Rev. Cary M. Richert

3^rd Last Sunday of the Church Year (B)

November 12, 2006

Standing Firm to the End

Mark 13:1-8, 12-13

          The last three Sundays of the Church Year traditionally direct our attention to the end of all things . . .the time of our Lord's return to judge the world.  After accompanying His disciples out of Herod's rebuilt temple in Jerusalem, a disciple of Jesus observed how massive the stones were and how magnificent the temple buildings were.

          The original Temple in Jerusalem, built by King Solomon in 960 B.C., was destroyed by the Babylonians in 586 B.C.  The second Temple, built under the leadership of Zerubbabel in 516 B.C. couldn’t compare with it, [Haggai 2:3].  King Herod the Great, in an attempt to gain the favor of the Jewish people, undertook its renovation and expansion in 20 B.C.  Fully completed 46 years later, Herod's Temple was one of the great wonders of the ancient world, and most certainly the dominant feature of Jerusalem.

          The disciple's amazement at the magnificence of Herod's Temple reminds me of my own reaction to seeing some of the great cathedrals in England:  Salisbury, York Minster, St. Paul's, all were stunning!  I was amazed at their sheer size, and at the architectural and structural beauty and durability of these well-preserved houses of worship.

          Seizing the opportunity, Jesus used the apparent indestructibility of the Temple to teach His disciples about the consummation of all things.  Like many Jews of Jesus' time, the disciples believed that the destruction of the Temple would be a key event that ushered in the end times.

          Do you see all these great buildings? the Lord asked.  Not one stone here will be left on another; every one will be thrown down, [13:2].  Excavations made after the Six-Day War of June, 1967 revealed enormous stones lying helter-skelter, not one left on another.  According to the historian Josephus, some of the massive stones used in Herod’s project were up to 37' high and 18' wide, [Antiquities, 15.11.3]!  No  wonder Jesus' disciples were so astonished!

With their interest in the end times tweaked, several of the disciples asked Jesus privately:  Tell us, when will these things happen? And what will be the sign that they are all about to be fulfilled? [13:4]

Jesus warns them not to be deceived by those who'd attempt to impersonate the Messiah . . .to claim that they fulfill the Old Testament prophesies about the Messiah . . . to make themselves the center of a spirituality that purportedly leads to enlightenment and salvation.  God's Word reminds us that, even Satan would masquerade as an angel of light . . .and that his servants will masquerade as servants of righteousness, [2 Corinthians 11:13-15].

          How do you recognize a false prophet . . .a Messianic impersonator . . .a false message of salvation in our time?  John the Apostle tells us plainly:  Dear friends, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God, because many false prophets have gone out into the world.  This is how you can recognize the Spirit of God: Every spirit that acknowledges that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is from God, but every spirit that does not acknowledge Jesus is not from God. This is the spirit of the antichrist, which you have heard is coming and even now is already in the world, [1 John 4:1-3].

Any individual . . .or any church . . .

§        that does not acknowledge that Jesus is the only-begotten Son of God, with both divine and human natures,

§        that does not acknowledge that Jesus died and rose again to redeem sinful mankind from sin, death, and the power of the devil,

§        that does not acknowledge that salvation is a gift of God’s grace received by faith alone in Jesus Christ, and not through the good works of man

 . . .is an individual or church that preaches a false gospel, a gospel that leads, not to eternal salvation, but to eternal condemnation.

Against these Messianic impersonators and false prophets we must be prepared to stand firm in the one, true Christian faith, revealed in the Lord's holy Word . . .which tells us that we’re justified by God's grace through faith alone in Jesus Christ, apart from good works.  See that no one leads you astray from this message, for in this life and in eternity there’s nothing more important than your salvation.

          Jesus goes on to teach His disciples about signs that signal the beginning of birth pains, [13:8] . . .an image of the Messianic age, which immediately precedes the return of Christ and the end of all things.  As you heard these signs, you probably thought, as I did, "It sounds like our world today!"  It does, for we live in the end times right now.  At any time, a time known only to the heavenly Father, [13:32] . . .the consummation of all things will happen.  And always our Lord tells us:  Watch out, [13:5] . . .Be on your guard, [13:9, 23] . . .Be alert, [13:33] . . .Stand firm (in faith) to the end, [13:13].

          In one sense, the fulfillment of Jesus' prophecy regarding the destruction of the temple came not long after He spoke these words to His disciples.  In 70 A.D. under the leadership of Titus, commander and eventual emperor of Rome, the Roman army began its destruction of the Temple on the same date the Temple had been destroyed by the king of Babylon centuries earlier, [Maier, Josephus, The Essential Writings, Kregel, 1988, 360]!

          Ultimately, Christ Himself fulfilled His own prophecy, for He Himself brought fulfillment to the substance of all true Temple worship, as He instituted a new covenant - a new testament - in His blood.  On the cross and through the empty tomb, the kingdom of heaven rose up victorious over the kingdom of Satan.  What the Temple once offered God's ancient faithful people through its worship of Him is now offered to you and me in the Lord's Supper, where Jesus Himself is the Priest, the Temple, and the blood sacrifice, [adapted from D. Scaer, Discourses in Matthew, CPH, 2004, 376 ff.].

          All things in this life will come to an end, no matter how beautiful or how terrible they may be.  The ancient Temple of Jerusalem was destroyed.  Twin towers fell.  Cherished loved ones have died.  But, sunsets point us to the coming sunrise, [Genesis 1:5].  As we await the time when all earthly things will come to an end for each of us . . .first in death, then in the return of Christ . . .Jesus says to us today:  He who stands firm (in faith) to the end will be saved, [13:13].  Be faithful unto death, our Lord promises, and I will give you the crown of life, [Revelation 2:10].

          And when we see Christ face-to-face, when we see Him as He is: God in flesh, our Brother, destroyed and raised again for us . . .then, with angels and archangels and all the company of heaven, we’ll shout in amazement at the splendor, the glory, and the wonder of the Temple that lasts forever and ever:  Jesus Christ Himself, [Revelation 21:22].

Amen.  Come, Lord Jesus!  Amen.