The Gospel Must First Be Preached
Mark 13:1-23
Key Verse 13:10
“And the gospel must first be preached to all nations.”
Last week we learnt about the true identity of Jesus. He is perfectly man, but he is also perfectly God. In Jesus, we have true victory over this world, and we will inherit eternal life in heaven. Jesus also taught the disciples that God is looking at our hearts, rather than at how much money or deeds we dedicate to Him. In today’s passage, Jesus teaches about the end of the age that is coming. This world will surely perish and fade away, so we should not hold onto the things of the world, but rather look to God to see what God is doing, so that we can participate in God’s plans. Jesus commanded us “the gospel must first be preached to all nations”, before the end comes. Let us hear Jesus’ warning today, and prepare our hearts to serve him.
Part 1. Signs of the End of the Ages (1-8)
Let’s read V1. Jesus disciples were impressed with the temple in Jerusalem. It was a temple that took 46 years to build, placed at the highest point in Jerusalem, occupying one-sixth of the entire city, and built with massive marble stones. There was even a massive golden dome at the top, painted with pure gold, such that when the sun shone on it, the reflection dazzled everyone’s eyes. It was one of the wonders of the world in those days. Much like the Burj Dubai that completed a couple of weeks ago, which set a new record in the history of construction. Everyone marvelled at the tremendous effort and achievement.
But, Jesus was not impressed with this temple. Jesus saw the corruption that was in the religious leader’s hearts. Jesus saw how this temple is but a den of robbers, and not a house of prayer. Jesus saw the coming judgement of God. So he warned his disciples in V2 "Do you see all these great buildings? Not one stone here will be left on another; every one will be thrown down.". The disciples were shocked. How is this even possible? These massive marble stones are so big, the temple is huge and so strong, it seemed completely indestructible! Even if 1000 horses ram the wall, it would not collapse. However, Jesus knew the future and he was foretelling the destruction of Jerusalem that was fulfilled in 70AD by the Roman Governor Titus. It was said that one million people were killed in that siege and the rest of the nation were sold into slavery, and after that Israel no longer existed as a nation for nearly 2000 years. Those were days of distress unequalled from the beginning and never to be equalled again.
The things of this world are perishing and transient. The Bible says “all men are like grass, and all their glory is like the flowers of the field, the grass withers and the flowers fall, because the breath of the LORD blows on them” (Isa 40:6-7). Although men boast in their achievements and deeds, but when the judgment of God comes, everything will be destroyed. There will not be a single stone left on another. Such was the wrath of God that was poured out onto Jerusalem because they rejected and killed the Son of God.
Let’s read V3-4. The disciples were shocked. They wanted to know when this will happen. They also knew that Jesus was not just talking about the destruction of Jerusalem but the end of the world. When will it happen? What signs should we look for?
First sign, there will be many deceivers. Look at verses 5-6. “Jesus said to them: ‘Watch out that no one deceives you. Many will come in my name, claiming, “I am he,” and will deceive many.’” There had been many false Jesus, and there continues to be more today, deceiving large crowds of believers. I still remember the horror of David Koresh in the Waco incident. Satan is working hard to raise false saviours, who comes promising security and happiness, but in reality are leading people away from God with their lies, into eternal destruction. We must keep watch for such false saviors. In the end times, many influential people or their humanistic ideas, will also come and claim to give us alternative ways to salvation, but the Bible says “salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to men by which we must be saved” (Acts 4:12). Therefore, we must cling only to Jesus as our true Savior, and not be deceived.
Second sign, there will be wars, earthquakes, and famines. Have you read the sad stories of Haiti earthquake? There is already over 110,000 confirmed dead. One of the mountains had split in half from the power of the tremor. School buildings have collapsed with all the children still inside. It is a terrible tragedy, but these are signs for us to observe that the end is near. Jesus said in V7 “do not be alarmed. Such things must happen, but the end is still to come”. There are many bad news like this every single day, but the real problem is how we react to it. Satan wants to use the bad news to make us alarmed, that is, to make us worried and fearful, so that we become weak and captured in fear. Satan is like a spider which poisons its prey with venom, paralyzes it, and then binds it with webs. We must be very alert to the spirit of fear, and cry out for the help of the Holy Spirit. When we know what to expect, we can prepare our hearts not to become captured in fear, but instead have living hope for the approaching kingdom of God.
Let’s read verse 8, “Nation will rise against nation and kingdom against kingdom. There will be earthquakes in various places, and famines. These are the beginning of birth pains.” Although these are terrible tragedies, but we must not fall into despair and fear. Instead we should be prepared for action. When birth pains begin a woman and man prepare for action, that is, get ready to go to the hospital at any moment. So when we hear of wars and disasters we must realize that the kingdom of God is near. When the kingdom of God comes, all pain and suffering of this world will be forgotten. We will enter into joy and peace and love and perfect harmony with God. Therefore, Christians must be different in how we view natural disasters and catastrophes. While others fall into despair, we should be full of hope in the coming kingdom of God and be ready for action. We know that this world won’t last forever, and the end is near, closer now than ever, so we must treasure every moment of our lives to do the work of God. Jesus said in John 9:4 “As long as it is day, we must do the work of him who sent me. Night is coming, when no one can work”. We must observe the times and see what God is doing so that we can live and work according to His plans.
Part 2. Preach the Gospel to all nations (9-23)
Let’s read V9-10. Jesus warns us that persecution is coming. This persecution will come from the world in the form of government officials and religious groups. It is designed to make God’s people seem like ungodly people and to make ungodly people seem like godly people. However, God will use these persecutions to bring us before governors and kings so that we can testify Jesus and bear witnesses to them. Persecution comes because of Jesus, because we are involved in the global conflict between Jesus and the devil, therefore we should not be surprised but instead ready our hearts so that when it comes, we can turn the persecution into an opportunity to preach the gospel and testify about Jesus.
Jesus himself set the example. When he was tried before the Sanhedrin, he proclaimed that he is the Son of God who would come in power and great glory to establish the kingdom of God (Mk 14:62). When Jesus was tried before Pilate, he proclaimed the kingdom of God to Pilate (Jn 18:36). Even from the cross, Jesus proclaimed the good news of the kingdom, and saved a condemned man to bring him to paradise with him (Lk 23:43). Later, Paul followed Jesus’ example. When he was in prison for his faith in Christ, he came before governors Felix and Festus, and King Agrippa, and perhaps Caesar himself. Paul used these opportunities to testify about Jesus (Ac 24:21; 26:23,27). Paul’s message and spirit were so powerful that the worldly leaders felt convicted, and they told Paul to be quiet and tried to change the subject. Paul also preached the gospel to the Roman soldiers who guarded him, and many of them became Christians. We learn that through persecution God opens the way to witness about Jesus. We must be on our guard, and be ready to preach the gospel.
So Jesus said in V10, “And the gospel must first be preached to all nations”. God has a plan for world salvation, and for the day of judgment. The world cannot end until God has fulfilled his plan. God will not bring the end until the gospel is First preached to all nations, and all man given the chance to repent and come to Jesus for salvation. We must learn that this is God’s plan and purpose, so that we can work according to it. What is the gospel? The gospel is the good news about Jesus Christ. It is the good news that God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish, but have eternal life. Through Jesus, God saves people from sin and death and gives us eternal life in his kingdom. Through Jesus, God restores paradise to mankind, where he reigns forever in perfect peace and love. To spread this good news of the gospel, God is always at work. Even through natural disasters, wars, and persecutions, God is working for to appeal to men to believe on his Son and be saved.
When the Tsunami struck Indonesia on Boxing day 2004, many countless lives were lost and some questioned why God allowed this disaster to strike? Several months later, I read on the news that through the relief workers from Christian agencies, many thousands have tasted the love of God and opened their hearts to Christ. But if not for the Tsunami, most of Indonesia would have remained sealed off from the gospel due to the Muslim majority and Buddhist minority culture. We must know that God is using all things to preach the gospel. We must see God’s plan and find out how he wants us to participate in it. As we continue to pray for O’Week in one month’s time, let us pray to see God’s plan and work according to it.
How do we do that? Let’s look at verse 11. “Whenever you are arrested and brought to trial, do not worry beforehand about what to say. Just say whatever is given you at the time, for it is not you speaking, but the Holy Spirit.” Jesus promises to give us the Holy Spirit to help us. The Holy Spirit loves to talk about Jesus. The Holy Spirit loves to bring the good news of salvation to lost sinners. The Holy Spirit is the Spirit of power and love and truth. The Holy Spirit can enable any kind of weak person to testify boldly about Jesus in accordance with God’s will.
Unfortunately, the spiritual battle against Satan will not be easy. Let’s look at V12-13. The persecutions will get worse in the end times. Beloved family members can become so sharply divided on the issue of Jesus that those who don’t believe begin to hate those who believe. Then the closest human relationships will become the most painful attacks from Satan. Anti-Christian brothers betray their Christian siblings to death. Anti-Christian parents hand their Christian children over to be tortured. Anti-Christian children rebels against their Christian parents. When this happens, the whole world seems to turn against Jesus’ people. Jesus said that all men will hate them because they bear Jesus’ name. But Jesus also promised: “he who stands firm to the end will be saved.” We may suffer painful persecution, but when we stand firm to the end we will have salvation and final victory. This is Jesus’ promise.
From V14-23, Jesus gave us a warning about the abomination that causes desolation. This is something deliberate and terribly offensive to God that mocks his holiness and righteousness and power. It happened when God’s name and presence was profaned in his holy temple. Those who did this invited Satan to reign over them, and thus brought complete desolation and God’s judgment. Jesus warns his people to flee when this takes place. To be ready to flee, we should not be too attached to the things of the world, but to pray earnestly. For God will cut short the days of distress for the sake of his people.
Let’s read again today’s key verse V10. “And the gospel must first be preached to all nations.” Today we learnt about the signs of the end of the age. There will be many deceivers, much persecution, many wars, earthquakes and famines. The world and all the people will be in great suffering. But such things must happen for they are the birth pains leading to the coming kingdom of God. So because the time is running out, we must work hard to preach the gospel to all nations, to all campuses and to all the people around us. Let’s pray together diligently and whole heartedly to invite the Holy Spirit to work with us and speak through us, so that we can preach the gospel clearly and powerfully to many campus students during O’Week, and invite them to study the Bible. Amen.
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