Grace Bible Church
Pastor-Teacher
Robert R. McLaughlin
Monday August 3, 2020
Pastor Rick Kabrick
The Gospel of Mark. Part 6. CH 13-14
The temple was a good thing, but good things can become our very worst idols. Sometimes GOD has to sour even good things if we allow them to become our idols.
Take heed that no one deceives you: Jesus warns of the danger of false messiahs who come in HIS name.
They will pretend to be Jesus or representatives of Jesus, but they will not be, of course.
When Jesus described the abomination of desolation, we would assume there is a temple in Jerusalem. You can’t have the abomination of desolation without a temple.
1TH 4:16-18, For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of an archangel, and with the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first. Then we who are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And thus we shall always be with the Lord. Therefore comfort one another with these words.
HE will send HIS angels, and gather together HIS elect: When Jesus returns to this earth after that tribulation, HE will come with the saints in Heaven (that’s us) and to gather those who have come to Jesus during the tribulation and have survived.
Jesus assured that the agonies of the great tribulation would not continue indefinitely; they will have an end. Mankind could not endure this for long. It will be that bad.
Some have the idea, “We don’t know when Jesus is coming, so it doesn’t matter.”
Others have the idea, “We don’t know when Jesus is coming, so we have to find out and set a date.”
The right response is, “I don’t know when Jesus is coming so I have to be alert, eager, and ready for His coming.”
The good news in Jesus is that we don’t have to go through this calamity that will come. HE will take from the earth those who are HIS before this calamity begins.
HIS house: The church belongs to Jesus, but HE entrusts it to each one of us.
HIS authority: We are to live and serve in the authority of Jesus, and responsibility is always coupled with authority.
HIS work: Each servant has his work to do. We aren’t responsible for someone else’s work, but we certainly are responsible for ours.
John tells us that it was specifically Judas who was indignant about the expense because he was a thief, and had the money box; and he used to take what was put in it.
She found it not by longing for a position, but simply by loving Jesus and serving HIM. There’s a lesson for many.
The Essenes, the dead sea scrolls Essenes were a celibate group and the men carried the water. More importantly, they had a slightly different calendar and this particular year they celebrated the Passover one day earlier than the Orthodox Jews did.
In Middle Eastern culture and others, betraying a friend after eating a meal with him was and is regarded as the worst kind of treachery.
So, this third cup is what we do in the LORD’s Supper. And we have a great…great glass of wine waiting for us in Heaven.
Peter only looked to how he felt at the moment, and at the moment he felt pretty brave. We all write checks we cant cash from our emotions.
Jesus marveled that they sent a small army to arrest Him. Yet, He was in command; with a word HE could destroy all those who came to arrest HIM. But the Scriptures must be fulfilled.
HE could have mounted a magnificent defense here, calling the people He taught, healed, the blind who see, even the demons themselves would have testified to HIS deity. Imagine that, demon on trial…Jesus fulfilled ISA 53:7, opened not His mouth; He was led as a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before its shearers is silent.