Mark 13:1–13

¹And as he came out of the temple, one of his disciples said to him, "Look, Teacher, what wonderful stones and what wonderful buildings!" ²And 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." ³And as he sat on the Mount of Olives opposite the temple, Peter and James and John and Andrew asked him privately, ⁴"Tell us, when will these things be, and what will be the sign when all these things are about to be accomplished?" ⁵And Jesus began to say to them, "See that no one leads you astray. ⁶Many will come in my name, saying, 'I am he!' and they will lead many astray. ⁷And when you hear of wars and rumors of wars, do not be alarmed. This must take place, but the end is not yet. ⁸For nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. There will be earthquakes in various places; there will be famines. These are but the beginning of the birth pains. ⁹"But be on your guard. For they will deliver you over to councils, and you will be beaten in synagogues, and you will stand before governors and kings for my sake, to bear witness before them. ¹⁰And the gospel must first be proclaimed to all nations. ¹¹And when they bring you to trial and deliver you over, do not be anxious beforehand what you are to say, but say whatever is given you in that hour, for it is not you who speak, but the Holy Spirit. ¹²And brother will deliver brother over to death, and the father his child, and children will rise against parents and have them put to death. ¹³And you will be hated by all for my name's sake. But the one who endures to the end will be saved.

It was an impressive sight. The disciples of Jesus were awestruck at the sight of the Temple. They had never seen such an enormous building. A true testimony to the accomplishments of mankind.

But Jesus was not so impressed. He saw into the future and told them: "The day is coming when this Temple will be cast down. Not one stone shall be left upon another." Later that afternoon as they sat down on the Mount of Olives, they watched the sun set behind the Temple off across the Kidron Brook. So they asked Jesus when it would come to pass? But Jesus' answer was not what they were expecting to hear.

Before it happens, before the world comes to an end, there will be a time of great trouble such as has never been seen before. False prophets will come claiming to be the Christ and they will lead many away from Jesus. There will be wars and rumors of wars. Nations will rise against nation and kingdom against kingdom. Manmade disasters will take place all over. Moreover, there will be natural disasters all around the globe: earthquakes will kill thousands and famines will cause widespread starvation. Actually, we can safely say these prophecies of Jesus have already come true.

But that is not all. The enemies of Christ attacked him and hung him on a cross. But they didn't stop there. They continue to attack the resurrected Christ. They will and already are attacking him bodily today. His body is the church. It is you people; the baptized believers. Jesus told the disciples that they would be arrested, brought to trial, beaten and killed. They would stand before governors and kings for his sake. These things did happen to the disciples. This prophecy was fulfilled. He continues to say that brother would deliver brother to death, and the father his child and children will rise against parents and have them put to death. This too is happening. It has happened for 2000 years and it still goes on today on an even greater scale than in ancient times. Satan will relentlessly attack and try to destroy the church, Christ's body and presence in the world.

You are not immune. The world will hate you just as it hated Jesus. And as the prophet Daniel tells us, "there will be a time of trouble such as never there has been before until that time when the world comes to an end."

This is not a new thing. The world hated Jesus. Satan attacked him vigorously. Satan stirred up the religious and Roman officials against God's only Son. He desperately wanted to destroy God's mission to save the world. But he failed.

Sure, he succeeded in having Jesus put to death. Sure he was successful in having Jesus pour out his blood on a cross. But he did not accomplish his goals. He did not foil God's plan of salvation. In fact, he we an unwilling accomplice in God's plan. Though Satan thought that by killing Jesus he would destroy the plan, it turned out that the very death of Jesus was the plan of salvation. The death of Jesus was in fact the very offering that perfected for all time those who are being sanctified. The death of Christ was the very sacrifice for sin that took away the sin of the world. So by that single sacrifice of Jesus on the cross, all sins were paid for. On account of that death, God declares, "I will remember their sins and their lawless deeds no more."

Up until that time, the sacrifice for sins was offered in the Temple twice a day; once in the morning and once in the afternoon. Year after year the lambs were sacrificed on the altar in that very Temple which the disciples had so admired and that Jesus said would be torn down. Why would the Temple be torn down? Because there was no need for it after Jesus' own death. Since Jesus died, no more sacrifices for sins are needed. Therefore the Temple is not needed because that was its function; it was the place of sacrifice. Because all sin is now paid for and gone from the memory of God forever, there is no more need for sacrifices. There is no more need for the Temple.

Thought Satan sought to destroy God's plan by killing Jesus, that very blood of Jesus poured out became the blood that gives us entrance into the holy places. The curtain in the Temple was torn apart leaving an opening to the holy of holies. Now the curtain of heaven is opened to all who believe and are baptized into Christ. That very blood of Jesus is sprinkled on our hearts at baptism and cleanses us from sin and an evil conscience as our bodies are washed with the water.

So hold fast to this confession of faith. On account of the death of Christ, your sins are forgiven. The gates of heaven are opened to you and you can draw near to God and heaven with a true heart in full assurance of faith. You have been sprinkled clean with the blood of Christ.

So remain steadfast in the true confession of this faith; this message of forgiveness and salvation. It is the eternal gospel. And before the end of the world, before the end of the sufferings and persecutions Jesus foretells, that gospel message will be preached in all nations. It is the message of Christ paying for our sins by his death on the cross. It is the message of forgiveness and the message of salvation.

And when that gospel is preached in all the world, then shall arise Michael, the great prince who has charge of your people and your people shall be delivered. Everyone whose name is written in the book shall be delivered into eternal life. And those who are asleep in the dust of the earth shall awake, some to everlasting life and some to everlasting contempt. But those who are wise in faith, whose name is written in the book, shall sine like the brightness of the sky above; and those who turn many to righteousness, shall shine like the stars forever and ever.

At that time the enemies of Christ will be placed under his feet as a footstool for his feet. So do not fear! Those who endure to the end will be saved. That is a promise and the one who promises is faithful. He doesn't say here, "Endure to the end," but "Those who endure to the end shall be saved." It is not a command; rather it is a promise. In the midst of the suffering Jesus foretold, there is salvation. You will be saved from this tribulation and delivered into eternal life.

All because of the gospel message of the sacrifice of Jesus that wiped away our sins. The gospel proclaims: I shall remember your sins no more. And that message will sustain you. Jesus says throughout his prophecy: "See that no one leads you astray." The gospel message will keep you. He says: "Do not be alarmed." The gospel message is your assurance. He says: "Be on your guard," The gospel message will guard you and keep you strong. He says: "Do not be anxious." Once again, it is the Gospel message that will be proclaimed in all nations that calms our fears. It is the Gospel that gives us endurance to the end so that you will be saved.

Here, as you hear the gospel and receive it in word and sacrament, you are strengthened in Christ, bonded closer and closer together with him and with each other. Here in word and sacrament he keeps you and gives you endurance to remain faithful to the end. Hold fast to the confession of your hope without wavering for he who promised it is faithful. Stir up one another to love and good works. For you are the body of Christ. You will be attacked by Satan, but you help and defend and encourage and stir up one another. Do not neglect meeting together around the word and sacrament to be strengthened so that you may endure to the end. Keep on encouraging one another and more so as you see the day drawing near.

It is coming near. The sings are all fulfilled. All that Jesus foretold has come to pass. The enemies of Jesus are about to be put under his feet and the gates of heaven will soon be opened when those asleep in the dust will arise and those who are wise will shine like the brightness of the sky above forever and ever.

Amen.