I preached a message to you a few weeks ago from Mark 14:32-37. In that message, I spent most of my time dealing with verses 32 and 33, showing you that it is absolutely impossible for anyone to predict when Christ is coming again in the power and great glory of his second advent. Tonight, I want us to look at Mark 13 again. I will use the parable found in verses 34-37 for my text. My subject is THE SECOND COMING OF CHRIST.
"For the Son of Man is as a man taking a far journey, who left his house, and gave authority to his servants, and to every man his work, and commanded the porter to watch. Watch ye therefore: for ye know not when the master of the house cometh, at even, or at midnight, or at cockcrowing, or in the morning: lest coming suddenly he find you sleeping. And what I say unto you, I say unto all, Watch." …MARK 13:34-37.
I. THE CHURCH ON EARTH IS THE HOUSE OF GOD.
1 Timothy 3:14-16 "These things write I unto thee, hoping to come unto thee shortly: (15) But if I tarry long, that thou mayest know how thou oughtest to behave thyself in the house of God, which is the Church of the living God, the pillar and ground of the truth. (16) And without controversy great is the mystery of godliness: God was manifest in the flesh, justified in the Spirit, seen of angels, preached unto the Gentiles, believed on in the world, received up into glory."
The Church is the house of God. Every true gospel Church is the peculiar, distinct house of God. There is something almost mystical about the assembled body of Christ. As we gather in his name to worship our God, this local assembly becomes the dwelling place and temple of the triune God!
In 1 Timothy 3, Paul speaks of the local Church as "the house of God…the pillar and ground of the truth."
In Ephesians 2:22, we read that the local Church, every true gospel Church, is "a habitation of God through the Spirit."
1 Corinthians 3:16, we read, "Know ye not that ye are the temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you?"
Our Lord Jesus Christ says, in Matthew 18:20, "Where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them."
In this parable, here in Mark 13:34, our Lord Jesus Christ speaks of the Church on earth as his own house, his distinct dwelling. – "For the Son of man is as a man taking a far journey, WHO LEFT HIS HOUSE."
A. The Church is called his house because he is the Foundation stone upon which it is built.
Just as every stone of a building rests on the foundation, so every believer rests on Christ alone. Christ is the Rock upon which we are built, the sure Foundation of our souls. He is "The Stone of Israel" (Gen. 49:24).
Isaiah 28:16 "Therefore thus saith the Lord GOD, Behold, I lay in Zion for a foundation a stone, a tried stone, a precious corner stone, a sure foundation: he that believeth shall not make haste."
Acts 4:11-12 "This is the stone which was set at nought of you builders, which is become the head of the corner. Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved."
Romans 9:33 "As it is written, Behold, I lay in Sion a stumblingstone and rock of offence: and whosoever believeth on him shall not be ashamed."
Ephesians 2:20 "And are built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ himself being the chief corner stone."
1 Peter 2:6-8 "Wherefore also it is contained in the scripture, Behold, I lay in Sion a chief corner stone, elect, precious: and he that believeth on him shall not be confounded. (7) Unto you therefore which believe he is precious: but unto them which be disobedient, the stone which the builders disallowed, the same is made the head of the corner, (8) And a stone of stumbling, and a rock of offence, even to them which stumble at the word, being disobedient: whereunto also they were appointed."
Were not for the foundation, the whole house would fall into ruins. The floods of judgment and winds of adversity would sweep it away. Were not for Christ, we would all be swept away by God's anger. But that cannot be! We are rooted, and grounded, and built upon in him.
B. Our Lord rightfully calls the Church his house because he alone is the Builder of it.
The Church is not built by men, not even by faithful men, much less by entertainment, gimmicks, tricks, and tomfoolery of modern religion. Christ alone builds his Church.
Matthew 16:18 "And I say also unto thee, That thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build my Church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it."
A. Every stone in the building is been placed there by the hands of Christ. Christ has taken every stone from the quarry.
Look unto the rock whence ye were hewn, and the hole of the pit whence ye were digged. We were all embedded in the world, in sin, in ungodliness, and death and just as firmly as a rock in the quarry. Only the hands of our omnipotent Saviour could dig out of the pit.
B. Christ has carries every stone dug from the pit of fallen humanity, and lays it on the Foundation.
Once the stone has been quarried, it cannot lift itself; it needs to be carried, and built upon the foundation. We cannot build ourselves on the Son of God. We must be built on him. The hewn stone is carried on the shoulder of the great Master Builder and laid in its ordained place, exactly according to the eternal blueprint of grace. Every stone in this building, which is his house, has been hewn, carried, and put in place by the Son of God. This house is very properly called his house, since he builds every stone of it.
C. The Church is his house because he owns it.
Not only does he build it with his hands, he bought it with his own precious blood.
Acts 20:28 "Take heed therefore unto yourselves, and to all the flock, over the which the Holy Ghost hath made you overseers, to feed the Church of God, which he hath purchased with his own blood."
D. The Church of God is called his house because this is where he dwells with his family.
Wherever a man's family are, that is his home – wherever a man's mother and sister and brother dwell, that is his home. This, then, must be Christ's home, for he stretched forth his hand toward his disciples, and said: "Behold my mother and my brethren; for whosoever shall do the will of my Father which is in heaven, the same is my brother, and sister, and mother."
II. CHRIST IS LIKE "A MAN WHO TAKING A FAR JOURNEY" (Verse 34).
Though the Church on earth is his house, and though he dwells with us spiritually, our Savior is not here physically. He is risen, ascended, exalted and glorified in heaven.
A. He has gone to take possession of heaven in our name, as our Representative.
When a man goes abroad to purchase a piece property for himself and his family, he goes on a far journey, ahead of his family, in order to take possession of the property. That is what Christ has done for us.
He lived and died in order to purchase forgiveness and acceptance for sinners.
Hebrews 6:20 "Whither the forerunner is for us entered, even Jesus, made an high priest for ever after the order of Melchisedec."
Do you trust Christ as your Surety? Do you believe the Son of God? If you do, then heaven is yours already. You already hold the title deed in your hands. You possess it now and shall possess it forever!
How can I be a possessor of heaven, when I have never been there? Christ my Surety has taken possession of it in my name.
Look at your Surety, my brother, my sister, in the glory land that is very far off. He calls it ours! "These things have I spoken unto you, that your joy may be full." Heaven is our inheritance right now. We possess it now in Christ…
Ephesians 1:11-14 "In whom also we have obtained an inheritance, being predestinated according to the purpose of him who worketh all things after the counsel of his own will: (12) That we should be to the praise of his glory, who first trusted in Christ. (13) In whom ye also trusted, after that ye heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation: in whom also after that ye believed, ye were sealed with that holy Spirit of promise, (14) Which is the earnest of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession, unto the praise of his glory."
B. Our Lord Jesus has gone yonder into heaven to make intercession for us, to ever plead our cause at the throne.
1. He has gone to intercede for his lost sheep. 2. He has gone to intercede for his needy people, his needy family.He has gone to procure all blessings of grace for us. He has gone far above all heavens, there to appear in the presence of God for us, and to ask the very things we need, and to send down all the treasures of heaven upon us.
3. The Lord Jesus has gone to glory to intercede for his sinning saints (1 John 2:1-2).1 John 2:1-2 "My little children, these things write I unto you, that ye sin not. And if any man sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous: (2) And he is the propitiation for our sins: and not for ours only, but also for the sins of the whole world."
C. He has gone to prepare a place for us.
John 14:1-3 "Let not your heart be troubled: ye believe in God, believe also in me. (2) In my Father's house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. (3) And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also."
Christ preparing a place for us. There we soon shall be. There we shall be with him, with him in the place he has prepared for us forever!
III. OUR LORD JESUS CHRIST HAS LEFT US HERE UPON THE EARTH TO BE HIS SERVANTS, TO SERVE THE INTERESTS OF HIS HOUSE, HIS KINGDOM, AND HIS GLORY IN THIS WORLD (Verse 34.)
All God's people are his servants. Each one has been set in this world, in the place where God has put him, to serve him in a specific way.
Mark 13:34 "For the Son of man is as a man taking a far journey, who left his house, and gave authority to his servants, and to every man his work, and commanded the porter to watch."
A. Pastors, gospel preachers, are servants, and have their work assigned them.
1. God's preachers are porters who throw open the door of the house to poor, needy sinners, bidding them "Come in".
2. They are also stewards of the gospel, the treasure of the house, who must rightly divide the Word of truth.
3. Faithful gospel preachers are men who feed the Church of God with knowledge and understanding.
4. Those men who are set over the house of God are set upon the walls of Zion as watchmen, too.
B. All Christians are servants as well.
You who belong to Christ are his servants. You have your work assigned to you. See that you do it faithfully.
Some people think that preachers alone are God's servants. That is not so. Christianity is not a spectator sport! Look at our text – "He gave to every man his work." We all have our work to do.
When Christ found us, he said: "Go, work in my vineyard." Find out what the Lord would have you to do in his vineyard, and do it with all your might.
Learn to keep to your own work. Each of us have our own peculiar work assigned to us. We must not leave it. "Let every man abide in the same calling wherein he was called." It is not for me to choose what I will do for Christ. It is mine to do what he has given me the opportunity and ability to do."
Every one of you have your work to do for Christ where you are. Even in poverty, sickness, and in time of great trial, you are Christ's servant and have your work to do for Christ there as much as the most influential servant of Christ in the world. The smallest twinkling star is as much a servant of God as the mid-day sun. Only live for Christ where you are.
IV. CHRIST IS COMING BACK AGAIN, AND WE KNOW NOT WHEN.
"Watch ye therefore: for ye know not when the master of the house cometh, at even, or at midnight, or at the cockcrowing, or in the morning: lest, coming suddenly, he find you sleeping – (Verses 35, 36.)
Two things are here declared.
A. Christ is coming again.
The whole Bible bears witness to this fact. The master of the house has been a long time away on his journey; but he will come back again. When Christ ascended from his disciples, and a cloud received him out of their sight, and they were looking stedfastly into heaven, the angels said: "Ye men of Galilee, why stand ye gazing up into heaven? This same Jesus which is taken up from you into heaven, shall so come in like manner as ye have seen him go into heaven." He went up in a cloud – he shall come in the clouds.
B. When Christ comes again, he will appear with unannounced suddenness.
The coming will be sudden, sudden to the world, and sudden to the children of God. "In such an hour as ye think not, the Son of Man cometh." "Ye know not when the master of the house cometh, at even, or at midnight, or at cockcrowing, or in the morning." But at the appointed hour, he shall come again!
1 Thessalonians 4:13-18 "But I would not have you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning them which are asleep, that ye sorrow not, even as others which have no hope. (14) For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so them also which sleep in Jesus will God bring with him. (15) For this we say unto you by the word of the Lord, that we which are alive and remain unto the coming of the Lord shall not prevent them which are asleep. (16) For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first: (17) Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord. (18) Wherefore comfort one another with these words."
V. "AND WHAT I SAY UNTO YOU I SAY UNTO ALL, WATCH." (Verse 37.)
A. As your pastor I must watch.
B. You, my brothers and sisters in Christ, must watch over your own souls.
C. You who are yet without Christ must watch.
Oh, Christless souls, how dreadful your case is! Death may take you suddenly to eternity! How sudden it often is. You may have no time for repentance – no breath to pray!
The coming of Christ in judgment shall be more sudden still. You know neither the day nor the hour.
Oh! what will you do in the day of the Lord's fierce anger?
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