A Hard or Joyful Message?
a sermon based on Mark 13:1-8; 24-26; 32-36
by Rev. Frank Schaefer
  
Have you ever talked to a Christian brother or sister and they went on and on about how things are getting really bad; how we don’t know the worst of it.

·        that we’re really this close to a total collapse in financial markets worldwide,

·        how government will either collapse or take over every aspect of our lives;

·        how the word is getting unhinged with earthquakes, storms, and global warming getting out of control

·        how giant meteors could hit us anytime and destroy life on earth as we know it in an instant.

·        How the world’s leaders are already preparing for Armageddon and how all active Christian believers in the world are already identified and earmarked in the Pentagon’s computer system, in order to get rid of us?

I just recently talked to a brother who was going on and on about this sort of thing, and I found my mood getting gloomier and gloomier as he kept on talking. Then he looked at his wrist watch and said, “well, I better get going; that deck isn’t going to build itself.

And I was thinking: “you’re building a deck? Why would you even want to build a deck if the world’s going to end any minute now?

I don’t know about you, but whenever I find myself in a conversation like that, I find it interesting, but it also depresses me.  Maybe it’s because I am a generally positive person with a hopeful outlook and I just don’t want to go there.

Well, if you are like me, this morning’s passage reminds us that there is that aspect of Christianity that calls us to critically look at the signs of the time, to be watchful and to expect some pretty ugly things to come our way.

My favorite books in the Bible are the Gospels. Gospel literally translated means: “the good news.  I’m a good news kind of guy. Give me the good news about the love, grace, and forgiveness of God and I am a happy man.

So what is this passage from Mark 13 doing in the gospel of Mark?  Isn’t this something that should be found in the book of Revelation?  But no, it is a gloom and doom passage preached by none other than Jesus himself.

Jesus and disciples finally reach Jerusalem.  It must have been the first time Peter and the other disciples visited the big city, Peter they were totally impressed, going on and on about the beauty of the temple, it’s architecture, etc.

But no sooner did they start to express their excitement, did Jesus burst their bubble. He said: don't get hung up on the beauty of this temple (or anything made by human hand)--it's here today and gone tomorrow. In fact, this temple will be destroyed.  Prophetic words of Jesus, as this very temple was destroyed by the Romans in 70 AD following a Jewish insurrection, the subsequent siege and sacking of Jerusalem.
  
As if that wasn't bad enough, Jesus goes on to say in so many words: "expect the worst of the future. False messiahs, earthquakes, famines, wars, persecution, and the list goes on and on.

As much as I look for the positive as the eternal optimist that I am, I have to admit that things do not look rosy for our future. Part of me wants to say: oh quit it, we’ve heard it now for 2000 years, and the end-times scenario hasn't come upon us yet.

However, there are some signs other than the biblical record that indicate that we are nearing a bleak future and possible end time scenario:

a) Look at the things we people are capable of doing still; there has always been and there continues to be attempts at ethnic cleansing.  The Holocaust—perhaps the most shocking examples of that--stands as a reminder of what cruel acts human beings are capable of doing to other human beings.  Persecutions of believers have happened before and there is nothing to suggest that it couldn’t happen again.

b) Famine and wars - population explosion is irreversible and unstoppable; this planet can only feed and house so many people.

c) Natural disasters – especially the global warming seems very threatening.

d) Wars - we have the capability to destroy our planet 70 times over ( think about aggressive countries like North Korea getting nuclear weapons)

e) History shows us that humanity has never really learned. Expect more violence, wars and more destruction of our own living space.

And then, amidst all the gloom and doom in his message, here is this one little positive phrase where Jesus says in Verse 7: "when all of these things are happening, don't be alarmed..."

   
Don't be alarmed?  Don't worry about things turning ugly, chaotic and the world coming to an end?  Now, that’s almost like this brother saying: “and now I need to finish my deck.”

No, says, Jesus, these things just have to happen before the end comes.”  Ok,  Jesus, now you almost make it sound like the end of the world is a joyful event.

“Yeah, let’s break out the popcorn and watch the inferno of the world—not the movie, but the real thing!”

What end? What is Jesus talking about? The end of the world and . . . the beginning of a better world --God's Kingdom on earth. This is really what it's all about, all of these passages in the Bible that speak about the end-times. Yes they speak about disaster to come, but they also speak about this great future hope.

 ²⁶"At that time men will see the Son of Man coming in clouds with great power and glory. ²⁷And he will send his angels and gather his elect from the four winds, from the ends of the earth to the ends of the heavens.

So, then, I was right after all, there is good news even in this passage. For…

"When these terrible things happen,” Jesus says, “don't be alarmed.” How do we do that? How can we not be alarmed about these terrible things? By knowing that God is going to make things better. We hope and believe that the new world that God is ushering in will be a perfect world where God will be dwelling among us, reigning over us with a rule of justice and love. Where the lamb will lie next to the lion, where there will be peace and harmony, no more pain, no more sorrow, where God himself will wipe away our tears.

So why do we need all that gloom and doom.  In another passage, the apostle Paul suggests that the disasters and devastations can be seen as birth pains; just like the birth of a child is a very painful process; the birthing of the new, divine world order is likewise a painful process.

So then, why does Jesus tell us all these things about the birth pains, the gloom and doom?  Jesus actually tells us why; he closes this discourse with a simple message. He says: “I want you to …watch.”

Watch.  Watch out. Be aware. Take note. Don’t be blind to these things. Be ready. Don’t fall asleep.

When I got to that part of the Scripture reading, I was reminded of a sign I saw not too long ago, driving down Colebrook Road—on one of those signs people have near their mail boxes.  It read: Jesus is coming—are you ready?

I got to tell you, whenever I see signs like that they make me nervous.  I’m starting to ask myself: “am I ready? Is there still some sin I didn’t confess?  Is there something else I need to do?”

And it finally dawned on me: wait a second, why am I feeling badly about this? Shouldn’t I rejoice over this message?  I mean I want Jesus to come, I want to see him face to face, I want to see him make this world into a paradise again.  Why on earth does this question “are you ready?” make me so anxious?

I was trying to think of a good contemporary comparison to what Jesus is doing here when he says: watch, be ready!  And I think I thought of the perfect illustration:

It’s like with those flight attendants that before take-off go through the explanations of what to do in case the plane is going down. 

 

·        They tell you about the oxygen masks that will come down from the ceiling,

·        And about the inflatable life preserver under your seat

·        And about the emergency exits and where the life boats are located.

 

These people don’t mean to ruin your day or cause you anxiety or put you in a bad mood.  They want you to be prepared and ….watch.  They want to prevent a potential panic and instruct you on how to survive in case of an emergency.

Of course, nobody really listens to them, so I imagine in case of an emergency it’s like: “What did she say?”  “Where is all that stuff?”

And with my luck, the only thing I will remember is to set my seat in an upright position.  Yeah, that’s going to save my life!

Jesus is telling us about these bad things that are in our future, not because he wants us scare the hell out of us.   Jesus is giving us fair warning so that when these things do start to happen, we do not panic, we are not alarmed. So that we know what’s happening and why it’s happening.  That it’s all part of the process.  That it’s not the end, but a new beginning--really something to look forward to.  For even through all this, God is in control and good things will come out of it.  So in this good sense, be ready, become knowledgeable, watch and live. Amen.