Those of you who have been here on the past few Sundays may have noticed that we have not been looking at the chapters of Mark in strictly numerical order. There is a reason for that. As Daniel told us the other week, the second half of Mark’s gospel covers a very short period of time in the life of Jesus. In fact chapters 11 to 15, five whole chapters cover the five-day period from when Jesus rode into Jerusalem on Palm Sunday to his being led out of the city and crucified on Good Friday.

That period in Jesus’ life is so crucial, that’s why Mark tells us so much of what went on and the things that Jesus taught in that period of five days. That is also the reason why we are looking at the different chapters out of numerical order. We have saved chapter 11 for Palm Sunday in 2 weeks time. In order to look at what Mark tells us of the events between Palm Sunday and Easter Sunday we are looking and thinking about the intervening events before Easter. We thought about Jesus’ last meal with his disciples in Mark 14 last week before we shared communion together. This week we will look at the things Jesus taught about the future in Mark 13.

Are you optimistic about the future? Some people are. In fact I suspect we would all like the future to be better. Better for Mutale and our children. It is every mother’s hope that the future will be bright for her children. But how realistic is that hope? Is it grounded in reality? The reality is that life is difficult. But we are sometimes reluctant to face that reality; and some times we put our hopes and our faith in things that will ultimately let us down and disappoint us. The disciples of Jesus had this same tendency.

They had arrived in Jerusalem with Jesus. The crowds had proclaimed him the Messiah. They had gone with him to the temple, the sacred place that supremely symbolised God’s presence. Jesus had established his authority by driving the traders out of the temple with the chief priest and rulers unable to stop him. The Messiah had come to the temple, the rightful seat of his authority.

And what a grand building it was. The folk from Avenue who have been to Jerusalem this week will have seen the foundation walls of that temple that are still intact. The massive stones that the disciples saw and commented to Jesus on are still there and they are still impressive weighing at least 20 tons or so each. The temple was sacred to the Jews. In fact it had become too important to them. The disciples are in awe at the magnificence of the building. They probably thought that the temple was the context in which Jesus’ messianic kingdom would be established. Jesus issues them with a word of warning. This magnificent temple is going to be completely destroyed.

This piece of news probably came as a complete shock to the disciples. In their human optimism they were entertaining hopes that things were going to get better and better. But now Jesus has made them stop and think. It’s not a bad thing for us to stop and think occasionally. If we blindly go on in a false optimism, our world can come crashing down around us. Christ wants to spare his disciples some of that by preparing them for what the future holds. He wants to prepare us too. If we naively think that life will be all sunshine with no problems and difficulties we will be in for a rude awakening.
If you have been around a few years, you know life is not like that. I had a letter from a church treasurer with a cheque for our Chinese church who told me that over 65 years ago he was a soldier stationed at Hadleigh and he had quite a view of the Battle of Britain taking place in the skies over here.

We live in a troubled world; and rather than burying our heads in the sand it’s right to seek to understand how as Christians we can rightly navigate life’s troubles. In chapter 13 Jesus helps his disciples to prepare for the years ahead. He teaches them something of what to expect, not only in the historical context of a small nation within the Roman Empire, but also the reality of what they will have to face as his followers and witnesses in a hostile world. We will look at what he teaches his disciples, because some of the things he tells them are still relevant to us today.

First of all, the bad news. The temple will be destroyed. Maybe things could have been different. If only the people of Jerusalem had really listened to and learned from Jesus. Jesus wept over Jerusalem because its people would not learn and comprehend the things that made for peace. The temple’s destruction happened historically in 70 AD when the Romans finally had enough of the rebellious Jews’ attempts to gain their independence.

The temple was destroyed, Jerusalem was left in ruins and the suffering was as dreadful as Jesus predicted it would be, women and children also suffering atrocities, as is so often the case in war. But Jesus has warned his followers. The nationalistic pride that brings about the disaster will not delude them. It isn’t in the bible, but early church history tells us that God gave a prophecy to the church in Jerusalem to leave the city and move to a town called Jamnia, which many of the Christians did before the destruction of Jerusalem.

That same tendency of nations or groups within nations to take up arms to throw off oppression is still just as real in our world today. As Christians we live in a world where that is a reality. Jesus would say to us today, be wise, be aware of what is going on in the world around you and be prepared.

But as well as the specific issue of the temple’s destruction, Jesus warns of other dangers. Firstly he warns of those who pretend to speak in his name. There have been many who have claimed to be speaking in Jesus name. Jesus says watch out that no one deceives you. How do you do that? Quite simply by comparing what people say with what Jesus has said. Those disciples had been with Jesus and heard his teaching. Jesus taught with authority. Jesus’ authority stands for all time. We are privileged to have Jesus’ teaching here in scripture. The temple will pass away. Heaven and earth will pass away. The words of Jesus will not pass away. Beware of those who try to deceive, even if they do signs and wonders in Jesus’ name.

Jesus also warns that there will be wars. Although the prince of peace has come, men will still fight. Nations will bully other nations. Tyrants will arise who want to dominate other nations. It’s a reality in our world today. But Jesus says do not be alarmed; that is the sort of world we live in. Jesus warns us this is how it will be.

Jesus also warns of natural disasters such as earthquakes and famines. These are part of the reality of life as we see it. The fact that we know that such things will take place also means that we can prepare for them. Although not specifically mentioned here in Mark, we know that God does give warning that people might prepare for such eventualities, he warns Pharaoh in ancient Egypt of impending famine. In the New Testament he warns the church at Antioch of an impending famine in Judea that they might send relief to fellow believers in Jerusalem. These are the realities of the suffering world in which we live; we should not let them come as a shock or a surprise.

Then Jesus warns his disciples they will face persecution. They are being sent out to preach a gospel that will change the world. It will change the way that things have been, and change often provokes a violent reaction. The disciples’ ministry will begin in a Jewish context where the religious authorities have already rejected Jesus. The disciples do get persecuted in synagogues. They do get hauled up before the authorities.

Now persecution is not something that we should go out looking for, but where Christians endeavour to live out their faith and share the good news, the challenge the gospel message presents often provokes a violent reaction. We know of our suffering fellow believers in many parts of the world.

On the news this week we heard of a man in Afghanistan who has become a Christian. As a result he has been sentenced to death. There are thousands we never hear of who face hostility, danger and even death because they have responded to the invitation of the gospel and become followers of Jesus. As Jesus warned his disciples, faith in him can and still does cause hostilities even within families. Following Jesus still evokes hatred in those who reject him.

That’s the bad news. We may not have to face all of those things; but all of those things are within the experience of Christians. But there is also good news for us in our passage too.

Firstly, all the suffering that Jesus warns of is not pointless. The suffering comes as a result of the gospel being preached. Although it does bring suffering it also brings blessing. It brings blessing to those who find life and hope in Christ. Jesus specifically tells his followers that their imprisonments, their being hauled before rulers and kings is so that they can witness to the truth of the gospel. It is all part of how the good news will spread.

Secondly, followers of Jesus are not on their own. The have a helper. The Holy Spirit is with them. He will give them the words to say. The psalmist in the Old Testament could say ‘God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble.’ Christians can know the reality of the Holy Spirit being a very present help in trouble. Jesus says, don’t be afraid, don’t worry, the Holy Spirit will be your help. He will show you what to say.

The third piece of good news to us is that if we stand firm in difficulty we will be saved. Jesus calls us to be faithful. If we keep the faith; he will not leave us or forsake us. Jesus not only tells his disciples that. He is shortly to give them a demonstration of what that means. They don’t do very well at standing firm when the crunch comes.

But Jesus does stand firm. He stands firm to the end, to death on the cross. When Jesus is arrested the disciples forsake him and flee. But he restores them; they learn that he calls us to be faithful. We can be sure he will be faithful to us.

Finally, the good news is that God is in control. He will not allow our trials to go on for ever. Jesus tells us that for the sake of the elect, for the sake of his believing people God shortens the trial. In the New Testament we are told that God will not allow us to be tempted beyond what we can bear. God is watching, God is ultimately in control.

Ultimately the world’s history is in God’s hands. Ultimately Christ will return and God’s will shall be done on earth as it is in heaven. We do not know when, only God knows that. But he calls us to have our eyes wide open and be alert. And although life is difficult, there is hope because Jesus has gone before and won the victory. He is faithful to his children. Jesus has shown us the way.
 

Amen.

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