Sermon Central
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Signs Of The End Of The Age, Part 2 Series
Contributed by T.j. Conwell on Sep 28, 2014 (message contributor)
Summary: Mark 13 ends with 3 important principles to live by: 1) We can have total confidence in the certainty of God’s Word; 2) we are commissioned by God to preach and to teach His Word to all; and 3) we are to live life consciously and not complacently.
Signs of the End of the Age, Part 2
- Jesus is demonstrated in this book as a “servant”
- Jesus’ teachings, while difficult for some to deal with, are always timely
- We are looking at Jesus’ final teachings to His disciples
-- His teaching is clear, concise, and means exactly what it says
-- Consider this: It means exactly what the Holy Spirit confirms to us it means
- Therefore, we need to be wise when we repeat them, and wiser still in hearing
-- APP: When we hear nonsense, the Spirit moves in our heart, we should know it
-- This is at the core of learning to live for Christ: knowing what He taught us
- On Wed night we saw LOTS of information with a huge emphasis on one thing
-- PREPARATION! We need to be prepared and to pay attention!
-- There is a coming day where Jesus will return, and today we will see that
- Lots to cover … please pray for me to deliver it well to us today!
- Read Mark 13:24-27
∆ Point 1 – The King is Coming (24-27)
- Many people often wondered why Jesus emphasized to us such gloom and doom
-- His words can be taken to mean something bad, but actually its encouragement
- His desire was always to provide us with HOPE; a powerful weapon today
-- Hope is what the enemy desires us to not have, it’s why he fights so hard
-- IMP: If we have hope, we have something before us to focus on
-- It is when there is no hope … we experience despair, misery, and loneliness
-- This is the M.O. of Satan; to keep us down and living in wallow
- So, (v24) in “those days” (the final days) there will be terrible times for all
-- The sun will be darkened, the moon will be dark, and even the stars will fall
-- Jesus described for them the Tribulation in one sentence (quotes Isa 31:10)
-- APP: There will be no HOPE for those who experience this time
- However … (v26) the Earth will see a great sign of celestial magnitude appear
-- The return of Jesus will not just be seen by a few, but by ALL who are alive
- It’s important to understand here, this is NOT the rapture of the church described
-- In Mark’s Gospel, Jesus does not speak of the rapture as Matthew recorded it
-- Matt 24:40-42, “Two men will be in the field; one will be taken and the other left. Two women will be grinding with a hand mill; one will be taken and the other left.
- The “why” Mark did not write this down is not focus here (Peter dictated this)
-- What is the focus are the words Jesus uses to describe this time of hopelessness
-- During the great Tribulation, there will be no hope … but God is still good!
- In v27 we see the collection of all those who belong to Christ at once
-- Gather the elect … those who are His and who call Him Lord (who live for Him)
-- From the four winds … From every location remaining on the Earth
-- To the ends of the Heavens … Including all those in Heaven with Him
-- APP: Even in the final days God will send His Son to redeem those who are His
- Contrast this to v24 (hopelessness) and we SEE how good God really is!
- TRANS: There will be a celebration of all who endured for Jesus Christ!
-- Truly, the King is coming … this is a promise we can stand on for eternity
- Read Mark 13:28-31
∆ Point 2 – Signs of the Time (28-31)
- Jesus then teaches the Disciples a parable using (again) a fig tree
-- What is incredible here is during the worst of time, Jesus installs hope for all
-- This parable is given to show us how we can still have HOPE if we trust in Him
- In Palestine, trees are usually green all year … except the fig tree (v28-29)
-- The fig tree would shed its leaves in fall as the weather turns colder for them
-- The appearance of leaves in the spring would indicate summer is coming
-- It is when the fig tree would produce fruit; APP: something better is coming
- Even in the face of persecution you WILL face, something else is coming (v30)
-- Jesus wanted to ensure the Disciples knew that during hard times, it would OK
-- There is a hope and a promise from waiting and being faithful
