God’s grace, peace
and mercy be with you. My sermon title is WWW. My focus is our Gospel (Mark 13:1-13).
Let us pray. Heavenly Father, the psalmist wrote, “I
rejoiced when they said to me, ‘Let us go to the house of the Lord.’” Now
that our feet are within your gates, we rejoice to hear your Word. As we
listen, may your Spirit enlighten our minds and move our hearts to love deeply
as Jesus loved. This we pray to you, Most Holy Trinity. Amen.
Before WWW stood
for World Wide Web, it also stood for Wild Wild West, With Warm Wishes, What
Women Want, What Went Wrong, Wicked Witch of the West and dozens of other
phrases. I am not going to discuss any of those, although I must admit that as
a boy The Wild Wild West was one of my favorite TV shows. Reading our passage
for today, I am struck by how many W words there are – what, wonderful, when,
wars, witness, whatever, who and will. Other versions of this passage include
watch and worry. With a nod to the letter W – one of the newest letters in the
alphabet – I move on to my three points: When, What (sign) and Witness.
First, When. As
Jesus sat on the Mount of Olives opposite the Temple he and his disciples had
just left, the four original disciples asked a two-part question: “When
will these things be, and what will be the sign when all these things are about
to be accomplished?”[1] This launched the longest
teaching section in Mark’s Gospel. The second longest is found in chapter four.
That teaching was addressed to the crowds; and this one to his disciples. And
while the two-part question is about to be answered, we should know that these
two questions are different. The first deals with time and the second with
end-time (eschatology).
We should also
place the questions within their proper context. Notice that they were asked
after Jesus left the Temple for the last time. (I would like to hear Mike Lange
announce, “Ladies and gentlemen, Jesus has just left the Temple!” But I
digress.) When Jesus entered Jerusalem, he went into the temple, looked around
at everything, and because it was already late, he went out to Bethany with the
twelve.[2]
The next day, he “entered
the temple and began to drive out those who sold and those who bought in the
temple, and he overturned the tables of the money-changers and the seats of
those who sold pigeons.”[3] He left the Temple
again.
Then the next time
he entered, the chief priests, scribes and elders confronted him and challenged
his authority. His response to them and his teaching in chapter 12, is directed
against this group as well as the Pharisees and Sadducees. After he completed
teaching and observing, he left the Temple for the final time, and one of his
disciples marveled at the Temple stones and building.
Now, if you have
been to Jerusalem, no doubt you went to the Western Wall or the Wailing Wall,
which is all that remains of the Temple. You also know that this disciple was
not exaggerating. The Temple Jesus knew was not the one built by Solomon, but
the second one built in 516 B.C. It was later renovated by Herod beginning
around 20 B.C. and was still in progress at the end of Jesus’ life.[4] The outer buildings were
completed in eight years, and the Temple campus covered one-sixth of the city.
The façade of
white marble was adorned with dazzling gold. The retaining walls rested on
blocks of limestone so huge that archeologists cannot explain how they were
moved into place. These limestone blocks were 40’ long and weighed over 500
tons. In comparison, the largest stone of the pyramids weighs 11 tons. The
Temple looked permanent and indestructible, striking awe in any onlooker.[5]
The other thing about
the Temple is that Jesus loved it. What Jew would not? He venerated the Temple
by going up to it for Jewish feasts of pilgrimage. With zeal, he loved God’s
dwelling place among men. So, when he told them to take a good look, he did not
speak glibly because the time was approaching when these buildings in all their
magnificence would come tumbling down. As to the first question his disciples
asked, Jesus did not answer it. Yet, he was in line with the prophets who also
announced the Temple’s destruction.[6]
That brings me to
my second point and the disciples’ second question: “What will be the
sign when all these things are about to be accomplished?” Whereas the
first part of the question was an historical one, the second was an
eschatological one. Asking about the end times and the final fulfillment of all
these things, Jesus warned against false signs lest the disciples be misled.
His answer can be divided into four parts: 1) don’t be misled; 2) great signs;
3) fulfillment; and again, 4) don’t be misled. For Jesus and the disciples with
him, the events mentioned in verses 5-13, were in their future. For Mark and
his community, much of what Jesus referenced was in the past.
Jesus began by
warning his disciples not to be deceived by those who would come in his name.
Many would be deceived by imposters related to Jesus in some way, but not
associated with the Apostles.
Jesus then warned
not to be alarmed about wars and rumors of wars. Wars, earthquakes and famines
would happen, but they did not indicate the end. Christians in Mark’s community
could look back and see that these things had been happening all along. They were
not meaningless, but represented the beginning of labor pains, that is, new
life. In short, God’s kingdom would come with a new age, but not without pain.
Jesus then warned
them about persecutions. Kings, governors, judges and religious leaders would
harass, beat and imprison Christians. Again, this was not the end because they
must first proclaim the Gospel to all nations. Because he reassured his
disciples that the Holy Spirit would speak through them, Jesus told them to put
away their Xanax and not to worry or be anxious. When the time arrived for them
to witness, the Holy Spirit would be right there.
Their witnessing
would not be without the loss of intimate relationships with family members.
Hatred from brother, sister, parent or child because of their relationship with
Jesus would lead to salvation for those who endure. They should consider even
this a great missionary opportunity to witness to Jesus and the Gospel. Well,
if that teaching doesn’t get you all fired up to knock on doors and stand on street
corners, I don’t know what will.
Where does that
leave us? I mean, we know that the Apostles and the Church witnessed to the
world after Pentecost. It seemed to Jesus’ disciples that they were indeed
living in the end times. I mean, if you were convinced that we had only six
months to a year to live, would you spend your time and energy trying to save
the planet or save souls? Balancing your portfolio or your work-family life or
witnessing to the Gospel? Catching up on current events or confessing Christ?
In short, these questions lead me to my third point, Witness.
A witness is one
who has wit or personal knowledge of some event, person or thing and can speak
about it. Witness is a literal translation of the Greek word martys or
martyr, which came to be known as Christians who in former times were put to
death because they would not renounce their beliefs.[7] We find the word witness
used hundreds of times throughout the Bible, sometimes prefaced by faithful and
at other times false.
We can read
volumes on those who were witnesses to Christ and the Christian faith, and
their stories inspire us. These days, we read of individuals who label
themselves or others as martyrs because they wish to die for a radical Islamic faith
after killing innocent people minding their own business or because they take a
knee for a personal or political cause long after their football career is over.
They are not martyrs or witnesses.
If you want to
read the accounts of 20th century Christian martyrs, I would suggest
two books. By Their Blood: Christian Martyrs from the Twentieth Century and
Beyond by James and Marti Hefley, and The Catholic Martyrs of the
Twentieth Century: A Comprehensive World History by Robert Royal. Both
books point out something unknown to a great many Christians today – that there
were more martyrs in the 20th century than any other century in
history.
If you want to
read how and where Christians are witnessing to Christ’s Gospel, you can find
plenty of information on the website for Open Doors USA.[8] It is dedicated to the
idea that every Christian belongs to one Church and one Family, and for more
than 60 years, has worked toward a simple goal: strengthening Christians,
wherever they are threatened for their faith in Jesus. The biggest threats are
found in North Korea, Afghanistan, Pakistan, Sudan and Somalia where
governments are dictatorships or unstable.
What if I don’t
have the wherewithal to witness to the point of losing my life or job, my
friends or family members, how then can I witness to Christ’s Gospel in my
remote corner of the world? Countless opportunities abound. I suggest you start
by asking the Lord to make it clear for you by saying, “Here I am, Lord.
What do you want me to do for you and the world today?”
Some people are
called to directly proclaim the word of God as evangelists or teachers. First
Peter urges us, “Always be ready to give an explanation to anyone who
asks you for a reason for your hope.”[9] You can boldly and
courageously witness to the faith in this way or informally as a friend,
neighbor or coworker, which moves hearts more than you might imagine.
Others can witness
through prayer. I tell people who are unable to leave their family home or
nursing home that they are not expected to minister to others through their
works, but they are not excused from prayer. When all human methods fail to
change a situation, prayer is most powerful. Write a list of people or causes
and include them in your prayers. Ask God to open individuals’ hearts and
receive His good and gracious will.
Others witness
through their suffering. How many of us know Christians suffering not only from
sickness or disease, but also poverty, loneliness, loss of belongings, their
homes or a loved one? In their loss, their grief, they witness by offering
their suffering to God. In the words of St. Paul, “I rejoice in my
sufferings for your sake, and in my flesh, I am filling up what is lacking in
the afflictions of Christ on behalf of his body, which is the church.”[10]
However it is that
you witness, it must always come from a deep compassion for the suffering of
the world and born out of a personal experience of the love of God and a living
relationship with Jesus. Otherwise, it will be nothing other than propaganda.
Now, why do I ask
for a witness? To answer my own question: I recently read an article entitled The
End of Religion. In it the author wrote, “Speculation about the end of
religion itself has been with us for a long time and lingers unabated. Yet, if
there is reason to worry about the health of religion today, there is clear
evidence that spirituality, however defined, as a driving force within and among
individuals, is alive and thriving. The quest for meaning is ever-present and
reveals an underlying hunger for authentic spirituality that satisfies the
deepest human yearning.”[11]
If people hunger
for authentic spirituality that satisfies the deepest human yearning, am I
resting in the presence of God enough to witness to that authentic spirituality
myself? Is my experience of the love of God and a living relationship with the
Risen Jesus deep enough to satisfy the deepest human yearning others have? Personally,
I ask myself those questions all the time when it comes to satisfying your
spiritual desires.
Friends, you and I
are sent by the church and by Christ to witness the Gospel. We have been
anointed with the fragrance of Christ. The ingredients of this fragrance are
joy, simplicity, humility, gentleness, purity, confidence, mercy, peace and
hope.[12] You and I witness the
Gospel simply by living our lives as Christians, and because God has anointed us
with His divine perfume. Because of this, hopefully, other people find us more
attractive. Hopefully they find us other worldly, and recognize that you and I are
like angels of God, messengers of God.
Friends, we’re
entering the most stressful and frenzied period of the year. Like many others,
we can be stressed and frenzied about the holidays. Let’s observe the holidays
as authentic witnesses of the Christian life by first resting daily in the
Lord. Rest in God’s Word and in the presence of the Holy Spirit. Reflect on
God’s presence in your life when running errands or walking into a cold wind,
when you’re completing a project or preparing dinner, when you’re all together
as family or when you’re all alone, and when we do, may the peace of God that
surpasses all understanding, keep our hearts and minds in Christ Jesus. Amen.
[1]
Mark 13:4.
[2]
Mark 11:11.
[3]
Mark 11:15.
[4] Eugene
LaVerdiere, The Beginning of the Gospel: Introducing the Gospel According to
Mark. Collegeville MN: The Liturgical Press (1999), p. 196.
[5] Mary
Healy, The Gospel of Mark. Grand Rapids MI: Baker Academic (2008), p. 258.
[6]
See Micah 3:11-12; Jeremiah 26:1-6, 18-19.
[7] See
the words witness and martyr in https://www.etymonline.com.
[8] https://www.opendoorsusa.org/
[9] 1
Peter 3:15.
[10]
Colossians 1:24.
[11]
Richard Boileau, “The End of Religion: New Explorations in Spiritual Practice
with Aelred Graham,” The Way, 60/4 (October 2021), 7–21.
[12] Jacques
Philippe, “Our Witness of Hope: Bringing the Gospel to a Fragile World,” The Word
Among Us, (September 2001), 10-15.
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