In previous sermons, we learned what are not signs of Jesus’ return. But God wants us to know what is a sign of Jesus’ return. In Sunday’s message, we learn what happens when Jesus returns and when it begins.
In this portion of Mark’s Gospel, Jesus commends the giving of a poor widow and addresses his disciples misconceptions of the end times. Concerning giving, we learn that God is pleased with the sacrifice rather than the amount of the gift. With respect to the end times, Jesus addresses many non-signs of the end times that should not disturb us. These things will occur, but are not in themselves signs of Jesus’ second coming.
SERMON SUMMARY 1. Our lives are shaped by our expectations. Shaped by the Old Testament, the disciples expected God quickly to bring in a physical, national kingdom of Israel with a victorious, messianic ruler who would squash all Gentile opposition. The disciples expected and wanted one thing, but Jesus had something else in mind. False…