WEBVTT 00:00:00.000 --> 00:00:04.639 So we are going to be in Mark chapter 13, starting in verse 24. 00:00:04.879 --> 00:00:07.519 If you don't have a Bible, we would love to bring one to you. 00:00:07.679 --> 00:00:11.119 So just raise your hand and we'll deliver that to your seat. 00:00:12.080 --> 00:00:16.640 And like I said, we're in Mark chapter 13, verses 24 through 37. 00:00:16.719 --> 00:00:25.199 And if you don't have a Bible or you want a Bible in the CSB translation, which is the translation that we use, you can keep the ones that the church hands out to you. 00:00:25.280 --> 00:00:29.199 They're actually really nice leather-touched Bibles that you can hang on to. 00:00:29.920 --> 00:00:35.039 So, Mark chapter 13, and we're going to be reading verses 24 through 37. 00:00:35.119 --> 00:00:37.520 So let's stand for the reading of God's word. 00:00:40.079 --> 00:00:53.600 It says, But in those days after that tribulation, the sun will be darkened, and the moon will not shed its light, the stars will be falling from the sky, and the powers in the heavens will be shaken. 00:00:53.840 --> 00:00:59.119 Then they will see the Son of Man coming in clouds with great power and glory. 00:00:59.439 --> 00:01:06.079 He will send out angels and gather his elect from the four winds, from the ends of the earth to the ends of heaven. 00:01:06.319 --> 00:01:08.560 Learn this lesson from the fig tree. 00:01:08.799 --> 00:01:16.719 As soon as its branches become or its branch becomes tender and sprouts leaves, you know that summer is near. 00:01:16.879 --> 00:01:22.560 In the same way, when you see these things happening, recognize that He is near at the door. 00:01:22.799 --> 00:01:29.680 Truly I tell you, this generation will certainly not pass away until all these things take place. 00:01:29.920 --> 00:01:33.920 Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will never pass away. 00:01:34.159 --> 00:01:42.000 Now concerning that day or hour no one knows, neither the angels in heaven nor the Son, but only the Father. 00:01:42.239 --> 00:01:46.239 Watch, be alert, for you don't know when the time is coming. 00:01:46.400 --> 00:01:56.480 It is like a man on a journey who left his house, gave authority to his servants, gave each one his work, and commanded the doorkeeper to be alert. 00:01:56.719 --> 00:02:06.400 Therefore, be alert, since you don't know when the master of the house is coming, whether in the evening or at midnight, or at the crowing of the rooster, or early in the morning. 00:02:06.560 --> 00:02:11.199 Otherwise, when he comes, suddenly he might find you sleeping. 00:02:11.360 --> 00:02:15.360 And what I say to you, I say to everyone, be alert. 00:02:16.080 --> 00:02:17.280 Let's pray. 00:02:18.400 --> 00:02:32.319 Lord, once again, as we as we thank you every Sunday, we thank you for your word, that you gave us this letter, this thing that we can hold in our hands, Lord, to get to know you better, to understand you better. 00:02:32.400 --> 00:02:44.639 And Lord, we pray that that would not just be head knowledge, Lord, but you would do a work in our heart, in our mind, Lord, that we would open up our ears and our eyes to the things that you have for us today, that we wouldn't leave here unchanged. 00:02:44.800 --> 00:02:49.919 Lord, I pray that you would use me as your mouthpiece here this morning to rightly divide your word. 00:02:50.319 --> 00:02:54.319 Would you be the one that's speaking here this morning and not me, we pray. 00:02:54.479 --> 00:02:55.360 In Jesus' name. 00:02:55.439 --> 00:02:57.520 And everybody said, Amen. 00:02:57.599 --> 00:02:58.800 You may be seated. 00:03:01.919 --> 00:03:06.159 So if you missed last week, this sermon is really part two. 00:03:06.240 --> 00:03:11.199 It's a continuation of everything that we covered last week in the first half of chapter 13. 00:03:11.439 --> 00:03:16.240 There was just so much to cover that we couldn't do it all in one week because there's so much in here. 00:03:16.639 --> 00:03:23.520 And like last week, we're going to cover some things that a lot of people actually disagree on within the Christian faith. 00:03:23.680 --> 00:03:28.879 So, in those places, I'm going to be doing my best to let you know when I'm sharing my opinion. 00:03:29.599 --> 00:03:33.919 And if you disagree with that opinion, there's exits right there. 00:03:34.240 --> 00:03:35.280 No, I'm just kidding. 00:03:35.439 --> 00:03:36.639 I'm just kidding. 00:03:36.960 --> 00:03:38.800 I am totally joking. 00:03:39.120 --> 00:03:43.599 If you disagree, we can all still go to church together. 00:03:43.919 --> 00:03:50.000 Like I said last week, these are some non-salvific issues that we are covering here today. 00:03:50.240 --> 00:03:53.680 So we can have differing opinions and it's okay. 00:03:54.719 --> 00:04:01.039 So, really, what this is, this is my encouragement to you to be in your own Bibles. 00:04:01.280 --> 00:04:21.199 I want to encourage you to not hold a systematic theology of end times because I told you what to believe, or because a pastor on the radio told you what to believe, or on a podcast, or wherever you might listen to different people, or because you were in a church and your old pastor said, This is what you should believe. 00:04:21.519 --> 00:04:32.000 You should never believe what I say just because I'm up here and you're sitting right there, or because somebody is famous enough to be on the radio or a podcast or a live stream. 00:04:32.160 --> 00:04:40.079 That's part of why each week I throw so many cross-references at you, or just verses for you to go and look up on your own. 00:04:40.319 --> 00:04:50.800 Because one of the conversations that I sometimes have that honestly really bothers me is when somebody tries to defend their belief because they heard somebody else tell it to them. 00:04:51.040 --> 00:04:54.480 You know, and I'll ask, well, you know, what have you found in Scripture? 00:04:54.639 --> 00:04:56.879 And they respond with, Well, this pastor said this. 00:04:57.040 --> 00:05:08.160 You know, it's like, no, we need to be in our own Bibles, forming our own understanding of what these end time events would be, not just because I told you or somebody else told you. 00:05:08.480 --> 00:05:23.199 So if you're going to hold a stance, especially in end times or creation or prophecy, it really needs to be from your own study, not because somebody sounded like they knew what they were talking about and gave you a convincing argument. 00:05:23.759 --> 00:05:25.360 You have a Bible. 00:05:25.600 --> 00:05:29.199 Pretty much, I hope everybody's holding a Bible right now. 00:05:29.759 --> 00:05:30.720 So use it. 00:05:30.879 --> 00:05:40.240 Form your own theology, get into it, double check everything that I say, double check everything that's said on the radio or from anybody else, and make sure that it's your own. 00:05:40.480 --> 00:05:42.639 Okay, I'm off my soapbox now. 00:05:42.879 --> 00:05:54.879 So I do want to take a moment to recap a little bit of last week just to kind of catch us up to speed, remind us of what we went through before we jump right in, because it really is just a continuation of last week. 00:05:55.040 --> 00:06:03.360 So if you missed last week, we kind of laid a foundation of how we are approaching end times prophecy, specifically in this chapter. 00:06:03.519 --> 00:06:13.600 So I encourage you, if you missed last week and today's a little bit confusing, go to the website, get the podcast, and listen to that because they'll really help each other make sense. 00:06:14.000 --> 00:06:22.560 But last week we talked about first false messiahs that are gonna come and they're gonna claim that they are Jesus, that they are Jesus in their second coming. 00:06:22.800 --> 00:06:33.279 We talked about how we will know for sure when Jesus comes, how everybody, whether Christian or not, is gonna know when Jesus comes back because of the way that he does it. 00:06:33.600 --> 00:06:41.759 And then we saw that Jesus talked about being ready for persecution and then depending upon the Holy Spirit in that time. 00:06:42.000 --> 00:06:45.600 And then Jesus talked about the abomination of desolation. 00:06:45.759 --> 00:06:50.160 And we saw in Daniel that this will take place at the midpoint of the tribulation. 00:06:50.319 --> 00:06:59.360 So 3.5 years in, and with 3.5 years to go within the trip the tribulation will be the abomination of desolation. 00:06:59.600 --> 00:07:08.879 And how that is going to be the Antichrist standing in the holy place of the third temple, claiming to be God and demanding to be worshipped. 00:07:09.199 --> 00:07:15.120 And then Jesus just carries on that thought right into verse 24, where we pick up today. 00:07:15.279 --> 00:07:20.319 And he says, But in those days, after that tribulation. 00:07:20.480 --> 00:07:26.079 So before we go on in verse 24, I want to just pause because this is going to help make sense of some things. 00:07:26.240 --> 00:07:33.839 It says, but in those days after that tribulation, in your Bible, underline, highlight, circle the word that. 00:07:34.720 --> 00:07:49.680 Because after that tribulation, not after the tribulation, he's saying, after that tribulation, and that's referring back to everything that we just kind of recapped, specifically the abomination of desolation. 00:07:49.839 --> 00:07:54.879 So that clues us in that we're not talking about after the tribulation. 00:07:54.959 --> 00:07:58.399 We're talking about the second half of the tribulation at this point. 00:07:58.560 --> 00:08:03.600 So after that tribulation, the abomination of desolation, these things are going to happen. 00:08:03.680 --> 00:08:05.360 So now let's read verse 24 again. 00:08:05.439 --> 00:08:20.160 It says, But in those days after that tribulation, so second half of the tribulation, the sun will be darkened, and the moon will not shed its light, the stars will be falling from the sky, and the powers in the heavens will be shaken. 00:08:20.480 --> 00:08:29.040 Isaiah prophesied about this exact same thing in chapter 13, verses 9 through 13, and I want to read it to you because it gives us some great detail. 00:08:39.919 --> 00:08:44.639 Indeed, the stars of the sky and its constellations will not give their light. 00:08:44.879 --> 00:08:48.559 The sun will be dark when it rises, and the moon will not shine. 00:08:48.799 --> 00:08:54.559 I will punish the world for its evil, and wicked people for their iniquities. 00:08:54.720 --> 00:09:00.320 I will put an end to the pride of the arrogant, and humiliate the insolence of tyrants. 00:09:00.559 --> 00:09:07.039 I will make a human more scarce than fine gold, and mankind more rare than the gold of Ophar. 00:09:07.440 --> 00:09:18.559 Therefore I will make the heavens tremble, and the earth will shake from its foundations at the wrath of the Lord of armies on the day of his burning anger. 00:09:18.799 --> 00:09:33.279 And then we see that Jesus already said back in this same chapter in verse 19, for those will be days of tribulation, the kind that hasn't been from the beginning of creation until now and never will be again. 00:09:33.679 --> 00:09:39.200 You know, and as we read these verses, that's a lot of doom and gloom that we just kind of covered there. 00:09:39.360 --> 00:09:45.200 But I want us to remember as followers of Christ that we are not appointed to wrath. 00:09:45.519 --> 00:09:49.519 Jesus took the wrath of God for us already. 00:09:49.759 --> 00:09:51.759 That's why he came. 00:09:52.000 --> 00:09:58.320 And that's one of the reasons that, as I mentioned last week, that I believe in a pre-tribulation rapture. 00:09:58.480 --> 00:10:09.759 I believe and I take comfort in that if we're a follower of Christ, that we don't have to worry about those verses that we just read because we're already going to be taken up with Christ. 00:10:10.000 --> 00:10:19.679 But the point of verse 24 and 25 is that things are going to get really bad, especially in the second half of the tribulation. 00:10:19.919 --> 00:10:22.080 Let's look at verse 26 now. 00:10:22.480 --> 00:10:28.480 It says, Then they will see the Son of Man coming in clouds with great power and glory. 00:10:28.720 --> 00:10:33.120 So this is Jesus' second coming that we're talking about at this point. 00:10:33.279 --> 00:10:34.879 This is him glorified. 00:10:35.039 --> 00:10:40.559 You know, we've seen him all through Mark coming as the lamb that was going to be led to the slaughter. 00:10:40.799 --> 00:10:53.840 And now we get a picture of him coming as a lion with eyes like fire and with like a sword coming out of his mouth, and the armies of heaven behind him on white horses wearing white linen. 00:10:54.080 --> 00:10:58.480 You know, the prophet Daniel gives us a bit more detail here as well. 00:10:58.639 --> 00:11:06.559 And he says in chapter 7, verses 13 and 14, and suddenly one like a son of man was coming with the clouds of heaven. 00:11:06.720 --> 00:11:10.639 He approached the ancient of days and was escorted before him. 00:11:10.799 --> 00:11:18.639 He was given dominion and glory and a kingdom, so that those of every people, nation, and language should serve him. 00:11:19.039 --> 00:11:27.200 His dominion is an everlasting dominion that will not pass away, and his kingdom is one that will not be destroyed. 00:11:27.440 --> 00:11:34.799 You know, there's something about when we read those verses about reading about Jesus establishing his kingdom. 00:11:35.840 --> 00:11:37.759 That gets me really excited. 00:11:38.000 --> 00:11:51.600 You know, just to read about, okay, this is when He He comes and He establishes just all of these things, and He takes away just all of the horrible things that we experience on a daily basis, and those things are gonna get worse. 00:11:51.759 --> 00:12:01.120 But it's just when we read about Jesus coming back and establishing his kingdom, I think that should generate some a good amount of excitement in us to actually see that day coming. 00:12:01.360 --> 00:12:03.360 Look at verse 27 with me. 00:12:03.600 --> 00:12:12.559 It says, 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. 00:12:12.799 --> 00:12:21.039 So last week we talked about how context showed us that the elect that were fleeing from Judea were Jews. 00:12:21.440 --> 00:12:25.919 But here the definition of elect seems to have broadened a bit. 00:12:26.080 --> 00:12:34.480 From those Jews that recognized Jesus as their Messiah to all that have ever recognized Jesus as their Messiah. 00:12:34.639 --> 00:12:41.840 Because it talks about the elect being gathered, not only from the ends of the earth this time, but the ends of heaven as well. 00:12:42.159 --> 00:12:48.080 This is a gathering of all believers from all time in one place. 00:12:48.720 --> 00:12:50.480 And that's something to think about. 00:12:50.720 --> 00:13:01.759 To think about that moment when every believer from all time is finally standing there together with their bridegroom, Jesus Christ. 00:13:02.000 --> 00:13:03.519 Look at verse 28. 00:13:04.240 --> 00:13:06.320 Learn this lesson from the fig tree. 00:13:06.480 --> 00:13:12.480 As soon as its branch becomes tender and sprouts leaves, you know that summer is near. 00:13:12.639 --> 00:13:20.799 In the same way when you see these things happening, so all the events that we just talked about, recognize that he is near at the door. 00:13:20.960 --> 00:13:27.759 You know, as simple as it is to know the changes of the season, I mean, this morning's a great example. 00:13:27.840 --> 00:13:30.159 You walk outside, it's 26 degrees. 00:13:30.399 --> 00:13:31.759 It's not summer anymore. 00:13:31.840 --> 00:13:35.360 We can tell, you know, what time of year it is just by that. 00:13:35.519 --> 00:13:46.080 But as simple as it is to know the changes of the season, by looking at the fig tree in this example here, it will be as obvious when these things are going to come to pass. 00:13:46.240 --> 00:13:55.440 As we talked about last week, Daniel 9 says that the abomination of desolation will take place at the midpoint of the tribulation, 3.5 years. 00:13:55.679 --> 00:14:01.600 And it tells us specifically in Revelation that that's 1,260 days to be exact. 00:14:03.360 --> 00:14:19.840 And what that means is for those that know the Word of God that are still on the earth, that have a Bible and are reading it, that are still on the earth during the tribulation, that they're going to be able to calculate to the day from the abomination of desolation to Jesus' second coming. 00:14:20.960 --> 00:14:25.200 So definitely we can know the times and the seasons. 00:14:25.919 --> 00:14:31.039 But I want to point something out here specifically about the fig tree. 00:14:31.200 --> 00:14:37.440 And this is one of those things that many people disagree on, and I'm just going to be giving you my opinion at this point. 00:14:37.759 --> 00:14:43.279 But I want you to go home and search this stuff on your own and not just believe me. 00:14:43.440 --> 00:14:48.960 But my opinion is that the fig tree is symbolically talking about Israel right here. 00:14:49.200 --> 00:14:56.639 Now, I know it's been weeks since we covered the story of Jesus cursing the fig tree and then the fig tree withering away. 00:14:56.960 --> 00:14:58.799 But that was weeks for us. 00:14:58.879 --> 00:15:07.360 But this is the same day for Jesus and his disciples, from the time they found the fig tree withered to this teaching that he's giving the disciples right here. 00:15:07.519 --> 00:15:11.200 So on that day, they were headed into Jerusalem. 00:15:11.440 --> 00:15:15.279 They saw the withered fig tree, and the disciples were amazed. 00:15:15.360 --> 00:15:16.879 They went into the temple. 00:15:17.200 --> 00:15:19.919 Jesus was tested by the religious leaders. 00:15:20.240 --> 00:15:24.399 He points out the widow giving and how to properly give. 00:15:25.039 --> 00:15:32.559 And then they leave, and the disciples point out the beauty of the temple to Jesus, and they recognize that, and he talks about that. 00:15:32.799 --> 00:15:34.960 Then they head to the Mount of Olives. 00:15:35.120 --> 00:15:39.039 The disciples ask about, you know, when will all this stuff take place? 00:15:39.120 --> 00:15:40.399 And Jesus starts teaching. 00:15:40.559 --> 00:15:43.200 And that's still the teaching that we're in right now. 00:15:43.440 --> 00:15:49.279 So that very morning, the disciples had just seen the fig tree withered. 00:15:49.440 --> 00:15:54.320 So the fig tree is still very much fresh and alive in their minds. 00:15:54.960 --> 00:15:57.279 And here Jesus brings it up again. 00:15:57.519 --> 00:16:09.360 And again, you can disagree with me, but I think when Jesus cursed the fig tree, that it was a foreshadowing of Israel's end in 70 AD, when the Romans came in and destroyed everything. 00:16:09.600 --> 00:16:16.159 And I think this mention here is of Israel coming back to be a nation in 1948. 00:16:16.399 --> 00:16:26.559 When you see the fig tree start to come out of its dormancy, Israel, when you see it come back to life, know that the end is near. 00:16:26.799 --> 00:16:30.879 And we're going to get into that a little bit more as we move into verse 30 here. 00:16:30.960 --> 00:16:32.080 So look at verse 30. 00:16:32.159 --> 00:16:40.639 It says, Truly I tell you, this generation will certainly not pass away until all these things take place. 00:16:40.799 --> 00:16:49.440 So don't be confused by this and think that Jesus is talking to his disciples specifically right here, that they, that their generation won't pass away. 00:16:49.600 --> 00:16:59.840 And we know it's not that because his disciples all died, and the horrible things that we see happening in the last three and a half years of the tribulation still haven't happened to this day. 00:17:00.080 --> 00:17:03.600 We still have the sun and the moon and the stars that we get to look at. 00:17:03.679 --> 00:17:05.440 So those things have not happened. 00:17:05.680 --> 00:17:13.920 I believe that when it says this generation, that it's tied into Israel and it becoming a nation once again in 1948. 00:17:14.160 --> 00:17:16.799 So a little backstory, a little history here. 00:17:17.119 --> 00:17:29.359 Pre-1948, there was a lot of theologians that tried to understand the abomination of desolation without Israel being a nation, without there being a temple in Israel. 00:17:30.160 --> 00:17:39.119 And they tried to fit the abomination of desolation into the at the midpoint of the tribulation, into the destruction of the temple in 70 AD. 00:17:39.200 --> 00:17:43.519 And they tried to see if they could make all of that work and make sense of it. 00:17:45.359 --> 00:17:52.400 They tried to, or they believed that it had to have happened during that time because they couldn't make sense of anything else. 00:17:52.640 --> 00:17:59.680 Because if it didn't, then how would these things come to pass that we're reading in Scripture if Israel wasn't a nation? 00:17:59.759 --> 00:18:03.119 And if there wasn't a temple in which all of this could take place in. 00:18:03.279 --> 00:18:10.240 And they claim that a lot of those things that we just covered, that we needed to read those things metaphorically. 00:18:10.559 --> 00:18:20.000 But history doesn't have anything close to the abomination of desolation taking place between Jesus' words and the temple being destroyed. 00:18:20.319 --> 00:18:25.440 So there are two ways that we can look at this verse and kind of interpret it. 00:18:25.680 --> 00:18:33.359 First, that the generation that sees all of these things that Jesus has been teaching come to pass will not pass away. 00:18:33.839 --> 00:18:40.000 So the first way we could read it is the generation that sees Israel come into being will not pass. 00:18:40.240 --> 00:18:44.400 You know, which then begs the question, how long is a biblical generation? 00:18:44.640 --> 00:18:53.599 You know, and that's really hard to pin down because you'll hear people say, well, it's 30 years, and then you'll hear other people say, well, it's 80 years, and you'll hear other people say, well, it's a hundred years. 00:18:53.839 --> 00:19:01.440 And it doesn't make this explanation wrong, it's just that it's really hard to calculate and pin down exactly what a generation is. 00:19:01.759 --> 00:19:05.680 And we don't know exactly when to start the clock in that regard. 00:19:05.839 --> 00:19:18.079 Was it 1948 when Israel first became a nation, or was it 1967 during the Six-Day War when they actually took old Jerusalem back, which is where all the temple property was? 00:19:18.319 --> 00:19:20.640 So that's the first way that we can look at this. 00:19:20.799 --> 00:19:32.960 Now, the second way that we can look at this verse is in reference, uh, in reference to the fig tree, is that the word generation in the Greek has two meanings, unlike our English word for generation. 00:19:33.119 --> 00:19:37.839 Now, in the Greek, it can also mean a race of people or a nation. 00:19:38.079 --> 00:19:44.400 As it says in the Greek definition of the word, men of the same stock, a family. 00:19:44.799 --> 00:19:54.480 So it could read, This nation or race of people will certainly not pass away until all of these things take place. 00:19:55.279 --> 00:20:01.599 Meaning that the Jews would never go away, even if they didn't have a country. 00:20:02.160 --> 00:20:11.200 That they as a race would be around until the very end of time, that they would not pass away until all of these things take place. 00:20:11.440 --> 00:20:20.079 And this position sees Israel coming back in 1948 as evidence as well of this, just like the other interpretation that we were talking about. 00:20:20.160 --> 00:20:22.799 I know we're getting technical, but uh, we're almost done here. 00:20:23.039 --> 00:20:28.640 So, no matter where you stand on this issue, the idea is the same. 00:20:28.880 --> 00:20:36.640 Israel is back as a nation, and this is a sign of the nearness of the second coming of Jesus Christ. 00:20:36.880 --> 00:20:44.880 So Israel becoming a nation, if you're not familiar with it and all that took place, it was really nothing short of a miracle. 00:20:45.200 --> 00:20:54.240 No other race or nation has ever gone 1900 years without a country and then come back together to form a country again. 00:20:54.559 --> 00:21:04.880 If a race doesn't have a country, then typically they just meld into other cultures and other countries and eventually they use they lose their identity and they lose their customs. 00:21:06.240 --> 00:21:09.680 Add on to that the things that the Jewish people have had to go through. 00:21:09.839 --> 00:21:26.160 Things like the Holocaust and all the other persecutions through history, and it's truly a miracle that they survived for 1900 years without a home country, and then in 1948 came back together and formed that country again. 00:21:27.200 --> 00:21:33.519 So, nothing short of a miracle for them to survive that long and then to be where they're at today. 00:21:33.759 --> 00:21:35.599 Jesus goes on in verse 31. 00:21:35.839 --> 00:21:41.599 It says, Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will never pass away. 00:21:41.920 --> 00:21:57.119 So these heavens and this earth that we see at night, that we see during the day, that our feet are on right now, this earth are going to pass away because God's going to make a new heavens and a new earth. 00:21:57.440 --> 00:21:59.759 So the old earth will pass away. 00:22:00.240 --> 00:22:03.200 And 2 Peter chapter 3, and we're going to be referencing this a lot. 00:22:03.359 --> 00:22:10.640 I encourage you to read that whole chapter when you get home or sometime during this week because it has a lot of end times goodies in it. 00:22:10.720 --> 00:22:20.400 But 2 Peter chapter 3 talks about this saying, the heavens will be dissolved with fire, and the elements will melt with heat. 00:22:20.799 --> 00:22:24.000 Reinforcing that this is all temporal. 00:22:24.160 --> 00:22:25.680 This is all temporary. 00:22:25.839 --> 00:22:33.279 This life and even this earth is but a vapor in light of the expanse of eternity. 00:22:33.519 --> 00:22:37.359 But Jesus says his words will not pass away. 00:22:37.519 --> 00:22:42.799 Everything that we know is going to pass away, but his words will not pass away. 00:22:43.200 --> 00:22:48.400 That these words, Jesus is saying, that I'm telling you, they are eternal. 00:22:49.359 --> 00:22:51.359 They will last forever. 00:22:51.839 --> 00:22:55.680 And if that's not a claim to be God, I don't know what is. 00:22:56.559 --> 00:22:58.160 And think about this. 00:22:58.480 --> 00:23:08.240 On this earth, the only things that are eternal are you and me and the word that we're holding in our hands. 00:23:09.440 --> 00:23:15.039 So if you want to have an eternal perspective, what should we be focused on? 00:23:15.920 --> 00:23:19.599 God, his word, and each other. 00:23:20.160 --> 00:23:22.079 That's how we have an eternal perspective. 00:23:22.160 --> 00:23:23.839 That's where our priorities should be. 00:23:23.920 --> 00:23:27.759 That's where our time, our talents, and our treasure should be. 00:23:28.000 --> 00:23:30.640 It's on God, his word, and on each other. 00:23:30.880 --> 00:23:32.480 Look at verse 32. 00:23:33.519 --> 00:23:43.680 It says, now concerning that day or hour, no one knows, neither the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father. 00:23:44.000 --> 00:23:51.920 So Jesus has talked about the seasons and how we can know when things are getting closer, right? 00:23:53.359 --> 00:24:02.559 Going all the way back to what we talked about last week and the birth pains, you know, when we see things increasing and when we see things intensifying. 00:24:02.799 --> 00:24:10.880 But here in verse 32, he contrasts that by saying, no one knows the day or the hour. 00:24:11.119 --> 00:24:18.079 No man, no angel, and not even Jesus, he says, not even the son knows the day or the hour. 00:24:18.240 --> 00:24:25.519 Now, I personally believe that Jesus is shifting gears here, and he's now talking about the rapture. 00:24:26.160 --> 00:24:29.119 That's the day and the hour that he's mentioning here. 00:24:29.279 --> 00:24:46.640 And I believe this because as we've covered the abomination of desolation taking place at the midpoint of the seven-year period, that 1,260 days from Jesus' return, you can do the math and know the exact day that all of this comes to an end. 00:24:47.200 --> 00:24:57.519 Anyone with a Bible living in the tribulation can know the day of his return, marked by the abomination of desolation, and then counting for the 1,260 days. 00:24:57.680 --> 00:25:05.839 So I think this is in reference to when Jesus comes for his bride in the twinkling of an eye and takes her up to heaven. 00:25:06.079 --> 00:25:10.400 I think that's the day or the hour that we're speaking about right now. 00:25:10.720 --> 00:25:14.319 So in that regard, now we need to look at verse 33. 00:25:14.960 --> 00:25:20.000 He says, Watch, be alert, for you don't know when the time is coming. 00:25:20.160 --> 00:25:31.279 It is like a man on a journey who left his house, gave authority to his servants, gave each one his work, and commanded the doorkeeper to be alert. 00:25:31.759 --> 00:25:36.640 Let's take this into a modern scenario for each one of us. 00:25:36.799 --> 00:25:39.599 So put yourself in this scenario. 00:25:39.839 --> 00:25:42.799 So say you're gonna be going away for a handful of months. 00:25:42.960 --> 00:25:44.640 Okay, you're gonna be gone for a little while. 00:25:44.799 --> 00:25:57.119 And you hire a house sitter to watch your animals, to water your plants, to keep the yard in good condition, and to sleep in the house in case there's an emergency, if there's a leak or a break-in or something like that. 00:25:57.279 --> 00:26:04.319 And you say to them, I'm not exactly sure when I'm gonna be back, but it's probably gonna be in late spring. 00:26:04.720 --> 00:26:10.640 So you don't tell them the day, but you give them the rough season in which you're gonna be back. 00:26:10.799 --> 00:26:16.319 So here's the question: which house sitter would you have, would you rather have? 00:26:16.480 --> 00:26:18.799 So here's house sitter number one, okay? 00:26:18.960 --> 00:26:22.079 They stay at your house most nights. 00:26:22.319 --> 00:26:25.440 They feed your animals when they remember. 00:26:26.240 --> 00:26:31.519 They water your plants if they remember, or when they see them starting to turn brown. 00:26:31.920 --> 00:26:38.000 They notice a leak in the water heater, so they put some bubblegum and duct tape around it. 00:26:39.039 --> 00:26:44.720 But then spring hits and they start to freak out because they realize that you could be back at any moment. 00:26:44.880 --> 00:26:46.640 So they start to work their tail off. 00:26:46.799 --> 00:26:52.319 They clean like crazy, they water like crazy, they feed your animals every day finally. 00:26:52.480 --> 00:26:57.680 They call in a plumber to finally fix that water heater that's been leaking for months. 00:26:57.839 --> 00:27:00.559 And you get home and things are in okay condition. 00:27:00.720 --> 00:27:03.920 I mean, the plants are alive, but they haven't really grown much. 00:27:04.079 --> 00:27:06.880 The animals are alive, but they're a little skinny and mangy. 00:27:07.920 --> 00:27:13.519 The water heater works, but there's some drywall damage because the leak was going for so long. 00:27:13.920 --> 00:27:15.759 So that's house sitter number one. 00:27:15.920 --> 00:27:18.000 Or you could have house sitter number two. 00:27:18.640 --> 00:27:20.960 They stay at your house every night. 00:27:21.279 --> 00:27:26.240 Every morning they get up, not only feed your animals, but they actually take the dog on a walk. 00:27:26.480 --> 00:27:31.920 They water the plants on a schedule and they keep the yard mowed and clean of leaves. 00:27:32.160 --> 00:27:37.920 When the water heater leaks, they call a plumber and have it fixed before any damage could be done. 00:27:38.240 --> 00:27:47.119 When spring hits, they just keep doing what they're doing because they've been doing what they've been asked to do the whole time. 00:27:47.920 --> 00:27:50.640 I personally would like house sitter number two. 00:27:51.279 --> 00:27:55.200 And I think this is the point of Jesus' parable here in verse 34. 00:27:55.680 --> 00:28:00.400 Do what I've asked and be conscientious about it. 00:28:00.640 --> 00:28:04.079 Be diligent to do what the master has asked. 00:28:04.240 --> 00:28:07.599 And you won't have to worry about when your master gets home. 00:28:07.839 --> 00:28:11.759 Because you've been doing what he's asked you to do the whole time. 00:28:12.240 --> 00:28:13.599 Look at verse 35. 00:28:14.000 --> 00:28:20.880 Jesus goes on, he says, Therefore, be alert, since you don't know when the master of the house is coming. 00:28:21.119 --> 00:28:28.000 Whether in the evening or at midnight, or at the crowing of the rooster, or early in the morning. 00:28:28.079 --> 00:28:30.000 So the four watches of the night. 00:28:30.319 --> 00:28:39.200 So don't throw, think of what this is saying is like every TV sitcom you've probably ever seen, don't throw a party while your parents are gone. 00:28:39.440 --> 00:28:42.240 Because they're probably going to come back right in the middle of it. 00:28:43.599 --> 00:28:47.599 We need to expect Jesus back at any moment. 00:28:48.559 --> 00:28:51.519 This is a command from Jesus. 00:28:51.839 --> 00:29:00.880 And like we talked about last Sunday, this doesn't mean motivation through fear to go out and do the things that we already should have been doing. 00:29:01.200 --> 00:29:07.519 This is about doing what we're supposed to be doing, starting right now and from here on. 00:29:07.759 --> 00:29:10.480 Doing the things that he told us to do. 00:29:10.640 --> 00:29:14.319 Like we talked about last week, it's about abiding in him. 00:29:14.960 --> 00:29:19.519 If we're abiding in him, we'll already be alert. 00:29:21.039 --> 00:29:25.759 We'll live our lives as if Jesus is coming back at any moment. 00:29:26.079 --> 00:29:29.759 Because we believe sincerely that he is. 00:29:30.160 --> 00:29:35.599 And we're not afraid of it, but we're actually looking forward to that day and to that moment. 00:29:36.319 --> 00:29:40.480 This is an admonishment to not be house-sittered number one. 00:29:40.960 --> 00:29:42.799 You know, ah, I got time. 00:29:42.960 --> 00:29:49.279 I'll do what Jesus wants me to, you know, when I feel like it or when I have time, you know, I'm doing enough. 00:29:49.359 --> 00:29:51.200 I mean, the house isn't on fire. 00:29:51.359 --> 00:29:53.839 It's a mess, you know, but it's still standing. 00:29:54.160 --> 00:29:55.599 What's the problem with that? 00:29:56.079 --> 00:30:02.880 But in some ways, I admit the analogy that I gave you is not a very good analogy. 00:30:03.359 --> 00:30:05.440 The house sitter situation. 00:30:05.920 --> 00:30:13.279 Because have you ever had to wait for a loved one to return after a long absence? 00:30:14.400 --> 00:30:23.359 You know, in I think I was, it was after my junior year at Cal Poly, uh, I went on a six-week missions trip to Mexico City. 00:30:23.599 --> 00:30:28.960 And at the time, Michelle and I had been dating for almost a year, and things were starting to get more serious. 00:30:29.119 --> 00:30:33.119 But it was in that time that I was away that I realized, you know what, I really miss this girl. 00:30:33.279 --> 00:30:34.720 Like, I want to marry her. 00:30:34.880 --> 00:30:39.119 And it was during that time, and I just could not wait to get back. 00:30:39.279 --> 00:30:44.240 We had these scheduled times at the place that we were staying where we were allowed to talk on the phone. 00:30:44.400 --> 00:30:51.279 And I remember just being ready, like, oh, it's this night at this hour, you know, I'm gonna call her up and all that kind of stuff. 00:30:51.440 --> 00:31:04.720 But I just couldn't wait because she was gonna, we had a debriefing down in Redlands, and she was gonna drive down from San Luis Obispo and pick me up once the debriefing was done after the mission strip, and I just couldn't wait for that moment. 00:31:05.039 --> 00:31:11.759 There was so much anticipation, and I think that's the anticipation that we need to have. 00:31:12.000 --> 00:31:16.640 We can't wait for his return because we love him so much. 00:31:18.960 --> 00:31:27.119 Not just because we want us to escape this world, and not just because things are getting hard, but because we can't wait to be with him. 00:31:28.319 --> 00:31:29.920 Look at verse 36. 00:31:31.039 --> 00:31:36.960 It says, otherwise, when he comes, suddenly he might find you sleeping. 00:31:37.599 --> 00:31:42.480 And what I say to you, I say to everyone, be alert. 00:31:42.960 --> 00:31:47.519 Again, 2 Peter chapter 3, he says, above all, be aware of this. 00:31:47.759 --> 00:31:57.839 Scoffers will come in the last days, scoffing and following their own evil desires, saying, Where is he coming that he promised? 00:31:58.240 --> 00:32:05.039 Ever since our ancestors fell asleep, all things continue as they have been since the beginning of creation. 00:32:05.279 --> 00:32:16.160 And I think for a lot of followers of Christ that have been in church for a long time, maybe since the time that we were kids, I think this is for us. 00:32:16.640 --> 00:32:24.000 It may seem like we've been looking for this day for 2,000 years, and we're still talking about it. 00:32:24.160 --> 00:32:27.839 And we're still trying to wait with anticipation about it. 00:32:28.000 --> 00:32:35.759 But just a few verses later in 2 Peter chapter 3, he says, Dear friends, don't overlook this one fact. 00:32:36.240 --> 00:32:42.799 With the Lord, one day is like a thousand years, and a thousand years like one day. 00:32:42.960 --> 00:32:46.079 These last two thousand years have been like two days to the Lord. 00:32:46.319 --> 00:32:59.839 The Lord does not delay his promise of his return, as some understand delay, but is patient with you, not wanting any to perish, but all to come to repentance? 00:33:00.160 --> 00:33:03.680 If that's you, you know, like, oh, end time stuff again. 00:33:03.839 --> 00:33:06.640 I've been hearing about it since you know I was this tall. 00:33:07.039 --> 00:33:08.400 But I want to ask you a question. 00:33:08.559 --> 00:33:12.559 Is anybody here glad that he didn't come back in 1960? 00:33:14.079 --> 00:33:18.799 Or 1970 or 80 or 90, 2000, 2010? 00:33:20.000 --> 00:33:26.160 I think all of us were are there's a certain point like, well, I'm glad he didn't come back before then, because I wasn't saved yet. 00:33:26.319 --> 00:33:32.799 It's in God's mercy that he delays because he desires that none of us should perish. 00:33:33.039 --> 00:33:40.079 So don't be found sleeping, backsliding, procrastinating, just not ready for when that day comes. 00:33:40.240 --> 00:33:51.440 Don't be found enveloped in the world, caught up in the temporary things of the world, so much so that you stop doing the things that Jesus says. 00:33:53.440 --> 00:34:06.400 You know, I've never seen anybody that is truly abiding in Christ that's been accused of sleeping or backsliding or procrastinating or not doing the things that he has asked. 00:34:06.640 --> 00:34:19.039 You know, can you imagine if I was in Mexico, I got back, I did the debriefing, and then I, you know, I come out and I'm just ready to see my future bride, and she's not there. 00:34:19.440 --> 00:34:22.719 And so I call her and I say, Hey, I'm here. 00:34:22.960 --> 00:34:26.239 What if she said, Oh, sorry, time got away from me. 00:34:26.400 --> 00:34:27.679 I'll be there in four hours. 00:34:27.840 --> 00:34:28.880 Hang tight. 00:34:29.199 --> 00:34:30.880 I would have been like, huh? 00:34:31.119 --> 00:34:37.119 You know, I was anticipating this return and this reunion, and I couldn't wait to see you. 00:34:37.280 --> 00:34:41.840 That would be absolutely heartbreaking if she was just like, oh yeah, sorry, I got caught up in some other things. 00:34:42.079 --> 00:34:43.519 I'll be there in four hours. 00:34:43.679 --> 00:34:45.119 But that's the same with Jesus. 00:34:45.280 --> 00:34:48.719 We don't want him to return and us to be found like that. 00:34:48.880 --> 00:34:50.239 She didn't do that, by the way. 00:34:50.320 --> 00:34:51.280 She was right there. 00:34:51.440 --> 00:34:53.199 It's a great reunion. 00:34:54.239 --> 00:35:00.800 But I think we need to be found in between the two extremes of what we see. 00:35:01.280 --> 00:35:07.679 You know, the first extreme is, you know, I did a bunch of calculations and I can tell you the day that Jesus is coming back. 00:35:07.920 --> 00:35:12.159 And I think the second extreme is, are we talking about end times again? 00:35:12.239 --> 00:35:13.679 You know, it's never gonna happen. 00:35:13.760 --> 00:35:15.760 I've been hearing about this my whole life. 00:35:16.000 --> 00:35:24.079 I think we need to sit in the middle somewhere where it's like, you know, I don't know the day or the hour, but I can tell the seasons. 00:35:24.480 --> 00:35:29.199 And I can tell when the labor pains are growing closer together and more intense. 00:35:29.599 --> 00:35:38.639 And we need to be ready for Jesus' return at all times because we love him so much that we can't wait to see him again. 00:35:38.880 --> 00:35:44.079 I think that's where Jesus wants to find us when he returns. 00:35:44.320 --> 00:35:46.719 I think we should sit right around there. 00:35:47.440 --> 00:35:53.360 You know, I don't know the day or the hour, but I can tell that things are getting closer. 00:35:53.519 --> 00:35:58.320 And regardless, I just cannot wait for that moment that I get to see him again. 00:35:58.559 --> 00:36:00.960 Therefore, we need to be alert. 00:36:01.119 --> 00:36:09.440 We need to be found abiding in him at every moment, not out of fear, not out of legalism, but out of love. 00:36:09.760 --> 00:36:15.360 And not to escape current circumstances, though that would be really nice, I admit. 00:36:15.679 --> 00:36:21.599 But because we can't wait to see him, because we can't wait to be with him. 00:36:22.079 --> 00:36:23.519 Would you pray with me? 00:36:23.920 --> 00:36:44.880 Lord, I pray that you would show us how to navigate this, that you would show us how to be your bride that is patiently awaiting your return, longing for that day, but completely willing to be found doing the things that you've asked us to do in the mid in the meantime. 00:36:45.039 --> 00:36:50.639 Lord, making disciples, baptizing people in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit. 00:36:50.960 --> 00:37:00.239 Lord, that we'd be found faithful, taking care of the things that you've given us, our gifts, our our talents, Lord, the money that you've given us to manage. 00:37:00.400 --> 00:37:14.639 And all of those things, show us how to do those things well, how to do them for your glory, and how to do them from a place of love and a place of joy because we're in just an amazing abiding relationship with you. 00:37:15.760 --> 00:37:20.480 Lord, continue to teach us to be just like Jesus in this way. 00:37:20.719 --> 00:37:29.199 He gave us this perfect example of having a mind that is set on eternity and not getting caught up in the things of this world. 00:37:30.320 --> 00:37:37.360 But give us that eternal perspective so that we can be effective in this world, that we can be in this world, but not of this world. 00:37:38.159 --> 00:37:39.599 Give us everything that we need. 00:37:39.760 --> 00:37:50.239 Lord, I pray you would be the person of the Holy Spirit living in and through us that would constantly counsel us and give us wisdom and direct us in every way. 00:37:50.639 --> 00:37:52.480 I pray these things in Jesus' name.