Did you know there is a cosmic conspiracy trying to lull us to spiritual sleep? The world is designed by Satan to lull us to spiritual apathy and dullness – he is determined to keep us from being spiritually alert and awake. So how do we stay spiritually awake when everything works against it? Mark 13:24-27 answers that question.
If you know that you are spiritually sluggish, apathetic to the things of God, this is your wake-up call: Jesus Christ is coming back. This passage doesn’t tell us everything about His return, but it does tell us three things to anticipate.
Darkening
“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 powers in the heavens will be shaken.” (vv. 24, 25)
We are tempted to spiritual sleep and spiritual lethargy when we forget that, one day, all that appears bright in this world will go dark. This is not figurative – it is presented here and elsewhere in the Bible as a day that is coming, literally (2 Peter 3:10). Imagine this is happening right now. How would that change your attitude toward spiritual things? How would that reorganize your priorities?
We are constantly tempted to live for temporary things as if they were eternal. But one day, this temporary world is going to come to a close, and all that seemed bright, important, and immovable will melt. You may think that sounds terrifying. And it probably will be terrifying – but it won’t be bad because of what happens next.
Arriving
Arriving“And then they will see the Son of Man coming in clouds with great power and glory.” (v. 26)
Think about Jesus’ arrivals up to this point. You have His arrival that we celebrate at Christmas: in a manger. You have His arrival that we celebrate on Palm Sunday: on a donkey. Now let’s look ahead. The most important date in human future is Jesus’ second coming: He won’t be a baby in a manger, He won’t be on a donkey, He will be in the clouds. Throughout the Bible, clouds are associated with God Himself. When Jesus returns it will be in divine power and glory.
Jesus came in relative secrecy at the Incarnation. He came amid great misunderstanding when He entered Jerusalem. But when He returns, everyone is going to recognize Him for who He is. After everything that seemed previously to be bright and important in this world goes dark, Jesus Christ will emerge in clouds and everyone will recognize Him as the King of kings and Lord of lords (Phil. 2:9, 10).
Gathering
“And then he will send our the angels and gather his elect from the four winds, from the ends of the earth to the ends of heaven.” (v. 27)
We often forget that this is not our home. The Bible describes us as ambassadors in a foreign land, representatives of another country: the kingdom of God. Local churches are like Kingdom embassies. And one day the King is going to shut down His embassies, call all His ambassadors back, and establish His worldwide rule.
When we see what looks like decline in Christianity, let’s remember our destiny. Jesus said He will build His church, and God is still electing people. The work of God will continue on until Jesus returns. God’s elect will still exist – and not just here in America, but “from the ends of the earth.”
Jesus is coming back. Let us not fall into spiritual sleep. Let us not mistake the temporary for the eternal. Let us not forget Jesus’ impending return. Let’s live in spiritual wakefulness in light of eternity, in anticipation of our coming powerful and glorious King, and in light of our destiny as His people.
Discussion Starters
- Read Mark 13:24-27 and discuss it together.
- What does spiritual apathy and sleep look like?
- In what ways are we lulled into this?
- How can we keep spiritually awake and alert?
- What are some temporary things we are often tempted to live for?
- Would your lifestyle change if you knew Jesus was coming back next week? If so, how?
- What does it mean for us to be ambassadors of the kingdom of God?
- How should this affect the way we live?
