I think the material of Mark 13 has been some of the most fascinating material I have debated and studied over the last 30 or so years, and it has been the most contentious. I have taken strong stands on different aspects of these "end times" doctrines and I have been celebrated and vilified by different people depending on their preferences.
It makes sense for Jesus to address this topic with the disciples as he walks through this last week with them. He is facing his passion and death, and so are they even if they don't want to believe it. I imagine that Jesus desired to give these friends some insight into the bigger picture. My mind spins as I read chapter 13 and hear Jesus speak of the destruction of the temple, the persecution to come, and the "desolating sacrilege that will be set up where it ought not to be (let the reader understand)".
Somehow, the end of the chapter gives me comfort as Jesus says, "But about that day or hour no one knows, neither the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father." I am still very interested and I still listen and reason and study, but I no longer feel compelled to take sides on the "end times" issues that I used to draw diagrams and charts about. Instead I try to focus on what I can do, what you and I as Christ followers are instructed to do by Jesus - that is to keep alert, stay awake, and be ready.
Jesus may return today, or tomorrow, or ???????????? My responsibility isn't to know the unknowable, it is to live ready for the Bridegroom of my soul and listen for the call. I saw a cute bumper sticker a few weeks ago, it read "He's gonna toot, and I'm gonna scoot!" Friends, lets live ready for the King's coming.
About Me
- Pastor Bill
- I am a committed follower of Jesus Christ, a happy husband, father and grandfather!
4 comments:
Very convincing/ scary chapter. Switch me to revelations A.S.A.P. This is a good chapter for sermon writing. Its not calculation that is being taught here it is preparation. Verse 17 can change a family's thoughts of having children, and raising them in the "worldly" way with all the corruption happening around us. I just keep telling myself and my family that God WILL look out for our welfare
Very well said. Often I think we make a mistake if we try to do God's task instead of being ontent to manage our own. God is well able to order the universe and God invites us to serve God's Kingdom. I get in trouble when I get out of line and try to pretend to do God's job.
It is a very scary chapter. I have to wonder if the disciples listening to Jesus didn't have the same thoughts after hearing Jesus speak.
I guess I take some comfort in these chapters. I think it comes from being warned away from reading parts of the Bible like Revelation when I was little, and then reading it anyway, and figuring out that the main thing it said was that faithful people would be with Jesus. In my mind, that was all the comfort I needed even in the midst of the other imagery I didn't begin to understand. As an adult, one of the hardest faith matters for me has been being ok with not knowing things. I like to know things, and know the answers. But Jesus says here no one knows, and elsewhere that even the Son of Man doesn't know. So I've tried hard to be ok with not knowing. ;) It's a long process!
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