Proper 28B, 2024
Text: Mark 13:1-13
Title: Comfort in Turmoil
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In the 1970s, Jim Jones led nearly a thousand members of his “People’s Temple” to the rain forests of Guyana to establish a new community. Everyone would be welcome, Black and white, rich and poor, young and old. They would work together and share everything. They would keep the evils of the outside world away. It would be heaven on earth.
As you probably know, it didn’t work out that way. On November 18, 1978, 46 years ago tomorrow, nearly every resident of Jonestown died, mostly by suicide.
Jim Jones was not the first false messiah to offer his followers paradise, and he certainly would not be the last.
We’ve just survived another election cycle, and what does every politician promise?
“Vote for me and your life will be better! If only I were in control, I would give you what you want!”
Prosperity. Healthcare. A better environment. World peace. Safety. Justice. Vengeance.
You name it, and someone will promise to give it to you.
What does Jesus promise to His disciples? What does He tell them the future will hold if they follow Him?
Does He promise health and prosperity? Does He promise peace within families and communities?
No. Exactly the opposite.
Jesus foretells death and destruction.
The temple that had stood for over 500 years, the center of worship and the very dwelling place of God would be destroyed, totally torn down.
False messiahs claiming to be Jesus and would lead many astray.
Wars and rumors of wars with entire kingdoms rising against one another.
Earthquakes and famines.
Jesus foretells turmoil in their religious life.
Jesus foretells turmoil in their political and national life.
Jesus foretells turmoil in nature itself.
And even more than that, Jesus foretells turmoil in the disciples’ personal and family lives.
Imprisonments, beatings, even death.
Betrayal by those who are closest to you.
Hated by everyone. That’s what Jesus promises His followers.
And it’s come to pass, hasn’t it?
About forty years after Jesus spoke these words, the Romans besieged Jerusalem to put down a Jewish revolt. They eventually broke through and destroyed the temple. They literally deconstructed the temple brick by brick in search of hidden treasure, and that temple has not been rebuilt to this day.
You don’t have to look far to see how the rest of Jesus’ words have come true for you. You can certainly find examples of false teachers, of warfare, and of natural disasters today, both in the world and in your own life.
So, where’s the good news? Where’s the hope and comfort here?
There are three specific messages of hope and good news that Jesus gives you in the midst of all this terror and turmoil.
Comfort number one: The Holy Spirit will be with you. You don’t face all these trials and all this suffering alone.
Jesus says that the Holy Spirit will give you the words to speak when you are faced with those who would destroy you.
Notice, He doesn’t say that the Holy Spirit will give you the words to get yourself out of the situation. Jesus doesn’t promise that He will help you avoid pain and suffering. But He will be there with you through it all.
The Holy Spirit will give you words to testify, to witness to those oppressing you.
When people are willing to suffer for their beliefs, that’s a tremendous witness to their faith. When you can show people that there are more important things in your life than even your own liberty and your own life, that’s a powerful testimony.
When you were confirmed, you promised that you would suffer all, even death, rather than fall away from the faith that you confessed.
I doubt that any of us have faced the threat of imprisonment or death for our faith. But if that hour should come, know that you will not face it alone, because the Holy Spirit is in you.
So that’s comfort number one: you have the Holy Spirit.
Here’s comfort number two: you have each other.
That was the encouragement you heard about in the book of Hebrews. Even all the way back then, people were neglecting to meet together. They had more important things to do than be with other Christians.
And the writer of Hebrews says, “No! Don’t neglect to meet together, but encourage one another, stir one another up to good works.”
When you come to church, it’s not just for yourself. It’s not just for you to get forgiven, to be blessed, or to feel inspired.
You are here to encourage the people around you. You are here to strengthen these people with you here today who are facing all these troubles in the world and in their lives.
We certainly do that within the service as we pray for one another, as we sing together, as we confess our faith together, and as we eat and drink at the Lord’s Table together.
But if you really want to encourage one another, you’re going to have to get to know the other people in this congregation. This means more than just sitting next to them in church for an hour and then heading home.
If you’re going to get to know one another, that will take time outside of the church service. That’s why we have fellowship activities. Not just to give you something to eat, but to give you an opportunity to get to know your brothers and sisters in Christ.
We have about 30 minutes set aside for this every Sunday from 9:00a – 9:30a down in the Activity Center. When the service is over today, head down there and get to know someone new. [Next week come early enough so you can be there to greet the early risers.]
As we move into Advent, come for the soup suppers at 6:00p. It doesn’t take an hour to eat a bowl of soup, so use this time to get to know one another. Look for people who are new, who are sitting alone, who could use someone to talk to.
God has brought all of us here into this congregation for a reason. The people around you are His gift to you. Use them. Lean on them. And do the same for them when they need it.
So that’s comfort number two. You have a community of faith here to encourage one another.
And the last and final comfort is this. One day, all of this will be over.
Jesus doesn’t promise an easy life, or a heaven on earth like Jim Jones. He promises an entirely new world, and new life that will be free from all these problems.
You heard that promise of resurrection from the book of Daniel. Even if you die, that will not be the end, because the Lord will raise His people up.
Jesus speaks these words in the Holy Gospel to His disciples during Holy Week. In a few days He will experience everything He foretells here personally. But after His death comes the resurrection and new life of Easter.
Jesus compares the troubles of this life to birth-pangs. Birth pangs are certainly excruciating, or so I’ve heard, but in the end, there’s a child, a new life is brought forth.
As bad as this life gets, it’s only birth-pangs. There will be new life for those who endure to the end, who hold fast to Jesus and His Words, despite everything that the world may throw at them.
So, don’t fall for empty promises, no matter who makes them. Recognize that things are bad now, and that they’re likely to get worse.
But you have the Holy Spirit. You have one another. And you have the promise of new life when our Lord Jesus Christ returns.
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