Look At Dat! - Mark 13:1-13

 

Mark 13:1-13 NIV

13 As Jesus was leaving the temple, one of his disciples said to him, “Look, Teacher! What massive stones! What magnificent buildings!”

² “Do you see all these great buildings?” replied Jesus. “Not one stone here will be left on another; every one will be thrown down.”

³ As Jesus was sitting on the Mount of Olives opposite the temple, Peter, James, John and Andrew asked him privately, ⁴ “Tell us, when will these things happen? And what will be the sign that they are all about to be fulfilled?”

⁵ Jesus said to them: “Watch out that no one deceives you. ⁶ Many will come in my name, claiming, ‘I am he,’ and will deceive many. ⁷ When you hear of wars and rumors of wars, do not be alarmed. Such things must happen, but the end is still to come. 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.

⁹ “You must be on your guard. You will be handed over to the local councils and flogged in the synagogues. On account of me you will stand before governors and kings as witnesses to them. ¹⁰ And the gospel must first be preached to all nations. 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.

¹² “Brother will betray brother to death, and a father his child. Children will rebel against their parents and have them put to death. ¹³ Everyone will hate you because of me, but the one who stands firm to the end will be saved.

Look At Dat!

So, we are on a trip to Branson Missouri. I think we were taking the grandchildren to drop them off with their parents. Anyway, Bubs, Daemien (I call him Bubs because his sister, Kaiya called him Bubba when she was a baby) … anyway, Bubs is in the car with us as we were driving down the strip of Branson. Bubs, looks up and sees this big King Kong on a building and shouts out, “Look at dat!”

I think of the passage of scripture above and have to wonder if the disciple would have shouted out the same… “Look at dat!” Perhaps, maybe… the stones of the Temple in Jesus day were very impressive to any human of that time.

This passage of scripture is often referred to as the “Little Apocalypse.” But, as I studied this scripture this week, I became a little annoyed by this rendering or title given by some religious scholars. Let me explain why…

Last week we looked at the passage of scripture when Jesus was watching the widow offer all she had at the Temple. Now in this passage today, we hear a disciple exclaim the “Look at dat!” It made me stop and think. Where was the disciples’ “Look at dat!” when the widow offered all she had to live on to the Temple treasury?

You see, last week, Jesus looked on as the poor widow gave her all to God. Jesus’ “Look at dat!” is far different from the “Look at dat!” of the disciple in the reading above. Jesus’ “Look at dat!” is far different from mankind’s “Look at dat!”

In Jesus’ “Look at dat!” there is the suggestion of the quality of Life. Like the quality of life in eternal life. Yet, by contrast, for most of mankind, man’s “Look at dat!” seems to point to stuff. To material stuff, to earthly stuff, like money, power, prestige, you know… stuff.

Jesus “Look at dat!” is ethical and spiritual. Jesus “Look at dat!” is of an eternal nature.

So, I pause and think. I think I need to be sure to look at the quality of my life, at the spiritual nature of my life. If I don’t “Look at dat!” here first, perhaps the “stones” of my life will tumble down, one on top of the other.

So, as Jesus and his disciples leave the Temple area, they move across the way to the Mount of Olives, and Jesus begins to teach. Two questions arise due to what Jesus had said earlier…

² “Do you see all these great buildings?” replied Jesus. “Not one stone here will be left on another; every one will be thrown down.”

Jesus words show Jesus the Prophet… I mean, after all… Jesus IS God too!

Yes, the Temple was destroyed about 70 AD, but that’s not really the point here, as I studied it.

Two very common questions, in my mind. When will this happen and what sign will be seen to signify when.

Jesus’ answer seemed to be more of a warning than an answer to the questions.

Even today, this warning applies. Today’s church should take this warning from Jesus from the early church. Don’t be led astray to too much focus on “End Times.”  The “This is it!” Rather, we should focus more faith and trust in God to act when He chooses the “This is it!”

We must be aware in our time to not be taken off the path of following and Pointing to Jesus. Don’t lose focus and look away from Jesus towards the worry of the “End Times.” Really, as I’ve heard this expression before… “Ain’t nobody got time for dat!”

Instead of focusing on the “End Times,” focus on loving God and all those God gives to you each and every day of your life. God will take care of the “End Times.” You take care of the NOW as your respond to all God has done for you. That’s the NOW of today.

Okay, let’s move on with my studies of this week. Jesus tells us that the time then was just the beginning of suffering. Let’s look at this…

Soon, Jesus would stand before Pilate and be crucified later. Later Paul would stand before Agrippa, later John Huss would stand before the Council of Constance, and later Martin Luther would stand before Charles V at Worms.

The Christian church will suffer.

Right away, the Christian church did suffer…

Acts 9:1-2 NIV

9 Meanwhile, Saul was still breathing out murderous threats against the Lord’s disciples. He went to the high priest ² and asked him for letters to the synagogues in Damascus, so that if he found any there who belonged to the Way, whether men or women, he might take them as prisoners to Jerusalem.

Later on, Saul would be renamed Paul and bring the Gospel to the Gentiles. And when Paul brought the Gospel to the world… boy did he pay for it!

2 Corinthians 11:24 NIV

²⁴ Five times I (Paul) received from the Jews the forty lashes minus one.

The day of Christians standing before authorities is NOT over and won’t end until THE end.

When we, as disciples, oppose power, wealth, money, slavery, separation, greed, public opinion and on and on, over the people God created… This becomes the time for faith and action in the love of God and our neighbor. I mean ALL neighbors… the people we like and those we don’t included.

Persecution ties the disciple to Jesus. BUT… Persecution also gives the disciple the chance to proclaim the Gospel to all people. You will defend the faith God gives to you while being persecuted.

But why? What is this Gospel that we defend?

I was always taught that the definition of “Gospel,” was God’s Love freely given. Sounds so simple, yet it was totally costly. Notice how I capitalized the word “Love” above. God’s Love was sent down from heaven to be like you and me, in the flesh of Jesus. However, as mankind has been sinful since the Fall of Adam and Eve, this Jesus’ was sinless. And in Jesus, sinlessness, He suffered and died in my sin, to put sin to death on the cross. Not just some execution, rather a painful death that Jesus did not deserve. And Jesus, on that cross, took on my sin and the sin of the world. In fact, He became sin, to let it die with Him. But, there’s more. As Jesus defeated sin, through the glory of God, Jesus rose from the dead. Jesus rose to new life, just as His disciples rise to new life, daily in their baptism. The significance of the water in baptism, is that we drown, the Adam in us and all of our evil desires and sinfulness, just as Jesus died, so that we rise again daily as Jesus rose from the dead in God’s glory to a new life to live with God forever.

Now there’s some Love! Freely given Love but at a great price. A price that God paid for you and me. Its Love given… see that? Given! God gives the faith… God repents us of our sin… God raises us up… It’s all about God, not us. The only US in this whole thing is that God loves US so much that He saves US from ourselves and sin and death.

Will you defend the Gospel?

Don’t worry about all that.

 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.

OK, sure! But…. But… But…

This is NOT brainless nonsense here! No!

When we have a living faith in God, we turn to God in Word and Sacrament. As disciples of Jesus, we have a continual relationship with Jesus. When we are baptized, God works on us for life. So… we don’t need to get stuck on ourselves. The Holy Spirit acts on us and prepares us. So… put things in order and put worry away.

In Jesus’ words…

Matthew 6:33 NIV

³³ But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.

As, disciples of Jesus, Pointing to Jesus; apply effort and leave the results to God.

And just as I found this week… this “Little Apocalypse”

¹³ Everyone will hate you because of me, but the one who stands firm to the end will be saved.

The end is NOT the end of the world; rather the endurance to remain faithful.

In the words of Jesus…

Luke 21:19 NIV

¹⁹ Stand firm, and you will win life.

Stand firm or endure. Standing firm is more than just surviving. Surviving is just existing. Standing firm takes the faith that God freely gives you. Stand firm in this free faith to your very last breath.

Now there is the “Look at Dat!” the “Look at Dat!” that stands firm in faith… today… tomorrow… and forever!

Beyond space and time God delivers and saves. God shows us the path of life, in and through Jesus.

May we provoke one another to love and good deeds, in response to all that God has freely given to us. Let God take care of the “End Times” and focus, yes, point, Point to Jesus!

Thanks be to God!

I invite you to enjoy this YouTube music that reminds me of my studies of this week...

Reckless Love

Get Naked - Mark 12:38-44

 

Mark 12:38-44 NIV

³⁸ As he taught, Jesus said, “Watch out for the teachers of the law. They like to walk around in flowing robes and be greeted with respect in the marketplaces, ³⁹ and have the most important seats in the synagogues and the places of honor at banquets. ⁴⁰ They devour widows’ houses and for a show make lengthy prayers. These men will be punished most severely.”

⁴¹ Jesus sat down opposite the place where the offerings were put and watched the crowd putting their money into the temple treasury. Many rich people threw in large amounts. ⁴² But a poor widow came and put in two very small copper coins, worth only a few cents.

⁴³ Calling his disciples to him, Jesus said, “Truly I tell you, this poor widow has put more into the treasury than all the others. ⁴⁴ They all gave out of their wealth; but she, out of her poverty, put in everything—all she had to live on.”

Get Naked

Jesus teaches with a heavenly vision. It seems to me that we don’t need all the stuff and baggage we carry around. We don’t need all the fancy clothes. Think about it, God created us naked. As mankind stood in the presence of God naked at the beginning of the world, we also stand before Jesus naked in life. Jesus sees right through all of our nonsense. Jesus teaches with a heavenly vision and Jesus teaches us to get naked.

In this scripture, we see how the scribes put on a show to gain man’s awe and favor. And they go on to consume and exploit poor widows.  Jesus silenced the scribes and revealed their unbelief. Jesus makes the scribes naked in their sinfulness.

Don’t get too haughty about all of this exposing the scribes. Jesus makes me and you naked in our sinfulness as well. I have done it, and I’m sure you have too. Done what?

When we focus on how great we are, that’s the very moment we lack greatness. How’s that? As we push our way to the front of thinking that we deserve the best in life, Jesus points us to the lack of love we have for our neighbor. In the push and shove of life towards personal greatness we just become naked.

How? To be great is not something we deserve because of our own effort. We only become great through serving. Look at Jesus. Did He seek greatness in power, money, or shoving to the front? Jesus’ service to God and man is the real stuff.

The scribes, as well as you and I, sometimes serve God in a phony way. We think we are the ones that have earned our way. We become self-righteous. When we are self-righteous, we really don’t love God or our neighbor. Rather, we love ourself and what we have done to be great. And it’s at this point that Jesus makes us naked in His presence.

When we are self-righteous, we tend to devour our neighbor for our own privilege. Look at what the scribes did. What was the cause of poor housing for the needy widows?

 Our privilege, even today, devours houses and yes, even homes. We think it’s fine to forget the needs of the suffering and the poor and the alien. We flaunt our own privilege of belonging in the face of our neighbors in need. We become self-righteous thinking that we earned all that we have and deserve to be greater than our neighbor. And it’s here, at this point, that Jesus undresses us in our sin to the point that we stand naked before Jesus.

Now that you and I and the scribes, stand naked in our sin before Jesus, the passage moves on to Jesus observing a widow, naked before Jesus as he watches on.

But first let me offer a visual. There may or may not have been a building labeled the “Treasury.” However, along the colonnade which surrounded what was referred to as the “Court of the Women,” were thirteen chests with trumpet shaped opening for the offerings of the worshippers at the Temple. These trumpet shaped openings would make a noise at each offering of coins.  So, when this poor widow gave, there would not have been much of a noise.

But here is the deal. The widow, unknowingly naked in the presence of Jesus, didn’t just give a small portion, no, she gave all she had. Really you could say, she gave herself.

Paul talks about this type of giving, from the churches of Macedonia giving to the Jerusalem church…

2 Corinthians 8:5 NIV

⁵ And they (the churches of Macedonia) exceeded our expectations: They gave themselves first of all to the Lord, and then by the will of God also to us.

And Jesus speaks of this widow, also in the Gospel of Luke…

Luke 21:1-4 NIV

21 As Jesus looked up, he saw the rich putting their gifts into the temple treasury. ² He also saw a poor widow put in two very small copper coins. ³ “Truly I tell you,” he said, “this poor widow has put in more than all the others. ⁴ All these people gave their gifts out of their wealth; but she out of her poverty put in all she had to live on.”

This particular tribute to the widow, was Jesus last act in the Temple. This tribute to the widow who gave all she had as an offering to God. Hmm… You see, Jesus never entered the Temple again after this.

Here, this widow, stands naked before Jesus. Here, we come to understand that God looks to the amount of love and self-sacrifice we have, not the amount of our own perceived self-righteousness. For, now we can see, that our righteousness only comes through God in Jesus, not something that we can conjure up for ourselves.

Here, as the woman stands naked before Jesus, Jesus’ comments on what the woman has done, but does not praise her for her actions. True giving is a sacrifice. The gift’s value is relative to the giver. The widow gave all!

This widow’s act is a free act of generosity.

And as this widow stands naked before Jesus, we see her giving a gift that counts. There it is again; giving is relative to what is left. It’s not the size of the gift.

When we see our sinfulness and reach the end of ourselves, standing naked in our sin before Jesus, it’s then that we see it, and it’s then that Jesus hears it.

As the widow gives her all, Jesus hears the “Greatest” gift go into that trumpet shaped offering vessel. It’s then that Jesus sees our heart. It’s then that Jesus sees that no gift of love is too small to count.

But wait! Isn’t this type of giving what the Father gave to us through Jesus serving to all mankind in His birth, life, suffering, death, resurrection and ascension?

There it is! Point to Jesus and see. Point to Jesus and follow. Point to Jesus and run in obedience. Perhaps this widow is a type of Jesus?

Don’t worry. All you have ever had from your nakedness in birth before God, has come from God. God provides even when you doubt your resources. It’s all a gift from God. Trust in God… not in man.

Yes, Lord Jesus of Heaven and Earth, I stand once again naked in your presence and I eagerly wait for you… today… tomorrow… and forever, as I follow you and Point to Jesus!

Thanks be to God!

I leave you with this YouTube Music Video of how Jesus and the Widow have given…

Withholding Nothing

Artwork … Lucas Cranach

Jesus Knows Heaven - Matthew 5:1-12

 

Matthew 5:1-12 NIV

5 Now when Jesus saw the crowds, he went up on a mountainside and sat down. His disciples came to him, ² and he began to teach them.

He said:

³ “Blessed are the poor in spirit,
    for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
⁴ Blessed are those who mourn,
    for they will be comforted.
⁵ Blessed are the meek,
    for they will inherit the earth.
⁶ Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness,
    for they will be filled.
⁷ Blessed are the merciful,
    for they will be shown mercy.
⁸ Blessed are the pure in heart,
    for they will see God.
⁹ Blessed are the peacemakers,
    for they will be called children of God.
¹⁰ Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness,
    for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

¹¹ “Blessed are you when people insult you, persecute you and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of me. ¹² Rejoice and be glad, because great is your reward in heaven, for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you.

Jesus Knows Heaven

So, here we have it; the Sermon on the Mount. Jesus shows his disciples how to live. Jesus teaches us to live, not by rules, but by a change of heart. Jesus sets before His disciples’ impossible standards to meet through our own works and efforts. Yet, Jesus gives His disciples the power to live up to these standards, by turning this world upside down, in His grace and love. So, if you desire to follow Jesus, hear His words and commands.

Here, in Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount, Jesus gives His disciples a New Law. And this New Law is for those who inherit the Kingdom of God. Think about that… A New Law… for those who inherit. To inherit something, we don’t deserve it, or have worked for it. To inherit is to receive something free of any personal cost to ourselves.

Here in this Sermon on the Mount, Jesus reinterprets the Old Law and offers a New Law. This is, in a way a contrast of the Future against the Present. And in this presentation of the New Law, we see the character of Jesus disciples taught of those who inherit the Kingdom. This teaching of Jesus’ is opposed to the world’s standards.

You must see and understand this, Jesus knows heaven. Jesus knows and teaches how life in heaven is infinitely greater than the earthly life with which we all are familiar with.  Jesus knows heaven and Jesus knows that to His disciples, heaven is a blessing. Jesus knows heaven and He knows that heaven is a true, loving gift from God to all mankind. Yes, Jesus knows heaven.

Jesus knows heaven is to be Christian life. And here Jesus teaches His disciples the heaven He knows. Heaven is blessings against the opposites of worldly life, where people rule over people. In heaven, this is not so, people do NOT rule over people. There is no need of this. You see, Jesus knows heaven.

Jesus teachings on the Sermon on the Mount are like laser lights in the darkness of this sinful world. And because Jesus knows heaven, He knows that only He can fulfill all of these directions and New Law, that He is now teaching His disciples.

So, let’s look at Jesus’ directions, best we can.

The location that Jesus gives His sermon to His disciples is on a mountain. How many times does God teach, and preach, and direct and lead from a mountain? Recall how God gave Moses the Law on a mountain. The Law was gifts to us, given to Moses while Moses was alone with God. And how could we fail to mention Jesus’ transfiguration before a few of His disciples on a mountain. And then, Jesus gives His disciples His last command on a mountain.

Matthew 28:16-20 NIV

¹⁶ Then the eleven disciples went to Galilee, to the mountain where Jesus had told them to go. ¹⁷ When they saw him, they worshiped him; but some doubted. ¹⁸ Then Jesus came to them and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. ¹⁹ Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, ²⁰ and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”

Wow! Those mountains! Thin places throughout time, when God seems and is so ever close to all those he loves. Don’t forget the mountains as you read and reflect on Scripture in your daily time.

Remember, Jesus knows heaven. Listen to Jesus. For Jesus’ teaching is what will happen as the rule of heaven is brought to earth.

Huh? Jesus knows heaven, and the Father sent Jesus to earth to show all mankind the way to heaven. Yes, the way to heaven is through Jesus. Jesus knows heaven after all, so listen to Him!

Here, on the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus teaches us the Beatitudes. The Beatitudes are descriptions of those who receive God’s promises. These people, you and me, and neighbor, are people who hand on to God in pure and simple trust. We can do nothing else!

Jesus expects His teachings to be put into practice. These Beatitudes are clear and concise instructions. Yet, we also learn here, that the righteousness of Jesus is so much more than anything we could do or accomplish on our own and with our own efforts.

Disciples, here, in these teachings, aren’t call to perfection. Rather, Jesus calls us to reformation. There’s that word and work from last week. Yes, a word and work that God does on all His disciples.  For Jesus’ disciples are reformed day after day through daily baptism of burial of our sins to forgiveness through Jesus, as the Holy Spirit is poured out on us richly because of God’s grace and love through Jesus’ life, death, resurrection and ascension. Remember? Jesus knows heaven!

The way to heaven is through heaven. What? Yes, Jesus comes down. Jesus pulls us into heaven, into Himself. From heaven to heaven. That’s the life of Jesus. God comes to us from heaven in Jesus, Jesus saves us from sin and death, through becoming our sin, and defeating the power of that sin in His death and resurrection. AND--- Jesus ascends back to heaven till the time that He WILL come again to take us with Him in our own resurrection. You see… Jesus knows heaven.

And here in Jesus’ teaching on the Sermon on the Mount we learn of “Blessing.” The blessings Jesus speaks of here are the highest stage of happiness. How happy!

Jesus’ teaching in the Beatitudes is kind of like a poem. Just look at the form in which it is recorded in text. The first stanza is the rule of heaven. Jesus rights the wrongs to bring justice.

Why? God has not given up on us. Look at the first four…

³ “Blessed are the poor in spirit,
    for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
⁴ Blessed are those who mourn,
    for they will be comforted.
⁵ Blessed are the meek,
    for they will inherit the earth.
⁶ Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness,
    for they will be filled.

These are NOT rewards, rather they are reversals.

Then we have the second stanza…

⁷ Blessed are the merciful,
    for they will be shown mercy.
⁸ Blessed are the pure in heart,
    for they will see God.
⁹ Blessed are the peacemakers,
    for they will be called children of God.
¹⁰ Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness,
    for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

These are rewards for disciples that join Jesus in the comforting work for the suffering people of this world.

To break each “blessed” down takes a lifetime of each disciple.

Jesus knows heaven and He can sure teach heaven.

The way to heaven is through Jesus.

In the darkness of our mourning, we see the Light of Jesus in the heavens. Even if we think of mourning our sinfulness or our neighbors’ sins against us, we turn to see how Jesus forgives and likewise are taught here to forgive our neighbor.

What about the meek? The “meek” don’t seek pride, rather, the “meek” are happy to follow God.

And if we thirst for Jesus, that is where Joy is found. Why? Because as we thirst for Jesus, we no longer concentrate on ourselves. Our gaze is now on Jesus. So, all through life, as we gaze on Jesus, be sure that we “Point to Jesus.”

How about mercy and sacrifice? As we are aware of our own sins, we don’t have the time to judge our neighbor in their sins.

Oh, and the pure in heart. Purity led by the Holy Spirit consumes the heart and very being of each disciple. The Holy Spirit consumes us from baptism on and into eternity with a lifetime of gifts to use in the call of God in our lives. For in this life, we will see God! How great is that now and in eternity!

Remember that in your baptism, you were marked with the cross of Christ forever!

Revelation 22:4 NIV

⁴ They will see his face, and his name will be on their foreheads.

Face to face! Wow!

And so, now, we have peace. This is a peace that Jesus brings to mankind from God in love. A peace for God and neighbor.

The rule of God WILL come through Jesus, and peace, righteousness and mercy, WILL be realized.

These are the Real “Sons of God,” the Hebrews in the Old Testament and the People of God’s creation. That’s the creation that God has always and will always, love and care for, “Sons of God,” in Jesus disciples throughout time.

Yet, Jesus warns us as well.

As Jesus’ disciples, we expect to become one with those people in the poetic first stanza of reversals.

³ “Blessed are the poor in spirit,
    for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
⁴ Blessed are those who mourn,
    for they will be comforted.
⁵ Blessed are the meek,
    for they will inherit the earth.
⁶ Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness,
    for they will be filled.

All of this teaching of Jesus, in the Sermon of the Mount, is radical teaching to this sinful world. As we, Jesus’ disciples, live out our lives, walking in this teaching, we can expect worldly pushback and persecution. But you know what? That’s Okay! The outcome of it all is eternity with God. And the reward is unmeasurable salvation. Salvation out of size from any works we could muster up ourselves.

Rest assured, God, the Lamb, is at the Center of it all. We see Jesus as God and praise God together with ALL the Saints… today… tomorrow… and forever! – Thanks be to God!

How could I NOT leave you with this YouTube Music Video

For All the Saints