Let's bow our heads in prayer.
Father, we ask that you bring the truths of your word home to our heart.
And we ask this in the name of Jesus, your Son and our Savior. Amen.
Please be seated.
So, I discovered that I have a four-year-old granddaughter
who is a profound, systematic theologian over the Christmas holidays.
And in some ways, this story which I'm about to tell you,
I could almost say at the end of it,
let's stand and pray and move on.
Although we probably shouldn't pack it, and I will.
So, I've forgotten this.
I guess when people are playing rock, paper, scissors,
they go, rock, paper, scissors, shoot.
They go, rock, paper, scissors, shoot.
At least that's how my granddaughter played it.
And when you say shoot, you're supposed to put out, you know,
the paper, the rock, or the scissors.
So, my young granddaughter is playing this with one of her older siblings.
And my son is sort of watching them in the mirror as they play,
and they're giggling and having fun.
And then the older sibling decides that she's going to play a trick on the younger one.
So, they go, rock, paper, scissors, shoot.
And I don't know what it is that my younger granddaughter put out,
but the older one did this at her.
And she pouted and said, what is that?
And the older one said, that's a gun.
Guns beat rock, papers, and scissors.
So, my four-year-old granddaughter pouted
and sort of looked like she's trying to think in her mind
how she's going to get her older sibling.
So, she said, let's play a game.
So, you do rock, paper, scissors, shoot.
But this time when they say shoot,
the four-year-old put her hand up like this and yelled, Jesus.
And the older child said, what does that mean?
And the younger one said,
only the way a four-year-old girl sort of being pouty and whatever can say.
That's Jesus.
Jesus beats everything.
So, in some ways when we talk about the second coming of Jesus,
my four-year-old granddaughter has summarized the whole teaching right there.
Jesus beats everything.
Now, having said that, and I could just end it up,
we also have to acknowledge, of course,
we need to look at the Bible a little bit
and see why it's a fair summary.
But we need to remember that as well, of course,
that in our day,
saying that we believe in the second coming of Christ
is seen as kooky.
If I was a stand-up like laugh from the audience,
I would just have to come out and say,
my neighbor thinks Jesus is coming again.
And everybody would laugh.
And then he could make, or she could make,
or me, if it's me, it'd be he.
I could make a couple of other little comments,
and every one of them around the idea
that Jesus is returning a second time,
that somehow that will be taken in the air.
Everything you would say about that,
you wouldn't have to be very funny.
You would just have to say it,
and the audience would laugh.
And that's the culture,
and that's the world we live in.
It's actually sort of funny
that that's how the world views the idea.
And it's sort of funny for two reasons.
One is, it's scientifically true
that the world will come to an end.
I mean, this is the uncomfortable truth
that is hidden from us.
But the fact of the matter is,
is according to modern science,
a time will come
when our Earth will be swallowed up by the sun,
and that even if we are able to find
some other planet,
and we're able to go there,
at some point in time,
the entire universe will cease to exist.
That's just, in fact, what science tells us.
The other thing which is sort of odd
about many in our culture
thinking the idea of the second coming of Christ
is kooky,
is that our culture is obsessed
with the future.
Like, literally,
we are obsessed with the future.
We are obsessed
with thinking that we know the future.
We are obsessed
with using economic
and scientific types of things
to try to predict the future.
We are obsessed
with things that go on in the climate
and other types of things
that indicate that if certain things
don't get done,
then there'll be the end
of civilization and life as we know it.
Like, our culture at the elite levels
is literally obsessed with it.
And if you don't believe that,
just imagine if one of you
was to run for parliament
and just say,
by the way,
I think climate change
is complete and utter bunk,
and then you go through
a whole pile of other things
that you think are bunk.
Well, good luck with getting elected.
Well, that's not true.
You get elected in certain ridings,
but you definitely wouldn't win
the Canadian election.
Our culture is obsessed with it.
And even the fact
that we talk about people
having progressive politics,
progressive implies
progressing towards something,
which implies that somebody
thinks they know,
knows what the end is,
that they somehow know.
I mean, the fact is that,
of course,
that we have no idea
what's going to happen tomorrow.
Like, literally,
we have no idea
what's going to happen tomorrow.
Like, literally, we don't.
So, but it's in that,
but the fact is,
we live in a world
where our culture thinks
to talk about the last days
is kooky,
and that can infect us
as Christians
to either then
talk about it incessantly ourselves
or to not want to talk
about it at all.
So, we have before us
a text today
where Jesus talks
about his second coming.
So, let's look
and see what he says.
And he says some things
which are very, very,
very surprising.
So, let's turn
in our Bibles
to Mark chapter 13.
And we're going to begin
earlier than the part I read.
We're going to begin
at verse 1.
And here's how it goes.
And as Jesus came
out of the temple,
one of his disciples
said to him,
look, teacher,
what wonderful stones
and what wonderful buildings.
And Jesus said to him,
do you see
these great buildings?
There will not be left here
one stone upon another
that will not be thrown down.
Now,
this would have been
a very surprising thing
for Jesus
to have said to them.
The temple in those days
was actually a remarkable,
like,
it might have been
the greatest,
if not the greatest,
it was one of the greatest
architectural feats
of that time
in the ancient world.
The size of the stones
that were brought in
to make the temple,
the stones were huge.
If you ever
get to go to Jerusalem
and go for a bit of a tour,
they'll show you
one of the stones
that's part of the original wall
or part of the original building.
And it's absolutely massive.
Like,
it's from here to there
and higher,
like,
higher than that
and it's like,
you know,
it's like 10 feet thick
and they maneuvered
these things all together
to make this
unbelievable edifice.
But,
Jesus says,
they're all going
to be thrown down.
Now,
here's our first
little problem
when we read this,
especially if we
are familiar
with what goes on
in the Twitter verse
and the TikTok verse
and the Instagram
and Facebook world,
is,
well,
here's the problem.
What Jesus said
came true
less than 40 years
after he said it.
Like,
it came true.
In 70,
the year 70,
the Romans
defeated the Jewish people
and tore the temple down.
So,
less than 40 years,
40 years or less,
after he said
that this became,
this in fact was true.
So,
many people will say
that,
of course,
what happened
is that Jesus
didn't say this
but after the fall
of Jerusalem,
they went
and Mark,
guys like Mark,
wrote beforehand
to make it look
like Jesus
prophesied the future.
And they'll normally
say something like,
and you can't prove it
otherwise.
Well,
that's not entirely true.
I mean,
the fundamental issue
is,
well,
actually,
what the issue is
is that the issue
is really whether
the triune God
of Christianity
exists or not.
And if the triune God
of Christianity
doesn't exist,
then there's no reason
to believe
that you could possibly
say something
about the future
that's true.
Like,
that's,
I think,
a fair point.
The question is,
though,
is whether,
in fact,
the God of,
the triune God
of Christianity
is true.
And if he is true,
there's no reason
at all why
he might not be able
to tell a particular
person or reveal
to a person
something that's
going to be true
in the future.
Now,
you can't then
look at evidence
to discuss this issue
but then rule out
all prophecies.
Like,
if you actually
want to try to
figure out the answer,
you have to look
at the issue.
You can't just rule out
certain types of conclusions
in advance.
That's basically
not looking at all.
And so that becomes
then the issue.
Well,
if the triune God
does exist,
then prophecies
are possible
and what about
this particular case?
Well,
there's two things
to be argued
for the fact
that Jesus,
in fact,
did say this
before the destruction
of Jerusalem.
The first one is
that there's not
as much detail
as you'd put on
if you were writing
it after the fact
and you wanted
to make Jesus
look good.
You would have
thrown in extra details
to make it look
like he was really
just nailing it.
And the second thing
is,
and this is the
bigger problem,
I subscribe
to a minority view
amongst biblical scholars
that with maybe
the exception
of the book
of Revelation
that everything
in the New Testament
was written
before the year 70.
Because one of the
great mysteries
of the New Testament
is that there's
no reference
to the destruction
of Jerusalem
and the destruction
of the temple.
Like,
it's not talked about.
Like,
in the destruction
of the temple,
it brought the end
of the Jewish
sacrificial system.
It brought the scattering
of the Jewish people.
It brought the destruction
of the Jewish nation.
It brought,
and these are all
obvious talking points
for the early Christians
for whom dealing
with their Jewish
friends and neighbors
was one of the biggest
things that they had
to deal with.
It was an obvious
talking point.
Like,
you can no longer go
and have a sacrifice
to deal with your sins.
And didn't,
you know,
that's just all gone.
And yet there's no
reference to it
whatsoever
in the entire
New Testament.
Which is why
a minority,
but a significant
minority of scholars
believe that everything
in the New Testament
with maybe the exception
of the book
of Revelation
was written
before the year 70.
The absence
of the destruction
of Jerusalem
which transformed
the Jewish people
is a very telling
piece of evidence.
So I think it's valid
for us to read this
as a prophecy.
Jesus says this.
Forty years later,
it happens.
So,
what happens?
He just doesn't
sort of stop there.
Something deeply human
in the disciples
provokes a longer
teaching time
by Jesus.
Here's what I mean.
Look at verses
three and following.
And as Jesus
sat on the Mount
of Olives
opposite the temple,
Peter and James
and John
and Andrew
asked him privately,
tell us
what are about
to be accomplished.
Now,
as I said
in my introduction,
we're obsessed
with thinking
that we know
the future.
In fact,
we look down
our noses
at people
who don't look
at the
January 6th
events
as being
a sign
and a precursor
of terrible things.
Who don't,
who others
who see the border
crisis in the United States
as a sign
of terrible things.
Who see
the hate speech
stuff that's going on
in the Canadian government
as being a sign
of a terrible future.
Like,
we are obsessed
with trying
to think
to figure out
what the future is
and we look
down our noses.
Somebody who doesn't
share our particular
political perspective
that will look
and how can you
not see that
as a sign
is how we talk
to each.
Like,
we might not use
that word
but that's how we think.
How can you not
see that as a sign?
Like,
we're always looking
for signs
and we always think
that we can know
the future
that we have
some insight
and we think
that people
who don't share
our insight
about where
the culture
is going
are naive.
They're foolish.
They're,
you know,
whatever.
Brainwash by who
and pick your bad guy.
So what we see here
is the normal
human thing.
A normal
human thing.
I got Jesus here.
I'm going to,
he's going to tell me
when this is going
to happen
and he's going
to tell me
the signs
of when it's
going to happen.
Now you have
to realize
that this desire
for this inside
knowledge,
this takes place
on either the
Wednesday
or the Thursday.
Probably the
Wednesday.
And on Friday,
Jesus is hanging
on the cross
dying.
They're asking him
this question
on Wednesday.
and less than
approximately
48 hours later,
he's dying
on the cross.
And I can
well imagine
that afterwards
they were going,
good grief.
what were,
what was,
like what,
like what just
happened?
Why were,
I mean they think
Jesus is going
to go on,
he's going to
triumph and you
know who knows
what they thought.
Maybe they thought
that after he conquered
the whole world
he was going to
knock down the
temple,
make a better
one.
Like who knows
what they were
thinking.
They're just
caught up with
their desire
to know the
signs better
than other people,
know the future
better than other
people and
they're asking
it from their
perspective and
they don't see
that even though
Jesus has told
them time and
time and time
and time again
that he's going
to Jerusalem
to die on the
cross and
that he'll rise
from the dead,
they don't see
that's about to
happen.
How does
Jesus answer?
Does he say
to them,
you're so stupid
you're asking me
this question
when I'm about
to die on the
cross?
Like what,
he doesn't do
that.
He takes the
question and
in a sense
what he's doing,
you can see
here that Jesus
is speaking to
our human
desire to
to know the
future and
to know
signs.
And so he
answers their
question.
So what does
he say?
Look at verses
five and
following.
And Jesus
began to say
to them,
see that no
one leads you
astray.
Many will
come in my
name saying,
I am he,
and they will
lead many
astray.
Now just sort
of pause here
for a second.
this command
and warning
to not be
led astray
is going to
be repeated
in this text
and it's a
very important
thing for us
to understand.
I mean,
it's something
for us to
make a part
of our
prayers.
That Lord
is,
as we're
trying to
figure out,
you know,
things about
climate change
and things
about politics
and things
about economics
and things
about this
and that,
help us to
think about
it Christianly
and Father,
help us to
not be
led astray.
And when it
comes to
teachings around
the second
coming of
Christ,
help us not
to be led
astray and
help us not
to be led
astray by
false teachers
and false
prophets
and idols
and lies.
Help us,
Lord,
not to be
led astray.
It's a very
good thing
for us to
pray.
Jesus is,
in a sense,
telling us,
you should
pray this
because you
should want
to not be
led astray.
And it
also must
have,
like,
we don't
get any
of the,
we don't
get any
of the
disciples'
reactions to
this,
but it
must have
puzzled
them.
They're
trying to
think,
okay,
we're just
asking about
the stones
being knocked
down,
but now
you're talking
about false
Christ?
Like,
how can
there be,
we just
know who
you are,
like,
how could
there be
a false,
like,
we don't
get their
reaction to
that.
But,
okay,
maybe he's
now going
to tell them
the signs
and the
time.
Well,
let's look,
verses 7
and 8.
And when
you hear of
wars and
rumors of
wars,
do not
be alarmed.
This must
take place,
but the
end is not
yet.
For nation
will rise
against nation
and kingdom
against kingdom.
There will
be earthquakes
in various
places.
There will
be famines.
These are
but the
beginnings
of the
birth pains.
Now,
just sort
of pause
here for a
second.
every one
of these
things are
exactly the
sort of
thing that
we think
of as
being
signs.
We see
a war.
We see
famine.
We see
earthquakes.
We think
surely these
must be
the signs.
And Jesus
says these
are not
signs.
This is
just normal
life.
This is
just normal
life.
They're not
signs.
They're not
signs.
life.
It's
just
life.
So we
go,
okay,
that's
a bit
puzzling.
But then
he continues.
Look at
verse 9.
But be
on your
guard.
That's
sort of a
very similar
type of
command as
to not
be led
astray.
for they
will deliver
you over
to councils
and you
will be
beaten in
synagogues
and you
will stand
before governors
and kings
for my
sake to
bear witness
before them.
And the
gospel must
first be
proclaimed to
all nations.
And when
they bring
you to
trial and
deliver you
over,
do not
be anxious
beforehand
what you
are to
say.
But say
whatever is
given to
you in
that hour.
For it
is not
you who
speak
will rise
against
parents and
have their
parents put
to death.
And you
will be
hated by
all for
my name's
sake.
But the
one who
endures to
the end
will be
saved.
Isn't
Jesus great
at sales?
Like if that
doesn't make
you want to
become a
Christian,
I don't
know what
would.
Once again,
none of
these are
signs.
He's
describing
normal
human life.
And he's
describing
that people
who, what
he's describing
is he's
describing life
after his
death and
resurrection,
that there
will be a
Jesus
movement,
and that
this Jesus
movement is
going to
face at
times very,
very, very
bitter and
deadly
persecution.
We have
it very
mild here in
Canada right
now.
Maybe it
will get
bad.
We should
pray that it
doesn't.
Those of you
who work in
the government,
those of you
who work in
media should
do what you
can to turn
our nation
from really
wanting to
persecute
Christians.
But we
know that
there are
many countries
in the
world where
this, you
know, I
haven't read
all of the
book, but
there's this
very profound
book called
Everything
Sad is
Untrue.
And it's
written by
a fellow
whose mother
in Iran
became a
Christian.
In Iran.
I think
she was a
doctor.
And because
of the
persecution
against her,
she had to
flee the
country and
she lost
everything and
she took
her two
kids with
her.
I think
it was
two.
And this
is a bit
of a
memoir of
the man
now much
older about
what it was
to be taken
in as a
refugee to
have fled
Iran and
be taken
in as a
refugee in
Oklahoma.
And the
culture shock.
And it's a
very, very
powerful title.
And in many
ways it could
be another
title about
the point
of the
second
coming of
Christ.
Is that
part of the
reason the
second coming
of Christ
isn't kooky
but is very,
very profound
and very,
very necessary
is that it
tells you that
for those who
are in
Christ,
at the end
of the end
of the end,
everything sad
is untrue.
That every
tear will be
wiped away
and every
wound will be
healed.
and every
abandonment
will be
met with
reception
and love
and a
forever
family.
These are
not signs.
This is
normal
Christian life.
But notice
in the midst
of this
description
of profound
heartache
and profound
hard times.
Like,
not only
would it be
hard for me
to be dragged
before a
court
and sentenced
to death
or dragged
before a
crowd and be
sentenced to
death and
then killed
because I'm
a Christian
and that
would be
hard.
It would
be even
harder if I
knew it
was one
of my
kids
who was
responsible
for it.
That would
be just
so hard.
Whether it
was my
brother or
my wife
who turned
me in.
But the
thing which
is interesting,
if you go
back and
you look
at the
text again,
is in the
midst of
that very,
very,
very hard
time,
and we
still haven't
got to
any signs
yet,
is that
God is
still active
and sovereign.
The gospel
is proclaimed
to all the
nations.
When you
speak before
kings and
governors,
the Holy
Spirit will
actually speak
through you.
And that
if you
endure all
of these
things,
the result
of enduring
all of
these
things is
eternal
life.
That
that's
the destiny
of going
through all
of these
things,
that you
will be
saved,
that you
will have
eternal
life,
that God
is still
sovereign,
even in
the midst
of these
very,
very hard
and
difficult
times.
So now
we do
get to
some
signs.
And just
before I
start to
read it,
I'm going
to say
it,
and then
I'm going
to come
back to
it.
I have
only,
so I'm
not trying
to make
any attempt
to try
to connect
the abomination
of desolation
with the man
of lawlessness
or the beast
or the
antichrist.
I'm not
giving a talk
on eschatology.
It's fine
to give a
talk on
eschatology,
and obviously
the Bible
teaches
an eschatology.
I'm just
trying to
deal with
the text
in front
of me.
And so
I have
one particular
piece of
advice,
is that
if we
listen to
this,
you don't
want to
be Eustace
or Jill.
You want
to be
puddle glum.
And those
of you who
know the
Narnia
Chronicles,
that's the
big takeaway
that you
should get
from this.
I want
to be
puddle glum,
not Jill
or Eustace.
So I'll
explain it
in a
moment.
Let's
listen to
these
signs.
Verse 14.
But when
you see
the abomination
of desolation,
standing where
he ought not
to be,
let the reader
understand.
Then let
those who
are in
Judea flee
to the
mountains.
Let the
one who
is on
the housetop
not go
down,
nor enter
his house
to take
anything
out.
And let
the one
who is
in the
field
not turn
back
to take
his cloak.
And alas,
for women
who are
pregnant and
for those
who are
nursing infants
in those
days,
pray that
it may
not happen
in winter,
for in those
days there
will be such
tribulation
as has not
been seen,
as has not
been from the
beginning of the
creation that
God created
until now
and never
will be.
And if the
Lord had not
cut short
the days,
no human
being would
be saved,
but for
the sake
of the
elect whom
he chose,
he shortened
the days.
And then
if anyone
says to
you,
look,
here is
the Christ,
or look,
there he
is,
do not
believe,
and false
prophets
will arise
and perform
signs and
wonders to
lead astray
if possible
the elect,
but be on
guard.
I have
told you
all these
things
beforehand.
Now,
there's a
series of
books by C.S.
Lewis called
The Narnia
Chronicles,
and I can't
remember what
book it is
in the order.
The two
human beings,
it sort of
talks about a
separate world,
a separate
universe,
where there's
this Aslan
who's like a
Christ figure.
And all of
The Narnia
Chronicles involve
human beings
from our sort
of world or
timeline going
into this
other world.
And in this
one particular
world,
these two
young people,
I think they're
both like 12
or something,
Jill and
Eustace,
they get
brought into
this other
world.
And Aslan
meets them,
and Aslan
gives them a
task to
fulfill.
And in this
task,
he says,
you will have
four signs,
and these
four signs,
you need to
remember them
every day.
Every day,
you need to
say them over
and over
again.
Don't forget
them.
Be on the
lookout for
them.
And then
here's the
main point.
You need to
understand that
these signs
might not be
obvious,
but you will
come across
them,
and if
you follow
them,
you'll
succeed in
this quest
which he
sent them
on.
Four signs.
And they're
told to
remember them
over and
over again.
So the
thing goes
on,
and what
happens,
of course,
is that the
two kids
regularly forget
what the
signs are,
never recognize
the signs
when they
come.
The only one
who actually
remembers the
signs and
finally recognizes
each signs is
this creature,
a marsh
wiggle,
called
Puddleglum.
And that's,
I think,
the recommendation
we can have
for this.
It's very
interesting.
In the
commentaries,
they go on
and on and
on and on
about what
the abomination
of desolation
means.
Nobody knows.
There's three
vague references
in Daniel.
But we're
told that it
will be a
sign of
the end.
And we're
told that there
will be a
time of
great tribulation.
Whether that's
all over the
world or just
in one particular
area, we're
not told.
One of the
great problems
with North
Americans is
that we think
somehow or
another,
whenever the
tribulation
comes, it
has to be in
North America,
as if we're
somehow like
the center of
the universe.
Duh!
We're not!
Like, maybe
it's describing
right now what's
going on in
Iran.
Like, maybe
we're in the
period of it
right now
because of
Iran or
China.
Like, why
should we
think it
has to be
connected to
us?
Like, maybe
it's going
on in
parts of
Africa.
It just
says there
will be a
time of
great, great,
great tribulation
and there's
this thing
called the
abomination
of desolation
and what
we can, I
think that
C.S.
Lewis was
very wise.
We probably
won't recognize
it.
That's why
Jesus keeps
saying, be on
your guard,
be on your
guard, be on
your guard.
Because it could
very well be
something that
people just
go, you know,
it's like, it's
like, I'm
starting to be a
bit controversial,
complaining about
medically
assisted dying.
Oh, don't, it's
just a small
thing.
Don't worry
about it.
Don't think
about it.
Or discussing
certain other
types of
things about,
you know,
changing the
gender of
kids.
And they
talk, you
know, so we're
going to start,
don't worry about
it, just a
small, like, why
are you getting
all upset about
it?
It could very
well be
something that
all of the
elites, all of
the hoity-toity
pooh-paws who
live in the best
sections of the
country and all
make lots of
money and are
all very, very
smart and they
all have 10
PhDs or have
are very, very
powerful and they
all think this is a
wonderful thing, is
pray that I will be
puddle-glum and
pray that you will be
puddle-glum.
Remember the signs.
Remember them.
And by the way,
before we go
anything any way
further, why on
earth do we even
think about this?
Why is it even being
talked about and
remembered?
Well, the only
reason that any of
this is being talked
about and remembered
is that even though
it was said on a
Wednesday and on
Friday he died on
the cross, on
Sunday the grave
was empty and
Jesus appeared
alive.
And if on Sunday
the grave was not
empty, if in fact
the body of Jesus
was still there, we
wouldn't read any of
this stuff, we
wouldn't know about
it, nor would we
care about it, nor
would we think it's
important.
And if we met
somebody who thought
it was important with
Jesus' body rotting in
the grave just after
he'd said these
things, we'd say,
you guys are
deluded, like why
do you pay any
attention?
The guy, nothing he
said worked out or
turned out.
It's only the
significance of the
resurrection of Jesus
after his prophecies and
in light of the whole
history of the whole
story of the Old
Testament that we
look at these things
and say, the grave is
empty.
He rose from the
dead.
He ascended to
heaven.
And he is the one.
He didn't tell us that
he's going to come
again because he's
studied the
dialectics of
history, that he's
understood the
dynamics of technology
and science, that he's
figured out an
algorithm that will
show the future.
These are things that
our culture would like.
His only authority is
his own.
It's the authority of
having defeated death,
of having risen from
the dead.
And when he ascended
into heaven, he said,
I'm going to come
back.
I will return.
And now we get to
this other part.
I have to watch my
time.
24 to 27.
And this is just
mind-blowing.
And what this is
showing here, by the
way, is showing
something that, you
see, when Jesus
dies on the cross, on
one hand, his first
coming is to deal
with a sacrifice
for sin.
He is introduced
in John's gospel as
the Lamb of God who
takes away the sin of
the world.
And in all of the
Old Testament
sacrificial systems,
there's always this
double thing that goes
on, where you have
an animal that's
innocent, and in a
sense, by touching
the animal or offering
the animal up, the
bad things in you, the
shame in you, goes on
the animal, and the
innocence of the
animal comes to you.
And the fundamental
purpose of
Christ's coming is
that he is that, he
is, as God's son, he
is that Lamb of God
that God has provided
so that when we put
our hands in the hands
of Jesus, the things
within us which are
evil and bad go on
him and his
righteousness is given
to us.
But there's something
else as well, is that
when he rises from the
dead, it means that
something new has
entered our
created order.
The life of the
world to come has
come to enter our
created lives to
Christ, and we are
born again.
That life of the age
to come, that eternal
life, enters ordinary
human beings like you
and me.
And when we see these
final words, we're
seeing is the life of
the age to come,
coming to its final
end and breaking
apart the life,
our life,
the life of this
age.
Listen to it
described.
For in those days
after that tribulation,
the sun will be
darkened and the moon
will not give its
light and the stars
will be falling from
heaven and the powers
in the heavens will be
shaken.
And then they will see
the Son of Man coming
in clouds with great
power and glory.
And then 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.
Jesus will come.
Why do we believe
that Jesus will come?
It's because of the
resurrection of Christ.
Why is it precious?
It's precious because
it shows us the true
story of the world and
a way for us to be in
the true story of the
world that makes it a
great difference.
Here's what it is.
Like if you read
self-help books, if you
read advice columns,
if you sort of just,
you know, pick up what
the main lessons of
Hollywood and the media,
the lessons is that the
full human life, the
mature human life is,
you know, win, win,
win, win, win, and at
the end, win in capital
letters.
But that story doesn't
have any place with
suffering or for
failure.
And in fact, actually, I
think a case could be
made that that doesn't
even describe the real
world.
Even if you took, if you
mastered every one of
those self-help books, and
so your whole life was win,
win, win, win, win, win,
win.
At some point in time,
you die, and then you
lose.
Who wants to be part of a
story that involves win,
win, win, win, lose?
Lose everything.
Show the first diagram,
please.
You can see this as one of
my profound works of art.
This is describing the
story of the Bible.
And I'd say that because
of Jesus and what he
tells us, it's the true
and greater story of the
world.
And what it's describing
is that this God creates
all things.
He creates things good.
And then that's chapter
one.
Chapter two is the fall.
It means that from within
this created order, human
beings who, in a sense,
Adam and Eve are called
to be, in a sense, the
priests that represent the
entire created order.
And they representing the
entire created order.
The only man and woman is
made in the image of God.
They rebel against God.
They want to be their own
God.
And as a result, evil
enters, evil and
brokenness enters into the
human world.
And then chapter three is
what we now primarily know
as the Old Testament, is
that God makes promises and
prepares to send a
deliverer.
And then chapter four is
Jesus.
And Jesus is God keeping
his promise.
He sends the deliverer.
And then chapter five is
the already not yet.
It's the time that we're
living in.
And then chapter six is the
end of all things and the
beginning of all things.
But if we, if you look at
the next image, you'll see
that there's a slightly
different way that I want to
write, show you it.
You probably can't read it.
Maybe you can.
And I apologize.
I don't know how to do
things on the computer, as
you can see.
So I hand draw them.
So here you have another
way of looking at this
story.
You see at the bottom the
good creation, the fall,
the preparation.
Number four is Jesus.
But then you see that with
the resurrection of Jesus,
this is how the New
Testament describes it.
And this is how you see it
even in this description,
verses 24 to 27.
That the life of the new
creation, when Jesus rises
from the dead, that's the
life of the new creation
entering into our created
order.
And so we live in this pink
area.
Human beings live in this
pink area.
One way to describe it is
the already not yet.
What that means is this.
On one hand, I still am part
of the old created order.
I have a tendency to sin.
I have a tendency to
selfishness.
I get sick.
I suffer.
I die.
On the other hand, there's
also in me, not because
there's anything special
about me, but purely and
utterly because of Christ.
When I put my faith and
trust in Christ, I am born
again.
And that means the life of
Christ enters into me.
That resurrection life
enters into me.
I have become God's child by
adoption and grace.
It means that when I die, I
don't really die.
I just continue into this new
heaven and the new earth.
It means that I have gifts of
the Holy Spirit that come from
the Holy Spirit.
It means I have a new
relationship with my Father
that in some ways, some of
this new creation already has
little tiny glimpse and
gleamings within even the
lowliest of Christians.
But when he comes the second
time, then this created order
comes to an end.
And there will be a judgment of
the living and the dead.
And the new creation continues
on with the second coming into
the new heaven and the new
earth.
So why is this so precious?
You see, the Bible is very wise.
It tells us that Jesus and Jesus,
what's it like to be a Christian?
I win.
I fail.
I suffer.
I win.
I lose.
I suffer.
I fail.
I lose.
I win.
I suffer.
At the end, win.
And it means that in the midst of my
failures and my sufferings, my sin,
I know that I am the adopted child
of the triune God, that he is still
sovereign in this world, and that
every day that I live, I am one day
closer to seeing Jesus face to face.
And the end of the story of my life,
well, one way to put it is win.
Another way to put it is welcome.
The Father and the Son and the Holy
Spirit say to George, welcome.
They say to the lowliest Christian,
welcome.
I am so glad you are here.
That is the good news of the gospel.
That changes how you take risks.
It means you can take risks.
Because the final word about you is welcome.
I invite you to stand, please.
Let's bow our heads in prayer.
Father, the world can make it seem like
it's kooky to believe that Jesus will
return and that there will be an ending
of this created order.
Father, some of us feel that kookiness,
pressure very strongly.
Others, just like water off a duck's back.
We ask for all of us, Lord, that you help us
not to go overboard thinking and talking
about this.
But we ask, Father, most importantly for most
of us that it become a precious thought to us
to know that as your child, by adoption and
grace, that every day we live, we are one day
closer to seeing you, that we are one day closer
to hearing your welcome, that you do,
as my granddaughter says, you do beat everything.
And that when we are in Jesus, we share in his being
of everything.
And we give you thanks and praise for Jesus,
that his death is for us, his resurrection is for us,
and that because we are in him, your final word about us
will be welcome.
So, Father, please keep these truths precious
and make them deep in our hearts.
Help us to be unashamed of them, unembarrassed.
Help us not to be led astray.
Help us to be on our guard.
And we ask all these things in the name of Jesus,
your Son and our Savior.
Amen.