Keep Awake

32“But about that day or hour no one knows, neither the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father. 33Beware, keep alert; for you do not know when the time will come. 34It is like a man going on a journey, when he leaves home and puts his slaves in charge, each with his work, and commands the doorkeeper to be on the watch. 35Therefore, keep awake—for you do not know when the master of the house will come, in the evening, or at midnight, or at cockcrow, or at dawn, 36or else he may find you asleep when he comes suddenly. 37And what I say to you I say to all: Keep awake.” (Mark 13:32-37, NRSV)

No one knows when the end will come except the Father, not even Jesus.

I remember in seminary in our advanced Greek Class, yes I was a nerd even in seminary, we figured out when the world would end through all of the clues given in the Bible and I actually forget when it was but we got something like 2 or 3 thousand years from now. That was just for fun, but why do we worry about this?

I mean if Jesus is coming back isn’t that better than being here?

Not that I’m ready to leave. But isn’t Jesus coming back better than anything that can happen to us here?

Just watch and be ready.

The Lesson of the Fig Tree

28“From the fig tree learn its lesson: as soon as its branch becomes tender and puts forth its leaves, you know that summer is near. 29So also, when you see these things taking place, you know that he is near, at the very gates. 30Truly I tell you, this generation will not pass away until all these things have taken place. 31Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will not pass away. (Mark 13:28-31, NRSV)

Learn from the fig tree because as soon as its branches become tender and leaves come you know it is almost summer.

So when we see the things predicted we will know the end is near…

Well, these things have happened and are still happening, and will happen again and again. Are we not understanding the signs?

And what about this generation will not pass away until these things have happened?

I think that generation is well passed away and many others since. There is something we are missing. But Jesus is still in control.

No matter how confused we are or the trouble we are in, Jesus will always be in control.

The Son of Man Comes

24“But in those days, after that suffering, the sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give its light, 25and the stars will be falling from heaven, and the powers in the heavens will be shaken. 26Then they will see ‘the Son of Man coming in clouds’ with great power and glory. 27Then he will send out the angels, and gather his elect from the four winds, from the ends of the earth to the ends of heaven. (Mark 13:24-27, NRSV)

What would you do if one day the moon didn’t give light and the sun was dark?

Well, of course, the moon wouldn’t have light if the sun was dark because the moon reflects the sun’s light. But what would you do?

It would be super scary, kind of like being told to stay inside. Right, I type this on day 5 of my self-isolation for Covid-19. This is a scary time. But this reading says when the sun is darkened, that is when we will see the Son of Man coming in the clouds. Now we will not see Jesus coming in the clouds because of Covid-19 but Jesus is still in control.

No matter how dark it gets, or how scary it is, Jesus is in control.

The Son of Man has Dominion

9As I watched, thrones were set in place, and an Ancient One took his throne, his clothing was white as snow, and the hair of his head like pure wool; his throne was fiery flames, and its wheels were burning fire. 10A stream of fire issued and flowed out from his presence. A thousand thousands served him, and ten thousand times ten thousand stood attending him. The court sat in judgment, and the books were opened. 11I watched then because of the noise of the arrogant words that the horn was speaking. And as I watched, the beast was put to death, and its body destroyed and given over to be burned with fire. 12As for the rest of the beasts, their dominion was taken away, but their lives were prolonged for a season and a time. 13As I watched in the night visions, I saw one like a human being coming with the clouds of heaven. And he came to the Ancient One and was presented before him. 14To him was given dominion and glory and kingship, that all peoples, nations, and languages should serve him. His dominion is an everlasting dominion that shall not pass away, and his kingship is one that shall never be destroyed. (Daniel 7:9-14, NRSV)

When you start reading this passage it sounds like Revelation, but it’s not.

But it is an end-time reading talking about what will happen when Jesus returns again.

The thing I take from these passages is Jesus is in control. No matter what else happens around us or to us Jesus is in control.

Have hope in the fact that Jesus is in control.

False Messiahs

21And if anyone says to you at that time, ‘Look! Here is the Messiah!’ or ‘Look! There he is!’ —do not believe it. 22False messiahs and false prophets will appear and produce signs and omens, to lead astray, if possible, the elect. 23But be alert; I have already told you everything. (Mark 13:21-23, NRSV)

You can’t believe everything you hear or read! Jesus knew this. We need to discern what we hear and read to see if it is the truth.

People will say things and do things to make their way done.

Follow God and hold tight to God and you will understand.

Jesus is known through Broken Bread

28As they came near the village to which they were going, he walked ahead as if he were going on. 29But they urged him strongly, saying, “Stay with us, because it is almost evening and the day is now nearly over.” So he went in to stay with them. 30When he was at the table with them, he took bread, blessed and broke it, and gave it to them. 31Then their eyes were opened, and they recognized him; and he vanished from their sight. 32They said to each other, “Were not our hearts burning within us while he was talking to us on the road, while he was opening the scriptures to us?” 33That same hour they got up and returned to Jerusalem; and they found the eleven and their companions gathered together. 34They were saying, “The Lord has risen indeed, and he has appeared to Simon!” 35Then they told what had happened on the road, and how he had been made known to them in the breaking of the bread. (Luke 24:28-35, NRSV)

Every time I read this passage I wonder why they didn’t know who Jesus was.

Why did they not see it when he was revealing the scriptures to them?

Why did it take Jesus breaking bread for them to see him?

But then I wonder how many times was Jesus in front of me and I didn’t know it was him?

How many times was Jesus with me trying to get me to understand something and I just didn’t see it?

We all see what we want to see. We see what our mind will let us. Sometimes we are not open to God, we need to work to always be open to the moving of the spirit and to allowing God work in and through our lives.

Standing before Governors and Kings

9“As for yourselves, beware; for they will hand you over to councils; and you will be beaten in synagogues; and you will stand before governors and kings because of me, as a testimony to them. 10And the good news must first be proclaimed to all nations. 11When they bring you to trial and hand you over, do not worry beforehand about what you are to say; but say whatever is given you at that time, for it is not you who speak, but the Holy Spirit. 12Brother will betray brother to death, and a father his child, and children will rise against parents and have them put to death; 13and you will be hated by all because of my name. But the one who endures to the end will be saved. (Mark 13:9-13, NRSV)

Have you ever been asked by someone why you believe in God?

Do you think you need to have all of the answers to every possible question ready for when someone questions your faith?

Do you think if I don’t know the answer then they will never believe in God, or they will continue to doubt that God is real?

You know what, you can’t possibly be ready for every question you will be asked. You will never have every answer. And most importantly it is not your place to make anyone believe in God. Yes, you read that correctly. You can not make anyone else believe in God. You can only tell them why you do. You can only make it plain to them why you believe. Even if they do not follow or hold to your logic. Your place is to tell of your faith, and in those moments God will give you words to speak.

So relax, God will speak through you and do the work of helping others come to believe, you just need to tell why you believe.

Hard Times to Come

14“But when you see the desolating sacrilege set up where it ought not to be (let the reader understand), then those in Judea must flee to the mountains; 15the one on the housetop must not go down or enter the house to take anything away; 16the one in the field must not turn back to get a coat. 17Woe to those who are pregnant and to those who are nursing infants in those days! 18Pray that it may not be in winter. 19For in those days there will be suffering, such as has not been from the beginning of the creation that God created until now, no, and never will be. 20And if the Lord had not cut short those days, no one would be saved; but for the sake of the elect, whom he chose, he has cut short those days. (Mark 13:14-20, NRSV)

Hard times will come. God never said that being a believer and following after Jesus would make your life easy and without hardship. In fact, several times in the scriptures Jesus says that people will persecute you because of your relationship with Jesus.

So have faith and hold on. The road might be bumpy but it will be the ride of your life.

Wars and Rumors of Wars

As he came out of the temple, one of his disciples said to him, “Look, Teacher, what large stones and what large buildings!” 2Then Jesus asked him, “Do you see these great buildings? Not one stone will be left here upon another; all will be thrown down.” 3When he was sitting on the Mount of Olives opposite the temple, Peter, James, John, and Andrew asked him privately, 4“Tell us, when will this be, and what will be the sign that all these things are about to be accomplished?” 5Then Jesus began to say to them, “Beware that no one leads you astray. 6Many will come in my name and say, ‘I am he!’ and they will lead many astray. 7When you hear of wars and rumors of wars, do not be alarmed; this must take place, but the end is still to come. 8For nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom; there will be earthquakes in various places; there will be famines. This is but the beginning of the birthpangs. (Mark 13:1-8, NRSV)

This is one of those texts people say is happening now. This is the beginning, well we have had the beginning before.

Many times people have said this is the beginning. You know who knows when the beginning of the end of times will be? The Father and only the Father. Jesus said not even he knew, that only the Father knows when this will all happen.

We do not know and can not tell. Signs get misinterpreted and we do not have all of the information nor do we understand everything.

SO hold tight and have faith in God.

The Widow’s Gift

41He sat down opposite the treasury, and watched the crowd putting money into the treasury. Many rich people put in large sums. 42A poor widow came and put in two small copper coins, which are worth a penny. 43Then he called his disciples and said to them, “Truly I tell you, this poor widow has put in more than all those who are contributing to the treasury. 44For all of them have contributed out of their abundance; but she out of her poverty has put in everything she had, all she had to live on.”(Mark 12:41-44, NRSV)

We often hear this text as a stewardship text, look at what this widow did by giving everything. When I actually read this as Jesus condemning the system. This widow feels like she has to give all she had, while others give out of their abundance. We are shamed into giving and that is not what God wants. God wants a cheerful giver, for us to give out of our abundance because we see others around us in need and know we can help. We should never feel shamed into giving.

The system should not hold us down. Being a follower of Jesus should free us to love those around us.