lord guarantees that we will escape.
There are other signs, too, signs that you and I look at, the signs in mankind. Jesus says before the end time comes, the love of most will grow cold. People will love themselves. The Scriptural signs we see describe very accurately our society. Scripture even describes us, at times, because of our sinful nature. We don’t always love God above all things, do we? We don’t always love our neighbor as ourselves. Sometimes we fall into the snares of this world and love ourselves more than anything else. We notice that mankind today wants to rely on worldly knowledge. This generation has very little use for the word of God. There is very little value for life in this world. We hear of murders day after day. We hear of millions killed by abortion day after day, because men love evil. Consider what we call entertainment on T.V. In the guise of mystery and suspense we watch show after show about murder, rape, incest, pedophilia, robbery, theft, violence and tradjedy. Our Lord’s Word is true, “Men love evil.” John the Baptist tells us: "This is the verdict: Light has come into the world, but men loved darkness instead of light because their deeds were evil" (John 3:19).
There is some good news though. One more sign the Lord tells us about is that the end isn’t going to come until all nations get to hear the gospel. Modern technology is making this possible. We have the ability to communicate better than ever before. Because of that, the Gospel is being preached onto the ends of the earth. Even our congregation sponsors a radio broadcast on Sunday mornings. Such is the marvel of communication technology. But this technology brings us closer to Judgment Day in a very good way. The Lord tells us in Matthew: "And this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in the whole world as a testimony to all nations, and then the end will come" (Matthew 24:14). When the Gospel reaches the final corners of the earth, we can be assured the Lord will return to judge and to save. “THE LAST”
The end is near, is at the door. We see the signs as they have increased from generation to generation. We are not faced with imminent terror though. We have imminent joy, because we hold fast to the unchanging Word of God.
That unchanging Word of God gives us a special promise. Jesus has promised that He will return for the people whom He loves. He has given us this marvelous picture of that time: "And he will send his angels and gather his elect from the four winds, from the ends of the earth to the ends of the heavens." Jesus will return with the sound of the trumpet, with the call of his voice. What a joyous picture on that Day to have all the believers all together in once place before the Judge -- before the Son of Man, before the Savior, the Lord of glory!
Jesus said, “Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will never pass away." The disciples never had to feel that they were by themselves -- alone -- lost -- forsaken -- forgotten. God’s word was always with Jesus’ disciples. God’s word was their sure foundation. It is our foundation.
What is the lesson for us today? It is a reminder that you and I, even though we might feel immortal and on top of the world, we are still mortal. You and I are going to face the Judgment Day, because we live in a world that is filled with sin, because we sin. When Judgment Day comes none will escape, for unbelievers there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth, but for every Christian there will be great joy and rejoicing as we hold onto the word of the Lord. The word of the Lord stands forever.
You and I hold fast, not to just a few parts of it, not to just most of it, but to all of it. When the Lord tells us that he was going to send his Son to die for our sins, and when Jesus came here and lived and died and rose again, we believe it. When Scripture clearly tells us Jesus was born of the Virgin Mary in Bethlehem, we believe it. No matter what the world tries to teach, no matter what the world tries to prove or say, it cannot change the truths of God’s unchanging word, "For the word of God is living and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart" (Hebrews 4:12). The Bible is not just an old, moldering, dusty book. God’s word, the Bible, is living and active and able to change our hearts, from hearts of stone to hearts of flesh. And all of this is simply and purely by God’s free grace.
Yes, there are some things in this world that may frighten us and scare us. There are some things in this world that the Lord says are going to be stressful and cause distress. But the Lord also tells us that He is with us through it all. Even as we face the judgment of God we do not face it alone. Jesus is on our side. He is standing beside us. He has received our judgment and our punishment; we have received God’s love and grace through the forgiveness of sins. "He who has the Son has life; he who does not have the Son of God does not have life. I write these things to you who believe in the name of the Son of God so that you may know that you have eternal life" (1 John 5:12,13). What a blessing! What a joy! What an amazing miracle to no longer sit in the terror of darkness, but to sit in God’s light and know that heaven is our home.
Yes, Judgment Day is near. The Righteous Judge is near, right at the door. For some people there will be imminent terror. When they see the skies turn to darkness, they will not know what to do. But for believers, we will all rejoice. We are reminded of the words of Paul to the Philippians: "Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice! Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near" (Philippians 4:4,5). The Lord is near. He is nearer now than when we began this morning worship. This gives us hope, anticipation and joy as we continue to pray and sing, “Come Lord Jesus! Amen!
----
[i] Rev. Timm Meyer