Today's Scripture:
Mark 13:24-37 “But in those days, following that distress, “‘the sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give its light; the stars will fall from the sky, and the heavenly bodies will be shaken.’ “At that time people will see the Son of Man coming in clouds with great power and glory. And he will send his angels and gather his elect from the four winds, from the ends of the earth to the ends of the heavens. “Now learn this lesson from the fig tree: As soon as its twigs get tender and its leaves come out, you know that summer is near. Even so, when you see these things happening, you know that it is near, right at the door. Truly I tell you, this generation will certainly not pass away until all these things have happened. Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will never pass away. “But about that day or hour no one knows, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father. Be on guard! Be alert! You do not know when that time will come. It’s like a man going away: He leaves his house and puts his servants in charge, each with their assigned task, and tells the one at the door to keep watch. “Therefore keep watch because you do not know when the owner of the house will come back—whether in the evening, or at midnight, or when the rooster crows, or at dawn. If he comes suddenly, do not let him find you sleeping. What I say to you, I say to everyone: ‘Watch!’”
Reflect: Reflect on a story in your life that pertains to this scripture.
I am writing this sitting outside trying to steal some time alone. The skies are grey, and it is hot. It’s not supposed to be hot this time of year and without a doubt, I am uncomfortable. Now I get to complain to all of you and maybe I’ll get some sympathy.
Throughout my life, I have had a few periods of darkness. All I knew was pain, confusion, and loneliness. I felt as if nothing would change, and my life was destined to be…well worse than awful.
These particular verses are not apocalyptic, nor do they lay out God’s plan with any sort of timeline we can put into the planner. Here we see that not even the Son knows the day or time, it is all a mystery. What we do know is that Jesus is coming back to redeem all of creation and all of His children. Any moments of being uncomfortable, pain, confusion, and loneliness are not only temporary but also of my own design and unwillingness to live into the mystery!
It’s Advent! The time we remember, and we celebrate, the coming of the person of Jesus. God coming to humanity to live among us. It is time for me, for us, to fully embrace God’s Word (that will never pass away), and to be grateful for the gift of His creation celebrating all of it - even heat in the fourth quarter of the year.
Read: What is this scripture telling you during this season?
In a concise way, I would say that these verses remind us that Jesus is coming and when He does it is going to be more than we could ever imagine. We do not have even the slightest clue as to when, so we need to be alert as we wait. Then in the middle of this passage, the example of the fig tree is used to help us understand what is being said. The way the fig tree grows and produces fruit as compared to other vegetation in the area show the seasons are changing (even though we still wouldn’t know if it is tomorrow or a few weeks from now).
Respond: How is this scripture calling you to respond?
One of my favorite words in Greek is doulos and it is used here. I am reminded to live as a disciple of Jesus preparing and helping others prepare for the return of the master. The time of my self-centered nature has passed. The leaves are coming out on the fig tree so it’s time to focus on the mysterious truth of how we are loved and live life fully.
My prayer often, and in this season, is that we all know the truth, we get excited for our sanctification, and, in the midst of the excitement of life, we look for others to serve.
About Aaron Hansz:
Hi there! I am a husband to Stephanie and a dad to Audrey, Kyle, Gretchen, Benjamin and Elizabeth…by the time you read this I might also be a grandfather. I serve as an Assistant Pastor of Outreach and Recovery here at Grace.
I have been here just over a year