Sermon
#59 Series:
Mark
Title: THE LORD IS COMING
Text: Mark 13:24-31
Reading: 1
Thessalonians 4:1-18
Subject: The Second Coming of
Christ
Date: Sunday Morning - August 23, 1998
Tape # U-82a
Introduction:
The
historians tell us that the early saints used to greet one another with these
words, “He is risen,” and upon
parting they would say, “The Lord is
coming.” Thus they constantly encouraged one another in the faith and
constantly reminded one another of both the accomplishment of redemption by
Christ and the certainty of resurrection glory with Christ.
Before
he left this world, our Lord Jesus assured his disciples that, just as surely
as he arose from the grave, he would come again to raise his saints from their
graves and translate all his elect in resurrection glory to heaven.
That is the subject of Mark
13:24-31. The title of my message tonight is THE LORD IS COMING. I want, by the Spirit of God, to stir up
your hearts to ever be mindful of this fact - the Lord is coming. May God give us grace ever to live on the
tip-toe of faith in the blessed expectation of Christ’s glorious, second
advent. Read the text with me.
Mark
13:24-31 "But in those days, after that
tribulation, the sun shall be darkened, and the moon shall not give her light, (25) And the stars of heaven shall
fall, and the powers that are in heaven shall be shaken. (26) And then shall they see the Son of man coming in the clouds
with great power and glory. (27) And
then shall he send his angels, and shall gather together his elect from the
four winds, from the uttermost part of the earth to the uttermost part of
heaven. (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: (29) So ye in
like manner, when ye shall see these things come to pass, know that it is nigh,
even at the doors. (30) Verily I say unto you, that this
generation shall not pass, till all these things be done. (31) Heaven and earth shall pass away: but my words shall not pass
away."
Proposition: The Lord Jesus Christ is coming again.
Divisions: There are four things specifically revealed in our text to which
I direct your attention.
1.
The
Glory of Christ’s Coming (vv. 24-26)
2.
The
Gathering of God’s Elect (v. 27)
3.
The
Parable of The Fig Tree (vv. 28-30)
4.
The
Certainty of God’s Word (v. 31)
I.
The
Glory of Christ’s Coming (vv. 24-26)
Mark
13:24-26 "But in those days, after that
tribulation, the sun shall be darkened, and the moon shall not give her light, (25) And the stars of heaven shall
fall, and the powers that are in heaven shall be shaken. (26) And then shall they see the Son of man coming in the clouds
with great power and glory."
Turn to Hebrews 9. I want
you to see three things in verses 24-28 of that chapter.
A. The Son of
God appeared once to put away our sins by the sacrifice of himself (v. 26).
Hebrews
9:25 "Nor yet that he should offer himself
often, as the high priest entereth into the holy place every year with blood of
others."
Hebrews
9:26 "For then must he often have suffered
since the foundation of the world: but now once in the end of the world hath he
appeared to put away sin by the sacrifice of himself."
B. Our great Advocate and High Priest now appears in
the presence of God for us, making intercession for his elect according to the
will of God (v. 24).
Hebrews
9:24 "For Christ is not entered into the
holy places made with hands, which are the
figures of the true; but into heaven itself, now to appear in the presence of
God for us:"
1 John
2:1-2 "My little children, these things write
I unto you, that ye sin not. And if any man sin, we have an advocate with the
Father, Jesus Christ the righteous: (2) And
he is the propitiation for our sins: and not for ours only, but also for the sins of the whole world."
C. Our great God and Savior shall, at the appointed
time, appear again on this earth to consummate his great work of saving his
people from their sins (vv. 27-28).
Hebrews
9:27-28 "And as it is appointed unto men once
to die, but after this the judgment: (28)
So Christ was once offered to bear the sins of many; and unto them that
look for him shall he appear the second time without sin unto salvation."
As our Savior describes his second advent in his
Olivet discourse, back in our text (Mark 13:24-26), it is obvious that when he
comes again, it will not be a secret thing. At his glorious second advent, he
will appear with power and great glory. That is the language of Holy Scripture.
2
Thessalonians 1:7-10 "And to you who are
troubled rest with us, when the Lord Jesus shall be revealed from heaven with
his mighty angels, (8) In flaming
fire taking vengeance on them that know not God, and that obey not the gospel
of our Lord Jesus Christ: (9) Who
shall be punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord,
and from the glory of his power; (10) When
he shall come to be glorified in his saints, and to be admired in all them that
believe (because our testimony among you was believed) in that day."
Revelation
1:7 "Behold, he cometh with clouds; and
every eye shall see him, and they also which
pierced him: and all kindreds of the earth shall wail because of him. Even so,
Amen."
In our text, the Lord speaks about the sun being
turned into darkness, the moon refusing to give light, the falling of stars, and
the shaking of powers in the heavens. Such language conveys the idea of a
great, universal convulsion, a climatic dismantling of creation by the finger
of God.
The language used here is very much the language of
Peter (2 Pet. 3:10).
2 Peter
3:10 "But the day of the Lord will come as a
thief in the night; in the which the heavens shall pass away with a great
noise, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat, the earth also and the
works that are therein shall be burned up."
In other words, that which shall immediately precede
the glorious appearing of Christ will be the conflagration of the universe.
C. The order of events at the second coming seems to be
as follows.
These things are not written in concrete. I
would not argue in defense of them for even a second. However, this is what
appears to me to be likely. I have formed this order by carefully comparing
Scripture with Scripture. Whatever the order of events may indeed be, it will
not take long to accomplish the whole thing. When the Son of God rises from his
throne and says, “Behold, I make all things new,” it will all be done quickly.
1.
Christ
will come in the clouds of heaven.
2.
He
will raise up those bodies of his saints which sleep in the earth.
3.
Those
who are living in faith when he comes shall be caught up to meet the Lord in
the air.
4.
He
will destroy the present creation and all his enemies with it, and make all
things new.
5.
Then
we shall come with him to the earth. We shall come with him into a new heavens
and a new earth.
6.
Then
will come the resurrection of the dead and the great white throne judgment.
7.
After
these things - ETERNAL LIFE WITH CHRIST!
C. Christ’s second advent will be radically different
from his first.
Our Savior came the first time in
humiliation, an infant, born of a poor woman, laid in a manger at Bethlehem,
unnoticed, unhonored, unknown. He is coming the second time in power and great
glory, in royal dignity, with all the armies of heaven surrounding him, to be
seen, recognized, known, acknowledged and feared by all people, nations,
tribes, and tongues.
Christ
Jesus came the first time to suffer, to bear the sins of his people, to be made
a curse, to be despised, rejected, unjustly condemned, and slain. He is coming
the second time, as the reigning, almighty Monarch of the universe, to put down
every foe, put an end to all rebellion, to take possession of all the kingdoms
of this world, to rule them in perfect righteousness, to judge the world,
destroy his enemies, and to be eternally admired by redeemed sinners.
D. We would all be wise to lay these things to heart
and meditate upon them regularly.
1.
These
facts are filled with comfort for every believer.
Our
great King, our all glorious Christ, will soon be here again! We shall, with
him, inherit all things. We will soon exchange the cross for a crown. We shall
enter into everlasting honor, joy, bliss, and life.
2.
For
you who believe not, the facts revealed in this Book about the second coming of
Christ ought to be terrifying.
Indeed,
if you dare think upon them, I know, they are terrifying to your soul. Christ,
who you despise, reject, and mock, will soon call you before his holy bar of
judgment. That God-man, whose gospel you trample beneath your feet, will soon
hold you accountable. In that day, you shall receive of the Lord’s hand your
exact, just due for all your sins. Hell will be your everlasting portion. What
is hell?
·
ETERNAL
FIRE!
·
ETERNAL
MISERY!
·
ETERNAL
WOE!
·
ETERNAL
WRATH!
·
ETERNAL
TORMENT!
·
ETERNAL
DARKNESS!
·
ETERNAL
ISOLATION!
·
ETERNAL
CURSING!
·
ETERNAL
MADNESS!
·
ETERNAL
DEATH!
II. The Gathering of God’s Elect (v. 27)
In verse twenty-seven, our
Master tells us plainly that the first order of business and the primary
purpose of his great second advent shall be the gathering of his elect.
Throughout the Word of God we are distinctly and constantly taught that our God
does all things for the elect’s sake.
Mark 13:27 "And then shall he send his angels, and shall gather
together his elect from the four winds, from the uttermost part of the earth to
the uttermost part of heaven."
Just as God’s servants, as
the angels of God, are sent out by the preaching of the gospel to gather his
elect into his kingdom from the four corners of the earth, so at the end of
time those heavenly spirits created to minister to the chosen shall be sent forth
to fetch them out of the earth and gather them, all of them, even their dust
and ashes unto Christ in glory! As the angels carried Lazarus into Abraham’s
bosom, so they shall carry all God’s elect into heaven’s bosom to be with
Christ!
I told you before that the
gathering out of God’s elect will immediately precede the Lord’s judgment upon
the earth. Our safety shall be taken
care of, when the Lord consumes the earth with the fiery brightness of his
coming. Nothing shall be done to destroy the earth, my brothers and
sisters, until you are beyond the reach of harm.
·
Not
one drop of rain fell until Noah was safe in the ark.
·
Fire
and brimstone could not fall upon Sodom until Lot was safely secluded in Zoar.
·
And
God’s wrath will not consume his enemies in the earth until he has taken his
saints out of the earth.
Blessed be our
God, there is a great gathering day coming! We who believe ought to
look forward to that great day with unmingled joy, without the slightest dread
or fear (2 Thess. 2:1).
2 Thessalonians 2:1 "Now we beseech you, brethren, by the coming of our Lord
Jesus Christ, and by our gathering
together unto him."
·
A
Gracious Gathering
·
A
Righteous Gathering
·
A
Common Gathering
·
A
Loving Gathering
·
A
Permanent Gathering
III The Parable of The Fig Tree (vv. 28-30)
Mark 13:28-30
"Now learn a parable of the fig tree; When her branch is yet
tender, and putteth forth leaves, ye know that summer is near: (29) So ye in like manner, when ye
shall see these things come to pass, know that it is nigh, even at the doors. (30) Verily
I say unto you, that this generation shall not pass, till all these things be
done."
Our Lord sternly reproved
the Pharisees because they could not “discern
the signs of the times” (Matt. 16:3). They could not see that the scepter
was passing away from Judah. They did not see that Daniel’s seventy weeks were
fulfilled. Let us beware of such blindness. It is a blindness caused by
spiritual lethargy and an overmuch fondness for this world.
This parable of the fig tree
is not a deep, mysterious, secretive thing. In this parable, our Lord tells us
plainly that when we see the things spoken of in this context, (when we see the
abomination of desolation spoken of by Daniel the prophet), his glorious second
advent is at hand.
NOTE:
The abomination of desolation spoken of by Daniel is the revelation (to God’s
saints, not to the world) of antichrist (Arminian, freewill, works religion).
It is that which Paul speaks of in 2 Thessalonians 2, the loosing of Satan to
deceive the nations of the world (Rev. 20:1-8).
The lesson of the parable of the fig tree is just
this - While we must never even
guess at, or try to figure out, the time of Christ’s coming, increasing
darkness, ungodliness, apostasy, and idolatry ought to cause every believer to
live on the tip-toe of faith, looking expectantly for Christ’s appearing.
The rising infidelity,
increasing acceptance of popery, Islam, Judaism, and mysticism, the worldwide
will-worship of this apostate age, the lawlessness, the anarchy, the contempt
of authority, the acceptance of sexual promiscuity, (fornication, adultery,
homosexuality), and the general calling of evil good and good evil ought to be
glaring beacons in our eyes and trumpets in our ears telling us - THIS
IS THE END!
·
Judgment
has begun.
·
The
end is near.
·
The
Lord is coming.
The
more we see these things coming to pass the more reason we have to look up in
hope. Our redemption draws nigh! We must therefore watch, be sober, keep our
garments white and unspotted from the world (Rev. 16:15). Armageddon is here.
The judgment of the great whore is at hand. The Lord is coming!
IV. The Certainty of God’s Word (v. 31)
In verse 31 our Lord seems
to have anticipated our tendency toward skepticism and unbelief and therefore
warns us emphatically against it.
Mark 13:31 "Heaven and earth shall pass away: but my words shall not
pass away."
We must never allow ourselves to give any credibility to any
questioning of God’s Word. Let us never dare imagine that any word of prophecy
is improbable, or unlikely, simply because it seems contrary to nature, or
experience, or our judgment. Let us never be found among those arrogant fools
who imagine that they are smarter than God. We must never find ourselves
agreeing with those scoffers who, walking after their own lusts, say, “Where
is the promise of his coming?” (2 Pet. 3:3-4).
Application: I make no pretense of being either a
brilliant scholar, or a learned theologian, or an inspired prophet; but I am a
preacher. I do know God’s message (2 Cor. 5:10-11).
2
Corinthians 5:10-11 "For we must all appear
before the judgment seat of Christ; that every one may receive the things done in his body, according to that he hath done, whether it be good or bad. (11) Knowing therefore the terror of the Lord, we persuade men;
but we are made manifest unto God; and I trust also are made manifest in your
consciences."
I send you home now with these facts to consider.
May God the Holy Spirit burn them into your heart.
1.
Christ
is coming again.
2.
You
are going to meet God in judgment.
3.
You
are going to spend eternity somewhere.
4.
Your
only hope is Christ!
5.
My
brothers and sisters, the Lord is coming. REJOICE!
1
Thessalonians 4:13-18 "But I would not have you
to be ignorant, brethren, concerning them which are asleep, that ye sorrow not,
even as others which have no hope. (14) For
if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so them also which sleep in
Jesus will God bring with him. (15) For
this we say unto you by the word of the Lord, that we which are alive and remain unto the coming of the Lord
shall not prevent them which are asleep.
(16) For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the
voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall
rise first: (17) Then we which are
alive and remain shall be caught up
together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we
ever be with the Lord. (18) Wherefore
comfort one another with these words."
AMEN.