Run the Race

Introduction

            Today is the Manitoba Marathon and earlier today those who run the full marathon ran right past the church on Portage Avenue and Raglan Road. Some of us were there to cheer them on.

            I know two people who have run marathons in the past and I would like to ask them a few questions.

1. How many marathons have you run and where?

2. Frank, tell us a little bit about how you prepare for a marathon and what you have to do to run it successfully.

3. Carla, you have had some specific goals as you have run marathons. Can you tell us about those goals and how they helped you run the marathon.

4. What did you get for running the marathon?

Thanks.

            In the Bible, there are several passages that use the imagery of running in order to help us live the Christian life. Let us read I Corinthians 9:24-27 and Hebrews 12:1-2.

            We are familiar with the Olympic games, but in the time when this was written there were also similar games in Corinth known as the Isthmian games. Perhaps when Paul wrote I Corinthians 9, those games were going on and people were talking about them. There are some important lessons in these passages about living the Christian life that arise out of this imagery.

I.     What It Takes To Run Well

            These verses talk about the effort required to live the Christian life. As we consider these verses we need to be careful that we understand what is spoken of here accurately. When we read in the passage in Corinthians that "the runners all compete, but only one receives the prize" we may get the impression that if we do not do everything right we may miss out on the prize which God promises. Does this teach that we are in danger of losing our salvation? Of course there is a lot of debate about that among theologians, but I don't think we should allow this passage to draw us into that debate.

            Please keep several things in mind. First of all, it is God who saves us. We are all miserable failures and God forgives us, accepts us as His children and gives us eternal life because of His grace through faith in Jesus. When we enter into this relationship with God, He works in us to help us grow and to give us life that is abundant. Ultimately He brings us to eternal life.

            If God does all that for us, then what do we miss if we don't run well? We miss out on the abundant life God has for us. We miss out on all the blessings that could be ours if we followed God's way. We may be led down a path that leads us away from God. So what we are talking about is serious. We are in a race and we need to run it well. The enemy would love to see us fail but with God's help, we need to do what we read in I Corinthians 9:24b, "Run in such a way that you may win it." In other words, we need to do all we can to enjoy all God has for us. How do we do that?

A.   Run Free

1.    Lay Aside the Unnecessary

            When Carla ran the marathon in Hawaii, we saw people running in some unusual ways. We saw men running in tuxedos, women in bridal gowns, people wearing mascot costumes and one fellow who wore Japanese style platform shoes. What I can tell you about people who did things like that is that they were not the first ones to cross the finish line. Runners who are serious about doing their best get rid of anything that prevents them from running well. They wear shorts, a light top, light, well made runners and they don't carry anything they don't need. I have even seen runners decide that something they had with them was unnecessary and I have seen them throw it away at the side of the road. The key is to travel light.

            The same thing is true in our walk with Christ. Hebrews 12:1 says, "…lay aside every weight…" It isn't wrong to run in a race with a lot of stuff that isn't needed, but if you do, you will not be at your best. The same is true in the Christian life. There are a lot of things which are not wrong, but which prevent us from doing the best we can. We aren't inclined to think like that very often. In fact, we are inclined to allow ourselves everything that isn't wrong. The question we need to ask is, "does this really help me live for Jesus in the best way possible." I know people who have decided not to have a television. They would never say that watching television is wrong, but they have decided that if they have one, it will take away from time with their family, involvement with neighbors or time to read their Bible and other good literature. At one time I removed all the games from my computer because it was too tempting to play one quick game before I got down to work. We need to look at our life and decide what is hindering us from giving ourselves fully to the Lord. Even if it is not wrong to participate in some of these things, it would be wise to let go of some of them in order to give ourselves more fully to the Lord.

2.    Get Rid of Sin

            Of course there are other things that are wrong which we must get rid of. So Hebrews 12:1 also says, "and the sin that clings so closely."

            The verse speaks about "sin that clings so closely." That is a frightening and difficult reality. It reminds us that all of us struggle with certain sins and some are hard to get rid of. The Word of God is so encouraging when it gives us the good news that God has forgiven our sins and that He fills us with His Spirit to help us walk in obedience and that He will complete His work in us. At the same time the Bible is also very clear that He isn't going to do it all for us. This phrase reminds us that we all struggle with sin and that it is a struggle and that we need to deal with it.

            The challenge to lay aside sin is therefore a challenge that we need to take seriously. There are so many Scriptures which talk about this. I Corinthians 6:18 says, "Shun fornication! Every sin that a person commits is outside the body; but the fornicator sins against the body itself." 2 Timothy 2:22 says, "Shun youthful passions and pursue righteousness, faith, love, and peace, along with those who call on the Lord from a pure heart." Ephesians 5:4 says, "Entirely out of place is obscene, silly, and vulgar talk…"

            We all have our "favorite" sins. Those things that we struggle with the most. Some things just aren't a problem, but we all have areas that are a problem. In those areas we need to be particularly vigilant and do what we can to remove that sin because it will surely rob our joy and our effectiveness in our walk with the Lord.

            There are a lot of things that can help us overcome the sins that hinder us from running well. Here are some specific, practical suggestions.

            Making a covenant is one thing. By making a covenant, we promise ourselves that we don't want that in our life. One Scriptural example is Job in the Old Testament, who says in Job 31:1, "I made a covenant with my eyes not to look lustfully at a girl."

            Avoiding triggers is another. Temptations come at certain times and in certain ways and if we know when they are likely to come, we can choose to find ways of avoiding those times and places and the temptations that come with them.

            Accountability is probably one of the best ways of avoiding temptation. If we can find someone who will be honest with us, not be intimidated by us and whom we give permission to ask us the hard questions, we will have a lot of strength to overcome.

            Of course, undergirding all of this with prayer and asking God to help us have victory is a great means of overcoming sin.

B.        Prepare

            As Frank told us, it takes a lot to prepare for a race. Preparation is also a part of our walk with God.

1.    Training

            My brother ran in the first Manitoba Marathon in 1979. He was 21 at the time and didn't spend a lot of time training. At about mile 14 he had to quit and could not complete it. This year he ran the Marathon again. For the last several years he has been running regularly. People who run marathons start training well before the event. They work up to about a 20 or 22 mile run two weeks before the race and then a shorter run the week before and then they allow their bodies to rest so that they are well trained and well prepared on the day of the race.

            If we want to live for Christ well, it also takes training. Paul says in I Corinthians 9:27, "I punish my body and enslave it." The things we usually think of when we think about training are reading the Bible, praying, serving God and participating in a community of believers and these are all important, but I want to talk about another aspect of training.

            I was driving down a dirt road one day. Someone had driven on it on a rainy day and had made fairly deep ruts and now they were dried hard. I came to the place where I needed to turn, but I had a terrible time getting out of the ruts. My car just wanted to follow in the ruts. The same thing happens in our life. There are certain things we do and it is hard to get out of the rut. If we curse when we are angry or if we yell when our children whine or if our eyes follow every pretty girl or handsome man we see we are in a rut of disobedience. Training is required if we want to get out of these ruts and such training is necessary if we want to grow in our walk with Jesus. The best way to get out of a rut is to make a new rut that is better. Or put another way, the best way to break a bad habit is to train yourself to learn a good habit. So whenever you are tempted to yell at your children, perhaps we could train ourselves to say a word of blessing. Instead of allowing our eye to wander where it shouldn't we could develop the habit of praying for the people we look at. By training ourselves we can learn to walk in ways that move us towards God instead of away from Him.

2.    Discipline

            When my wife has been training for marathons, there have been times when I have rolled over to sleep some more while she went out to run. It made me aware of what tremendous discipline it takes to get up at 5:30 on a cold February morning to go for a run in the dark, but she has done it.

            We live in a world that seems to suggest that we should do those things that are easy and pleasurable, but that not will help us if we want to walk faithfully with Jesus. Images of discipline are mentioned several times in these two passages. Hebrews 12:1 says, "run with perseverance" and in I Corinthians 9:25 we read, "Athletes exercise self-control in all things."

            It takes discipline to get up early enough to spend time in the Bible and pray. It takes discipline to get out of bed to make it to church on time. It takes discipline to meet with your small group regularly.

            It takes discipline, but the thing that I have found is that there is also pleasure. Although I have watched Carla get up early and run in the dark and in the cold, I have also heard her express what a joy it was when the snow was fresh and she was the first one making tracks on the road or when the wind was calm and it was a beautiful morning and she was able to watch the sun rise. In a similar way, discipline yields joyful results and never remains only the hard work of doing what you have to do. However, there are times when it is strictly the will to do what is right that will bring us to the place where we grow and walk faithfully with Jesus.

            As we think about discipline, we need to be careful that we do not  push it to the point of asceticism or self flagellation. These things tend to promote merit and move us towards a works based relationship with God. The purpose of discipline is to help us control our life for the purpose of loving God more, not for its own sake or even for the sake of thinking that we gain points with God if we do it.

II.  Help in the Race

            Running a marathon is hard work. The other day I spoke with someone who ran this morning and they told me that they often hit the wall around mile 22. How do you keep going in the faith life when it gets hard? How do you pick yourself up and go again when you fail so often? Where do we get the strength to run well? Runners are helped in a number of ways.

A.   Cheer Each Other On

            This morning when we cheered on the runners, you could see their faces brighten and their pace pick up as they passed us. The encouragement of others is very helpful.

            Hebrews 12:1 talks about being "surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses." Hebrews 12 follows Hebrews 11, which is the chapter which talks about all the heroes of faith who have gone before. The witnesses in that case are most likely referring to the people who have gone before and who have been successful in their race. It is an encouragement to realize that we are not the first ones to run this race, but others have gone before and their success encourages us.

            Of course, another aspect of encouragement is the brothers and sisters whom we get to know in the church. That is why it is so important to be a part of a church and also a small group. The people in our faith communities can be a great encouragement to us as we bless them and as they bless us with listening, challenging and encouraging.

B.   Keep Your Eye on the Goal

            Carla talked about how keeping her eye on the goal motivated her to complete a very difficult marathon.

            In a similar way, it is keeping our eyes on the goal that keeps us going. In I Corinthians 9:26, Paul says, "So I do not run aimlessly." If a runner decided one day that he didn't like the course that was set out for him and decided to take a little detour because the scenery was nicer and if that runner ran past a Tim Hortons and decided that a jelly filled donut and a coffee would be a nice break, how do you think that race would turn out? In a similar way, we must keep our eyes on the goal

            Hebrews 12:2 reminds us that our goal is not a something, but a someone when it says, "…looking to Jesus the pioneer and perfecter of our faith." It is Jesus who got us into this race. It is Jesus whose example we follow because He ran the race as a human being. It is by keeping our eyes on Him that we will have the ability to finish well. So keeping our eyes on Jesus is important in running well.

C.   Remember the Prize

            This is one of our families favorite pictures. When Carla finished the marathon in the Cayman Islands, the last one to finish because of the cold she had which prevented her from running well, she received a medal, but this hug from our daughter, for whom she had run, was a very special prize.

            At the end of every marathon or half marathon every runner gets a medal. The medals mark an important accomplishment. In the Isthmian games, only the winner received a prize and it was a pine wreath which didn't last very long. I Corinthians 9:25b says, "…they do it to receive a perishable wreath." What is the prize we receive as Christians? In contrast to the perishable wreath which the runners in Corinth received, Paul says that our prize is, "…an imperishable one." The prize we are moving towards as followers of Jesus is life forever in the presence of God.

            Paul reflects on his hope of receiving this prize as he came near the end of his life. In II Timothy 4:6 – 8 he writes, "As for me…the time of my departure has come. I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. From now on there is reserved for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, will give me on that day, and not only to me but also to all who have longed for his appearing."

            As we struggle to throw off what hinders and get rid of the sin which entangles, as we discipline ourselves day after day, we are encouraged to keep going as we remember the prize towards which we are running. As we stumble and fall and fail and pick ourselves up again, we can think about the goal of life that is ours and will be ours for all eternity and we can persevere with joy looking to the prize before us.

            Jesus is our example of one who did just that. In Hebrews 12:2 we read about how Jesus "endured the cross" as he looked forward with joy to the reward he would receive of being seated at the "right hand of the throne of God." If the prize motivated Him to keep on in his walk of obedience, so may the prize we will receive also keep us going.

III.          A Side Note for Fathers

            Today is Father's Day and I would like to insert a little aside for all the dads here today. One of the things that we often see at a marathon is something called a Pace Bunny. An experienced runner will put on a pair of rabbit ears and on those ears there will be a pace written down. If you plan to run a 4 ½ hour marathon and you stick to the pace bunny that says he will run in that time, you will complete the race in 4 ½ hours.

            I want to challenge the fathers today to be the pace bunny in your home when it comes to walking with Jesus. Let your example, your encouragement, your focus on Jesus be such that as your family sees it they will follow your lead and also walk with Jesus and so also receive the prize.

Conclusion

            Some people decide that they are going to run one marathon. Four months before the marathon, they begin to train. At the end of their training, they run the marathon and when it is over they stop running. Other people make running a lifestyle. When the marathon is over, they keep on running and when another race comes, they are ready. They are always ready to run a race because it is part of their lifestyle.

            The Christian life is not a one time event. These two passages have some important details about how to run well. If we get rid of the unnecessary, remove the sin, train well and discipline ourselves, we will live a life that opens the way for God. He will be able to work freely in our lives, to give us an abundant life now and bring us to the eternal life He has promised us. The encouragement of others, keeping our eye on the goal and remembering how great the prize is will help us keep on going.

            May we all run well!

The Beginning of the End

Mark 13:1-37
Introduction

When you go on a trip with children, one of the questions which is often asked is, “Are we there yet?” We are interested in similar questions when it comes to the matter of life itself. The questions we ask are, "When will it happen?" but we also want to know, “How will we know when it is going to happen? What will it be like? How will it all happen?”

Sometimes when children ask, “Are we there yet?” the parents don’t answer the question. When we travelled and our children asked that question, we would often suggest that we sing a song or play a game or read a story. These days parents often offer a video. Jesus does a similar thing in Mark 13. He doesn't tell us when, but he does show us how to live until then.

Today we will take a look at Mark 13 in the last message on the series from the gospel of Mark. It is a chapter which speaks about the beginning of the end and although we will find that it doesn’t answer some of our curiosity, it does give us important answers for living in anticipation of the end.

            As we think about Mark 13, we need to remember that it was written following the cleansing of the temple in Mark 11 and the conflict with the Jewish leaders in Mark 11 and 12. During these days, Jesus left the city at night, but each day he and his disciples went to the temple. As they walked out of Jerusalem for what would be the last time before his arrest, trial and death, the disciples remarked to Jesus about the beauty of the temple. None of that temple is visible in Jerusalem today, but all the accounts which are written about it suggest that it was a very beautiful. It was large and situated on the top of a hill and so was visible for quite a distance around. It was well built and a most impressive building. The disciples were awed by it, but also awed by the importance of the temple to their people.

            It must have been shocking for them to hear Jesus say with great emphasis that “Not one stone will be left here upon another; all will be thrown down.” Not only was the temple beautiful and strongly built. It was also an institution which was founded by God and represented the presence of God. The people placed their spiritual hope on the temple being in their midst. Yet such a condemnation was appropriate. In Mark 12:9, Jesus had predicted judgment on the Jewish religious leaders because of their faithlessness. Now he was predicting judgment on the temple because it had become an institution, not a place to meet God. Significant historical things are spoken of here and for once the disciples realized this because it is in response to this warning of coming judgment that they asked questions about these things which to them would have meant the end.

I.                The Questions Asked and How Jesus Responded

As Peter, James, John and Andrew were sitting on the Mount of Olives with Jesus, looking across the Kidron Valley at the city of Jerusalem and at the temple, they were curious about what Jesus had just said and they wanted to know more. They asked two questions in Mark 13:4. They asked, “When will this be?” and they asked, “What will be the sign that all these things are about to be accomplished?”

These questions which the disciples asked are questions which we continue to ask.

A.              When will these things happen?

The first question which they asked was, “When?”

Oh how we want to know the answer to that question. I have been a part of many conversations in which this question has been asked. I have a book which says that the rapture will occur in 1988…oops. Many people have suggested that everything is pointing to the return of Jesus very soon. I have listened to people who are looking forward to something very special, like marriage, and hope that Jesus doesn’t return before the event happens. I have listened to other people who are facing difficulty and hope that Jesus comes back before it happens so they don’t have to face it. We sure would like to know when!

How does Jesus answer that question? Following the question in verse 4 we eagerly read verse 5 and on through each verse of the chapter waiting for an answer. Sometimes it seems like the next line will give an answer, but no answer comes. Finally in Mark 13:32 Jesus answers the question. What is his answer? His answer is, “I don’t know.” So we come to the end of the chapter and we realize that Jesus has not answered the question. In fact he warns against speculating about the answer to that question when he says in verse 32, “But about that day or hour no one knows…”

It seems kind of disappointing to read a question that we want an answer to, but find that no answer is given and that the one whom we are asking doesn’t even know the answer. But that is how it is. When? We don’t know because Jesus doesn't answer that question.

B.              What will be the sign that they are all about to be fulfilled?

The second question is, “What will be the sign that all these things are about to be accomplished?” Once again we read a question that we would like an answer to. If we can’t know the time, perhaps there will be some signs which will help us see that the time is near.

Sometimes when we travel to a location that we are unfamiliar with, we look for signs to tell us that we are close. I remember traveling once and I had been told that we were to look for a road right after a lake. We saw a lake and believed that we were almost there. Quite a long time later we hadn't come across a road and realized that that had not been the right lake and we needed to look for another one. The sign we were looking for wasn't clear enough. We want a clear sign to let us know that we have almost arrived at the end of our journey.

As we read through the text to look for an answer to that question, once again we are disappointed. Nowhere does Jesus use the word “sign” or say to the disciples, “Here are the signs.”

When we come to verse 14 it may seem as if we have found a sign. There we read, “But when you see the desolating sacrilege set up where it ought not to be…” But what kind of a sign is that? What does it mean?

The phrase “desolating sacrilege” is first encountered in Daniel 9:27 and speaks of some unholy thing inappropriately standing in a holy place. It speaks of that which is abhorrent to God standing in the place where God belongs. This phrase has a history in the literature of Israel. In I Maccabees 1:54, which is a book that is not in the Bible, but tells stories of the history of Israel, it says, “Now on the fifteenth day of Chislev, in the one hundred forty-fifth year, they erected a desolating sacrilege on the altar of burnt offering.” What happened in that case was that the Greeks were set up a desolating sacrilege but, the people of Israel rebelled against the Greek occupiers and were able to remove the desolating sacrilege and establish pure worship again. In 40 AD Caligula ordered a statue of himself to be set up in the temple. The Jewish people made such a fuss that it didn’t happen and the desolating sacrilege did not come to be. But Jesus is warning that when this kind of a thing happens again then there will be a war of such magnitude that the people of Judea should flee. At that time they will not be able to prevent the desolating sacrilege from being placed. That exact thing happened in 70 AD when the Romans, tired of the rebellion of the Jews, attacked and totally destroyed the nation, Jerusalem and the temple. That was the desolating sacrilege which Jesus was speaking of here. Jesus had warned that the temple would be destroyed, in Mark 13:2, and this was the fulfillment of that prophecy. So in part, Jesus did answer the question about a sign.

Our question is, “What does this sign have to do with us?” because the destruction of the temple clearly did not signal the final end. In some ways the judgment mentioned here seems to go beyond the destruction of Jerusalem in 70AD. Is Jesus warning about something beyond that event? There is a concept in the Bible, which some call “bifocal prophecy.” For example, in Habakkuk 2:3 we read, “For there is still a vision for the appointed time; it speaks of the end, and does not lie. If it seems to tarry, wait for it; it will surely come, it will not delay.” In that context Habakkuk was talking about the destruction of Babylon, but the prophecy also points beyond it to the final destruction of evil. This happens numerous times when a prophecy is given and has an immediate fulfillment, but also points forward to another more complete fulfillment. Is that what is going on here? It may well be but if so, it retains a considerable degree of ambiguity and in the end we do not have a very clear answer to our question about the signs which will indicate the end of time and the return of Jesus.

            As we look for an answer to the question, it seems that Jesus is deliberately ambiguous about answering the question regarding signs. In fact, he actually warns about those who announce signs. In Mark 13:22 Jesus says, "False messiahs and false prophets will appear and produce signs and omens, to lead astray, if possible, the elect." All of this makes us realize that once again the question, although we want it answered, is not answered.

II.             Living In the End Time

So we see that Jesus did not answer the questions which the disciples asked, questions we would dearly like answered. But that does not mean He did not respond with answers that were useful for the disciples and for us. He gave answers that help us live in light of what will yet happen. Instead of looking with curiosity for the answers we want, it would be much better for us to examine this chapter and look for the answers Jesus wants to give us.

A.              With Understanding

One of the most important words which we need to recognize in this chapter is the word, “watch.” This concept is repeated numerous times in the passage. It is translated in Mark 13:9, 23 and 33 as “beware” and "be alert." The message Jesus gives us is a warning to be aware. It is a message which invites us to live with understanding of the times we live in and with an awareness that Jesus will return.

What the disciples at that time did not seem to understand, but which we can now understand is just how things would happen in the life of Jesus and beyond. Jesus had told his disciples that He would be handed over to the Jewish leaders, be killed, and rise the third day. Yet this opposition of the Jewish religious leaders would not end in victory over Jesus, but in the destruction of the Jewish religious leaders and the system they upheld. The temple which was in Jerusalem was to be replaced with the temple which is the body of Christ – His people indwelt by His Spirit. This becomes the new temple. Jesus was announcing a time when the old system would be set aside and the new system under Jesus would be put in place as we read everywhere in the New Testament especially in Hebrews.

Furthermore, Jesus was indicating that from the time of Jesus' death and resurrection until the day when He returns is the entire period of the end times. We do not need to wait for the end times because we are living in them. There is nothing else that needs to happen before the end. Jesus has accomplished all and the only event we are still looking for is His return. These are the things which Jesus tells his disciples when he announces his death and resurrection and warns about the coming desolating sacrilege and destruction of the temple system. We need to be aware and understand that we are in the end times now.

The other thing about which Jesus warns His disciples, and us, is the nature of these times. Much of the content of what Jesus is saying in these verses deals with these warnings. He is telling us that in this end time in which we live there will be people who will seek to deceive and warns, "don’t be fooled by them." He is saying that there will be wars but that they do not signal the end. He communicates that there will be earthquakes and famines but that we shouldn’t be alarmed by them. All of these things are simply the times we live in, they are not signs of the end. Jesus also lets His people know that there will be persecution but encourages us, “don’t stop being witnesses for Jesus.”

When Jesus warns “be aware” He is saying that we need to understand the times we live in. We are in the end times. Wars, deceivers, earthquakes, persecution will all be a part of these times. They do not mean that Jesus has already come and they do not mean that we have missed Jesus. They are signs of the end only in the sense that they will exist throughout the period of the end. In fact in Mark 13:5, 6 we learn that deceivers are the ones who say that these are signs. Instead, these words of Jesus are a call to endure to the end.

            The words of Jesus in this chapter help us to live with understanding in this present time, even when it does not look as if Jesus is winning. That is the question which Jesus answers, and it is a much needed answer. We need to know that Jesus is still Lord and will return more than we need to have our curiosity satisfied about when it will happen or what signs will reveal it. Geddert says, “These texts are functioning as intended when they lead believers to trust God’s sovereign care in ambiguous times. Then they can hope in God’s future so passionately that necessary sacrifices in this life are readily embraced for Christ’s sake.”

B.              With Hope

In this section we are also given a word of hope in light of all the difficulties and trials which will mark the end times in which we are living.

In Mark 13:24-27, we have a wonderful word of promise. We read that in those days the end will come. When will it come? We don’t know. What will be the signs of its coming? We don’t know. What we do know is that the end will come. In God’s time a great cataclysm will reveal the final day. At that time the sun will be darkened, the moon will not shine and the physical world, as we know it will be destroyed. This destruction of the physical world is not a sign, but is what will happen accompanying the return of Jesus. Then we will experience the great promise which Jesus made when he stood with his disciples before He ascended into heaven. We read in Mark 13:26, “Then they will see ‘the Son of Man coming in clouds’ with great power and glory. " The glorious hope we have, the wonderful promise we rejoice in is that Jesus is going to come back. His return will be marked “with great power and glory.” Everything we have hoped for will be fulfilled and revealed at that time. He will reign with power and great glory. He will gather all God's people from every corner of the earth.

This announcement encourages us with a great word of hope. Jesus is coming back again! So instead of satisfying our curiosity about signs and times, Jesus gives us a word of assurance and hope. Jesus is coming back.

C.              With Confidence

The next section gives us another word about how to live in this in between time.

The lesson from the fig tree, mentioned in Mark 13:28, has often been interpreted to encourage us to look for a sign. It says that the tenderness of the shoots in a plant is a sign that summer is near. Many have taken that as a word that we need to watch out for the right signs. But that is a difficult interpretation because the text does not point to any signs and warns us about the danger of seeking signs, so the parable about the fig tree must mean something else.

What should come quickly to mind is the previous parable of the fig tree. In Mark 11, Jesus cursed a fig tree. When we studied that, we recognized that Jesus was speaking a parable about the deadness that was in the temple. There he indicated that the temple system was cursed because it was no longer a place to meet God. In Mark 13:2, Jesus expands on God’s judgment on the corrupt temple and its leaders. The reason Jesus mentions this is that for the disciples the destruction of the temple, would have been devastating. But the assurance of the parable of the fig tree is that God’s plan for His people has not died with the destruction of the temple. What the parable of the fig tree says is that the tree which was assumed to be dead, has not died. What Jesus was saying is that the fig tree that was cursed is not dead. Jesus was promising that God will make a new place for His kingdom which will include all those who follow Jesus. A new group of leaders will replace the corrupt Jewish religious leaders and that is the disciples who follow Jesus. When we understand the parable of the fig tree in that way, it becomes much easier to understand how Jesus could say that all these things would happen in this generation. The church was established in that generation and all of the trials which have come upon the world and the church including persecution began happening in that time.

After assuring them that God’s people would continue, Jesus gave them one more word of promise in Mark 13:31 where He said, "Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will never pass away." Once again we realize that although we do not have an answer to questions of when and what signs, we do have an assurance that God’s plan will certainly unfold as He has indicated. Therefore, the lesson of the fig tree is a promise that God is continuing to build His kingdom. Therefore, we can live with confidence in this time.

D.             With Faithfulness

So Mark 13 helps us understand that we can live in the present time with understanding, hope and confidence. Because those things are true, we are also called to live with faithfulness. The final parable is about a man who goes away and leaves his house in charge of his servants. The parable talks about the servants doing their “assigned tasks.” We are those servants and the key idea is that because we don’t know what time the Lord of the house will return, we need to continue in faithfulness doing the work which He has left us to do.

In Mark 13:10 we read, "And the good news must first be proclaimed to all nations." Many times this has been taken as a sign. But we have already established that Jesus does not give us a sign in this text. Rather than a sign, I think we need to understand this as an assignment. The word “it is necessary,” translated "must" in NRSV, is a key idea from Scripture that communicates a divine necessity. So when it says that the gospel "must" be preached in the whole world, we should not take that as a sign that Jesus will come when that has happened. Rather, we need to take it as an assignment which should occupy our time until Jesus comes. The next verse about knowing what to say in the context of persecution makes much more sense in that context. The reality in which we live in this present time is that the gospel will be rejected by many and those who proclaim the gospel will be persecuted. But if we know that when that happens the Holy Spirit will help us witness, then we can also be encouraged to keep on witnessing no matter what happens. The call then is a call to be faithful in the task of witnessing, which the Lord has left us as His servants.

So the final warning and challenge and encouragement to all those who follow Jesus is that in light of the unknown timing, but certainty of the return of Christ, we must not be sleeping. Therefore, the question which each of us must ask of ourselves is, “am I where God wants me?” “Will God find me doing what He has left me to do when He returns?”

            Jesus tells us, “you do not know when.” Therefore, “Be on guard, Be alert!” What does it mean to be alert? It means that we should be careful not to get too caught up in the things of this world. If our life in this world is more important to us than our assignment from Jesus, we might find that we are asleep. It means that our primary job is not being a mother, or teacher, or doctor, or student, but while doing any one of those jobs our primary job is being a servant of Jesus. If we have set being a servant of Jesus aside as an avocation which we pursue when we have time, we may be found sleeping. So keep awake!

Conclusion

When mom and dad don’t answer the question “are we there yet?” are the children disappointed? Perhaps. But if mom and dad provide meaningful activity for the journey, will the children be occupied and forget about their question? Probably.

            Jesus does not want us to focus on the “when” and the “what signs” question. If that were our focus, it would be far too easy to look for the signs and leave following Jesus until just before the end. So Jesus left the answer to these questions deliberately ambiguous. Instead, Jesus has left us with some important information.

            We know that we are in the last days and that they will be days in which wars, earthquakes and persecution happen. We know that God’s kingdom is being established through the new temple of Jesus and His people. We know that Jesus will return with power and great glory. We know that God keeps His promises and so we can be confident that all these things will be fulfilled. Therefore, we can wait, not with impatience and questioning, but with faithfulness, being busy with the work that Jesus has given us to do. So as we conclude Mark’s gospel in view of these words about the end, the final word is “Watch!”