Mark 13:7-8 - Do Not be Alarmed

This week, we’re diving into Mark 13:7-8, where Jesus speaks to His disciples about the signs of the last days—wars, earthquakes, famines, and more. These events might sound alarming, but Christ’s words are clear: “Do not be alarmed.” We’ll unpack why He calls us to stand firm, how these trials point us to a fallen world in need of a Savior, and how they stir our hope in eternity. Join me as we explore God’s Word, find courage in His promises, and look to Jesus, our true hope!

Transcript

90 - Mark 13:7-8 - Do Not be Alarmed

Intro

• If you have your Bibles please open with me to Mark 13 and find verse 7.
  • Today we continue walking through Mark 13 and continue hearing what Christ has to say to His people about the last days.
• Our time together in the Gospel of Mark will find us just examining two verses but they are two very important verses when considering last days.
  • Many times when the return of Christ is considered and all the events that lead up to it are discussed it can be a bit overwhelming.
    • I have heard people that refuse to read through the book of Revelation and who also avoid it being taught because of their fear that surrounds it.
  • Now to be fair there is much we can read about that will come to pass that is alarming.
    • Like Revelation 9 verse 18…
      • Revelation 9:18 - “By these three plagues a third of mankind was killed, by the fire and smoke and sulfur coming out of their mouths.”
    • That is a terrifying verse is it not?
• However, I do not believe that our Lord has given us His words as His church to stir in us terror of what is to come…
  • Consider what Paul writes at the end of Romans 8…
    • Romans 8:38-39 - “For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, 39 nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.”
  • Knowing this then let me ask from the very start of our time together, is there anything that we should fear?
    • Let us not answer that in our introduction today but let us turn our attention to our verses as we see that…
  • The Lord Does not want us to be Alarmed…
• With that let us read our verses…

Mark 13:7-8

• I feel as though it is important for us to remember just a few things about this chapter and what we have already learned.
  • First, remember with me what started these verses and kicked off this chapter.
    • As our Lord left the Temple for the final time the Apostles marveled at its grandeur.
    • The Lord responded to their amazement by telling them plainly that not one stone would be left upon another.
    • Not only would this have been a tragic thing for a Jew to hear…
      • It would have also been something that signified the judgment of God upon their nation. 
    • Which is why this chapter testifies about more than just the falling of the Temple but also points ahead to the final judgment of God coming upon the world.
  • Second, let us keep in mind that Jesus is speaking only to four of His Apostles.
    • Verse 3 reminds us that only Peter, James, John, and Andrew are hearing this information.
    • They approached Him privately upon the Mount of Olives and asked Him one question that had two parts…
      • “...when will these things be, and what will be the sign when all these things are about to be accomplished?”
        • They ask this question in verse 4 and then…
      • The Lord spends the rest of this chapter answering that question and focusing primarily on the second half of it.
        • Throughout this chapter He speaks much about what is to happen prior to the end.
    • We see this even in our verses today…
      • Jesus shares about things that will unfold and be as signs that testify about the coming judgment.
    • However, before we dive into these verses and talk about all of these things that will come to pass we must remember the final thing we have learned about prophecy.
  • The last thing we must remember when we approach this chapter and these verses, as well as others like it, is that prophecy is given to the church for the good of the church.
    • We saw this last time we were together as Jesus warned us that many deceivers would come and so He charged us with not being deceived.  
    • As we draw near to the end things will be difficult, many will try and deceive, persecution will arise…
      • However, the church is to stand strong, to remain faithful.
    • Even as we begin to consider our verses today we see a similar pattern unfolding.
      • Jesus tells us what is to come, and responds by telling us to not be alarmed or not be troubled at what we see.
      • Instead, we are to be on guard, to stay alert, to stay awake.
    • This is where we must remember that the purpose of prophecy for the church today is the edification of the church, it is to push us to holiness and encourage us to continue living faithful lives.
      • This is crucial to keep in mind because the temptation we face when we come to a chapter like this…
        • Is to miss the point we have been given this writing in the first place.
      • We want to map it out, to chart out what is to come, to know what to expect, and set dates and times for when these things will come to pass.
    • Again, that is not why we were given these chapters and books.  
  • It reminds me of a lady one time that found out I am a pastor…
    • It is always funny how people react to that information but this reaction in my mind takes the cake.
    • She pulled me aside and asked with anxious eyes if I was preparing my church for what was to come.
    • Not knowing exactly what she meant I inquired as to what she had in mind.
    • She then asked plainly if I was preparing my church by encouraging them to stock up on silver and gold.
      • I simply responded by saying that I am preparing my church by preaching the Word.
    • I share this interaction because within this exchange we find an important caution that we must consider…
  • If you read Mark 13, the book of Revelation, or any other book like it that contains prophetic writings about what is to come…
    • And you walk away thinking that you should stock up on silver and gold…
      • I want to be clear, then you have missed the point.
    • Oh and how easily we can miss the point of the verses by clouding them with what we wished Christ had told us.
  • I will add to that, if you read any of these prophetic writings and you walk away gripped by fear or anxiety then something is very wrong.
    • Now I am not saying that we do not see fearful things in the scriptures, we certainly do.
    • Moreover, we should not read these verses and be concerned for those outside of the faith, that is a great response.
  • Yet, for those who have placed their faith in Christ and been born again you have no reason to fear anything that is to come.
• I realize that there are many who look at prophetic writings with fear and anxiety, so if that is you today I want to remind you…
  • That this writing is given to us to have just the opposite effect.
  • This is where we come to our first point today…
• Which is why Jesus tells us plainly in our verses…

Do Not Be Alarmed - Vs. 7-8

• Let us read verses 7 and 8 again and as we do I would encourage you to underline what I would say is the most important phrase in these two verses…
  • Vs. 7-8 (Have them underline “...do not be alarmed…” or in the KJVs “...do not be troubled…”)
• Across these two verses are many events that might cause us to be troubled and alarmed…
  • We see wars, and rumors of wars…
    • We are told that nations will rise against one another and kingdoms will stand opposed to one another.
    • Jesus tells us that this world will be divided against itself.
  • Not just that…
    • We are told that there will be natural events that will arise like earthquakes and famines.
      • These natural disasters often bring about panic and alarm.
    • Yet Jesus says, do not be alarmed by these things…
  • It is also important to realize that He does not just simply say these things will come He also adds that bit at the end of verse 8.
    • “...These are but the beginning of the birth pains.”
      • Anyone familiar with child birth knows that though the beginning of labor is bad but it only gets worse as birth approaches.
    • Jesus uses this common knowledge to tell us that though these things will cause pain and suffering and where they will be bad, that it is just the start.
  • Wars and natural disasters will only get worse as we get closer to our Lord's return.
• Yet, in the midst of this warning exists a paradoxical statement from our Lord…
  • These are the words I had you underline, “...do not be alarmed…”, or “...do not be troubled…”
    • That is a tall order especially when we consider what our Lord is referring to in this passage.
    • So let us really dig into what Jesus is telling us to expect as we get closer to His return.
    • To do that we must consider broadly what these types of events remind us.
  • The first thing we are reminded about when we hear about these tragic and terrible events is that…
• Our world is fallen…
  • This does not come as a shock to any of us, we know that this world is sin sick and broken, these are just symptoms of the sin problem that exists at the heart of man.
  • So, because our world is fallen…
    • War should be expected, rumors of war should not be a surprise to us…
      • Man fighting against man is the norm and, though tragic, is commonplace in the history of man.
        • You and I could simply look at history and see atrocities committed time and again.
        • I will add if our Lord tarries another 2000 years then we will see much the same. 
      • Take note that this side of eternity, this will not cease…
    • True peace is found only in the Gospel and will only be fully realized into eternity.  
    • It is not just war though…
  • Because our world is fallen… 
    • Earthquakes should be expected, natural disasters are common and widespread.
      • Consider the curse given to Adam in Genesis 3…
        • The Lord says to him…
        • Genesis 3:17b-18a - “...cursed is the ground because of you; in pain you shall eat of it all the days of your life; thorns and thistles it shall bring forth for you;...”
      • Let us remember that creation was affected at the fall of man and therefore what we call natural disasters are simply a part of our reality.
    • It is not just earthquake-like events that can bring us pain, we are also told that famines will come.
      • Shortages of food will occur, crops will fail, hunger may be a reality for us.
      • This again is a reflection of the curse of Genesis 3 and will continue to be a reality until our Lord returns and sets all things right. 
  • So as we look out and see these tragedies we are not to be shocked by them but we are reminded that our world is in need of a Savior.
    • Praise God we have one in Christ and He will one day set all things right. 
  • Not only is our world broken but as we experience pain and suffering…
    • Not only are we reminded of the fallen world but our discomfort should cause us to…
• Look ahead to eternity…
  • As we experience pain and suffering in this life we are reminded that this world is not our home.
    • This is nothing more than a temporary dwelling and we are just passing through.
    • I like how Paul illustrates this in 2 Corinthians 5 verse 1…
      • 2 Corinthians 5:1 - “For we know that if the tent that is our earthly home is destroyed, we have a building from God, a house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens.”
      • Paul calls our existence this side of eternity mere tents, it is not something permanent but expected to not last.
    • However, for those in Christ we have the promise of a building from God that will stand throughout eternity. 
  • Paul understood this and applied this across his life as he experienced suffering, it is why he wrote the way he did in Romans 8…
    • Romans 8:18 - “For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the glory that is to be revealed to us.”
      • He is simply saying that whatever he faced here is not worth comparing to what he will one day experience into eternity.
    • As Paul wrote that statement we must understand that he wrote as one who understood suffering…
      • He had been persecuted, imprisoned for the sake of Christ, he had been shipwrecked and in danger at every turn.
      • Finally history tells us that he was beheaded for the sake of Christ.  
    • Yet he looked at all of those things and threw them together and said it is not even worth comparing to what we will gain in eternity.
      • That is why he was also able to write from a Roman prison in…
        • Philippians 2:21 - “For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain.”
      • If we live we live for Christ, when we die we get to be with Him and what glory awaits those who have placed their faith in Jesus.  
    • So as we experience pain and suffering as we experience uncertainty in our world we should endure it with one eye on eternity.
  • Then it would do us well to consider that these pains and sufferings we face are meant to…
• Produce in us holiness…
  • This is similar to what we just talked about as we are to look toward eternity but there is a difference.
  • God, in His divine wisdom and understanding, has set forth trials, pain, and suffering to produce in us holiness…
    • It is why James writes the way he does in the opening of his letter…
      • James 1:2-3 - “Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, 3 for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness. 4 And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing.”
    • God uses these trials that we face to our benefit and for His Glory.
  • For by these difficulties we face we are molded and made strong.
    • Just as diamonds are produced by high heat and great pressure so also are Christians sanctified by trials and sufferings.
      • It is why our attitude should be that of joy when faced with difficulty because God is working in us to draw us closer to Himself and make us more like His son.  
    • Again we could look to the writings of Paul to see a glimpse of this…
      • Romans 5:3a-5 - “...we rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, 4 and endurance produces character, and character produces hope, 5 and hope does not put us to shame, because God's love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us.”
    • We will not be shaken because we have been sealed by the Promised Holy Spirit who brings us through all manner of trials. 
  • As we experience pain and suffering and uncertainty…
    • It reminds us of the fallen world…
    • It causes us to look ahead to eternity…
    • It produces in us holiness…
    • Then…
  • Our discomfort and the uncertainty of our world will provide us with…
• Opportunities to share the Gospel…
  • As we suffer and experience pain and uncertainty so also does the lost world around us face the same.
    • None of us are immune from these catastrophic events.  
  • However, there should be a stark difference between the way the world experiences these things and how the church endures them.
    • Let me illustrate it with an example… 
      • Imagine with me you have two ships, both identical in build and both in the same waters.
        • As they are identical and in the same waters they are affected by the ocean in the same way.  
          • However, let us consider that there is but one difference between these two vessels…
          • One of these ships has dropped anchor so though the ocean rocks them back and forth they remain in the same spot…
            • Tethered to the anchor.
        • The other ship has not dropped anchor and is simply adrift and at the mercy of the ocean.
      • Though these two ships are identical and are hit by the same waves they experience the ocean in two very different ways…
        • If the sea is calm it makes little difference, however as the waves rise and the sea grows restless there is a marked difference between the two. 
      • One is tossed about at the mercy of the ocean, the other, though impacted by the same waves, is held by the anchor.  
    • Christian, though we are hit by the same waves as the world they should not have the same impact upon us.
      • For we are tethered to Christ and have our hope in the Gospel in which we have believed.
        • Though our world is in constant change and we are always faced with uncertainty we know who holds history in His hands.
      • When the world is gripped by fear and anxiety brought on by uncertainty that we all face…
    • The church should heed the words of Christ calling us in the midst of these birth pains to not be alarmed or troubled.
  • Do you realize what happens when that occurs?
    • What happens is that there is a recognized difference noticed by others who are tossed about.
      • One is found to be in constant torment by the uncertainty of the world, the other is grounded in Christ.
    • This gives us opportunities to share about the hope within us and the certainty we have in the midst of uncertain times.  
    • Oh how important it is for us to heed these words and listen to our Lord for as we do the world takes notice and we get to lift high the name of Jesus.
• As we prepare to draw to a close I would ask you to turn with me to Luke 13 and find verse 1.

Closing

• As you turn there I want to change the topic just slightly, as I have been speaking primarily to followers of Christ.
  • Now I want to speak to those who have not placed their faith in Jesus and who have not been saved.
    • I want you to know that you have great reason to fear what is to come.
  • For even if your life is free from most pain and suffering and you live a rather comfortable life, you need to know that this is the best you will ever have.
• For if you die separate from Christ then you will die in your sins and then face judgment.  
  • Standing before a pure God who is without sin and without fault and He will judge you and you will stand condemned.
  • Therefore I want you to know that any fear your have and any uncertainty that you face is truly a gift as God is reminding you that eternity is fast approaching.
• Let us read Luke 13…

Luke 13:1-5

• In these verses we find two tragedies that occurred at the time of Christ.
  • One was a moral evil as Pilot killed some Galileans…
  • One was a natural evil as a tower just seemed to fall, maybe it was an earthquake…
• In both of these instances though our Lord called those listening to respond in the same way…
  • His words are just as pointed to us today if we are fearful of what is to come and if we are uncertain about our eternity…
    • “...I tell you; but unless you repent, you will all likewise perish.”
  • I want to remind you that if you have not placed your faith in Christ you are as that ship without the anchor, at the mercy of the waves fearful that the next one might be the last.
  • I urge you to place your faith in Christ and repent of your sins and be saved…
    • Then you will have nothing to fear…
      • Romans 8:38-39 - “For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, 39 nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.”
    • Have you placed your faith in Him?
      • If not, I urge you to do so today.
      • Let us pray.