It's All About Jesus" - Week 41 (Mark 13:1-23)

And so faithfulness to Jesus will cause something, but notice what Jesus emphasizes. Look at verse nine. This will be your opportunity to bear witness. What happens in the book of acts over and over and over again? Suffering does not silence the gospel. It advances it. God's word continues to multiply and grow and increase as God's kingdom moves to the ends of the earth. And Jesus' promise and what Jesus promises is his presence. Look at verse 11. Do not be anxious beforehand. The Holy Spirit will speak through you. Even under pressure, God will not abandon his people. [00:37:32] (48 seconds)  #SufferingAdvancesTheGospel

And when this happens, Jesus says there will be intense persecution, a great persecution unlike anything the world's ever seen. Tribulation. And yet, even here, Jesus anchors his people in hope. Look at verse 20. The Lord had not cut short the days, no human being would be saved. But for the sake of the elect for God's people whom he chose, he shortened the days. Even the worst suffering is limited. Even the worst suffering is limited, measured, governed by God. Nothing's out of control. [00:39:13] (44 seconds)  #HopeInLimitedTribulation

Be on guard. Be aware. Pay attention. Apocalyptic language, that's what this is here, especially in verses 28 through 31. This is language from scripture. It's not meant to frighten believers. It's meant to to to steady believers. And from Daniel to Jesus, the message is consistent. Evil is real, but temporary. Suffering is intense, but not final. God's kingdom is unshakable. [00:40:42] (33 seconds)  #BeAlertNotAfraid

``So the son of man who will come on the clouds of heaven will first be the son of man who dies willingly on the cross to save us from the wrath that is to come. That gospel pattern shapes everything Jesus says in Mark 13. The path to glory runs through suffering, tribulation, not around it. Resurrection comes after death, not before it. [00:41:51] (34 seconds)  #GloryThroughSuffering

This means endurance is not optimism. It is confidence rooted in the character of of God, the God who raises the dead. So we persevere not because suffering is manageable. It's not. We persevere because Christ is risen and Christ is with us through the Holy Spirit, and that changes how we live in the middle, how we wait, how we suffer, how we obey. [00:42:25] (27 seconds)  #ConfidenceInTheResurrection

but quietly, we're just resisting the cost of full obedience. And Mark 13 confronts that version of Christianity. There is no comfortable Christianity. Jesus does not prepare his disciples for convenience, but for faithfulness. And faithfulness will cost us something, comfort, control, reputation, security. The question is not whether obedience will cost us, but whether we believe Jesus is worth the cost. [00:44:23] (31 seconds)  #NoComfortableChristianity

Perseverance is not heroic. It's faithful obedience over time. It's that steady ordinary obedience of disciples who keep trusting Christ when circumstances would make it easier to drift or disengage or despair. Perseverance looks like continuing to pray when answers feel delayed. Perseverance looks like remaining faithful in relationships when love is costly. Perseverance means speaking the gospel when silence feels safer, more comfortable. [00:47:44] (42 seconds)  #OrdinaryFaithfulPerseverance

And what shocks me here is that sometimes perseverance looks like obeying Jesus' command to be on guard and to flee the danger rather than remain in it. I hope you caught that. Jesus said, when you see these things, don't stick around and get killed. Flee. Get out. Protect yourself. Mark 13, Jesus doesn't tell people to stay in situations that will destroy them. He tells us to be alert, to act wisely, and when necessary, to flee. Faithfulness is not the same as staying put in a situation where you're in danger. Faithfulness means trusting Jesus enough to follow his wisdom even when that means leaving what's harmful, what's unsafe. [00:48:26] (58 seconds)  #FaithfulWisdomToFlee