The Shepherd’s Voice

Readings for Sunday, November 15^th
Dan 12:1-3
Psalm 16
Heb 10:11-25
Mk 13:1-8

We apologize, there will be no audio or video file this week because of technical difficulties.

Last week we talked about being aware of people who walk around in long robes. This week I want to warn you about men who walk around in short white robes and extract teeth. Beware, these men who say they want to help you, it always leads to pain.

For some the gospel text this week sounds a little confusing, maybe scary, and for some perhaps almost incoherent. That would be me as I was studying it this past week. I’ve decided I shouldn’t read difficult biblical texts while I’m sitting in the dentist’s chair.

Perhaps Jesus was hallucinating. What did he mean no stone would be left one upon another? What was he talking about when he said “Beware, that no one leads you astray.”

The gospel text this week not only appears in Mark, but there is similar text in Matthew and Luke. The text appears in all three synoptic gospels and therefore it has even more significance than if the story just appeared in one of the gospel texts. (Synoptic – gospels that almost parallel Jesus life)

Scholars have wrestled with this text down through the years because it’s one of the more confusing sayings of Jesus. Is this text prophetic, is it apocalyptic, is it even coherent?

Many believe Jesus blended many scenes into one picture; his death, the destruction of Jerusalem within that generation, the second coming and end of the world, which is typified by the destruction of the city. The lines between these topics are not sharply drawn in the report and it is not possible for us to separate the topics clearly.

In our exegesis Bible study that we have each Sunday morning at 11:00am we talk about context, context, context. It’s kind of like saying that all real estate is local. When it comes to real estate, how well houses, properties, or buildings are selling all depends on the local community, the people who are there, and what the business atmosphere is like in that local community.

In the gospel of Mark we have been walking together with Jesus and the disciples. We recently encountered Mary and Martha when Lazarus was dead and Jesus brought him back to life. We heard about Jesus watching those who gave money at the temple, and discovered it wasn’t about the money, two copper coins, it was about fully giving ourselves, all we are and have over to God.

The context here is that Jesus’ ministry is coming to a close. He is preparing people for a new era, a new kingdom, a new time when He/Jesus would be no longer with them.

How do you prepare family, a community for major changes? When my father-in-law recognized that his life might be coming to a close, before his Parkinson’s disease totally disabled him, he wrote about his life story. He wrote about memories, about how he met Adeline his wife at Augustana Academy, and about how they used to sleep with the turkeys on their farm. A story for another day.

Joel also prepared us for when he would not longer be with us. He wanted his children, especially his close family to remember the traditions of the past. He talked about his will, his funeral, he set up a family trust. He even had taken care of the mortuary and helped us understand what would need to be done once he passed.

Jesus was doing some of the same for the disciples. As Joel was explaining things to us we did not fully understand all the details, all the issues we were going to face after he passed. The disciples did not either.

Jesus is talking about the collapse of the temple in Jerusalem; but the disciples were admiring the building. Jesus said, “Not one stone will be left here upon another.”

The disciples were focused on the great buildings that Herod the Great had built, some fantastic structures, beautiful. Josephus, the famous Jewish historian, said that the temple looked like a snow-capped mountain rising up in the midst of Jerusalem. Some of the stones weighted 420 to 600 tons. Jesus changes the focus and says, Not one stone will be left here upon another. Scholars believe this is a prophetic reference to the destruction of Jerusalem in 70 A.D.

Obviously, this got their attention because when they were alone, Peter, James, John, and Andrew asked him privately, “Tell us, when will this be, and what will be the sign that all these things are about to be accomplished?” Jesus began to tell them how things will be once he was gone.

Jesus said, “Beware that no one leads you astray. Many will come in my name and say, ‘I am he!’” Many have come over the years, invoking Jesus name and people have been led astray.

Jesus said beware! This was NOT an idle warning. βλέπω (blepō) – the Greek root used here means to see, to open your eyes, to think about, to consider, to be perceptive about what people who tell you. Many have come in Jesus name and people have been led astray.

Who might lead us astray and astray from what?
This past week I read a study on why children lie. Many people deny that children lie. Parents, police, and teachers often cannot tell when children lie. The study shows that most do no better than 50% in being able to determine if a child is lying or not.

In studies where children are observed in their homes, four-year-olds will lie once every two hours, while a six-year-old will lie about once every hour. Few kids are an exception. These studies show, 96% of all children offer up lies.

So, why do children lie? They lie to cover-up, to avoid punishment, to please, there are many reasons why the lie is told. Children start out actually disliking deception, they think it’s bad, but over time they learn how to lie from who – their parents. This process begins when the child is 1 yr old.

Our children learn how to lie from us. This should not news for us – Paul told the Roman church about 2000 years ago that sin came into the world through Adam. It spread to all people through our parents. “just as sin came into the world through one man, and death came through sin, and so death spread to all because all have sinned”— (Rom 5:12) We have all sinned.

I could spend an hour talking about sin, lying and parenting, but if you want to find out more about lying and how to stop it you will need to come to our parenting class this Wed, Nov 18th at 6:30pm.

Jesus said, “Beware that no one leads you astray” when I’m gone things will get very tough.

Beware, we can lead others astray by what we do and what we say. Jesus was not only concerned about truth, but he had spent long hours talking to his disciples about life, how it should be, how it was intended to be. Jesus also said the path is narrow. So, what can we, do we stray from?

In our reading from Hebrews today it said “I will put my laws in their hearts, and I will write them on their minds.” (Heb 10:16)

God has given us, through the law, through the incarnate Christ an understanding of what is right and wrong, a view of how life should be. Some people deny that right and wrong actually exists. There are some very basic principles that exist across all cultures, across all nations, and all peoples.

Taking something from another person because they have it and I want it. Beware, it’s wrong.

Taking another person’s wife or husband because they have it and I want it. Beware, it’s wrong.

Taking someone’s life because I want to. Beware, it’s wrong. When we stray from these laws we sin against God and against one another.

Many of these ideas were cauterized or summarized in the Ten Commandments, what a surprise. “I will put my laws in their hearts, and I will write them on their minds.” Jesus said Beware!

Through one man sin came into this world and through sin, death.

Jesus said, “Beware.” Life will not be easy, wars and rumors of wars, earthquakes, famines, these are the beginning of birth pangs. The beginning of the end of the age.

Beware do NOT be led astray, but the really good news is that the law does not have the last word. The writer to the Hebrews, look at our earlier reading (Heb 10:12) “Christ had offered for all time a single sacrifice for sins.” Even in chaos, there is good news. Even in destruction, there is good news.

“Hold fast to the confession of our hope without wavering, for he who has promised is faithful.” (Heb 10:23) God is faithful. God is good. God fills us with hope.

Beware, Jesus has the final say. Beware, Jesus is the final answer.
Beware, Jesus shall reign where’er the sun.

Amen!