You please turn in your Bibles to the prophet Ezekiel. The prophet Ezekiel. We're going to be looking at chapter 11, verses 14 to 25. While you're turning there, I'll note, this is actually the end of a long vision of more than one chapter here. The end of a vision that Ezekiel has been given by God. Now hear the Word of our God from Ezekiel chapter 11, starting in verse 14. And the word of the Lord came to me, son of man, your brothers, even your brothers, your kinsmen, the whole house of Israel, all of them are those of whom the inhabitants of Jerusalem said, go far from the land. To us this land is given for a possession. Therefore say, thus says the Lord God, though I removed them far off among the nations and though I scattered them among the countries, yet I have been a sanctuary to them for a while in the countries where they have gone. Therefore say, thus says the Lord God, I will gather you from the peoples and assemble you out of the countries where you have been scattered, and I will give you the land of Israel. And when they come there, they will remove from it all its detestable things and all its abominations, and I will give them one heart and a new spirit I will put within them. I will remove the heart of stone from their flesh and give them a heart of flesh, that they may walk in My statutes and keep My rules and obey them. and they shall be my people and I will be their God. But as for those whose heart goes after their detestable things and their abominations, I will bring their deeds upon their own head, declares the Lord God.' Then the cherubim lifted up their wings with the wheels beside them, and the glory of the Israel was over them. And the glory of the Lord went up from the midst of the city and stood on the mountain that is on the east side of the city. And the Spirit lifted me up and brought me in the vision by the Spirit of God into Chaldea, to the exiles. Then the vision that I had seen went up from me, and I told the exiles all the things that the Lord had shown me." This is the Word of the Lord. Let us pray. Gracious God, let us behold wonderful things from your word. Have mercy on us all and leave not one of us unchanged. We pray this for Jesus' sake and for his glory. Amen. Ezekiel, he was one of the exiles forced to leave Jerusalem during the first Babylonian invasion. And while in exile, God gave Ezekiel this temple vision where he saw abominations happening in the temple, idolatrous leaders, And he saw that judgment was to come as a result, which is actually what happened historically when Babylon came years later and wiped everything off the map. But here, at this vision's end, God comforts Ezekiel that he is with the exiles, not those still in Jerusalem who are claiming that. And God promised to send His Spirit with the exiles. are going to be Israel's future. And the last thing Ezekiel sees in this vision is the glory of the Lord departing from Jerusalem and coming to a stop on the east side of the city on a mountain. Tonight we're going to be returning to the Gospel of Mark that we've been working through for some time now, to Mark 13, to Jesus' longest speech in this Gospel. It's called the Olivet Discourse because it takes place on the Mount of Olives, the mountain that is east of Jerusalem. Prior to this scene, Jesus had come to the temple and found things were similar to Ezekiel's day. The place of prayer for the Gentiles had become a marketplace, a bazaar. And the leaders were all hypocrites. So we'll see Jesus leaving the temple and He'll proclaim judgment on it We see God's glory leaving the temple and heading to a mountain east of the city to give His disciples, the next generation of exiles, words of comfort and warnings about what is to come. With that, will you please turn to our New Testament sermon text from Mark chapter 13. Mark chapter 13. Are you ready for the Gospel tonight? Mark 13, we're going to read a whole chapter, 37 verses. Now hear the Word of our God. And as He, Jesus, came out of the temple, one of His disciples said to Him, look, Teacher, what wonderful stones and what wonderful buildings. And Jesus said to him, do you see these great buildings? There will not be left here one stone upon another that will not be thrown down. And as He sat on the Mount of Olives opposite the temple, Peter and James and John and Andrew asked Him privately, tell us, when will these things be? And what will be the sign when all these things are about to be accomplished? And Jesus began to say to them, see that no one leads you astray. Many will come in My name saying, I am He. And they will lead many astray. And when you hear of wars and rumors of wars, do not be alarmed. This must take place, but the end is not yet. For nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. There will be earthquakes in various places. There will be famines. These are but the beginning of the birth pains. But be on your guard, for they will deliver you over to councils, and you'll be beaten in synagogues, and you'll stand before governors and kings for my sake, to bear witness before them. And the Gospel must first be proclaimed to all nations, And when they bring you to trial and deliver you over, do not be anxious beforehand what you are to say, but say whatever is given you in that hour, for it is not you who speak, but the Holy Spirit. And brother will deliver brother over to death, and the father his child, and children will rise against parents and have them put to death. And you will be hated by all for my namesake, but the one who endures to the end will be saved. But when you see the abomination of desolation standing where he ought not to be, let the reader understand. Then let those who are in Judea flee to the mountains. Let the one who is on the housetop not go down nor enter his house to take anything out. And let the one who is in the field not turn back to take his cloak. And alas, for women who are pregnant and for those who are nursing infants in those days, pray that it may not happen in winter. For in those days there will be such tribulation as has not been from the beginning of the creation that God created until now and never will be. And if the Lord had not cut short the days, no human being would be saved. But for the sake of the elect, whom He chose, He shortened the days. And then if anyone says to you, look, here is the Christ, or look, there He is, do not believe it. For false Christs and false prophets will arise and perform signs and wonders to lead astray, if possible, the elect. But be on your guard. I have told you all things beforehand. But in those days, after that tribulation, the sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give its light, and the stars will be falling from heaven, and the powers in the heavens will be shaken. And then they will see the Son of Man coming in clouds with great power and glory, And then 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. From the fig tree, learn its lesson. As soon as its branch becomes tender and puts out its leaves, you know that summer is near. So also, when you see these things taking place, you know that He is near at the very gates. Truly, I say to you, this generation will not pass away until all these things take place. Heaven and earth will pass away, but My words will not pass away. But concerning that day or that hour, no one knows, not even the angels in heaven nor the Son, 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. This is the Word of our Lord. It's a sobering moment. Do you see that? God had actually given this temple to be the place where God and sinful man could be reconciled. Every inch of the temple that God had designed, every ritual, everything in it, was meant to point folks to the holy God's desire to have relationship with fallen men. But in chapter 12 and chapter 11, Jesus had arrived to find that it was all show. Folks in this temple could care less. Gentiles had no place to pray. The court was a complete bazaar. And when Jesus rightly cleansed it, oh, the religious leaders were all on Him trying to stop Him, to bring Him down. Jesus saw thousands upon thousands of worshipers during what was Passover week. And Jesus could only find one poor widow who seemed to get what this temple was all about. So Jesus walks out pretty frustrated that his house was full of hypocrites. I think this explains why a disciple tries to cheer him up with this comment about the temple's beauty. Look, teacher, what wonderful stones and what wonderful buildings. The temple still really is impressive if you kind of step back and look at it, right? And it was. Herod's temple was a magnificent architectural wonder of the ancient world. Not yet complete, its dimensions were over 1,500 feet long by over 900 feet wide, an area of structures equaling about 35 football fields. This was the pride and joy of every Israelite. And they looked forward to their regular seasonal pilgrimages to the temple. And recently, Herod had taken upon himself to make it even grander with a plan actually to fill the whole mountain with this temple. And he was well on his way. The temple was filled with marble now, with gold, with beautiful carvings. It was nine stories tall at points. Built of massive stones. Some of which weighed hundreds of tons. Hundreds of tons. These are the size of the stones built, that built this temple. You get why a disciple points and says, Don't be so glum, Jesus. Just step back and take a look at it. It's pretty impressive. And Jesus answers, do you see these great buildings? Not one stone, these massive stones are going to be left upon another. How many of you think it was a quiet walk up the mountain? Jesus declared that Israel's most significant institution was about to be leveled. Gone. Not a stone remaining in place. These disciples have to be shell-shocked. There is no modern equivalent we can relate to this. There's nothing that binds Americans' identity together like the temple did for the Jews. So Peter, Andrew, James and John, they sit down on this mountain with Jesus overlooking the temple. And one of them finally asks what they all have to be thinking. Tell us, Jesus, when? And what will be a sign that this is coming? I think it's interesting that these are the first four disciples that Jesus called to come, to follow Him. Now they hear that they have followed the one who they thought was bringing Israel's kingdom to what appeared to be the end of the world for any Jew. And I think this text demands that we consider what these disciples are experiencing in this moment. To hear the questions they're asking. And to remember that Jesus is first and foremost talking to them in this text. I say this because we all have a tendency to come and read our Bibles. And not just the ones prophesying in times. And the main thing we look for is what it has to say to us. How does this relate to our lives? How does this relate to our world? And if we do that here, we're going to end up reaching some really crazy conclusions. This text is called The Little Apocalypse. And I grew up in churches that used texts like this to explain the newspaper headlines. The number one selling book in the decade I was born in was Hal Lindsey's The Late Great Planet Earth. which sat on our shelf next to a book by our own local hero, Lester Summerall's, I Predict 2000 A.D. I found that crazy conclusions did not stop after 2000 went by. There was actually an event at Notre Dame about 12 years ago that many members from my previous church attended, and the place was packed. As a very popular evangelical, still popular today, He held up headlines next to scriptures to prove that the end was near. And I remember many of us actually bought into his suggestion that the then British Prime Minister Tony Blair was the next Antichrist. Now we laugh at that, right? But we are all prone to be me-centered. By that I mean we tend to think the history we're living in right now is the absolute most important. Therefore, it would be nice to know what's coming down the pipe and how it may affect us, right? I mean, what if countries like Iran or North Korea get nuclear weapons? How stable is our economy? What about this rise of natural disasters? Look what's happening down in Louisiana right now. Is there coming a day when elected leaders will begin to pressure the church and charge us with hate crimes if we refuse to endorse cultural sins? I mean, who doesn't want to be prepared to know how to live as Christians in this day? But we do a disservice to texts like Mark 13 if we put ourselves at the center. If we fail to consider first how the original hearers would have understood Jesus and also how Mark's original readers would have understood this. Notice in verse 14 Mark writes, let the reader understand. Well, that doesn't mean there's not anything here for us. Actually, quite the opposite. But in order to humbly take in what God has given us here, we must humble ourselves. We must de-center ourselves. And I'm going to tell you, that is the approach I took when I came at this text. And it explains the outline, the timetable you'll find on the back of your bulletin here. The disciples ask in verse 4, when the temple will be destroyed and for the sign of when it will come. And I'm convinced that the time markers here indicate that in verses 5 to 31, Jesus is speaking specifically to days, plural, in the disciples' generation. To days in the disciples' generation, the time prior to 70 A.D. And Jesus gives them several warnings of many things that will occur, ending in verses 30 and 31. All that will take place during this generation, during their generation. After that, then Jesus speaks of a single day that He doesn't even know. And Jesus not knowing suggests that this day is separate from those days that Jesus seems to know a whole lot about. And it's actually this last day that He's speaking of, this hour, is the day of His second coming, a day that we need to be ready for. So we need to watch ourselves and not be sleepy. Anybody here sleepy? Yes. Right. Thank you. Perhaps that's a good place to start. As I imagine, there's probably three sorts of folks here right now. Some of us are really intrigued by the Bible generally, but end-time prophecies. And we're looking forward to Pastor Joel's sermon explaining Mark 13. And some of us are intrigued by end-time prophecy, but we're looking at the bulletin and thinking, Pastor Joel, you've got this all wrong. And some of us are sleepy. It's been a long day. And maybe you're pretty sure that the world won't end this week. It can't, you know. I mean, you've got too much to do this week, right? Actually, that may be why you're sleepy. Well, Jesus says to us tonight, wake up, sleepy Christian. I have something that you need to hear tonight. I have something for you. So turning to our text, in verse 5, notice Jesus does not begin by answering their question about the temple right off. The first thing Jesus says is, watch out for false teachers. Before I tell you anything about the end, let me warn you, watch out for false teachers. Think Jesus thought this might be a problem? There will be folks trying to lead you astray. Some even claiming to be me. And we actually read in Josephus and in Acts, there were folks who led such movements. And disciples were to be on the watch for them, to guard for their false teachings. And there's application for us too. Because look to how many Christian books have been sold. Millions upon millions upon millions. They're stirring up folks into panic that the end is near. I've run into this my whole life. One thing I've learned is that false teachers use fear, fear to gain a following. A Jehovah Witness came to my house, to my door Thursday. We actually talked for at least 20 minutes. She immediately pointed me to all the scary things happening in our day. All the things in the news that indicated we were living in the last days. And Jehovah Witness has always been doing this. 1917 was the day and they kept predicting and finally stopped doing that because it stopped working. But that's what they do. And this lady, after she sought to scare me, she invited me to a conference about how we need to love. And she read God's demand that we love in 1 Corinthians 13. I want to point out that her starting point of fear had short-circuited her goal of love. She'd spent so much time trying to cultivate fear in me that she never even bothered to ask my name, to show that she cared for who I was. I think one way to see if a teacher is true or false is to see what spirit they speak with. Paul tells Timothy, in 2 Timothy, right after noting how he had been set apart for ministry, he says, God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and love and self-control. These false prophets in the disciples' day would stir up fear by wars, by rumors of wars. They didn't even need instant access to all the worldwide horrors that we have today. But Jesus says, the end is not yet. And remember, the end that Jesus is referring to here is 70 A.D. when Rome will come and destroy Jerusalem and level the temple. Jesus adds nations will rise against nations. There will be earthquakes, there will be famines. These things did happen in those days. And the end of the old Mosaic order will not yet come. These are just the beginnings of birth pains. And I think this is an apt analogy, because though I've never personally experienced it, I hear birth pains are very difficult, very upsetting. And they also indicate a soon arrival. And yet that soonness is sometimes not so soon. Recently, I was at the hospital waiting for the birth of our newest member here at Michiana Covenant. I got there in the early afternoon, long after the birth pains had begun, so I thought I might be there. And I waited, and I waited, and waited. And actually, I went home, and then I had dinner. And then I came back with my wife, and we sat there, and we waited, and we waited, and waited. And I think me and Jamie got home sometime after midnight. And sure enough, baby John was born just shortly after we left. Jesus is saying the disciples are going to see things, they're going to hear things that are going to upset them. But it's not all bad. I want us to see that about Jesus' language here. Because Jesus is using the language of birth here. The disciples are upset. They're going to be hearing things that are going to be difficult. But this precedes the wonderful birth of a new age. Something they've been longing for. Just like a mother with a newborn child. and age when the Spirit will go forth, and God will bring forth a new temple, not made of cold stone, but a living temple made up of folks just like you and me right now. Jesus adds then in verse 9, but you be on your guard, for they will deliver you over to councils, and you will be beaten in synagogues, and you'll stand before governors and kings for My sake, to bear witness before them. And the Gospel must first be proclaimed to all nations. And when they bring you to trial and deliver you over, Do not be anxious beforehand what you are to say, but say whatever is given you in that hour, for it is not you who speak, but the Holy Spirit. And brother will deliver brother over to death, and the father his children. And the children will rise against parents and have them put to death, and you'll be hated by all for my name's sake. But the one who endures to the end will be saved." Jesus tells them again, to set their eyes on themselves. He keeps using this word in the Greek, blepo, be watching yourselves, because of these horrors that are coming their way. Jesus is saying their allegiance to Him is going to result from persecution in pretty much every single direction that it could come from. Religious folks, government leaders, siblings, parents, even your own children will rise up against you. Everybody is going to hate you. For my sake, Jesus is saying, how are they supposed to understand this? I think they're supposed to understand it like Micah did when we sang Micah 7. When families, neighbors, princes and enemies seek to destroy, they are to look to God and trust in Him for salvation. You know that Jesus here is saying that oppression is not a sign that God has abandoned you. The opposite. And I know that's what we're all prone to think, right? When bad stuff happens in our life, God has abandoned me. But Jesus is saying trials aren't signs of God's faithlessness. They're actually signs of God's faithfulness to you. Faithfulness that you are following Jesus. And it is about following Jesus because so much of this echoes the passion language that Jesus has been using in Mark. Jesus calling them to interpret trials that come their way according to a theology of the cross. A theology of the cross. But Jesus also adds an additional comfort. While there is no escape from the trial, I promise you my presence in the midst of that trial. I promise you my presence. Don't fear in that hour when you're called upon. The Holy Spirit will be with you, giving you My words to speak." That's good news. Very good news. Well, it doesn't apply to trials here at Michigan Covenant Preaching, because I still have to write my manuscripts for us. That would be great. Jesus calls me to the trial of sermon prep every week. No, this actually applies to trials like the one Stephen endured in Acts 7. When he was brought before men hostile to Jesus Christ, boy, he preached a glorious sermon, far better than I could ever do. And in that moment when he was about to die, Luke writes that Stephen was full of the Holy Spirit and he looked up to see his Lord Jesus standing there. Jesus is telling his disciples, don't be anxious, you'll have my presence in the trial. Do a brief aside here and comment about verse 10, about the Gospel being preached first to all nations. I'm making the argument, you see my bulletin, that everything Jesus is speaking to now will happen before 70 AD. And those who disagree with me will say, well, the Gospel has not been preached to all the nations by then yet. Once again, I want us for one moment to imagine that we're not 21st century people. To not hear this like 21st century people. who have pictures of the globe, who understand there's seven continents filled with all these nations that maybe we can list off many of, who have maps with missionary pictures on them. You see, folks in the Disciples' Day had no idea about Australia and North America, South America, many places. They understood the world to be the places they knew about. The area around the Mediterranean, part of Africa, part of Asia, a little bit of Europe as well. That's what the world meant to the Jews in this day. And you find proof of that when Paul writes in Colossians 1, prior to 70 AD, he writes in verses 5 and 6, "...of this you have heard before in the word of truth, the gospel which has come to you, as indeed in the whole world it is bearing fruit and growing." Is Paul saying that people in Japan are Christians and we should celebrate? No. That's silly. But he can say in Romans 15 that he's run out of places to preach. From Jerusalem to Illyricum, the gospel's been everywhere. So now he actually has to go to Spain. Jesus called these disciples to bear witness for him. The Greek word here is martyrian. I think you hear martyr in that word. Jesus saying that they will be persecuted and died, but their gospel mission will be a success first. And by enduring, by patient endurance, they will be saved in the end. And now Jesus begins to answer the when of this temple destruction. But when you see the abomination of desolation standing where he ought not to be, let the reader understand. Then let those who are in Judea flee to the mountains. Let the one who is on the housetop not go down or enter his house to take anything out. And let the one who is in the field not turn back to take his cloak. And alas for women who are pregnant and for those who are nursing infants in those days. Pray that it may not happen in winter. For in those days there will be such tribulation as has not been from the beginning of the creation that God created until now and never will be. And if the Lord had not cut short the days, no human being would be saved. But for the sake of the elect whom He chose, He shortened the days. And then if anyone says to you, look, here is the Christ, or look, there He is, do not believe it. For false Christs and false prophets will arise, perform signs and wonders to lead astray, if possible, the elect. But be on your guard. I have told you all things beforehand." The abomination of desolation, what's that? It's actually an event describing the desecration of the temple. A few centuries previous to this, there was a Greek ruler named Antiochus Epiphanes who put a stop to Jewish worship. He was frustrated with the Jews. He put a stop to their worship and then started offering pig sacrifices in the temple. That was the abomination of desolation. See, in these days, an enemy army would set up their gods in the temple of defeated peoples to show their gods were the greater gods. That must have been what happened when Rome comes in 70 A.D. to Jerusalem. We lack many particulars about this Roman siege, but Jesus is saying, when you see the temple being desecrated like this, run. Everybody in Judea, their area surrounding it, run to the mountains. There's no longer any safety to be found there. Run, there's coming a tribulation unlike anything that you've seen since the beginning of the creation. And this sounds like the end of the world, right? And it would be for folks in Judea. Josephus describes it as unspeakable sufferings, an act unparalleled in the history of either the Greeks or the barbarians. But that's only, if it can be described that way, the horror of Rome's brutal siege. I invite you to pan out to the bigger reality, the bigger picture. What does it mean when the only place where heaven and earth meet comes under God's wrath? Thankfully, Jesus says God will cut short these evil days for the sake of mankind. And Jesus warns again for the disciples' eyes to be wide open as these false prophets will arise doing all kinds of amazing things, while at the same time comforting them. It's not possible to deceive God's elect. Human responsibility and God's sovereignty fused together once again. And then Jesus goes and describes further those days, verse 24, But in those days, after that tribulation, the sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give its light, and the stars will be falling from heaven, and the powers in the heavens will be shaken. More language that sounds like the end of human history to us. But you know what Jesus' disciples are hearing? They're hearing Joel chapter 2. They're hearing Isaiah 13. They're hearing Isaiah 34. Passages that spoke about destructions that came to nations. Isaiah 13 speaks of sinners being destroyed from the land in the day of the Lord. And it adds in 13.10, how the stars of the heavens and their constellations will not give their light. The sun will be dark at its rising and the moon will not shed its light. Isaiah is not talking about the end of the world. He's talking about God stirring up the Medes to destroy the Babylonians. which no doubt was earth-shattering for them, but not for all mankind. Although Jesus adds in 70 AD, there is more than just a change of earthly power happening here. Verse 26, And then they will see the Son of Man coming in clouds with great power and glory. And then 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. This is not a description of Jesus' second coming. This is actually from Daniel 7, a quote about the ascension. This is a transfer of earthly power to the heavenly Son of Man, a title Jesus has taken to Himself over and over again in Mark. In less than two months, these same disciples who are so distressed, they will look upon the resurrected Christ, and they'll watch Him get taken up into heaven in the glory cloud. And Daniel actually saw a picture of this from the top side. He saw one like the Son of Man, like a Son of Man coming in the clouds of heaven to the Ancient of Days, and He was given glory and a kingdom that all nations should serve Him. And this transfer of power to the heavenly meant the end of the earthly temple, never to be rebuilt. Of course, this creates a problem. How can sinful man be reconciled to a holy God? This is where the Gospel comes in. The Gospel, which Paul proclaims, is the power of God unto salvation. The Gospel is what will save us now. The good news of Jesus Christ, the Son of God, who became fully man, and He became the final sacrifice, so that all who turn to Him in faith will be saved. But how will they know? No one tells them. That's why Jesus says, angels, and by the way, angels also means messengers. Two words that are often translated differently. Messengers would be sent to gather in the elect, which is what gospel ministers began to do. Myself and Pastor Peter included in our day. Jesus goes on in verse 28 to say, from the fig tree learn its lesson. As soon as its branch becomes tender and puts out its leaves, you know the summer is near. So also, when you see these things taking place, you know that He is near at the very gates. Truly I say to you, this generation will not pass away until all these things take place. Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will not pass away." Earlier back in chapter 11, Jesus had cursed a leafy fig tree Because the leafy fig tree was a symbol embodying Israel, no different than the American eagle would for America. And these disciples returned and found it had been withered, withered away and died. Beloved, you can trust Jesus' words will come to pass. So Jesus reminds them one more time to be looking, be using your eyes. So when they see these things taking place that He's just described, that the end of the earthly temple is near. And then Jesus gives an emphatic, truly, I say to you, this generation will not pass away until all these things take place. Jesus is saying, disciples, remember this mountain discourse. God has a schedule, a timetable where everything He has promised will come to pass. So keep your eyes out for these signs. And we know all Jesus prophesied did come to pass. Then Jesus begins to answer the question they didn't ask. An answer which is as much for us today as it was for them. And perhaps more for us. But concerning that day or that hour, no one knows. Not even the angels in heaven nor the Son, but only the Father. Be on guard. Keep awake. For you do not know when the time will come. It's like a man going on a journey when he leaves home and puts his servant 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. See, Jesus has a lot to say about those days. And now He speaks of that day, that hour. A moment He knows not when. A day when He will come, when He will return. This is the second coming to judge the whole world. And history will come to a close. Here we see that Jesus is fully man, as at this time He lacks this knowledge. Probably for our good, as it would not help if He told us the date, would it? Because we'd be tempted to take a long nap and set our alarms, right? But Jesus tells us that when it comes to the Second Coming, we don't get a warning. We don't get an abomination of desolation. So He says once again, be watching yourself, and He adds, keep awake. And then He says at the end of verse 34, stay awake. And in verse 35, stay awake. In case you're tempted to think He's not talking to you here, He says in verse 37, "'And what I say to you, I say to all, stay awake.'" Anybody here asleep? Jesus makes this crystal clear with all this repetition. And with His illustration of a master of a house leaving His servants, and He has expectations. That they must be ready. That they must be at their work. The work He's called them to until He returns. So I want to close by considering what it means to stay awake. And what it means to be watchful. What it means to be watchful. What it means to stay awake. Why does Jesus say, stay to us, over and over and over and over, stay awake? Because we have a tendency to become sleepy. It means abandoning our post. As Jesus' disciples, we are called to live for Him and no longer for ourselves. And you are awake, how do you know you're awake? If you're doing the work that God has called you to do in this present day. Which means there is actually a sense that you can actually rest. If you're at your post, you need not panic. You need not read false teachers and worry. You do not need to have any fear about the Lord's return. Kind of like we hear in a story of an eclipse that took place in early colonial America, which caused a number of state legislators to panic and some were moving to adjourn. And one of them spoke up and said this, Mr. Speaker, if it is not the end of the world and we adjourn, we shall all appear to be fools. If it is the end of the world, I should choose to be found doing my duty. I move you, sir, that candles be brought. We need not fear Jesus' return if we are doing what He has called us to do. So children, staying awake means being obedient and learning what it means to love. Young people, staying awake means not living for video games for fun. Adults, that goes for you too. Our eyes must remain fixed on Him and not centered on us. You see, our history must show us playing our roles in His story. Jesus established the church as kind of the only hope of a dying world out there. We need to remember that. We as the church have been called, we've been given a special task to be His witnesses of the One who came in our flesh, laid down His life, was raised from the dead and ascended to heaven for us. So we also need to be watchful that we do not get led astray. And we need this reminder most during trials, during times of affliction. Jesus tells us trials will come and He says, keep your eyes open. You know why? You know why He says make sure you're seeing clearly when suffering comes? Because when it starts to hurt, we stop seeing things very clear-sighted. Things become cloudy. So we need to especially watch ourselves when we start to feel pain, and remembering who we are as disciples called to take up the cross, and remembering what Jesus said to His disciples about the Spirit. This is the first time in Mark Jesus has told them about the promised Spirit and His coming. Here at the time when the disciples discover there's going to be so much difficulty in front of them, so much pain they're going to have to endure, It is at this moment Jesus speaks of the birth of a new age, the age of the Spirit that John the baptizer had proclaimed back in chapter 1. Jesus says to you, beloved, do not be anxious in the trial, do not be anxious in the pain, do not be anxious when it starts to hurt, because you'll have My presence. Jesus says when it starts to hurt, You will have my presence. And that is all we need. I'll close with a quick illustration. Many of you remember the six-year-old twins that we fostered last year. It turned out when we had them, there was no immunization records for them at all. So my wife had to take both of them to the clinic to get six shots each. Of course, when he came out in the waiting area where his brother was, he was crying and all upset. When the brother saw the pain and hurt in his brother's eyes, he freaked out. And they had to chase him. He hid under a chair and it took multiple people to pull him out. And because he was so distressed during this time, they were only able to give him three of the shots. My wife told me that I would have to go with her to help get those other three shots. And I thought for sure that morning I was going to be involved in a wrestling match. But I encouraged him nonetheless that it was going to be okay. He sat on the table and I took his little hand in mine. Even though I could tell in his eyes at that moment that the shots hurt, he was so brave and he did not once try to stop it. And afterwards I told him how amazed I was that he was so brave. And he looked at me and said, well, I could handle it. Because you were holding my hand. Because I was there holding His hand. And beloved, I'm not the Holy Spirit. But if my human presence can bring comfort to a little boy who's not even my own, be assured that the presence of Almighty God will take a hold of you when the pain comes, and you can have comfort in that. You will be comforted when the trial comes at you in this life. Just as God promised to be with the exiles in Ezekiel's day, He promises to be with pilgrims in our day, because He has made us His children, His people. God loves you, beloved. He bought you at the price of His own Son. So you can trust that He is not going to abandon you during any of the storms of this life. It may just be that He returns before you do have to face that final storm. So stay awake. and keep your eyes peeled, ever watching for your wonderful Savior, Jesus Christ. Amen? Let us pray. Lord, Lord Jesus, how we thank You for You who took upon Yourself the wrath and curse which we so rightly deserve there at Calvary's Cross. Heavenly Father, we thank You that You sent Your Son that whoever would believe in Him not need to worry about perishing but they would have everlasting life in Your presence and joy evermore. Heavenly Father, we ask and pray that You will fill us with Your Spirit and Your comfort. We thank You for the comforter in our day and that we are now Your temple. So I ask and pray that as we go out this week, help us, O Lord, help us to keep our eyes peeled, help us to keep a watch on ourselves, and help us to keep our eyes fixed on Jesus. And when we see it's going to hurt, I ask and pray that in those moments we'll remember that you are for us, you are with us, and that you will never leave or forsake us, which is the greatest news we could ever hear. We pray this all in Jesus' name. Amen.