Be Prepared

Be Prepared

Mark 13:28-37

Two parables conclude Chapter 13 with a little controversy to stir the religious pot.

With his circle of four apostles around him, Jesus has revealed warnings of destruction and suffering, as well as an eventual return by "the Son of Man coming in clouds" and the Jews to the Promised Land.

Yet it's verse 30 where skeptics, atheists and secularists hang their hats. "Truly I tell you, this generation will not pass away until all these things have taken place." Should his statement in verse 30 be taken literally? If so, was Jesus in error?

What did Jesus previously say about the end times? "This is but the beginning of the birth pangs." There is also a tie-in to verse 32, where Jesus states no one knows the day or hour when the Son of Man returns. Only God knows.

While on earth, Jesus was living into his humanity. Only God, our Creator, knows when the time will come. As God of flesh and bone, what Jesus "knows" is... there will be persecution, suffering beyond imagination, Jerusalem will fall and the Temple will be destroyed. Be prepared.

Adding into the mix,…

To whom was the Gospel of Mark being shared? With primarily gentile Greek-speaking residents of the Roman Empire. Did the author of this Gospel intentionally write these words to heighten the importance for making a life change? To make such a change would be extremely radical, with one's life on the line.

If Mark had instead written -- "Many generations will pass before all these things have taken place" -- how might the listening audience have reacted? Intention was behind that statement -- verse 30. There's no guarantee of tomorrow. Be prepared. When time is of the essence, significant choices will be made.

Then there's verse 31. "Heaven and earth will pass away,…" Heaven will pass away? Really?!? Does that make sense when taking "heaven" in a literal context?

Consider Leviticus 26:14-20. Notice verse 19 -- "I will make your sky (heaven) like iron and your earth like copper." God's view is personalized, as in Isaiah 1:1-2. God is describing and speaking to Israel. It's not about a literal heaven and earth.

Jesus brings forth a New Covenant. When given to the people, "heaven and earth" (life as it is known by the Law) will indeed pass away. The Old Covenant will be uprooted, and in its place, the New Covenant will be planted. Be prepared.

Jesus continues, speaking about the necessity for watchfulness. "Like a man going away,..." There's the master of the house/property who will be leaving on a journey. The servants have been entrusted with responsibilities.

When Jesus "leaves home," the apostles will be "in charge, each with his work." They have been empowered to do,… to be. Jesus has prepared them for this moment. And the apostles will help expand the community with the Good News, thereby empowering others to do,… to be.

In our own lives,… did a moment in time come when responsibility was placed upon you to be watchful? To care for something? As a child, did your parents say, "You're old enough now, so we're going to put you in charge while we're away"? What did that feel like?

Being on watch, being alert takes effort. It's much easier to sleepwalk through life. To just go through the paces so another day passes by. No effort required.

Incorporating the Boy Scouts motto -- "Be Prepared" -- one must be prepared to live a full and worthwhile life, to do whatever is necessary in any situation that arises.

To follow Christ, our lives will be radically changed. The world as we have known it will pass away. But it's not "the end."

Let us live life fully. Stay awake. Be watchful. Be prepared.

NEXT

The plot thickens; the anointing