(Mark 13: 24-37)
Like many of you, I was born in the early 1950s which, ironically, are the good old days that some people long for. I guess I remember it differently. I remember the Cold War, Sputnik, the Cuban missile crisis and the Kennedy assassination. I remember people digging bomb shelters in their backyards and I remember the duck-and-cover drills we did when I was in the fifth grade as we prepared for a sneak attack from Russia complete with atomic bombs raining down on my little town in Upstate New York. I survived that only to experience the 1960s with riots in the streets, the Civil Rights Movement, the Vietnam War and the assassinations of Bobby Kennedy and Martin Luther King Jr. I remember images of guys on the evening news standing on street corners preaching doom and gloom while holding up signs that said the end of the world was near. To make matters worse, Barry McGuire had a hit song in 1965 that talked about how the Eastern world is explodin’, violence flarin’ and bullets loadin’. You can’t twist the truth it knows no regulation, and a handful of senators don’t pass legislation. Marches alone can’t bring integration when human respect is disintegratin’. Think of all the hate there is in Red China, then take a look around to Selma, Alabama. Don’t you believe we’re on the eve of destruction? I was barely a teenager, I wasn’t ready for the end of the world, I hadn’t even begun to live, I wasn’t prepared to die. It did seem like we were on the eve of destruction and it didn’t make any sense.
And that’s probably how the disciples felt in our scripture reading for this morning. To better understand this passage of scripture where Jesus is preparing them for his return you need to understand what Jesus had just told them in the previous 23 verses. They had just left the temple in Jerusalem and he had told them about the events that were to precede his return. He warned that many would come in his name to deceive them, false prophets and charlatans, con artists. They would hear of war and rumors of war but not to be alarmed as such things must happen. He told them that nation will rise against nation and kingdom against kingdom, and there would be earthquakes and famines. These, he told them, were the beginnings of birth pains. He said that the gospel must first be preached to all nations. Brothers, he said, will betray brother to death and a father his child. Children will rebel against their parents and have them put to death. And, he tells them, that all men will hate them because of him, but he who stands firm to the end will be saved.
Now they’re sitting on the Mount of Olives opposite the temple having a private conversation where Peter, James, John and Andrew ask when is it that these things Jesus had predicted would come true and what would be the signs they should look for signaling that it was about to occur. Not to worry Jesus tells them. He says; In those days, after the suffering, 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 we will see the Son of Man coming in the clouds with great power and glory. 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. This description of the second coming had to have been very reassuring to the disciples after he had described how bad it was going to be on earth as they witnessed the eve of destruction. Jesus tells them to take a lesson from the fig tree; as soon as its branch becomes tender and puts forth 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. He’s saying that just as you know spring is coming and summer is right around the corner by the evidence of new growth on plants, you will recognize these signs and know that the time is approaching. Jesus says to them; Truly I tell you, this generation will not pass away until all these things have taken place. Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will not pass away.
At this point, the disciples are probably thinking to themselves that it would be a whole lot easier if Jesus would just tell them the year all this was going to take place or under whose reign, which Caesar? But Jesus tells them that nobody knows the day or the hour, neither the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father. He tells them to keep alert as they will not know when the time will come, it may come at dawn, in the morning, in the evening, or at midnight. Stay alert and don’t get caught napping when he comes.
There’s a good reason for this. If we knew when, we could procrastinate, put off until tomorrow what we should be doing today. It is good that we don’t know exactly when Christ will return. If we knew the precise date, we might be tempted to be lazy in our work for Christ. Worse yet, we might plan to keep on sinning and then turn to God right at the end. But heaven is not our only goal; we have work to do here, doing it until our death or until we see the unmistakable return of our Savior. It is God the Father’s secret to be revealed when he wills it. Be on your guard and don’t be deceived by the false prophets and charlatans. No one can predict by Scripture or science the exact day of Jesus’s return. The lesson here is that Jesus is teaching us that preparation, not calculation, is what is needed.
The truth that heaven and earth will disappear is all that much more believable in our age of nuclear power and terrorism, our age of mutually assured destruction. Jesus tells us, however, that even though the earth will pass away, the truth of his words will never be changed or abolished. God and his Word provide the only stability we need in our unstable world. Knowing that our future is secure is all we need to face the bleakness of tomorrow. It’s all we need to know when we turn on the evening news. The picture of the coming persecutions and natural disasters is gloomy, but ultimately it is a cause not to worry, but for great joy. When believers see these events happening, they will know the return of the Messiah is getting nearer, and they can look forward to his reign of justice and peace. Rather than being terrified by what is happening in our world, we should confidently await Christ’s return to bring justice and restoration to his people and work daily towards that end.
So, rather than spend all your time worrying about the coming of the eve of destruction, spend your time in planning for Jesus’s return. Think of all the planning you put into a wedding, having a baby, a career change or a home purchase. These are pretty important decisions. Are you placing the same importance on preparing for Christ’s return, the most important event in your life? That’s why we celebrate Advent. Advent is that time of the year when we prepare not only for the celebration of the birth of Christ, but also in anticipation of His expected and hoped for second coming. So, instead of believing we are on the eve of destruction, let us prepare our hearts and minds for the celebration of his birth and much anticipated return to glory where he will reign in peace.
Please pray with me.
Great is thy faithfulness, O God my Father, there is no shadow of turning with Thee. Thou changest not, thy compassions they fail not. As thou hast been thou forever wilt be. Great is thy faithfulness. Stand with us O Lord during these times of great distress when it seems our world is approaching the eve of destruction. Reassure us that we are yours and that you will see us through the coming days as we stand firm in our salvation. Through the guidance of the Holy Spirit keep us vigilant as we look for your son’s return and move us to do your work and your will every day as we prepare for the glorious day when we shall see Jesus and live in his glory. In Jesus’ name, we pray, Amen.