Times Change But People Never Do

Mark 13:1-13

Theme: The Servant’s Eschatology

Key verse: v.9

37 verses; 828 words

Grade level: 6.3

1. The Course of this Dispensation. vs.1-13

2. The Correction of the Tribulation. vs.14-23

3. The Coming of the Saviour. vs.24-37

When I say times change but people never do, I am not referring to individuals but rather to humanity as a whole.

Individuals sometimes change for the good.

Individuals sometimes change for the bad.

Here are two inevitable FACTS:

I. Times Change. Vs.1-4

The buildings people brag on change. Vs.1-2

1 And as he went out of the temple, one of his disciples saith unto him, Master, see what manner of stones and what buildings are here!

2 And Jesus answering said unto him, Seest thou these great buildings? there shall not be left one stone upon another, that shall not be thrown down.

Dr. Carter told of a church in another state he was a member of. Sanctuary seating thousands, gym, Christian K-12 school, and 14 busses. Closed! Now it is a mosque.

The talks about end times change. Vs.3-4

3 And as he sat upon the mount of Olives over against the temple, Peter and James and John and Andrew asked him privately,

4 Tell us, when shall these things be? and what shall be the sign when all these things shall be fulfilled?

False prophets have been predicting dates for 1,900 years:

SDA founder William Miller. Apr 23, 1843 then again Oct 23, 1844

Jehovahs Witness. 1878, 1881, 1914, 1918, 1925, and as recently in 1975.

Harold Camping. 1994 and May 21, 2011

Mormon founder Joseph Smith told his leaders in 1835 that Jesus would return in 56 years. That was 131 years ago.

700 Club TV host Pat Robertson. In May 1980 he said judgment on the entire world would come by the end of 1980.

UFO cult named Heaven's Gate. March 26, 1997

Richard Noone, author of the 1997 book "5/5/2000 Ice: the Ultimate Disaster"

Nostradamus. “The year 1999, seventh month / From the sky will come great king of terror."

(taken partly from https://www.livescience.com/16606-failed-doomsday-predictions-apocalypse/2.html)

Here are two inevitable FACTS:

I. Times Change. Vs.1-4

II. People Never Do. Vs.5-13

Some will always be deceivers. Vs.6-7

5 And Jesus answering them began to say, Take heed lest any man deceive you:

6 For many shall come in my name, saying, I am Christ; and shall deceive many.

Most notably:

Sun Myung Moon (1920–2012), believed by members of the Unification Church to be the Messiah and the Second Coming of Christ, fulfilling Jesus' unfinished mission.

Jim Jones (1931–1978), founder of Peoples Temple. He organized a mass murder suicide at Jonestown, Guyana on November 18, 1978.[25] He shot himself after the murders were done.

Charles Manson (1934–2017), American criminal, cult leader, and songwriter.

David Koresh (1959–1993), born Vernon Wayne Howell, was the leader of a Branch Davidian religious sect in Waco, Texas

Todd Kincannon (1981–), former head of the South Carolina Republican Party, was arrested in 2018 for killing and mutilating his mother’s dog. He claimed to police he was the second coming of Jesus Christ and that God had told him to do it, because “every 1,000 years there needs to be a sacrifice and blood must be spilt."[62]

Some will always be destructive. V.7

7 And when ye shall hear of wars and rumours of wars, be ye not troubled: for such things must needs be; but the end shall not be yet.

Civil War

World War 1

World War 2

The Cold War

The Korean War

The Vietnam War

The War on Terror

???

Some will always be distressed. V.8

8 For nation shall rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom: and there shall be earthquakes in divers places, and there shall be famines and troubles: these are the beginnings of sorrows.

Germany invades European countries

Russia invades neighboring countries and thus was the U.S.S.R. formed.

According to those who study earthquakes from 1904 until now that are 7.5 magnitude have increased.

Some will always be delivered. vs.9-11

9 But take heed to yourselves: for they shall deliver you up to councils; and in the synagogues ye shall be beaten: and ye shall be brought before rulers and kings for my sake, for a testimony against them.

10 And the gospel must first be published among all nations.

11 But when they shall lead you, and deliver you up, take no thought beforehand what ye shall speak, neither do ye premeditate: but whatsoever shall be given you in that hour, that speak ye: for it is not ye that speak, but the Holy Ghost.

Since Christ ascended this world has seen its share of taking Christians to their early deaths.

Some will always be dying. Vs.12-13

12 Now the brother shall betray the brother to death, and the father the son; and children shall rise up against their parents, and shall cause them to be put to death.

13 And ye shall be hated of all men for my name’s sake: but he that shall endure unto the end, the same shall be saved.

Have children rose up against parents?

August 12, 2005 law was passed for emancipation of minors.

(read more at https://lawforkids.org/emancipation)

Conclusion:

The Lord is coming back.

There will always be:

Scoffers.

Sinners.

Salvation.