Waiting For His Coming

Watching for Jesus’ Return

Mark 13:1-37

Sometimes we get tired of waiting for God’s promises to come to pass. Sometimes we get confused about how it is all going to take place.

People ask, “Where is the sign of his coming?”

Confusion today about how Jesus will come back to earth.

Amillennialism: Christ will come back at the end of the age just prior to destroying and recreating the heavens and earth.

Posttribulationalism: Christ will return only after a predicted period of unparalleled trouble.

Pretribulational and midtribulational: Christ will return in two phases—once for the church and later to rescue Israel (differ on the timing of the church’s removal).

We are not the only ones confused about His coming. The early disciples were confused too.

“The disciple is not called to eliminate his ignorance of the timing of the End, he is called to cope with it, and respond to it appropriately.” Timothy Geddert

1As Jesus was leaving the Temple that day, one of his disciples said, "Teacher, look at these tremendous buildings! Look at the massive stones in the walls!"

Temple began construction 50 years earlier and was completed a generation later; built to rival the pyramids.

165 feet tall; Josephus says the 50 ft. wide stones were covered on all sides w/ massive plates of gold.

Herod built the Temple to placate the Jews.

This is the same temple that Jesus cleansed when he drove the money changers out (the Temple is liked to the dead fig tree that Jesus cursed).

2Jesus replied, "These magnificent buildings will be so completely demolished that not one stone will be left on top of another."

•In AD 70, Roman General Titus captured the city and broke down the walls on rumor the Jews used gold to hold the marble stones together.

•Partial fulfillment of this passage took place 40 years later in A.D 70 but complete fulfillment will not take place until the end of time.

3Later, Jesus sat on the slopes of the Mount of Olives across the valley from the Temple. Peter, James, John, and Andrew came to him privately and asked him, 4"When will all this take place? And will there be any sign ahead of time to show us when all this will be fulfilled?"

•Temple was important to the Jew under Roman oppression; must have been tough to hear that it would be broken down.

•They confused the Temple destruction with Jesus second coming. Jesus sets it straight in this passage.

•This passage: God’s program for the Jewish nation, not the church.

Following verses: reference beginning of the Tribulation; beginning of horror v.8 (birth pangs). During the Tribulation period, the events referenced by Jesus will become more frequent and discernable like birth pangs of pregnancy.

5Jesus replied, "Don’t let anyone mislead you, 6because many will come in my name, claiming to be the Messiah.* They will lead many astray. 7And wars will break out near and far, but don’t panic. Yes, these things must come, but the end won’t follow immediately. 8Nations and kingdoms will proclaim war against each other, and there will be earthquakes in many parts of the world, and famines. But all this will be only the beginning of the horrors to come.

•Notice Jesus says: end won’t follow immediately.

•To watch for Jesus’ return means…Don’t let anyone mislead you.

oWatch for people who come and say, “I am.”

oWatch for people who say they come in the name of the Lord with quick fixes but erroneous answers to deep spiritual problems.

(Jesus says about these people: I never knew you).

9But when these things begin to happen, watch out! You will be handed over to the courts and beaten in the synagogues. You will be accused before governors and kings of being my followers. This will be your opportunity to tell them about me.* 10And the Good News must first be preached to every nation.

•Preached to Roman empire/later to entire globe

11But when you are arrested and stand trial, don’t worry about what to say in your defense. Just say what God tells you to. Then it is not you who will be speaking, but the Holy Spirit. 12"Brother will betray brother to death, fathers will betray their own children, and children will rise against their parents and cause them to be killed. 13And everyone will hate you because of your allegiance to me. But those who endure to the end will be saved.

What did it mean for the disciples to endure til end?

What does it mean for a tribulation saint to, for us to?

Is it works salvation?

•To watch for Jesus return means…Do not be discouraged

•Because of your alliance to Jesus, expect persecution.

•God’s exhortation: use times of persecution as an opportunity to witness.

oTil the whole world knows v.10