-
âMark 13:1-37 MSGâŹ
[1] As he walked away from the Temple, one of his disciples said, âTeacher, look at that stonework! Those buildings!â [2] Jesus said, âYouâre impressed by this grandiose architecture? Thereâs not a stone in the whole works that is not going to end up in a heap of rubble.â [3-4] Later, as he was sitting on Mount Olives in full view of the Temple, Peter, James, John, and Andrew got him off by himself and asked, âTell us, when is this going to happen? What sign will we get that things are coming to a head?â [5-8] Jesus began, âWatch out for doomsday deceivers. Many leaders are going to show up with forged identities claiming, âIâm the One.â They will deceive a lot of people. When you hear of wars and rumored wars, keep your head and donât panic. This is routine history, and no sign of the end. Nation will fight nation and ruler fight ruler, over and over. Earthquakes will occur in various places. There will be famines. But these things are nothing compared to whatâs coming. [9-10] âAnd watch out! Theyâre going to drag you into court. And then it will go from bad to worse, dog-eat-dog, everyone at your throat because you carry my name. Youâre placed there as sentinels to truth. The Message has to be preached all across the world. [11] âWhen they bring you, betrayed, into court, donât worry about what youâll say. When the time comes, say whatâs on your heartâthe Holy Spirit will make his witness in and through you. [12-13] âItâs going to be brother killing brother, father killing child, children killing parents. Thereâs no telling who will hate you because of me. âStay with itâthatâs what is required. Stay with it to the end. You wonât be sorry; youâll be saved. [14-18] âBut be ready to run for it when you see the monster of desecration set up where it should never be. You who can read, make sure you understand what Iâm talking about. If youâre living in Judea at the time, run for the hills; if youâre working in the yard, donât go back to the house to get anything; if youâre out in the field, donât go back to get your coat. Pregnant and nursing mothers will have it especially hard. Hope and pray this wonât happen in the middle of winter. [19-20] âThese are going to be hard daysânothing like it from the time God made the world right up to the present. And thereâll be nothing like it again. If he let the days of trouble run their course, nobody would make it. But because of Godâs chosen people, those he personally chose, he has already intervened. [21-23] âIf anyone tries to flag you down, calling out, âHereâs the Messiah!â or points, âThere he is!â donât fall for it. Fake Messiahs and lying preachers are going to pop up everywhere. Their impressive credentials and bewitching performances will pull the wool over the eyes of even those who ought to know better. So watch out. Iâve given you fair warning. [24-25] âFollowing those hard times, Sun will fade out, moon cloud over, Stars fall out of the sky, cosmic powers tremble. [26-27] âAnd then theyâll see the Son of Man enter in grand style, his Arrival filling the skyâno one will miss it! Heâll dispatch the angels; they will pull in the chosen from the four winds, from pole to pole. [28-31] âTake a lesson from the fig tree. From the moment you notice its buds form, the merest hint of green, you know summerâs just around the corner. And so it is with you. When you see all these things, you know he is at the door. Donât take this lightly. Iâm not just saying this for some future generation, but for this one, tooâthese things will happen. Sky and earth will wear out; my words wonât wear out. [32-37] âBut the exact day and hour? No one knows that, not even heavenâs angels, not even the Son. Only the Father. So keep a sharp lookout, for you donât know the timetable. Itâs like a man who takes a trip, leaving home and putting his servants in charge, each assigned a task, and commanding the gatekeeper to stand watch. So, stay at your post, watching. You have no idea when the homeowner is returning, whether evening, midnight, cockcrow, or morning. You donât want him showing up unannounced, with you asleep on the job. I say it to you, and Iâm saying it to all: Stay at your post. Keep watch.â

