The Things That Are Coming – part 1
077 The Things That Are Coming – part 1
Mark 13:1-37 (1-2)
October 18, 2026
This morning we approach a new segment in Mark’s gospel,
Though admittedly, Mark doesn’t devote nearly as much time to it as Matthew.
It is the conversation typically known as “The Olivet Discourse”
Or Jesus’ teaching on the end.
And certainly when you study Matthew’s gospel that is the focus.
According to Matthew, the subject of this discourse is clearly “the end”.
Matthew 24:3 “As He was sitting on the Mount of Olives, the disciples came to Him privately, saying, “Tell us, when will these things happen, and what will be the sign of Your coming, and of the end of the age?”
Matthew 24:6 “You will be hearing of wars and rumors of wars. See that you are not frightened, for those things must take place, but that is not yet the end.”
Matthew 24:14 “This gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in the whole world as a testimony to all the nations, and then the end will come.”
As Matthew records this discourse of Jesus
He very much picks up on Jesus’ speaking about the end.
But you’ll notice Mark doesn’t mention it.
We do read in verse 13, “the one who endures to the end, he will be saved.”
· But that’s not really a reference to the end of all things,
· But rather to the end of your ministry or even to the end of your life.
When Mark (or Peter) was listening to this discourse
He was NOT so captivated with the details of the end.
Mark was far more captivated by the calling of Jesus regarding
How His followers should live in a world headed for judgment.
Mark only records one chapter, but it is packed full of commands.
· (5) “See to it”
· (7) “Do not be frightened”
· (9) “Be on your guard”
· (11) “Do not worry”
· (18) “Pray”
· (21) “Do not believe him”
· (23) “Take heed”
· (28) “Now learn”
· (33) “Take heed”
· (33) “Keep on the alert”
· (34) “stay on the alert”
· (35) “be on the alert”
· (37) “be on the alert”
The focus of Mark becomes very clear.
While the topic of conversation is in regard to things yet to come,
What Mark hears is an admonition from Jesus
Regarding how to live in light of those things.
It’s NOT so much about building a timeline or cracking the code,
Or getting the details of when it all will happen.
It is more about knowing what is coming and being faithful as it comes.
It reminds us of that final command of Jesus before His ascension.
Acts 1:6-8 “So when they had come together, they were asking Him, saying, “Lord, is it at this time You are restoring the kingdom to Israel?” He said to them, “It is not for you to know times or epochs which the Father has fixed by His own authority; but you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be My witnesses both in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and even to the remotest part of the earth.”
· Jesus told the disciples there that the focus wasn’t on “times or epochs”,
· The focus was to be on being witnesses in a world headed for judgment.
That seems to be Mark’s main objective as well.
One of the reasons it is important for you to know that is because
I’m convinced if you read this segment in search of the wrong thing
You will only end up in confusion.
Allow me to just speak a little to eschatology for a moment (end times)
WE ARE THOSE
· Who believe in a coming tribulation that will cover the earth.
· It will be followed by the return of Christ.
· And then we believe Christ will set up a literal 1,000 year reign on the earth
We have been classified as pre-millennialists or even dispensationalists,
But I’m really not that concerned about the title.
AND MANY TIMES WHAT HAPPENS IS
· People try to study a chapter like this and try to force their view of the end times into the chapter
· And it becomes nothing more than session seeking to confirm what we think about the end.
But it might surprise you to know that our view point
Is not the only view point that does this.
Allow me to show you how an AMILLENNIALIST reads this same chapter.
An amillennialist does not believe in a literal 1,000 year reign of Christ,
They believe the millennium to be symbolic of the present time.
AND INCIDENTALLY THIS VIEW IS ON THE RISE AGAIN TODAY.
Amillennialism is the predominant view of classic reformed theology.
So as reformed theology continues to grow so does amillennialism.
· Men like Luther, Calvin, Augustine were all amillennialists.
· Many of the puritans were as well like Matthew Henry.
· In current days it would be men like R.C. Sproul or even Vodie Bauchum and many others.
I want to give you amillennialism in their words.
This is from Ligonier’s website.
“Amillennialists believe that the “binding of Satan” took place during Jesus’ earthly ministry: Satan was restrained by God while the good news of Christ’s salvation was announced, and that “restraining order” is still in force today, as the gospel continues to go out. So the “thousand years” in Revelation simply means “that extended period of time during which the gospel is preached to the world.”
Unlike some other views of the millennium, amillennialists believe that while Christians will have a “salt and light” influence on the culture in which they live, they won’t ultimately “redeem” or “transform” the culture. Instead, as the end draws near, evil will continue to grow, leading to a “great tribulation” for all believers, and the appearance of the Antichrist—a figure who will persecute God’s people. Then Christ will return to resurrect the dead, judge all humanity, and inaugurate a new heaven and a new earth, in which His people will no longer be subject to suffering or pain, only joy—a kingdom which will be eternal.”
https://learn.ligonier.org/podcasts/simply-put/amillennialism
Now, I bring them up, because when they read the Olivet Discourse
They are not predominantly looking for something that is yet future for us.
They believe Jesus to be talking about something
That was already fulfilled in A.D. 70 when Rome destroyed the temple.
And, because we want to be honest and accurate,
We have to concede that some of their points here are pretty convincing.
FOR EXAMPLE:
The chapter begins with the announcement of Jesus that “these great buildings” would be “torn down”.
· Clearly Jesus was looking at the temple and the surrounding buildings.
· Clearly Jesus was referring to their destruction.
While Matthew points out that the disciples also asked about
The coming of Jesus and the end of the age,
Mark only records them asking when this temple would be destroyed.
(4) “Tell us, when will these things be, and what will be the sign when all these things are going to be fulfilled?”
If all you had was Mark’s gospel
You wouldn’t even consider that they were discussing
Anything other than the destruction of their temple.
And history teaches that this present temple was destroyed in A.D. 70.
FURTHERMORE, if you want to take a history book in your hand while you read Mark’s account, it’s not hard to line up the details.
For example, let’s talk about wars and famines.
· (7) “When you hear of wars and rumors of wars…”
· (8) “there will be earthquakes in various places; there will also be famines”
William Barclay writes:
“But it is extremely interesting to note that the things Jesus prophesied were in fact happening. He prophesied wars and the dreaded Parthians were in fact pressing in on the Roman frontiers. He prophesied earthquakes and within forty years the Roman world was aghast at the earthquake which devastated Laodicea and by the eruption of Vesuvius which buried Pompeii in lava. He prophesied famines, and there was a famine in Rome in the days of Claudius. It was in fact such a time of terror in the near future that when Tacitus began his histories he said that everything happening seemed to prove that the gods were seeking, not salvation, but vengeance on the Roman Empire.”
(Barclay, William [The Gospel of Mark; Westminster Press; Philadelphia, PA; 1975] pg. 320)
Marvin Vincent noted the threats of war on the Jews by Roman emperors Caligula, Claudius, and Nero.
He also wrote of earthquakes:
“Between the prophecy and the destruction of Jerusalem occurred: A great earthquake in Crete, A.D. 46 or 47; at Rome, on the day on which Nero entered the majority, A.D. 51; at Apameia, in Phrygia in A.D. 53; “on account of which,” says Tacitus, “they were exempted from tribute for 5 years:” at Laodicea, in Phrygia, A.D. 60: in Campania, A.D. 63, by which, according to Tacitus, the city of Pompeii was largely destroyed.”
He writes also of famines:
“During the reign of Claudius, A.D. 41-54, four famines are recorded: One at Rome, A.D. 41,42; one in Judaea, A.D. 44; one in Greece, A.D. 50; and again at Rome, A.D. 52, when the people rose in rebellion and threatened the life of the emperor.’
(Vincent, Marvin [Vincent’s Word Studies In The New Testament: Vol. 1; Hendrickson Publishers; Peabody, MA) pg. 222)
Or we could talk about the terrible tribulation that accompanied the destruction of Jerusalem.
· How those who fled to the mountains were actually delivered,
· How those in the city suffered a horrible death of starvation and slaughter.
I JUST POINT THAT OUT TO YOU BECAUSE
Those who use this chapter to support amillennialism,
Do so with a fair amount of historical evidence
To support that everything Jesus spoke of here already happened.
What is more, you can go to their chief proof text in verse 30,
(30) “Truly I say to you, this generation will not pass away until all these things take place.”
· They take what would certainly appear to be the most straightforward reading of the verse
· Which would indicate that Jesus was saying that those alive at the time would witness everything that He was talking about.
And you read all that and say, “Wow, I’m starting to question my view of the end times. Maybe it did all happen, the evidence looks pretty solid.”
· Why do we not hold to that view?
· Why do we believe that Jesus was referring to events yet to be fulfilled in this chapter?
· Why do we believe that the millennium has not yet come and that the events here precede it?
Well that’s because the amillennial position,
Though it has some intriguing points, is not bullet proof.
I will certainly concede that
· Jesus must have had in mind here the coming destruction of the temple in
Jerusalem,
But I must also say that
· The things He spoke of here must have included much more than the events
of A.D. 70.
FOR EXAMPLE.
When Jesus talks about wars and famines and earthquakes
And nation against nation HE DOESN’T SAY THAT IT IS THE END.
He says (8) “These things are merely the beginning of the birth pangs.”
As John MacArthur notes:
“the fact that Jesus used the figure of birth pangs (13:8; cf. 1 Thess. 5:3) indicates that He was speaking about the end of the church age, not the beginning. After all, labor pains do not occur throughout the entire pregnancy but only at the end. Since the destruction of the temple occurred early in church history, the figure of birth pangs could not apply to that event.”
(MacArthur, John [The MacArthur New Testament Commentary: Mark; Moody Publishers; Chicago, IL; 2015] pg. 230)
Birth pangs doesn’t make sense
If it was all over before the church ever even got rolling good.
Furthermore Jesus makes statements like:
(10) “The gospel must first be preached to all nations”
· That certainly didn’t happen prior to A.D. 70.
Or when Jesus spoke of the “Abomination of Desolation”
He’s talking about something Daniel made clear.
Amillennialists are inconsistent in what it means.
· Some say the Roman presence in the temple at the destruction was the
abomination.
· Some say the crucifixion of Jesus was the abomination and the desolation
was the destruction which followed.
· But none of those hold water since Daniel clearly explained what it was.
Even their proof text verse (30) has difficulty.
For it clearly says, “this generation will not pass away until ALL these things take place.”
And by the time Jesus said that, He had already stated in verse 26
“Then they will see the Son of Man coming in clouds with great power and glory.”
You can’t say “all things” and exclude the second coming of Christ
(Like the amillennialists do), which clearly did not happen.
Clearly Jesus was talking about things that have yet to be fulfilled.
Clearly He was talking about things that have not yet happened.
There is no way we can say that it was all fulfilled in A.D. 70.
And there would be other points of debate.
BUT I GIVE YOU A LITTLE OF THE DEBATE FOR THIS REASON
If you’re goal is to read a chapter like this and nail down
A clear view of how the end is going to play out, it’s not going to happen.
Some of the greatest and most devout theological minds throughout the history of the church have been unable to read a chapter like Mark 13 and come to a consensus on the events of the end.
CLEARLY GIVING YOU A TIMELINE IS NOT THE GOAL.
A timeline or a blueprint of the end is not the point
Or the Holy Spirit would have made that clear and obvious to everyone.
The goal here is not to tell you “when”
· As in “when will it happen?”
The goal here is to emphasize “whenever”
· As in “be ready whenever it happens.”
And I’ll give you a little spoiler here.
The disciples asked “when” and Jesus directly answers their question.
(32) “But of that day or hour no one knows, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but the Father alone.”
The answer they seek will not be given.
Instead, Jesus is going to speak to them about faithfulness until the end.
So don’t read this chapter with the attempt
To make it say what Jesus is not saying.
Read this chapter and listen to Mark
So that you can understand the message He is intending for you to learn.
That message is all about faithfulness in a world headed for judgment.
That’s what we want to see.
That’s what we’re going to see.
We all have our best guesses regarding how it’s going to play out.
· We know Christ will return.
· We know judgment will follow.
What Jesus says to the disciples is
How to be faithful in a world
That is not ready for either of those events.
· We want to be the voice of truth in a world of lies.
· We want to be light in a world of darkness.
· We want to be salt in a world without flavor.
· We want to be people of faith in a world full of fear.
· We want to be a pillar and support of truth in a world of deception.
And that is what Jesus wants to talk about next.
It’s going to take us several sermons to get through this entire discourse,
But the chapter as a whole breaks down into 4 main points.
#1 THE OBSERVATION
Mark 13:1-2
Now, let’s draw our minds back to where we have been.
· It is now Wednesday evening.
· Jesus has entered Jerusalem.
· Jesus has cleared the temple.
· Jesus has just won “The Temple War”
He has faced accusations and riddles
He has totally annihilated and humiliated
All of the religious leaders who challenged Him.
Now He is finished for the night and He is going home.
(1) “As He was going out of the temple, one of His disciples said to Him, “Teacher, behold what wonderful stones and what wonderful buildings.”
It may have been small talk, but regardless, the disciple wasn’t wrong.
THE STRUCTURE ITSELF WAS MARVELOUS.
Josephus wrote:
“Now the outward face of the Temple in its front wanted for nothing that was likely to surprise men’s minds or their eyes, for it was covered all over with plates of gold of great weight, and, at the first rising of the sun, reflected back a very fiery splendour, and made those who forced themselves to look upon it turn their eyes away, just as they would have done at the sun’s own rays.”
(Cited in Barclay, pg. 308)
The temple was built on Mount Moriah (where Abraham sacrificed Isaac)
Instead of being leveled,
It was built upon a massive platform
That was laid upon foundation stones.
Some of those stones were 40’ wide by 12’ high by 18’ wide
Weighing over hundred tons.
It was a massive architectural feet which Herod was building
Herod would still be building it 40 years later when Rome would destroy it.
But the disciple here was mesmerized by the building.
And yet Jesus must have burst his bubble when He responded.
(2) “And Jesus said to him, “Do you see these great buildings? Not one stone will be left upon another which will not be torn down.”
It is true that Rome would indeed destroy this temple in A.D. 70.
· Today upon this structure sits the Dome of the Rock, not the Jewish temple.
This was an announcement by Jesus that
This entire corrupt Jewish system was about to be destroyed.
So if you want to follow correctly right out of the gate
MARK’S POINT IS VERY IMPORTANT.
We have disciples who were amazed.
· They marveled at man’s great accomplishments.
Jesus was not amazed.
· When He looked at that temple He saw man’s great failure.
Can you imagine what a letdown that temple must have been to Christ?
Sure it was sitting on massive stones.
· It must have looked like it would last forever.
Sure it was covered in gold.
· It must have been the pinnacle of glory to the human eye.
But when the Son of God looked at its corruption
And the purpose it served in the nation
He saw neither stability or glory.
He did not see glory,
· He saw defilement.
He did not see something enduring,
· He saw something soon to be destroyed.
JESUS DID NOT SEE
Effective religion which brought men closer to God and glorified Him.
JESUS SAW
A glorious outer structure that was full of robbery and self-indulgence.
There was nothing amazing to Him here.
There was nothing salvageable to Him here.
This place, like Solomon’s temple before it,
HAD ACCOMPLISHED NOTHING
But securing men in their legalistic religion and ultimate doom.
What we have here is history repeating itself.
TURN TO: JEREMIAH 7
(READ 1-11)
· You recognize that passage for it is the one Jesus actually quoted as He cleared the temple of the money changers.
But do you see the same misconception there as here?
· There you had people steeped in iniquity
· But they were certain that their glorious temple was a safe-haven
· Which would protect them from judgment.
Jeremiah told them how pathetic that worship really was.
Furthermore Jeremiah warned them that apart from true repentance even the glorious temple of Solomon would not endure.
(READ 12-15)
· And God did what He said.
· Nebuchadnezzar came in and burned that temple to the ground.
The book of Jeremiah, along with the Lamentations of Jeremiah
Become a lasting cry against the utter futility of Jewish religion.
That’s what the book of Jeremiah is all about.
That’s what the book of Lamentations is all about.
TURN TO: JEREMIAH 25:1-11
· Do you see how their religion failed them?
· Do you see how their sacrifices could not protect them?
· Do you see even how the very presence of the temple was not enough to deliver?
The book of Lamentations is Jeremiah, after the fall of the city, sitting among the rubble lamenting the uselessness of their religion.
TURN TO: LAMENTATIONS 2
And the entire book is like that.
· God has rejected.
· God has abandoned.
· God has destroyed.
· God has not accepted the religion of this place.
It was the darkest time of Israel’s history.
· Their religion had failed them.
· Their sacrifices had not worked.
· The Law had only condemned them.
They were not able to appease God’s wrath
They fell under His judgment.
It was a cold and brutal time of weeping for Jeremiah.
AND NOW, here we are 600 years later
And Jesus is following Jeremiah’s lament.
In fact, Jesus has already started.
Luke 19:41-44 “When He approached Jerusalem, He saw the city and wept over it, saying, “If you had known in this day, even you, the things which make for peace! But now they have been hidden from your eyes. “For the days will come upon you when your enemies will throw up a barricade against you, and surround you and hem you in on every side, and they will level you to the ground and your children within you, and they will not leave in you one stone upon another, because you did not recognize the time of your visitation.”
· Jesus said that as He first approached Jerusalem,
· The disciples has failed to pay attention to it.
AND NOW, HERE ARE THE DISCIPLES,
Like those in Jeremiah 7 Saying,
The temple of the LORD, the temple of the LORD, the temple of the LORD
They were amazed at the beauty and glory of the place.
But Jesus was not.
He was broken over this place.
· It would not last.
· It had not worked.
· It, like the temple before it would be utterly destroyed.
Mark doesn’t include it,
But Jesus has just lambasted the leaders of that very temple.
Matthew 23:13 “But woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites, because you shut off the kingdom of heaven from people; for you do not enter in yourselves, nor do you allow those who are entering to go in.”
Matthew 23:15 “Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites, because you travel around on sea and land to make one proselyte; and when he becomes one, you make him twice as much a son of hell as yourselves.”
It was a testimony to the useless religion taking place in that temple.
· Outwardly impressive, inwardly useless.
Luke recorded Jesus weeping as He entered the city.
Matthew recorded Jesus lamenting as He left the city.
Matthew 23:37-38 “Jerusalem, Jerusalem, who kills the prophets and stones those who are sent to her! How often I wanted to gather your children together, the way a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, and you were unwilling. “Behold, your house is being left to you desolate!
And now here we are in Mark’s gospel with Jesus announcing the doom.
CAN WE SAY SOMETHING AGAIN
About the ineffectiveness of man-made religion?
IT HAS NEVER WORKED.
Go back to the book of Genesis
See the rival between two brothers.
Genesis 4:1-8 “Now the man had relations with his wife Eve, and she conceived and gave birth to Cain, and she said, “I have gotten a manchild with the help of the Lord.” Again, she gave birth to his brother Abel. And Abel was a keeper of flocks, but Cain was a tiller of the ground. So it came about in the course of time that Cain brought an offering to the Lord of the fruit of the ground. Abel, on his part also brought of the firstlings of his flock and of their fat portions. And the Lord had regard for Abel and for his offering; but for Cain and for his offering He had no regard. So Cain became very angry and his countenance fell. Then the Lord said to Cain, “Why are you angry? And why has your countenance fallen? “If you do well, will not your countenance be lifted up? And if you do not do well, sin is crouching at the door; and its desire is for you, but you must master it.” Cain told Abel his brother. And it came about when they were in the field, that Cain rose up against Abel his brother and killed him.”
· And why did God not accept Cain?
· What did Abel do right that Cain did wrong?
So many have said
It’s because Abel brought a blood sacrifice but Cain brought food.
That is NOT why God accepted Abel over Cain.
Hebrews 11:4 “By faith Abel offered to God a better sacrifice than Cain, through which he obtained the testimony that he was righteous, God testifying about his gifts, and through faith, though he is dead, he still speaks.”
God accepted Abel’s sacrifice because he brought it in faith
Whereas Cain appeared before God with his accomplishments.
AND THINK ABOUT IT.
Cain was out there every day farming the land which God had cursed in the previous chapter.
· By the sweat of his brow he was bringing forth food.
· Do you have any idea how hard Cain had to work to bring that produce out of the ground?
What did Abel do?
· He sat with the sheep.
Cain showed up before God with all of his works
And God would not accept it.
Abel showed up before God with faith and no works
And God did accept him.
CAIN’S RELIGION WAS USELESS.
And out of anger about it he killed his brother.
Can you see the parallel to Jesus’ day?
The men of useless religion always hate those who expose it.
Fast-forward in the Bible to the next set of famous siblings.
We have Ishmael and Isaac.
· Isaac was the result of grace, a child of promise, beyond human ability.
· Ishmael was the result of works; humans doing what humans do.
God rejected Ishmael and received only Isaac.
And what did we find taking place with those two?
Do you remember Ishmael mocking Isaac?
Galatians 4:29-30 “But as at that time he who was born according to the flesh persecuted him who was born according to the Spirit, so it is now also. But what does the Scripture say? “Cast out the bondwoman and her son, For the son of the bondwoman shall not be an heir with the son of the free woman.”
· God rejected the works of the flesh in favor of the work of faith.
· And again the one seeking salvation by works persecuted the one who exposed him.
Or how about Esau seeking to steal Jacob’s blessing even though God had promised it to him?
Or how about Joseph’s brothers seeking to kill Joseph because he bore the favor of his father?
Do you see the problem revealed throughout Israel’s history?
Though they held fest to their religion
And fought any who challenged it.
Their works-based religion never worked.
It always ended in failure.
AND GOD DESTROYED IT EVERY TIME.
And Jesus announces the same here.
“Do you see these great buildings? Not one stone will be left upon another which will not be torn down.”
· It looked impressive.
· It looked enduring.
· But it would not survive the judgment of God.
Does that remind you of another story from Jesus?
Matthew 7:24-27 “Therefore everyone who hears these words of Mine and acts on them, may be compared to a wise man who built his house on the rock. “And the rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and slammed against that house; and yet it did not fall, for it had been founded on the rock. “Everyone who hears these words of Mine and does not act on them, will be like a foolish man who built his house on the sand. “The rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and slammed against that house; and it fell—and great was its fall.”
· You just can’t build your life on your own accomplishments.
· You cannot rest on your own goodness.
· You cannot trust in your own ability to be devout.
Jesus said you had to deny yourself.
The youth learned at D-Now
To watch out for evil workers who teach you to put confidence in the flesh
THERE IS NO LASTING VICTORY OR SALVATION THERE.
Even these massive stones and gold-plated temple
WOULD COME CRASHING DOWN.
The writer of Hebrews said:
Hebrews 8:12 “When He said, “A new covenant,” He has made the first obsolete. But whatever is becoming obsolete and growing old is ready to disappear.”
He later called out to the Hebrew Christians to leave their works behind and place it all on Jesus.
Hebrews 13:12-14 “Therefore Jesus also, that He might sanctify the people through His own blood, suffered outside the gate. So, let us go out to Him outside the camp, bearing His reproach. For here we do not have a lasting city, but we are seeking the city which is to come.”
THERE IT IS.
· Leave that city behind.
· Get out of there!
· IT’S NOT GOING TO LAST!
AND THAT’S THE FIRST POINT HERE.
We need to make an observation that all of our righteous deeds
Are filthy rags and not acceptable to God.
BUT JESUS IS ACCEPTABLE!
He stood in the temple during their feast of booths and He said:
John 7:37-38 “Now on the last day, the great day of the feast, Jesus stood and cried out, saying, “If anyone is thirsty, let him come to Me and drink. “He who believes in Me, as the Scripture said, ‘From his innermost being will flow rivers of living water.’”
And again:
John 8:12 “Then Jesus again spoke to them, saying, “I am the Light of the world; he who follows Me will not walk in the darkness, but will have the Light of life.”
When He took the Passover with the disciples:
Luke 22:19 “And when He had taken some bread and given thanks, He broke it and gave it to them, saying, “This is My body which is given for you; do this in remembrance of Me.”
You don’t need the feast of booths, you need Jesus.
You don’t need the festival of lights, you need Jesus.
You don’t need the Passover, you need Jesus.
That old system is corrupt and rotten, only Jesus will is acceptable.
Are you trusting in Him?
Are you trusting in His works alone?
Or are you still trusting in what you’ve done?
It may be golden and appear to be enduring,
But like this temple, it will come crashing down.
CALL ON JESUS!