FBCWest 678 | Be Alert
Recorded On: 09/21/2025
Bulletin
Hymn # 430 “Redeemed How I Love to Proclaim It”
SCRIPTURE READING – Acts 26:22 & 23
Giving of Selves and Our Offerings
OFFERTORY PRAYER
OFFERTORY MUSIC – Pru Hungate
Praise and Worship
“In the House”
“Raise a Hallelujah”
“Behold the Lamb”
Proclamation of the Word
Message by Pastor Joe
“Be Alert!”
“Your Promises”
Sermon Notes
Mark 13:1 & 2 Disciples impressed by the Temple area, but Jesus tells them it will be destroyed
Mark 13:3 & 4 Peter, James & John ask privately when these things will be and what will be the signs of fulfillment
Mark 13:5 – 13 Beginning signs
Mark 13:14 The sign of the “Abomination of Desolation”
Mark 13:15 – 20 What to do and how seriously to take that sign
Mark 13:21 – 23 Do not believe false Christs because Jesus has already told us
Mark 13:24 – 27 The coming of the “Son of Man”
Mark 13:28 – 32 Parable of the Fig Tree
Mark 13:33 – 37 Be on the alert
Scritpures
Transcript of Service
Jesus had made a prediction about the destruction of the temple and other buildings and his return. His disciples asked him privately, what would be the signs related to the destruction and his return? And while Jesus answers those questions by telling them the various signs, and we should understand them as well, he does give a warning that I think is as important or maybe even more so. Let's hear what Jesus has to say about that warning.
The Gospel of Mark, looking at the life and ministry of Jesus. And Jesus has been telling his disciples on a number of occasions that he would be killed, that he would be buried, and that he would ascend again to the Father. And they never seemed quite to get it. And now he's only a few days away from those things taking place. And so they're now in Jerusalem. They've been going back and forth from Bethany to Jerusalem and the temple and back and forth.
And so if you have your Bibles, and you should, turn to the Gospel of Mark chapter 13. We're going to start with the first verse. And what chapter 13 says is, if you will, almost a cliff notes version of what you'll find in some of the other gospels, especially Matthew, about the topic. And so I encourage you to read the various gospels when it comes to this. And it says this, As he, being Jesus, was going out of the temple, one of the disciples said to him, Teacher, behold, what wonderful stones and what wonderful buildings. Now, the temple and the complex had been built by Ezra and Nehemiah and those types of things. And then Herod, who was despised, attempting to find more favor, even though he was in demand, did a process of beautification of the temple area and spent decades upon it. Now, Herod the Great had died and others were taken on and they were continuing. And as a matter of fact, the renovation hadn't even been completed when Jesus was with his disciples to learn it. I don't think it was completed until about 64 AD. And so they're commenting on what beauty that the temple represents and how it and the surrounding areas as well. And Jesus said to him, do you see these great buildings? Not one stone will be left upon another, which will not be torn down. Now Jesus makes a rather radical statement because here's this beautiful building and he's going to, it's going to be totally destroyed so much so that there won't be another stone upon each other. Now one of the things, and I'll preface this before he gives some signs, that the temple actually was destroyed in 70 AD.
The reason I bring it up now rather than in a few minutes is this is one of the evidences that the gospels in most of the New Testament, other than maybe Revelation, which even Revelation doesn't discuss it, discuss the fact that Jesus made this prophecy, this prediction, and no one comments that in 70 AD it was fulfilled. And the reason being was because the gospels were written before it. So when you keep thinking, oh, you can't rely on the scriptures and the whatever, they were written immediately, therefore, within a few years after Jesus's ministry, death, burial, and resurrection and ascension. And so we can rely on the scriptures because they are fairly recent accountings of what actually took place by those who were there. So it says, and as he was sitting on the Mount of Olives, opposite the temple, because again, the Mount of Olives is up in it, there's the Mount of Olives, there's the valley, and then there's Mount Zion, and the temple's there. So on the Mount of Olives, you can see the temple. So he's commenting and saying, sitting on the Mount of Olives, opposite the temple, Peter and James and John and Andrew were questioning him privately. Now why they were questioning him privately, I'm not sure. Maybe they didn't think the others could understand it or they wanted special knowledge, but the four of them come to Jesus and they're going to ask him, separate apart from the other disciples, tell us when these things will be and what will be the sign when all these things are going to be fulfilled. They ask a number of questions. They're asking about the destruction of the temple and the complex, which I said basically happened in 70 AD. And they're going to also say, well, tell us about other things. And the other things is Jesus has been repeating saying, I'm going to be returning.
Now, they don't yet understand. They think maybe he's leaving and then we'll be returning and whatever. So they go, we want to know what are the signs? What is it that will be the indicators that you're going to be told this. And so Jesus says, and Jesus began to say to them, see to it that no one misleads you. I want to stop there. Because all too often, what's going to be taking place and what is the theology and doctrine that will happen, many people have beliefs on what Jesus is teaching. And they have those beliefs based on what pastors and commentators said is going to happen rather than what they discover in the scriptures themselves. And so I'm not going to tell you how to interpret. I want to tell you what Jesus says, but I'm not going to tell you how to interpret it because I do not want you to rely on what I think as to the answers to this.
I was told a particular interpretation of these scriptures. And I bought it for a very long time until I continued to reading these and other scriptures and going, huh, that seems like a non-sequitur until I find another spot in another scriptures that explain it. And it was like a puzzle that you put the pieces together. And then, now I may be wrong, this is why I'm not telling you my view, But I don't want you to make the mistake of so many people that I believe in Christendom that make because somebody told you what the answer is. I want you to discover what the answer is. And it's kind of the person I am. When I was a senior in high school, so that's going back many, many, many, many, many decades. I was in a senior English class where my best friend and unknownst to me, my wife was in. And we were reading a play by Shakespeare called Macbeth. And the teacher asked, what's the character flaws of Macbeth? So being a brash young man, I raised my hand and told the teacher what I thought his character flaws was. And quoting her, she said, you're wrong. Now, for somebody else, they might take that, whatever, I took offense. I'm not wrong. And so she made us write a paper on his character flaws.
Now, do you think I wrote what she said the character flaws were? I wrote what I thought the character flaws were. And for the first time in my life, I wrote with passion, and I researched, and I did stuff, and I wrote this paper because she told me I was wrong. And how dare her do that just because she's the teacher and I'm A 17-year-old kid. So I write this paper, and I can still see her comments on my paper. and write red letters, C minus source question mark. So I went to her and I go, why did you write source? Again, her quote, it sounded quite scholarly. But I said, why the C minus? She goes back to the source. So basically she's saying, I copied somebody. Then I said, wait a minute, you told me I was wrong. How could I copy somebody who had a different opinion because I was wrong? You might have said, the majority opinion is this, the minority opinion is this, you're in the minority. But no, you told me I was wrong. So because of that, I tend to read myself, and thank you very much for your opinion, and I'll consider it, but I don't care what you think, what is it the scriptures say? And I want you to have that saying, I want you to look at the scriptures. Yes, I am convinced I'm right. However, I am subject to changing my opinion at the sound of the shofar. But I am convinced, but because of my experience and because of whatever. I want you to hear the scriptures. I want you to look at Matthew and Luke, and I want you to look at things like 1st and 2nd Thessalonians. It's amazing what you'll find there, where people will just kind of, whatever.
So I want you to figure out the puzzle. So this is what Jesus says. So it says, see to it that no one mislead you. And so I'm not here to mislead you. I want you to lead yourself. Many will come in my name saying, I am he, and will mislead many, basically saying, there are going to be people who are going to come after me and they say, I'm the Christ, or I'm Jesus. I've been raised from then. And there are a number of people who assert themselves as being Messiah, and there are those who mislead. And if you think that it's something that's only happened a few thousand years ago, in New York City, some 10 years ago, there was a gentleman who was a Jewish rabbi, who claimed to be the Messiah. Interesting, a rabbi in New York, but he said he was the Messiah. And there had a lot of people who followed him thinking he was the Messiah. Except under general Jewish custom, the Messiah will never die. Well, he made the mistake of dying. So all suddenly, well, maybe he's not the Messiah. But it is still those who are there, who are claiming that they're Messiah, and there's going to be others who claim to be the Messiah. And there are going to be other people who say, well, there's going to somebody come from a comet and going to have a spaceship, and we're all going to take off. There are people who constantly try to tell you they know what's happening.
So Jesus says, and they're going to be successful. They will mislead many. If you wear hair of wars and rumors of wars, do not be frightened. Those things must take place, but it's not yet the end. Jesus says, yeah, there are signs, but some of them are ambiguous. Because we as human beings have a tendency to go to war, to take stuff from other people. And it's not even just nations. All you got to do is see two three-year-olds in a Sunday school class. And if one of the three-year-olds has a toy and the other one wants it, if he's bigger and stronger, he takes it, because that's what we do. And so there's no perfect society. No, the indigenous people weren't perfect people. They took each other's property as well. That's just what humans do. So he says, so one of the ambiguous aspects is wars and rumors of wars. Where nations will rise up against nation and kingdom against kingdom, and there will be earthquakes. Yes, and we just had one in a couple of them in Soviet and Russia and tsunamis. So those happen, but again, we have the tectonic plates and those types of things happen. But those, that's again, another ambiguous sign, but it is a sign in various places. And there will also be famines. And again, famines haven't not happened in the past. For instance, the reason Joseph became the second in command of Egypt was because the Pharaoh had a dream that there would be 7 good years and seven years of famine. And the children of Israel had to go to Egypt because of the famine. And there have been famines throughout the history of this world because we don't get rain when we should, or we get too much rain when we shouldn't need it. And famines just seem to happen. Or also famines seem to happen because people who are in power don't let the people who need it get it. And so they starve when there may be plenty of food. These things are all merely the beginnings of the birth pains.
So Jesus is trying to give us a little sense. When a woman is in labor, she's going to hurt. Things are going to happen, but that's just the beginning. I remember when my wife was pregnant, they talked about Braxton Hicks. And for those of you who don't know what Braxton is, Braxton Hicks is false labor. So once in a while, a woman will have these little pains and she's thinking because she wants to get rid of the baby because she's tired of being fat, she wants the baby and so there's these Braxton Hicks. So what our nurse instructor said was, if you're not sure whether it's Braxton Hicks or real birth, beginning of birth pangs, take a little bit of wine or something and if it's Braxton Hicks, the alcohol will cause the Braxton Hicks to stop. And if it's true birth pains, it won't. But she goes, don't do what one person I suggested this to. She didn't have any wine, so she had vodka. And she had a drink, and the pains kept happening, so she had another drink and another drink until she was drunk at the time of having the baby.
So you just need one. You don't need a whole fifth of vodka to determine whether you got Braxton Hicks or not. But again, these are beginning birth pains. And sometimes it may be Braxton Hicks, and sometimes it may be, but these are just ambiguous possibilities that he's coming. Then Jesus calls them, be on your guard, for they will deliver you to the courts and will flog you in the synagogue. Now, when we think of courts, we think of the civil situation. What Jesus referring here is the Sanhedrin, the religious things. So basically saying, religious people are going to hate you. I thought we were supposed to love one another. I was supposed to love my neighbor as myself. Religious people will hate us and flog us for being believers. And they'll do it in the synagogues. They'll do it because they think they're doing God's will. Paul persecuted the Christians with great zeal, thinking he was doing the will of God.
So when religious leaders start doing these things, they're going to do it with full gusto because they're doing it for God. And we'll stand you before governors and kings from my stake, That's testimony to them. We'll also be in trouble with the civil authorities. The government will hate us and will separate us and will try to cause us to be relegated with the crazies or whatever. But Jesus says, but I have a plan. You're doing that. as a testimony to them. The gospel must first be preached to all the nations. So Jesus, here's one of the big signs of the gospel needs to be proclaimed to all the nations. And so there are those who preach that the reason we need to go preach the gospel to all nations is so that we can get Jesus to return. Now, That's a good goal. Because as we played in, as some of us sang, our redemption is drawing nigh. But I tend to think that this verse refers to the two prophets and to the angels who pass over during what's called the book of Revelation, declaring God's word. and giving people an opportunity to repent.
So I think we should, but we should not be preaching the gospel because we think it'll force Jesus to come. We should be preaching the gospel because he told us to preach the gospel. We do what he told us to do. The results are his. But one of the big signs is the gospel is going to be preached to all the nations. And when they arrest you, Notice when they do, not if they do. When they arrest you and hand you over, do not worry beforehand about what you are to say, but whatever is given you in that hour, for it is not you who speak, but it is the Holy Spirit. Now, this is a different statement from that is found in Peter. In Peter, it tells us to be ready to make a defense for the reason that we have our faith. That defense is called apologia, which is where we get the term apologetics. And there are those who do apologetics to show you why we believe what we do, to try to persuade you to that. Jesus saying, you're apologetics, don't worry about it.
When you are placed in this position, the Holy Spirit is going to give you utterance how to defend the gospel. Not so much ourselves, but the gospel. And so, and being work, well, what do I say when they do this? The Holy Spirit will work through you for that. So we have the religious people who hate us. We have the civil authority who hates us. Brother will portray brother to death. And a father is child, and the children will rise up against parents and have them put to death. Families will hate each other because of their faith in Christ. And they'll be willing to turn in their siblings or their parents or their children to be made thought as doing well as far as the government or religious. leaders are, because they don't care about the results of their family members, even to death. Now, I've made this statement before, and I pray that I never have to live to this statement. But I love Jesus more than I love my children or my grandchildren. And my grandson already told you that I love him more than I love you guys.
So I mean, but he's the one, because while I love my family, Jesus loved me and saved me. This isn't what he's saying. It isn't, I am not going to bow my knee to you to save them. This is saying, they hate me so much, they turn me in. to the point of death. And then it goes, and you will be hated by all because of my name. So not only would you be hated by the religious authorities, not only would you be hated by the governmental authorities, and you'll be hated by your family, everyone is going to hate you. Sign me up. This is awesome. We Christians are so soft now. Oh, God wouldn't do this. God is going to make everything in my life wonderful. He's got a wonderful plan for my life. Yeah, it may be ending up in death for his sake. And he is certainly a rewarder who can reward me greater than whatever cost that I bear. We need to understand that.
And even though in America there is a certain kind of anti-Christian view, and there may be a revival coming and there may not be a revival coming, I'm not smart enough to know one way or the other, but I do know based on past revivals, they don't last. So however long the relival lasts and praise to God, if there is one, But there's going to be a time when they're going to hate us. But you know what? There are a whole lot of places in the world today that hate Christians. And they're beheading them, and they're starving them, and they're kidnapping them, and they're them, and they're doing all kinds of terrible, terrible things. And we think we got it good. There are large portions of this world who hate Christians. But when you see the abomination of desolation standing where it should not be, let the reader understand. So Mark is trying to let us know this is important. And those who are in Judea must flee to the mountains. Now, the abomination of desolation was mentioned in Daniel. So again, there are puzzle pieces that you just, oh, well, I read this verse and therefore that you need the puzzle pieces. And basically what the abomination of desolation is that the Antichrist will go into the temple, which means there needs to be a temple and there ain't one now. And he will, in the holy place, sacrifice to himself, declaring himself to be worthy of worship and people will. And Jesus says, when you see, all the others are preliminary birth veins. This is the biggie. This is a really big thing. He goes, when you see that, then those who are in Judea must flee to the mountains. He's saying, get out of dodge. Now, I'm such a coward. If I see all these other things, maybe it's time to leave. Maybe it's time to get out. You know, I love Orange County, but maybe it's time to go somewhere else where in the middle of Wyoming or somewhere there are more cattle than people. Because then it doesn't matter what they hate me because they're not around me. But Jesus is saying, when it gets really that bad, then you need to flee to the mountains, get out of Jerusalem or even Judea. Get out of that whole area. The one who is on the housetop must not go down or to get or to go in and get anything out of his house. Jesus said, your escape is so tenuous. You don't have time to go back into the house. Get off the rooftop and go.
And the one who is in the field must not turn back to get his coat going. Whatever the elements are, the elements. You don't, it is better to get out alive than to get out dead with your coat. That's how immediate and dire the situation is. But woe to those who are pregnant and to those who are nursing babies in those days. Because let's face it, now you've got to carry this person that can't do anything for you, but you need to protect them. So you've got to carry them while you're trying to flee the situation. Then he goes, but pray that it may not happen in the winter. Now, We kind of think, well, winter means cold and whatever. In Jerusalem and in Judea, winter means rain, and rain means rivers, and rivers means difficult to cross when there's a lot of water. Whole armies have drowned trying to cross rivers. So he's saying, if it's the one, it may be difficult to get out of Judea and all the other places because The currents are going and he'll wash you down. He goes, so notice, again, I'm a coward. I pray, Lord, I hope you come real soon, but, you know, while I'm hiding somewhere. He isn't. But pray that it does happen in winter. For those days will be a time of tribulation. Church has not occurred. since the beginning of creation, which God created until now or ever will. Now, I want you to think about that. Almost all of us in this room, there are a few exceptions, were born after World War II.
But if you think of the Holocaust, the millions of Jews that died during those years. In essence, Jesus saying, it's going to be worse. It's going to be worse than that. It's going to be worse than all the dictators of the world who have killed millions and millions of people. It's going to be worse than that. Those times, that which we call the great tribulation, will be on a scale that has never been seen before, or since, or after. And he says this, unless the Lord has shortened those days, no life would have been saved. But for the sake of the elect whom he chose, he shortened the days. Jesus is saying, it's going to be so bad. that even believers could give up and say, okay, I'll worship the Antichrist. But God has given us a promising, it's going to be bad. It's going to be really, really bad. But for your sake, I'm going to shorten it. And then if anyone says to you, behold, here is the Christ, behold, he is there, do not believe him. He's saying, there are going to be people who says, Jesus is in Jerusalem, or Jesus is in America, or Jesus is in Saudi Arabia, Jesus may be wherever, and they're going to say, there's where he is. But he says, do not believe them. For false Christs and false prophets will arise and will show signs and wonders in order to lead astray, if possible, the elect. He's saying their signs and their wonders are going to be so awesome that people are going to say, got to be the Christ, got to be the... And I'll give you an indication. The scriptures tell us that the Messiah will come and preach, born in Bethlehem, At a particular time, he will appear at Jerusalem, which he did, and that he will die according to the scriptures, that he will be buried, and that he will rise again according to the scriptures on the third day. There is a false Christ that we call the Antichrist who will suffer a mortal head wound and then rise again. Pretty good miracle, pretty good sign, but he ain't the Christ. So the scriptures is telling us this, but you could understand why people might say, this guy went from being dead to being alive. He must be something. So that he could mislead, even if possible, the elect.
But take heed, behold, I have told you everything in advance. So when these terrible things happen, when the signs and wonders happen, Jesus says, I told you. I gave you advance warning. So when you see these things, and no matter how bad they are, I'm still in control because I've told you. And the people who are doing the things are false Christs, false prophets, and the Antichrist. Don't buy it. But in those days after that tribulation, the sun will be darkened and the moon will not give its light. And the stars will be falling from heaven and the powers that are in the heavens will be shaken. You see, they're going to be the hatred of the various authorities I've told you about and your friends and family. They're going to be great tribulation and they're going to be signs and wonders But then also the heavens will make a statement that the sun will be darkened, the moon will not give its light, and the stars will fall from heaven, and the powers of the universe will be shaken. Then they will see the Son of Man coming in clouds with great power and glory. That's why he says, you don't need to go to this place or that place and say, well, Jesus is over here or Jesus is over there. Because then I'm coming back. I'm coming back in power and I'm coming in glory and you're going to see it. Because he goes, and then he will send forth the angels and will gather together his elect from the four winds, from the farthest end of the earth to the farthest end of heaven.
So he goes, I don't care where you are. You can be a Tahiti. You can be in Bahrain. You can be in Westminster. I'll come get you. And the scriptures also say, I'll come get you whether you are physically dead or not. I'm coming to get you. His elect from the four winds. Now, I want you to notice some things, and I told you I wouldn't give you my opinion, but I want you just to be aware of a few things, because there are people who say that Christians won't have to go through any of this stuff. I vote yes. Not too sure the scriptures say that, but I want you to take a look. Notice he keeps talking about the elect. Who are the elect? The elect are believers. They are the ecclesia, the called out ones, the saints. It's interesting he keeps talking about the elect during all of these things happening. Just something for you to consider as you're reading the various verses.
Now, Jesus is going to go from telling us the signs and wonders and that he is in fact coming back and he's coming back in a particular way and we will know it because it'll be visible to everyone. He says, now learn the parable from the fig tree. When its branches have already become tender and put forth leaves, you know that summer is near. It's kind of, he uses the fig tree, the one He cursed because it had green leaves, but it didn't bear the fruit. He's saying, when you see certain things happen in nature, you know that summer's close. For instance, if you live in the northeast part of the country, if the leaves turn orange and brown and whatever, you know you're in the midst of fall. You can observe certain things by nature itself. Jesus is saying, take a look at what I've told you. And by what I've told you, can then understand what's going to happen, just like you know that when nature does certain things, that it's going to follow a course. Even so, you too, when you see these things happening, recognize that he is near right at the door.
So as these things are happening, He's told us these signs so that we know that he is here, that our salvation, that our redemption draweth nigh. Truly I say this to you, this generation will not pass away until all these things take place. Now Jesus is not talking about the generation of Peter and James and John and Andrew and whatever. He's talking about the generation of the things who the signs happen, Those are going to happen within that generation. And then to make sure that we understand that, heaven and earth will pass away, but my word will never pass away. You've heard it said that people say, God said it, I believe it, that settles it. I don't believe that. God said it, that settles it. Doesn't matter whether I believe it or not. God's word is going to come true whether I agree with him or not, whether I believe him or not, whether I want his words to be true, or I would rather it be done the way I want it to be. His words will not pass away. But of that day or hour, no one knows, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but the Father alone. God himself has set the time. And because Jesus here on earth, he's kind of excluded from the information. But sometimes it's good. Because sometimes if we knew the exact hour, maybe we would fill with dissipation the time in between. Or if we knew that he's coming back at 2 o'clock Monday afternoon, maybe we might live differently. Well, maybe we should live that way now. But God knows, and God has set that time. Take heed. Keep on the alert, for you do not know when the appointed time will come. Just because you don't know something doesn't mean that you should not be watchful.
So for instance, if you're a sentry guarding your base, you don't know if or when there will be an attack on your base. But it is your job to make sure your base is guarded, that you're on alert, so that if there's any evil or bad intent, you protect those. God is saying, you need to be alert. You may think, well, Jesus hasn't showed up for almost 2,000 years. Certainly he won't show up next Tuesday. No, stay on the alert because you don't know the time. It is like a man away on a journey. who upon leaving his house and putting his slaves in charge, assigning to each one his task, also commanded the doorkeeper to stay on alert. Therefore, be on alert. You do not know when the master of the house is coming, whether in the evening, at midnight, or when the rooster crows, or in the morning, in case he should come suddenly and find you asleep. What I say to you, I say to all.
So not only to the four, not only to the 12, but to us. Be on the alert. It is important for us to know the signs of his return. It's most important to know he's coming back. And just as important as it is for us to know the signs of his returning, we should always, always, always, always be on the alert. Notice how many times he said that. Kind of reminds me back in the beginning of Joshua, when he keeps telling Joshua to be courageous, to be courageous, to be courageous.
He keeps telling us, Be on alert, be on alert, be on alert. Why? Because we need to be on alert. So if Jesus has written this that many times, maybe we should have it in our notebook. Be on alert.
Now what God's people said.