mark 13: The Returning King

Sermon first preached at Twynholm October 9th, 2008.
Audio available here

Mark 13 sermon.
The world is in turmoil…
… As well as the world economic crisis, there
In the province of Orissa in Eastern India the wave of violence against Christians that began in August continues unabated.
In the past 2 months 300 villages have been cleansed of all Christians. More than 50 people have been murdered. 18,000 injured, and an estimated 50 000 made homeless.
Those who return to the village will often be taken, covered in petrol, and told to renounce Christ and embrace Hinduism, or the petrol will be lit.
This wave persecution has began Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) leader Swami Laxmanananda Saraswati was murdered. Those in his organisation blamed Christians for the attack, though only last week it has become clear that Christians were not involved at all, as Sabyasachi Panda, one of Orissa's most wanted Maoist leaders took responsibility for the killing.
The persecution that allegedly began because of the murder continues, even though someone else has take responsibility for it.
What would cause such utter hatred?
One Hindu leader explained. “all we are doing is reversing the conversions that Christians have been doing, exploiting poverty”
How should we see such persecution?
Persecution: it is a reason for despair?
What hope is there in the face of such persecution…?
What does it tell us about the world we live in that people are so persecuted for bearing the name of Jesus Christ?

In the passage we are about to read from Mark’s gospel, Jesus will say, “You will be hated by all for my name’s sake!”
We should certainly be unsurprised if those who follow Christ are treated better that Jesus himself was.
But the passage we are going to read will also raise other questions about how to understand mass persecution and other catastrophic events. For in this passage Jesus will talk not only about persecution, but also about “the end” and about “signs”. Are we to understand the persecutions in Orissa as a sign that the end of this world is near?

How are we to understand Jesus’ teaching on Signs? The context of the conversation begins about Jesus teaching of cataclysmic events that will unfold in Jerusalem. If we are to be faithful to Jesus in understanding signs, are we to keep an eager eye upon the Middles East pages of our favorite newspaper or website?
Should we skeptical about any teaching that suggests that there will be an end to this world? Is such eschatological discontinuity dangerous teaching that causes people to forget their responsibilities for this world? Is it those countries that have a higher percentage belief in the nearness of the end of this world who take less responsibility to care for the environment, the physically poor and the unhealthy?
And finally, what difference should it make? What difference does our knowledge of the approaching end make to the way in which we live today?
To hear Jesus teaching on these and other questions, let’s turn now to Mark 13.
Page 1024.
This is the longest section of Jesus teaching in the whole of Mark’s gospel.Because it’s one section of teaching, we’re going to read the whole chapter at once.
Chapter 13 comes as the climax of 3 chapters in which Jesus has talked about how the temple in Jerusalem had missed it’s purpose of welcoming the coming Messiah, and would therefore be judged.
Here Jesus speaks most clearly about what shape that judgment would take. It would be completely destroyed.
Mark 13: let’s hear what God is saying to us this morning.
1(A) And as he came out of the temple, one of his disciples said to him, "Look, Teacher, what wonderful stones and what wonderful buildings!" 2And Jesus said to him, "Do you see these great buildings?(B) There will not be left here one stone upon another that will not be thrown down."

3And as he sat on(C) the Mount of Olives opposite the temple,(D) Peter and James and John and(E) Andrew asked him(F) privately, 4"Tell us,(G) when will these things be, and what will be the sign when all these things are about to be accomplished?" 5And Jesus began to say to them, (H) "See that no one leads you astray. 6(I) Many will come in my name, saying,(J) 'I am he!' and they will lead many astray. 7And when you hear of wars and rumors of wars,(K) do not be alarmed. This(L) must take place, but the end is not yet. 8For(M) nation will rise against nation, and(N) kingdom against kingdom. There will be(O) earthquakes in various places; there will be(P) famines. These are but the beginning of the birth pains.
9(Q) "But(R) be on your guard. For they will deliver you over to councils, and you will be beaten(S) in synagogues, and you will stand before(T) governors and(U) kings for my sake,(V) to bear witness before them. 10And the gospel must first be proclaimed(W) to all nations. 11And when they bring you to trial and deliver you over,(X) do not be anxious beforehand what you are to say, but say(Y) whatever is given you in that hour,(Z) for it is not you who speak, but the Holy Spirit. 12(AA) 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(AB) And you will be hated by all for my name’s sake.(AC) But the one who endures to the end will be saved.
14"But when you see(AD) the abomination of desolation standing where he ought not to be ((AE) let the reader understand), then let those who are in Judea flee to the mountains. 15(AF) Let the one who is on(AG) the housetop not go down, nor enter his house, to take anything out, 16and let the one who is in the field not turn back to take his cloak. 17And(AH) alas for women who are pregnant and for those who are nursing infants in those days! 18Pray that it may not happen in winter. 19For in those days there will be(AI) such(AJ) tribulation as has not been(AK) from the beginning of the creation that(AL) God created until now, and never will be. 20And if the Lord had not cut short the days, no human being would be saved. But for(AM) the sake of the elect, whom(AN) he chose, he shortened the days. 21And(AO) then if anyone says to you, 'Look, here is the Christ!' or 'Look, there he is!' do not believe it. 22(AP) For false christs and false prophets will arise and(AQ) perform signs and wonders,(AR) to lead astray, if possible,(AS) the elect. 23But(AT) be on guard;(AU) I have told you all things beforehand.

24"But in those days, after(AV) that tribulation,(AW) the sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give its light, 25and(AX) the stars will be falling from heaven, and the powers in the heavens will be shaken. 26And then they will see(AY) the Son of Man coming in clouds(AZ) with great power and glory. 27And then(BA) he will send out the angels and(BB) gather(BC) his elect from(BD) the four winds, from(BE) the ends of the earth(BF) to the ends of heaven.

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. 29So also, when you see these things taking place, you know that he is near,(BG) at the very gates. 30(BH) Truly, I say to you, this generation will not pass away until all these things take place. 31(BI) Heaven and earth will pass away, but(BJ) my words will not pass away.

32"But concerning that day or that hour,(BK) no one knows, not even the angels in heaven,(BL) nor the Son,(BM) but only the Father. 33(BN) Be on guard,(BO) keep awake.[a] For you do not know when the time will come. 34(BP) It is like a man(BQ) going on a journey, when he leaves home and puts his servants[b] in charge,(BR) each with his work, and commands(BS) the doorkeeper to stay awake. 35(BT) Therefore stay awake—for you do not know when the master of the house will come,(BU) in the evening, or(BV) at midnight, or(BW) when the rooster crows,[c] or in the morning— 36lest(BX) he come suddenly and(BY) find you asleep. 37And what I say to you I say to all:(BZ) Stay awake."

Chapter 13 is certainly the most debated chapter in Mark’s gospel; Christians would disagree even with one another about much of the interpretation of the passage. Perhaps you will disagree with some of the details of what I’m going to say.
But let’s also make sure that we can see the wood for the trees. There are some things that come through extremely clearly, and without controversy.
We are going to look at some of the details as we go through, but I hope that the main points are clear and uncontroversial. It is in fact an immensely practical passage. In 33 verses of teaching there are 19 imperative verbs.
“Don’t be alarmed, be on your guard. Don’t be anxious. Say whatever is given you. Understand, flee, don’t go down, don’t enter, don’t turn back, pray. Do not believe it. Be on your guard. Learn. know. Be on guard, keep awake. Stay awake, stay awake, stay awake.

1. Do not be alarmed (1-23)
2. Be assured (24-31) (learn, know)
3. Stay awake (32-37)

1. Do not be alarmed (Run up to destruction of Jerusalem) (1-23)
a. Don’t be alarmed by Jesus’ teaching. (1-4)
The last couple of days had been extremely unsettling for the disciples. You’ll remember in the Chapter before Jesus and his disciples had arrived in Jerusalem some of the disciples had had very high hope for what would happen when Jesus entered the city. James and john had asked if they might be the ones who get to sit at his left and right hand at his coronation.
The elation had continued as Jesus entered Jerusalem to shouts of Hosanna. But they had been stunned by the way in which Jesus had clashed with the temple authorities rather than been welcomed by them.
One of the disciples seems almost to be hinting to Jesus that surely the temple must have its part to play in any future kingdom. His words in verse 1 sound very like the kind of thing encouraged in Psalms that focused on the future glory of Zion, such as Psalm 48.
1(B) Great is the LORD and greatly to be praised
in(C) the city of our God!
His(D) holy mountain, 2(E) beautiful in elevation,
is(F) the joy of all the earth,
Mount Zion, in the far north,
(G) the city of the great King.
9We have thought on your(P) steadfast love, O God,
in the midst of your temple. 11Let Mount(S) Zion be glad!
Let the daughters of Judah rejoice
because of your judgments!
12Walk about Zion, go around her,
number her towers,
13consider well her(T) ramparts,
go through her citadels,
(U) that you may tell the next generation
14that this is God,
our God forever and ever.
He will(V) guide us forever.
Jesus, they’re saying, Get with the party, we should be glorifying in the city of Jerusalem and her temple. It is the joy of the whole earth, and surely will be again, won’t it, when you are king?
Jesus’ response is as forceful as it is shocking:
“Do you see these great buildings? There will not be left here one stone upon another that will not be thrown down!”
This was VERY alarming. For the disciples. Four of them call a private meeting with Jesus to try to understand.
It seems that there is no space in their understanding for a world without a physical temple. For them, the end of the temple must mean the end of the world.
And so, for the rest of the chapter, Jesus addresses not only their question about when the temple itself would be destroyed. He also says why this is not the end of the world – in fact it would be a sign that the world has entered a great new age; but then he moves onto talking about the end of the world itself.
So, there are three things in view, that correspond to our 3 points
1)The times running up to the destruction of Jerusalem and the temple. (They should not be alarmed)
2) The significance of the destruction of the temple: this should assure them rather than bewilder them.
3) And end of this world. This should cause us to be prepared…
So, Jesus’ teaching shouldn’t alarm us.
b. Don’t be alarmed by false teaching.
In this section about the run u to the destruction of the temple there are a couple of times that Jesus warns of false teachers who would come… 5-7, 22-23.
Cataclysmic times are a breeding ground for false teachers.
When people see their own world crumbling around them, it is easy to think that it is the end of the world. And others might exploit that thought.
In 1987 Edgar Whisenart wrote the book 88 Reasons Why the Rapture Could Be in 1988.
It sold 4.5 million copies.
It had rather different effects that Jesus words, “do not be alarmed”.
The final shout: Rapture report 1989. Predicted that the Rapture would occur in 1989.
Apparently that one didn’t sell quite so well!
Jesus teaching here is supposed to have the opposite effect of the panic created by many who have tried to explain him!
Jesus is teaching us to exercise discernment. People will make wild claims. Some will even claim to be Jesus, or to know exactly when he is coming.
But Jesus wanted to make the disciples be very clear that the cataclysmic events leading up to the destruction of Jerusalem would not be the end, whatever people were teaching.
c. Don’t be alarmed by wars (though they be terrible they are not the end)
The rumours of war began inAD66 as the tension between the Jewish religious leaders and the occupying Roman forces reached melting point. The son of the high priest himself led a successful attack on a roman garrison in Jerusalem. After a few early victories, and a pause due to the death of the emperor, the final assault on Jerusalem was ruthless. It was besieged for some months. Those inside were soon without any source of food. The Jewish historian Josephus writes a chilling account of the utter barbarism that the city was reduced to.
He summarises, “Neither did any other city ever suffer such miseries, nor did any age ver breed a generation more fruitless in wickedness than this was, from the beginning of the world.”
I don’t know if he knew Jesus words in verse 19.
Those who tried to escape were crucified. As those besieged in the city looked over the wall, they would have been faced by tens of thousands who had been crucified.
Eventually the general in charge of the attack pressed home.
the city was sacked and On july 29th/30th AD70 the temple was destroyed.
One report said there were 600000 men, women and children killed on that day. Antoher, that 1.1 million were killed in the siege.
But, the extraordinary thing was that the Christians were not there. They had all fled some years earlier. Why? Well, it seems that they had understood verse 14.
Perhaps some of you are intrigued to know what “the abomination that causes desolation was”. Well, we don’t know. There were several events that it might have been. There was a zealot with blood on his hands who served as a highly unqualified high priest. The Roman standard, roman coins a pagan statues were all in the temple at different times.
We don’t know whether the abomination of desolation is one, all or none of these things.
And we don’t have to! The sign of the abomination that causes desolation isn’t for us. It is for Christians living in Jerusalem before its destruction. And they got it! They fled.
One question you might have is, why did it take so long? If the religious authorities murdered Jesus. The sacrifices of the temple were fulfilled in Jesus, why did it take 40 years before its destruction.
Well, there were other things that had to happen about which also Jesus doesn’t want them to be alarmed.
Don’t be alarmed by persecution (though it be severe, and hurtful for it is a gospel opportunity and it will be cut short)
The time running up to AD70 was an intense time of persecution for Christians. They were persecuted by Jews for recognizing Jesus as the Messiah; they were persecuted by Romans. But Jesus says that this is to be used for the spread of the gospel. (9-11)
It was important that the whole world, who had heard Psalm 48:
Great is the LORD and greatly to be praised
in(C) the city of our God!
His(D) holy mountain, 2(E) beautiful in elevation,
is(F) the joy of all the earth,
The temple was instituted by God to prepare not just Israel, but the whole world for the coming of the Messiah. Old testament religion had been a come and see religion. If you wanted to find out about the Lord, you came to the temple in Jerusalem, and you saw! But with the coming of Christ, he was the temple, and his people were the temple.
It was important that the good news of the Lord Jesus Christ would reach people’s ears before the news of the destruction of the temple. The honour of the Lord was at stake. The temple had not been destroyed because God’s plans had failed, and he was no longer to be sought. The temple was destroyed because God’s plans had been fulfilled and he was no longer to be sought in Jerusalem, but in Christ.
- I wonder if we take the same attitude to persecution that Jesus calls the first disciples to.
- Look closely at verse 11 “when they bring you to trial and deliver you over, do not be anxious beforehand what you are to say!”
If I’m honest, I’m not sure that that would be the main thing I was anxious about. I might be more anxious about what they are going to do to me, than about what I am going to say! But if we have realised that the gospel must be preached to all nations.
If the preaching of the gospel was the reason for the delay of the judgement upon Jerusalem, it is also the reasons for the delay of the judgement upon this world. The Lord wants people to trust in Christ, even those who are persecuting us.
Being persecuted is a great opportunity for the gospel. For it is revealed in persecution whether we really have a hope outside this world.
That’s the case in Orissa at the moment. Those who will refuse to renounce Christ, knowing that he match will be lit are showing that they know for sure that the flames will only bring them to be with him.
But it is the same in the smaller and more subtle persecutions that we face.
Do we have friends who have never scoffed at us about anything until we began to follow Jesus. Why not, because we didn’t have any reason to do anything they’d want to scoff at. We were happy to live lives that pleased other people. But now, by being scoffed at we are making it very clear that we have one whose opinion we care about.
Jesus calls us to pray for those who persecute you. What compassion we should have for those who hate us for Jesus’ name’s sake. What a terrible jeopardy they are in if they so hate the name of Christ that they would even hate his followers. Pray that as people scoff at you, or worse, that you would care more about whether you say the right thing than about what exactly happens to you.
But don’t be anxious; trust that the Spirit will give you the words to say. Pray that you would indeed say them, for Holy Spirit himself intends to speak through you.
As for ourselves, what should we care about most when facing persecution. We should care whther we endure. (v13)
Jesus here is aluding to the last verse of the book of Daniel, that will be our passage for meditation tonight. Pray that we as a congregation would be far more concerned about our endurance in trusting Christ than our comfort, our popularity, our prosperity.
In praying for the persecuted church we should pray for endurance even more than we pray for relief. For if they have no relief from persecution but endurance, they have Christ forever. God forbid that they have relief but no endurance, for then their relief would be short-lived.
For though the destruction of Jerusalem was the worst suffering faced by any city in the history of the world, there will be a far worse eternal suffering to come for those who are found to have rejected Christ.
There was a sign that pointed to the coming destruction of Jerusalem.
But the destruction of Jerusalem itself was a sign. A sign of the certainty of a cataclysmic heavenly event that was to give Christians great assurance.
2. Be assured (24-31)
24"But in those days, after(AV) that tribulation,(AW) the sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give its light, 25and(AX) the stars will be falling from heaven, and the powers in the heavens will be shaken. 26And then they will see(AY) the Son of Man coming in clouds(AZ) with great power and glory. 27And then(BA) he will send out the angels and(BB) gather(BC) his elect from(BD) the four winds, from(BE) the ends of the earth(BF) to the ends of heaven.
The Lesson of the Fig Tree
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. 29So also, when you see these things taking place, you know that he is near,(BG) at the very gates. 30(BH) Truly, I say to you, this generation will not pass away until all these things take place. 31(BI) Heaven and earth will pass away, but(BJ) my words will not pass away.
Many people think that jesus is utterly mistaken here. They assume that the ‘coming’ that Jesus is talking about is the coming of Jesus back from heaven to judge the world. It is understandable why.

Very similar imagery is used in Revelation 1:7 about Jesus’ coming on the clouds. And yet Jesus says here that “this generation will not pass away until all these things take place.”
But the coming that Jesus is talking about isn’t necessarily him coming back to earth. Jesus is alluding to Daniel 7.
But listen carefully to Daniel 7:13-14.
13"I saw in the night visions,

and(AA) behold, with the clouds of heaven
there came one like a son of man,
and he came to the(AB) Ancient of Days
and was presented before him.
14(AC) And to him was given dominion
and glory and a kingdom,
that all(AD) peoples, nations, and languages
should serve him;
(AE) his dominion is an everlasting dominion,
which shall not pass away,
and his kingdom one
that shall not be destroyed.
The Son of Man comes on the clouds to His Father, the Ancient of Days.
This is exactly what Jesus had been talking about in the previous chapter of Mark 12, when he quoted psalm 110, “the lord said ot my Lord, sit at my right hand, until I put your enemies under your feet.”
So, what’s going on. Well, the horrifc earthly act of the death of hundreds of thousands in Jerusalem and the destruction of the temple, described here in terms of “the sun being darkened and the moon will not give its light, and the stars will be falling from heaven, and the powers in the heavens will be shaken.” They are a sign of the coming of the Son of man.
Why?
Christ has entered the real temple in heaven… so the model has been torn down, never to be
As Marcos, preaching on Psalm 110:1 last Sunday so helpfully showed us, Christ has presented his completed sacrifice to God in heaven. Christ Had cried on the cross, “It is finished”. Now the Father proclaims in heaven, “It is accepted.”
The destruction of the temple in Jerusalem is the final earthly sign that Christ’s death really was the sacrifice to end all sacrifices. That God really has forgiven the sins of all who trust in Christ.
GOSPEL.
Heb9:24For Christ has entered, not into holy places(AV) made with hands, which are copies of the true things, but into heaven itself, now to appear in the presence of God(AW) on our behalf. 25Nor was it to offer himself repeatedly, as(AX) the high priest enters(AY) the holy places every year with blood not his own, 26for then he would have had to suffer repeatedly since the foundation of the world. But as it is,(AZ) he has appeared(BA) once for all(BB) at the end of the ages to put away sin by the sacrifice of himself.
The destruction of the temple in Jerusalem is the final sign that this meal that we shall share today is not an empty ritual.
The destruction of the temple in Jerusalem is also the final sign that our evangelism is not in vain. V27
27And then(BA) he will send out the angels and(BB) gather(BC) his elect from(BD) the four winds, from(BE) the ends of the earth(BF) to the ends of heaven.

Because the Son of man’s sacrifice has been accepted by the Father, he has sent out his spirit, and preachers of the gospel, and angelic hosts to ensure that not one of those that the Lord intends to save will be lost.
They will be gathered to him from every nation under heaven by the preaching of the gospel.
What are we to learn from this?
We are in the last days. Just as spring leaves tell us summer is coming, so the destruction of the temple tells us that the destruction of this world is coming. If the temple, the model of God’s presence and sacrifice on earth has been destroyed to give way to its fulfilment in the reality of god’s presence and sacrifice in Christ. So too this earth itself will soon be destroyed to give way to its fulfillment in the new heavens and the new earth.
V29 So also, when you see these things (finally answering their question right back in v.3) you know that he is near.
So, then. How will we know that he is really near; what will be the sign that he is even closer than he was in 70AD.
We won’t know. There are no more signs. That was the last one.
Note that there are no more signs between v30 and v31. There are the things that happened within a generation; and then there will be the passing away of heaven and earth.
This world is passing away. But Jesus’ words will remain forever. Are we in the world for the sake of his words going out; or are we listening to his words, and yet desperately trying to hold onto this world?

So we are to e ready for the moment when this world passes away. We are to stay awake.
3. Stay awake (32-37)
In the last 6 verses Jesus moves to talk about the very end. All the other things would take place within a generation. The end, nobody will know when it will happen. Not even the angels, not even the Son. We are not to be looking towards the middle east, or to earthquakes, or to famines, or to the evangelization of all nations, or to persecutions or to signs and wonders or to a great tribulation to realise that Jesus might come today.
These all happened within a generation. From that point he could have come any day?
If we are honest, why do we want signs…? If Jesus says to us 4 times in 5 verses “stay awake” he is making the point fairly clear that he could come at any time. If we are to be ready at any time then why do we want a sign to make sure we are ready? Actually, the reason we want signs is so that if we decide the signs are not all there, then we feel we have a little more time to get ready. Jesus says, Get ready!
The return of Christ may happen ANY moment: v35…
Any moment.
How much more effective for the kingdom we would be if we really believed that Jesus was coming back?
Anthony Ashley Cooper, seventh Earl of Shaftesbury, had an unuasually fruitful life.
Climbing Boys Act, the Factory and Ten Hours Acts, Mines and Collieries Regulation Acts, the establishment of ragged schools, training ships, and refuges for boys and girls, his share in the abolition of slavery, the protection of lunatics, the promotion of the City Mission and the Bible Society.
When asked of how he could be so productive he replied,
"I do not think that in the last forty years I have ever lived one conscious hour that was not influenced by the thought of our Lord's return."
Do we recognise the privilege it is to have Jesus Christ as Lord; and to spend every moment of it in his service?
We are so sinful and lazy aren’t we? Perhaps if we knew how many days we have to serve, we would relax, and think that we have plenty of time to invest our lives in Jesus’ service tomorrow.
But we don’t know that we have another day. We should thank him that he hasn’t told us when he will return, so that we can make sure that we are ready today, and we can live every hour in his service as if it were our last.
Would our calendar look different if you knew this was the last week you had? Live knowing that it might be.
He is such a wonderful Lord, so worth serving.
Though we might be persecuted for serving him, none have suffered like he did, not even at the destruction of Jerusalem.
We might face the scorn of our families, but Jesus was betrayed by a kiss from one who had been as close as a brother.
If we are hated by everyone, then their hatred was poured out more venomously upon Christ.
Though times of tribulation are cut short for the sake of the elect, the tribulation that Christ faced would not be cut short. He would drink to the dregs the cup of God’s wrath. Why? For the sake of the elect.
If the temple was defiled by all kinds of abominations, none of them matched the way in which Christ was defiled;
The temple was torn down; and the temple of Jesus body was destroyed; on that day too the sun was literally darkened and the moon gave no light.
Christ suffered God’s wrath, more fully even than the city who suffered the world’s greatest ever tragedy.
Yet he is the one who fully endured it to the end.
It is finished, he cried.
It is accepted, cried his father.
But the stone the builders had rejected has become the cornerstone. This crucified, messiah, who faced the greatest tribulation of all has entered heaven with great power and glory.
What moment of life do you have left that you would not spend in His service?