Stay Awake

welcome if you're new or visiting with us. We're glad that you're here, and we're glad that you're

here not because we're trying to fill seats, but because we're following Jesus together as one

community, and as we follow Jesus together, we've become convinced there's no one so good they don't

need God's grace, and no one so bad they can't have it, which is why we come back week after week to

hear what God has to say to us in his word. We're continuing our series in the Gospel of Mark. You'll

remember that the Gospels tell the story of Jesus and his life and his death and his resurrection,

and we are in what I said last week was the most difficult chapter in the Gospel of Mark, at least

the most difficult to understand. That's Mark 13, which talks about both the fall of Jerusalem,

the destruction of the temple in 70 AD, and also the end of the world, and it was those two things that

we discussed last week. Remember, we discussed the destruction of the temple. We saw God's faithfulness

to his people in the first century, which reminds and reassures us of God's faithfulness to his

people in the 21st century. We also saw the end of the world, which reminds us that Jesus is coming

back. He is separated from us, but he has not abandoned us. So that's what we looked at in the

middle of the chapter, of chapter 13 last week, and you'll remember I told you that it's easy to get

lost in a passage like this. We need to have a due north clear in our minds, and for that, the heart

of the passage is this. How do we make it between Jesus' first coming and his second coming? That's

what the entire chapter of Mark 13 is attempting to answer. Now, in the past few weeks, we have had

encouragement and comfort, God's provision towards us as we make that journey. This week, we turn towards

challenge and action, because Jesus is going to remind his disciples of the importance of doing

what he calls staying awake. It's with that that I invite you to turn with me to God's word. We're in

Mark chapter 13, starting at verse 32. You can turn with me in your worship guide. You can turn in your

Mark 13 · chapter mention

Bible. You can turn on your phone. No matter where you turn, remember that this is God's word, and God tells

us that his word is more precious than gold, even the finest gold, and it's sweeter than honey, even

honey that comes straight from the honeycomb. And so, that's why we read now Mark chapter 13, starting at

Mark 13 · chapter mention

verse 32. But concerning that day or that hour, no one knows, not even the angels in heaven nor the sun,

but only the father. Be on guard, keep awake, for you do not know when the time will come.

It is like a man going on a journey when he leaves home and puts his servants in charge,

each with his work, and commands the doorkeeper to stay awake. Therefore, stay awake, for you do not

know when the master of the house will come, in the evening or at midnight, or when the rooster crows,

or in the morning, lest he come suddenly and find you asleep. And what I say to you, I say to all,

stay awake. I invite you to pray with me as we come to this portion of God's word.

Our Father in heaven, we thank you once again that you have not left us without instruction, but instead

you come to us and you speak to us clearly in your word. We ask that you would do that again this

morning, that we'd understand the hope of Jesus' return. We'd also know the challenge and the

preparation that you've given us, that we would be encouraged and empowered by your grace and

challenged by your commands. We ask these things in the mighty name of Jesus Christ. Amen.

Amen. If you are a homeowner and you're anything like me, you know that there is sort of an endless

list of things that need to get done. Let's see if I can stop that. Endless list of things that need

to get done. And so you sort of have to prioritize what is the most important or the most urgent thing,

because it's impossible to do everything at once. So one of the things that's been on my list for

a while is I really wanted to get my fence gate replaced because the gate just drives me nuts.

It does not close really all the way, swirling apart, not really. And it's just a thorn in my side.

So at the end of last year, I decided this is the time I'm going to get the gate replaced.

Here's the thing though. The gate didn't have to be replaced. It didn't need to be replaced. It just

annoyed me. And I wanted to know that in my life, whenever I dealt with the gate, it would just work

exactly the way I wanted it to work. And the reason I did that is because I expect to be in my house for

a long time. And so it's worth it to me to make that investment for my own enjoyment. If I were planning

to put my house on the market in six months or 12 months, the gate would be a complete waste of money

because no one cares when they're trying to buy my house, whether the gate is perfect or not, right?

They're not going to add several thousand dollars to have the house with the new gate.

No, it'd just be complete throwing it away.

Which I bring up to remind you all of just a simple principle, which is that what we believe

about the future, what we think the future holds for us determines how we live and operate in the

present. Because I believe, because I hope that I'm going to enjoy this gate for many years, it's worth

it to me to replace it. If I were shopping around for a new house, there would be other things that

would be more important to fix, other things that might help it actually gain value on the market.

There's been talk recently about how my generation is supposedly going to live longer than other

generations. And so we should think more seriously about saving for retirement because our age is just

going to go on and on and on. Now, whether that's true is a different discussion, but it again

highlights this fact, what we believe the future holds determines how we live now. This passage asks us,

do you really believe that Jesus is coming back? Do you really believe that Jesus is coming back?

Will you live as if that's true? When I bought a new gate to my fence, I was living out my belief that I'm

going to be in my house for a while. Do we live out the belief that Jesus is actually coming back?

Now, remember I told you in chapter 13 of Mark, we're talking about two things. We're talking about the

destruction of the temple in 70 AD, and we're talking about Jesus' return. In this section, we are turning

back. Remember, last week we were talking primarily about the destruction of the temple, at least at the

end, first. And so now the question is, why do we know that in this talk that Jesus is giving, we're

talking about his return, not the destruction of the temple? Because we're talking about both, right?

So why do we know that this parable of the man who's returning to his servants, how do we know this is

about Jesus coming back, not about Jerusalem? Well, there's a few things. First of all, verses 34 and 35

give us an example of an individual who leaves and then returns. The destruction of the temple,

the fall of Jerusalem, is not about one person leaving and coming back, right? That doesn't make sense.

So Jesus' illustration here makes most sense in talking about his return. Second, it stands in sharp

contrast to verses 28 through 31, which we just looked at. Those verses are about watching the signs, knowing

when the fall of Jerusalem is going to come. Here, there are no signs to know, verse 32, but concerning that

day or that hour, no one knows, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father. And so the

uncertainty of the return also points to the fact that we're talking about Jesus coming back. There's

many reasons. I'm just going to point you to two more. In verse 32, we're told, but concerning that day

or that hour. If Jesus was continuing his discussion of the fall of Jerusalem, he would not say, but

concerning that day or that hour. He would say, and concerning that day or that hour. So, but there tells us

we're changing topics. And finally, that day or that hour in verse 32 is a technical term that appears

throughout the New Testament to refer to the day when Jesus is coming back. With all of that being said,

this passage is not complicated. In fact, it's incredibly simple. It is set up to be idiot proof.

And the main point is clear. The main point is this, stay awake. We know that's the main point

because it's repeated not once, not twice, not thrice. It's repeated four times in verses 33 through 36.

And even before the passage is finished, we're given the summary, the whole point, right in verse 33.

Be on guard, keep awake, for you do not know when the time will come.

And so the point of this passage is very, very simple. Live your life

in light of the fact that Jesus is coming back.

Live your life in light of the fact that Jesus is coming back.

Verse 34,

We have this man going on a journey. What does he do?

He gives each of his servants their work.

He leaves home and puts his servants in charge, each with their work.

So there's something these servants are supposed to be doing.

And he commands the doorkeeper to stay awake.

What does it mean then to live in light of the fact that Jesus is coming back?

It means we're doing the work that the master has given us, and we don't want to be found asleep.

We don't want to be found distracted, doing something else, going off on side quests,

being found lulled into a false sense of security or complacency.

Now I could leave it there.

We could pray, and we could sing our final hymn.

Live your life as if Jesus is coming back.

But I want to call your attention to two different ways in which we live our lives in light of Christ's return.

First, the priority of Christ's return.

And second, the urgency of Christ's return.

First, the priority of Christ's return.

And second, the urgency of Christ's return.

And so first, we'll talk about the priority of his return.

There's a man named Richard Sibbes, who is a Puritan,

and he lived during the 1500s and the 1600s.

And he provides this example of the Christian life where he talks about it as if it's a stream.

And he says, imagine you have this stream,

and this stream is split into all these smaller, tinier streams.

What's going to happen to the power and the force of that stream

if you split it in a bunch of different directions?

It's not going to have any power.

It's not going to have any force.

It's just going to be diluted.

And so it's not going to be able to accomplish anything.

On the other hand, imagine that the reverse is true.

You have all these small, little streams,

and they flow into this one large, great stream.

Well, what's that stream going to be able to do?

It's going to be able to bear in on something

with all the force and power of that water.

You're going to be able to focus everything in one direction.

Now, coincidentally, it turns out that you have this illustration

on the back of your worship guide from Richard Sivs.

And he tells us what the main direction is that our stream is supposed to be headed.

This is the last sentence.

The main desire must be to be saved

and by grace to have communion and fellowship with God in Christ Jesus.

Unless this be the main care,

the soul can produce nothing good.

To stay awake,

to live in light of Jesus' return,

is to say all of our streams,

every piece and point of our life,

converges in this one direction.

It goes back to the first catechism question.

What is man's purpose?

To glorify God and enjoy him forever.

Whatever you do,

it's meant to be driven in that direction.

And so that's the priority of Christ's return.

Whatever we do,

we want the first question to be,

how does this contribute to being prepared for Jesus to return?

And so it means that as we are raising our children,

we are keeping first things first.

We are more concerned about preparing them for Jesus coming back

than we're concerned about preparing them for college admissions.

Because the kingdom of God,

heaven,

is more important than Harvard

or USAPHA

or UCCS.

It means that as we are training our bodies

and staying strong

as fitness is important for us,

we are not doing it for vanity.

We are not doing it out of anxiety or fear,

but so that we can do productive work for the Lord.

That Ephesians 5, 16 would be true of us,

that we would be making the best use of the time

because the days are evil.

It means that when the church gathers to worship,

you are here.

Because this is part of how you stay awake.

This is how you're reminded of what is most important in life.

This is how your stream is constantly redirected

in the right direction.

Being in worship pushes out other things in your life

not the other way around.

If Jesus is coming back and he is,

this is how we stay awake together.

It means as we arrange and think about our lives,

success is not as important as character

and godliness and holiness.

Better to love God

and no one to know our name

than to be famous

and be separated from him.

For what does it profit a man

to gain the world and lose his soul?

For what can a man give in return for his soul?

It's Mark 8, 36 and 37.

Every yes is a no.

Everything that you say yes to,

you are saying no to something else

because you have seven days and 24 hours

in each of those days.

Your resources are limited.

Staying awake means

when you make difficult decisions in your life,

you always say yes to the kingdom of God

and no to other things.

Stay awake.

And so I'm pleading with you all this morning

on behalf of Jesus Christ.

If you are not awake,

wake up.

Make first things first.

Every yes is a no.

If you are awake,

keep awake.

Stay awake.

Now,

I do want to say

in relation to that,

there are some

who take teachings like this

and they make the Christian life

as a result of it

a life of unusual

and constant sort of austerity

and intensity.

You know,

I preach this passage

and suddenly

it's mandatory

for everyone to be in church

six times a week.

There's a famous preacher

who at one point

told people

they were,

they were,

had their priorities off

if they were collecting seashells.

Somehow that was a sin.

Okay.

That's more a reflection

of someone's personality

and their anxiety

than it is a biblical teaching.

And so I want to just say

on the one hand,

it's good to enjoy

all sorts of things

in the right perspective.

God created this world.

He's glorified

when we enjoy it,

right?

On the other hand,

pleasure here and now

is not our ultimate goal.

Okay.

So we do all sorts of things

to the glory of God.

There's all sorts of things

we can point into that stream.

Do them

to the glory of God.

Do them in light

of eternity,

whether it's your work

or your play.

It doesn't mean

we don't enjoy this world.

There is a way

to ski

in light of Jesus' return,

but do it

in light of Jesus' return.

Keep it in the right place

and perspective

in the right season.

We take all things,

everything in our lives

and we assess them.

We direct them

towards the fact

that Jesus

is coming back.

We want

all our small streams

to be part

of one large stream.

And so I'm saying

two things.

On the one hand,

it doesn't mean

we stop enjoying

any of God's gifts

and we live sort of

this monk lifestyle.

On the other hand,

it doesn't mean

there aren't real sacrifices

and trade-offs.

We do say no

to good things sometimes

so we can say yes

to God

and his kingdom.

We've talked about

the urgency

that we are putting

first things,

excuse me,

the priority

that we're putting

first things first.

There is also

an urgency.

We're not just doing

first things first,

we are doing

first things now.

There are some things

that are simply

daily actions, right?

They're just,

you're just being faithful

day after day

as you live life

in light of Jesus' return.

There are some things

that you're just going

to do every morning

because Jesus is coming back.

There are other things

that are tasks

that we are tempted

to put off

and so that takes us

to the urgency

of Christ's return.

Imagine for a second

that you're a student,

maybe you're in college,

and you show up to class

and the professor announces

there's a major research paper

that's going to be

a large portion

of your grade

for this class.

And at the beginning

he says,

you'll notice

on your syllabus

there's no deadline

for this paper.

And the reason is

I'm just going to roll

into class one day

and ask for you

to hand it in.

But you don't know

which class

that's going to be.

What are you going to do?

Well, hopefully

when that class is over

you're headed

to the library, right?

You are going

to get to work.

That's the only chance

to hand it in.

There's no late assignments.

You can't run back

to your dorm

and get the paper.

No, you need to be ready.

If you come to that class

you want to know

that if he asks

for the paper

you have it

to hand in.

You're going to get to work.

You're going to write.

Procrastination

is deadly

if the deadline

is unknown.

Procrastination

is deadly

if the deadline

is unknown.

We're told here

remember verse 32

concerning that day

or that hour

no one knows

not even the angels

in heaven

nor the son

but only

the father.

Live life

in light of Jesus' return

and you don't know

when he's coming back

so there's an urgency.

There are things

that need to be

taken care of

now.

There are certain things

that are on

a limited time offer.

here's a few of them.

Addressing

broken

and strained

relationships.

Living

in light

of Jesus' return

means that we are

tenderhearted

and quick

to reconcile.

We do not want

Jesus to return

and to find us

nurturing

and coddling

bitterness

and grudges

and lists

of complaints.

Reconcile

now

before

it is too

late.

Do you want

Jesus to come

back

and find

that you're

in the middle

of an intense

conflict

with someone else

in the church?

No.

Can you imagine

what that would be like?

Jesus is coming back

in his glory

and what are you doing?

You're like spitting

it out with someone.

No.

Stay awake.

Live in light

of Jesus' returns.

Be quick

to forgive

and repent.

Don't delay

in healing

your marriage

because Jesus

is coming

back.

Stay

awake.

Do you want

Jesus to return

in this picture

that he's given

for us

on earth

of what his

relationship

with the church

is going to be like?

You're in the midst

of destroying

that picture.

No.

Jesus is coming

back.

Stay

awake.

Don't delay.

Your money

here on earth

will be worth

nothing

when Jesus

returns.

do you want

Jesus

to return

and find

that you

have stored

up no

treasure

in heaven?

Stay

awake.

We don't

want Jesus

to return

and find

that all

of our

treasure

is here

on earth.

There

is an

urgency.

There is

a limited

time

offer.

the story

is told

of a man

who had

millions

and millions

of dollars

and at

one point

he had

to declare

bankruptcy

and someone

asked him

in light

of the fact

that you

ended up

having no

money,

do you

regret

any of

the money

that you

gave away?

Because you

could have

that money

that could

have helped

you in this

bankruptcy

suit.

and he

said,

the only

money I

kept

was the

money I

gave

away.

Brothers

and sisters,

when Jesus

returns,

the only

money you

will have

kept

is the

money you

gave

away.

Stay

awake.

Live

in light

of Jesus'

return.

Don't

miss

the chance

to give,

not just

financially,

but in

other ways.

Don't

miss the

chance to

do good.

You may

not have

it tomorrow.

People

who are

experts in

leadership

talk about

the fact

that good

leaders have

a bias

towards

action.

They get

things done.

I'm going

to suggest

to you

this morning

Christians

have a

bias

towards

doing

good.

Do

as much

good

as you

can

in light

of and

because

of Jesus'

return.

Making

the best

use of

the time

because

the days

are evil.

Finally,

there is

an urgency

to repenting

of our

sins and

following

Jesus.

No one

knows

the day

or the

hour.

Do not

be like

Herod in

Mark 6.

Do you

remember what

Herod loved

to do?

Herod

loved

to listen

to listen.

But

he would

not

act.

He

loved

other

things

more.

I say

this with

love for

you.

Some of

you are

nibbling

around the

edges of

our church

and nibbling

around the

edges of

Christianity.

Jesus is

coming back

and no

one knows

the day

or the

hour.

The time

to repent

is not

tomorrow,

it is

now.

Procrastination

is deadly

if the

deadline

is unknown.

Stay

awake.

Now,

I gave

you an

illustration

a little

bit ago.

That was a

terrible

illustration.

I told

you about

a college

professor

who was

going to

come in

and just

announce a

deadline.

And I

compared that

to this

passage to

highlight the

urgency.

And there

is a

point,

except

excuse me,

did not

announce a

deadline,

announce an

assignment.

You didn't

know when

it was

due.

There's a

point in

which that's

true,

and the

point is

the point of

comparison

that's

true is

that we

don't know

the day

or the

hour.

Here,

though,

is why

that

illustration

was

terrible.

Jesus

is not

an absent

college

professor.

And your

work for

him,

your staying

awake,

is not

a stressful

deadline.

Remember

what we've

looked at

in this

passage.

Jesus

is the

one who

loves us

and cares

for us.

He is

returning

to us,

not having

abandoned

us,

but returning

to us

after a

separation.

He's

made

promises

to us.

Remember,

he's faithful

to the

church in

the first

century.

He'll be

faithful to

you in

the 21st

century.

He made

a promise

in verse

11 that

if you're

in persecution,

he's even

going to give

you words

to speak.

And then he

gave us this

promise two

sermons ago

in verse

13,

but the

one who

endures to

the end

will be

saved.

Jesus

is not

some

absent

and

irrational

college

professor.

No,

he is

the one

who is

coming back

for his

people,

has made

promises

to his

people.

And so

staying awake,

being prepared

for his

return,

is not

us

trembling

in fear

at an

administrator

who's coming

to evaluate

our lives.

No,

we are

making

things

ready

for our

heavenly

father

to

come

back

and

he

will

stay

awake.

The story

is told

of an

air force

pilot who

returned

from the

first war

in Iraq.

He had

finished his

300th

mission

and so he

was immediately

sit home

without any

notice.

He and his

team were

put on a

plane.

They flew

in that

plane to

Massachusetts

and then

they immediately

got in a

car and

drove to

their home

places in

western

Pennsylvania.

So they

drove all

the way

through the

night to

get home.

His family

had no

idea that

he was

returning.

He gets

dropped off

in the

driveway of

his home

just as

the sun

is rising

and as

he arrived

he was

surprised to

find a

banner across

the garage

door that

said,

welcome

home

dad.

And he

was surprised

because he

told no

one that

he was

returning.

He says

this,

when I

walked into

the house

the kids

about half

dressed for

school screamed

daddy.

His daughter

Susan came

running down

the hall.

She looked

terrific,

hair fixed,

makeup on,

and a

crisp yellow

dress.

How did you

know?

He asked.

I didn't,

she answered

through tears

of joy.

Once we

knew the

war was

over,

we knew

you'd be

home one

of these

days.

we knew

you'd

try to

surprise

us,

so we

were ready

every day.

Stay awake

for no one

knows when

the time

will come.

Let's pray.

Our Father in

heaven, we

praise you

and thank you

that you are

not a

cold and

calculating

administrator

coming to

see if we've

dotted our

I's and

crossed our

T's.

you're not

an absent

and arbitrary

college

professor,

but you're

the one

who loves

us and

cares for

us.

You've

made promises

that you'll

protect us

and you'll

provide for

us, and

most of

all, that

you will

come back

to be

with us.

We ask

that you

would drive

that reality

home to

our hearts,

that we

would live

more and

more in

light of

your return.

We ask

all of

these things

in Jesus'

name.

Amen.