The Church

Mark 13:1-8 The Church

The church Jesus says its future is Remarkable, but yet it will be challenging

• The Church needs to watch, out Deceivers will come Watch out that no one deceives you. 6Many will come in my name, claiming, `I am he,' and will deceive many.

• The Church will go through wars and rumors of wars it will face persecution 7When you hear of wars and rumors of wars, do not be alarmed. Such things must happen, but the end is still to come.

• The Church will have opposition amongst itself Reformation Roman Catholic vs Protestant 8Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. East and West Roman Catholic

• The Church will face Awakenings, movements, Droughts (Covid) " There will be earthquakes in various places, and famines. These are the beginning of birth pains.

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1. The Church is about to fall in the text The Church history in a nut shell

• The Church is called the ecclesia “The called out assembly the called out ones”

• The Church in Jesus day was the Temple, but Jesus says it coming down. “Not one stone will be left here upon another,” Jesus said; “all will be thrown down” (v. 2). In the year 70, the Romans attacked the city of Jerusalem and destroyed the temple. Many people were killed or enslaved, and the treasures of the temple were stolen.

• The Disciples made comments about how large the stones are The disciple was right to say, “what large stones.” The foundation stones of the temple, which are still visible today in the Western Wall, are probably the largest building stones in the ancient world. The smallest stones are between two and five tons, and the largest is estimated to weigh 570 tons.

2. The Church faced tremendous persecution

• Nero, Diocletian. Brought much suffering to Christians torture methods were mercilessly employed - wild beasts, burning, stabbing, crucifixion,put on the rack.

• The Church had no place to gather so they met in homes, after 200 AD Under Roman emperor Constantine the word 'toleration' is often used to describe Rome’s position on the numerous native cults. However, there was no official policy, and what was tolerated was the religious pluralism; everyone respected the gods of others. Known as The Act of toleration Christianity would be tolerated.

• Jesus said, Upon this rock I will build my church and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.”

3. The Church is birthed on Pentecost

• The Spirit of God came in like a mighty rushing wind (Release The Doves)

• Fire of God fell from Heaven . 3They saw what seemed to be tongues of fire that separated and came to rest on each of them. 4All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit

• The Ecclesia got mighty brave Peter stood up raised his voice said, this is what was spoken by the prophet Joel: 17" `In the last days, God says, I will pour out my Spirit on all people. Your sons and daughters will prophesy, your young men will see visions, your old men will dream dreams. 18Even on my servants, both men and women, I will pour out my Spirit in those days, and they will prophesy.

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4. The Church (Disciples) is moving over to the Mount of Olives our text says.

• After walking to the Mount of Olives, across from the temple, a group of disciples Peter, James, and John asked Jesus privately, “Tell us, when will this be, and what will be the sign that all these things are about to be accomplished?” (vv. 3-4).

• Jesus said, “When you hear of wars and rumors of wars, do not be alarmed; this must take place, but the end is still to come. For nation will rise against nation and kingdom against kingdom; there will be earthquakes in various places; there will be famines” (vv. 5-8).

5. The Church will go thorough many changes, persecutions, Great awakenings Pentecost, Birth Pangs

• Yes, many violent and upsetting events were going to come, their lives would be threatened. But Jesus ended on a hopeful note, saying, “This is but the beginning of the birth pangs” (v. 8).

• The Birth Pangs Faith would be reshaped by the destruction of the temple, forcing Jews to shift to worship in synagogues led by rabbis.

• Christianity also became more congregation-focused, because followers of Jesus could no longer gather in the temple as they did in the earliest days of the church.

• The book of Acts tells us that the first followers of Jesus “spent much time together … broke bread at home and ate their food with glad and generous hearts, praising God and having the goodwill of all the people” (Acts 2:46-47).