November 15, 2009.
God works thru Mark 13 to help us readjust our goals and actions here and
hereafter. He warns us with the Law (our false, short-term, worldly values)
and gives us hope (Gospel: His rescue of the cross). The Holy Spirit is
working in His Word to give us Eternal Values.
I once studied a concept called "the marshmallow test". The experiment
was 1st done in the 60's. They put 4-year-old kids in a room with a chair a
table; AND a marshmallow. Kids were told they could eat the candy now, OR
if they waited they could have 2 marshmallows. This test has been done many
times since then, and is even on Youtube. [SEE
http://vimeo.com/5239013]
What they found was very interesting. Some ate instantly. Some waited
a bit. A few did put it off. They did so by trying hard to put some other
idea in their head as they sat staring at the marshmallow: singing, looking
around, and so on.
One such group of 4 year olds was "followed" thru school and beyond.
Those who ate quickly were FAR more likely to get in trouble with drugs,
alcohol, bad grades, and the like. Those who were able to focus on the long
term goal of waiting for the 2nd marshmallow were FAR more likely to be
honor students, good citizens, and have fewer 'run-ins with the law.'
(pause)
As the disciples praised a wonder of the ancient world, Herod's
Temple - 50 plus years in the making, Jesus scolded them for taking a
short-term, shallow view (Ylvisaker). Jesus Christ was going to make His
one-time sacrifice for all sin beginning His Passion in just a few hours.
"Christ offered once for all time the single sacrifice for sins" as our
Epistle says. When He finished, the Temple and all of the other sacrifices
would no longer be needed. The marvelous marble Temple would forever be
useless.
The two sets of brothers ask two questions. Christ answers neither.
From the Old Testament they knew when the Temple would be destroyed by
Gentiles, the End Times had come. They were reaching for a marshmallow.
They wanted to do something and be ready.
Now, it is not always bad to prepare for trouble. It can become bad
when we place all hope in our own selves. They wanted specifics rather than
placing their trust in God for the dangers ahead.
v.5 "(You) see to it that no one leads you astray." And there are many who
try, and some who succeed. Either false teachers OUTside, or the false
teacher INside of you, try to lead you from Christ. People who were called
to be children of God get filled with hate and become empty of Christ's
love, making life miserable for others inside and outside God's church.
They follow their own desires rather than God's mercy, calling themselves
anointed (antichrists).
'There will be wars and rumors of wars. earthquakes, famines, and more'.
And these are only the beginning of birth pangs. Nations quarrel so much
that map makers have a thriving business changing lines almost daily. As
frequent as wars and other problems have become in the last 100 years, it
does feel we are close to the end. But Jesus says it is just the beginning.
They will get more intense, until every part of the world is affected.
There will be less time to recover in between the pangs.
All of these signs are given NOT to make us calculate when Jesus will
Return. They are given as warnings for us to repent. God wants us to quit
trusting in things of this world. Quit looking at monuments, temples, and
the temporary things of this world. Satan wants us fearful and hungry,
ready to follow false messiahs. Christ wants us to look to Him alone.
Those who translated our Bibles start a new paragraph at verse 9.
Jesus HAD been speaking about outside problems. However divided our world
may be about many issues, the fallen world is very united in hatred for
Christ, His Gospel, pastors and Christians. This also includes persecutions
from within the church.
Judas was not the only betrayer in history. All thru history, people
have betrayed Jesus and His followers. "Among Christians it happens that
those who remain faithful to Jesus' Word are hated by others calling are
themselves Christians." (Buls)
Jesus warns people who are in the pews, even your family, may become
filled with hate and evil. They will turn away from faith, forgiveness, and
Christ. They will privately and publicly hate you. They will blame you for
their sins. They will verbally or physically abuse you. The fallen world
hates you for Christ's sake.
That's where marshmallow eating comes in. You and I can give in, avoid
the abuse, deny Christ, run away and hide and things will seem better: for
a while. But there are "long term effects" for this marshmallow - eternal
effects. The 4-year-olds who ate the marshmallow wanted to avoid the
"hardships" of the present. The 4-year-olds who could endure the hardships
(or 'delayed gratification') were looking forward to greater rewards.
God works in you and me in the power of the cross to change us in many
ways: from death to life, from hate to love, from war to peace, from broken
to whole. In the total forgiveness of the Gospel, He takes our eyes off
this present evil age to direct our spiritual vision beyond the End Times in
which we now live (Hebrews 1:1-2) to the Eternal times in which we also now
belong because of Christ's cross. God puts His ideas, His Spirit, into us
to get us thru the hard times ahead. (He gives us the power to endure, as
He gave to martyrs of old when the End Times began - such as Peter
(crucified), James (beheaded), John (stranded on Patmos in his old age and
left to die), and millions of others.
The great comfort Jesus gives genuine Christians is in the end of verse
13. Yes, we will be hated, persecuted, jailed, and even killed for the Name
of Jesus. That has gone on since End Times began (after the Ascension).
"But the one who endures to the end will be saved." The one who keeps their
eyes on Jesus, the Author & Perfecter of our faith (Hebrews 5:9, 12:2) under
hardships and hostile settings from outside God's church and false children
within, they will get the reward of heaven.
As Daniel 12 warns, those who were against the Gospel will rise from
the first death to live in everlasting shame and contempt. Those whose name
is written in the Book of Life will be delivered will rise also: to shine
like the stars. All who stand firm until the Day, all believe have their
name written there in His Book, signed in the blood of Jesus, can remain
confident of God's reward.
God warns us disciples to not look at the temporary, surface things.
This is especially true when society and conditions around us become bad -
even from false believers. So God works to focus our attention on His
victory of the cross and eternal life. He works so we can joyfully sing
"Jesus, Thy blood and righteousness" and be strengthened in our faith. He
works to stir us up to love and good works as the Day is surely drawing
near.
May we, as God's people, hold fast to the confession of our Hope
without wavering, since Christ Who promises this is faithful. "Blessed are
those whose strength is in Christ, in whose heart are the highways to Zion."
(Gradual - Ps. 84). Amen.
Pastor Michael Harman,
St. Peter LCMS - Newell, IA
vacancies at ...
Immanuel, Pomeroy
First Evangelical, Fonda
Opening Hymn:
1. The day is surely drawing near
When God's Son, the Anointed,
Shall with great majesty appear
As Judge of all appointed.
All mirth and laughter then shall cease
When flames on flames will still increase,
As Scripture truly teaches.
Sermon Hymn:
1. Jesus, Thy blood and righteousness
My beauty are, my glorious dress;
Midst flaming worlds, in these arrayed,
With joy shall I lift up my head.
If you are interested in this topic, please try:
http://fora.tv/2008/11/12/Philip_Zimbardo_Time_Paradox#chapter_01 (very
long, politically very left)
http://www.ted.com/index.php/talks/philip_zimbardo_on_the_psychology_of_evil.html
(ten minutes or so)
I did not put the usual Bible references in this sermon today. I will go
back to that next Sunday. The hyperlinks are there for the curious people
who want to see more "marshmallow" talk. Because our society has been
focused on the short term (debt, consumerism, pleasures, etc.), the problems
we and our nation face have continued to grow. While these people can
point out the symptoms, they can't give us the solution to society's ills.
Merely changing short-term, self-centered feelings individually or as a
nation won't save us. The LORD alone works in each of us by the power of
the Gospel to shift our eyes to focus on the Cross of Christ and His
salvation. Let the Word of God dwell richly in you in Christ! Amen, come
Lord Jesus! Amen.
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