Life will not be easy. Conflicts will occur. But God remains in power, and He rules over all.
This year, however, I noticed how much things have changed. For Halloween, my neighborhood was completely transformed. One family created a death pond in their front yard. They had a child’s pool full of blood, with lily pads, duck skeletons, and a bony flamingo. Another family made their front yard a cemetery, complete with a half-open coffin and a larger-than-life watchdog made of bones. Spiderwebs descended from chimneys to the lawns and trees where people will eventually decorate for Christmas but were adorned with skulls on the branches and orange and purple lights.
Walking through the neighborhood at Halloween was odd. Almost overnight, family homes became houses of death and peaceful front yards became places of horror.
I imagine something similar happened for the disciples in our text. Jesus was walking with His disciples out of the Temple in Jerusalem. They had been to the Temple before. They were accustomed to its size and its beauty, but something about it on this day struck a chord. Perhaps it was the way the massive white stones and the gold plating shimmered in the sun. They saw the Temple in all of its visual splendor. So, they said to Jesus, “What wonderful stones... what wonderful buildings” (13:1). And Jesus responded with an eye-opening, destructive, apocalyptic vision.
Familiar spaces suddenly became frightening. The holy place became horrifying. And the disciples listened closely as Jesus overturned their world.
“There will not be left here one stone upon another,” Jesus said. All will be thrown down. I am sure the disciples were subdued as they walked from Jerusalem to the Mount of Olives. The place they had just been in, the dwelling place of God, would be destroyed.
Once they arrived at the Mount of Olives, the city was in full view. Here, Jesus sat down and began to flesh out His horrifying vision. There would be spiritual chaos. False “saviors” would appear and lead people astray. There would be political chaos. Nations would be in conflict and kingdoms would be overthrown. There would be ecological chaos. Earthquakes and famines would ravage the land. There would be personal chaos. Places of worship would become places of beatings and families would turn on each other, delivering their own relatives to death.
Christ’s words are still shocking today. If you think discipleship will be a quiet, personal walk with Jesus, you are wrong. Discipleship is a battle to the point of death.
Discipleship is a battle to the point of death.But God does not leave us alone. Though the landscape around us is charred, relationships are shattered, and discipleship is difficult in the world, Jesus offers small words of hope.
Notice how throughout the apocalyptic vision, Jesus has small moments of encouragement. “See that no one leads you astray” (13:5). “Do not be alarmed” (13:7). “Be on your guard” (13:9). “Do not be anxious... it is not you who speaks, but the Holy Spirit” (13:11). “The one who endures to the end will be saved” (13:13).
Though the world is full of horrifying images, God still reigns. The wars, the earthquakes, the famines, the false prophets, the beatings, the persecutions, the trials, and the family betrayals; God knows all of these things. This is not a surprise. And the God who knows about these things has also prepared you for them. Not only has He prepared you for them, but He has triumphed over them. The resurrection of Jesus was not an event which only happened for Him. It happened for all. In rising from the dead, Jesus conquered death and Satan and all of his forces and powers. There is no spiritual power and no earthly force that can overcome Him. He rules over all. Not only has Jesus borne the punishment of sin, but He has also defeated every spiritual power and every earthly force that could assail us.
Life will not be easy. Conflicts will occur. But God remains in power, and He rules over all.
A friend of mine recently fell and fractured her hip in four places. She went through an unexpected ordeal of surgery and is now in recovery. What was unexpected for her (a metal rod surgically inserted into her hip and months of physical therapy) was not unexpected for the doctors, nurses, and physical therapists. Though this was all new to my friend, it was the way of healing for the medical professionals.
When discipleship becomes rough, when family arguments break out over matters of faith, when the national landscape is full of landmines for Christians, and when churches themselves are torn apart, our Lord knows the way of healing. Such difficulties are not new to Him. He has already seen them coming. Turn your attention to Him.
Rather than look to your lives, look to Jesus. Rather than fight to protect yourself, fly to your great protector: Jesus. The One who stretched out His arms on the cross has given all who are weak or suffering a place in His powerful embrace. Jesus died to forgive you your sins and Jesus rose to rule over all of creation... for you. Nothing happens that He was not already aware of and there is nothing which can ever happen that will separate you from His love.
Yes, there are times when the landscape is frightening. Walk on. The One who created the heavens and the earth is ruling over all for you. “Do not be alarmed... Do not be anxious... Do not be dismayed.” The One who rules over all things cares for you.
--------
Additional Resources:
Craft of Preaching-Check out out 1517’s resources on Mark 13:1-13.
Concordia Theology-Various helps from Concordia Seminary in St. Louis, MO to assist you in preaching Mark 13:1-13.
Text Week-A treasury of resources from various traditions to help you preach Mark 13:1-13.
Lectionary Kick-Start-Check out this fantastic podcast from Craft of Preaching authors Peter Nafzger and David Schmitt as they dig into the texts for this Sunday!
Lectionary Podcast-Dr. Arthur Just of Concordia Theological Seminary in Ft. Wayne, IN walks us through Mark 13:1-13.
More from 1517
