Mark 13: Waiting for the Second Coming of Christ Is Like a Journey With Cautions and Red Flags

Mark 13: Waiting for the Second Coming of Christ Is Like a Journey With Cautions and Red Flags 

by Thomas M. Bier, M. Div., Teaching Elder of The Journey Church, Johnson City, TN

Mark 13 Sermon Audio Here

My mother had to pack five kids for a three-week vacation in 1967. I was the fourth of five children and ten years old. My oldest sister was 16. She packed all our clothes, some food for the drive, and all our camping gear into a 1965 Ford Grand Villager Station Wagon. It had two bench seats and the seventh person, usually my younger brother or me were relegated to pile on top of the luggage in the back end. She packed only one pair of shoes for my brother and me, shoes with no treads so dirt wouldn’t get into the car as easily. All the camping gear and some luggage went on the roof of the car in a canvas bag tied to the luggage rack. We drove eight thousand miles in three weeks, and I’ll never forget the views of the millions of acres of sunflowers in Saskatchewan, the death defying views of the two lane highways over the Rockies with miners off work passing us in tunnels or around hairpin curves where there was no speed limit, and driving into Mt. Rushmore before Teddy Roosevelt was finished. Not really, but I’ll never forget the pristine view compared to the view we saw ten years ago with helicopters, carnival rides, and zillions of fast food places.

She packed us well. I don’t remember ever running out of clothes or food, nor did we freeze to death in sub-freezing temps in Yellowstone one night. My shoes didn’t wear out. Our car stayed healthy. We had enough money to eat and get there and back. She planned well. No child was left behind! She even went to AAA and got these very cool flip chart maps called “Trip Ticks.” Every stage of our journey was on a miniature flip chart. The Garmin or Tom-Tom is only a copy of AAA’s ingenious device my mother, the grand tour guide, got to keep us alert and on course!

Jesus is a planner, just like His father. He wants our journey to have preparation. He lays out a road map with signs and warnings. Along with the negative signs he gives us encouragement to get there and back again with No Christians Left Behind!

The ride was going to get rough for his followers.

Jesus is Coming: Be Ready Video

So many people think Jesus is a fictional character, even Christians. Their footing is due to laziness or willful disobedience. The facts are clearly laid out in the gospels. He’s amazing. The stories may seem irregular or incongruent to a modern, TV watching, busy-0-phile. No one can read the gospels and say something like, “Ah, shucks…Jesus is just like my Uncle Jeb. He’s so cheap, why he walked on water just last week trying to get his lure off a deadhead log.” Most Christians can’t explain a lick about why Jesus is so amazing.

And can anyone you know today, in politics or glitzywood, claim to want to die for you? Sure, we’ll spend millions getting you to watch us or vote for us, but die? Silly goose!

Cool, funny video called “Be Ready! Men’s Egos

After preaching Sunday on Luke 17, I realize how incredible Jesus’ teaching was to the disciples. He explained that the end would come quickly and gave two short examples: the days of Noah and the days of Lot. If the end happened quickly once or twice before, surely it could happen again! Jesus left out the parts about the Exile or Exodus or Elijah and several other judgments that happened quickly.

Yet, his message wasn’t a “stomp your guilt button with condemnation to get ready for the end” sermon. If you’ve ever heard one, you know what I mean. “Jesus is coming soon, like a thief in the night, so make sure you’re ready. Don’t be caught in a theater or drinking a beer when he comes.” Does anyone wonder what Jesus will think when he catches you in the shower? No condemnation at all in his message. Just a clear explanation that when the end of the period of grace comes, it will happen quickly. No stimulus plan can pull you out of the trouble.

So, how does a person get ready? Only one way. We will never be pure enough as long as we have minds and bodies. Only one way! Believe that this amazing Jesus was crucifed according to the scriptures, was buried and rose again on the third day according to the scriptures. (1 Cor. 15:2-3) So, Be Ready!