Snapshots Series: "These Things"

Mark 13:1-13

Community Group Questions

1.  Have you ever been deceived by...wealth, power, works based religion or the wrong people?

2.  Have you ever been led astray by..cults, anxiety, economic problems or natural disasters?

3.  In this passage Jesus' counsel is...be on guard, preach the gospel, rely on the Holy Spirit and do not be discouraged when you are abandoned.  Which of these do you struggle with the most?

Today we are going to look at a passage in which Jesus starts answering the disciples questions about the end times.  Through this passage we will find out how we should respond when these things happen.

Vrs 1 Look at how great this building (world) is.

The Jerusalem temple (not fully completed until ca. a.d. 64) was built by the Herodian dynasty to win Jewish favor and to create a lasting Herodian monument. It was considered an architectural wonder of the ancient world. It was built with large white stones, polished and generously decorated with gold.

It covered about 1/6 of the land area of old Jerusalem. To the Jews nothing was as magnificent and formidable as their temple.

Herod the Great expanded the second temple to about double the size of the Solomonic temple.  ESV

Vrs 2 Jesus' reply is "this is nothing and I will show you that"  This is false security

This was prophetic of the The future destruction of the temple (and Jerusalem) would occur on account of its misuse by the leaders (12:9; Luke 19:41–44). (The sacrificial system of the temple cannot, in any case, make sufficient atonement for the sinfulness of mankind; Heb. 10:4.) not … one stone upon another. See note on Matt. 24:2. Titus, son of the emperor Vespasian, led the destruction of Jerusalem and the temple in a.d. 66–70. ESV

Do not be deceived by...

-Power and wealth- there is a false sense of security in these things.

We can fall into the trap of thinking because I have money or power I have security.  If you find too much security these things they will own you. 

“He does not posses wealth    that allows it to possess him.” ~ Benjamin Franklin

 

-Works based Religion:  The temple was a place of sacrificial worship and under the Herodian Dynasty it was misused.  When people are religious and believe they are working their way towards God it is inevitable that they will get off track and start to misuse and abuse.  Jesus hates fruitless religion because it spits in the face of grace. It is not what we do it is what he has done  GOSPEL

Many of you trust Jesus but a religious trap we fall into is not relying on that same grace as we serve Him, grow closer to Him and are obedient to Him. We start to believe it is all in our control and when we succeed we become prideful and when we fail we get discouraged. 

The Biblical way to look at our success is to give Jesus glory and realize He did it for us and when we fail realize that Jesus allowed that failure to come into our lives so that we can learn from it. 

So after Jesus warns them of this coming destruction the obvious response of the disciples is to ask when.

Vrs 3-4 Tell us when this will happen

-Asking the wrong people about life.

The disciples went to Jesus that is what we need to do.

There are many different authorities in life but the highest authority is Jesus.  If who you are asking to help you deal with life's problems and issues does not love Jesus and does not counsel you to follow Jesus there is a chance great or small that you many be led astray. 

I am not saying that someone who does not love Jesus can't give good counsel at times and I am also not saying that someone who does love Jesus will always give good counsel. 

What I am saying is check their counsel or their answer to your question of life to make sure Jesus agrees.  

Often times when dealing with Life's issues we ask the people that tells us what we want to hear not what we need to hear

Someone once said... The trouble with good advice is that it usually interferes with our plans.

Vrs 5-8  Do not be led astray by...

-Cults v6 A cult is wrong teaching about Jesus...Mormon, Jehovah's Witness and any other group that tells us any other teaching then Biblical teaching of Jesus.

-Anxiety v7  Many times in life we become so worried about the way the world is going that we become anxious. 

The beginning of anxiety is the end of faith, and the beginning of true faith is the end of anxiety.  George Muller.

-Economic problems v8 Wars, bad economy, leaders that are Godless etc

-Natural disasters v8  earthquakes, famines.  Did you know that natural disasters are a result of sins curse on the world? 

All these things will shake us up but they serve as reminders that Jesus is right and this world is not our home.

Vrs 9-13 Now that everything around you is going crazy you faith in Jesus will be challenged. 

Take Jesus' Counsel

-Be on guard- the kings will go against you because of the King of Kings v9  Remember we as Christians don't fight for causes we fight for the Cause...Jesus.

-Preach the Gospel v10

A.B. Simpson is reported to have said that the gospel "Tells rebellious men that God is reconciled, that justice is satisfied, that sin has been atoned for, that the judgment of the guilty may be revoked, the condemnation of the sinner cancelled, the curse of the Law blotted out, the gates of hell closed, the portals of heaven opened wide, the power of sin subdued, the guilty conscience healed, the broken heart comforted, the sorrow and misery of the Fall undone.

-Rely on the Holy Spirit v11

CH Spurgeon said  "Go forth today, by the help of God's Spirit, vowing and declaring that in life - come poverty, come wealth, in death - come pain or come what may, you are and ever must be the Lord's. For this is written on your heart, 'We love Him because He first loved us.'

-Don't be discouraged when you are abandoned v12-13 Jesus was abandoned.

Jesus will still be with you.

When we see these things that Jesus described happening we should not be deceived or be led astray but we need to take Jesus' counsel.