Sermon #60 Series:
Mark
Title: NO ONE KNOWS WHEN
Text: Mark
13:31-37
Reading: Revelation 20:11-21:8
Subject: The
Second Coming of Christ - Judgment
Date: Sunday
Morning - August 30, 1998
Tape # U-84a
Introduction:
Illustration: Rupert Lewis
It is my responsibility, once more, to
speak to you, immortal souls, eternity bound sinners, in the name of Christ, as
God’s ambassador to your souls, to tell you once more that soon you must meet
the thrice holy God face to face in judgment. Soon, you are going to cross over
that river that will carry you out of this changing, temporal world of time and
sense into that world in which all things are unchanging and eternal. Soon, you
and I are going to meet God.
Like Amos the prophet, I urge you, “Prepare
to meet thy God!” When Paul knew that the time of his departure was at
hand, he said, “I am now ready.” Are you? Are you ready? Are you
prepared to meet God?
The title of my message today is - NO
ONE KNOWS WHEN. My text
will be Mark 13:31-37. Read it with me. This is the last part of our Master’s
Olivet discourse.
Mark 13:31-37 "Heaven and earth shall
pass away: but my words shall not pass away. (32) But of that day and that
hour knoweth no man, no, not the angels which are in heaven, neither the Son,
but the Father. (33) Take ye heed, watch and pray: for ye know not when
the time is. (34) For the Son of man is as a man taking a far journey,
who left his house, and gave authority to his servants, and to every man his
work, and commanded the porter to watch. (35) Watch ye therefore: for ye
know not when the master of the house cometh, at even, or at midnight, or at
the cockcrowing, or in the morning: (36) Lest coming suddenly he find
you sleeping. (37) And what I say unto you I say unto all, Watch."
Proposition: No one
knows when he is going to meet God in judgment.
Divisions: There are four things in these verses to
which I direct your attention.
1. A Promise (v. 31)
2. A Problem (v. 32)
3. A Parable (v. 34)
4. A Post (vv. 33, 35-37)
I. A PROMISE
(v. 31)
First, our Lord here makes a
promise, actually two promises, we would be wise to lay to heart.
Mark 13:31 "Heaven and earth shall pass away: but
my words shall not pass away."
A. Here is the first promise- “Heaven and earth shall pass away.”
All creation, and all things connected
with this present creation, all things involved in the curse, all things
affected by and infected with sin, shall pass away. This present heaven and
earth shall soon be dissolved, burnt up with the fire of God’s holy wrath.
Mark 13:24-25 "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."
2 Peter 3:10-14 "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. (11) Seeing then
that all these things shall be dissolved, what manner of persons ought
ye to be in all holy conversation and godliness, (12) Looking for
and hasting unto the coming of the day of God, wherein the heavens being on
fire shall be dissolved, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat? (13)
Nevertheless we, according to his promise, look for new heavens and a new
earth, wherein dwelleth righteousness. (14) Wherefore, beloved, seeing
that ye look for such things, be diligent that ye may be found of him in peace,
without spot, and blameless."
2 Corinthians 4:18 "While
we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen:
for the things which are seen are temporal; but the things which are not
seen are eternal."
1. We live in a world in which everything is temporal and
passing away.
2. We are all going to a world in which everything is
permanent and eternal.
·
The Bliss of Heaven
·
The Horrors of Hell
3. Our state in the unseen world of eternity depends
entirely upon our relationship to the Son of God, the Lord Jesus Christ, in this
world of time.
If you are washed in Christ’s blood
and robed in his righteousness now, you will be clean and holy forever. If you
trust Christ as your Savior now, he will be your Savior forever. If you are one
with Christ now, you shall be one with Christ in eternity. If you love Christ
and are loved of Christ now, you shall love Christ and be loved of Christ
forever.
If you meet Christ in judgment as an
unbeliever, you will be an unbeliever forever. If you are unclean when you
leave this world, you will be an unbeliever forever. If you are a rebel when
you draw your last breath, you will be a rebel forever. If you are cursed and
damned when you go out to meet God in judgment, you will be cursed of God,
hated by God, and damned by God forever!
4. Your only hope for eternal life is the free,
sovereign, saving grace of God in Christ, the sinners’ Substitute.
There is a fountain filled with blood
Drawn from Immanuel’s veins;
And sinners plunged beneath that flood
Lose all their guilty stains.
The dying thief rejoiced to see
That fountain in his day;
And there may I, though vile as he,
Wash all my sins away.
E’er since by faith I saw the stream
Christ’s flowing wounds supply,
Redeeming love has been my theme
And shall be ‘til I die!
“Heaven and earth shall pass away.”
Will you? Will you pass away into everlasting hell?
B. Here is our Lord’s second promise - “But my words shall not pass away.”
Isaiah 55:11 "So shall my word be that
goeth forth out of my mouth: it shall not return unto me void, but it shall
accomplish that which I please, and it shall prosper in the thing whereto
I sent it."
Psalm 119:89 “For ever, O LORD, thy word is settled in heaven.”
Isaiah 40:8 "The grass withereth, the flower
fadeth: but the word of our God shall stand for ever."
Isaiah 46:9-11 "Remember the former
things of old: for I am God, and there is none else; I am God,
and there is none like me, (10) Declaring the end from the
beginning, and from ancient times the things that are not yet done,
saying, My counsel shall stand, and I will do all my pleasure: (11) Calling
a ravenous bird from the east, the man that executeth my counsel from a far
country: yea, I have spoken it, I will also bring it to pass; I have
purposed it, I will also do it."
Our text (Mark 13:31) and all these
passages referring to the immutable, absolute certainty of God’s word are
applicable to God’s word in every place.
·
His Words of Inspiration
·
His Words of Decree
·
His Words of Doctrine
·
His Words of Grace
·
His Words of Promise
·
His Words of Wrath.
He who is the omniscient, holy,
perfect, omnipotent, unchangeable God never needs to alter his word! God’s word
is never yea and nay, but always yea and amen.
II. A PROBLEM (v. 32)
In verse 32 makes the Lord Jesus makes
a declaration which presents a problem to many.
Mark 13:32 "But of that day and that hour
knoweth no man, no, not the angels which are in heaven, neither the Son, but
the Father."
Here is the problem. If the Lord Jesus
Christ is himself God the Son, equal in all things and one with the Father and
the Spirit, as the Scriptures universally assert that he is and the doctrine of
the Trinity demands, if he is God all-wise, all-knowing, omniscient, before
whom darkness is light, from whom nothing can be hid - How can he be
ignorant of the day and hour of his second advent?
Now, you must admit, that is a pretty big problem to
deal with. But the answer is both simple and obvious when we compare Scripture
with Scripture.
In fact the problem is no problem at all, but merely a
demonstration of the fact that our Lord Jesus Christ is exactly who and what he
claims to be - both God and man - as truly and completely God as if he were not
man, and as truly and completely man as if he were not God.
As a man, our Savior was no more omniscient than he
was omnipotent or omnipresent. When he hungered, it was not God who hungered,
but man. When he thirsted, it was not God who thirsted, but man.
In the four gospels, sometimes he speaks of himself as
a man (as here), and sometimes he speaks of himself as God, in order to show us
that he is fully both. As God he said to his disciples, “Our friend,
Lazarus, is sleepeth,” though no one had informed him of Lazarus’ death.
Yet, when he came to Bethany, he asked as a man, “Where have ye laid him?”
The same thing is true in our text. Obviously, as the
Son of God, he knew and always has known the precise second of his second
advent. But as the Son of man, he was altogether ignorant of it. Now, let me
make application of this text to us. As the old Puritans used to say, I will
improve the text, improve it in the sense of putting it in shoe leather.
THREE THINGS
A. He who is our Redeemer must be both God and man in one
glorious person.
B. Learn this fact and learn it well. NO ONE KNOWS
WHEN THE LORD JESUS IS COMING AGAIN.
The language of Scripture in this regard is crystal
clear (Mk. 13:32; Acts 1:4-11).
Mark 13:32 "But of that day and that hour
knoweth no man, no, not the angels which are in heaven, neither the Son, but
the Father."
Acts 1:4-11 "And, being assembled together with them,
commanded them that they should not depart from Jerusalem, but wait for the
promise of the Father, which, saith he, ye have heard of me. (5) For
John truly baptized with water; but ye shall be baptized with the Holy Ghost
not many days hence. (6) When they therefore were come together, they
asked of him, saying, Lord, wilt thou at this time restore again the kingdom to
Israel? (7) And he said unto them, It is not for you to know the times
or the seasons, which the Father hath put in his own power. (8) But ye
shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall
be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and
unto the uttermost part of the earth. (9) And when he had spoken these
things, while they beheld, he was taken up; and a cloud received him out of
their sight. (10) And while they looked stedfastly toward heaven as he
went up, behold, two men stood by them in white apparel; (11) Which also
said, Ye men of Galilee, why stand ye gazing up into heaven? this same Jesus,
which is taken up from you into heaven, shall so come in like manner as ye have
seen him go into heaven."
No one knows, or even has a hint
of an idea, when the Lord Jesus will come again to this world. Not only
do the Scriptures tell us this emphatically, we have a glaring proof of he fact
in our text. If the perfect, holy man Christ Jesus, that man who knew the Book
of God like no other man, did not know it, if he did not figure out the day or
hour of his appearing, you are not about to do so!
C. No one knows when Christ is coming to take him out of
this world, to meet God in judgment.
I find it utterly amazing that we so
blatantly ignore this fact. David said, “There is but a step between me and
death.” We all say we realize that; but very few people seem to me to live
like they realize it. “There is but a step between you and death. O my
soul, hear and learn - “There is but a step between me and death!”
Illustrations: The Boulder
The
Airborne Boat
The
Frozen Pond
Brandon’s
Fall
1. God has, from eternity, fixed the moment and the means
by which he will take you out of this world.
2. As soon as God takes you out of this world, you are
going to stand before him in judgment.
I know, there is a day of judgment at
the end of time. Following the general resurrection, there will be a general
judgment (John 5:28-29; Rev. 20:11-15). But you will meet God in judgment as
soon as you draw your last breath (2 Cor. 5:10-11; Heb. 9:27).
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."
Hebrews 9:27 "And as it is appointed
unto men once to die, but after this the judgment."
“How wilt thou do in the swelling of Jordan?” (Jer. 12:5).
III. A PARABLE (v. 34)
Third, in verses 34-35, our
Master puts forth a parable in which he explains our present position and
responsibility as his servants in this world.
Mark 13:34-35 "For the Son of man is
as a man taking a far journey, who left his house, and gave authority to
his servants, and to every man his work, and commanded the porter to watch.
(35) Watch ye therefore: for ye know not when the master of the house
cometh, at even, or at midnight, or at the cockcrowing, or in the
morning."
There are several things in this
parable which we ought to lay to heart.
A. The church of Christ is his house: he alone is the
Master of his house.
B. The Lord Jesus left his church, his house under the
care, authority and rule of his servants.
His servants are men counted worthy by him to preach
the gospel and to rule his house with the authority of his Word.
Acts 20:28 "Take heed therefore unto yourselves,
and to all the flock, over the which the Holy Ghost hath made you overseers, to
feed the church of God, which he hath purchased with his own blood."
Hebrews 13:7 "Remember them which have
the rule over you, who have spoken unto you the word of God: whose faith
follow, considering the end of their conversation."
Hebrews 13:17 "Obey them that have the
rule over you, and submit yourselves: for they watch for your souls, as they
that must give account, that they may do it with joy, and not with grief: for
that is unprofitable for you."
1 Peter 5:1-3 "The elders which are
among you I exhort, who am also an elder, and a witness of the sufferings of
Christ, and also a partaker of the glory that shall be revealed: (2) Feed
the flock of God which is among you, taking the oversight thereof, not
by constraint, but willingly; not for filthy lucre, but of a ready mind; (3)
Neither as being lords over God's heritage, but being ensamples to
the flock."
1 Thessalonians 5:12-13 "And we
beseech you, brethren, to know them which labour among you, and are over you in
the Lord, and admonish you; (13) And to esteem them very highly in love
for their work's sake. And be at peace among yourselves."
C. The Lord Jesus has appointed to each of us a specific
work to do. “He gave to every man his work.”
D. The Master has not abandoned his house: he is coming
back to it.
E.
The Master’s
coming will be sudden, without warning.
IV. The Post (vv. 33, 35-37)
Look at the text one more time; and
let me remind you of the post assigned to each of us in this world.
Mark 13:33 "Take ye heed, watch and pray: for ye
know not when the time is."
Mark 13:35-37 "Watch ye therefore: for
ye know not when the master of the house cometh, at even, or at midnight, or at
the cockcrowing, or in the morning: (36) Lest coming suddenly he find
you sleeping. (37) And what I say unto you I say unto all, Watch."
Ever be watchful of your own soul.
Ever stir yourself up to renewed consecration to Christ. When the Master comes,
I pray that he will not find me sleeping at my post.
A. Watch
B. Pray
C. Work
One of the old, old writers said, “Be doing something, that the devil
may always find you engaged.”
When John Calvin’s health was failing
him and his friends urged him to rest more and do less work to preserve his
health, he responded - “Would you want my Master to find me idle?”
Application: The Preacher and The Business Man