2020 08-30 w Dan Sunday Morning Service

So we're looking at Mark chapter 13 verses 28 through 37. This message given by Jesus has his own message on his second coming. This is his description of the events that will lead up to his return. The scripture says Christ is coming back to judge the ungodly. 2nd Thessalonians 1 in Revelations 19 say the same thing is coming back in judgement crushing devastating judgment on all the young Godly. They will be slain by the sword that comes out of his mouth that is his word. He will live a really speak their death and they will go forever into the Lake of Fire. He also will establish his Earthly Kingdom to fulfill all the promises made both in the old and the New Testament of his Reign on Earth with the saints. That is the great event that culminates human history. Jesus had spoken about it to his disciples the Old Testament prophets it spoken of it. And so they had expectation went on Tuesday of passion week. Jesus attacked the temple the disciples must have known they were seeing things. They didn't expect on Monday was the triumphal entry. They hailed him as the Messiah on Tuesday the attacks the Jews and not the Romans and he speaks about his death and he even tells a parable on Wednesday about the fact that he's going to be killed. It's not the first time he said that he had set it on at least three occasions that are recorded in the gospels. So the disciples knew he was going to die and Rise Again. They were having a hard time buying into that and believing that but Jesus gave them details about his arrest. His treatment is death and then 3 days later he would rise again. What is the future going to be will the Kingdom Come This death business is a severe intrusion into their well-crafted eschatology Messiah comes and Ray and establishes his kingdom in from his throne and Jerusalem rules the world with peace and righteousness. That was their eschatology. Does the death element they never really grasp and so in processing that our Lord attempts to comfort them and does to all of the Next Generation by explaining to them that the kingdom will come because the king will return you will die. He will rise but he will return again to establish his kingdom. So the intent of this passage is both warning to the world of his return and comfort the Believers of the coming of the Kingdom. He describes in this chapter what history is going to be like and he described it and verses 5 through 13. It will be characterized by great difficulty and worsening conditions. There will be religious deception. There will be disasters brought about because Nations will make war with each other and there will be natural disasters that are destructive. They will destroy Millions upon millions of lives and then there will be persecution because True Believers through all of this. Of History until the Lord returns, then he describes in versus 14-223 the last 7 years of History. And that's when everything that characterized the previous years the wars the devastation the disasters the false religion and the persecution reaches epic levels never-before-seen and that's what verse 19 says. for those days there will be tribulation such as not been seen since the beginning of creation which God created until this time nor ever shall be so there's a description of human history that ends in a seven-year. And we've been talking about called the tribulation the last half of it called the Great Tribulation. After that verses 24 through 26 says but in those days after that tribulation the sun will be darkened and the moon will not give its light the stars of heaven will fall in the powers of the heavens will be shaken. Then they will see the son of man coming in the clouds with great power and Glory. That is the second coming. Verse 27 and then he will send his angels and gather together his elect from the Four Winds from the farthest part of the earth to the farthest part of Heaven that leads us up to our text in verse 28. This is the portion of Jesus teaching that gives us the implications and the application of this truth. It starts with a parable. We'll call it an analogy. Now we're in this Parable from the Fig Tree when its branches has already become tender and puts forth leaves. You know, that summer is near we know that then it is followed by an application and verse 29. So you also when you see these things happening know that it is near the doors, who's you? Use that group of people were alive when these things begin to happen. What are these things? The things just described in the time of tribulation. They are described and some general terms and verses 14 through 23 and in specific terms in Revelation 6 through 19. When you see these things happening including the abomination of desolation mentioned 2 verse 14 when the Antichrist sets up his authority in the temple in all things occur at that time, when you see these things happening recognize he is near right at the door. Jesus going to come immediately after that time of tribulation. That is what verse 24 just said. So then verse 30 says assuredly I say to you this generation will by no means pass away till all these things take place. That is when the Abomination comes the generational live at that time will see The Return of Christ a simple analogy then and a specific application and we went through all that in detail before.

So this is a message from Jesus for that generation in the future that is alive this message comes with authority and we need to hear it with authority and we need to believe it because it comes with authority and we need to communicate it with authority verse 31. Here's the authority Heaven and Earth will pass away but my words will by no means pass away. This is not a permanent Planet. It's a temporary Planet frankly. It has a very short life. Well isn't the Earth billions of years old now, that's the LIE of evolution. The Earth is a little over six thousand years old. We don't know exactly how much longer it will exist. But we have every reason to believe not very long certainly not tens of thousands and millions and billions of years having a nurse as we know will pass away. That is absolutely true. This universe will be devastated in judgment. The seal judgments every time a seal is broken in Revelation. Something else happens until you get to the seventh seal. And when the seventh seal is broken by Jesus, which has the steel document the title deed of the earth and he had a nasty breaks the final seal and takes the title of the earth out of that seventh seal. I'm seven trumpets and each blast of each trumpet by an Angel signals of massive judgment on the earth Holocaust of Epic unparalleled proportions and out of the seventh trumpet the last trumpet I'm seven bowls as if casting some kind of a liquid like judgment literally dousing the planet and they are rapid fire at the very end and they are horrific judgments that even feed the trumpet judgements. The Earth will be devastated the planets the Stars the heavenly bodies completely disoriented and everything that we know in this world that is stable will become unsafe will become shaking Heaven and Earth will pass away and this by the way is not the first time Jesus has said that he said it at the beginning of his ministry in Galilee in The Sermon on the Mount Matthew 5:18. For surely I say to you till Heaven and Earth pass away one jot or one Tittle will by no means pass from the law till all is fulfilled. Heaven and Earth will pass away but they will not pass away until everything stated in scripture is accomplished. The description of that event is in 2nd Peter 3:10. But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night in which the heavens will pass away with a great noise and the elements will melt with fervent heat with the earth and the works that are in it will be burned up. By his word the present heavens and earth are being reserved not for water this time because water was a huge factor in the creation and of course in the flood, but this time for fire Dept for the day of judgement and destruction of ungodly, man. You remember when God destroyed the world with water. He said he never do that again. That's a rainbow promise. God would never destroy the world by water again. He will destroy not only the Earth but the heavens and the Earth not by water, but fire fire. That is the promise of the lord. We know that from the atomic bomb nuclear power is deadly the entire universe all matter is a tick bomb all of it all the time and energy is held together by God now it is reserved. It is kept in store for a final fire. The day of the Lord is a technical term describing the final judgement of God. That term is used in the Old Testament to refer to other judgments, but this is the final one. It will come like a thief comes a thief doesn't announce his arrival. The thief comes unexpectedly. But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night in which the heavens will pass with a great noise and the elements will melt with fervent heat, but the earth and the works that are in it will be burned up. The heavens will cease to exist everything that constitute the bodies in the heavens will go out of existence with a roar. This is the Roar of nuclear implosion. The elements literally things lined up in a row the atomic structure the atomic particles the basic structure of the universe will melt with fervent heat. Literally. The idea here is that its components will be consumed. This is a final uncreation. Verses 11 and 12 then says therefore since all these things will be dissolved what manner of persons ought to be in holy conduct and godliness looking for and hastening the coming of the day of God. Because of which the heavens will be dissolved being on fire and the elements will melt with fervent Heat. What's going to happen after that verse 13 nevertheless we according to his promise look for new heavens and new earth in which righteousness dwells. Wait a minute when the Lord comes the judgment is going to come and everything is going to literally be totally destroyed. It was created out of nothing. It'll go back to nothing. It won't just be altered. It will be destroyed. God can create it. God can destroy it. He put it together with atomic structure and he will destroy it. Well, if he does that at his coming then how do we have the kingdom? But when he comes he starts with a destructive work of judgment on the ungodly, it's not till the Thousand-Year kingdom is over if he destroys the universe. Yes, there's a thousand years between when he comes and Begins the day of the Lord judgement and when he finishes it, that's a long time. Well ready of you asking the question verse 8 was written but beloved do not forget this one thing that with the Lord one day is as a thousand years and A Thousand Years is as one day. in the Bible helpful Alright, let's go back to mark. There's so much information here. You'll have to forgive me for wandering a little bit. We're back in the 13th chapter now back to verse 31 and when we read Heaven and Earth will pass away but my words will by no means pass away. We know about what that means. Now, I'm telling you the future and I'm telling you this first 30 assuredly. I say to you assuredly Heaven and Earth will pass away but my words will not that's authority. Jesus always spoke with this level of authority this degree of authority. in Luke 16:17 and it is a it is it is easier for heaven and earth to pass away than for one Tittle of the law. Fail. It is easier for the universe to collapse and it will Then for 1. Come off of an eye in my word. This is a testimony from God as to how he feels about his word. You do not want to tamper with his word. It is absolutely true. And anyone who tampers with it is in serious condition before God all that. The Lord has said is true. Let's go back to work. Text. Jesus says I'm telling you how it is. And this is the truth one other footnote to consider and that is the action required. We've seen the analogy. We've seen the application and we've seen the authority. So what's the action required? Let's look at versus 32 through 37. But of that day and hour, no one knows not even the angels in Heaven nor the son but only the father take heed watch and pray for you do not know when the time is it is like a man going to a far country who left his house and gave authority to his servants and to each his work and commanded the doorkeeper to watch watch therefore for you. Do not know when the master of the house is coming in the evening at midnight at the crowing of the rooster or in the morning last coming suddenly he finds you sleeping. And what I say to you I say to all watch.

4 times it says to be on the alert once in an illustration and three times as a command. That's the action. Ellison this is still speaking of the future generation that sees the signs. This is similar to what Jesus said in Luke 12:48 or Matthew 25:13, you know the time the tribulation you seen the trigger the abomination of desolation, you know, you're the generation that is going to see his return be on the alert. What you don't know is the exact day or the exact hour. This is a passage designed to warn to the future generation. What about all the generations between now and then? We were all warned of eternal hell, we're all warned to put our trust in Christ so that we don't die and unbelief and go to hell forever. This message is about the end. It's about the wrap-up of History. It's answering a specific question. And for those people alive, then who see the signs. You're not going to know the exact time so you can't play fast and loose and try to slide in at the end because you don't know the day and you don't know the hour, in fact verse 32 says of that day and hour. No one knows not even the angels in heaven. And there are around the Throne of God all the time and they still don't know nor the Son and the son in his Incarnation restricted his knowledge and says I don't even know but the father well, what's the message to us here? We're not in that generation. I'll tell you what the message you is the message to you is you're going to die and you don't know when. And you better be ready. You're not in control of when you better be ready. And it just so happens that even though we're not in the tribulation the things that characterizes tribulation don't seem as if they're very far away. We've seen the natural disasters. We've seen the killing power of armies. We can understand how a third of the world can be destroyed. The things that are going to be taking place then could take place. It talks about an army of 200 million from the East that's not a stretch everything focusing in the Middle East the Muslims in the campaign to promote the coming of their Messiah the Mahdi who is the biblical Antichrist and they think the Mahdi is coming soon. So the generation who is going to see these things could be very soon. The whole last days Eric could begin at any time the warning specifically In this passage or an answer to the question about the final generation. Let's go back to verse 32 for a minute. But of that day and hour, no one knows it'll not be revealed to anyone that hasn't stopped people from making ridiculous predictions. They started a 98 D with Klamath the first and then of the second century there was a group called of the Montana. That's who made a prediction of the coming of the Lord. Then there was Joseph Smith of the Mormon Fame who predicted the Lord would come in Night In 1832 or 1890 or maybe now Then there was the millerites who said the Lord is coming March 21st, 1843 then October 22nd 1844. That didn't work out either. Then there's Ellen G white The Seventh-Day Adventist. Who said the Lord would come in 1850 that 1856. Then there was a Jehovah's Witnesses. Who said the Lord would come in 1914 1915 19 18 19 20 1925 4175 1990 and they're still making dates.

So if you're in that movement get out, they don't know no one knows and that is a dead giveaway of a false system. They don't know the Angels didn't even know and they're hanging around the throne. Let me says not even the son knows Jesus voluntarily restricted to use of his attributes. You laid aside the Prague use them to the will of the father and did only when the father told him to do showed him to do and revealed him. John 15:15 for all things that I have heard from my father I have made known to you. When the father told him he knew and revealed by the way after his resurrection, he resumed full knowledge. Listen to acts 1 6 and 7. Therefore when they had come together, they asked him saying Lord, will you at this time restore the kingdom to Israel? And he said to them it is not for you to know the Time of the Season which the father has put in his own authority. He didn't say it's not for me to know anymore. Once he rose from the dead the Incarnation and the restrictions were behind him. It was not for you to know is humiliation at ended and he was given back the full perogative deity. Well to that generation alive in the future, since you're not going to know the day or the hour verse 33 says take heed watch and pray for you. Do not know when the time is. It's already been set in the father's plan. He knows the time. He says that right in verse 32. The father knows it. It's fixed. You better take heed and be on the alert. Lennie gives another analogy in verse 34 It's like a man going to a far country who left his house and gave authority to his servants and to each his work and commanded the doorkeeper to watch. Just a simple little illustration the owner of an estate leaves you put the slaves in charge of all and their responsibilities and he identifies one to be a doorkeeper who stays on the alert to let the master in when he returns. They would take that very seriously and he is saying to that generation in the future that sees these things happen. You better be on the alert. You don't know when the master is coming back and he repeats it again and verse 35 watch therefore for you. Do not know when the master of the house is coming in the evening at midnight at the crowing of the rooster or in the morning. The. Of time in which there was always a watch was from 6 in the evening to 6 in the morning. That is a. Of night when the Romans set a watch and bark is in a Roman contacts when he writes and he knows you will have Roman readers and so he borrows from their familiar understanding in the Roman 12 hour watch your for 3 hour periods. There is the evening from 6 to 9. Then there is midnight which identifies the final hour 9 to midnight. Then there is the rooster crows and that's at 3 a.m. In the morning at 6. So you don't know when the master is going to come. You don't know if he's going to come in the evening at midnight rooster crow or morning be on the alert. another short bunny trail the disciples would not be a good model of being on the alert in this gospel. You remember the 14th chapter how he took them into the garden to pray with him and they all fell asleep. They would not be great examples of making sure you stayed awake inverse 3414 e says stay here and watch and verse 37, he comes back and finds them sleeping and says, could you not even watch 1 hour and verse 38 Watch and Pray be reprieved sit and verse 40 and 41. So that's the exact opposite of watchfulness and alertness. Jesus warns those in future tribulation to be much more Vigilant than the disciples were in that situation and then he repeats it again and verses 36 and 37. You don't want the master to come back suddenly and find you sleeping. What I say to you all watch that's final generation needs to be alert. Now. They're going to see the signs. They're going to see the death combination of desolation. They're not going to know the day or the hour. They're going to be living in such fear because of the whores that are coming on them too close. I want to look at Luke 21 verses 34 and 35. This is Luke's parallel account of this sermon. But take heed to yourselves lest your hearts be weighed down with carousing drunkenness and cares of this life. And that day come on you unexpectedly or it will come as a snare on all those who dwell on the face of the whole Earth. Be on the alert that generation needs to be alert. This is his coming and the warning then is the generation alive at that time. Verse 36 watch therefore and pray always that you may be counted worthy to escape all these things. It will come to pass in the stand before the son of man. You know what? That means that's a call for salvation pray that your heart not be weighed down overpowered overwhelmed pray, but you not get caught up in trying to find comfort and immorality drunkenness pray that you not be paralyzed by what he calls the anxieties of wife or the worries of Life pulling you into too many directions disorienting you things that cause you to struggle this is a call to the future generation who will read the Bible and read the scriptures to not allow themselves to be fragmented and pulled apart to not try to drown their fears in alcohol or immorality. Don't let that happen. Don't go that way because if you do that day will come on you suddenly like a trap unexpectedly you'll be snared with no possibility of escape and the end of All These Warnings is in verse 36. Watch therefore and pray always that you may be counted worthy to escape all these things. It will come to pass and to stand before the son of man just a feathers presents.

The stand and look at him as your lord and savior.

You want to escape the final judgement? You want to stand before the son of man be accepted by him welcomed approved and braced. So what did the Lord tell the disciples in the end in the future after a long. Of history when the time of tribulation comes, you know, you're in the final generation from the abomination of desolation. The coming of Christ is just a very brief time when you see the signs, you know, he is near he's at the door in the generation that sees the beginning of it will certainly see the end of it. All of this is written down on the pages of scripture for the warning of that generation. But it applies to us as well because we want to do everything we can to proclaim the Glorious gospel of Christ now. So that the non-believers will have to go into that horrific time of judgment. We're in a rescue operation. We want to take as many people as we can with us to Glory closing ward in a word of Prayer.

We thank you Lord again. For the opportunity of being together with those who love you and love your word and love your truth. We thank you for a truthful honest and its Authority your word will never pass away until it is all fulfilled. We are not the most wise of the world. We know these realities that the world doesn't know because you've revealed them to us and they belong us have opportunity to Proclaim these truths to preach the gospel against the background of coming Judgment of the horrors of the tribulation that could start anytime use us to rescue Souls from its inevitable whores pray for your glory. Amen. Thank you, and you are all dismissed.