Mark 13:24-25 “Following those hard times,
Sun will fade out,
moon cloud over,
Stars fall out of the sky,
cosmic powers tremble.
26-27 “And then they’ll see the Son of Man enter in grand style, his Arrival filling the sky—no one will miss it! He’ll dispatch the angels; they will pull in the chosen from the four winds, from pole to pole.
28-31 “Take a lesson from the fig tree. From the moment you notice its buds form, the merest hint of green, you know summer’s just around the corner. And so it is with you. When you see all these things, you know he is at the door. Don’t take this lightly. I’m not just saying this for some future generation, but for this one, too—these things will happen. Sky and earth will wear out; my words won’t wear out.
32-37 “But the exact day and hour? No one knows that, not even heaven’s angels, not even the Son. Only the Father. So keep a sharp lookout, for you don’t know the timetable. It’s 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 don’t want him showing up unannounced, with you asleep on the job. I say it to you, and I’m saying it to all: Stay at your post. Keep watch.”
John Wesley's Notes-Commentary for Mark 13:24-37
Verse 24
[24] But in those days, after that tribulation, the sun shall be darkened, and the moon shall not give her light,
But in those days — Which immediately precede the end of the world: after that tribulation - Above described.
Verse 28
[28] Now learn a parable of the fig tree; When her branch is yet tender, and putteth forth leaves, ye know that summer is near:
Matthew 24:32; Luke 21:28.
Verse 29
[29] So ye in like manner, when ye shall see these things come to pass, know that it is nigh, even at the doors.
He is nigh — The Son of man.
Verse 30
[30] Verily I say unto you, that this generation shall not pass, till all these things be done.
All these things — Relating to the temple and the city.
Verse 32
[32] But of that day and that hour knoweth no man, no, not the angels which are in heaven, neither the Son, but the Father.
Of that day — The day of judgment is often in the Scriptures emphatically called that day.
Neither the Son — Not as man: as man he was no more omniscient than omnipresent. But as God he knows all the circumstances of it.
Verse 33
[33] Take ye heed, watch and pray: for ye know not when the time is.
Matthew 24:42; Luke 21:34.
Verse 34
[34] For the Son of man is as a man taking a far journey, who left his house, and gave authority to his servants, and to every man his work, and commanded the porter to watch.
The Son of man is as a man taking a far journey - Being about to leave this world and go to the Father, he appoints the services that are to be performed by all his servants, in their several stations. This seems chiefly to respect ministers at the day of judgment: but it may be applied to all men, and to the time of death. Matthew 25:14; Luke 19:12.
Sermon Story "Everyone Will Know" by Gary Lee Parker for Sunday, 30 November 2014
On this first Sunday of Advent, we hear the story of Jesus talking about His return to earth to set up His Kingdom on earth as it is in Heaven. He specifically tells them that everyone will see His return, but you are not to sit back and just wait while doing nothing. Too often, there have been people over the centuries who attempted to set up a time of Jesus' return, but what happens if this time is when we leave our earthly bodies and take on our Heavenly Body or that He is calling us to continue His work to assist Him with bringing the Heavenly Kingdom on Earth as it is in Heaven. There is a reminder of many people who have attempted to build communities on earth that were separate from the larger communities ignoring the needs of the people in society. We continue to look at ways that we can separate ourselves from the world without getting involved in the needs and problems. We have an example of this with the events that have happenedstarting with the killing of Michael Brown II by a Police Officer Wilson. Yes, it was found out that Officer Wilson would not be tried for Michael Brown's murder, but let us look at the situation through the eyes of God and the countries policies which continue Institutional Racism. We see that Officer Wilson pulled the trigger and killed an unarmed young man who is Black, but the policies that created this attitude is the cause of societies' policiies. We even have to look at the church to see if the church's policies have contributed to this event? Our answer comes out Yes. There have been people in the church who listened to the teachings of Jesus and followed His teachings in including all people as equal, but too often there have been policies to support the white people and the wealthy over other cultures and economic status inlcuding the dealing with people who are diabled. We arealize that the church is not perfect, but the God who created the church is and is calling us to trust Him in living out His Holiness towards all people. Yes, there is a connection between Institutional Rascism and the excluding of people who are LGBTQ or different color or different beleifs or different economic Social stauts or even people who are differently abled/disabled. How do you see your life in response to the different people in these stories? What is God calling you do to transform society with God's Holy Love? How is God calling you to repent individually and corporately? May we sing this Hymn "We are God's people, the chosen of the Lord" by Bryan Jeffery Leech (1976)
1. We are God's people, the chosen of the Lord,
Born of His Spirit, established by His Word;
Our cornerstone is Christ alone,
And strong in Him we stand:
O let us live transparently
And walk heart to heart and hand in hand.
2. We are God’s loved ones, the Bride of Christ our Lord,
For we have known it, the love of God outpoured;
Now let us learn how to return
The gift of love once given:
O let us share each joy and care,
And live with a zeal that pleases Heaven.
3. We are the Body of which the Lord is Head,
Called to obey Him, now risen from the dead;
He wills us be a family,
Diverse yet truly one:
O let us give our gifts to God,
And so shall his work on earth be done.
4. We are a temple, the Spirit’s dwelling place,
Formed in great weakness, a cup to hold God’s grace;
We die alone, for on its own
Each ember loses fire:
Yet joined in one the flame burns on
To give warmth and light, and to inspire.
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