Today we are continuing our conversation through the book of Mark, which has been walking us through an intentional process of knowing Jesus. This process is not a building pile of “Jesus information” but rather it is having an open door to process, struggle, question, focus, experience, see, walk in….
Mark starts with John the Baptist preparing the way, followed by Jesus being baptized and calling His disciples. Mark walks us through some intentionally highlighted moments in Jesus’ ministry in Galilee, including miracles and interactions with people and with religious authorities.
Mark slows down in the telling as Jesus makes his final journey to Jerusalem (which is where we are now in the story). He shows us conflict with religious authorities, the disciples not really getting it, and the religious authorities really really not getting it. There is a repeated call to what is most important–the humble and complete love of God and of people. And then Mark shares about Jesus’ arrest, death and resurrection.
And all along it is a process.
Last week we surfaced the complexity of what matters most with the greatest commandments:
“‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.’ The second is this: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ There is no commandment greater than these.” (Mark 12:30-31)
And we processed not just the theme of what matters most but also the things that can cloud seeing what matters most. And in that complexity and process, the focus is on what is happening on the inside, not the production of what is happening outside.
Jesus, watching people put in offerings in the temple, saw the large gifts from the wealthy and saw an almost monetarily worthless gift from a widow:
Calling his disciples to him, Jesus said, “Truly I tell you, this poor widow has put more into the treasury than all the others.” (Mark 12:43)
What is happening inside is where process is, where value is.
Today as we come to chapter 13, there is a repeated call for being prepared, being connected to Jesus, being prepared by the process. Before we dive into the text, I want us to take some time to navigate some of the complexities of preparedness.
We’re going to start by making two lists. The first is, things that I often do that I can do with NO preparation. We’re looking for things where you can wing it. The second is, things that I often do that I REQUIRE some preparation time. These are things where you can’t show up with no preparation and just do them.
List as many things as possible that you can do with NO preparation and things that you need to give preparation time to.
Now with those lists in front of you:
What happens to you internally and externally when you find yourself in a moment of not being prepared?
These are fun moments–stress, humiliation, anxiety, shame, fear, anger, frustration, guilt, indifference… We can probably agree that not being prepared for something that demands preparedness is painful. But at the same time, preparedness is costly.
What is the cumulative cost of being prepared for all the things you need to be prepared for?
One more stop on this process of thinking about preparedness before we go to the biblical text:
What are some of the costs to being overly prepared or preparing for something that doesn’t happen?
Throughout the Gospels, there is a theme of preparedness. Here are some examples.
“The kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field. When a man found it, he hid it again, and then in his joy went and sold all he had and bought that field. Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant looking for fine pearls. When he found one of great value, he went away and sold everything he had and bought it.” (Matthew 13:44-46)
“Be dressed ready for service and keep your lamps burning, like servants waiting for their master to return from a wedding banquet, so that when he comes and knocks they can immediately open the door for him. It will be good for those servants whose master finds them watching when he comes. Truly I tell you, he will dress himself to serve, will have them recline at the table and will come and wait on them. It will be good for those servants whose master finds them ready, even if he comes in the middle of the night or toward daybreak.” (Luke 12:35-38)
“Therefore keep watch, because you do not know on what day your Lord will come. But understand this: If the owner of the house had known at what time of night the thief was coming, he would have kept watch and would not have let his house be broken into. So you also must be ready, because the Son of Man will come at an hour when you do not expect him.” (Matthew 24:42-44)
“At that time the kingdom of heaven will be like ten virgins who took their lamps and went out to meet the bridegroom. Five of them were foolish and five were wise. The foolish ones took their lamps but did not take any oil with them. The wise ones, however, took oil in jars along with their lamps. The bridegroom was a long time in coming, and they all became drowsy and fell asleep. At midnight the cry rang out: ‘Here’s the bridegroom! Come out to meet him!’ Then all the virgins woke up and trimmed their lamps. The foolish ones said to the wise, ‘Give us some of your oil; our lamps are going out.’ ‘No,’ they replied, ‘there may not be enough for both us and you. Instead, go to those who sell oil and buy some for yourselves.’ But while they were on their way to buy the oil, the bridegroom arrived. The virgins who were ready went in with him to the wedding banquet. And the door was shut. Later the others also came. ‘Lord, Lord,’ they said, ‘open the door for us!’ But he replied, ‘Truly I tell you, I don’t know you.’ Therefore keep watch, because you do not know the day or the hour.” (Matthew 25:1-13)
We’re putting a few things on the table here. Now remembering that relationship with Jesus is a process and that Mark is walking us in and through it; remembering the Great Commandment to love God and to love people; and remembering that what matters most is complex and can be clouded, it’s time for another question. We could ask the 101 level questions, like who should be ready? Do you want to be ready? Are you ready? But we’re going to go beyond the 101 level!
What does it look like to be “ready” in our relationship with Christ? (remembering that relationship with Christ is a lifelong process)
It’s time for our text:
As Jesus was leaving the temple, one of his disciples said to him, “Look, Teacher! What massive stones! What magnificent buildings!” “Do you see all these great buildings?” replied Jesus. “Not one stone here will be left on another; everyone will be thrown down.”
As Jesus was sitting on the Mount of Olives opposite the temple, Peter, James, John and Andrew asked him privately, “Tell us, when will these things happen? And what will be the sign that they are all about to be fulfilled?” Jesus said to them: “Watch out that no one deceives you. Many will come in my name, claiming, ‘I am he,’ and will deceive many. When you hear of wars and rumors of wars, do not be alarmed. Such things must happen, but the end is still to come. Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. There will be earthquakes in various places, and famines. These are the beginning of birth pains.
“You must be on your guard. You will be handed over to the local councils and flogged in the synagogues. On account of me you will stand before governors and kings as witnesses to them. And the gospel must first be preached to all nations. Whenever you are arrested and brought to trial, do not worry beforehand about what to say. Just say whatever is given you at the time, for it is not you speaking, but the Holy Spirit.
“Brother will betray brother to death, and a father his child. Children will rebel against their parents and have them put to death. Everyone will hate you because of me, but the one who stands firm to the end will be saved.
“When you see ‘the abomination that causes desolation’ standing where it does not belong—let the reader understand—then let those who are in Judea flee to the mountains. Let no one on the housetop go down or enter the house to take anything out. Let no one in the field go back to get their cloak. How dreadful it will be in those days for pregnant women and nursing mothers! Pray that this will not take place in winter, because those will be days of distress unequaled from the beginning, when God created the world, until now—and never to be equaled again.
“If the Lord had not cut short those days, no one would survive. But for the sake of the elect, whom he has chosen, he has shortened them. At that time if anyone says to you, ‘Look, here is the Messiah!’ or, ‘Look, there he is!’ do not believe it. For false messiahs and false prophets will appear and perform signs and wonders to deceive, if possible, even the elect. So be on your guard; I have told you everything ahead of time.
“But in those days, 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.’ At that time people will see the Son of Man coming in clouds with great power and glory. And he will send his angels and gather his elect from the four winds, from the ends of the earth to the ends of the heavens.
“Now 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. Even so, when you see these things happening, you know that it is near, right at the door. Truly I tell you, this generation will certainly not pass away until all these things have happened. Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will never pass away.
“But about that day or hour no one knows, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father. Be on guard! Be alert! You do not know when that time will come. It’s like a man going away: He leaves his house and puts his servants in charge, each with their assigned task, and tells the one at the door to keep watch. Therefore keep watch because you do not know when the owner of the house will come back—whether in the evening, or at midnight, or when the rooster crows, or at dawn. If he comes suddenly, do not let him find you sleeping. What I say to you, I say to everyone: ‘Watch!’” (Mark 13:1-37)
The calling to be ready, the focus on preparedness–it can drift off track and simply focus on heaven while neglecting what we are called to be good stewards of today. Now heaven is a great thing, and yes, I have faith we have eternity with God in our future. But it is possible in anything to fixate on the not yet and miss the now, to focus on what will or could be and miss what we are called to be a good steward of today.
Remember the Greatest Commandment:
“‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.’ The second is this: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ There is no commandment greater than these.” (Mark 12:30-31)
It is a call for the NOW while having hope for the not yet.
Here’s another complicated question:
What are some of the costs of neglecting where we are today by focusing on what we will someday have?
Today we have talked about preparation: things that do or don’t need it, and the costs of being prepared (or not). We talked about what it is to be prepared in our relationship with Jesus and about the hope for the not yet, coupled with stewardship in what is under our feet today.
How does encouragement to “be ready” empower you, challenge you and/or focus you?
Take It Deeper Questions
- Read Luke 12:35-40.
- Are you a night owl or an early bird? How has this changed throughout your life?
- What parallel is this parable trying to give deeper meaning to?
- What does it mean to be ready for Jesus’ coming?
- What are the challenges of being ready?
- What is the value of being ready?
- How does being ready impact your current situation?
- How are you challenged, encouraged, focused, and/or confused by this text?
Bible Reading Plan
- Mark 13
- Matthew 24
- Matthew 25
- Luke 21