Mark 13:1-23
Wednesday, 25 September 2024
“So be on your guard. I have told you everything ahead of time.” -Mark 13:23
After reading today’s portion of Scripture, no one would ever be able to say, ‘we did not know about the end times, had we known it, we would have given our lives to Christ!’
Here we see Jesus clearly giving us a quick preview of what is yet to come. How we respond to these warnings depend on our relationship with Him.
Three times in this passage, Jesus tells us to be alert before His coming:
1. V. 5: Watch out
2. V. 9: be on your guard
3. V. 23: be on your guard
Why did He have to say it three times? He knows how unprepared we can be and how lightly we can take things, just like in the times of Noah and the flood.
In V.5, Jesus is calling us to be alert, lest we be deceived by many who claim to be Christ. Deception began in the Garden of Eden. Neither is anyone are spared today. There are self-styled “gurus” out there with their philosophies and sensational performances trying to deceive many. There is so much of counterfeit Christianity with slight twists and turns from the actual Word of God that it’s hard for us to find out what is actually true. If we are not rooted, built and growing in God’s Word, be sure very soon we will be tossed to and fro and carried about with every wind and wave of doctrine around us (Eph.4:14). What Paul warned the Corinthians is for us too: “But I am afraid that, even as the serpent beguiled Eve by his cunning, your minds may be corrupted and led away from the simplicity of [your sincere and] pure devotion to Christ.” (2 Cor.11:3 AMP)
In vs. 9 to 13 the call is for us to guard our faith in the end times. Times are difficult for Christ’s people as more and more opposition is coming against Christian faith. People are going to hate us for our faith and they would do everything possible to make us renounce it. In those trying times if we do not have a heavenly vision and if our lives are not led by the Spirit of God we are sure to fall away for the Word says that it would be those closest to you who would let you down. So we need to guard our relationship with Christ. As the end draws near, our intimacy with the Saviour needs to grow and that we can endure.
In V. 23 the final warning to be on your guard is given to God’s elect. It says in Matt.22:14, “For many are called, but few are chosen.” You and I need to be among the chosen few. Even though we are standing today never forget that it is HIS GRACE that is sustaining us. As God’s elect, we need to always be aware that the spirit of the Antichrist is at work right now in the world (1 John 4:1-3).” Satan’s main tactic in spiritual warfare is to misrepresent the Word and the character of God. The closer we get to the end the more he will attempt to deceive God’s elect. Jesus warned: “For false christs and false prophets will rise and show signs and wonders to deceive, if possible, even the elect.” (V.22).
Brethren, be aware that we are living in the end times. May we today go slow, be careful and prayerful and test everything by patience and the Word of God. Lets us hold on to Christ until His coming again as He promised!
Thought for the Day: “That day lies hid that every day we be on the watch.” - Augustine
Listen: 'The King is Coming'
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