November
14th and 15th – Mark 13:1-13
In the Name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit +
In the Name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit +
During
the days of Holy Week, Jesus confronts idolatry head on. If folks
are making an idol of money, He'll turn the money changers tables
over – He'll tell the Pharisees to render unto Caesar the things
that are Caesar's. If folks are making an idol of themselves, He'll
point out their folly like He did with the Sadducees and their
self-idoltary like He did with the scribes. And today, there's one
more idol to confront, this one pointed out even by His own
disciples. “As He came out of the temple, one of His
disciples said to Him, 'Look, Teacher, what wonderful stones and what
wonderful buildings!'”
Yep, one more idol to face today. The temple.
To
refresh and make sure that we are all on the same page – what's the
first commandment? Thou Shalt Have No other gods before Me. What
does this mean? We should fear, love, and trust in God above all
things. That right there is your definition of what an idol is –
it is anything that we fear, that we love, that we trust in more than
God. And there Jesus is, He's been preaching and teaching, and one
of the disciples looks at Him as says, “Man, isn't this temple
great!” Love and trust God above all things. This was an idoltary
of the temple – where that great gift from God that was meant to
focus folks upon God and the coming Messiah ends up overshadowing
Christ Jesus Himself. And this is why Jesus points out a truth about
all our earthly idols – they will all fall. 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.”
The temple wasn't the point – and it does not last forever. Its
stones, its curtain, its holy places – they all were just meant to
point to what Christ Jesus would do. The temple was not eternal.
And it would fall. And it did – in 70 AD when the Romans stormed
Jerusalem after putting down a rebellion, they destroyed the temple.
They built giant fires next to the walls, and they superheated the
rock, and the moisture in the rock began to boil. What happens then?
Well, ever popped popcorn – the same thing. Utterly destroyed.
Stones thrown down.
As we approach the end of the Church year, we are
reminded that the things we see here in this life are temporary.
Even things that are great and wondrous blessings of God – they are
just temporary. This building – it's gorgeous – but it's not
meant to be everlasting. Do you think people will be using these
pews, sitting under these lights 500 years from now? Or even the
building itself – Trinity's rebuilt the church once in her history
already. (Eh, maybe the chancel carpet will still be around buy by
in large things change) Such a wonderful blessing – but it's not
going to last forever. This world is described by our Lord as where
moth and rust destroy – here things fall apart. And not just
buildings. Our relationships, our families. We acknowledge it –
til death us do part. Our bodies – they fall apart. Our minds –
they dull, they fade. All things here in this fallen world are
ravaged by sin, given over to decay and decline, and indeed, they
shall all fail.
Which is why Jesus here is trying to wrest the
disciples' eyes off of their idol de jour, off of the temple and how
pretty it is, and rather onto Himself. While in this world there is
decay and decline and destruction, in Christ Jesus there is new life
and rebirth and restoration. Because He goes to the cross and dies,
sin is done for. Decay and death are destroyed. Does your body fall
apart – Christ will raise it. Does your mind dim – Christ will
enlighten it. Does the world come crashing down around you –
behold, Christ shall give you a new heavens and a new earth. That's
the point – that's why we look forward to the resurrection of the
body and the life of the world to come.
Jesus
continues on this theme, trashing all sorts of idols in the rest of
our text. And as He sat on the Mount of Olives
opposite the temple, Peter and James and John and Andrew asked Him
privately, “Tell us, when will these things be, and what will be
the sign when all these things are about to be accomplished.”
Jesus leaves the temple, and He sits down on the mount of Olives
opposite the temple – sort of staring the temple down. And some of
the disciples ask Him, when's this all going to happen, when is the
bill to come due and all this destruction take place. Do you hear
the fear, the worry? Indeed, is it not a fear and worry that we
ourselves often fall into – fear of the end times? So Christ Jesus
pulls the disciples eyes off of their fears and on to Himself.
Listen.
“See
that no one lead you astray. Many will come saying, 'I am he!' and
they will lead many astray.”
Listen, there are going to be false prophets, false messiahs all
over the place. We've had plenty of major cults like that, even in
the past 50 years. We've had plenty of false social saviors. No –
don't run to those idols. “And when you hear
of wars and rumors of wars, do not be alarmed. This must take place,
but the end is not yet.”
And in the world there will be violence – but even this, do not
fear it more than God. It's scary, but it doesn't supplant God –
your worries about society – don't let them lead you astray either!
“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 beginning of the birth pains.”
This is the way it has to be – for the world is fallen, and it is
shaking itself apart. Of course fallen men are going to war against
fallen men. Of course leaders will lead nations on wicked courses –
trust not in princes, they are but moral. Earth born they are and
soon decay! This is just the way it is – do not let these things
fill you with fear. They are typical.
But
here's where it ramps up. “But be on your
guard. For they will deliver you over to councils, and you will be
beaten in the synagogues, and you will stand before governors and
kings for My sake, to bear witness before them.”
It's going to get rough – especially for the Apostles. You doubt
that – read the book of Acts? They are constantly kicked in the
teeth. And why? “And the Gospel must first be
proclaimed to all nations.”
Because they will be proclaiming the Gospel of Christ Jesus – and
the world will always kick and scream when it hears the Gospel.
That's what the world does. But God will not let folks in this world
just go quietly to death in sin and damnation – no, He will have
His Gospel proclaimed, and He will see that the apostles are brought
before the councils and synagogues and governors all so that His name
will be proclaimed. He will place preachers in pulpits, He will
place you in the lives of your friends and neighbors so that the
Gospel of Christ Jesus, the forgiveness He has won with His death,
the life He has declared, shown, and promised with His resurrection –
this will be proclaimed.
And
note, my dear friends – this isn't a finger waging moment. This
isn't Jesus saying “You guys better work harder doing evangelism.”
No – the Gospel is going to be preached. It's going to happen –
God will see it happen. It must, because God wills it, and His will
will be done. Even through the Apostles, even through us. But it's
not about us and what we must be – it's what He will and must do.
Listen – “And when they bring you to trial
and deliver you over, do not be anxious beforehand [about] what you
are to say, but say whatever is given you in that hour, for it is not
you who speak, but the Holy Spirit.”
Not about you – it's about God working in you and through you.
This is where I feel bad for the folks who think that they have to
speak in tongues to prove that they have the Spirit. It's so much
simpler than that. The Holy Spirit works with the Word. Simple as
that. Even though I worked on this sermon – eh, it's really the
Spirit who is working – who gives me words to say and who gives you
ears to hear. I believe I cannot by my own reason or strength
believe in Jesus Christ my Lord or come to Him, but the Holy Spirit
has called me by the Gospel – so on and so forth. When the kids go
off to Sunday school – the teachers will teach, but in reality the
Holy Spirit will be teaching both teachers and students. This week,
when you talk to your neighbors, your kids, your parents, your
friends – and you declare what Christ Jesus has done, when you
forgive them the sins they have sinned against you – that's really
the Holy Spirit working in you and through you. And don't worry
about it – Relax. It's not about you – it's about Christ Jesus
and what He has done – and the Holy Spirit points it that
direction.
Do
you see why Jesus takes on idols? All these fears and loves and
trusts that we have that are utterly misplaced and silly – and yet,
there stands Christ Jesus. He is life, He is forgiveness, He is
salvation. And He gives Himself to you freely. He even distributes
it to others through you freely – and while I am talking about the
Lord's Supper, I'm not just talking about the Lord's Supper – but
rather whenever the Word is proclaimed and given. We in the Church
are part of a wondrous reality, a profound mystery. God is at work
for us and through us and in us – this is a wondrous truth. And
yet, this fallen world will fight against it. “And
brother will deliver brother over to death, and the father his child,
and children will rise against parents and have them put to death.
And you will be hated by all for My name's sake.”
It will get ugly. The dying idols of the world will not go quietly
– they will kick and scream and do whatever to make you worship
them, to make you fear, love, and trust them. So be it. “But
the one who endures to the end will be saved.”
They don't win. And take they your life, goods, fame, child, or
wife, though these all be gone, they yet have nothing won. The
Kingdom yours remaineth – because Christ Jesus is not like any of
these fallen idols. The stones of the temple were torn down, and
they are still torn down. Christ Jesus though – He says of Himself
“tear down this temple and I will rebuild it in three days” - and
He was right. He has been crucified, He has been raised – and you
are forgiven, you are bound for more than just this fallen, dying
world. You are a baptized child of God, an heir of life everlasting.
Rejoice, rejoice believers, and let your lights appear – for you
belong to Christ Jesus, and He does not fail. In the Name of the
Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit – Amen.
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