The Lutheran Hour
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"Standing Firm"
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Text: Mark 13:1-13
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Christ is risen! He is risen, indeed! Judgment Day is coming. That may be the world’s Judgment Day; it may be our personal Judgment Day. It makes little difference. Judgment Day is coming. When it arrives, will you be ready? Will you be prepared? The open, and empty tomb of the Savior tells us that believers in the Christ need not be afraid. The companionship of the living Lord saves us as, in faith, we stand firm until the end.
Today, we’re speaking about Judgment Day. I don’t know any topic that makes people sit up faster and listen closer than the subject of Judgment Day. It’s only natural. People, Christians and non-Christians alike, have always wanted to be prepared for the unknown tomorrow. So they might be prepared, the ancient Greeks made a pilgrimage to the Oracle at Delphi and then tried to understand her cryptic and poetic prophecies. So they might be prepared, the Romans read the entrails of sacrificed animals. So they might be prepared, people today call the psychic hotline, read their horoscopes, break open their fortune cookies, listen to the stock market forecasters and tune in to the Weather Channel. To be prepared for the unknown and unexpected, we take out health insurance, house insurance, medical insurance, business insurance, car insurance and funeral insurance. Sadly, no matter how much time, how much worry and cash we invest in our preparations, surprises and shocks scare us as they jump out of seemingly safe and secure situations. We go for our routine physical and the doctor destroys our plans when he seriously says, “the biopsy results are positive, and terminal.” An individual talking on his cell phone, forgets to keep track of his vehicle, and lets it glide over the center line; our perfect plans just became pitifully pathetic.
Today we’re talking about Judgment Day. It’s not unusual for preachers to do so. Every time a war breaks out, every time a terrorist attack is successful, every time a disease decimates the population, every time a natural disaster devastates a neighborhood, ministers put aside their preaching plans and speak about the last times. Nobody has to tell them that an afraid audience is an attentive audience.
Preachers know, at such times, their words will not fall upon deaf ears. Fear of an unknown tomorrow has always sent people scurrying for information; searching for inspiration and accepting anyone who claims to have figured out the secret formula which will predict when the last time will come. People want to know, “When is it going to happen? Today, tomorrow, during my lifetime? Should I worry, can I relax?” Folks, can I tell you, for twenty centuries searching souls have been seeking a satisfactory answer to these questions. For twenty centuries people have surveyed the scene, seen nasty stuff, and surmised that the Savior’s Judgment Day return is right around the corner. Goodness, even Jesus’ own disciples wanted to know when that last moment would come. Mark records their question in the 13th chapter of his gospel. “Tell us,” the disciples demand of Jesus, “when will the end come? What will be the sign?” They wanted to know, “Should we be worried? Can we relax?”
Maybe you, reading the news, rocked by adversities, are asking these same questions? Do you want answers? Today on “The Lutheran Hour,” we’re talking about Judgment Day, and we’re going to give you the answers. We’re going to give you the right answers. Answers you can trust and believe in. You can believe them because they come from Jesus Christ, the sinless Son of God, the Forgiver of your sins, the Savior of your souls. He can tell you whether you should be worried or if you can relax. Are you ready? I knew you would be. The answer to the question: “When will Judgment Day be?” is “I don’t know.”
I can almost hear you saying, “Hey, that’s not fair.” Maybe you’re thinking, “What a rip off. Why only last week, I tuned in to another Christian program and he was pretty precise about the end.” Perhaps you’re even ready to turn the radio dial in frustration because you think you’ve been had – I wish you wouldn’t. Look, I would love to tell you when Judgment Day is going to be. I would love to say, it’s four years, three months, two days, six hours, fifteen minutes, and twenty-two seconds from now. I would look really good, and really smart if I could do that. But I can’t. Nor can anyone else. The bottom line is, nobody knows. Not me, or any other radio or TV speaker. Not the wisest of Bible scholars. We don’t know. We can calculate. We can figure. We can guesstimate. We can try to read the signs, but anybody who says they know when Judgment Day is coming is whistling in the wind.
To which you reply, “Sure, that’s your opinion, Reverend.” No, it’s not my opinion. It comes from Scripture. Speaking of Judgment Day, Jesus said, “Heaven and earth will pass away, but My words will never pass away. No one knows about that day or hour, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father.” Did you get that? Nobody knows. Not even the angels. Jesus continued, (just) “As it was in the days of Noah, so it will be at the coming of the Son of Man. For in the days before the flood, people were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, up to the day Noah entered the ark; and they knew nothing about what would happen until the flood came and took them all away.” Jesus concludes, “That is how it will be . . ..” (Matthew 24:35ff)
There you have it. Jesus has said it. Judgment Day is going to come when people don’t expect it. There will be warnings, but not a single, special warning. On that day when Jesus returns, people will be doing all of the normal things people do. And then, BAM, Judgment Day. Forget the experts’ calculations and the theologians’ opinions. Jesus is going to come, how did Peter say it, like a “thief in the night.” (2 Peter 3:10) Saint Paul said the same thing. To the church in Thessalonica, he wrote: “Now, brothers, about times and dates we do not need to write to you, for you know very well that the day of the Lord will come like a thief in the night. While people are saying, ‘Peace and safety,’ destruction will come on them suddenly, as labor pains on a pregnant woman, and they will not escape.” (1 Thessalonians 5:1-3) So there’s the answer to the question: “When will Judgment Day come?” We don’t know.
Many people, when they hear and understand that truth, end up saying: “Well, that takes care of that. Since we can’t predict when Judgment Day is coming, we might as well just enjoy this life and eat, drink and be merry.” (Luke 12:19) If you’re thinking that, you’re missing the whole point of what Jesus was trying to get through to His listeners. He was trying to say, “Look, I came into this world to save you from your sins. Once you were lost, now you are found. Once you were damned to hell, now, because of Me, you are delivered to heaven. If you have faith in Me as your saving Substitute, you can have peace 24 hours a day, seven days a week. That’s what Saint Paul meant when he, speaking to Christians, said, “But you, brothers, are not in darkness so that this day should surprise you like a thief.” (1 Thessalonians 5:4)
Today, on “The Lutheran Hour,” we’re talking about Judgment Day. We want you to be ready for that day. We want you to be prepared. The consequences of unpreparedness are too horrible, hurtful and horrendous to contemplate. In May of 1984, the National Geographic magazine ran a feature article that described the tragic and terrible destruction that wiped out the Roman Cities of Pompeii and Herculaneum, in the year 79 A.D. The magazine could give an accurate description of the events because those communities had been perfectly preserved. When Vesuvius exploded, it sent a tree of debris over a mile high. That debris, mixed with the lava that poured down the southeast slope of the mountain, buried those cities, buried them 19 to 65 feet deep. That soft lava cooled, and preserved everything in place.
Archeologists found those ancient cities, superbly sealed. They found men and women who had died in the marketplace; the rich in their luxurious baths, the slaves at their toil. They died amid volcanic ash and superheated gases. There was the lady from the house of Faubus – a very rich lady, carrying her box of gold, silver, and jewelry – seeking to escape. There were 60 gladiators still chained together, waiting to perform in the amphitheater. Hundreds of slaves, people in their villas drinking white wine in the afternoon. Watchdogs died at their posts; bakeries with their bread on the cooling racks. The saddest bit of news is that the people of these towns didn’t have to die. Contemporary scientists have confirmed what ancient Roman witnesses wrote: the eruption of Vesuvius was preceded by weeks of rumblings and shakings. Days before the eruption, the mountain sent up a plume of smoke as a warning. But the people didn’t listen. And they died.
That my friends, is a fair description of what will happen when the Savior returns. No, I don’t know when it will happen. I do know it’s coming. It may come for the world. It may come for you, personally. I want you to be ready. More importantly, the Lord wants you to be ready. Will you be ready?
A few weeks ago, I had the opportunity to speak at the 150th anniversary of Zion Lutheran Church in Hillsboro, Missouri. Before the service began, I took the time to wander through the old church cemetery that was part of the grounds. There I saw a small, weatherworn marker. It was a child that lived just one day, and then died. There were other markers there. Some were big, and the words were carved deep into the stone. Others were small with messages almost unreadable. Rich or poor, young or old, there was one thing they all shared: Judgment Day had come for each.
One hundred fifty years ago, a group of Christians had come together to found that church. Now all of them are gone. Judgment Day had come for each. But for them, it was not a sad occasion. It was not a moment to be feared. They had been washed of their sins in the blood of God’s Son Who had come to save them. They knew that when they took their last breath in this life, Jesus, their dear Friend, would take them, and lead them safely through the valley of the shadow of death. Jesus would bring them to the heavenly home that He had prepared for them long ago. They knew that all who believe on Jesus as Savior have eternal life. They knew that truth. Their families knew it, too. That’s why, when the survivors had those memorial stones prepared, they inscribed words of hope. Like the first Christians who were buried in the catacombs, on those Hillsboro stones, you will find words of life, not death; hope, not helplessness; salvation, not sorrow. They had stood firm until the end.
Will you not hear the Holy Spirit’s call? Your time is coming. Today. Tomorrow. A month from now, a year, a decade. I can’t tell you when, but I know that it’s coming. You need to be ready. That’s what Jesus said to His disciples when they asked Him about Judgment Day. He didn’t tell them when it was coming. He just said, “He who stands firm till the end will be saved.” To stand firm in Jesus. To stand firm in Him Who has lived, and suffered, and bled and died to save you, is what the Lord offers today.
Now I know, yes, I know, that you are probably going to say, “I’m OK. I might listen down the road, maybe in a few years’ time.” Please, please don’t do that. Years ago, I rode the Chicago Transit Authority bus in Chicago. The bus was filled with weary office workers and worn out shoppers. At one stop, two men and a woman, climbed in. The driver, who had seen this trio before, called to his passengers, “Everybody watch your valuables. There are pickpockets on board.” You should have seen the reaction. Women immediately clutched their purses; men instantaneously put their hands on their wallets. All eyes fixed on the trio, who, looking insulted, got off the bus. Today, I’m that bus driver. I’m calling out, “Sin, death, devil, are trying to rob you of the life that Jesus has won for you.” I’m shouting, “There are pickpockets after your soul.” React.
I can say, with reasonable confidence that there are those people who are listening to my voice today, who will never again hear another sermon, will never see another Sunday. There are hearers unknown to me, who will never again have another chance. This is the day. The day to be prepared for judgment. Be ready. Stand firm until the end, and then you will be saved. No matter whether you have warning or not, you will be ready; you will not be afraid. If you need to know more about Jesus Christ; if you are ready by the Spirit’s power to react, then call us at the number that we will give you before the end of this broadcast.
And to you who know Jesus as Savior . . . be at peace. In this world, when you see people like the citizenry of Pompeii, running this way and that to escape impending disaster, give thanks that you have seen Jesus in His cradle; that you have seen Him upon His cross. You have stood before His empty tomb, and with faith in the risen Lord, are now empowered to approach tomorrow and judgment, differently than the unbelieving world. You, by the Spirit’s strength, will be saved as you endure until the end. Don’t let Satan’s temptations and sin’s pressures turn you aside. Don’t let anything separate you from the love of God, which is yours in Christ Jesus. (Romans 8:38-39) In Jesus you can stand firm.
Today we are speaking about Judgment Day. We have talked about the people who were caught during the destruction of Vesuvius. Some died in cellars where they fled for security. Others were found in upper rooms where they climbed for safety. Let me tell you about one more person who died that day. Let me tell you about the Roman sentinel. He was found standing at the city gate. He was found standing in the spot where he had been placed by his captain. He stood there, unmoving, while the earth shook under his feet. He stood there confidently, when the panicked populace surged around him. He stood there when the flood of ashes covered him. He was ready. He was a Roman soldier. He died still holding his weapon. There, more than a thousand years later, he was found, still at his post. That, my saved friends is your example. You are Christians. Christ has prepared you for the unknown hour. Armed with faith in Jesus, you are ready. Stand at your post with confidence. Give this world a witness. Let everyone know: He who stands firm until the end shall be saved. Amen.
Lutheran Hour Mailbox (Questions and Answers) for November 9, 2003 Topic: Signs of the Last Times
ANNOUNCER: Will Judgment Day be televised? It’s time once again for questions and answers with Pastor Ken Klaus; I’m Mark Eischer. And Pastor Klaus, today’s message concerned Judgment Day. I’m wondering, when Jesus returns, will it take time for the news of His return to flash around the world?
KLAUS: Will Judgment Day be televised? We’re assuming that if Jesus appears in Sydney, Australia, the only way we’d hear about it would be for CNN or Fox News to report it and flash it via satellite. That won’t be necessary. Scripture is clear. Jesus’ return will take place in the blink of an eye, at the same time, for everybody, everywhere.
ANNOUNCER: How can He do that?
KLAUS: I don’t know. I do know that God, who has the power to create the universe, and who right now is everywhere, also has the power to judge the entire world instantaneously. Scripture doesn’t give us time to have a second chance. It says now is the day of salvation.
ANNOUNCER: Historically the Christian Church has also said Jesus will return in judgment, He will bring believers to heaven, and send unbelievers to hell. However, some say a loving God wouldn’t do that.
KLAUS: Well, people who say that are partially right. A loving God doesn’t want anybody to be lost. In order to save us, our loving heavenly Father sent His Son to earth. He was on a mission of mercy and reconciliation. Everything that Jesus did His entire life, suffering, death, and resurrection, is our Loving Father’s gracious plan to rescue us.
ANNOUNCER: So does that mean everyone will be saved in the end?
KLAUS: No. People who think of God as a loving God also need to remember He’s a just God. If you reject the Savior, if you turn your back on Him, justice demands that God punish you for your sins.
ANNOUNCER: The Bible says, “The wages of sin is death.”
KLAUS: Exactly. Let’s put it this way. What would think of an earthly judge, who having a most heinous criminal appear in front of him, decides to ignore the evidence, put aside the crime, forget the law, and let the criminal go?
ANNOUNCER: I’d say he’s not doing his job.
KLAUS: I would say so too. A judge has to judge. God, along with being loving, is also just. He forgives us because Jesus has paid the price for our sins. But, if somebody appears before Him, God the Judge, and says, “I’d like to be judged on my own merits” the Just Lord will have to say, “Ok” and he pronounces the penalty the law requires for those who fall short of what He demands.
ANNOUNCER: Pastor, in your sermon, you also talked about the signs of the last times. From time to time I’ve heard preachers make some pretty detailed predictions as to when that will occur. If Jesus didn’t want us to make these predictions, why do you suppose He gave us these signs?
KLAUS: The best way I can answer your question, Mark, is with a question of my own. When, in recorded human history, have there not been wars and rumors of wars?
ANNOUNCER: Never. Those signs have always been present in every age.
KLAUS: And the other signs, troubles, pestilence, plague . . .
ANNOUNCER: Always there.
KLAUS: Why would Jesus do that?
ANNOUNCER: I guess because He wants people in every generation to be prepared at any moment?
KLAUS: Right. Jesus says He’s going to come like a thief in the night. But He also knows these things can wake us up. He knew these things would shake us up. He knew these great events would start us to asking questions about our mortality and our ultimate end.
ANNOUNCER: So that when we ask these questions . . .
KLAUS: the Holy Spirit can lead us by God’s Word, to God’s answers in Jesus.
ANNOUNCER: One last question for you today. From your experience in the parish, have you found that Christians die differently than non-Christians?
KLAUS: If you’re asking whether all Christians go skipping off into the sunset with a smile, the answer would be no. However, if you’re asking, do Christians die knowing they have a Divine Friend who has already conquered death, the answer is yes. Christians do die differently. They would have to. They know where they’re going. They know how they’re going to get there; they know who’s going to take them there. That’s the difference between terror and trust.
ANNOUNCER: Thank you Pastor Klaus. This has been a presentation of Lutheran Hour Ministries.