Watch Out!

Well, one of my favorite words in the English language is discombobulate.

If you're not familiar with it, it means to disconcert or confuse someone.

Have you ever gone through major road works on a wet night and what you've got is flashing safety lights and then reflective signs and headlights and tail lights and traffic lights and everything reflecting off everything else and the rain obscuring everything and making it all refract, and it's a really confusing.

And if you've been in that situation which I'm sure you have if you drive then you can come out really discombobulated.

What's going on?

What you have to do is really slow down, take your time and Take stock of the situation carefully.

Well, I frequently enter a state of discombobulation when I read the news.

There's a lot happening on multiple fronts these days and some of it seems quite perplexing.

We have the so-called culture wars, which keep turning up new levels of weird on the left and the right, the, what I'm going to dub the Sino-American Cold War.

So China and America, with lots of chest thumping between the two, of course.

The.

The situation in Palestine has triggered a raft of often self contradictory reactions on social media, and some of what you see can leave a range of emotions.

Maybe you feel angry, maybe you feel sad, maybe you feel anxious, or maybe you just feel bewildered, and it's that kind of situation that Jesus speaks to in the passage we're going to read today.

So we're going to read this in stages, because I'm covering the whole of Mark, chapter 13.

Mark 13 · chapter mention

So if you've got your Bibles or Bible up, you might want to open to Mark 13, and I'm going to start reading from verse 1.

As he was going out of the temple that's Jesus, of course one of his disciples said to him Teacher, look what massive stones, what impressive buildings.

Jesus said to him do you see these great buildings?

Not one stone will be left upon another, all will be thrown down.

While he was sitting on the Mount of Olives, across from the temple, peter, james, john and Andrew asked him privately Tell us when will these things happen and what will be the sign when all these things are about to be accomplished?

Well, the disciples were a simple country folk.

They were up from the north of Israel and now they're down in more southerly in Jerusalem, and they were taken in by, no doubt, many of the impressive buildings in Jerusalem, but one of the most impressive of them all was the temple, to taken decades to build.

And when they draw Jesus attention to the temple, he basically says to them yeah, look, don't get too attached to it, it's all going to come down.

And the disciples actually didn't question Jesus Comment about that, but they did want to know when it would happen.

And, of course, this is a question many Christians have been asking ever since.

Interestingly, jesus doesn't give a straight answer.

In fact, in verse 32, jesus says now, concerning that day or hour, no one knows, neither the angels in heaven nor the son, but only the father.

Jesus basically says I don't know.

I don't know when it's going to happen.

But what he does do is he gives us some keys to help us navigate Perplexing times, difficult times which, as we go through this passage will see, he predicts, and as we enter what seemed like very perilous times.

Actually, I think we do really well to hear what Jesus says.

So Jesus says in verse 32.

So Jesus says in verse 5 watch out that no one deceives you.

Many will come in my name saying I am he, and they will deceive many when you hear of wars and rumors of wars.

Don't be alarmed.

These things must take place, but it is not yet the end, for nation will rise up against nation and kingdom against kingdom.

There will be earthquakes in various places and famines.

These are the beginning of birth pains.

You know, jesus says watch out.

At the beginning of that, and that really sums up Jesus message.

Through the chapter 13, he says numerous times watch out, be on your guard.

You must watch, be alert.

And so what is it we're watching for?

Well, in the first case, a big concern of Jesus, he says, is watch out that no one deceives you.

Jesus is concerned about deception in the church.

He says it again in verse 21 Keep looking at the wrong chapter.

If anyone tells you, see, here is the Messiah, see there he is, do not believe it.

He adds in verse 22 that false prophets will come and even perform miracles and seem to be from God.

And these imposters come at a time of turmoil and natural disasters.

You know, no one really cares what a prophet has to say when everything's going well, right, everybody sort of just forgets and gets on with their lives.

But in times of disruption, whether you're religious or whether you're secular, we suddenly become hungry for strong leadership.

And today we see a rise in populist leaders, strong leaders around the world.

And it's no accident that it's happening as times become more uncertain, and at these times we also seek divine comfort, and there's plenty of people who are willing to take advantage of people's hunger for these things, and I would suggest we live in such a time and we need to be on our guard for deception.

Now.

You're probably not going to be so easily taken in by someone claiming to be Jesus, but it's very easy to be taken in by someone claiming to speak for Jesus, and self-proclaimed prophets and teachers and others are bound, and in our world they can easily distract us from the main things, and it can manifest in a number of ways.

We might get bedazzled by the oratory prowess and miracle claims of some pastors, or we become enamored by end times watching in an unhealthy way.

We're distracted by endless speculation about dates or who the antichrist is, and we can become quite anxious as we look at these things and we lose sight of Jesus' command to make disciples, and so instead, what we need to do is really just slow down, like we're going through those busy traffic lights at night, and be faithful to the basics.

Stay immersed in God's Word.

If you want to know what the truth is, you've got to know God's Word, be in prayer, be in fellowship with other Christians, be under sound balance, biblical teaching and share the gospel Now.

And that's not to say we shouldn't listen to good preachers on the internet or wherever.

It's not that we shouldn't be unaware of what the Bible teaches about end times.

It's just each of these things in their proper place.

And so Jesus says watch out for deception and the distraction that goes with it.

Then in verse nine, again but you be on your guard.

There it is again.

They will hand you over to local courts and you will be flogged in the synagogues.

You will stand before governors and kings because of me.

There's a witness to them and it is necessary that the gospel be preached to all nations.

So when they arrest you and hand you over, don't worry beforehand what you will say, but say whatever is given to you at the time, for it isn't you speaking, but the Holy Spirit.

Brother will betray brother to death and to father his children.

Children will rise up against parents and have them put to death.

You will be hated by everyone because of my name.

So the one who endures to the end will be saved.

Now we could go on in the next section as well, I'm not going to read it, but just draw attention to verses 14 to 22, which Jesus talks about a bit more in relation specifically to Judea, but the principles and the teaching applies to all of us.

In fact, in the next section, many scholars think that what Jesus is talking about applies to the destruction of the temple in AD 70 when Rome invaded, and it was a brutal time.

You cannot imagine how bad it was and really fit this description that Jesus talks about in many ways.

But what my Bible translates as be on your guard is the same word in the Greek again is watch out.

And it's interesting that he says to watch out for persecution, because he's not sort of saying avoid it because you can't.

He's saying it's going to happen, but watch out.

So what are we watching out for?

Well, I think one of the Jesus is saying watch out for persecution.

It's because he wants to manage our expectations.

If we go into something thinking it's easy, we more easily give up.

Have you ever been given a job and someone says, oh, it'll be no problem, it's easy?

I've probably done this to people, sorry, but it'll be easy and then you say, okay, no problem.

And then you take it on, and it's not easy.

That's not what I signed up for, that's not what I was promised.

And so Jesus wants to make sure that we understand this is going to be hard, because if we say yes to something knowing it's going to be hard, then we're more likely to be able to push through it, right.

Well, this is what I signed up for.

You said it would be difficult.

You said I'm up for it.

Okay, let's push through this.

And so if we're expecting things to go wrong, we can more easily deal with it when it happens.

And Jesus warns us that for Christians, things are going to get really tough.

And so the question for us is are you ready?

And he says to his disciples and many Christians beyond them you'll stand before the authorities and be his witnesses.

But he says don't worry about what you'll say when you have to give a defense.

It might be you speaking, it'll be the Holy Spirit giving you the words.

Now notice again.

He doesn't say don't worry about the persecution.

He says don't worry about your witnesses and don't be anxious about the persecution.

No, it's don't be anxious.

It's like he's assuming the disciples have their attention.

Not, we don't care about the suffering, we're just worried about getting our witness wrong.

Jesus, that's where our heart is.

You see, you get worried about the thing to care about, right.

If you care about your life and your comfort, then you'll be worried about the persecution.

But if you care about the gospel and sharing that right, you're not going to worry about the persecution so much because that's sort of incidental.

You're worried.

I don't want to mess this up.

I want to stay faithful to Jesus.

I want to get the words right, and actually I think this sometimes tangles us up in witnessing to people just in everyday life, let alone difficult situations, because, well, I don't want to screw this up.

Jesus says don't worry about it, because I'll be with you.

The Holy Spirit will be speaking through you.

It's going to get worse in persecution by the authorities, though.

Jesus warns us even to look out for betrayal within our most intimate relationships, within our family, and in fact actually we see governments in various places in society at large starting to encourage a breakdown of familial relationships, in the family unit, through various means.

Jesus says you'll be hated by everyone, but the one who endures to the end will be saved.

It's really challenging stuff, isn't it?

How would you be with your kids dobbing you in, or kids, your parents dobbing you in for your faith, husbands and wives, and what it does is.

It challenges me to ask him I deeply rooted enough in Christ that his gospel and his approval is more important to me than even my own skin?

And put it this way because we're often willing to die for the gospel ourselves At least we think we do.

By God's grace, we will be when that comes.

But what about when it's my family on the line?

Maybe not their suffering, but losing them.

That's tough.

That really shows us what's important.

I was just listening to a podcast yesterday about persecution in the early church and there was a story of a young woman.

A mother had a newborn baby, she was still nursing.

She was imprisoned for her faith, facing execution, and her unbelieving father comes along and he is begging her.

All she had to do was make sacrifices to the emperor.

That's all the Christians had to do In many cases.

They didn't have to reject Christ, they just had to make a sacrifice to the emperor.

But no, jesus is Lord.

We can't compromise on this.

And they beat her father, unbelieving he's a pagan.

He's trying to persuade her to come back to the Roman gods.

They beat her father in front of her to try and persuade.

That's the sort of that's hard.

And she remains faithful and she was brutally martyred in the end.

Watch out.

It's not wonder Jesus says watch out, be prepared so you can endure.

Verse 24 onwards.

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 heaven will be shaken.

So we don't take this literally necessarily.

This is pretty stock standard language for when sort of the world is falling apart.

We see it used in the Old Testament in regard to empires collapsing and so on, major cataclysmic events in the world.

It's for the Son of man will go just as it is written about him.

I'll keep skipping over the wrong page.

Then they will see the Son of man coming in the clouds with great power and glory.

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.

Learn the lesson from the fig tree as soon as its branch becomes tender and sprouts leaves, you know that summer is near.

In the same way, when you see these things happening, recognize that he is near at the door.

Truly, I tell you, this generation will certainly not pass away.

Until all these things take place, heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will never pass away.

This generation certainly will not pass away.

We've been arguing about that ever since, so I'm not going to talk too much about that today.

But he goes on in verse 32.

Now, concerning that day or hour, no one knows, neither the angels in heaven nor the son, but only the Father.

Watch, be alert, for you don't know when the time is coming.

It's 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.

Therefore, be alert, since you don't know when the master of the house is coming, whether in the evening or at midnight, or in the crowing of the roost or early in the morning.

Otherwise, when he comes, suddenly he might find you sleeping.

And what I say to you?

I say to everyone Be alert.

Are we getting the message?

So what's Jesus saying?

He says be alert for his return, watch out for his return.

So when will his return be?

That's what the disciples were asking when all these things are gonna happen and they would have linked this to his coming kingdom.

Well, jesus lays out a number of things that must take place before he returns.

In verse eight he said there'll be wars and natural disasters.

But these are just the beginnings of birth pains.

In a sense they're barely even the same.

We've been having wars and rumors of wars, and earthquakes and all sorts of things for the last two millennia.

It's essentially saying look, don't let them distract you.

In verse 10, he says it's necessary for the gospel to be preached to all nations and we're closer to that now than we ever have been Probably referring to ethnic groups and languages rather than political boundaries.

But that has to happen.

It's not necessarily a sign of his coming.

He doesn't link it to his coming, simply says that it must be done.

In verse 24, he says that again, it will come in those days after the tribulation.

Well, which tribulation?

I mentioned before that.

The verses we just skipped over were in relation, probably, to the tribulation that happened in Judea around AD 70.

Terrible, terrible, terrible time.

Christians have been suffering tribulation ever since.

I think of Christians in North Korea.

I'm like how can it get any worse for them In Iran, fastest growing church in the world but suffers terrible tribulation Following tribulation.

At some point Jesus will come Ultimately.

He says in verse 32 again, no one knows, only the Father.

It's not even something that Jesus, at least as a man, you now I assume he knows, now that he's been exalted, but we don't know.

He didn't know then we might not know.

He says we will know.

He's just outlined them, the general conditions, but we don't know the specifics.

You like Christmas, really, isn't it?

How do you know Christmas is coming?

Because six months ago they started putting decorations in the store.

It's coming, but you know it's ages away yet.

Don't get too excited Again.

Be ready, be ready, but don't get distracted.

And it is good to be informed about these things.

But being ready for Jesus' return doesn't mean obsessively looking at the signs at the time.

Rather it means faithfully following Jesus Cast off sin, put on Christ, stay true to teaching, be his witnesses.

So back to my favorite word discombobulation.

How do we avoid discombobulation in troubled times?

Well, jesus says by watching out, like when we're going through those road works.

And so the question is are you watching out?

Are we ready?

Are we alert?

Are we alert to false teaching and deception in the church.

Well, every age has had its fair share, and today is no different.

I guess the difference today is it's just easier for us to access it and for it to get out there.

So popular deceptions today often talk about the gospel of prosperity.

The gospel of sex is one today the gospel of autonomy, which manifests in all sorts of ways.

How do you spot these deceptions?

Again, if you don't know the word, it's gonna be harder.

But if you do know the word, there's a simple test.

Does what is being preached sound more like Jesus or more like the world?

If it sounds more like Jesus, it's probably on the money.

If it sounds more like the world, oh.

But we're trying to be relevant to the world, or we've had a fresh revelation, or we're just trying to be warm and cuddly and fuzzy, I don't know.

But if it sounds more like the world, yeah, maybe we want to be a bit careful.

Are you alert to deception?

Are you watching out for hardship in the name of Christ?

Are you just prepared for that?

Not so we can avoid it although if you can avoid it without denying Christ or anything do but so that we can be prepared and remain faithful.

We may not face avert persecution for Jesus yet.

But the world is often becoming more hostile towards Christian beliefs not so much even Christian beliefs, but Christian values and morals.

And this is where the battle lies.

I've mentioned before how we start getting nipped at around the edges.

Obviously, our views on sexuality are a big one nowadays, but our views on a lot of things, our views on marriage, our views on and Mara I'm not just talking about male or female, I'm talking about marital faithfulness and so on and these things get nipped at and eroded and there comes a point where, actually, what's the hill worth dying on?

At what point are we starting to compromise gospel faithfulness?

So how do we prepare ourselves for it?

For persecution?

By digging into Christ and making Him our heart's desire, being anchored to that rock that will not move, having our identity and our hope in Him, so that it's going to cost us more to deny Christ than to lose everything else.

And then, are you ready for His coming?

Here, you're watching out for that Now, as a movement, christians have been watching out and looking for Jesus for a long time and we continue to wait.

Of course, whether it's at His coming or at His death, our death, there is a moment for each of us, when the sun, moon and the stars are darkened and we're gathered to the Lord.

Are you ready to meet Him, because none of us knows that day or hour.

Are you doing the work the Lord has given you to do For those of you who perhaps, feeling your age a little bit less, able to get out and do things, and you're feeling like trying to hand on the bat to the younger ones and there does come that point but you have no less work to do the work of prayer, and some people might say that's the real work, the work of mentoring and guiding the next generation.

Are you ready for Christ's coming?

So Jesus is coming.

Are you ready?

Are you watching out?

Are you on guard?

Let's pray.

Father, I want to thank you for these warnings in the Scripture.

They don't really bring us comfort.

They're very challenging.

Father, I pray that we will not be afraid because of what Jesus taught here, but that we will be challenged and inspired to dig in deeper to Him and to rise up, be witnesses.

We have gained our hope, our identity, our joy in Him.

Spare us onward in Christ.

We pray In Jesus' name, amen.