To start a discussion on core values, a youth pastor in Saskatchewan, Canada, asked his youth group: “What would you do if your doctor told you that you had only 24 hours to live?” The students talked about being with friends and family, and the discussion seemed headed in the right direction. But then, Jason, a 13-year-old student said “I'd get a second opinion.” (Donna Spratt, Melfort, Saskatchewan, “Lite Fare,” Christian Reader)
I like Jason’s answer the best, because distressing news always warrants a second opinion or another perspective. It helps us handle the situation wisely.
My friends, we are hearing a lot of distressing news these days, and many people are content just to pay attention to the news commentators and simply get a human perspective on things. As a result they are stressed, distressed, and often deceived.
But there is a second opinion available to the believer in Christ. It’s a divine perspective on world events that helps us not only survive, but thrive, in these dangerous times.
If you have your Bibles, I invite you to turn with me to Mark 13, Mark 13, where Jesus, in one of his farewell addresses to his disciples, gives them (and us) a divine perspective on the difficult days that are ahead, especially as we near the end of this age.
Mark 13:1 And as he came out of the temple, one of his disciples said to him, “Look, Teacher, what wonderful stones and what wonderful buildings!” (ESV)
Now, this temple was built with huge, white boulders (taller than I am and nearly 10-12 feet wide). They were polished smooth and generously decorated with gold (Josephus, The Antiquities of the Jews 15.11.3-7). Herod was building this as a lasting monument to himself while trying to win the hearts of the Jewish people. So this temple was massive, covering about 1/6 of the old city of Jerusalem. If anything spoke of permanence, Herod’s magnificent temple in Jerusalem did, and it greatly impressed Jesus’ disciples.
Mark 13:2 And Jesus said to him, “Do you see these great buildings? There will not be left here one stone upon another that will not be thrown down.” (ESV)
Such a thing was inconceivable in the Jewish mind unless it was the end of the world as we know it. So…
Mark 13:3-4 And as he sat on the Mount of Olives opposite the temple, Peter and James and John and Andrew asked him privately, “Tell us, when will these things be, and what will be the sign when all these things are about to be accomplished?” (ESV)
These disciples were really asking Jesus about when the end of the world (as we know it) would come and the signs preceding that end.
Now, the Bible in other places describes the end of the age as a 7-year tribulation period when terrible things will happen all over the world (Daniel 9:27; 1 Thessalonians 5:1-3; 2 Thessalonians 2; Revelation 6-19). There will be huge, natural disasters, war and starvation everywhere, and a tyrant ruling the world before the end comes.
So the disciples ask Jesus 2 questions about these end times: When will it happen, and what are the signs. Well, Jesus answers those questions in reverse order. 1st, He talks about the signs of the end and warns us to…
BE AWARE.
To watch for the signs. To pay attention to the signals that mark the end of the age.
Mark 13:5-6 And Jesus began to say to them, “See that no one leads you astray. Many will come in my name, saying, ‘I am he!’ and they will lead many astray. (ESV)
We’re to watch so we’re not deceived, and we’re to watch so we’re not distressed either.
Mark 13:7-8 And when you hear of wars and rumors of wars, do not be alarmed. This must take place, but the end is not yet. For nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. There will be earthquakes in various places; there will be famines. These are but the beginning of the birth pains. (ESV)
Jesus says watch for the signs of the beginning of the end. Just like a woman about to give birth, there will be some tremors or contractions to start with. False Christ’s will appear. Wars will increase and so will earthquakes and famines.
It seems like every month we hear about a major earthquake or two around the world. Actually, the USGS expects about 18 major earthquakes a year (i.e., those that measure 7.0 or greater on the Richter scale). The world is certainly at war with the fear of a terrorist attack around every corner, and people are starving even right here in the United States of America. Even so, there are a lot of politicians who claim to have the answer. Like “mini messiah’s” they promise to change things for the better and save the world.
Yet we who know Christ are not deceived, because He warned us about such false claims. And we are not distressed either, because we know these pains will only lead to the birth of a new Age. They are simply the contractions before the birth of Christ’s new kingdom, when He rules and reigns on this earth to usher in a new age of peace and prosperity.
You see, only Jesus has the answers to this world’s problems. And we who look to Christ are not going to be misled by the false promises of others in the meantime. So we are not going to be deceived, and we are not going to be distressed even when we face persecution ourselves.
Mark 13:9-11 “But be on your guard. For they will deliver you over to councils, and you will be beaten in synagogues, and you will stand before governors and kings for my sake, to bear witness before them. And the gospel must first be proclaimed to all nations. And when they bring you to trial and deliver you over, do not be anxious beforehand what you are to say, but say whatever is given you in that hour, for it is not you who speak, but the Holy Spirit. (ESV)
The arrest of Christians will lead to an opportunity for witness. Persecution will result in proclamation with the Holy Spirit’s help!
Tertullian, a 2nd Century Christian and church leader, said to his persecutors, “The more you mow us down, the more numerous we grow; the blood of Christians is seed.” We see this happening in Iran today with the explosive growth of the Evangelical church.
Many of us have heard about Saeed Abedini, an Iranian American citizen who has been detained by the Iranian authorities for over a year. He is a believer, who was arrested for his Christian faith when he visited Iran to help establish an orphanage over there.
However, his story is part of the larger story of Iran’s growing Christian population. According to Open Doors, forty years ago there were only 200 Muslim converts to Christianity in Iran. Today, they estimate that there are 370,000 (BreakPoint, December 3, 2013).
This has definitely caught the attention of the Mullah’s who run Iran. In October 2010, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei gave a speech in which he warned of a growing Christian presence in the country.
According to Gary Lane, Chief International News Correspondant for CBN News, “The idea behind the Iranian Revolution (in 1979) was to establish the world's first modern state governed solely by Islamic law. The Ayatollah Khamenei believed a more prosperous society could be created if the Iranian people and their government adhered to tenets of the Koran. But 30 years into it, the revolution is faltering and many Iranians are disillusioned.”
Todd Nettleton with Voice of The Martyrs says, “The people look around, they see the poverty, they see the discontent, they're not happy so they have questions. Why isn't it working out, we're doing it the Islamic way, why isn't our country great? So, they are ripe to hear a new way.”
As a result, the evangelical house church movement is now growing rapidly. “The church is exploding in terms of numbers, but it is coming with a price,” Nettleton says. “The people are arrested, they're harassed, and they’re persecuted, in some cases they are beaten severely. It is not an easy pathway.” But even that cannot stop the rapid growth of the unregistered house churches in Iran.
The mullahs are trying to stop it, but their efforts are actually spreading the growth of the church. The persecution is causing Christians to move around more; and everywhere they go, they are planting little house churches with the result that 10’s of thousands of disillusioned Muslims are coming to Christ every year. (Gary Lane, “Iran’s Christian Revolution Gains Momentum,” CBN News, June 22, 2009)
Believers don’t need to be distressed when trouble comes, because God uses it to create more opportunities for ministry. And there is a glorious future ahead for everyone who believes.
Mark 13:12-13 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. And you will be hated by all for my name’s sake. But the one who endures to the end will be saved. (ESV)
Even though it gets to the point where the whole world hates us, God never will. He will save everyone who still believes in the end. In other words, we who believe in Christ will experience the glories of heaven when it is all over.
Now, these words would have been a special encouragement to Mark’s Roman readers who were being severely persecuted for their allegiance to Jesus. I’m sure it helped them endure their suffering with a little more joy, knowing that God would use it to spread His Word and that He would vindicate them in the end.
You see, even if we should experience trouble today, we don’t need to worry, and we certainly shouldn’t give up our faith, because God will do the same thing for us.
Don’t be deceived, and don’t be distressed. Just watch for the signs of the BEGINNING of the end, which can mean only one thing. The rapture of the church could happen at any moment! The Bible is very clear that all the believers will be taken out of this world before the last 7 years of tribulation at the end of this age (1 Thessalonians 1:10; 5:9; Revelation 3:10). So when you see the signs for the BEGINNING of the end, look up, for your redemption draws nigh!
Then those who are left behind better begin to watch for the signs of the MIDDLE of the end. The seven year tribulation at the end of this age starts with the birth pangs of war, hunger, and persecution. Then at the mid-point, 3½ years into it, something terrible happens, which makes the suffering even worse.
Mark 13:14 “But when you see the abomination of desolation standing where he ought not to be (let the reader understand), then let those who are in Judea flee to the mountains. (ESV)
This “abomination of desolation” is that which Daniel talked about at the end of Daniel 9. There, Daniel speaks of a “ruler who will come” who will establish a 7-year peace treaty in the Middle East. Now, we know from Revelation 11 that the temple will be rebuilt in Jerusalem by that time, perhaps as part of this 7-year peace treaty. But halfway through those seven years, this “ruler who will come” will break that treaty, stop the temple sacrifices, desecrate the temple itself, and proclaim himself to be God (2 Thes. 2:3-4).
Historically, we got a little picture of what that will look like when a Syrian ruler, Antiochus Epiphanes, desecrated the Jewish temple in 167 B.C. At that time, he built an altar to the pagan, Greek god Zeus in the Temple and sacrificed a pig on it (Josephus The Antiquities of the Jews 12.5.4). 236 years later, the Roman Army overran the city of Jerusalem, desecrated the temple and totally destroyed it in 70 A.D. But these two events only foreshadow what a coming world ruler will do halfway through the time of the end.
This world ruler is none other than the Antichrist (also described in 2 Thessalonians 2 and Revelation 13). And possessed by Satan himself, he will create a virtual hell on earth for those who are alive in those days. That’s why they should flee, especially those who are in Judea at the time. When the Antichrist comes into Jerusalem, they will have to escape immediately, or else they will die.
Mark 13:15-20 Let the one who is on the housetop not go down, nor enter his house, to take anything out, and let the one who is in the field not turn back to take his cloak. And alas for women who are pregnant and for those who are nursing infants in those days! Pray that it may not happen in winter. For in those days there will be such tribulation as has not been from the beginning of the creation that God created until now, and never will be. And if the Lord had not cut short the days, no human being would be saved. But for the sake of the elect, whom he chose, he shortened the days. (ESV)
Even when evil is allowed to run rampant, God still limits it for the sake of His own people, those who will come to faith in Him during the tribulation. Even during the Great Tribulation itself, God will not allow His own to be tested more than they can bear. So when trouble comes, don’t be distressed, and don’t be deceived.
Mark 13:21-23 And then if anyone says to you, ‘Look, here is the Christ!’ or ‘Look, there he is!’ do not believe it. For false christs and false prophets will arise and perform signs and wonders, to lead astray, if possible, the elect. But be on guard; I have told you all things beforehand. (ESV)
Jesus told us what will happen, so don’t be deceived. Instead, watch for the signs of the BEGINNING of the end. Watch for the signs of the MIDDLE of the end, and watch for the signs of the END of the end.
Mark 13:24-27 But in those days, following that distress [i.e., at the end of the tribulation] the sun will be 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. And then they will see the Son of Man coming in clouds with great power and glory. And then he will send out the angels and gather his elect from the four winds, from the ends of the earth to the ends of heaven. (ESV)
At the end of this age, when everything is dark, Jesus Christ Himself will come in plain sight to all, and He will gather His own to Himself. Those believers who come to faith in Christ during the tribulation will be gathered together, and we believers, who go before, will join them to rule and reign with Christ in a new day and age on this earth (Revelation 20:1-6).
So whether you are going through minor tribulations today, or even the Great Tribulation itself, don’t be distressed, because Jesus is coming, and you will spend eternity with Him. You will rule and reign with Christ, but only if you have trusted Him as your Savior.
If you haven’t done it yet, I urg you, call on the Lord today. Look to the One who died for you and rose again, and ask Him to save you from your sins. The Bible says, “Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved” (Romans 10:13). Won’t you call on Him today? He’ll save you from your sins and give you the power to stand firm to the end. Then whether you live or die, He will gather you to Himself to be with Him forever!
I’m reminded of the story of a man who died and went to heaven. When he saw how wonderful it was, he said, “If I’d a known it was this good, I would have stopped eating oatmeal a long time ago!”
Oh, what a glorious day that will be! It sure helps us to endure the present, doesn’t it, when we know the future is worth it all.
Don Wyrtzen put it so well when he wrote:
It will be worth it all when we see Jesus.
Life’s trials will seem so small when we see Him.
One glimpse of His dear face, all sorrows will erase.
So bravely run the race till we see Christ.
Don’t be distressed, and don’t be deceived. Just be aware. Just watch for the signs of the end.
Mark 13:28-31 “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. So also, when you see these things taking place, you know that he is near, at the very gates. Truly, I say to you, this generation will not pass away until all these things take place. Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will not pass away.
You can trust the Lord. His words will never fail. Things will happen just as He says they will.
In the spring, we watch the flowers bloom and the trees start to bud. Soon new leaves appear on the trees, and that tells us summer is not far away.
So it is with the Second Coming of Christ. Jesus said, just like leaves appearing on a fig tree tell you that summer is near, so the signs he describes in this chapter appearing on the scene tell you that His coming is near. The generation that sees those signs will not die out until all is completed.
Are we that generation? We’re certainly seeing a lot of earthquakes these days, along with wars and hunger. We haven’t seen the “abomination of desolation” yet, but the stage is set for the rebuilding of the Jewish temple. They have all the materials ready to go, and the world is hungry for a world ruler to bring peace in the Middle East. Who knows? We could be that generation that sees the Second Coming of Christ and the end of the age.
So let’s watch for the signs. Don’t be deceived, and don’t be distressed. Just be aware. Then…
BE ALERT.
Stay awake and be ready, because no one know when it all will happen; no one knows the time.
The disciples had asked esus two questions in verse 4: When will the end come? And what are the signs? Jesus just described the signs of the end. Now, He’s going to tell us when?
Mark 13:32-37 “But concerning that day or that hour, no one knows, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father. Be on guard, keep awake. For you do not know when the time will come. It is like a man going on a journey, when he leaves home and puts his servants in charge, each with his work, and commands the doorkeeper to stay awake. Therefore stay awake—for you do not know when the master of the house will come, in the evening, or at midnight, or when the rooster crows, or in the morning— lest he come suddenly and find you asleep. And what I say to you I say to all: Stay awake.”
Before He left, Jesus gave His followers an assignment: “Go into all the world and preach the good news to all creation” (Mark 16:15). We all have a part in the proclamation of the Gospel around the world even if we’re not preachers. May Jesus find us busy doing what He assigned to us when He comes back.
Be aware of the signs, and be alert, because we don’t know the time. It could be today. If it were, are you ready?
Robby Robins was an Air Force pilot during the first Iraq war. After his 300th mission, he was surprised to be given permission to immediately pull his crew together and fly his plane home. They flew across the ocean to Massachusetts and then had a long drive to western Pennsylvania. They drove all night, and when his buddies dropped him off at his driveway just after sun-up, there was a big banner across the garage—“Welcome Home Dad!”
How did they know? No one had called, and the crew themselves hadn't expected to leave so quickly. Robins relates, “When I walked into the house, the kids, about half dressed for school, screamed, ‘Daddy!’ Susan came running down the hall—she looked terrific—hair fixed, make-up on, and a crisp yellow dress. ‘How did you know?’ I asked.
“‘I didn't,’ she answered through tears of joy. ‘Once we knew the war was over, we knew you'd be home one of these days. We knew you'd try to surprise us, so we were ready every day.’” (Lee Eclov, in the sermon, Heaven, www.PreachingToday.com)
My friends, let’s be ready every day for Christ’s return.
