Hope Beyond the Heartache

<body topmargin=0 leftmargin=0 marginheight=0 marginwidth=0> <table cellpadding=0 cellspacing=0 border=0><tr> <td valign="top" colspan=2 height=50 BGCOLOR="#333366" TEXT="#080000"> <div> <B>Hope Beyond the Heartache</B></div> <div> </div> </td> </tr><tr> <td valign="top" width=165 BGCOLOR="#CCCC99" TEXT="#080000"> <div> <B> <TABLE BORDER="0" CELLPADDING="2" CELLSPACING="1" WIDTH="132" BORDERCOLORLIGHT="#C0C0C0" BORDERCOLORDARK="#808080" FRAME="VOID" RULES="NONE" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0" > <tR> <tD VALIGN=TOP HEIGHT= 35 ><NOBR><div> <A HREF="id134.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Reality of Suffering With Christ"><U><B><IMG SRC="007151d0.gif" border=0 width="21" height="29" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></B></U></A></div> </NOBR></tD> <tD VALIGN=TOP><NOBR><div> <A HREF="id130.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="The Centerpiece of Thanksgiving"><U><B><IMG SRC="008151d0.gif" border=0 width="21" height="29" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></B></U></A></div> </NOBR></tD> <tD VALIGN=TOP WIDTH="20"><IMG BORDER="0" SRC="1x1.gif" HEIGHT="35" ALIGN="bottom" WIDTH="20" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></tD> <tD VALIGN=TOP><NOBR><div> <IMG BORDER="0" SRC="1x1.gif" HEIGHT="29" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0" WIDTH="13"></div> </NOBR></tD> <tD VALIGN=TOP><NOBR><div> <IMG BORDER="0" SRC="1x1.gif" HEIGHT="29" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0" WIDTH="27"></div> </NOBR></tD> </tR> </TABLE></B></div> <div> Previous/Next Sermon</div> <bR> <div> <A HREF="index.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="www.stanbaker.org"><U><B>Home</B></U></A></div> <bR> <div> <A HREF="id2.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Biblical and Theological Studies"><U><B>Biblical and Theological Studies</B></U></A></div> <bR> <div> <A HREF="id3.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Church Ministry"><U><B>Ministry Studies</B></U></A></div> <bR> <div> <A HREF="id15.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Sermon Notes"><U>Sermon Notes</U></A></div> <bR> <div> <A HREF="id4.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Links"><U><B>Links</B></U></A></div> <bR> <div> <A HREF="id5.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Personal"><U><B>Personal</B></U></A></div> <bR> <div> www.stanbaker.org</div> </td> <td valign="top" height=430 BGCOLOR="#FFFFFF" TEXT="#080000"> <div> <B>Mark 13.14-37, “Hope Beyond the Heartache,” Berean Bible Church, Dec 10, 2000am</B></div> <bR> <div> <I>     </I>Christmas is about Advent, which means “coming” or “arrival.” It is not only about the past coming of Christ as a baby, it is also about the future coming of Christ as the King. That is what the song “Joy to the World” is about. Christmas is a happy time, looking at Christ as a baby; but for the disciples in Mark 13, the cross was an immediate reality. Have you ever started something with great hope, only to watch it go horribly wrong before it was over? (We know the rest of the story, but the disciples had to live through it). Jesus pointed the disciples beyond the events of the coming weekend to his promise to return. Christ’s coming again in the future gives us hope in a difficult world. </div> <bR> <div> <B>I. Christ gave his disciples hope for beyond the events of the upcoming weekend.</B> In that weekend, Jesus would rise from the dead; but would soon leave them for heaven.</div> <div> A. Jesus predicted signs of the end of time, vss. 14-23.</div> <div> 1. The Abomination of Desolation, vs 14. (See Daniel 9.27, 11.31, 12.11.)</div> <div>      In 167 BC, Antiochus Epiphanes set up an idol to the pagan god Zeus in the Temple, and he sacrificed a pig on it.  In 70AD, the Temple was overrun and destroyed by Romans, who set up their images in the Temple area. These were first fulfillments of Daniel (167BC) and Mark (70AD). But the ultimate fulfillment will be in the Great Tribulation, yet future, when Antichrist will declare himself to be God in the Temple. Note 2 Thessalonians 2.4: “He will oppose and will exalt himself over everything that is called God or is worshiped, so that he sets himself up in God's temple, proclaiming himself to be God.”</div> <div> 2. Persecutions and difficulties intensify (worldwide?), vss. 15-20.</div> <div> 3. The abundance of false messiahs, vss. 21-23.</div> <div> B. Jesus predicted his coming again as King, vss. 24-27. This is where the hope lies.</div> <div> C. Jesus challenged the disciples to watch for signs, yet be continually prepared, vss. 28-37.</div> <div> 1. They should watch for signs . . ., vss. 28-31.</div> <div>      Vs. 30, Basically, these things <I>began</I> to happen in the times of the disciples (the persecutions, the 70AD abomination of desolation, destruction of Jerusalem), but they will <I>ultimately</I> be fulfilled just prior to the time when Christ returns.</div> <div> 2. . . . Yet be continually be prepared, vss. 32-37.</div> <div>      “That day,” (vs. 32), The Day of the Lord, beginning with rapture of the church, will come as a surprise.</div> <bR> <div> <B>II. We must continually look for Christ’s return: as a result . . .</B></div> <div> A. We can stay hopeful in our times of trials. </div> <div>      Our trials may include suffering for our faith, financial struggle, loneliness, physical trouble, and others. Jesus would be dead in three days (Tues - Friday), and he would rise then go away. The disciples needed to be prepared to carry on with hope and faith.</div> <div> B. We can stay faithful when we are tempted to be complacent.</div> <div> 1. We should invest in eternal matters, such as the Word of God (vs. 31), our relationship with God, and people (who live forever in either heaven or hell).</div> <div> 2. We should also fulfill our God-given responsibilities, vss. 34-36.</div> <div> – Your role as a husband or wife, as parents.</div> <div> – Teaching or leading a class or a group.</div> <div> – Sharing the gospel.</div> <div> – Being in the Word and prayer.</div> <div> – Encouraging each other: Hebrews 10.25, Let us not give up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but let us encourage one another--and all the more as you see the Day approaching. </div> <div> – Living a holy life: Titus 2.11-14: For the grace of God that brings salvation has appeared to all men. 12 It teaches us to say "No" to ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright and godly lives in this present age, 13 while we wait for the blessed hope--the glorious appearing of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ, 14 who gave himself for us to redeem us from all wickedness and to purify for himself a people that are his very own, eager to do what is good.</div> <bR> </td> </tr></table></body>