Signs of Life

Mark 13:1-8

Transcript

The things that are to come. When can we expect this life in this world that seems to be spinning out of control or chaotic, or seems to death seems to be ensuing everywhere around us? When will all this come to an end? How can we come to expect Jesus to return as king and fully establish his kingdom on earth, making a new heavens and a new earth that we get to enjoy for the rest of our lives? Every time I find myself with that question posed by people like, hey, can we study revelation?
There's something that people often use in their language, and this is something that we're going to learn today. It is my hope that by the time you leave, you're going to understand how it is that Jesus teaches us to understand and view the events that happen in the world and what it is that we ought to be looking for for his return? Everybody often does a negative approach to the end times. Jesus teaches a very opposite approach. We are to look for signs of life.
And so today I'm going to spend a lot of time really fleshing this out. But before we can dive into this gospel lesson, I actually need to go back a chapter and fill you in on something we have not yet looked at. It's a parable that Jesus teaches in the temple. You remember, we've been looking at his interactions with the temple leaders and all the confrontations that's taken place. Jesus cleansing the temple by flipping over tables.
But he also teaches in the temple a parable that's really confronting the leadership in the temple itself. In this parable, Jesus says that there is this man. He goes and purchases a vineyard, he digs it out, puts wine vats in it, he plants hedges of protection and installs a tower in the midst of this vineyard. Then, before he goes off on a journey, he finds some vine growers, some tenants that he rents out this vineyard to, and then he goes on his journey. Well, when harvest time comes, the owner wants to get some of his produce from his vineyard.
And so he sends one of his servants to go to this vineyard. Tendons that are renting this vineyard out to get some of the proceeds from the har. The harvest. But what do they do with his servant, these vine growers, these tenants of the vineyard? Beat and kill his servant.
So he sends another, they beat and kill him, and so he sends another, and they beat and killed him. So the owner thinks, well, surely they'll respect the heir of the vineyard, my son. And so the owner sends his son into the vineyard, and what do they do with his son? They identify the Fact that this is the heir of the vineyard. If we kill him, then we might be able to get the vineyard.
And so that closes the parable. But Jesus ends this parable with a question. What should the owner do with these tenants? And Jesus reveals this and says this. Have you not read the Scriptures?
Jesus says, the stone that the builders rejected, this became the chief cornerstone. This came about from the Lord. And it is marvelous in their eyes. The lesson of the parable is about really what is going to take place with the temple and its leadership. That they have been renting out this thing that God himself has built.
And they have corrupted it, they have ruined it, and they have mistreated the very son that has come to receive his inheritance. They beat him and they crucify him. And his name is Jesus. But Jesus reveals something. Jesus says, this stone that they've rejected, that they've killed, is actually going to implant itself and be resurrected in a new community.
A new covenant, a new temple is going to be erected off of this stone, this chief cornerstone. And this stone comes from the Lord. And this is the beauty of how Mark writes his gospel, because he says, and it's marvelous in their eyes. So now let's get back to Mark, chapter 13. This whole episode they're coming out of Jesus and his disciples are coming out of the temple.
And his disciples are saying, look at these marvelous buildings. Look at these marvelous stones. The temple back in their day was a sight to behold. It was a beautiful thing. And Jesus uses that moment to say, you find that marvelous?
There is something that's going to be erected that's even more marvelous. A new temple that will host a new guard, a new person to tend the vineyard. And that's going to be me. And he tells them of the impeding destruction of the temple. Everything that the Jews centered their lives on was the temple.
Their whole organization of religion was the temple. Their leaders were the ones that they followed their instruction. And they thought this is what brings the presence of God into their community, was the temple. Jesus reveals that it's going to be destroyed, that there will not be one stone left upon another. That this temple, and as we've been talking about, this old wine is being cast out, is being destroyed, so that new life, new community and a new temple will be resurrected.
And we further know this because In John chapter 2, Jesus reveals to everybody. He says, you destroy this temple, and in three days it will raise again. And so as they're coming out of the temple, Jesus sits in the mountain of olives and Mark says opposite of the temple in order for the reader to understand that Jesus is in opposition to what is claimed to be marvelous as the temple. Jesus will become the new temple. He sits in opposition to everything that this is about.
And he's beginning to do something new. And the disciples take this moment to ask him two questions. And we're going to unfold these two questions, because in these two questions you're going to find how it is that we need to understand what happens when the temple is destroyed and what happens when these wars and these kingdoms and these divisions that we find in the world, even in our present life, how we are to see those and understand those. And then we learn from Jesus how these things will be fulfilled, what will bring the end, what will bring things to its completion when Jesus returns to establish his kingdom forever. How can we anticipate that?
And that's the two questions the disciples ask. The first question is, when will these things take place? Referring to the destruction of the temple that Jesus just revealed to them. But then their second question is, what sign or what miracle is going to attest that the things are drawing to an end? That time of fulfillment, that moment when all of this bad stuff is going to come to an end.
And that's where we find ourselves. Jesus begins in verses five and six to tell them. He says, he began to say to them. He said, see to it that nobody misleads you. There are going to be people claiming to be the Messiah and are going to mislead a bunch of people, but you don't pay attention to them.
You stay alert, you stay discerning. They're going to say that they are me, but they're not me. And then in verse seven and eight, they talk about, you're going to hear wars and rumors of wars, but don't be frightened by this, that those things must take place. But that is not yet the end. For nation will rise up against nation and kingdom against kingdom.
There will be earthquakes in various places. There will also be famines. These things are merely the beginning of birth pains. Now we have, because we're on this side of the destruction of the temple. We know what takes place.
We know what happens in 70 AD when the temple is destroyed. Thirty years after Jesus tells the disciples that the temple is going to be destroyed, it comes into fruition. And what happens is very interesting. You know, the Romans and the Jews, they work together to kill Jesus, right? We all know that.
But what happens after the fact is that the Roman Empire continues to grow. And remember me mentioning that the temple has become the national bank of the Jewish people because of all their massive treasure. Well, guess who wants a part of that treasure in the temple? The Romans do. And there's this prefect named Gessius who comes in AD 64 and he says, I want some of that treasury.
And so now the Jewish people are in revolt against the Roman Empire. And this is what ensues to be the great Jewish revolt against the Romans. Now the people that they were colluding with are the very enemies that they seek to destroy. And so the Jews gathered themselves up and began to advance against the Roman Empire. Well, it doesn't work out well for them.
Vespian, which is one of the commanders of Nero's army. Nero is the emperor of Roman of Rome. And Nero is the Roman emperor that is known to kill Christians, people who believe in Jesus. And he would set them on stakes like tiki torches at his garden parties. And they would walk as they go into dinner with dead Christians on fire, on sticks, on spears.
That's Nero for you. And so his commander of the army, Vespian, he is the one that pushes the Jewish revolt back into and confines it to within the walls of Jerusalem itself. But at this time, both the Jews and the Romans have things happening on in their camp. The Jews begin to revolt against each other. The zealots and the moderates begin to have conflict.
Internal conflict happens among the Jews and at the same time the Roman Emperor has died. And they exchange five different emperors in two year time. Finally, the commander of the Roman army, Vespian, becomes the emperor of Rome. And he wants to finish what he started. And his son Titus does this.
They push the Jews all the way back into the city walls of Jerusalem. And as they were held up behind these city walls, big battering rams were punching at the walls, creating what sounded like what Josephus, the Jewish historian Josephus says was massive earthquakes. And the walls began to crumble and fall down, pushing the Jewish people back closer to their temple. But before they retreat back to the temple, the Zealots light fires at the base of the walls, thinking that, well, if the Romans break these walls down, they're going to be burned up. But the fire gets out of hand.
And Titus didn't want the temple to be burned down because they were going to refurbish the temple so they can worship the emperor his death. But the fire consumes the temple. The whole city is laid waste. And Josephus, that Jewish historian, says when people came at this time looking for Jerusalem, the city of Jerusalem, they would Come upon it and only see smoke and stumps and still think the city was yet beyond. That's what happens.
And 70 A.D. this is what Jesus says. You're going to hear rumors of words. You're going to have emperors who claim to be the Messiah. You're going to have kingdom against kingdom.
And the skies are going to be blackened out by all the smoke and the fires, and it's going to be dark days. And later on in Mark 13, he's telling people that they're going to flee to the mountains. And that's exactly what happens. With the destruction of the temple in 70 AD, the Jewish people had no home, so they fled to the mountains. They dispersed to live like their ancestors did in exile.
That's what becomes of the Jewish people. But why that's all taking place? Do you know that there's another kingdom that was actually growing in the shadows of all of that? It was the kingdom of Christ because Christians were spreading the good news of what Christ had done. And the church has already been conceived, right?
And the church is growing at this time during a time when everything seems to have unrest. And that's what's going on. But what's interesting is that though Jesus tells his disciples that these things are going to take place, and it takes place 30 years within their lifetime, confirming that everything that Jesus said to them was true. What's interesting is that Jesus lets them know, don't look for signs of death and destruction as signs of bringing the end, for the end is not to come. But those things, those signs of destruction have to take place.
And those are simply birth pains. You know, when somebody is giving birth to life, it comes through pain. It comes through a lot of suffering. And that is the way that Jesus is teaching the ways of the world. A concept you all, we all, not you all, but we all need to understand is that when we look and hear of wars and rumors of wars and divisions among families and kingdoms and all those other things, and those are really dire and unfortunate circumstances, Jesus teaches us that we don't look for those things that dictate and tell us that the end is coming near.
Those things are only meant to show you that everything has to pass away so that the newness of life can come into fruition. This is how Jesus himself demonstrates with his own life. I'm giving up my life and I'm going to be raised again. You all, all those who believe in me have to give up your life. You have to die to yourself to receive the newness of life.
The world that is passing away. In order for the new heavens and the new earth to be reborn or to come into existence, the old has to pass away. And there's this process throughout all history, through every generation, including our present one. Things have to die, things have to be destroyed so that what is built upon the chief cornerstone can be resurrected and erected. A new community of believers.
This is what has to happen. I find that one of the best ways to illustrate this comes from CS Lewis book, the Voyage of the Dawn Treader. You can watch it on Disney. It's a great movie, but here's this little boy named Eustace. Eustace is kind of a selfish little boy and he's really greedy.
And as they're journeying on this ship, they come to this island where Eustace goes off and he finds this cave filled with treasure. Well, it's a dragon lair and the it is filled with a bunch of gold. And Eustace becomes selfish and he finds this bracelet of gold and he puts it on himself and begins to fall asleep. As he sleeps and then wakes up, he discovers that he his dragonish heart that is greedy for the love of gold. He becomes a dragon himself.
And surprised at this notion later, Aslan, the great lion, comes and confronts Eustace. And Eustace doesn't want to be a dragon. He wants to be a boy again. But he can't rip off these dragon scales. They're so deep.
His skin is like dragon scales, and it's so thick and so deep that as he pulls off his own scales to get rid of this dragon skin, he finds he can't do it. And so Aslan takes him to a clear water, the type of water where Eustace says, man, it's so clean, it feels like all my pain will be washed away if I can just plunge down deep into it. But Aslan says, no, you first have to undress from these dragon scales. And Eustace says, I can't do it. And Aslan, the great lion, says, I'm going to have to undress you, but it's going to hurt.
You're going to have to destroy this outer shell in order to be reborn. So Eustace, very scared of the claws that he sees Aslan bearing, lays on his back. And Aslan goes in and with his mighty claws, rips and pierced Eustace so deep that he says he could feel it in his heart. And he tears off these scales. He says it hurts, but yet there is a joy to it, knowing that I saw these dragon Scales finally coming off, and Aslan rips everything off, and he is a new little boy again.
And then Aslan pushes him into the water, and Eustace says, it hurt for but a second, but then I found myself swimming around in it. And from that moment on, Eustace learned a valuable lesson. He wasn't selfish or greedy anymore. Sure, every once in a while his greed and selfishness would pop up, but it changed him. That's the process the world and all of us are going to go through.
There is a death that leads to life that this world goes through. I know we just went through a political change, and everybody was talking about the wars in Israel and in the near east or the Far east and all these other places around the world and how famines are over here. And man, this is like, I hope this person doesn't rise to power because things will be devastating. All these things must happen because the world is passing away. But there's good news.
There's good news. Those are simply birth pains. We're to understand that there is life that's being produced in the midst of decay, destruction, and death. That's the process, and that's what Jesus points them to. Jesus says, don't look for the end to come by all these drastic means.
Don't say like, oh, is this guy the Antichrist? And, well, he's in the Middle east, and this must mean the end is coming. Jesus says, those aren't the signs of me coming and returning. Those are the birth pains. Instead of looking at signs of death and decay and destruction, you look for signs of life.
The signs of life are what will dictate when I return. And just to further convince you, let's use Scripture. Let me walk you through this mark, chapter 13, just to prove to you that we need to be transformed in the way we view the world, our lives, and the things that are happening around us that we need to embrace the soberness of things are going to get bad. But that is the process of dying in order for it to be raised to the newness of life, but also the signs of life. What are the signs of life that Jesus talks about?
Well, first it begins with himself. He says, you destroy this temple, and in three days it'll rise again. Jesus own resurrection is the first sign that initiates this new life coming into the world. For before Christ's resurrection, there is no newness of life. There is only that which shadows a newness of life, if anything.
But Jesus own resurrection establishes new life that through death, it says, jesus defeated Death can only new life take place. But not only that, Jesus resurrection also grants him the authority to begin his initiation of having the new heavens and the new earth and his kingdom to come on earth as it is in heaven. For he says in Matthew 28:18, and Jesus came up and spoke to them, saying, all authority has been given to me in heaven, on earth. See, by Jesus laying his own life down and being resurrected to the newness of life and being, and sitting down at the right hand of Father, this is where he rules and reigns. And he is making the new heavens and the new earth come into fruition.
He is restoring creation and he's restoring creatures who believe in him. And he's doing so by the authority that's been given to him because he suffered under death and was raised to the newness of life. But not only is that the first sign Jesus own resurrection, but the signs of life that his people will be spreading throughout the world. Mark 13:10 reveals to us that the Gospel must first be preached to all the nations. If there is one thing that I can hope that you leave with in understanding the end times or when will Jesus return?
It's not all the antichrist mumbo jumbo that people like to talk about. It's not the wars, it's not the destruction. It's not these things that seem to be in the control of all these variable entities. It's the one thing that Jesus 100% says in his word. When the Gospel goes to the corners of the earth and everybody knows the gospel, I will return.
That's what he says. That's the sureness of his return, which is the spreading of life. The gospel is the good news. That's what Jesus says. That's the sign.
The sign isn't all that doom and gloom stuff that everybody loves to have conspiracy theories over. It's the simple fact of my people trusting and believing in my word and taking it to those who haven't heard it yet. Until the whole globe is encompassed with the gospel and has been given the gospel, then when that happens, I will come back. That's the sure thing. That's what we as the church are now commissioned to do, is usher in the return of Christ by having a fervor and an intensity of giving the gospel to our families, to our friends, to across the seas, to every county, to every country that we can.
As fast as we want Jesus to come back. That's what we have been mandated to do. And he says this, and he confirms this in Mark 13:27. And then he will send forth his angels. That's his messengers.
I think that's a better translation than angels, because a lot of people get confused about that. But angel literally means in the Greek messenger. And then he will send forth the messengers, and they will gather together his elect from the four winds, from the furthest end of the earth, and from the furthest end of heaven. That's when Jesus will come back. But the third sign is that the world must be destroyed and be reborn.
The third sign is the fact that things are being remade through Jesus Christ. This is the understanding that our current present creation, our world that we live in and that exists, isn't just going to be when Jesus returned, done away with, thrown in the trash, never to be seen again. What Jesus has already begun to do is he is taking this creation and he's renewing it. He's making it new. He's restoring it back to even its greater glory before the foundations of the earth.
That's what Jesus is doing. It's not being annihilated, it's being restored. It's being reclaimed by Jesus himself. And this is evident in his own body. When Jesus was resurrected, he wasn't given a new body, but the body that he had was glorified.
This world is going to be glorified by the power and the authority of Jesus Christ. You are going to have the same body, but yet glorified. Your old body isn't done away with, but your body and your soul reunite at the return of Christ, and it will be glorified once again. You will look the way you look, only better. That's what's happening.
That's a sign of life. And lastly, Jesus points out in a parable about the fig tree that you need to continue to look for signs of life, not signs of destruction and despair for my return. He says this in Mark 13, 28 and 29. Now learn the parable from the fig tree. When its branches have already become tender and puts forth its leaves, you know that summer is near, even so.
So all that signs of life, right? The fig tree is blooming, even so, you too, when you see things happening, recognize that he is near, right at the door. All that to say is that if you really are interested in the return of Christ, and when will it be? When can I come to expect it? Look for the signs of life that are happening.
Do you know where the places are in the world that have yet to receive the Gospel? Do you know of people in your own area of influence that do not have the Gospel? Or do not know anything about what Jesus has done for them. If you would like Jesus to return because you don't like how things are looking or doing in this present world and in your life, start sharing the gospel because that is a sure sign of life that will usher in Christ's return. And just to further demonstrate this, let me carry forward another historical example that happens with Rome.
I just shared with you what happens at the destruction of the temple and this conflict that the Roman Empire seemed to have and almost seems daunting. Man, the Roman Empire is so massive, so cruel, so big. How can it ever be defeated? How could it ever be reclaimed? Well it gets reclaimed by the third century.
There's a Roman emperor named Constantine who meets Jesus by way of the Gospel. And Rome becomes the first Christian nation and empire. And that is what ignites all of Christendom. The first church, massive church building in Rome gets erected under Emperor Constantine. And you know how that came to play?
It came to play by those who believed and trusted in Jesus at His word, sharing the Gospel on the streets with one another, Met, assembled, broke bread together, fellowshiped together, cling to the apostles teachings and that though they were persecuted quite often, quite frequently, sickness nor death could stymie the kingdom of God from moving forward. It almost seemed that the more death that happened among the Christians, the greater it grew. Further proving the point that things the process of undergoing death so that you can receive new life is the process that all of us must take. And so we don't need to despair when we see bad things happen. We don't need to despair, but we can trust that God is Jesus is in full control, that he's making his enemies his footstool and that he's going to return when the good news that is spread by all his people who believe in him goes to the end of the earth.
And then he'll come back and he'll gather to himself all those who believe and he will drape over the creation, the new heavens and the new earth. And we will be able to for all eternity exist in the presence of God. We all bearing glorified bodies will be able to worship and fellowship and enjoy God's creation as he intended originally. And all this without sin, all this without any tears shed, but utter and complete overwhelming joy for God and Jesus the lover of your soul. That's what we need to learn.
And lastly I'm going to say this. So what does all this mean? Why? I mean it's very deep, it's very telling. Mark 13 is a great place to start and unto understanding end times.
It's a great place to start. In an introduction to the return of the King. So what do we do in the meantime? Well, one is obviously spreading the gospel. What are some other things that we need to be vigilant in for the return of the King?
And this is what Jesus says. He litters mark chapter 13 with various things he's telling the disciples to do. He says, don't be distracted. The first point, right in verse five, he says, see to it that no one misleads you. Well, how can you not be misled?
Do you know this word? Because this is the truth. Are you doing everything you can to get this in you so that you won't be misled by any philosophies out in the world that might come and take you and steal your mind away from Christ? He says in Mark 13:31, heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will not pass away. Are you clinging to the things that will always remain?
This is why I spoke to you guys last week. The initiative that I want for this next year has to be centered on this. Every person, not just showing up for worshiping Jesus. That's our primary thing, that why we're gathering, our secondary needs to be. There needs to be another point in time where you're diving into God's word with one another.
This being taught, this being preached, and this being proclaimed to each and every one of us has to be what is most important in this community of believers, because this is how we're not misled. This is how we can exercise discernment against those things that would seek to lead us astray. But not only that, don't be distracted, Jesus says, but also be courageous. In the midst of your life turning into shambles, of being destroyed, of experiencing a lot of despair, your governments, your communities, all those things are going to happen. And they need to happen because this world is dying and I'm bringing in a new one.
But why those things are happening? You be courageous. Don't give way to doubt or fear, but endure. Because if you can endure the trials and the tribulations of this life, on the other end of it, salvation and newness of life endure. If anything, Jesus has given his disciples and by way of his disciples, the church, the keys to understand how you view the world and the events that transpire.
He says, you guys know what's going on. I've revealed it to you. Be courageous with it. Don't cower in fear. Be overwhelmed by anxiety.
I'm in control. Death is necessary so that new life can be brought in. I got this. Trust in me and you. Be courageous.
If your life has to be forfeit because you're being persecuted for my name's sake in advancing that gospel that will bring my return back as King, don't be fearful. Know that the moment that they take your life, you have it forever because I'll give it to you. Be courageous, he says. And Jesus told them to. And Jesus reveals that he told all this in advance.
He says in Mark 13:23, he says, but take heed. Behold, I've told you everything in advance. This is the principle of what I just said. We have God's word. We should now be able to understand and view the world in this way, this lens that Christ has given us.
And because we have that knowledge, we have that wisdom, we are able to navigate our lives accordingly. And that's what he calls his disciples and his church to do.
Another principle is like, stop interpreting the wrong signs. Start looking for signs of life to gauge when Christ will return. Not all the other stuff like the Left behind series. Start looking for signs of life. Start looking for the blooming fig trees around the world.
Start believing that those are the things that will usher Christ's return.
And lastly, everything and everyone will go through this process of death and resurrection as the new heavens and the new earth come to fruition. And that's the answer to the question, that second question that is posed by the disciples. It's like, how do we know when these things will be brought to an end? Jesus says, look for the signs of life, and that's what we need to be doing. We need to be vigilant.
We need to be watchful. We don't need to be fearful. We need to be discerning and we need to be active, active with sharing the Gospel. Because that is the thing that our commander in chief, the King of Kings, the Lord of Lords, is asking us to do while he is on a journey. See that vineyard that he told about, he says is going to be given to somebody else.
The keys to the kingdom were given to Christ. And when Christ ascended to the right hand of the Father, he gave it to the church. He says, watch over my vineyard, and when I come for my harvest, I hope it's plentiful and fruitful. And I hope you all will trust me and do what I've asked you to do. So may we be a church that buys into the signs of life, who seek to interpret those things rightly, who is discerning of the events of the world and can claim Jesus as king and authority over all things.
Let's pray.
Jesus, we thank you so much that you have gone before us and you model for us what it is that the process of all that restoration about life and our lives is going to come, comes and looks like the life that you lived. That you going to your death and being raised on the third day is exactly how everything else, the process, that everything else will take place. We pray that you would embolden us with your spirit so that we can be courageous and discerning as the world spins its lies, as the world seeks to destroy itself. These things have to take place and we trust in that. But we trust more in the life that you will bring and the new heavens and the new earth.
Help us to be a church that doesn't forsake the assembling together, but assembles even more frequently, even more as the day approaches. We ask that you would have the gospel on the edge of our tongues, in the forefront of our minds, so that we can spread it famously throughout the world and usher in your return. We love you and we thank you that you have prepared us in advance for these things.