With all the benefits for society over the centuries in different area, the thought that people are getting better and will get better is undermined by Jesus. Because He looks at the heart and not the outside.
Jesus as He was going out of the temple, one of the disciples said, “Teacher, look! What wonderful stones and [b]what wonderful buildings!”-{v1}. And Jesus answered, “Do you see these great buildings? Not one stone will be left upon another, which will not be torn down.”-{v2}
“As He was sitting on the Mount of Olives opposite the temple, Peter, James, John, and Andrew were questioning Him privately, “Tell us, when will these things come about, and what will be the sign when all these things are going to be fulfilled?” And Jesus began to say to them, “See to it that no one misleads you. Many will come in My name, saying, ‘I am He!’ and they will mislead many. When you hear of wars and rumors of wars, do not be alarmed; those things must take place; but that is not yet the end. For nation will rise up against nation, and kingdom against kingdom; there will be earthquakes in various places; there will also be famines. These things are only the beginning of birth pains.”- v 3-8}
Jesus was sitting on the mount of Olives, and four of His disciples are with Him and speak about the beauty of the temple and Jesustells them that the day is coming when these buildings will be destroyed. JUDGMENT IS COMING!
And the disciples want to know when will this happen and what will be the sign. And Jesus in this chapter gives them some WARNINGS…. and in particular verses 5-13.
“SEE TO IT”– This is a command, and is to be continuous, a lifestyle. Do this and always do this…Be aware,obsevevant. Jesus is giving the disciples a warning, because of the danger if they fail to hear and heed what He is saying.
- “MISLED” –Mislead (deceive) (planao from plane which describes “a wandering” and gives us our English word planet) means to cause one to wander (cf first use in NT of “straying” sheep = Mt 18:12-13) or to go astray from a specific way. To cause someone to hold a wrong view and thus be mistaken. To delude or cause one to wander from the Truth of God’s Word. In Mt 22:29 Jesus used planao to refute the false belief of His detractors declaring “You are mistaken (NIV = in error; NET = deceived; ESV = wrong), not understanding the Scriptures, or the power of God.”.”-(gotquestions.com)
It is possible for followers of Christ to be deceived, misled, not that they lose their salvation but can be deceived. Paul speaks of this in Colossians 2 where he warns in verse4 “persuasive arguments.,” verse 8, “See to it that there is no one who takes you captive through philosophy and empty deception in accordance with human tradition…”, verse 18. “Take care that no one keeps defrauding you of your prize by delighting in humility and the worship of the angels, taking his stand on visions he has seen, [v]inflated without cause by his fleshly mind,…”
Jesus warns the disciples and foretells the future of what human life will be like before His return
1.- RELIGIOUS DECEPTION-
Will be worse.
“Many will come in My name, saying, ‘I am He!’ and they will mislead many.” -{v6}
“Many will say I am the Messiah”. The Hebrew word “ Messiah,” means annointed, chosen one, who was sent to spiritually deliver the people. The Greek equivelent is “Christ.”
And in another gospel not only say they were Messiah but predicted the time of His return.
Jesus says be alert, that many will come with signs but don’t be Deceived…don’t be led astray, misled. Be warned it is possible to be led astray by theses false teachers, with false messages. “SEE TO IT…” Don’t be naieve, be vigilent, continuously look out for your spiritual health.
- “And then if anyone says to you, ‘Look, here is the Christ’; or, ‘Look, there He is’; do not believe it; for false christs and false prophets will arise, and will provide signs and wonders, in order to mislead, if possible, the elect. But beware; I have told you everything in advance.“- (v21-23}
“False christs and fall prophets will arise.”
“will provide signs and wonders.”
“in order to lislead, if possible”
“BEWARE, I have told you everythig in advance.” -{v21-23}
Know they are “Birth Pains….” JESUS IS ON HIS WAY…COMING AGAIN!
2.- CALAMITOUS TIMES–
Will increase through wars and what some call “natural disasters.”
“When you hear of wars and rumors of wars, do not be alarmed; those things must take place; but that is not yet the end. For nation will rise up against nation, and kingdom against kingdom; there will be earthquakes in various places; there will alsobe famines. These things are only the beginning of birth pains.”- {v7-8}.
“Wars and rumors of wars: Jesus reminded us that before He returned there would be many wars and threats of war on the earth. In troubled times, many people assume that the end of the age is near, but Jesus said that wars and rumors of wars are not signs of the end.”-{enduringword}
“DO NOT BE ALARMED”-
“BIRTH PAINS.” –
As horific as these things are and will be Jesus says they are but the “birth pains.” they are not the end.
Know they are “Birth Pains….” JESUS IS ON HIS WAY…COMING AGAIN!
3.- RELENTLESS PERSECUTION–
Followers of Christ will experience increased, relentless persecution due to heir identification with the LORD Jesus Christ! He says it will increase from the Jews, Gentiles -{v9}…and even family mebers will turn against those who are followers of the LORD Jesus.
“But be on your guard; for they will hand you over to the courts, and you will be flogged in thesynagogues, and you will stand before governors and kings for My sake, as a testimony to them. And the gospel must first be preached to all the nations. And when they arrest you and hand you over, do not worry beforehand about what you are to say, but say whatever is given you at that time; for you are not the ones speaking, but it is the Holy Spirit. And brother will betray brother to death, and a father his child; and children will rise up against parents and have them put to death. And you will be hated by everyone because of My name, but it is the one who has endured to the end who will be saved.”-{v 9-13}
Their suffering would be for a reason, “FOR MY SAKE,” Jesus says. It was not because they brought it on themselve as evil doers but because of identification with Jesus!
The LORD Jesus doesnt sugarcoat it, it will not only be society at large that will instigate this relentless persecution but indeed those closest to you- your family, Jesus says, it will include “Betrayal…” and even “…death…”
There is no safe place either from society or in the family…Jesus tells the disciples…”and brother will betray brother to death.and a father his child; and children will rise up against parents and have them put to death.”
“Brother will betray brother to death: The followers of Jesus should expect the most painful kinds of rejection and betrayal as they sought to stand strong for Jesus.
- It is easy for us to underestimate how difficult a time of persecution can be. While few Christians in the Western world face persecution, Christians in other parts of the world often face these trials.
- If I came from an orthodox Jewish family, they might consider me a blasphemer and account me as dead for choosing Jesus.
- If I came from a strict Muslim family, I might be rejected by my family and be literally killed for choosing Jesus.
- If I came from a Hindu family in India, I could be rejected and martyred for choosing Jesus.
- In China, I would be allowed to practice Christianity only in the state-sponsored church – or be persecuted. My church might be one of the 1,500 destroyed or shut down since November of 2000.
- In Sudan, I might be killed or literally enslaved by a Muslim army.
- In Indonesia, I might be given a choice by Muslims: convert to Islam or die, or I might have my church bombed during a worship service.
- In Pakistan, I might be jailed by Muslim government officials.
- According to David B. Barrett in his book Today’s Martyrs, some 165,000 Christians died for their faith in the year 2000. Researchers estimate that since the Day of Pentecost, more than 43 million Christians have been killed for their faith. A persecution index provided by Open Doors with Brother Andrew listed 28 countries with strong or massive persecution. In another 23 countries, Christians suffer discrimination and, in some regions, severe harassment.”-{enduringword}
Know they are “Birth Pains….” JESUS IS ON HIS WAY…COMING AGAIN!
So why is this different. Jesus says it will get worse and worse the point is recognize the times. Don’t be deceived, misled, RECOGNIZE THE TIMES.. .know that despite the times that… Jesus is coming. No mater how bad times get…these are but BIRTH PAINS… TO THAT GREAT EVENT THAT….JESUS IS ON HIS WAY…. HE IS COMING AGAIN!
- “Be on your guard” is from the Greek root word blepo. Literally, it means to see or watch. But it also means to look at events with a discerning eye and determine what the real meaning is. In this chapter, Jesus does not mean for us to be on our guard passively or to just analyze events so we can determine when He will return. He means for us to consider what is going on and determine what our response should be, including
- trusting God over family (Mark 13:11–13),
- fighting misinformation (Mark 13:5),
- continuing the work of spreading the gospel (Mark 13:10, 34–37),
- and staying alive when possible (Mark 13:14–16).-{Bible ref}
Let no one lead you astray with false teachers, or with calamitous times, viewing the times apart from through the lens of Scripture, or with the suffering’s believers experience throughout time.
Jesus predicts these things and warns don’t be misled, be observant know the times will get much worse than ever before, these are birth pains as it were, but beyond all these have the long view, the heavenly look… for Just as Jesus had predicted His death and resurrection, and these proved to be so, so too His prediction of what life would become on earth, and even Paul in his letter to Timothy – 2 Timothy 3:1-“But realize this, that in the last days difficult times will come. For people will be lovers of self, lovers of money, boastful, arrogant, slanderers, disobedient to parents, ungrateful, unholy, unloving, irreconcilable, malicious gossips, without self-control, brutal, [a]haters of good, treacherous, reckless, conceited, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, holding to a form of godliness although they have denied its power; avoid such people as these. “-{2 Timothy 3:1-5}
But despite the false teachers, calamitous events, relentless persecution of believers.
in the midst of the chaos, cruelty…
know for certain
they are “Birth Pains….”
REMEMBER…
JESUS IS ON HIS WAY…COMING AGAIN! 
God BLESS,
Aidan