We start, when do you think the world is going to end?
Well, we're not short on suggestions.
The scientist predicts that in five billion years,
the sun will have burnt itself out, making it impossible for life to exist.
The conspiracy theorists tell us that, well, we better be on the lookout
because we're going to be invaded by aliens,
as shown on the Hollywood film, War of the Worlds.
The religious fundamentalist, as he wanders up and down the pathway with his sandwich board,
announces with every earthquake and disaster that the end is nigh.
Of course, if you followed the Mayan calendar,
then you will know that we were all due to be destroyed by a meteorite last December.
And in case you don't know, that actually never happened.
We're still here.
So, when will the world end?
Or are we just going to continue on for all eternity?
Well, Jesus also tells us something about the end.
He tells us that the world as we know it will end when he returns.
Look at verse 26.
At that time, that's the end.
Men will see the Son of Man, the Lord Jesus,
coming in clouds with great power and glory.
And when will that happen?
Well, look down at verse 32 for the answer.
No one knows about that day or hour.
Not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father.
He's coming, but we don't know when.
And while we don't necessarily have all the details or all the answers that we want to our questions,
Jesus has told us what we do need to know.
And things that we can be absolutely certain about.
The first, the signs of the end.
Destruction.
Now, this is probably the most challenging for us mentally,
so keep with me on this.
The signs of the end.
Look at verse 1.
As he was leaving the temple, that's Jesus,
one of his disciples said to him,
Look, teacher, what massive stones!
What magnificent buildings!
Of course, he was referring to the temple.
Some of these foundation stones that they could see,
that supported the vast temple,
were 13 metres long and 3 metres high.
They were enormous.
A symbol of durability and permanence.
But look what Jesus said was going to happen.
Verse 2.
Do you see these great buildings?
Reply Jesus.
Not one stone will be left on another.
Every one will be thrown down.
This great, formidable temple,
which covered an area the size of 12 football pitches,
and all its grandeur and these great big stones,
is going to be destroyed.
But, quickly look at verse 29.
Even so, when you see these things happening,
when you see the temple being destroyed,
you know that it is near.
The end is right at the door.
You see, the destruction of the temple
is a sign for us today
that the world as we know it
will one day be destroyed.
Two things.
Signs of the temple's destruction.
So, as we look at this,
remember we're going back to
when the disciples were walking on this earth
and they were looking forward
towards the temple being destroyed.
So, they say to Jesus in verse 4,
they say to Jesus,
tell us when these things will happen.
When is the temple going to be destroyed?
What will be the sign
that they are all about to be fulfilled?
Now, we've got to remember that
as Jesus is speaking these words to them,
it's around 33 AD.
In 70 AD,
the temple was captured
and destroyed by the Roman general Titus.
You can read all about it
in any great big history book.
So, 37 years
before the temple was actually destroyed,
Jesus is here predicting
its destruction.
And now Jesus is telling his disciples
to watch out for the signs
before it actually happens.
So, what were the signs?
Well, he tells us, verse 7,
he says,
you'll hear of wars
and rumours of wars.
But do not be alarmed.
Such things must happen,
but the end
is still to come.
The destruction
is still to come.
Nation will rise
against nation
and kingdom
against kingdom.
There will be earthquakes
in various places
and famines.
But these are the beginning
of birth pains.
It's not the end.
They're only signs.
In fact,
there will be
persecution as well
in verse 9.
He says,
you're to be on your guard.
You will be handed over
to the local councils
and be flogged
in the synagogues.
There will also be
family division
as people decide
whether they follow Jesus
or whether they're
against Jesus.
In verse 12,
so,
brother will betray
brother to death
and the father his child.
Children will rebel
against their parents
and have them put to death.
So,
Jesus is saying,
look,
these are all signs.
These are all things
that are going to be happening
to confirm
with absolute certainty
that the temple
is going to be destroyed.
Let's hope this building
isn't going to be destroyed.
Now,
here's the connection.
Just as there were signs
pointing to the destruction
of the temple,
so the destruction
of the temple
becomes a sign
for us today
to confirm
the absolute certainty
that the world
as we know it
is going
to end.
Which brings us
to the second.
The temple destruction
is a sign
for us today.
Look at verse 14.
He says to them,
when you see
the abomination
that causes
desolation,
now that's a very strange
and confusing
phrase.
We haven't got time
to go into
all of what it means,
but basically
it is talking about
the destruction
of the temple.
So when you see
the abomination
that causes
desolation,
when you see
the temple
being destroyed,
standing where
it does not belong,
which refers
to the Romans
who came in
and destroyed it,
let the reader
understand.
So he's saying
just as there were
signs to confirm
the end of the temple,
we the readers
of the Gospel
of Mark today
must understand
that the temple
is our sign.
Secular history
records for us
in detail...
My word,
can you hear me?
No.
Okay.
I'm going to stop
and just wait
patiently.
Hi.
Hmm.
So,
let's start again
on that...
Gosh,
why didn't somebody
say if you
couldn't hear?
So,
just to go back
one step,
okay,
so we've got
signs of the temple
destruction.
Jesus is telling
his disciples
that all these
different things
will happen.
There'll be wars,
there'll be famines,
there'll be earthquakes,
there'll be persecution,
there'll be all kinds
of conflict
within families,
but these were all
signs leading up
to the destruction
of the temple.
Now,
for us,
let's read verse 14
again.
Okay?
When you see the
abomination that
causes desolation,
it's a difficult
phrase,
but it's really
referring to
the whole temple
destruction.
So he says,
when you see that,
standing where it
does not belong,
which refers to
the Romans who
came in and
invaded and
took over,
let the reader
understand.
So he's saying,
just as there were
signs to confirm
the end of the
temple,
we, the readers
today,
must understand
that the end
of the temple,
the temple's
destruction,
is our sign.
Secular history
records for us
in detail that
the temple was
completely destroyed
by the Romans
in 70 AD.
It's a historical
fact.
So if Jesus
predicts
that the temple
is going to be
destroyed,
if his predictions
were true,
then that means
we are to believe
his words
about the end
of the world.
If what Jesus
said was true
in the past,
that means we
can trust his
words for the
future.
Look at verse
31.
He says,
heaven and earth
will pass away,
but my words
will never
pass away.
The words of
Jesus in the
past were proven
to be true,
so why not
trust his word
about his return
and the end
that is to come?
It's a no-brainer.
Jesus is coming
back.
Look at the end
of verse 8.
There's this
phrase,
these are the
beginning of
birth pains.
Any mothers
who are here
this morning
will all know
that as you
come to give
birth,
labour pains
hit,
birth pains
come,
telling you
that the end
of the pregnancy
is close.
Something significant
is about to
happen.
Well,
for us,
we're to read
this,
that the temple
destruction
is like the
birth pains.
It's the signs
for us today
to tell us
that something
significant in
the future
is going to
happen.
But just as
birth pains
lead to new
life,
so the coming
of Jesus
is going to
bring about
new life.
So that's the
signs of the
end.
Second,
the promise
at the end
is restoration.
The coming of
Jesus into
this world
will bring
about a
complete
restoration
of this
world.
He will
restore it
to its
original
glory.
Look at
verse 24.
But in
those days,
the days
following the
destruction of
the temple,
following that
distress,
the sun
will be
darkened
and the
moon
will not
give its
light.
The stars
will fall
from the
sky and
the heavenly
bodies will
be shaken.
The world
as we know
it will
come to a
terrible end.
There will
be a cosmic
wipeout.
But,
verse 26,
at that
time,
men will
see the
Son of
Man,
that's
Jesus,
coming in
clouds with
great power
and glory.
now read
that carefully
again in
verse 26.
It doesn't
say Jesus
is going to
come on
the clouds.
He doesn't
say he
will come
with the
clouds,
but he
says he's
coming in
clouds.
In the
Bible,
clouds,
generally
speaking,
symbolise the
presence of
God.
So if God
was to show
that he was
with you,
if God
was to
show he
was present
among you,
then a
cloud appeared.
So we know
the story of
Moses going
up onto the
mountain,
and the
cloud came
down on
the mountain,
and God
spoke from
the cloud.
It was
God's way
of saying,
I am
here,
I am
present
with you,
I am
among you.
Now the
first time
we ever
read of
God being
present with
his people,
God dwelling
among his
people,
where's the
first time
we read
of that?
It's in
the Garden
of Eden,
the very
first few
verses of
the Bible,
and there
we see
God present,
living,
walking,
talking amongst
his people.
He's in the
Garden of
Eden,
the world
in all its
perfection,
in all its
beauty and
harmony.
It's a world
where there's
no death,
there's no
disease,
there are no
disasters,
there's no
sickness,
there's no
suffering.
It's peace
and perfection,
people living
in the
presence of
God.
Of course,
we don't
see that
anymore.
The world
has fallen
away from
God.
So when
Jesus comes,
verse 26,
in clouds,
he is
bringing the
presence of
God,
he is
bringing the
power and
the glory
of God
to us.
He is
coming to
restore the
world to
its beauty
and its
perfection.
Now the
purpose of
restoring the
world is
to gather
his people,
to share
in it,
so that
they may
enjoy it,
to be with
him, to be
part of his
new creation,
this new
world for
all eternity.
Look at
verse 27.
And when
he comes with
great power
and glory,
verse 27,
he will send
his angels
and gather
his elect
from the
four winds,
from the
ends of the
earth to
the ends
of the
heaven.
As we've
been reading
through Mark's
gospel,
we've seen
that the
invitation
from Jesus
to be part
of his
eternal
kingdom
with an
invitation
for all
people,
regardless
of their
race or
religion.
But look
closely.
Who is
going to be
part of
this gathering?
Look at
verse 27.
His elect.
Not everybody
is going to
be part of
it.
Only those
who belong
to him.
That means
all those
who have
turned to
Jesus Christ
and trusted
in him
as the
only means
of salvation.
The one
that they
recognise
as God's
chosen king,
the Messiah.
The one
who they
look to
for forgiveness
and place
all their
confidence
and trust.
And who
will be
there?
Well,
there will
be people
from the
four winds,
from the
north and
the south
and the
east and
the west,
people from
different
nations and
cultures.
others.
As I
said earlier,
I had the
privilege of
meeting with
people from
Albania and
Kosovo and
Macedonia and
Ukraine and
America and
Ireland and
England.
All people from
such a variety
of backgrounds
and different
languages.
But we were
gathered together
with one thing
in common,
that we were
people who
loved Jesus
and trusted
in him.
And these
are the
people that
God will
come to and
will gather
together to
bring them
to be with
him.
This promise,
this
anticipation of
restoration is
going to be
like moving
from the
winter months
into the
summer months.
Look at
verse 28.
Learn this
lesson from
the fig tree.
As soon as
its twigs get
tender and
its leaves
come out,
you know
that summer
is near,
it's coming,
we're moving
from winter
into summer.
And we know
that summertime
is that time
when all the
dead and the
bare things
begin to
flourish and
flower.
The dark,
rotting leaves
have all gone
and there's
new leaves
bursting into
vibrant
colours.
And this is
what it's
going to be
like when
Jesus returns,
summer with
all its
warmth and
life replacing
the cold and
dead of
winter.
No more
disease,
no more
sicknesses or
hospitals,
no more
disasters,
there'll never
be an item
on the news
about an
earthquake or
famine,
no more
death,
no more
sin,
and no more
evil,
and no more
violence,
and no more
crime,
and no more
destruction,
but God's
people,
in God's
presence,
for all
eternity.
Jesus is
coming.
So that is
the promise.
But third,
we've got the
command,
until the
end.
Preparation.
Because this
is all great,
we can all
look forward
to it,
but what
about now?
We don't
know when
he's coming
back.
It could be
tomorrow,
it could be
ten years,
it could be
a thousand
years.
we do
not know.
So how
does it
affect me
now?
What
difference is
all of
this going
to make
to my
life?
Well,
there's
two main
commands
that he
gives us.
First,
be on
our
guard.
Verse
32,
no one
knows about
that day
or hour,
not even
the angels
in heaven
nor the
sun,
but only
the Father.
Be on
guard.
be alert.
You do
not know
when that
time will
come.
As we
mentioned at
the beginning,
lots of
people make
all kinds
of predictions
about the
coming of
Jesus.
In fact,
we should
actually be
very wary
of teachings
about the
predictions,
trying to
work out
the times
and what's
going on
and who's
in charge
in this
nation
and who's
controlling
this
region
and what's
going on.
Be wary
of these
things.
Go back
to verse
21.
At that
time,
if anyone
says to
you,
look,
here's the
Christ,
or look,
there he
is,
do not
believe it.
For false
Christs and
false prophets
will appear
and they'll
even perform
signs and
miracles to
deceive the
elect God's
people,
if that
were possible.
Be on
your guard
against getting
taken up
by all
this mad
teaching.
We just
simply do
not know.
Instead,
go back
to verse
34.
We've got
to be on
our guard.
Verse
34,
it's like a
man going
away.
He leaves
his house
and he puts
his servants
in charge,
each with
his assigned
task.
and tells
the one
at the
door to
keep
watch.
I'm one
of three
siblings.
I'm the
youngest
one,
so my
brother and
sister had
all left
home.
And in
my teenage
years,
it was
quite normal
for my
mum and
dad.
They could
go away
for a day.
Sometimes
they were
away for
longer.
Not that
they'd
abandoned
me,
but they
felt I
was okay
at home.
And I'd
always ask
them,
when are
you coming
back?
And,
okay,
sometimes I'd
know the
day,
but I just
didn't know
when they
were coming
back on
that day.
Which meant,
and I think I
figured out why
they never told
me,
to make sure
that everything
was in order
and the parties
the night before
might have been
cleaned up in
time or
whatever.
I had to be
on guard,
watchful,
that everything
was in order
because I
didn't know
when they
were coming
back.
And in
the same
way,
we've got
to have
our life
in order
to make
sure that
we are
people who
are trusting
in Jesus,
walking
with Jesus,
living for
Jesus,
that our
lives are
being directed
and shaped
by his
plans and
his desires
and not
my own.
be on
our guard.
Don't
drift
into a
pattern of
living for
yourself and
going your
own way.
We do
not know.
We must
be ready.
We must
be about
the business
of the
king.
That's
why it
says earlier
that the
gospel must
be preached
to all
nations.
This is
our task.
This is
what we are
to be
about.
we are
to be
people who
are living
for his
kingdom
and for
his
things.
Make sure
that when
he returns
we are
on our
guard.
We are
busy
about
his
work.
Second,
be
watchful.
Verse
35,
therefore
keep
watch
because
you do
not know
when the
owner of
the house
will come
back.
Whether
it's in
the
evening
or at
midnight
or when
the
cock
crows
are at
dawn.
If he
comes
suddenly,
do not
let him
find you
sleeping.
Don't be
sleeping.
Not
physically,
but make
sure you're
not going,
oh,
Jesus
coming back?
Load of
nonsense.
Jesus
coming back?
Well,
he's
taken a
long time
already,
so I've
got a
good few
years left
yet.
Do my
own thing.
Live my
own way.
It's
too
serious
to be
putting it
off.
In
fact,
look back
to verse
18.
We get
a small
description
of what
it was
like when
the Romans
actually
invaded
and destroyed
Jerusalem
and the
temple and
captured and
burnt and
wrecked everything
that was
there.
Verse
18,
Jesus is
talking about,
he says,
pray that
this doesn't
take place
in winter.
In other
words,
it's going
to be so
bad,
but,
you know,
it's going
to be worse
if it was
in winter
time.
Because,
verse 19,
those will
be days
of distress,
unequaled
from the
beginning when
God created
the world
until now
and never
to be
equaled
again.
It was
terrifying
when they
came and
destroyed the
place.
And he's
saying if
that's what
it was
like when
the temple
was destroyed,
what will
it be like
when the
Son of
Man
comes in
clouds with
great power
and glory.
And God
comes in
his judgment
to bring
his people
to himself.
But if we
are found
sleeping,
what will
it be like?
This is a
serious warning
for us
all.
Whoever we
are,
whether we
are a
believer
or not
yet a
believer,
make sure
we are
ready
to meet
the Lord.
Make sure
we are
ready
to meet
Jesus
because he
is coming.
Look at
verse 37.
What I
say to you,
I say to
everyone
watch.
Watch.
Let's
pray.
Let's
pray.
Let's
pray.
Let's
pray.
ch
that
him.