MARK 13 v 24-41

Sunday is the third of Advent, 

   The return of Jesus and the end of the age is the thought of Advent readings

This Chapter is one of the most Jewish in the Bible, containing Jewish history and ideas. All through it, Jesus is using terms which were well-known to Jews of His day, but are strange to non-Jews.

The subject is referred to in the three Synoptic gospels when Jesus was walking with His Apostles pass the Temple and they remarked how beautiful the building was. Actually it was the grandest building in the world, as large as York Minster in white stone each stone being 40 x 12 feet in size.  Jesus told them that the building, which had taken 54 years to build would be pulled down.  The Apostles asked Him what the signs would be to signify the end of the age, believing the coming down and the end of the age were the same thing. 

The answer Jesus gave was really in two parts.  Jesus could foretell the coming down of the temple, but not even He knew the end time; so He was telling them of the various events that would happen before the Temple came down, all of which would be repeated. in cycles through time, until one such period would be the final one.

The description given here is a fearful one of the sun, moon and stars all failing to give light Then Jesus will appear, coming in majesty of the King of the world with great power and glory. At the same time chaos would occur as people would be scattering in panic from where they were, and false prophets would acting in the place of Jesus. 

Whilst He did not know when this would happen, He knew He would be coming, so He was obviously prophesising. This was however a grave warning leaving us to live in the shadow of eternity.

  Each advent we turn to anticipate the return of Jesus to earth, and consider the situation in which we live.     

     Things are appearing in our day regarding human behaviour, which could be applied to the belief we are right at the edge of the promised return of the Lord, although it is unlikely most of us will be alive at that time. 

     The nuclear threat increases by the day, as nations such as Iran acquire nuclear capability and threaten the peace of the whole Middle East.  North Korea desperately wants to launch an attack on the Unite States, which in reply would obliterate North Korea and possibly mean conflict with China, which paradoxically could resolve the whole issue by cutting off the psychopath ruling North Korea.

 Who would have believed that human men would shoot the parents in front of their children; shoot dogs; burn houses down with women inside; rape women; take away aged people; and behead babies. Yet across the world people in thousands cheer them on.

     The  early Church lived with the expectation that the Second Coming would happen at any moment, and would be preceded by a time when evil would increase, a time when human conduct would be shaken to its moral foundations  There was the idea that the Church would under threat before the end time.  

     These ideas do enshrine a permanent truth, that at some time before the Lord’s return, a period will come when evil meets God in a head on collision.  Paul gives a terrible picture of life in a godless world. 

     We have to consider how that picture relates to our society.  The list is like today’s headlines.  Surely the times we live in fit his description. 

     He is concerned that Christians will fall prey to these conditions and live hypocritical lives, by which they will outwardly appear committed and devoted, but will actually have no inner power to resist. The Churches in this country, have been wide open for anyone to attend, but they are virtually empty, and one of the reasons is there has been a sense of self-sufficiency felt during more prosperous times. 

      Today there is a total breakdown of the home, as men and women put their own desires before those of their husband/wife, and especially the needs of their children. 

     Then we have unholy people, those who are unwilling to observe the basic decencies of life, a flaunting of ungodly actions, a shameless pleasure in doing things to disgust; the sort of behaviour you can find on the streets of our cities, or indeed on television.

     Paul wants us to know there will be dangerous times for Christians.  In many non- Christian lands, Christians face persecution on a daily basis, with threats of violence imprisonment, or even death, for expressing their faith in any way.  Whilst such physical assault is not (yet)meted out in this country, we are under sustained attack on our faith from government legislation, which is distinctly anti-Christian and forces Christians under threat of prosecution, to accept that which is contrary to our belief and Biblical teaching. 

     In addition, we have restrictions placed on us to avoid upsetting other faiths and non-Christians, to such an extent that our Bibles cannot be openly displayed in public libraries, and charities which dare mention God or Christ, are denied charitable status. 

     But the New Testament everywhere seeks to convince, that the Church is the most important body of people in the world, around which God builds society. 

     Paul however warns about those who hold an outward form of religion, but whose lives deny the power thereof.  There are people today who are being exposed to the Bible, who will sing hymns, and go through ritual that is being celebrated in Churches across the country, yet during the week reflect attitudes described in such a way that destroys the fabric of society.  

     It is a great tragedy for our children, in that they are growing up not knowing the stories of Jesus, or other Biblical stories as was once the case.  In many homes, this is due to the fact the parents do not have the time, inclination, or knowledge to help them. Take that, and the fact that with the omission of religious teaching in (state)schools as part of their education,  you realise just how spiritually deficient our children are. It would be so more beneficial if the State could be a little concerned with their religious education, rather than be obsessed with giving them sexual education, and probably solve a lot more problems. 

     Now compare the situation in Muslim homes, where children are given regular instruction from the Koran, and furthermore, will not allow their holy book to be abused as we allow our Bible to be. 

     So these verses are descriptive of our day, of a society which will forsake a Christian consensus and live, not by Christian principles, which lead to health and wholeness of body, mind and spirit, and permits people to live at peace and enjoy their lives, but by substituting principles of their own.     

     We are submerged in a world that is committed to falsehood, which is why we are called to proclaim the truth.

     If ever the Word of God was needed, it is never more so than now.  It calls for people to turn back to God who is ready and able to meet the needs of everyone who turns to Him.  The message we have for the world is centred upon the person of Jesus Christ. 

In this Chapter, the words of Jesus, yet to be fulfilled, the return of Jesus is

contrasted to His First coming. He came first as a tender child in weakness of a poor woman, in a manger at Bethlehem, not noticeably known. The second time, He will come in dignity with many angels around Him. and to be known across the world

He came first to suffer by bearing our sins, and to be horrifically crucified. The next time, to reign and  claim the kingdoms over which He will rule. He will righteously judge all people, and He will reap what we have sewn, and reward all who have been faithful to Him.  The Jesus who bore a Cross shall wear a crown.

The Jesus of Nazareth who was despised, and had His gospel rejected, shall appear as Judge, and all shall appear before Him. He will gather all His true people, and angels shall help in finding His people. they will be cared for, and be protected when judgement is made.  The wrath of God will fall on non-believers, but a joyful meeting, of all believers in the faith, of every country and of all ages.

Jesus spoke of the fig tree, just as it can be taken that budding leaves tell summer is near, there will be events fulfilled which will tell the coming of the Lord is near.

All Christians should act carefully in the days ahead, such is a duty not to be neglectful.  Jesus once rebuked the Jews for not recognizing the signs of the time, and wants us to be ready.

In to-day’s verses, we see how Jesus so carefully tells of His predictions being fulfilled.  He warns heaven and earth may pass away, but His words will never do so.  This should encourage Christians and the Church, to notice with care the Word of God and teach as it is written, and not rewritten a some are doing

Within each one of us there is a need for things which money can’t buy, and desires which we cannot express.  Whilst the majority may not be willing to accept it, we all need a spiritual life.  We need God and the forgiveness which He offers in Jesus Christ.  Without this our souls are restless

Let us leave this chapter with a sure conviction of the truth of the predictions, and live ready to meet the Lord.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

M

 

REMEMBRANCE SUNDAY

Ephesians 6 v 10

On Sunday, people will gather once again on this special day, to remember the great sacrifices made by men/women, many of whom paid the supreme sacrifice of their lives, whilst others were injured and disabled for life.

As the years roll by, the number of those who were alive during the last World War grows ever smaller reducing by the year. But the memories do not fade, as we recall how this nation stood alone on the brink when all seemed to be lost and there was even talk of surrender. But God raised up a man who refused to surrender and instead rallied the nation to perform such heroic deeds.

How sad and shameful so many young people do not, and will not, try to learn of this glorious chapter of our history, never having had to endure the horrors and hardship of war. Such has been the direction of education in recent years in (state) schools, they have little or no knowledge of what was done that they may have all the privileges they now enjoy. To so many Churchill is the name of a dog representing an Insurance Company rather than one of the greatest Prime Ministers of this country.

We think of the brave young men, some barely left College, who defended our skies or were shot down over German cities; others who perished on a French beach, or drowned in deep waters, or were tortured in a Japanese prison camp; they gave their lives for principles they loved or believed in.

We have to add those who fought and died in Afghanistan and Iraq in wars which should never have been started, as we replaced one horror for even worse.

All these men and women would have cried for the ideals which took their lives, to be remembered and honoured. What would they say if they knew what things were going on this country now? Would they wonder if their great sacrifices were worthwhile as they looked at us?



How disillusioned, as they looked at their injuries; those who came home with shattered limbs, or blind eyes, and saw people making huge compensation claims for minor injuries, and taking legal action for hurt feelings caused by mere words.

How would they react to see some pumped up public official saying the flag they fought under could not be displayed lest it upset someone from another country?

Those men and women had a faith and a belief, and now we Christians have to take over that fight. As they fought the Battle of Britain, we must fight For Britain.

The world has largely rejected Christianity, without having anything to put in its place to combat the evils of the world. All we hear today is about ‘human rights,’ yet in all walks of public life, even to the highest level of government; we have flagrant deceit, corruption, being economical with the truth and unrestricted immorality, the sort of behaviour which sends out the wrong message to the young and gullible.

Under the guise of equality, all manner of restrictions are being enacted to restrain freedom of speech and religious faith. People can be perfectly equal without being the same. Not so long ago we had a Prime Minister who by his intransigence made freedom of religious expression a legal offence, and so a greater penalty could be given than if convicted for burglary or physical assault.

Christian principles and values were the foundation of this nation’s base, as were many of the social institutions and the legal system of the country. Our nation’s future depends on the acceptance of the standards of the Bible.

Not all who condemn the moral slide are bigoted and narrow minded. Those who fought for their country, all those veterans knew what counted in life as they fought for a safer world. The men on the fighting lines knew things had to get better. .

We have a society which is encouraged to forsake a Christian consensus and live, not by Christian principles, but by substituting other principles. We are submerged in a world that is committed to falsehood, which is why we are called to proclaim the truth.

Today, there will be people in all our Churches who would not normally be there, thus revealing a spiritual content in their lives. Indeed, almost all people have some spiritual longing; there are so many of these people who would be of enormous value to the Church and who in turn could add so much to their lives. Within each one of us there is a need for things which money can’t buy, and desires which cannot express. Whilst the majority may not be willing to accept it, we all need a spiritual life. We need God and the forgiveness, which He offers in Jesus Christ. Without this our souls are restless. The only obstacle is a lack of motivation.

Many people are like the two British soldiers who found themselves lost in the deserts of Iraq. They eventually came across an American Officer in his jeep. As they approached him they didn’t even bother to salute and simply blurted out ‘excuse me mate, can you tell us where we are?’ The General took umbrage at their casual attitude and sternly replied, ‘Do you know who I am?’ at which one of the soldiers turned to the other and said, ‘Now we are in real trouble, we don’t know where we are and he doesn’t know who he is!’

Neither do we know who we are and why we are here, so we just live for today and who cares about tomorrow. And that is how we will remain unless there is some communication from the outside, from the One who has made us. A godless self-centred life is a fruitless and empty one.

We need a daring programme of revival, which God is challenging us to make. We within the Church need to ensure our services are always meaningful and encouraging. However, there is reluctance within some Churches to preach a vibrant Biblical message for fear of being criticised as being offensive to other faiths.

Whilst Christianity has been the faith of this country for centuries, in recent times our Churches have retreated and allowed a secular agenda to exercise undue influence on both society and the Church. People, I believe, are longing for and wanting spiritual leadership. Our strength is limited only by our faith. Will that faith let us move mountains or stumble over mole hills?

Wen you become a Christian you effectively become like a soldier, there is warfare between what the world wants and what God has laid down, and we enter a battlefield. The Bible calls on us to stand firm and not yield.

When the Romans invaded a country they would burn their boats so there could be no means of retreat, hence the saying burning your boats. God is telling us He will give us all the power we need and the Bible calls on us to put on the whole armour of God.

In today’s passage Paul is giving guidance and draws on the imagery taken from a Roman soldier’s uniform with a portrayal of Christian life as a warfare, using spiritual metaphors for the resources given to the Christian soldier.

Paul looks at the belt which holds the soldier’s uniform together, a breastplate to defend his heart, sandals specially made with spikes in the soles to enable to get a good foothold on the ground to dig his feet in and a helmet to protect his head. A shield protects him from the darts of the enemy and he has a sword to go on the attack.

Applying them to the Christian, Paul is referring to the belt of truth which is the gospel, which holds our faith, and we must have a pure heart to live according to that truth, and then stand firm and not let our head be turned by false teaching.

Every army needs to attack, and we should be promoting Christianity as vigorously, as other faiths push their faith, armed with the two edged sword of truth. Our faith is not someone has made up; it is based on the historical and divine Jesus Christ who calls for people to turn back to God. Never let us be ashamed to tell of a Saviour who gave His life on the Cross, so that all we unworthy people may have our sins forgiven because He died that we may be made righteous for heaven when our life on this earth is over.

All who treasure the Christian faith, and the memory of those who gave their lives to preserve a Christian heritage, must work and pray for a spiritual revival of the Christian Church. The valiant hearts that died to preserve the loveliness of these lands we call Great Britain, will not be failed by God.

May we, on this special day, well remember the sacrifices others made that we might be here at this hour? We must never ever forget the lives of so many gallant young men and women given that we may have peace in our lives

I want us to remember also those brave young American men, who joined our nation in the fight for freedom on the shores of France as the invasion of Europe was made, and the airmen who flew planes from our air fields nightly over enemy territory, some never to return, but who are still in our thoughts as we see their graves in the American cemetery in England so far from their native land.

Whenever I visit this so beautifully kept ground,with the graves neatly arranged, I feel so sad that in those graves are young mens bodies, and I wonder how the parents must feel that they never had the opportunity to say good-bye. There must be bitter feelings as we see the selfish behavior of some young people today.

When you attend Church in Sunday, or listen to broadcasts of services, think of the vast loss of so many young men and women. and give appreciation for whose lives were cut short in defending freedom that we can live peacefully and be able to remember them.

 

LONELINESS 

 

The first day of November and over to Sunday, we remember those dearOnes who have died in the past year. Especially; But also our minds go back and think of past years.

 I have taken the subject of loneliness, which causes a kind of mental illness and other problems, and a great deal of unhappiness with breakdown, with medication becoming necessary.

Loneliness happens in varying degrees, much depending on why one is lonely.  A temporary absence of friends,  illness, fear of going out.    In recent times,  loneliness has become very prevalent, with the pandemic forcing many people, especially the older age groups, to remain in their homes for months to avoid catching the virus. I know the medical profession has had to deal with a rising number of people incurring mental disturbance because of living alone.

It was never God’s intention for people to have to face loneliness.  The Bible. has shown how  important it is for people to be with another; separations and being out of touch with people was to be avoided.

 In the creation story, God said after creating man, that it was not good for man to be alone, so he created woman to be his companion, so making the perfect partnership.

In Hebrews, the writer called for Christians to be with each other, and the well-known saying became well known, ‘no man is an island’.  Dwight L Moody, a famous American preacher, encouraging a young man to be with other Christians, used an illustration of a piece of coal falling from a fire and dropping on a stone plate, where it stopped burning.  People can burn out if left for long period.

A most regular cause, is after the loss of a wife or husband, when you are left in isolation, with a feeling of solitary confinement, where every minute seems like an hour. When two people commit their lives to each other at a young age, and live with dependence on each other for many years, the loss cannot fully be described.  Only by experience can the hurt be understood.

We all know life has to end, but no one can anticipate the profound feeling and effect on the remaining partner.

It has been so often said, the grief will pass with time, memories and friends will help.  This is nonsense; memories may bring soe relief, but they can also emphasise the loss, and from experience over many years, I have foundfriends have a habit of disappearing.

 No words can adequately describe what it is like, half of one’s own life goes too;  the loss of any family members can be greatly felt, but none I believe can equate with the loss of a wife or husband if the initial love is still existing.  My experience as a Minister, is that women usually face the loss  better than men, but may have more hardship in daily life, as often there is financial loss is greater.

I cannot imagine the feeling of divorcees, when the separation involves a breaking of vows, and you know the other partner is alive, but you are deprived of their presence. There must surely be feelings of betrayal and desertion, and in such cases women are the more likely to feel the effect in middle class families. The words of Henry Ford, the motor magnate, are so wise.  Asked how he managed to have such a long and happy marriage, he is quoted as saying, like with a car, keep the same model.

Yet again, men are more prone to wander away, and even in equally faulty circumstances, the wife  is left to fend on her own with reduced finance, sense of betrayal, and coping with the children.

Young people becoming University students, and leaving the protection and comfort of living with a family to go and live alone,  problems arise when sometimes dubious circumstances arise in a city, distant from their own. I have seen my own children and grandchildren having to live in student accommodation which was so different from home. In one case, the accommodation was deplorable, made worse perhaps by the fact that some young people are not use to cleanliness and hygiene, and if prisoners were housed in public prisons of similar type, there would be an outcry. 

Problems arise, when in desperation of loneliness and new environment, they are vulnerable to the vultures tempting them with drugs, alcohol, and unfitting sexual contacts.

Whatever the cause of loneliness, Christians can get encouragement from knowing they can call on God who stated, ‘I will never leave nor forsake you’.  He promised would not leave anyone who called on him, because of the death of Jesus on the Cross, who in that loneliness died to gain forgiveness for us, and so made us righteous in God’s sight to  give us salvation.

Jesus stated, come to me all ye who are heavy laden and I will give you rest.

Remember too, the long list of people in the Bible from Abraham, the prophets, David the king of Israel, to Paul who spent time of loneliness in a Roman prison, which he eloquently expressed in his very last Letter to Timothy before being executed; to Peter and other Apostles. 

Most of all to Jesus, who stood alone on the Cross for you and me, even calling out to God as he faced the walk to the Cross, but was ready to obey God and continued to do what God had planned.

There are numerous things you can do to ease feelings of distress in your loneliness. You can keep a loving photo of that lost wife or husband, and think what you would say if he/she was there.  Keep a chair or a favourite possession nearby, and think of all the happy times. People will tell you things will get better as time goes on, but don’t be sure of that.

 

Having spent a life-time dealing with people, and facing reality, the words fidelity, loyalty, trust, love, and tolerance,  I know to a great extent, a very great extent, lost their traditional meaning. What makes it worse, is that people are not feeling any guilt. 

True love will not fade, but you need to get involved in some activity.  Visit your local Church where you will make friends. You can always ask God to help you.

I close with something uplifting.  The Bible tells that for when husband and wife are true Christians, (the essential word is true, and not just those who give an occasional thought,) leave this earthly life, God has promised that for you, a day will come when you will be lifted into heaven and see that precious wife/husband,  you have missed so much, and resume the love you always had.

We give thanks to God for His care for us and those we love.

 

May God’s Holy Name be Praised and may He be Glorified.