Prepared for the End

Introduction

I have got a challenge in today’s passage…

- End Times brings two opposite reactions: (1) Fascination or (2) Apathy.

- The topic was hot in the 1970’s…The Late Great Planet Earth (Book), A Thief in the Night (Movie)

- Kicked up again in the 90’s & 2000’s with the Left Behind books/movies.

- Today… many speculating (or making assertions) about the end being near.

(ill): This partly comes from “Doomsday Scrolling”—RATINGS

So… we have come to a passage where Jesus teaches us about his Second Coming. HARD!

- HARD b/c this is THE most difficult passage in Mark w/ MANY opinions!

- SOME think this is all about the end times. OTHERS think that this is all about the 1st century.

(ill): Goldy Locks… “Too hot…too cold…just right!”

- PROBABLY AD 70 was a foreshowing of the judgment before 2nd Coming.

- Often… near/distant events blur in prophecy (foreshortening, telescoping).

(ill): Mountain peaks that look equally distant but are separate.

(ill): Struggled w/ cameras this year…inability to focus correctly.

Since I must teach it as I see it… here’s how I believe this passage is to be read (shifting focus points):

A. vv. 5-23 – The Temple’s destruction (primarily) in AD 70.

B. vv. 24-27 – Flashes to the Second Coming of Christ.

A’ vv. 28-31 – Back to signs before the temple’s destruction (AD 70).

B.’ vv. 32-37 – Flashing to time of the Second coming of Christ.

- BUT… every decision about what belongs where is VERY difficult!

But putting aside the interpretive difficulties there is common ground in the practical implications.

- Implications are missing in much fascination or apathy. SO WHAT?!?

- 19 imperatives (calls to action) in this passage…it’s laden w/ implications!

“End times teaching in the Bible is not for speculation but for application. Not for charts, graphs, and predictions at the timing of Christ’s coming but for guiding our lives to God’s greater future for us.”

The key implication of this passage: Be on your guard & stay awake (v. 33).

Context…

Jesus left the temple w/ the disciples gushing about the temple (v. 1).

- v. 2 – Jesus shocks them (“Not one stone upon another”).

- v. 3 – Went up the Mt. of Olives & the disciples asked for more details.

- Matthew’s includes a “?” about the end of the age (24:3)… corollary?

TS: So what did Jesus tell us about how to be on guard against? Five dangers to be on guard against.

I. Five Dangers to Be on Guard Against (vv. 5-33).

Again… it’s hard to know what belongs to AD 70 and what belongs to the Second Coming. But there does seem to be a dual focus in spots!

1) Don’t Be Deceived by False Christs (vv. 5-6, 21-22).

Jesus is clear that then—leading up to AD 70’s temple destruction—and now there will be false Christ’s and false prophets who rise-up to deceive.

- Many rose in the days of Jesus and afterwards (1 Jn. 2:18).

- False Christ’s come in obvious types: David Koresh (Waco)

- They also come in political/religious figures who promise “salvation.”

//: Surprising how often we put “Messianic hopes” in leaders!

How can we be sure that we are not deceived by these false Messiah’s?

Mark 13:24–27 (ESV)

- There will be no missing or mistaking Christ’s Second Coming!

2) Don’t Be Alarmed by the Earth’s “Birth Pains” (vv. 7-8).

Wars, rumors of wars, nations at enmity, earthquakes, famines, etc.

- What decade since Christ’s first coming has NOT had this stuff going on?

- The present evil age is in “labor” as the Messianic Kingdom is “born”!

//: BTW… don’t let COVID rattle you since it’s the “norm” of this age!

3) Don’t Be Surprised by Persecution (vv. 9-13).

The description in these verses is a virtual outline of the book of Acts!

- Witness before kings, governors, trials… even family divisions.

Mark 13:12 (ESV)

- Some Muslim contexts now. Not hard to envision a day where Jesus brings so much cultural hatred that people distance from Xian family!

- “Endure to the end” = end of life. The call to persevere in tribulation is all over the NT (cf. Acts 14:22).

//: Are you willing to endure such rejection for your faith in Jesus?

4) Don’t Be Shocked by the Intensity (vv. 14-20).

Here the interpretation gets tough… AD 70 or Second Coming?

- “Abomination of desolation” = Daniel = Antiochus IV = 167 BC = pig/Zeus.

- Also… a reference to Roman General Titus (or associated event?).

- But also… a reference to a future event (e.g. 2 Thess. 2:3-4)?

2 Thessalonians 2:3–4 (ESV)

3 Let no one deceive you in any way. For that day will not come, unless the rebellion comes first, and the man of lawlessness is revealed, the son of destruction, 4 who opposes and exalts himself against every so-called god or object of worship, so that he takes his seat in the temple of God, proclaiming himself to be God.

Many of the details here make sense in an AD 70 setting.

- Fleeing Judea to the mountains…pregnant/nursing mothers…winter!

- The suffering of a 5-month siege on Jerusalem by Romans—resulting in starvation, cannibalism, lots of death.

- Result was terrible suffering at the hands of the Romans in AD 70.

But other details seem to point beyond AD 70 to Tribulation suffering.

Mark 13:19 (ESV)

- The point… the tribulation period in AD 70 was shadow of the judgment to come before the Second Coming of Christ!

- Since been in the “end times” since Jesus’ resurrection/ascension, been happening always. But it probably intensifies over time as w/ “labor.”

Now we must acknowledge a difference among Bible-believers here.

- Some see the “rapture” taking place before this (pre-trib & mid-trib). Others see Christians going through this (post-trib).

- All agree that some Christians will go through this (saved in tribulation) or experience (sometimes very intense) “tribulation” at other times.

//: Not encouraging…but necessary to know! Expectations about life are hugely important for how well we navigate what’s ahead (Doctor gives details about what to expect). Does Jesus mean so much to you that you are willing to suffering anything for him?

5) Don’t Be Fooled by People Setting Dates (vv. 28-33).

Here is a case where it is difficult to know what part belongs to AD 70 and what part belongs to the Second Coming of Jesus.

- vv. 28-31 – (Fig tree) refer to the “signs” leading to AD 70. “This generation” (most likely that of 40 years) did see that event (AD 33 -70).

- vv. 32-37 – (Unknown) refers to Jesus’ Second Coming. Keep awake because no one knows that timing!

- But there have been many who have predicted a date and caused a major stir of excitement because of it.

(ill): JW’s predicted the Second Coming (wrongly) at least 9x.

(ill): William Miller (and the “Millerites) in 1818 predicted the 2nd Coming between March 1842-43.

(ill): Edgar Whisenant, 88 Reasons Why the Rapture Will Be in 1988.

(ill): Harold Camping predicted it on May 21st, 2011 (NY Time’s Square).

- “Day and hour” doesn’t mean we can predict month and year! NO… we can’t know because it is only known by the Father!

- Not the subject of speculation but of anticipation.

TS: So be on guard against date setters, by the intensity of the times, the persecution of believers, the by the earth’s birth pains, and by the false Christ’s. So that’s how to be on guard but how are we to be stay awake?

II. How We Stay Awake for Jesus’ Coming (vv. 34-37).

To help us see how, Jesus tells us a parable in vv. 34-36:

Mark 13:34–37 (ESV)

The way in which we “stay awake” for the coming of Christ is not by setting dates or speculating about the times. It’s not about riding the emotional roller coaster of the news cycles and constantly talking about how bad the world is getting and therefore it must be the end. NO… “staying awake” for Jesus’ coming is about faithfully following Jesus every day.

1) Stay Vigilant to the Tasks He Calls Us to.

Notice in v. 10 the call to proclaim Christ to every people-group.

- Before Jesus comes back, every people must have a witness of Christ!

- Sometimes being a witness means standing before authorities. Other times being a witness means persecution becomes the loudspeaker!

(ill): Watched a show about two brothers living in caves in Utah waiting for the absolute destruction of society. What a greater life? No. An unfaithful life b/c we are called to salt and light!

We stay awake by being vigilant to the calling of our tasks!

2) Stay Obedient to the Lifestyle He Calls Us to.

The servant who falls asleep (v. 36) morally drifts from God’s calling.

- Much like the seed in Jesus’ parable that springs up quickly but then falls away at persecution, so are those who start to dwindle.

- All Christians know that many more start out on the journey of following Jesus than end the journey.

- As soon as they face some specific struggles, they start following their idols and sinful desires and they fall away!

We stay awake by being obedient to the lifestyle that of God’s call upon us!

3) Stay Committed to the Future That He Calls Us to.

The second coming of Jesus is a VERY CENTRAL theme for the Christian!

- Seasons of comfort/ease lead us to wander from that future glory.

- Aren’t you looking forward to living in a world where Jesus reigns? Where COVID doesn’t exist? Where no more sin, abuse, lies, etc.?

That’s why the Christian is someone that is looking beyond this world!

- Just like this prophecy is about AD 70 and the Second Coming, so Christians look at this world while focusing on the New Heavens/Earth.

Conclusion

Be on your guard and keep awake for you do not know when the time will come…And what I sway to you I say to all: Stay awake! (vv. 33, 37)

Maybe that by the grace of God be true of all God’s people at Marcell Community Church.