READING: MARK 13:1-31

As Jesus was leaving the temple, one of his disciples said to him, ‘Look, Teacher! What massive stones! What magnificent buildings!’

‘Do you see all these great buildings?’ replied Jesus. ‘Not one stone here will be left on another; every one will be thrown down.’

As Jesus was sitting on the Mount of Olives opposite the temple, Peter, James, John and Andrew asked him privately, ‘Tell us, when will these things happen? And what will be the sign that they are all about to be fulfilled?’

Jesus said to them: ‘Watch out that no one deceives you. Many will come in my name, claiming, “I am he,” and will deceive many. When you hear of wars and rumours of wars, do not be alarmed. Such things must happen, but the end is still to come. Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. There will be earthquakes in various places, and famines. These are the beginning of birth-pains.

‘You must be on your guard. You will be handed over to the local councils and flogged in the synagogues. On account of me you will stand before governors and kings as witnesses to them. And the gospel must first be preached to all nations. Whenever you are arrested and brought to trial, do not worry beforehand about what to say. Just say whatever is given you at the time, for it is not you speaking, but the Holy Spirit.

‘Brother will betray brother to death, and a father his child. Children will rebel against their parents and have them put to death. Everyone will hate you because of me, but the one who stands firm to the end will be saved.

‘When you see “the abomination that causes desolation” standing where it does not belong – let the reader understand – then let those who are in Judea flee to the mountains. Let no one on the housetop go down or enter the house to take anything out. Let no one in the field go back to get their cloak. How dreadful it will be in those days for pregnant women and nursing mothers! Pray that this will not take place in winter, because those will be days of distress unequalled from the beginning, when God created the world, until now – and never to be equalled again.

‘If the Lord had not cut short those days, no one would survive. But for the sake of the elect, whom he has chosen, he has shortened them. At that time if anyone says to you, “Look, here is the Messiah!” or, “Look, there he is!” do not believe it. For false messiahs and false prophets will appear and perform signs and wonders to deceive, if possible, even the elect. So be on your guard; I have told you everything in advance.

‘But in those days, following that distress,

‘“the sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give its light; the stars will fall from the sky, and the heavenly bodies will be shaken.”

‘At that time people will see the Son of Man coming in clouds with great power and glory. And he will send his angels and gather his elect from the four winds, from the ends of the earth to the ends of the heavens.

‘Now learn this lesson from the fig-tree: as soon as its twigs get tender and its leaves come out, you know that summer is near. Even so, when you see these things happening, you know that it is near, right at the door. Truly I tell you, this generation will certainly not pass away until all these things have happened. Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will never pass away.

REFLECTION

Today’s reading speaks of the end times, Jesus’ second coming and the brutal times that will precede all of this.

Earthquakes, wars, rumours of wars, famine, nations rising against nations… Persecution, family betraying family and being put to death. From safe and secure Crookes we could easily think that this speaks of another time and another place… but all of this is happening around the world right now! There have been more people killed for their faith in the last 100 years than in the rest of history put together. There are people around the world today where this is their reality.

In the story in Mark’s Gospel, Jesus would soon be put to death for his faith. He would be buried and 3 days later he would be resurrected… he would live and breathe, he would be alive… no longer dead. John’s gospel makes the point that resurrection day is the first day of the new creation. At the moment of resurrection it ushered in a new period in the history of humanity… It began the redemption of the whole world. What was once dead and decaying began to come back to life. That which was broken began to be mended. That’s you and me and the rest of creation. There is still some way to go… it is still a work in progress… but we get to play our part.

You see we could be mistaken to think that the gospel is our golden ticket to heaven if only we cling on to the end we will escape this earth and head to heaven. As long as we have that ticket it doesn't matter what we do. But the gospel begins our transformation. And being part of God’s kingdom means we are part of changing the world. Receiving Jesus starts the process of our life and our relationships being sorted out.

The Bible tells us that when Jesus returns, that those who have died will be resurrected, the earth will be made new and heaven will come down and be present here on earth. Everything made new… abundant… full of life

As we wait for Jesus to return, we get to play our part. We are not longing to escape this earth but play a part in transforming it here and now.

With God, by his spirit, we all have a job to do, way beyond hanging on. We don’t have to put up with the way things are, we are to transform it with the love of Jesus. Not with weapons of war but by following the way of the cross. If we want to benefit from jesus' saving death we must become part of this Kingdom project.

We are to bring life to those in poverty, who are downtrodden and oppressed, to those who experience injustice and inequality. Jesus has defeated the evil one. Victory is secure, it is assured. The enemy will be pushed back.

This is the mission of the church, yes we are to recruit others into this kingdom project but the gospel is much more than simply saving souls from hell when they die.

Jesus will come again, he will finally bring the whole earth under his Kingship. He will rule with love and with Justice… and we get to play our part right NOW.

When he returns will he find faith on the earth? Will he find his people about his business? Be ready… be alert. Play your part in seeing God’s kingdom come here as it is in heaven!

Where does God want to use you today to bring change and transformation? What part has he asked you to play in his great kingdom project?

PRAYER

Father, thank you for Jesus. Thank you that he died for me, that I might live… really live a life of abundance. Thank you that I have experienced your love and that you are slowly changing and transforming my life and my brokenness. Thank you that I don’t have to wait to be fixed before you put me to work bringing that same abundance and freedom to those around me. Today I pray your kingdom come, your will be done in every situation that I face. Amen.

Want to get this podcast regularly? See http://stthomascrookes.org/podcast/