Mark 13.24-end (NRSV) SERMON

Mark 13.24-end (NRSV) SERMON

The Coming of the Son of Man

24 ‘But in those days, after that suffering,
the sun will be darkened,
   and the moon will not give its light,
²⁵ and the stars will be falling from heaven,
   and the powers in the heavens will be shaken.
²⁶Then they will see “the Son of Man coming in clouds” with great power and glory. ²⁷Then 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.

The Lesson of the Fig Tree

28 ‘From the fig tree learn its lesson: as soon as its branch becomes tender and puts forth its leaves, you know that summer is near. ²⁹So also, when you see these things taking place, you know that he is near, at the very gates. ³⁰Truly I tell you, this generation will not pass away until all these things have taken place. ³¹Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will not pass away.

The Necessity for Watchfulness

32 ‘But about that day or hour no one knows, neither the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father. ³³Beware, keep alert; for you do not know when the time will come. ³⁴It is like a man going on a journey, when he leaves home and puts his slaves in charge, each with his work, and commands the doorkeeper to be on the watch.³⁵Therefore, keep awake—for you do not know when the master of the house will come, in the evening, or at midnight, or at cockcrow, or at dawn, ³⁶or else he may find you asleep when he comes suddenly. ³⁷And what I say to you I say to all: Keep awake.’ 

My text this morning is written in Mark 13:37:

Jesus said: ‘And what I say to you I say to all: Keep awake.’ 

This is the Gospel reading for Advent Sunday and is the climax of the whole apocalyptic drama Jesus had been explaining to his closest disciples. His teachings use language taken exclusively from the Old Testament and every illustration here can be traced, countless times to Old Testament and the Apocrypha’s apocalyptic imagery. Jesus did this, because he knew that his disciples would understand what he was trying to say to them. It is quite clear, therefore, that Jesus was here not foretelling specific events in the longer term; but foretelling the fact that he would come again as well as some events in the near future - the fall of Jerusalem and the destruction of the Temple.

So it is clear that Jesus is not providing a timetable as to when his Second Coming would be because in verse 32 he makes this point clear: ‘But about that day or hour no one knows, neither the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father.’ There have been times when people have tried to work out specific dates and times of Jesus’ return but these are pure folly, because the impossibility of this is so clearly stated here. Barclay goes so far as to suggest that ‘... it is nothing less than blasphemy for us to enquire into that of which our Lord consented to be ignorant.’

It is a great privilege for us to be able to eavesdrop on this intimate gathering. Jesus was using the short time that he had before the frenzy of the Passion to prepare his disciples for the crosses they would have to bear in their lives.

We need to live like people who know their master is going to come, but who do not know when. This means being ready; our work completed. This gives our lives special meaning and purpose – making each day significant, because he could come today. And if he did, would we be prepared? There is a very real sense for me that this is real for us at the moment of our death, and we certainly cannot be sure when this is going to happen.

Like many of the prophets before him the prophetic role of Jesus was to forthtell as well as foretell. Forthtelling is applying the Scriptures into our present context. Jesus did the perfect job of forthtelling – explaining the meaning of Scripture to the people of his generation, and supplying us with the paradigm to do the same.

So while foretelling the future is a waste of tume what we can be sure of is that history is going somewhere. Professor Charlie Moule suggested that there is no other way of dealing with the events that Jesus is speaking about here other than in picture language because they are bigger than anything we can ever grasp with our rational minds – ‘... all that lies, as the believer in God knows, behind and above history as well as within it ...’

Jesus makes it clear to his disciples that they will be able to recognise important events in this unfolding of salvation as easily as they could all recognise the approach of spring; and something significant was going to take place in their generation. But as always, the precise moment is secret and only God knows, therefore instead of wasting time in speculation, that will never bring any further depth of understanding or insight; they must just make sure that they are ready.

This section in the teaching of Jesus sadly, also speaks of the suffering that is the lot of many; sometimes especially for Christians. My mind turns to the Coptic Christians who suffered a few years ago in Cairo, the persecution of some Christians in Pakistan and the many who have made a stand against injustice and have suffered as a result. But when Christians go through times of suffering, they must never give up hope, because there will always be ultimate triumph. As Minear explains: ‘... In a word, Jesus made despair impossible for his followers. Are they tempted to despair because summer is too far away? Yes, but if they believe in his glory and his power, they will see the fig leaves ...’ and we must remember that his promise is true for every generation. Donald English wrote:

We do well to remember that something of this account of Jesus has actually been happening to some Christian in every age. We do not await much of this.’

This has happened and is happening; the things Jesus is speaking about here are not things that have yet to happen. Any realistic account of what it means to be a Christian might include trouble and persecution and hardship. But there is good news even for those who are called to endure these things. English continues:

We are not part of the world of ‘quick spiritual fixes’ or ‘flashy impressive messiahs’. To be on guard and to last out are more impressive testimony to the gospel of Jesus Christ, and more realistic too. There is no escapism here.

The secret to being able to deal with the realities of life – in fact possibly the secret of life itself - is to follow in the footsteps of Jesus. Be realistic and, with the grace of God, walk as Jesus walked.

Ordinary things as well as the extraordinary have eternal significance if only we look and try to see. English suggests that we are becoming what we eternally we shall be, ‘we are called to live now in the light of then.’

Minear explains: ‘... true ‘watching’ is accomplished when each servant performs their assigned work.’ So the question is: what has God called us to do? We know that at the heart of everything is that we love God and love our neighbours as we love ourselves; that we treat other people as we would like to be treated; that we never tire of forgiving others and ourselves, that we give rather than seek to receive, that we live ethically as Jesus taught, especially in the Sermon on the Mount.

To watch is obedience to the master who has assigned the task. The crucified Lord comes suddenly to those whom he has hired. And when he comes, will they be alert and ready? Minear concludes: ‘This was the final command of Jesus to all disciples in every century, the warning of the fig tree: “What I say to you I say to all: Watch”’

Or as the NRSV puts it: ‘Jesus said: ‘And what I say to you I say to all: Keep awake.’

Amen.