April 7 | Endure
Read Mark 13:1-23
Be on guard! As Jesus leaves the temple in 13:1 (never to return again), his disciples note how amazing the temple is. And it was! Twelve football fields could have fit in the temple footprint!
But Jesus says even this great temple will fall. And he goes on to tell them about what it will be like when the temple is destroyed.
Most commentators agree that the rest of this passage has to do with the events around the destruction of Jerusalem in A.D. 70. He tells them they will hear about wars, they will stand before rulers on trial, families might betray each other for their faith! And the historian Josephus tells us that all of these things happened.
But Jesus wants his followers to know, that even when war comes, even when you can’t imagine how it could get worse- this isn’t the end! God’s Kingdom cannot be destroyed!
Jesus tells them this so they’re ready! So they aren’t surprised that once again, God’s Kingdom doesn’t come like they expect. He wants them to stand firm in their faith, and trust that one way or another, He will rescue them.
Today, let’s ask God to help us cling to Him in faith, even when the world is falling apart.