As I am writing this blog, Christmas is still two months away. However, there are already signs of its coming. Recently, I did some shopping. Halloween has yet to pass and there are already Christmas items on the shelves. I love this time of year, not only because of the weather in Indiana but also because there is a wonderful succession of holidays leading to the celebration of Christmas. These holidays are signs leading to the birth of our Lord. The church has signs of its own. The weeks of Advent bring Scripture readings related to Jesus’ birth, and we light a new candle each week.
In this weekend’s Gospel reading, our Lord speaks of signs of His second coming, what is often called Judgment Day or the Last Day. There are signs. Some of them are challenging to read. Yet, as we are challenged, we are also comforted that, for Christians, Jesus’ return will be a day of profound joy.
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.” (Mark 13:2)
In reaction to an upcoming Jewish revolt, the Romans stormed the city of Jerusalem and brought the temple in the middle of the city to the ground. Only a piece of wall remains, which today is a sacred place for the Jews. This took place in AD 70. As the passage continues, our Lord moves from reference to the destruction of the temple to His second coming. He provides a list of signs: false christs, news and rumors of wars, conflicts between kingdoms and nations, and natural disasters. Interestingly, Jesus also states, “This must take place, but the end is not yet” (Mark 13:7) and “These are but the beginning of the birth pains” (Mark 13:8).
Many have told me that we are living in the end times, that Jesus is about to return. Usually, this is in reference to difficulties we observe in the world, which are like what Jesus describes. In one sense, everyone who claims this is perfectly correct—we are living in the end times (more on this below). At the same time, we need to keep in mind that signs such as those Jesus describes have been taking place throughout human history. I have read that many Christians believed that Jesus would return shortly following His ascension into heaven. I imagine every age pointed to contemporary signs that Jesus was about to return. How about those who suffered from the Black Death plague in mid-14th-century Europe, those who witnessed World War I and II, those who feared global destruction during the Cold War? Remember that at the time Jesus spoke the words of this passage, even He did not know the day of His return. Consider other signs to which the Bible refers:
- A degradation of morality. (See 2 Timothy 3:1-5.)
- The Gospel will be proclaimed to the whole world. (Matthew 24:14)
- The heavenly bodies, such as the Sun and moon, will pass away. (See Matthew 24:29.)
- “False prophets will arise and lead many astray.” (Matthew 24:11)
Above, I mentioned that it is correct to say that we are living in the end times. Indeed, we are, but not just in the last fifty, one hundred, or even five hundred years. In fact, we have been living in the end times since Jesus ascended into heaven. His return to His Father inaugurated the end times, and we have been living in it ever since. A complete discussion of the end times is beyond the scope of this blog, but suffice it to say that Jesus could return at any moment.
“But be on your guard.” (Mark 13:9)
Satan loves to discourage and frustrate. I imagine quite a few Christians have wondered why the Lord is taking so long to return. Certainly, the Christians of the early church could relate. How many prayed for the Lord to return and prevent a certain painful death by burning, decapitation, or at the claws and teeth of lions in the Roman Colosseum? While this is not a problem in the United States (not yet anyway), there are Christians who have and will become so discouraged and frustrated as to walk away from Jesus, forfeiting forgiveness of sins and eternal life. Jesus refers to such Christians in the Parable of the Sower:
“And these are the ones sown on rocky ground: the ones who, when they hear the word, immediately receive it with joy. And they have no root in themselves, but endure for a while; then, when tribulation or persecution arises on account of the word, immediately they fall away.” (Mark 4:16–17)
What is the solution? God promises that He will never leave us or forsake us, and His Holy Spirit will continue to nurture us by the means of grace until Jesus does return to take us to heaven. We embrace the work of the Holy Spirit by availing ourselves of Christ, in His Word, Holy Baptism, and the Lord’s Supper. We also pray for ourselves and other Christians, especially those who are struggling with discouragement in the faith. Keep in mind the dear price the Lord paid for our redemption. He will bring to completion the work He began in your Baptism. When Jesus returns and takes us to our mansion in glory, our short days on this earth, however challenging they were, will be lost in the rapturous presence of our dear Savior, Jesus Christ, Who died and rose again that our last day on earth would be filled with inexplicable relief and joyful anticipation.
Scripture: ESV®