07.17.22 - Mark 13:28-31

Open your Bibles to Mark 13:28-31.  •We are continuing our study of the Gospel of Mark.  •Particularly, we are in our seventh week studying the Olivet Discourse in Mark 13.  This morning we find ourselves coming near to the end of the OD.  •We are now in our final week of the portion of the Discourse that has to do with the destruction of the Temple and Jerusalem.  •And we’ve been seeing how the language of our Lord throughout this chapter has to do with the time leading up to and culminating in the destruction of Jerusalem during the Jewish War with Rome in the First Century.  •Next week we’ll see our Lord transition to a different topic. Starting in v32, He will begin to speak of His bodily Return at the end of the age/end of history.  •But for now, we are still focused on the destruction of the Temple and Jerusalem.  •And we come now to our Lord’s conclusion regarding that subject. In these concluding words about the destruction of the Temple, I think that there are two glorious things our Lord Jesus affirms that are a blessing for us to consider.  •And I hope to draw them out for you this morning from the text.  1. Jesus gives a final affirmation that the Kingdom of God will grow and spread with Jesus as the King.  2. Jesus affirms that His words will never, ever pass away.  •May our God bless us as we consider these things from the Scriptures this morning.  If you would, and are able, please stand with me now for the reading of the inspired, inerrant, and infallible Word of God.  Mark 13:28-31 [28] “From the fig tree learn its lesson: as soon as its branch becomes tender and puts out its leaves, you know that summer is near.  [29] So also, when you see these things taking place, you know that he is near, at the very gates.  [30] Truly, I say to you, this generation will not pass away until all these things take place.  [31] Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will not pass away. (PRAY) Holy God,  We thank you for this opportunity to gather together, under your command, on your day, with your People, to worship and be blessed by you.  We thank you for your Word that is a true and certain word to us. We love the Book. And we want to hear from you and understand what you have said.  And so, we ask that you would bless us with a fresh outpouring of your Holy Spirit this morning. Send Him upon us today so that, by His mighty working, we might understand and receive your Word with all faith and obedience and love.  Help us to mark, learn, and inwardly digest the Word of God for our blessing and the salvation of our souls.  Have mercy on us and bless us for your glory.  We ask these things in Jesus’ Name and for His sake.  Amen.  1.) Let’s begin by making sure that we have the general context of the Discourse in our minds.  •Our Lord Jesus has been prophesying the destruction of the Temple and the theological and historical results that will follow from its destruction.  •And He has been doing this beginning in v5 and going all the way through to v27.  •And now, as I said in the introduction, He is concluding the part of the Discourse concerning those subjects.  •For the sake of establishing the context, I’m going to read the whole Discourse up to our text this morning.  •Please follow along with me in your Bibles.  •And as I read, try to recall the various ways that Jesus’ words were fulfilled in the First Century. That will be helpful to you for this sermon.  Mark 13:1-31 [1] And as he came out of the temple, one of his disciples said to him, “Look, Teacher, what wonderful stones and what wonderful buildings!” [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.” [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?” [5] And Jesus began to say to them, “See that no one leads you astray. [6] Many will come in my name, saying, ‘I am he!’ and they will lead many astray. [7] And when you hear of wars and rumors of wars, do not be alarmed. This must take place, but the end is not yet. [8] For nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. There will be earthquakes in various places; there will be famines. These are but the beginning of the birth pains. [9] “But be on your guard. For they will deliver you over to councils, and you will be beaten in synagogues, and you will stand before governors and kings for my sake, to bear witness before them. [10] And the gospel must first be proclaimed to all nations. [11] And when they bring you to trial and deliver you over, do not be anxious beforehand what you are to say, but say whatever is given you in that hour, for it is not you who speak, but the Holy Spirit. [12] And brother will deliver brother over to death, and the father his child, and children will rise against parents and have them put to death. [13] And you will be hated by all for my name’s sake. But the one who endures to the end will be saved. [14] “But when you see the abomination of desolation standing where he ought not to be (let the reader understand), then let those who are in Judea flee to the mountains. [15] Let the one who is on the housetop not go down, nor enter his house, to take anything out, [16] and let the one who is in the field not turn back to take his cloak. [17] And alas for women who are pregnant and for those who are nursing infants in those days! [18] Pray that it may not happen in winter. [19] For in those days there will be such tribulation as has not been from the beginning of the creation that God created until now, and never will be. [20] And if the Lord had not cut short the days, no human being would be saved. But for the sake of the elect, whom he chose, he shortened the days. [21] And then if anyone says to you, ‘Look, here is the Christ!’ or ‘Look, there he is!’ do not believe it. [22] For false christs and false prophets will arise and perform signs and wonders, to lead astray, if possible, the elect. [23] But be on guard; I have told you all things beforehand. [24] “But in those days, after that tribulation, the sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give its light, [25] and the stars will be falling from heaven, and the powers in the heavens will be shaken. [26] And then they will see the Son of Man coming in clouds with great power and glory. [27] And then he will send out the angels and gather his elect from the four winds, from the ends of the earth to the ends of heaven. [28] “From the fig tree learn its lesson: as soon as its branch becomes tender and puts out its leaves, you know that summer is near. [29] So also, when you see these things taking place, you know that he is near, at the very gates. [30] Truly, I say to you, this generation will not pass away until all these things take place. [31] Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will not pass away. 2.) Now let’s consider our text (vv28-31).  •To begin His conclusion concerning the destruction of the Temple and the results that will follow, our Lord gives us a lesson from nature: [28] “From the fig tree learn its lesson: as soon as its branch becomes tender and puts out its leaves, you know that summer is near.  •Jesus is giving an object lesson. He does this from time to time in His teaching. He likes to use things from nature and everyday life in order to drive home spiritual truths.  •And the object lesson here is nature. Just a simple natural fact: When you see the fig tree’s branches become tender and put out leaves, you know that summer is near.  •And this really goes for every tree that sheds its leaves once a year and starts to grow them back in the spring. (We see this every single year.) •When the leaves start budding from the branches, you know that summer is near at hand. Summer is not far away at all. And, really, it’s a beautiful sight to behold.  •And Jesus says that there is a lesson to learn from the fig tree.  •So Jesus’ disciples are supposed to take the concept of being able to judge that summer is near by SEEING the trees budding and apply it to what Jesus has said throughout the Discourse. Here is the application of the principle: •In the same way that you know summer is coming when the fig tree produces leaves, when the disciples “see these things taking place, you know that he is near, at the very gates” (v29). •Just as there are signs that summer is coming, so also the things that Jesus has mentioned in the Discourse serve as signs for His disciples in the First Century, and also to us today looking back on history.  3.) But what are these things? •V29 says, [29] So also, when you see these things taking place, you know that he is near, at the very gates.  •What things are Jesus referring to? •Matthew’s parallel helps a little here. Matthew 24:33 says, “When you see ALL THESE THINGS, you know that he is near, at the very gates.” ALL THESE THINGS.  •Jesus is referring to everything that He has mentioned in vv5-23. (Remember vv24-27 are the theological and historical results of the destruction of Jerusalem. They are not signs. They are describing the results.) •Jesus is talking about all of His predictions He has made. They serve as signs. Or, when taken together, serve as one big sign of what is to come.  •When they see the first rumblings of what Jesus has predicted, they can know that something is near. They can know that Jesus’ words are coming to pass.  •And as more and more unfolds, climaxing in the Abomination of Desolation (v14), they can know that what Jesus had said would come to pass, namely the fall of Jerusalem and the spreading of His Kingdom, is indeed happening before their very eyes.  •When they see Jesus’ words coming true, they can know that the time of destruction and Gospel spreading is closer and closer.  And what has Jesus prophesied? What are these things that they are to see and recognize as signs? •They will see a rise in number of false christs and false prophets.  •They will hear of wars and rumors of wars throughout the Roman Empire.  •They will hear of and see earthquakes, famines and pestilences throughout the Empire.  •They will see and experience the persecution of the infant Church at the hands of the Jews and Roman government.  •They will witness the Gospel being proclaimed throughout all the known world.  •And they will see the Abomination Desolation in the holy place. (Luke 21:20 tells us this is the Roman armies that would surround Jerusalem.) •As they see these things taking place, they are to know that “he is near, at the very gates.” •As they see these things taking place, will know that SOMEONE or SOMETHING is NEAR.  •Just like the budding leaves of the fig tree signal that summer is near, so also when they see these things taking place, they are to know that something else is near.  And that leads us to a question, I think.  •What was “near?” Was “he near?” Or was “it near?” •You see, there is a translation issue here. At v29, some good translations, like our ESV, render the phrase, “he is near.” And others render it, “it is near.” •And how we understand this phrase will affect our understanding of the verse.  •It’s good to know at this point that the Greek phrase here is NOT masculine. And, because of that, it does not have to be rendered “he.” •The underlying Greek could be rendered, “he/she/it is near.” •And the way to figure out how we should translate it into English is to consider the CONTEXT in which we find the phrase.  Context determines how we should understand the phrase.  •I believe that since the context is NOT the bodily Return of Christ, but is instead the impending destruction of Jerusalem and Gospel growth that will follow, we should understand this verse to say, “…you know that IT is near, at the very gates.” •I think that to translate it “he is near” is to make an unwarranted assumption that Jesus is predicting His bodily Return in this verse. (And that is nowhere in the context.) •Some translations that read “IT is near”: KJV, NIV, NKJV, Tyndale Bible, and some other lesser known translations. And that leads us to another question: What is “IT?” •What is the “it” that is near? •Some interpreters think that “it” is a reference to the destruction of Jerusalem.  •So, when the disciples see the signs coming to pass, they can know that Jerusalem is to be destroyed soon.  •And that’s a compelling interpretation. It fits with the passage. It fits the context. It makes sense.  But there is a parallel passage in Luke’s Gospel that helps us to understand what Jesus is referring to.  •In fact, Luke’s text explicitly tells us what Jesus is talking about.  •Luke 21:31 says, “So also, when you see these things taking place, you know that the kingdom of God is near.”  •“IT” is the Kingdom of God.  It’s good at this point to refresh ourselves on what the Kingdom of God is.  •The Kingdom of God is God’s reign through His Messiah.  •The Kingdom is what God had promised throughout the OT and finds it’s fulfillment in Jesus Christ.  •It’s a spiritual kingdom, where God provides salvation through the Messiah, Jesus. Where God reigns over His People through Christ.  •But it’s not a spiritual kingdom with no earthly results. Changed people living in the world make an impact in the world they live in.  •And it’s a spiritual Kingdom that God promised would fill the whole earth. A mountain that begins as a tiny pebble but grows to fill the entire earth as we read in Daniel 2.  •The Kingdom of God is God’s rule over the whole earth,    through His Christ reigning over His People.  •Jesus says that when they see the things He predicted coming to pass, they will know that God’s reign over the world THROUGH HIM has come near.  At this point, maybe you’re saying to yourself, “But I thought the Kingdom of God had already come in some sense?” •And you’re right. The Kingdom began, it came in seed form, when Jesus came.  •Jesus preached this Himself in Mark 1:15. “The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand; repent and believe in the gospel.” •And in that verse, “at hand” means NEAR. It doesn’t mean thousands of years away. Jesus says that the Kingdom was near because He was near. Because He had come into the world and was establishing the Kingdom! •Jesus also affirmed this in Luke 17:21 when He said, “….for behold, the kingdom of God is in the midst of you.” •There Jesus affirmed that the Kingdom was present. And it was present because the KING WAS PRESENT.  God’s reign through Christ began to be established when Jesus came to earth.  •But Jesus also mentioned how some of the disciples would live to see the Kingdom come WITH POWER.  •In Mark 9:1 Jesus says, “Truly, I say to you, there are some standing here who will not taste death until they see the Kingdom of God after it has come with power.” •I think Jesus was there referring to the destruction of Jerusalem which was proof that He had come into His Kingdom with “great power and glory” as He said it would mean in Mark 13:26. So here in v29, Jesus is saying this: •When they see His words coming to pass, they will know that God’s reign is about to be manifested more clearly, with its reigning King, in great power demonstrated in the judgment of Israel, and with great glory displayed in the greater spread of the Gospel that will follow Jerusalem’s demise.  •Truly, when the disciples saw Jesus’ words coming to pass concerning Jerusalem, they would know for certain that the Kingdom of God had come.  •They would know for certain that Jesus is King.  •They would know for certain that all men must repent and believe on Christ or perish under His wrath.  •And they would know for certain that God’s reign through Christ was going to burst forth into the whole world, from one end of heaven to the other, to the four corners, until the Kingdom of God fills the whole earth.  •As Daniel prophesied, “And in the days of those kings the God of heaven will set up a kingdom that shall never be destroyed, nor shall the kingdom be left to another people. It shall break in pieces all these kingdoms and bring them to an end, and it shall stand forever…”      (Daniel 2:44) What a blessing for His disciples! •While they already believed that Jesus is the Messiah and King and Lord and Savior and God over all, and they would certainly believe and preach this in the years prior to Jerusalem’s fall, Jesus gives them a sign to encourage their hearts anyway.  •This is grace upon grace! •Jesus wants the destruction of Jerusalem to be a sign to encourage the faith of His People.  •He wants them to see everything happening and know that He is King and that His Kingdom will remain forever.  Likewise, for us, as we look back on history and see the judgment of Christ against the Jews for rejecting Him, we are encouraged in the Faith and given yet another assurance that Jesus Christ is Lord.  •As we look back on the judgment on the Jews, we are given yet another assurance that Jesus Christ’s reign shall be realized in all the earth.  •The disciples would know that the Kingdom was near. We look back and can see that the Kingdom has come and we are living in the age of fulfillment.  •NOTE: I’m not saying that the Kingdom will ever be fully realized in history. The full consummation of the Kingdom, the Kingdom in it’s full strength and glory will not come until the King comes again. But nevertheless, the Kingdom has come, is growing, and will continue to grow. And the fall of Jerusalem is proof. Our King reigns.  •The Kingdom has come. And it is glorious.  Through judgment, glory has been revealed.  •The judgment of the Jews, the metaphorical “death” of Israel brought life to the world.  •The Kingdom of God has come. And it exploded after they were judged.  •And this reminds us of what the Apostle Paul says in Romans 11:11-12.  •There he says that “…through their (the Jews) trespass salvation has come to the Gentiles…”  •He also says, “…their failure means riches for the Gentiles…”  •The rejection of Israel, the sins of the Jews, their rejection of Jesus has meant RICHES FOR THE WORLD! •The Kingdom of God has gone out and Christ’s messengers, His angels, have went through all the world declaring the Gospel of the Kingdom.  •And the Elect being brought in.  •The Kingdom has grown. It has been displayed in great power and glory from that day until now.  •Just think of how many Christians there have been in the last 1900 years compared to how small the infant Church was! •The Kingdom has come indeed. And it is growing because Jesus Christ, the King, reigns over the world and blesses His Church.  Christian, be encouraged.  •The Lord reigns. Jesus is King.  •Salvation is found only through faith in Him.  •He has indeed purchased your redemption in His blood.  •And He has numbered you among His People.  •Look at the judgment on the Jews and, as odd as it may sound, be encouraged by knowing that Jesus is King and His Kingdom has come.  •A Kingdom that cannot be shaken, and of which you are a member by the grace of God.  4.) Now we turn to our beloved Time Text in v30.  [30] Truly, I say to you, this generation will not pass away until all these things take place.  •Now, I’ve spent a good bit of time explaining this verse in the first sermon on the OD. And I’ve explained it more briefly multiple times throughout this chapter.  •So I’m not going to do that again.  •Let me just simply say that in v4 the disciples asked “When?” When the Temple would be destroyed.  •And Jesus’ answer is found in v30: Within the generation then living the Temple would come down.  •Before the people of the generation Jesus was speaking to would perish from the earth, the Temple would be destroyed.  And, brothers and sisters, it happened EXACTLY like Jesus said it would.  •Within the lifetime of that generation, Rome came against Jerusalem and burned it to the ground.  •In v2 Jesus said, “There will not be left here one stone upon another that will not be thrown down.” •And the Romans completely razed the entire Temple to the ground.  •They even split up some of the stones. They burned everything that would burn. They carried off all the gold and precious stones that were to be found. And they tore the entire Temple down stone by stone.  •The ancient historian Josephus even said that Jerusalem looked like it had never been inhabited by the time the Romans were finished.  All that is to say, Jesus Christ judged the nation that rejected Him. And He did so in furious wrath and righteous anger.  •He did so as the enthroned King of kings and Lord of lords. He did so as the enthroned Son of Man.  •JUST LIKE HE SAID HE WOULD.  NOTE: Let this be a warning to all.  •Apart from Christ, there is no hope for salvation.  •He will save all who come to Him in faith, trusting that He has done enough to save them in His life, death, and resurrection.  •But He will most severely judge, for all eternity, those who reject Him.  •There is salvation to those who come to Him in faith. And there is eternal punishment for those who do not.  But there is something else to conclude from Jesus’ prediction of the Temple’s destruction in that generation.  •(There are probably many things to conclude. But at least this.) •JESUS IS A TRUE PROPHET. •What He said came to pass. Nothing He said was left undone. Not one thing.  •And if He is a true prophet of God, then He is to be believed about all the things He said.  •When He speaks, He speaks with the authority of God because He has been commissioned and sent by God.  And what else has He said? •He said that HE IS GOD. The Son of God. Of the same nature as the Father. •He has said that HE IS THE MESSIAH. That He is God’s chosen servant to save His People.  •He has said that HE IS THE SAVIOR. That is it through His death and resurrection that the forgiveness of sins is purchased for those who believe on Him.  •He has said that the Scriptures are all true. That Scripture cannot be broken.  •He has said that the Law of God is good and righteous and holy.  •He has said a great many things. And we are to believe them all because He is a true prophet of God. (He is more than a prophet, yes. But don’t discount that. He is a true prophet. His words are true.) •He is truly everything that He said He is. And everything He said about everything is the truth.  •And this fulfilled prophecy is a proof of that.  Brothers and sisters, I hope you can see something from this point that is intensely practical for you: •When properly understood, the OD is a great apologetic tool for the Christian.  •When you understand that this Discourse is about the destruction of the Temple, that it would happen in the First Century, that Jesus predicted it 40 years beforehand, and that it happened as Jesus said it would, this is a home run in the defense of the Faith.  Here is what I mean: How did Jesus know that this was going to happen? •Mark was written sometime in the 50’sAD.  •The Synoptic Gospels all contain a version of the OD. And they were all written and distributed before 70AD.  •So how in the world did Jesus know this was going to happen? How in the world was this recorded decades before the fact? •Answer: Jesus knew because He was a true prophet. The Scriptures were right because they are the Word of God.  Properly understood, the OD screams to the world that Jesus is who He claimed to be.  •And it demonstrates the reliability of the Scriptures.  •And this encourages us and the people whom we engage with to believe what the Bible says about everything.  •God has proven Himself trustworthy. Jesus has proven Himself to be God. And the Scriptures have attested to their truthfulness.  Use this, Christian! •Use this as you engage with the unbelieving world. Take unbelievers to the OD and show them how Jesus knew what would happen in the future.  •Use this fulfilled prophecy, use the Bible, to show people that Jesus is the Son of God and Savior of sinners.  •NOTE: And use this on yourself, too.  •When you find yourself doubting the truth of Scripture, remember this chapter. This prophecy undeniably came to pass in every way. Nothing was missed.  •Brothers and sisters, be encouraged: The Book is true.  5.) And this leads us to v31. And what is said here is very much related to what I’ve just said. •The Lord Jesus says, [31] Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will not pass away. •This sounds very much like Isaiah 40:8. “The grass withers, the flower fades, but the word of our God will stand forever.” •Jesus tells us here that HIS WORDS will stand FOREVER.  •Jesus’ words are just as certain as the Word of God. How is that so? Because Jesus is God.  •Not one of Jesus’ words will fall to the ground. Not one single syllable will go unfulfilled and without vindication.  •NOT ONE. Every word of Christ proves true.  Now, this definitely applies to the OD. That’s the context.  •Jesus is affirming that what He has prophesied is absolutely and rock-solidly certain.  •But it goes further than that: ALL THE WORDS OF JESUS are certain and sure.  •Again, His words are the words of God. He is God.  •And this logically extends to the whole Bible. Jesus is God. The Bible is the Word of God. Therefore, the Scriptures are the words of Jesus.  •Brothers and sisters, the Book will not pass away. And that’s because Jesus’ words will not pass away.  Brothers and sisters, what seems more stable and sure than the existence of heaven and earth? •What seems more reliable than the ground under your feet and the sky above your head? •They’ve always been there since the beginning of creation.  •You trust that they’ll be there tomorrow. They’ve been there your whole life.  •You take that all for granted. We all do. You don’t ever wonder if heaven and earth will be there tomorrow.  •They’re certain and sure realities.  •But here Jesus says that HIS WORDS ARE MORE SURE THAN THAT! •Heaven and earth will pass away before His words do! That is to say, His words WILL NOT pass away! •His words are more sure than the fact that the ground will be stable tomorrow! •Jesus’ words are more sure than the sun will shine in the sky tomorrow! •Brothers and sisters, not one of His words will fall to the ground.  What an encouragement for us! •Whatever Jesus has said, whatever the Bible says, is absolutely steadfast and sure.  •Whatever is threatened is certain. (Wrath and judgment. Discipline to sinning saints.) •Whatever is promised is certain. (Salvation to those who believe. Help to the saints. Promises of blessing to the faithful.) •Whatever is proclaimed is certain. (The Gospel. Christ the only Savior. God the only God.) •Whatever is said about the future is certain. (The growth and victory of the Church. The Return of Christ. Final Judgment. The eternal state.) •Whatever is revealed is certain. (Who God is. What He is like. What He commands. What He does.) The Word of Christ is steadfast and sure! •Stand upon it, Christian! It is a rock beneath your feet. It is solid ground for you stand upon when the waves of life come crashing down on you.  •It’s a place for you to set your feet when Satan is assaulting you.  •It’s a place to hide and find shelter in the midst of a world that hates you.  Stand upon it, Christian!  •In the end, the Word will prevail. In the end, every word of God will be vindicated.  •Stake your life on the Book! •If Jesus Christ says it, that settles it. Period. No more discussion. It’s a done deal.  •Jesus has spoken, the matter is settled. That is to say, God has spoken, the matter is settled.  NOTE: I’m sure that Jesus looked like a madman to the unbelievers who knew His prophecy.  •I’m sure His words seemed foolish until they came to pass within that generation.  •And then, brothers and sisters, came His vindication.  •BUT GET THIS: Did the scoffing words of the unbeliever make the words of Christ any less true? ABSOLUTELY NOT! •My dear brothers and sisters, we may look like fools for holding fast to the Word of God. We may look foolish to the world until the day we die.  •They may mock and scoff and mistreat us just like they did Jesus and His prophets and Apostles.  •BUT ONE DAY WE WILL BE VINDICATED.  •Why? Because heaven and earth may pass away, but the words of Christ WILL NEVER PASS AWAY.  Brothers and sisters, do not let your confidence in the word of God be shaken by the world around you.  •In due time, you will be vindicated.  •Many say that we are “on the wrong side of history.” But our God has written history and revealed the final piece of it in His Book.  •We are on the right side of everything if we are on His side.  •Again, I say to you, in due time we will be vindicated because GOD WILL VINDICATE HIS OWN WORD.  •All, every single man, woman, and child who has ever lived will one day acknowledge the Word of God to be true, His Gospel to be glorious, and Jesus Christ to be the true King and Lord of all.  •The Bible is true, brothers and sisters. Stand on it and do not apologize.  •Heaven and earth will pass away, but Jesus’ words will not pass away.  6.) At this time I want to give one final thought before we end our time in the Mark’s Gospel this morning.  •I want to circle back to something Jesus said in v28.  •I would summarize it this way: The summer has come.  Now, I’m not trying to make our Lord say anything.  •And what I’m about to say, I can defend from other parts of Scripture.  •But Jesus used the language of summer coming to refer to the time of Israel’s judgment in v28.  •I don’t want to make too much of that, but the language of summer is pleasant. It’s much more pleasant than that of winter. And I don’t believe in coincidences in Scripture.  Hear me: The false christs, wars and rumors of wars, famines, earthquakes, persecution, preaching of the Gospel, the AoD, the Romans destroying Jerusalem, all of that WAS TRULY TERRIBLE.  •BUT, as terrible as they all were, they were, in the words of Marcellus Kik, “the heralds of the joys of summer.” The judgment of Israel meant the summer of the Gospel for the world.  •No longer is the world in the death of winter and without Christ.  •No longer is the world in darkness and awaiting the light of the Messiah to dawn.  •Summer has come. And the warm light of the Gospel-sun has begun to shine throughout the world.  •Things are growing. The Church is growing throughout the world and has been for nearly 2,000 years.  •Again, as Paul said in Romans 11, the rejection of the Jews has meant life for the world.  •(And how much more will their full inclusion mean for the world when God brings them into the Church! It will be as life from the dead for the world!) We are living in a bright age, overall.  •Yes, there are many dark things. Yes, there are many trials and pains to endure. I’m not trying to minimize any of that.  •But this age is nevertheless bright in that the summertime of the Gospel age has dawned, the age of the Messiah has come, and the world is brighter for it.  •And it will continue to get brighter and brighter, and greener and greener through the proclamation of the Gospel and the blessing of God, until our Lord Jesus returns. •As the Apostle Paul wrote in 1 Corinthians 15:25, “For He must reign until He has put all His enemies under His feet.” •And His reign began at His Ascension. And the destruction of Jerusalem was proof that indeed He reigns.  7.) So then, in conclusion, my dear brothers and sisters, hold fast to the Word of Christ. And rejoice that it is summertime.  •The Word of God is sure and certain and steady.  •And the Gospel of God is shining brightly throughout the world.  •Be glad, Christian! You have a sure and certain foundation in a world of constant shifting sands.  •And you are part of a Kingdom that will never perish.  •Amen.