Today, we will read Mark chapter 13, and my message is about waiting for Jesus’ return.
Speaking of waiting, I recently had an unpleasant experience waiting for my visa to be renewed. It used to take 4 to 8 weeks. This time, it took 5 months. I finally received my new visa 2 months after the old one expired. It was a long, difficult wait that ended with huge relief. Praise God that, with this visa, I can stay in Japan for another 3 years.
The Bible tells us that waiting for Jesus’ return could be a long, difficult wait. Though his return will be a joyful for believers, terrible and fearful things must happen first.
Mark chapter 13 contains many prophecies, including prophecies about the end times before Jesus’ return. Christians have different views about whether these prophecies have already taken place or not. But I’m not going to focus on interpreting these prophecies; rather, I want to focus on what Jesus says we should do while waiting for his return. Let’s pray before reading the passage.
[Read Mark 13]
While waiting for Jesus’ return, how should we live? Jesus says three times in this chapter, “Be on your guard.” How do we be prepared and alert? First, expect bad things to happen, not only good things. Second, while waiting for his return, do the work that Jesus has given us.
Expect bad things: destruction, deception, disaster, and discrimination
In this chapter the bad things that will happen include destruction, deception, disaster, and discrimination. Jesus gave us prophecies and instructions about these events to prepare our hearts for when we see the world going from bad to worse.
Destruction of the temple (v2)
First, there will be destruction. Jesus wanted his followers to be prepared for the destruction coming to Jerusalem.
True to his words in verse 2, the temple in Jerusalem was destroyed only 40 years later by the Romans, in the year 70 AD. The temple wasn’t just a building; it was the very center of Jewish religion and identity. Its destruction was a catastrophe to the Jewish people. Not only the temple but much of Jerusalem was destroyed, and many people in the city were killed or enslaved.
Deception by false messiahs and false prophets (v5)
Next, there will be deception. Wikipedia records a long list of people who claimed to be either the Messiah or Jesus just in the past 100 years. Jesus wants us to be aware that there will be false Messiahs and false prophets. As verse 5 says, some false prophets will even perform miracles and even Christians will be deceived by them.
Jesus emphasized that his return will be a surprise. Yet, there will be no doubt when he does return; it will be clear and obvious. As verse 26 says, “At that time people will see the Son of Man coming in clouds with great power and glory.” My wife’s grandfather had an interesting comment about this. When he first saw a television many decades ago, he said, “Oh, this is how everyone can see Jesus’ returning, all at the same time!”
Disasters and wars (v7)
Moving on, verse 7 says we should expect natural disasters and wars. Jesus says, “These are but the beginning of the birth pains.”
A woman’s labor pains must take place before the joy of a baby’s arrival. Suffering will increase in the world, getting worse and worse, before it culminates in the return of Jesus. When he returns, everything will be made right and all pain will eventually end.
Discrimination/persecution of Christians (v9)
Lastly, in verses 9 to 13, Jesus says we must expect discrimination or persecution for being Christians. But do not worry when you are accused, because the Holy Spirit will tell you what to say. And we see this in the book of Acts, when Peter and Paul are arrested but the Holy Spirit enables them to stand firm and proclaim their faith boldly.
All of this is quite scary, but remember that Jesus said, “Do not be alarmed.” The Holy Spirit is with us, helping us. As Ino-sensei shared in his previous sermons on the book of Daniel, we as believers are to expect to face trials. But we don’t have to be anxious about them, for God’s grace is always available to us in our deepest time of need. Even if he does not always rescue us from our trials, God promises to be with us and strengthen us in the midst of our difficulties.
Do the Master’s work: Preach the gospel and persevere
While waiting for his return, we cannot afford to be passive or be too relaxed either. We are to do the work Jesus has given us.
Verses 34 to 36 says we are like servants whose master has assigned different tasks while he is away from the house. While waiting for our master’s return, we are to do the work he has entrusted to us.
What is this work? It will not look exactly the same for everyone, because God has made us different and given us different life circumstances. Still, all of us are called to share the good news about Jesus and to persevere in our faith. This is part of the work we are given by our Master.
Verse 10 says “The gospel must first be preached to all nations.” It doesn’t mean all of us must become preachers, giving a talk from the pulpit. After all, the church building is not the only place for people to hear about Jesus. They can hear about Jesus—from us—in the places where we live, work, and study. And when we are unable to use words to communicate God’s love and truth, we communicate through a life of loving our neighbors.
Talking about Jesus and our faith is not easy. One day, it might get even harder. Right now, Christians—as a group—are not persecuted in Japan; but that could change. If that ever happens, remember verse 13: “Everyone will hate you because of me, but the one who stands firm to the end will be saved.” In other words, persevere. Do not give up.
Simply persevering, simply being faithful, is itself important work. You may feel you haven’t accomplished much in your life, as a Christian, as a student, as a worker, whatever. Please be encouraged that your faithfulness is precious to God. He values the fact that you have kept on serving and obeying him.
He may be the Master, but he is also our Father. You are not just some employee; you are his child. Our Father, whose love is perfect, does not demand that we make him proud by being successful or fulfilling a work quota. As a Father, he desires us to be with him, to love him, and to mature in our character until we become like him.
Four thoughts on waiting
To summarize: As we wait for Jesus to return, let us not be surprised by the difficulties we are going through. And, when our lives are not so difficult, let us not become passive and complacent about the work that the Master has given us. And that is: the work of sharing the good news about him and persevering to the very end. We can do so with the help of his Spirit.
Let me end with 4 thoughts about waiting.
First, waiting is easier when we know what to expect. It’s easier to line up 2 hours for a ride at Disneyland if you know it’s going to take 2 hours. Now that Jesus has told us what to expect about the future—that we will have both hardships and his help—we are less likely to give up halfway.
Second, waiting is easier when we look forward to our reward. Why do people line up 45 minutes just to eat at a certain ramen shop? Because they look forward to the reward. Just the thought of that ramen makes their mouth water and makes their heart doki-doki.
One reason Christians endured persecution over the centuries is because they were sure that the suffering was worth the reward. From the Lord’s hand we will receive joy, salvation, eternal life, and life in the renewed heaven and earth. There are rewards both now and in the future. And we will hear him say, “Well done, good and faithful servant.”
Third, waiting is easier when we have someone to wait with. Waiting is like exercise; it’s easier to do when you have a friend to do it with. That’s why people spend money to hire a personal trainer—because they know they can’t do it alone. Being a faithful servant of Jesus is not easy, so we need the Holy Spirit and we need each other. That’s why we are gathered here today, isn’t it?
Finally, waiting can make you a better person. When I was anxious about my visa, I complained to God, “Why are you making me go through this?” Then I remembered my daughter, who asked for a McDonald’s Happy Set. I asked her to wait a week before we go to McDonald’s again, because she had recently got new toys and ice-cream. If I always give in to her requests, she will become a spoiled child and never develop patience. By the way, it’s not only children who want to have new things and junk food all the time—most adults are not that different.
As a parent, it’s my responsibility to train my daughter. The Bible calls this training “discipline.” This word is used in Hebrews 12:9-11, which says, “we have had earthly fathers who disciplined us and we respected them. Shall we not much more be subject to the Father of spirits and live? For [our fathers] disciplined us for a short time as it seemed best to them, but [our heavenly Father] disciplines us for our good, that we may share his holiness. For the moment all discipline seems painful rather than pleasant, but later it yields the peaceful fruit of righteousness to those who have been trained by it.”
Let me also quote Romans 5:3-5, which says, “Not only that, but we rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope, and hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us.”
If you are currently wanting God to act and do something, or to put an end to your waiting, I hope you will take heart. If it’s getting too hard to wait, how about asking him for more help and encouragement? And perhaps, ask your brothers and sisters here to pray for you.
Let’s end with a prayer:
O God our King, by the resurrection of your Son Jesus Christ on the first day of the week, you conquered sin, put death to flight, and gave us the hope of everlasting life: Redeem all our days by this victory; forgive our sins, banish our fears, make us bold to praise you and to do your will; and steel us to wait for the consummation of your kingdom on the last great Day; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
[An audio recording will be uploaded here after the worship service.]Today, we will read Mark chapter 13, and my message is about waiting for Jesus’ return.
Speaking of waiting, I recently had an unpleasant experience waiting for my visa to be renewed. It used to take 4 to 8 weeks. This time, it took 5 months. I finally received my new visa 2 months after the old one expired. It was a long, difficult wait that ended with huge relief. Praise God that, with this visa, I can stay in Japan for another 3 years.
The Bible tells us that waiting for Jesus’ return could be a long, difficult wait. Though his return will be a joyful for believers, terrible and fearful things must happen first.
Mark chapter 13 contains many prophecies, including prophecies about the end times before Jesus’ return. Christians have different views about whether these prophecies have already taken place or not. But I’m not going to focus on interpreting these prophecies; rather, I want to focus on what Jesus says we should do while waiting for his return. Let’s pray before reading the passage.
[Read Mark 13]
While waiting for Jesus’ return, how should we live? Jesus says three times in this chapter, “Be on your guard.” How do we be prepared and alert? First, expect bad things to happen, not only good things. Second, while waiting for his return, do the work that Jesus has given us.
Expect bad things: destruction, deception, disaster, and discrimination
In this chapter the bad things that will happen include destruction, deception, disaster, and discrimination. Jesus gave us prophecies and instructions about these events to prepare our hearts for when we see the world going from bad to worse.
Destruction of the temple (v2)
First, there will be destruction. Jesus wanted his followers to be prepared for the destruction coming to Jerusalem.
True to his words in verse 2, the temple in Jerusalem was destroyed only 40 years later by the Romans, in the year 70 AD. The temple wasn’t just a building; it was the very center of Jewish religion and identity. Its destruction was a catastrophe to the Jewish people. Not only the temple but much of Jerusalem was destroyed, and many people in the city were killed or enslaved.
Deception by false messiahs and false prophets (v5)
Next, there will be deception. Wikipedia records a long list of people who claimed to be either the Messiah or Jesus just in the past 100 years. Jesus wants us to be aware that there will be false Messiahs and false prophets. As verse 5 says, some false prophets will even perform miracles and even Christians will be deceived by them.
Jesus emphasized that his return will be a surprise. Yet, there will be no doubt when he does return; it will be clear and obvious. As verse 26 says, “At that time people will see the Son of Man coming in clouds with great power and glory.” My wife’s grandfather had an interesting comment about this. When he first saw a television many decades ago, he said, “Oh, this is how everyone can see Jesus’ returning, all at the same time!”
Disasters and wars (v7)
Moving on, verse 7 says we should expect natural disasters and wars. Jesus says, “These are but the beginning of the birth pains.”
A woman’s labor pains must take place before the joy of a baby’s arrival. Suffering will increase in the world, getting worse and worse, before it culminates in the return of Jesus. When he returns, everything will be made right and all pain will eventually end.
Discrimination/persecution of Christians (v9)
Lastly, in verses 9 to 13, Jesus says we must expect discrimination or persecution for being Christians. But do not worry when you are accused, because the Holy Spirit will tell you what to say. And we see this in the book of Acts, when Peter and Paul are arrested but the Holy Spirit enables them to stand firm and proclaim their faith boldly.
All of this is quite scary, but remember that Jesus said, “Do not be alarmed.” The Holy Spirit is with us, helping us. As Ino-sensei shared in his previous sermons on the book of Daniel, we as believers are to expect to face trials. But we don’t have to be anxious about them, for God’s grace is always available to us in our deepest time of need. Even if he does not always rescue us from our trials, God promises to be with us and strengthen us in the midst of our difficulties.
Do the Master’s work: Preach the gospel and persevere
While waiting for his return, we cannot afford to be passive or be too relaxed either. We are to do the work Jesus has given us.
Verses 34 to 36 says we are like servants whose master has assigned different tasks while he is away from the house. While waiting for our master’s return, we are to do the work he has entrusted to us.
What is this work? It will not look exactly the same for everyone, because God has made us different and given us different life circumstances. Still, all of us are called to share the good news about Jesus and to persevere in our faith. This is part of the work we are given by our Master.
Verse 10 says “The gospel must first be preached to all nations.” It doesn’t mean all of us must become preachers, giving a talk from the pulpit. After all, the church building is not the only place for people to hear about Jesus. They can hear about Jesus—from us—in the places where we live, work, and study. And when we are unable to use words to communicate God’s love and truth, we communicate through a life of loving our neighbors.
Talking about Jesus and our faith is not easy. One day, it might get even harder. Right now, Christians—as a group—are not persecuted in Japan; but that could change. If that ever happens, remember verse 13: “Everyone will hate you because of me, but the one who stands firm to the end will be saved.” In other words, persevere. Do not give up.
Simply persevering, simply being faithful, is itself important work. You may feel you haven’t accomplished much in your life, as a Christian, as a student, as a worker, whatever. Please be encouraged that your faithfulness is precious to God. He values the fact that you have kept on serving and obeying him.
He may be the Master, but he is also our Father. You are not just some employee; you are his child. Our Father, whose love is perfect, does not demand that we make him proud by being successful or fulfilling a work quota. As a Father, he desires us to be with him, to love him, and to mature in our character until we become like him.
Four thoughts on waiting
To summarize: As we wait for Jesus to return, let us not be surprised by the difficulties we are going through. And, when our lives are not so difficult, let us not become passive and complacent about the work that the Master has given us. And that is: the work of sharing the good news about him and persevering to the very end. We can do so with the help of his Spirit.
Let me end with 4 thoughts about waiting.
First, waiting is easier when we know what to expect. It’s easier to line up 2 hours for a ride at Disneyland if you know it’s going to take 2 hours. Now that Jesus has told us what to expect about the future—that we will have both hardships and his help—we are less likely to give up halfway.
Second, waiting is easier when we look forward to our reward. Why do people line up 45 minutes just to eat at a certain ramen shop? Because they look forward to the reward. Just the thought of that ramen makes their mouth water and makes their heart doki-doki.
One reason Christians endured persecution over the centuries is because they were sure that the suffering was worth the reward. From the Lord’s hand we will receive joy, salvation, eternal life, and life in the renewed heaven and earth. There are rewards both now and in the future. And we will hear him say, “Well done, good and faithful servant.”
Third, waiting is easier when we have someone to wait with. Waiting is like exercise; it’s easier to do when you have a friend to do it with. That’s why people spend money to hire a personal trainer—because they know they can’t do it alone. Being a faithful servant of Jesus is not easy, so we need the Holy Spirit and we need each other. That’s why we are gathered here today, isn’t it?
Finally, waiting can make you a better person. When I was anxious about my visa, I complained to God, “Why are you making me go through this?” Then I remembered my daughter, who asked for a McDonald’s Happy Set. I asked her to wait a week before we go to McDonald’s again, because she had recently got new toys and ice-cream. If I always give in to her requests, she will become a spoiled child and never develop patience. By the way, it’s not only children who want to have new things and junk food all the time—most adults are not that different.
As a parent, it’s my responsibility to train my daughter. The Bible calls this training “discipline.” This word is used in Hebrews 12:9-11, which says, “we have had earthly fathers who disciplined us and we respected them. Shall we not much more be subject to the Father of spirits and live? For [our fathers] disciplined us for a short time as it seemed best to them, but [our heavenly Father] disciplines us for our good, that we may share his holiness. For the moment all discipline seems painful rather than pleasant, but later it yields the peaceful fruit of righteousness to those who have been trained by it.”
Let me also quote Romans 5:3-5, which says, “Not only that, but we rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope, and hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us.”
If you are currently wanting God to act and do something, or to put an end to your waiting, I hope you will take heart. If it’s getting too hard to wait, how about asking him for more help and encouragement? And perhaps, ask your brothers and sisters here to pray for you.
Let’s end with a prayer:
O God our King, by the resurrection of your Son Jesus Christ on the first day of the week, you conquered sin, put death to flight, and gave us the hope of everlasting life: Redeem all our days by this victory; forgive our sins, banish our fears, make us bold to praise you and to do your will; and steel us to wait for the consummation of your kingdom on the last great Day; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.