Message: Stay Awake / Mark 13:1-8
As he came out of the temple, one of his disciples said to him, “Look, Teacher, what large stones and what large buildings!” Then Jesus asked him, “Do you see these great buildings? Not one stone will be left here upon another; all will be thrown down.” When he was sitting on the Mount of Olives opposite the temple, Peter, James, John, and Andrew asked him privately, “Tell us, when will this be, and what will be the sign that all these things are about to be accomplished? Then Jesus began to say to them, “Beware that no one leads you astray. Many will come in my name and say, ‘I am he!’ and they will lead many astray. When you hear of wars and rumors of wars, do not be alarmed; this must take place, but the end is still to come. For nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom; there will be earthquakes in various places; there will be famines. This is but the beginning of the birth pangs.
There is nothing eternal on Earth. Even Mike Tyson can't remain at the top forever. Last Friday, Tyson, one of the greatest boxing champions ever, stepped into the ring at 58 years old to face 27-year-old Jake Paul. Despite his age, Tyson showed incredible courage and strength, lasting all eight rounds of the match. Yet, in the end, the young fighter won by decision. Tyson’s loss was not merely a failure, but a reflection of a simple truth: Nothing is eternal on Earth, and it is what it is.
In today’s Gospel reading, Jesus’ disciples marvelled at the magnificent temple in Jerusalem. The highest wall of the temple was 50 m (165 feet) high. Overwhelmed by its grandeur and beauty, they exclaimed, “Look, Teacher, what large stones and what large buildings!”
The Jewish historian Flavius Josephus, who had seen the temple with his own eyes, shows more details about its appearance in his book The Jewish War, as follows: “The exterior of the building wanted nothing that could astound either mind or eye. For, being covered on all sides with massive plates of gold, the sun was no sooner up than it radiated so fiery a flash that persons straining to look at it were compelled to avert their eyes, as from the solar rays. To approaching strangers it appeared from a distance like a snow-clad mountain; for all that was not overlaid with gold was of purest white. From its summit protruded sharp golden spikes to prevent birds from settling upon and polluting the roof. Some of the stones in the building were forty-five cubits (67.5 feet) in length, five (7.5 feet) in height and six (9 feet) in breadth.”
But Jesus reminded his disciples of a deeper truth, saying, “Do you see these great buildings? Not one stone will be left here upon another; all will be thrown down.” The temple, no matter how grand or beautiful, would one day fall. In this statement, Jesus taught them that nothing in this world is permanent.
The temple was originally intended as a place to encounter the eternal God. However, over time, people began to treat the temple itself as if it were God. It’s like someone needing to cross a river to meet a loved one. After crossing by boat, what should they do? They should step off the boat and continue on their journey. It would be foolish to carry the boat with them or to mistake the boat for their loved one and give up on the journey altogether. Yet, that’s what happened in Jesus’ time. The people replaced their faith in the eternal Creator with faith in a temporary building.
What Jesus emphasized was not that everything in this world is meaningless simply because nothing is eternal. God has given us all things in this world as beautiful and good gifts. Through these gifts, God reveals Godself to us, and we can discover God as the Source of all Love. The problem arises when we stop enjoying these gifts as channels through which we experience God’s grace and instead try to replace God with them.
When we lose sight of God as our ultimate hope, we cling to what is visible, what is temporary. At this point, the freedom God has given to humanity becomes distorted, leading us into addiction and idolatry. The American psychiatrist and theologian, Gerald G. May (1940–2005), puts it this way: “It (addiction) is like a psychic malignancy, sucking our life energy into specific obsessions and compulsions, leaving less and less energy available for other people and other pursuits. Spiritually, addiction is a deep-seated form of idolatry. The objects of our addictions become our false gods.” (Addictions and Grace)
We have to beware of those who seek to exploit human anxiety, leading us into addiction and idolatry. Some of Jesus’ disciples asked him to give them signs of the end times. However, Jesus did not mention any specific signs of the last days because no one knows when that day will come. Instead, he warned his disciples to be on guard against those who would try to deceive them. Furthermore, he urged them not to be alarmed when they hear rumours of things that might frighten or shake them. 'Do not be alarmed' can also be translated as 'Don’t be troubled' or 'Don’t be shaken.'
Why did Jesus emphasize this? Because fear is one of the most powerful tools of deception. In times of crisis, whether through wars, natural disasters, or personal struggles, fear can grip our hearts and paralyze us. It often leads us to cling to false hopes or blindly follow those who exploit our anxiety for their benefit.
In Jesus’ time, Herod the Great exploited the fear of the people, who were living under foreign oppression, to strengthen his own political power. By rebuilding the temple in Jerusalem, he turned what was meant to be a sacred place of worship into a monument to his authority. Jesus saw the dangers of such manipulation and warned his disciples to stay awake and remain firm.
One of the most pressing issues in our society today is the rise of scams and fraud, particularly online or over the phone. According to the Canadian government, 63,789 incidents were reported in Canada in 2023, involving 28,634 victims and resulting in losses of $503 million. Many of us have likely received scam calls, texts, or emails.
These fraudsters exploit fear to manipulate people, sometimes fabricating stories about loved ones in danger. The damage they cause goes far beyond financial loss. They erode trust, planting seeds of doubt and cynicism in our hearts. When trust breaks down, society becomes like hell. What these scammers destroy is not just bank accounts, but the human mind and soul.
In times of turmoil, Jesus calls us not to panic, but to stay awake. “Stay awake,” he says, not with fear, but with faith. What we believe is that no matter the circumstances, God’s love remains steadfast. When we stand on the firm foundation of faith, fear cannot take hold of our hearts.
Jesus reassures us that even in the darkest moments, God is still at work. The chaos we face are not signs of despair, but signs of a new beginning. Much like the labour pains before birth, these challenges point us toward the coming of something new, brought forth by God’s hands.
To stay firm in the face of challenges, we need to focus on the work God has entrusted to us. Whether caring for our families, serving our communities, or sharing the good news with our neighbours, we are called to be faithful to the mission God has placed before us. By staying committed to this work, we anchor ourselves in God’s unchanging love and resist being overwhelmed by fear. Through this, we not only find purpose but also become vessels of hope in a world that desperately needs it.
Today, according to the church calendar, we are on the second-last Sunday of the liturgical year. During this time, the Lectionary turns our focus to eschatology, meaning the study of the end times. For Christians, eschatology is not about fear or despair over the end of the world, but about the ultimate hope we have in God's victory.
When the world feels dark, we are reminded that God continues to light candles of hope through each of us. While nothing on this earth is eternal, God's love endures forever. As we near the end of this year, let us place our hope in the One whose love never changes. May our congregation stand as a beacon of God's grace, even amidst the chaos and uncertainty of our times.
Thanks be to God. Amen.
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