Mark 13:1-8,
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.
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?
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.
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.
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.
21. And then if any man shall say to you, Lo, here is Christ; or, lo, he is there; believe him not:
22. For false Christs and false prophets shall rise, and shall shew signs and wonders, to seduce, if it were possible, even the elect.
23. But take ye heed: behold, I have foretold you all things.
24. But in those days, after that tribulation, the sun shall be darkened, and the moon shall not give her light,
25. And the stars of heaven shall fall, and the powers that are in heaven shall be shaken.
26. And then shall they see the Son of man coming in the clouds with great power and glory.
27. And then shall he send his angels, and shall gather together his elect from the four winds, from the uttermost part of the earth to the uttermost part of heaven.
If there is anything that stands out in today’s gospel reading it is a warning to “Watch out”! Watch out no one deceives you and watch out, I am coming.
As you look at events in the world today, you may feel anxious as to how history is going to turn out. Global terrorism, unstable economies, and widespread poverty and sickness around the world is terrifying but is only a fulfillment of Jesus’ words. These things must needs be, but the end is not there yet. Wars and rumors of wars, earthquakes and famines are just the beginning of the sorrows. We are precisely in those times. Today’s reading deals with “Doomsday” issues and for a believer, there will be no surprise because Jesus told us of these things while he was yet with us on earth. His words are recorded for you and me to read and believe.
Gazing upon the beautiful temple building, one of the disciples said to Jesus “Look at these beautiful stones and this magnificent building!” I imagine it must have been awesome but Jesus prophesied that not one stone will be upon another that will not be thrown down. Couple of years ago I had been to where the temple might have been but except for speculation it is impossible to say exactly and precisely where the temple stood. Human structures will crumble and fall but those who put their trust in the promises of God will never stumble or fall. Earthly things will soon pass away giving room for the coming Kingdom of God.
Watch out therefore that no one deceives you! Do not be lead into believing that the structures of this world will provide any security for you on doomsday. The structures of this world might come to you in the form of social security or real estate; an insurance policy or even a good bank account or some IRA’s. We are careful to buildup for ourselves all these reserves, one stone upon another. I am not suggesting that you not provide for yourself but a time is coming when all of this will crumble and fall! In the end, the only thing that will help you standup and lift your head high is your faith and belief in an everlasting God. Prepare for a long life but always live in the expectation that Christ is coming back today.
“False prophets shall rise, and shall show you signs and wonders, to seduce, if it were possible, even the elect, But take heed: behold, I have foretold you all things” said Jesus. Watch out, for those who might tell you that you are wasting your time going to Church or to a bible study versus watching a game on TV Watch out for those who might say it is all right to tell a lie or steal because it brings you some advantage. Watch out for false doctrines and teaching that resemble a gospel of Jesus Christ but is in actual effect blasphemy and the work of Satan. Watch out in your work places and in your homes to be honest, careful and diligent in everything that you do. Hold fast to your faith and never miss an opportunity to exalt the Savior!
Also watch out, because Jesus is coming again. When the time comes the sun will be darkened and the moon will not give her light. The stars will fall from heaven and then the Son will appear in the clouds of glory. What a wondrous sight that will be. Your waiting will be over and you will explode with joy to see his beautiful and holy face. Every knee shall bow and every tongue will confess that he is Lord. But watch out, because for some, it will be a tome of mourning. Procrastinators and those who never took religion seriously will be out of luck. Every stone of security that they build up one by one to help them live a comfortable worldly life will be cast down. The sheep and the goats will be separated and each will go to its owner. One is a place where every tear will be wiped away while the other is a place where weeping will never cease.
Friends that day may not be far away. Most of the Lord’s prophesy has already been fulfilled. The clock is about a minute to twelve. Therefore, trim your lamps and watch and pray because your redemption is nigh. Even so, come quickly, Lord Jesus! Amen.
