Monday, November 15, 2021

Sermon - Pentecost 25 - Mark 13:1-13


Mark 13:1-13

Don’t be led astray.  Endure to the end.

For the ancient Jews, like Jesus’ disciples, they had few experiences of awe as stunning as coming to the temple.  This temple in Jerusalem was built 500 years ago in the time of Ezra, had been renovated and expanded by the famous builder-king Herod the Great, yes the same one who tried to have Jesus killed as in infant. 

Most of the work Herod did was completed in just 3 years, but ongoing construction continued for about 80 years.  It wasn’t completed until 67AD, just three years before the Romans destroyed the temple in 70AD.

But for simple Galilean fishermen and their friends, it was an impressive sight.  Huge white stones were featured, which would have dwarfed temple goers.  Some of these stones were 45 feet high and weighed 500-600 tons.

Herod’s construction was magnificent and it far exceeded even the specifications God gave for first temple that was built during the glory days of King Solomon.

But the temple had, in many ways, become an idol to those people.  It became more a triumphant symbol of Jewish nationalism – a point of pride – and less the house of prayer, the house of God, where the merciful Yahweh came to meet his people. 

And the same Jesus who cleansed the temple by turning over its money-changing tables – now speaks of the toppling of even the great stones that so impressed everyone.  The same God who frustrated the construction project of the Tower of Babel, would eventually bring this great edifice also to ruin.  In 70 AD the Romans besieged Jerusalem, destroyed it, and demolished the temple.  Never to be built again, to this day.  All that remains is the western wall, called the “wailing wall”, where modern Jews still pray and mourn the loss of their great temple.

What does this history lesson have to do with you and me?  For one thing, Jesus is warning us not to be attached to this world.  He’s warning us not to be impressed by the great and mighty things of this world.  For the wonders of the world, the achievements of man, even the very foundations of the world itself, are passing away.  This world has an expiration date.  It will not go on this way forever.

Sure the temple was destroyed just 40 years after Jesus spoke these words.  And yes, he surely knew that would happen.  But that event was itself a foreshadowing of the end of the world, the judgment day, and of the second coming of Christ.

Jesus is teaching his disciples, and us, to see the signs.  The signs of the times.  The signs of the end.  For we are living in a world that is passing away, and Christ is coming soon. And he wants us to be ready.

So Peter and Andrew, James and John take Jesus aside and ask for more details.  They especially are concerned with the “when” of it all.  Jesus doesn’t tell them the when, but he sure does tell them more of the “what” to expect:

False prophets.  Many coming and claiming to be the Messiah, in one fashion or another.  We’ve seen this fulfilled all throughout history, and we see it even today.  It’s not just the cult leaders or even the office of the papacy, but any would-be-Christ-figure who promises salvation outside of the true Christ alone. 

Wars and rumors of war.  The 20th century has seen more bloodshed than perhaps any other previous.  So much for human progress.  And while we live in a time of relative peace, there’s still the rumors of wars – Russia, China, whatever… nation rising against nation.  But there’s also the culture wars and the clash of worldviews opposed to the teachings of Christ and his church.

Earthquakes and famines, all manner of natural disasters.  We’ve had a stark reminder of this with the Covid pandemic these past couple years.  It shouldn’t shock us.  These sorts of things are part of life.  Part of living in a fallen, broken, world.  Yes, even for the Christian church.

He compares all this to a woman in labor.  They are like birth pangs.  They come and go, but they do tend to get worse as the end draws near. 

And persecution.  He goes on quite a bit more about this.  Perhaps because, especially for these disciples, they would face fierce persecution.  They would be beaten and dragged before all manner of powerful men.  Yet in the midst of all this, they would have many opportunities to proclaim the gospel, and testify to Christ.

And yes, as if to put a final warning on top of it all – the trouble of the end times will see even families at odds with one another – brothers and even parents and children having each other put to death.  It’s hard to imagine, but we seen glimpses of it even in our own lives.

That’s a lot of warning, a lot of trouble, a lot of bad news.  And if that’s all that Jesus had to offer we might well be driven to despair.  We might dread the future and have no hope.  This sinful world is a tangled up, broken mess of disasters of human making and of the fallen nature.  And worse, we bring our own sins to the party and cannot escape any of it on our own.  But he does not leave us without hope.

For Christians, the second coming of Christ, the judgment day, the Great Epiphany, and whatever other names we call it – the Day of the Lord – is a good day.  It is the day of salvation.  For Jesus says, “the one who endures to the end will be saved.”

But just like we don’t come to faith on our own, we surely can’t endure to the end on our own.  Jesus tells us the many troubles the church must face, and that we individually might face – not so much to scare us straight – but as a way of comforting us.  Yes, he knows how bad it can get, how bad it will get, before his comes back.  But he sends his Spirit to keep us so that we would endure to the end and be saved. 

That any make it through all this trouble, this vale of tears, this great tribulation at all – is a miracle of God’s grace!  But our God is in that very business.  It is in fact by many of these sufferings that he produces in us patience and character and endurance and hope – a hope which does not fail.

Friends, Christ will return.  It’s more certain than the sun rising and setting.  For even the sun and stars and moon, as Daniel writes, even the mightiest features of this created order will fail and pass away.  But the word of the Lord endures forever.  And the promises of Christ are strong and sure.  And Jesus will not lead you astray.  You can always, always trust his word.

And like birth pangs, also, not only do all these troubles come and go and yet increase toward the end… but they also lead to a joyful conclusion.  For as the pains of labor lead ultimately to the arrival of a new life – a child – a joyous celebration, so also do the birth pangs of this world’s travails lead ultimately to eternal joy at the glorious appearing of Christ the victorious king!

And with one last glance at this passage, two commands of Jesus might well ring in our ears.  Do not be led astray.  Endure to the end.

Do not be lead astray, Christians.  Do not be led astray into false hopes apart from Christ, or to despair of all hope entirely.  But rather put your faith and trust in the one who can see you through all this to its glorious end. The only one who died for your sins and lives to bring life and immortality to light.  The only name under heaven by which we must be saved.

Endure to the end, Christians.  And how do we do that?  By remaining in Christ, abiding in his word, knowing the truth that sets us free.  By repenting of our sins, and living the baptismal life, and turning to Christ for forgiveness every day.  By receiving his body and blood regularly, that it would strengthen and preserve you – to life everlasting.  He does not leave us to all these end times troubles.  But he carries us through them by his gifts – word, sacrament, faith.

So don’t be in awe at the things of this world, the achievements of man like huge temple stones, or be distracted by the spectacles and wonders of even God’s own creation.  Trust in Christ, and in his word which will endure forever. 

And the peace of God which passes all understanding…

No comments:

Post a Comment