Jesus' Exhortations for the Near and Distant Future - Mark 13:1-27

Sermon Series: Spare Me the Details - Just Give Me Jesus

Harold Camping is the president of Family Radio, a California-based religious broadcasting network, whose name has been in the national media a lot in the last few weeks.  Why?  Because he has made a very bold prediction that a handful of people around our country are getting very excited about.  He has predicted that Jesus will return this Saturday, May 21, 2011 to rapture those who are believers in Him.  How did he come to the conclusion that all this would take place on May 21, 2011?  That’s a great question.  Here’s a portion of Washington Post article in which Camping explains his unique method for arriving at this date:

“The number 5, . . . equals ‘atonement.’ Ten is ‘completeness.’ Seventeen means ‘heaven.’ Camping patiently explained how he reached his conclusion for May 21, 2011. ‘Christ hung on the cross April 1, 33 A.D.,’ he began. ‘Now go to April 1 of 2011 A.D., and that's 1,978 years.’ Camping then multiplied 1,978 by 365.2422 days - the number of days in each solar year, not to be confused with a calendar year. Next, Camping noted that April 1 to May 21 encompasses 51 days. Add 51 to the sum of previous multiplication total, and it equals 722,500. Camping realized that (5 x 10 x 17) x (5 x 10 x 17) = 722,500. Or put into words: (Atonement x Completeness x Heaven), squared. ‘Five times 10 times 17 is telling you a story,’ Camping said. ‘It's the story from the time Christ made payment for your sins until you're completely saved. I tell ya, I just about fell off my chair when I realized that,’ Camping said.”

Can you imagine how much time Camping has put into speculating about the end times and when things will occur?  You don’t arrive at weird math equations like this after just a few hours.  This is something you spend months and years on.  That’s a lot of time.  A lot of time that could have been put to much better use as a follower of Jesus.  “What do you mean?” you ask.  I believe Mark reveals to us in his gospel that speculating about Jesus’ return isn’t something of first importance.  So you may ask, “If speculating about Jesus’ return isn’t of greatest importance, then what is?”  I’m going to argue that in Mark’s gospel we see two actions that are far more important than speculating about Jesus’ return.  In the passage of Mark’s gospel that we’ll cover for this post we will see Jesus exhorting His followers to be watchful and faithful in both the near and distant future, rather than speculating about when the end might be.

Mark begins chapter 13 with Jesus and His disciples exiting the temple.  On their way out one of His disciples, impressed with the size and grandeur of the temple structure, spoke to Jesus and encouraged Him to take in the splendor of the walls and the buildings.  While the temple was certainly an unbelievable structure in size and grandeur, there was something there that should have been even more impressive for this disciple – Jesus, Himself.  God’s Son, the Messiah, the One who has existed from all eternity, who holds power over both the physical and spiritual realm, and who was both the Giver and Sustainer of life was there with Him.  But at least for the time being, it seems that this particular disciple is more impressed with the temple than he is with Jesus.  Mark tells us that Jesus doesn’t marvel at the stones and the buildings like this unnamed disciple.  Instead Jesus communicates something very shocking and almost unbelievable.  Jesus responds saying, “Do you see these great buildings?  There will not be left here one stone upon another that will not be thrown down.”  Now if this was just one building or one medium sized wall, we wouldn’t be shocked by a remark such as this.  But you have to remember how big and grand the temple was.  The outside wall encompassed an area of 35 acres and to walk around the circumference of the outer wall one would have to walk about a mile.  The walls to the temple were enormous and the buildings inside the temple wall were incredibly large and ornate as well.  Jesus says to His disciples that every bit of this incredible structure would be thrown down and destroyed so that not even one stone would be left standing on another.  Standing there next to that enormous structure it would have been almost impossible to believe what Jesus was saying.

It appears from the text that the disciples had a few minutes to consider Jesus’ statement as they headed out of Jerusalem and ascended the Mount of Olives.  The top of the Mount of Olives sits about 300 feet higher than Jerusalem and the area that the temple resided on.  So as Jesus and His disciples exited Jerusalem and went and sat on the top of that mount they would have been looking down directly onto the massive temple structure.  Verse 3 tells us that while they were sitting there four of Jesus’ disciples came to him privately to ask about that particular statement.  They said to Him, “Tell us, when will these things be, and what will be the sign when all these things are about to be accomplished.” We need to point out here before we go any further two phrases that are going to play a significant role in this chapter.  The first is the phrase, “these things,” and the other is “those days.”  These four disciples mention the phrase “these things” twice in their request to Jesus.  Mark uses the phrase “these things” in this chapter to refer specifically to the destruction of the temple and the destruction of Jerusalem.  When the disciples ask Jesus to tell them when “these things” would take place they were asking about the statement Jesus made about the temple being thrown down.  They wanted to know when it would happen.  But Mark also uses the phrase “these things” to refer non-specifically to the near future.  When Jesus speaks in reference to “these things” He is speaking not only specifically of the things that would happen to the temple and to Jerusalem, but to the things that would transpire in the near future.  Later we’ll see Jesus use the phrase “in those days” (verse 19) as a reference to the things we see described in verses 14 through 27.  When Jesus speaks in reference to “those days” He is speaking of the things that would transpire in the distant future.  It will be important to make that distinction over the next two weeks if we are going to rightly understand the text and rightly understand what Jesus is exhorting us to presently and in the future.

Beginning in verse 5 Jesus begins to speak to those disciples in regards to the near future and begins with an important command.  Jesus says to them, “See that no one leads you astray.”  Jesus begins with the command to be faithful.  Why do the disciples need to be faithful in the near future?  Jesus says in verse 6 that there will be many false teachers who will come in the near future proclaiming to be Christ – literally saying, “I am” (taking the very name of God in the OT).  Jesus says that these false messiahs will come and that they will lead many astray.  In addition to the false messiahs they are going to hear about wars and rumors of wars.  Now be sure you note something important – Jesus doesn’t give specifics about the wars or their rumors.  Why is that?  It’s because Jesus is guarding against speculations of the end.  Jesus isn’t trying to help His disciples identify specific events that would indicate the end.  Instead He’s pointing out events and things that should motivate His followers to anchor themselves in watchfulness and faithfulness during the present time.  Jesus’ disciples then and believers in Him in the present have tried to use these signs to speculate about end times, but that’s not what Jesus was intending to do with them.  In fact, while the signs we’ll see in verses 6 through 13 seem to indicate the end, the opposite is actually true.  Jesus says at the end of verse 7 and into verse 8, “do not be alarmed.  This must take place, but the end is not yet.”  Jesus isn’t admonishing us to speculate about the future, but rather commanding us to be faithful in the present.  Jesus continues in verse 8 speaking to some of the things that would take place in the present and near future, making reference to political unrest and natural disasters, but again emphasizing the truth that these things were not signs of the end but rather just the beginning of things to come.

In verse 9 Jesus gives His second important command.  Jesus commands the disciples, “Be on your guard.”  Jesus adds the command to be watchful.  Why did the disciples need to be watchful in the near future?  Jesus says in verse 9 that His followers would be delivered over to different authorities, some religious and some political.  Jesus understood that adversity and persecution wouldn’t be an exception for those who were believers in and followers of Him, but that adversity and persecution would be the norm.  The suffering and persecution His followers would face wouldn’t be in vain however.  The suffering and persecution they would endure before the different authorities would afford those believers with opportunities to declare their faith in Jesus.  These present and near future sufferings would not only present them with opportunities to proclaim their faith in Jesus to the local authorities, but would even cause the gospel to be spread among the nations.  For the disciples and for many of us this news seems scary.  Our natural reaction is to be anxious and to worry.  But this is where our watchfulness comes into play.  We can be watchful and faithful in these times because of the indwelling presence of the Holy Spirit.  Jesus tells His disciples that there is no reason for them to be anxious beforehand because when the time comes and they find themselves in those situations, the Holy Spirit will impress upon them what they are to say.  In the present and near future the strongest of relationships will be compromised, even among believers.  But Jesus calls His disciples and He calls us to endure the adversity and to be both faithful and watchful.  Consider the words of James Edwards, “Believers are not expected to do what they cannot do (i.e. to prevail over all adversities), but to do the one thing they can do in every crisis – to endure and be steadfast . . . The life of faith is not an exemption from adversity but a reliance on the promise of God to bear witness to the gospel in adversity, and to be saved for eternal life through it.”

Where do we find ourselves today?  I’m going to argue from the next set of verses that we have not seen the signs that we would indicate that we are in “those days.”  And if we are not in “those days,” then we must still be experiencing the present and near future – the “these things” if you will.  So what is our calling?  Are we to be using these texts to speculate just where we are on God’s time table?  Are we to use these texts to try to determine just how close we are to “those days?”  No.  Our calling is to be faithful and watchful and to live in present obedience to Him.  Adversity and persecution lie before us.  But those truths aren’t revealed to us to drive us to speculation or to cause us to be anxious.  These texts and truths are revealed to us so that we will anchor ourselves in the hope of Christ and the promise of the Holy Spirit.  Jesus has made it clear that hard times are before us, we may be betrayed by some of those closest to us just as Jesus was betrayed by one of the twelve who were to be His closest friends.  We may be handed over to rulers and authorities to be persecuted just as Jesus was handed over to rulers and authorities to be persecuted.  So you and I need to be watchful and we need to be ready, and just as Christ was obedient to the Father and faithful through His trials, we need to be as well.

While we don’t see the phrase in verse 14, it is in these verses that Jesus transitions to an explanation of things that will occur in the distant future – “in those days.”  Allow me to preface verse 14 by saying that verse 14 has been one of the most difficult verses for scholars to understand.  Jesus begins by telling His disciples that one of the things that will mark the beginning of “those days” is when they see “the abomination of desolation standing where he ought not to be.”  Jesus doesn’t specify what exactly that will be, but Mark doesn’t lessen the importance of what Jesus says as he adds his own comment after Jesus’ “let the reader understand.”  While we could spend a lot of time speculating about who or what this will be and where it will be standing, what seems to be the most likely is that the abomination of desolation refers to ‘the man of lawlessness’ who Paul writes about in 2 Thessalonians 2:3-4.  Paul says, “Let no one deceive you in any way.  For that day will not come, unless the rebellion comes first, and the man of lawlessness is revealed, the son of destruction, who opposes and exalts himself against every so-called god or object of worship, so that he takes his seat in the temple of God, proclaiming himself to be God.”  Jesus foresaw, as did others in both the OT and the NT, the Antichrist who is to come in extraordinary power and might, one who performs extraordinary signs at which the world will marvel, and who will usher in a time of terrible persecution among believers.  Jesus doesn’t go into specifics about this time of great tribulation, but does warn those who will be present.  The tribulation towards believers will be so severe and so great that they ought to flee immediately when they see this.  Especially those believers who reside in Judea Jesus says.  They shouldn’t take the time to gather their belongings or to return home if they are away.  Jesus says to those individuals flee immediately. 

At the end of verse 17 and the beginning of verse 19 Jesus uses the phrase “in those days.”  That’s the evidence that Jesus has shifted from talking about the things that would happen in the distant future, as opposed to the things that would be ushered in shortly after His death, burial, and resurrection.  Verse 19 continues to talk about the severity of the coming tribulation, proclaiming that it will be greater than anything that has yet taken place in God’s creation.  But because of God’s grace, love, and mercy towards those who have trusted in Jesus as Lord and Savior, verse 20 says that God will shorten those days.  And this is where the hope lies for those who are believers in Christ and find themselves in the middle of ‘those days.’  While they are persevering in watchfulness and faithfulness in the middle of great adversity and persecution God will step in and rescue those believers.  More on that in just a few verses.  Jesus continues in verse 22 by declaring that false messiahs and false prophets will continue to be a reality in ‘those days’ and that they will even be able to perform great signs and wonders that will help lead many astray (including believers).  But Jesus gives the reminder in verse 23, “But be on guard.”  While these false messiahs are performing great signs and wonders, there is only one that Jesus’ followers need to be looking for.  Jesus doesn’t tell His followers that He is going to return, inhabiting the earth, and performing signs and wonders.  Jesus says that at some point in ‘those days’ (vs. 24) after this great time of tribulation has begun, that it’s going to get really dark.  The text hints that it will be like the time of creation prior to God’s creation of the sun, moon, and stars.  Jesus says, “the sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give its light, and the stars will be falling from heaven . . .”  In the great and utter darkness, Jesus says ‘then!’  “Then they will see the Son of Man coming in the clouds, with great power and glory.”  Think briefly about Saul’s (Paul’s) encounter with Jesus on the road to Damascus in Acts 9.  Saul’s encounter with the resurrected Christ was characterized partly by a brilliant light from heaven (vs. 3).  And earlier in Mark’s gospel, in chapter 9, we saw Jesus on the Mount of Transfiguration.  In verses 2 and 3 Mark describes how Jesus was transfigured before Peter, James, and John and how His clothes became radiant.  Now imagine the earth – the sky intensely dark because no sun, moon, or stars are shining.  Then bursting forth from the intense darkness is going to be a brilliant and radiant light – Jesus coming in great power and glory.  This draws our attention back to what Jesus was describing in verses 20 through 22.  God, because of His great love for those who have trusted in Jesus is going to cut short the days of the tribulation and He is going to do that by sending His Son, Jesus, back to earth.  And when Jesus comes, He isn’t going to come inhabiting the earth and performing signs and wonders.  He is going to come in the clouds with great power and glory.  And then, according to verse 27, Jesus is going to send out the angels to “gather His elect” from all over the earth and to take them to be with Him.  This is what will play out in ‘those days’ according to Jesus.  He calls His disciples to be watchful and faithful and to continue to live in obedience to Him.  While ‘those days’ will be filled with persecution and adversity unlike any the world has ever experienced, the command to His disciples isn’t to speculate and to try to discern will the end will be.  The command is to continue in faithfulness with the hope that while the times are excruciatingly tough, Jesus is going to come in power and glory and rescue His elect from the tribulation to be with Him. 

If Jesus didn’t intend for us to speculate about the end, why did the disciples and why has the church throughout the ages sought for infallible evidence for the end?  It’s probably because “certain knowledge relieves us of the responsibilities of waiting and watching” (J. Edwards).  This is why men like Harold Camping spend countless hours, days, and sometimes even years trying to determine when the end will come.  But Jesus doesn’t call us to speculation.  He calls us to watchful and faithful discipleship.  What did we say last week was a huge part of our discipleship?  Living out what Jesus said were the greatest commandments – to love the Lord our God with all of our heart, soul, mind, and strength and to love our neighbors as ourselves.  Which are we pouring ourselves into more, fulfilling the greatest commandment or trying to determine when Jesus will return?  One is far more important and has a far greater impact.  And while we see the impact men like Harold Camping have on our nation for a short amount of time, it’s the eternal impact that the faithful disciples of Christ are having on others when they are loving God with all their heart, soul, mind, and strength, and loving their neighbors that really counts.  This is what Jesus exhorts and admonishes us to.

Small Group Questions for Discussion

1. Read Mark 13:1-13.  As we examined these verses we emphasized Jesus' commands to be both faithful and watchful in the present and near future.  If we see signs like false messiahs, political unrest, and natural disasters and believe that they are evidence for the end, what tends to be our response in regards to our discipleship.  Think about the runners in a race - what do they do after they have crossed the finished line?  Is there a danger that we could do this in our discipleship if we believe we have reached the end?  But if Jesus says that this is not the end, then how should we continue to live and 'run' for Jesus? 

2. Read Mark 13:14-27  As we examined these verses we emphasized Jesus' commands to be both faithful and watchful in the distant future.  When we find ourselves in the midst of great persecution and adversity, who do we usually focus our attention on?  What do you imagine would become some of our greatest concerns?  What happens to our discipleship when we become solely focused on ourselves?  How does this mesh with what Jesus said were the greatest commandments in the last section of our text.  If we will be focused on watchfulness and faithfulness in these days, how will we live differently?  

3. What step of faith does this passage of Scripture require us to take as individuals and as a small group?  How do we work this out on mission?