Sermon 11-17-24

Pastor Ray Lorthioir

Trinity Lutheran Church

W. Hempstead, NY

Based on the Gospel Lesson for the 26th Sunday after Pentecost, Mark 13:1-13

When?

In the last few weeks of the Church Year, the lessons always turn to the week Jesus spent in Jerusalem just before His crucifixion. This is why we’re in the thirteenth chapter of Mark this morning. As we just read, here’s what happened as recorded in Mark 13:1, “And as he [Jesus] came out of the temple, one of his disciples said to him, ‘Look, Teacher, what wonderful stones and what wonderful buildings!’” 

It’s written that the beautification project that Herod the Great embarked on for Yahweh’s Jerusalem temple resulted in an utterly spectacular building. Herod’s temple, as it is sometimes called, greatly expanded the earlier magnificent temple area first designed by Solomon and later expanded by generations of Jews. Years ago, I remember reading that the white stone of Herod’s temple would reflect the sun with a glory that could be seen for miles. Thus, the unnamed disciple was reacting to the grandeur of the second temple as reconstructed by Herod.

Jesus’ shocking response was completely unexpected. Mark 13:2, “And Jesus said to him, ‘Do you see these great buildings? There will not be left here one stone upon another that will not be thrown down.’” According to the ancient Jewish historian Josephus who definitely saw the temple before its destruction, the southeast corner of the platform that the temple stood on was deeply anchored into the Kidron valley. The wall towered forty-five stories above the valley floor.

Most modern scholars believe that Josephus was greatly exaggerating. The reason is that if we go to what is presently considered the temple mount, there is no possibility for such a structure. A forty-five story wall could only have existed if the temple had been located south of what is presently considered the temple mount.

Modern scholars never saw the temple. Josephus did. So, I’ll go with Josephus. This means that the present stone platform on which two mosques are presently located was not the temple mount. There was never any temple on it. Instead, since it’s the highest point, it was probably the site of the Roman Antonia fortress. This also means that what is considered the wailing wall, was actually part of the Roman fortress and not part of the temple.

One more thing. This means that a third temple can be built without disturbing either mosque. Thus, a huge political problem could be solved.

Now, a forty-five story wall does make sense on the part of the hill south of the stone platform. I don’t know if archaeological evidence has ever been found for the existence of such a wall. But if that wall once existed, the prophecy of Jesus certainly came true. Every stone was thrown down.

Jesus made the prediction just before Passover of one of the years between 30 and 33 A.D. The temple was destroyed on the ninth day of the Jewish month of Av in 70A.D. at the end of the first Jewish-Roman war. This was the exact same day of the Jewish calendar on which Solomon’s temple — the first temple — had been destroyed by the Babylonians in 587B.C. No temple has been rebuilt in Jerusalem since 70A.D.

Now, because of Jesus’ prediction, the disciples around Him were suddenly hungry to know more. As we read in Mark 13:3-4, “3 And as he sat on the Mount of Olives opposite the temple, Peter and James and John and Andrew asked him privately, 4 ‘Tell us, when will these things be, and what will be the sign when all these things are about to be accomplished?’” And so Jesus began the teaching we read in today’s Gospel.

Now, beginning in the 1850’s an elaborate theological theory of the end times has been put together called pre-millennialism. It pulls together not only Jesus’ teaching on the end times but Scripture from the Prophets and the Apostles. Most modern evangelical Christians subscribe to one form or another of this theory.

On the other hand, Lutherans don’t. Instead, we subscribe to the ancient theory of the church. It’s called amillennialism. The “a” in the front of the word means that the concept of Millennialism is negated.

Millennialism is based on verses like these found in Revelation 20:4-6, “4 Then I saw thrones, and seated on them were those to whom the authority to judge was committed. Also I saw the souls of those who had been beheaded for the testimony of Jesus and for the word of God, and those who had not worshiped the beast or its image and had not received its mark on their foreheads or their hands. They came to life and reigned with Christ for a thousand years. 5 The rest of the dead did not come to life until the thousand years were ended. This is the first resurrection. 6 Blessed and holy is the one who shares in the first resurrection! Over such the second death has no power, but they will be priests of God and of Christ, and they will reign with him for a thousand years.”

Millennialism considers the thousand years spoken of in these verses to be a literal thousand years of earth history. Millennialists look for this thousand year period to begin after Messiah’s return. On the other hand, Amillennialists consider the thousand years to be a symbolic number that designates the reign of Messiah through His Church. 

Thus, we’re in the millennium right now. The church has been around for well over a thousand years. However, since the number is symbolic, that doesn’t make any difference. We are priests of God and of Christ in the present time. For, as it says in 1Peter 2:4-5, “4 As you come to him, a living stone rejected by men but in the sight of God chosen and precious, 5 you yourselves like living stones are being built up as a spiritual house, to be a holy priesthood, to offer spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ.” And again in 1Peter 2:9-10, “9 But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for his own possession, that you may proclaim the excellencies of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light. 10 Once you were not a people, but now you are God’s people; once you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy.”

The task of a priest is to stand as a mediator between the living God and humanity. And so Christians represent Yahweh and Yahweh, the Son, to the world. At the same time we bring people to their Creator God through the forgiveness of sins that Jesus worked for us. This is never easy business, and persecution does result. However, the Lord continues to gather His people from all the nations of the world through us, His Church. This is what was prophesied in Revelation 20.

Amillennialists do not have an elaborate end times theory. We just say that Jesus is going to return as He promised. He can come at any time. And when He suddenly returns, that will be the end of the present age.

Now, going forward from Messiah’s return there will be a Judgment. No one who ignores, despises or hates their Creator and the Messiah will have to live through eternity with Him. No one who considers Yahweh’s righteousness to be optional, silly or oppressive will have to live in it or be filled with it. For, Yahweh has made a place to accommodate all rebels where they will never again have to see or hear of Him. 

All who enter that place will be emptied of Yahweh’s righteousness and will become evil like Satan. This is because they despised Yahweh and His righteousness. All the woes of evil and evildoers will befall them forever. The place to which they will be exiled is wretched. In Revelation it’s called the Lake of Fire. It’s called the Second Death.

On the other hand, there will be those called out of the darkness of the present age through the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Jesus promised in Matthew 13:43, “‘Then the righteous will shine like the sun in the kingdom of their Father. He who has ears, let him hear.’” At the Judgment, those who have been made righteous through the blood of Christ and the forgiveness of their sins that Jesus won for them upon the cross will shine with Yahweh’s shiny righteousness forever. 

In addition, here’s what the Apostle John saw in Revelation 21:1-4, “4 Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and the sea was no more. 2 And I saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. 3 And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, ‘Behold, the dwelling place of God is with man. He will dwell with them, and they will be his people, and God himself will be with them as their God. 4 He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away.’”

Only those who are perfect in righteousness can live with their Creator who is perfect in righteousness. And since we human sinners have no way of perfecting ourselves in righteousness, such perfecting has to be done for us. This is what the God/man Jesus did for us when He came the first time. Jesus’ sacrifice of Himself upon the cross has paid in full the debt of all human sin. He made a perfect atonement for all humanity. And that includes you and me. And so, all those who have been declared righteous in Yahweh’s sight by the blood of Messiah will live gloriously with Him forever. Being made perfect in Messiah Jesus is what God’s people are eagerly looking forward to.

Now, as we read in last week’s second lesson, Hebrews 9:28, “so Christ, having been offered once to bear the sins of many, will appear a second time, not to deal with sin but to save those who are eagerly waiting for him.” Why are Jesus’ people eagerly waiting for Him? It’s so that we can be clothed with the righteousness that awaits us. It’s so that we can dwell with Him forever in that righteousness. This is what we emphasize as the Church Year winds down. It’s also what we emphasize in Advent as the new Church Year begins.

Here are more verses that deal with this emphasis. Titus 2:11-14, “11 For the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation for all people, 12 training us to renounce ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright, and godly lives in the present age, 13 waiting for our blessed hope, the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ, 14 who gave himself for us to redeem us from all lawlessness and to purify for himself a people for his own possession who are zealous for good works.”

Those who are waiting for Jesus, the blessed hope of humanity, are waiting to be clothed with His righteousness. Therefore, by living self-controlled, upright and godly lives in the present age, we are in training for what will come. However, as the Apostle Paul acknowledges, we’re still encumbered by the lawlessness of original sin within us. So the struggle with sin and hypocrisy is ever with us and in us. 

It’s for this reason that Luther posits that all believers living on this earth are in the strange position of being saints and sinners at the same time. We are saints because our lives have been justified before Yahweh by the precious blood of Messiah Jesus. At the same time we’re sinners because the sinful nature — the power of lawlessness — has not yet been removed from us. And for this reason we groan in our spirits. Nevertheless, we persevere in the upward call of Christ for two reasons.

First, as Paul said, we’re ever looking forward to the day of our redemption, when Christ appears to redeem us from all lawlessness. Both the saints in heaven and the saints on earth are waiting for that day. And it’s not because the saints in heaven are still lawless. They are perfect in righteousness. Rather, it’s because they haven’t yet been reincarnated in the perfect human flesh that will no longer be subject to the lawlessness of Original Sin. That will not happen until the return of Jesus to this earth.

Second, as long as we are in the state of being saints and sinners at the same time, the Lord has had mercy on us. There is confession of sins and absolution. Absolution completely wipes out the debt we owe to Yahweh on account of our sins and failures. We have His promise in 1John 1:9, “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” Notice. It doesn’t say “maybe” or “might.” It definitively says, “will.” Faith believes the “will.”

Then, there is the remembrance of our baptism. In holy baptism, we have been united with Jesus in His death to sin. In baptism, we are united with Him in His resurrection to eternal righteous life in human flesh. These are the most gracious promises found in Romans chapter 6.

Finally, there is Holy Communion. The bread and wine we see, taste and consume conveys the body and blood of our Lord Jesus. And He said that His body and blood are given and shed for us for the forgiveness of sins. Forgiveness of sins wipes out sin, just like forgiveness of a debt wipes out the debt. After forgiveness of sins, only righteousness remains.

With Jesus on our side, we can be zealous for righteous living and righteous good works. We will fail continually in our efforts. Nevertheless, those looking for the redemption of their bodies persevere through all the turmoil with the assurance that Jesus is on our side. He consoles and comforts our consciences by providing faith in His perfect work, and providing faith that His work is for each of us personally. And most importantly, He gives us Lord Holy Spirit as the power behind the zeal for what is right and good. We can depend on Lord Holy Spirit.

Having said all this, it’s right to conclude with the words that the prophet, Daniel, received concerning the events that will precede and accompany the return of Messiah Jesus. These events mostly concern the nation of Israel. However, the Church is also in it. Daniel 12:1-3, “1 ‘At that time shall arise Michael, the great prince who has charge of your people. And there shall be a time of trouble, such as never has been since there was a nation till that time. But at that time your people shall be delivered, everyone whose name shall be found written in the book. 2 And many of those who sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake, some to everlasting life, and some to shame and everlasting contempt. 3 And those who are wise shall shine like the brightness of the sky above; and those who turn many to righteousness, like the stars forever and ever.’”

The wisdom from above is the knowledge of Messiah’s work. It’s also perseverance in righteous living by the power of Lord Holy Spirit. Notice that those who have been declared righteous by Yahweh will shine like sky and stars. It’s just like Jesus said. Finally, those who turn many to righteousness are us, the priesthood of all believers who comprise the Church of God. Maranatha, Lord Jesus. Come Lord Jesus. Amen.

All Bible quotes are from the ESV.