MARK 13:32-37
MIGHTY MOTIFS MOTAVATES
MAGNIFICENT MANNERISMS
I. THE MESSAGE:
A. Mystery.
B. Mandate.
C. Motivation.
II. THE MASTER:
A, Mission.
B. Method.
C. Monitoring.
III. THE MAJESTY:
A. Multiformity.
B. Momentarily.
C. Momentousness.
In chapter 12 of Mark, Jesus teaches in a parable about the Vineyard of Israel and what God wanted from His people. He also outlined the fact that even though the workers cast out, beat, maimed, and eventually killed many of the servants sent to them, the master still had much patience with the vineyard and the workers. Finally, he sent his only son and the results were disastrous. The workers killed the son and wanted to claim the vineyard as their own. However, the promise was given that the master knew what was going on and someday, he would come personally and set matters aright. Jesus said that when that time would come, the master would turn the vineyard over to other people.
The listeners that day grasped the full intent of what Jesus was trying to tell them. The parable was about the rise and future fall of Israel and how that God would eventually give the Jews’ place to the Gentiles. This infuriated the listeners that day and they left Him. However, the truth of what Jesus was trying to say to them still held and it came to pass.
Now, in chapter 13, Jesus picks up on this theme and addresses the fact that after the rightful place of the Jews has been given to others, God was going to expect even greater things from the replacement of Israel-the Gentiles. And, if the Gentiles failed then there would be universal judgment upon all mankind.
As He preaches His message, He begins to talk about His departure as well as the absence of God from the planet Earth. However, Jesus tells His listeners that He would be sent back to the Earth on God’s orders and He would then put in place the beginning of God’s wishes for mankind-both the Jews and the Gentiles. Jesus tells His listeners that the time would be in the future when all things would be set right and God would begin His final plan for all of mankind.
In my text, Jesus tells His listeners some vital information about the time of His return. He does not give the date but He does tell all what we are to do as we anticipate His return. To Jesus, this is more pleasing-to do what He says we are to do while we wait for His return, rather than set dates and times for His coming. To do the former is necessary; to do the later is almost a waste of time. Jesus tells all that we are to be busy while we wait for Him to return, rather than trying to guess the mind of God and give out dates, times and seasons when we think He will return. If every Christian would do as He tells us what we are to do, according to my text, we would see a renewed emphasis on spreading His word and trying to encourage all to be ready for His return. If we would do as He tells us to do in my text, it would revive our souls and help us to be better Christians for Him. The choice is ours: do we neglect the text and try to read God’s mind or do we let all events up to Him and concentrate on preparing ourselves for his return?
I see three main points in my text which encourage me to pray for His return, but to leave the timing of it to God. I feel this is my duty according to my text and I am happy doing as He said I should do. The first part of my sermon has to do with THE MESSAGE of Jesus in verses 32 and 33, as He tries to convey vital points to all who would care to learn about the future and what we, as Christians, must do while we wait for His return.
The next verse, verse 34, contains what I feel are facts about THE MASTER of the world-Christ and what He has done when He departed this earth and went to Heaven but will return again, at His Father’s bidding. The last part of my sermon, verses 35 through 37, contain the essence of THE MAJESTY of the return of Jesus and what it means for we Christians and the world.
I. THE MESSAGE: The message that Jesus is trying to convey in these verses is worth our attention. It is always wise to remember that what Jesus said in the New Testament was for a purpose. He did not have time to waste words or to make small talk jut so the writers of the New Testament would have something with which to fill their scrolls. No, what the Master said was always important and the same holds true for these words given here in this passage of Scripture.
It is also wise to read carefully the words of the Master when we are dealing with His return to this Earth. The first part of His MESSAGE has to deal with what can be aptly described as a Mystery. The mystery here is not a “who done it” type of intrigue. It is just the opposite. Jesus had just outlined events and circumstances about His return after He would return to be with His Father. Then He gives a solemn notice that the exact date of His return was up to the Father. He specifically warned that no one on this Earth knows nor would ever gain insight into that special time in the future when He would come back to begin the final implementation of the Father’s plan for the human race. This was, always will be, a Mystery that is known only to God. Since it is privy to only one Source, God, and not even to the angels in Heaven and certainly not Himself, then that is where it is to reside. He further suggested that to try and figure out the mind of God regarding this one specific event is a waste of time.
Not only is THE MESSAGE to remain a Mystery, Jesus gave a Mandate that our duty as true believers was to do the opposite of seeking dates and events to pinpoint His return. That order was to be busy: to first “watch” and then to “pray.” Jesus had told the disciples earlier that once one sees the fig tree budding, to beware, His coming would be nigh. (Often, the “Fig-tree” was a symbol for Israel.) Jesus also instructs all of us to watch with our eyes on the future, but we are to do so on our knees. It seems like the main emphasis here is that we Christians have a direct Mandate, to be prayer warriors while we wait for His return. But why-pray? The answer is that it is incumbent on every Christian to be “prayed-up” so we can “go-up” with Him if He returns in our life time. Watch: by all means; to try and fix the date of His return: never; but, we are to be busy in prayer as we see events unfold around us. It is sacrilegious to go against the wishes of Jesus in these verses.
But why the need to watch and pray? The answer is that if we are watching and praying for His return it will be a safe-guard for our own souls. The Motivation is that we are to be very careful about our own spiritual well-fare, at all times. If we get sidetracked into guessing dates, predicting exact times and feel we have “broken the code” of God’s intent, we will certainly be tempted to cease watching and praying. By setting dates, we set ourselves up as someone very superior even to Jesus. He instructs that our Motivation is to be for self preservation in His care rather than trying to do something utterly impossible and claim some type of a superior status before others.
Yes, Jesus did give out some specifics about His return, but the bottom line is that we are to be obedient to God’s wishes and pray while we watch for His return.
II. THE MASTER: In chapter 12, the parable about the vineyard signified that the owner of the vineyard, which was God, was the One to come and turn the vineyard over to the Gentiles. Nothing has ever been recorded in the Holy Writ, that specifically states when that was to happen. However, looking back on history, it becomes apparent that that is exactly what has happened with the setting aside of Israel and the introduction, founding, and establishing the Church. One can wonder if the events at Pentecost was when God visited Israel Himself and set it aside with the advent of the Church. This is speculative on my part, but the reality of the situation as it appears in Mark 12:9, is that it could have some meaning to this hypothesis. When ever it happened that God came personally to Israel, Jesus proceeds to warn all of us about the end times when God would be sending Him back to this Earth to rectify all things.
In verses 34 and 35 of chapter 13, Jesus now talks about a manager, a master-Himself-going away from His “house,” not the vineyard of chapter 12. This shift of locations is very important for all of we Christians. THE MASTER, Jesus, details what He was soon to do.
The first thing I note is that Jesus left on some type of a Mission to go on a “far journey.” How far was this “far”? No one knows, but in chapter 12, verse 1, the owner of the vineyard, God, went to a far “country.” Hence, both God and Jesus absent themselves from the “vineyard” and the “house.” The parallels are becoming clearer as we see both of members of the God-Head, going far away.
There are some other interesting things in these verses. In chapter 12, the owner of the vineyard, “let it out to vinedressers.” In other words, the vinedressers were not the owners of the vineyard, but were commissioned to work. In Chapter 13, verse 34, Jesus calls the workers of His House, “servants.” This shift is important for all of us. We are not just vinedressers in the field, we are servants in His house. As servants, we live inside the “house,” His house. As servants, we have access to the rooms of the abode. As servants, we have the right to sit at the table the Master sets for us. As servants, we are sheltered from the storms of life which rage on the outside. As servants, we gain the opportunity to speak on His behalf, when He is not there.
This figures into the second part of the text as Jesus, the Master, leaves to go on a trip afar. But, before He goes, He implements His own type of Ministration. Unlike the vinedressers in the previous chapter, who are all working at the one job, the Master, Jesus, assigns to every man, every servant, something to do in His home (The Church) while He is away. He then assigns the Porter, the one who watches the door of the house, to watch. While all are busy working at their specific jobs and while everyone is commanded to watch and pray, the onus of the burden to watch falls on the porter who watches the door. The significant thing about the porter in this setting is that the porter must make sure only the servants can enter and leave. The porter is not to allow anyone else into the house unless that servant has been duly commissioned to work in the house.
As I study these words of the Master, I am struck by the importance of we porters who guard the door of faith for our churches. While the workers are busy watching and praying, we porters have the awesome charge to watch for the return of the Master, and in the meantime, we are to do our best that only the correct doctrine be admitted into the House of God. What will the judgment be on those who call themselves ministers who allow for this or that wrong doctrine to enter into the House of Christ while He is on a far journey? Before Christ left, He set in motion His Ministration for the well being and ongoing of His church. We can do nothing else but to abide by His wishes.
Lastly, THE MASTER is Monitoring His House from afar. He knows what is going on in His House. Absences of presence does not mean absences of knowledge. The Holy Spirit is active in the Church and He is directing the Body of Christ here on Earth, but at the same time, THE MASTER knows what is taking place and He is planning on returning someday in the future.
III. THE MAJESTY: I have studied THE MESSAGE of the return of Jesus. I have looked at THE MASTER as He discusses His return to this Earth on behalf of His father. I am impressed by the Majesty of His return. When He returns, it will not be as before. He came as a babe among His people, now He returns as the Benefactor to His people. He came before to die at the hand of Satan, now He returns to destroy the hold of Satan. He came before to suffer shameful affliction, now He comes to supplant all affliction. He came as a Teacher of God‘s way, He now comes as a Teller-forth of God’s triumph. There is something majestic and royal about His return. When He comes, there will be no second guessing as to why He came or when. He will return and it is incumbent upon every child of God to watch and pray lest one miss the great Home going of the Universe as God’s Children will be gathered home.
I note, in regards to THE MAJESTY of His return the Multiformity of His return. He who knows no time restrictions, tells His audience that His return can come at any time. Saint Augustine argued well when he wrote about time and the existence of God. As only he could do, he proved that God is above and beyond all time, and that there really is no such thing as time; indeed the very aspect of this temporary entity called time proves the existence of God and Jesus is simply telling everyone who cares to hear, that it does not matter when He returns-just that He will return.
When ever He returns it will be evening time or sunrise somewhere in this world. It will be midnight or twelve noon someplace on this globe. He will not tailor His return to man’s clock or expectations, but He will come back when God says it will be time to return. His options are many for His return and He encourages all to watch and pray. I am glad I serve a God who is beyond all time and can use the options of that time to work out His will. He who knows no time, will come into our time and will take out His people to be with Him forever more-into a place where there will be no time.
I also notice the swiftness of His return, it will be accomplished in a moment, Momentarily. I have no idea how Jesus will be able to come in a flash and take His people home, but I believe it. When that moment of the Rapture occurs, gravity will lose its hold on the saints of God and we will go home. I have no idea where Heaven is-all the Bible says is that it is “up.” Somewhere, there is a place called Heaven. Somewhere there is the Rest as is promised in Hebrews. Somewhere, God reigns and the redeemed rejoice. I am sure that that place is not on this Earth, but far away from the strife and strain of our daily living. Yet, when that Momentary event happens, we who are alive will be drawn to Him like a magnet draws metal shavings to itself, and we will go with Him into His abode, where ever that might be. In a moment-where there will not be time enough to ask for forgiveness from the God whom we offended, the saints will go to meet Him. In a moment-when there will not be time to pay our back tithes, we will be gone. In a moment-when there will not be time enough to go and apologize to the one we have hurt, we will be gone. In a moment-there will not be enough time for the sinner to seek the Lord, we will be gone. That suddenness will come upon all of us, and we will be gone. Jesus adds a final warning-be not asleep. There is too much to do for we Christians to just sit back and rest and let the professional ministry do all the hard lifting. No, the message is for all-watch and pray.
Finally, I note the Momentousness of the impending event: it will be awesome. The world will never recover from the Second Coming of our Lord. When He returns, there will be such a cataclysmic event, that the world will feel its effects for the rest of its history. Graves of the saints will be split open and the dead in Christ will go first. Then we who are alive and remain will join them as we leave this world, in a moment, to go to be with our Lord. Banks will have to make adjustments for bills not paid by hard working Christians. Savings accounts of the redeemed will have to be settled somehow. Homes, houses, cars, buildings, clothes, furniture, and all that the redeemed own will have to be settled somewhere out there in the future. Hospital beds, nursing home rooms, doctors’ offices that will be the temporary stays and visits of the saints will be depopulated in a moment.
Moms, dads, sons and daughters who have tenaciously clung to the hope of His return will be justified in their persistency. Leaders, factory workers, students, missionaries, preachers, Sunday School teachers and a myriad of others who have staked their lives on the belief that Jesus is the Christ, will go and we will not come back. Family reunions will have to be cancelled because this one or that one will be gone. The Christian neighbor who has gone to church on a constant schedule will be gone. Christian navigators of boats and planes will be gone. The Rapture of God’s Children will leave a hole in society. Many sinners will be glad that those who condemned their life styles will be gone; they will be happy that the Saints of God are removed. Others may miss we saints, but like everything else, “out of sight-out of mind.” The time clock of God’s dealings with the world will continue its pace and while the world spins on its axis, the saints of God will be singing the songs of Zion in Zion. All tears will be wiped from the crying eyes of God’s people. All bent and broken bones of God’s Saints will be made straight. Reunions of long departed Christian family and friends will be underway and we, at last, will see Him as He is. Our burdens will be laid down never to be lifted nor carried again. We at last will be Home. And as Doctor Martin Luther King Jr. said, we will be, “…free at last, free at last, praise God we shall be free at last.” It will happen in such a manner, that the Momentousness of it will not be able to be ignored. No wonder, Jesus said, “Watch and Pray.”
No my friend, we are not suppose to try and out guess God, our mission is to be steady at the job. To watch and to pray. We are to keep ready to go up with Him if He comes in our life time. May that be our model and our guide. And, if you are not ready to go with Him, if He should come today, you can be made ready by accepting Him as your Saviour now and your name will be enrolled into the Book of Life and you can be ready to meet Him if He should come today.
