Mark 13:1-37
We are walking through Holy Week with Jesus, tying his story to our story. We know he is headed to the cross this Friday but his followers did not know this. We know we are headed to death, hopefully not this Friday, but we do not really understand that either. Chapter 13 of Mark is like a buffer zone between Jesus’ entry into Jerusalem and the Maundy Thursday and Good Friday accounts. The chapter focuses on Jesus and friends leaving the Temple and reflecting on its beauty. Jesus uses this conversation to refocus his followers onto approaching catastrophic events. The Temple will be destroyed. They ask what the signs will be. Jesus talks about false prophets claiming to be him that will arise. He talks about geo-political symptoms and persecution. It does not sound like the reign of the Messiah they were expecting. How often do we think that God should be producing happy-ever-after in our life and yet really most likely we too will be going through rough times. Jesus is telling us that these things must happen before we meet him.
He comforts his followers with the image of the fig tree putting forth young shoots that lets us know new life is coming. Jesus gives his famous quote, “Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will not pass away.” He comforts them that no one knows the exact time of the end of life. Each day is a gift. Jesus returns to the image of a man leaving on a journey but leaving his servants in charge but at an unknown time then returns.
Jesus is returning, he has not forgotten us. The chapter ends with the admonition to “watch!” So now we have three words. Mark opens his Gospel with John the Baptist identifying as “the voice of one crying in the wilderness, prepare the way of the Lord.” At Jesus’ baptism the Father speaks and says, “This is my son.” At the transfiguration we were admonished by the voice speaking from the cloud to “Listen to him.” And now we hear from Jesus, “Watch.”
We can argue about how end times will unfold and we can joke about hoping to die in our sleep or in our recliner but the truth is that we just don’t know the day, the time, or the hour. The best we can do is “watch” and be aware of the significance of events happening around us. Jesus’ story this week and our story go together. We are not just looking back on history. Let us pray for eyes that watch — not the way we watch TV — but that we will be able to watch our spiritual journey with godly perspective, not just the beauty of life but also the significance of the events swirling around us. Lord, help.
On the Way to Wonder 