Sermon Tone Analysis

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.”