Anticipate the Glory

End-Time Series: As the End Nears

1. What Does the Future Hold? (Mark 13:1–13) — Pastor Greg

2. Anticipate the Glory Goal (Hebrews 12:1–2; Mark 13:24–31) — Matt

3. The Fulfillment of Time (Mark 13:32–37) — Pastor Greg

In our texts we discover that Christian life is remarkably similar to the Olympic Games and “going for the gold.” With single-minded perseverance and disciplined self-sacrifice, we are focused on receiving the GOLD — the prize of eternal life in glory with Christ in heaven—a prize which God has already promised to all who by faith look to Jesus for forgiveness and salvation. Our entire existence is centered around this one hope: anticipate the glory.

The Christian life here is compared to a race, a marathon, which began at our baptism, run day by day in faith towards God and in fervent love towards each other, sustained by the living water of the Holy Spirit, who strengthens us through the Word and the Holy Supper of Christ’s body and blood. One day, by grace, we will cross the finish line when our earthly life comes to an end. The writer of Hebrews exhorts us, “Let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us” (Heb 12:1). At the end of time, Jesus assures us, those still left on earth “will see the Son of Man coming in clouds with great power and glory” (Mk 13:26). He will send his angels to gather his chosen people from every comer of the globe. The race will then be finished; heaven will be our eternal home. In the meantime, though, while on this earth, you and I are called to have in our Christian lives with the single-mindedness of an Olympic athlete. We are to be disciplined runners on a course that is marked out in Christ, with a final destination of life in glory with him.

The Wrong Goal

An important question to ask ourselves, then, is, “What keeps us from running a disciplined Christian life?” One answer is, sometimes have our eyes fixed on the wrong goal. We’re focused on a false finish line. You can be the best marathon runner in the world, but if you misjudge the finish line and sprint too early, then become exhausted—or if you start your finishing sprint too late—then you will not win. Certainly if you run in the wrong direction, you’ll never win the prize. Every once in a while, even in some of the major road running and cross-country races, the lead runner may stray off course because he was not paying enough attention to the route.

The same is true for us as Christians. If our eyes aren’t fixed on the right goal, we put ourselves in jeopardy of missing the prize of heavenly glory. Fellow Christians can help keep us on course.

It is easy to go astray in life. There are so many attractive goals that compete for our attention. So now is a good time to ask yourself, “What is the goal of your life? What one focal point guides your days on this earth?” Those are sobering questions. We are directed to fix our eyes on Jesus, but we don’t always do that. Some have their eyes fixed on the mirror, consumed with concern for their physical appearance. Still others have their eyes fixed on someone other than their spouse. There are those who have their eyes fixed exclusively on gaining more and more possessions or obtaining a job promotion or gaining more influence or power. And there are some who have their eyes fixed simply on their retirement. That’s when they will have reached their goal, they think. It’s fine to have goals in your earthly life and career, yet we must always remember that such goals must take second place to the supreme goal of running the race of faith in Christ. If we exalt earthly goals to be our highest priority, we are setting up a false finish line.

Aware of the many things that could keep us from reaching our true goal as Christians, the writer to the Hebrews (Heb. 12:1) says, “Let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles.”

Imagine for a moment that during a marathon, a runner stopped at a water table; but instead of getting a cup of water, he shouldered a heavy backpack filled with rocks, or linked his feet together with a two-foot chain. That, of course, would be absolutely ridiculous. And yet that is exactly what many Christians do as they run the spiritual race marked out for them. They burden themselves with sin and shackle themselves with loyalties that are opposed to God.

You and I must admit that the weight of our sin has often caused us to move lethargically on hands and knees toward the goal. But, there on our knees is the best place for us to heed the words of this passage to repent, to “throw off everything that hinders” and lay it at the foot of the cross.

Focus on Jesus

“Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith” (Heb 12:2). Moved by God’s grace, we focus our attention on that One who has already run the race and won for us. Let us look again to the One whose death has defeated the sin which entangles us and whose resurrection has guaranteed the prize of heaven for all who trust in him. Let us trust Him, put our faith in Him, and follow Him who is the Alpha and the Omega, the First and the Last, the One who is our Savior from the beginning to the end.

With Jesus as “the author and perfecter of our faith,” we have tremendous comfort. Christ is the One who has done it all for us. You might say that he “wrote the book” on our salvation. He himself took on those enemies who try to keep us from finishing the race, and he conquered them all. Satan wants to trip us up with his lies or cause us to change course. But Scripture tells us that on Good Friday, Jesus crushed Satan’s head. Death, that great, uncrossable pit, stood between us and the finish line. But Christ bridged that chasm by his life-giving cross. Remember, too, that sin was poisoning us from within, sapping all of our strength. But that poison found its antidote in the God-man, Jesus Christ, who poured out his love into our hearts by the Holy Spirit, given to us by the washing of water with the Word in Holy Baptism. He has written our names in the book of life, signed and sealed with his own blood.

Furthermore, Jesus is also the “perfecter” of our faith, literally the “one who brings to the goal.” Jesus, therefore, is the Savior who will bring us to the finish line. By his power, he will carry us to the goal of eternal glory with himself. As the Scriptures say, “He who began a good work in you will bring it to completion in the day of our Lord Jesus Christ” (Phil 1:6). We therefore anticipate the glory of his salvation which will be revealed when he returns on the Last Day.

Just as Jesus has given us full and free redemption, he has also given us this life to live, a life that, like his, will involve suffering before joy. “For the joy set before him, [Jesus] endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God” (Heb 12:2). Jesus himself had a race to run and a goal to reach. With his eyes fixed squarely on his heavenly Father’s will and the glory of Easter and the Ascension yet to come, Jesus followed the course that was laid out before him of hardship and suffering and even death. Seeing our Lord’s example, the writer to the Hebrews encourages us in our own, often difficult, course of Christian living. “Consider him who endured such opposition from sinful men, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart” (Heb 12:3).

Moreover, Jesus tells us, the time of his coming in power and glory is drawing near. The fig tree provides an illustration: when twigs get tender and leaves begin to bud, summer is near. These signs reveal that the tree will soon bear fruit; the season of harvest will soon be upon us.

In our day, the “signs of the time” reveal that Christ will come again in power and glory soon! He calls us in faith to look toward the finish line, to look to his promise to redeem us for all eternity. Even though all things pass away, his Word remains sure, our comfort forever.

Jesus said, “I am the way.” The way, the path he has laid down for us, is one of suffering before glory and discipline before the prize. That’s what it means to be a follower of Christ—to follow in the way he walked. Just as an Olympic athlete wouldn’t expect to receive a gold medal without first going through arduous, sometimes painful training, neither should we expect to experience heavenly glory without a sometimes painful earthly struggle. But there is one thing we are sure of through faith in Christ: according to His promise, heavenly glory will indeed follow the earthly struggle. Not because of our struggle, but because of Jesus’ struggle for us, our prize is assured.

Hardships Are Discipline

And there is even comfort to be found in the struggle itself. As Christians who have received the full mercy of God in Christ and who know that He is in control of all things, we are now able to see difficulties in our lives not as the judgment of an angry God, but as training exercises that help our spiritual fitness level. Our good and gracious heavenly Father is giving us the privilege of following a course of life similar to that run by his Son, Jesus Christ. “Endure hardship as discipline; God is treating you as sons” (Heb 12:7), as his own dearly loved children. That puts a whole new perspective on our lives, doesn’t it? Instead of grumbling at God for some trouble or difficulty, we can work through such things without complaining, because we know that “God disciplines us for our good, that we may share in his holiness” (Heb 12:10).

When misfortunes, illness, job loss, or other tragedies strike, often we ask why God has allowed them to happen. Is God punishing us? Is he being unfair? During this life we may never understand the reason God has allowed certain things to happen to us. But we can be confident of this: just as an earthly father deals with his children in love for their own good, so also our heavenly Father always has in mind our spiritual welfare and our eternal good. “No discipline seems pleasant at the time, but painful. Later on, however, it produces a harvest of righteousness and peace for those who have been trained by it” (Heb 12:11).

You see, God is training us to be more resilient runners, with greater endurance and staying power. He is training us to keep our eyes clearly fixed on Jesus alone. “Christian athletes” are made strong through the hearing and study of God’s Word and the regular receiving of Christ’s Holy Supper. Through the means of grace God makes us into competitors whose only prize is to serve one another in good works. Truly, in all things, God is working for our ultimate good.

You and I as the chosen people of God are in an actual race patterned after that of our Savior, Jesus—a race in which we are cheered on by saints and angels. At the end of this race we will share in the glory of Christ forever. With all the heavenly host arrayed in white we will raise an anthem of praise to his most holy name.

God grant that, as we anticipate the coming glory of Christ and run towards that goal, we all may say what St. Paul did at the end of his life: “I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. Now there is in store for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord . . . will award to me on that Day—and not only to me, but also to all who have longed for his appearing” (2 Tim 4:7–8). That beats an Olympic medal any day!

Amen.