The Glorious Return of our Lord - Mark 13:24-27
Thomas Baber
Summary
Humanity faces a future of cosmic upheaval, great tribulation, and the terrifying judgment of God against sin. Yet, Christ, the faithful and true King, will return in glorious power to gather His elect from all ends of the earth and establish His eternal kingdom. Therefore, in repentance and trust, believers find strength and hope to persevere and proclaim the gospel, knowing that only through Him can one escape wrath and inherit eternal life.
Transcript
0:00Please open your Bibles to Mark chapter 13. We'll be looking at verses 24 through 27 today. We sang about the glorious day, our Lord's return. Now we're going to read about it. We're going to study about it. It is a glorious text because here we're going to focus our attention on that one time in history, that culmination of history when Christ returns for his people and all that that involves. I mean, it's a beautiful day this morning, a glorious weather, appropriate text for such a glorious day. Now, if you'll remember, we are working our way through Mark chapter 13. We've looked at three epochs of time. We'll be looking at the third today. First epoch is that the last days, that time period from the Pentecost until now, where it's going to be characterized by all kinds of different events with the gospel going forward to all nations. It's the time we're living in right now, and it's a time of difficulty, perplexity, and pessimism, a way that life is going to go. However, through all that, there's the hope of the gospel that is going out. Then, the next event, beginning in verse 14, is that abomination of desolation, that great tribulation, which has started when that abomination of desolation takes his stand and holds himself up to be the one worshipped. It's the culmination of all the Antichrist thoughts through the ages, culminated under one head. One abomination, and he takes his stand. And then the third event, or the third epic, is the second coming, which begins in verse 24. In response to the great apostasy, the great tribulation that has taken place, after all that has run its course, then the Lord appears. Read that text, Mark 13, verse 24. But in those days, after that tribulation, the sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give its light. And the stars will be falling from the heavens, and the powers that are in the heavens will be shaken. Then they will see the Son of Man coming in clouds with great power and glory. And then he will send forth the angels and will gather together his elect from the four winds, from the farthest ends of the earth to the farthest ends of heaven. Understanding what is going to happen in the future is one of the most important things for you to know. Call this biblical eschatology, and it is critical for the health of the church. Eschatology is the study of the future events as the Bible reveals them. We think of biology, the study of life. We think of ecology, the study of ecosystems. We think of hydrology as the study of water. In a theological realm, we speak of soteriology, the study of salvation. Sunday evening, we're studying pneumatology, the study of the Spirit and the Holy Spirit. And then there's ecclesiology, the study of the church. One that's very important for you is eschatology, the study of the future events as the Bible records them. It's not a secondary issue. It is critical for the health of the church. It's critical for you to know how things are going to end because it gives us light as to how we are to live now and what to expect and how to be prepared for what we will face. And the study of Bible prophecy has been abused and it has been neglected. Neither is good for the health of the church. Very important for you to understand the end from the beginning and how things are going to go. I had a former pastor who had little kids and they were watching a movie, one of these little kid movies that has a villain and all this stuff, and they got very, very frightened in the middle and they decided to get up and leave the room. And what this pastor did is he brought them back into the room and he showed them the end of the movie. He said, see, the hero is going to be okay. And then that gave them the ability to sit through and watch the whole movie and watch the difficult scenes and watch the scary parts because they knew how it was going to end. And that's exactly what Christ does by telling us the events that are going to come. There's going to be some very scary times ahead, but he has told us the end so that we could have hope now and make it through. Through the difficult times ahead. I mean, it's absolutely critical for you to know what the Bible has to say about the future. Jesus wanted his disciples to know because he knew what they were going to face, and he tells them so that they could be encouraged to finish the race, to follow the course, to do that which he has called them to do. And the one thing, if you look around in our day and age, you'll notice there's a lot to get discouraged about, isn't there? You know, Matthew 24, 12 says that because lawlessness is increased, most people's love will grow cold. And if you look around what's going on in our society, there's a lot to get discouraged about. Even if you look into your own heart and you see your own shortcomings and your own frustrations with yourself, it can be discouraging. And the one remedy for that is a clear picture of Christ and his second return. And I know nothing better as a remedy for depression than a clear picture of who Christ is and this second return because it sets the whole world in order and how things are going to be. And so understanding what is going to happen is very, very critical for you. Important for you to understand what the Bible says about the future. And so this morning we have the privilege of just coming to this passage that just opens our eyes, gives us the scene of what's going to take place. And we're going to look at several passages as they relate because this is not just written in one obscure place. This is throughout the scripture, this event. And there are three distinct phases of our Lord's glorious return that are in this passage this morning. And I want to look at each phase so that you will be encouraged to live life fully with what He has called you to do. I'm going to do it very simply under three headings: the shaking, the coming, and the gathering. The shaking, the coming, and the gathering. The shaking of the earth, the coming of the sun, and the gathering of his elect. Look at verse 24. First, the shaking, the shaking. Verse 24. But in those days, after that tribulation, the sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give its light, and the stars will be falling from heaven, and the powers that are in the heavens will be shaken. This is language unquestionably about external physical shaking of the cosmos. There is disturbances, cosmic disturbances, huge, epic proportions. It's cosmic upheaval, cosmic cataclysm. It's an event that the whole visible order of the universe will be changed. And you'll notice it. Those living will notice. The sun and the moon will be darkened. The stars will be falling. Something like a meteor display, a very, very severe one. Isaiah speaks about this same event in Isaiah 13, 10. Let me just read this to you.
7:30Of heaven and their constellations will not flash forth their light. The sun will be dark when it rises, and the moon will not shed its light. Thus I will punish the world for its evil and the wicked for their iniquity. I will also put an end to the arrogance of the proud and abase the haughtiness of the ruthless. I will make the heavens tremble, and the earth will be shaken from its place at the fury of the Lord of hosts in the day of his burning anger. This is that day of the Lord that is spoken about throughout Scripture, a day when he comes to deal justly. His anger has reached the point where he steps on to the world scene to put down evil once and for all. So this is, there is an external physical shaking taking place. But then there is also an internal spiritual shaking of Earth's inhabitants. So there's this huge shaking in the cosmos and on earth, but there's also a shaking within the hearts of men. I mean, this will get people's attention. I mean, when the sun goes out, it'll get their attention, for sure. You see, man can't live very long under such conditions, right? This thing is escalating to the end. And Luke speaks about this same event, and he gives us a look at the inside or what's going on inside the hearts of men. It says in Luke 21, 25, there will be signs in the sun, and the moon, and the stars, and on earth dismay among the nations, and perplexity at the The roaring of the seas and the waves. So the waves, the seas are going to be acting very different. Men will be feigning from fear and the expectation of the things which are coming upon the world, for the powers of the heavens will be shaken. Start picturing the scene. Think about the epic changes and the cataclysmic disturbances. Isaiah also gives us a picture of the same thing. In Isaiah 13, 6, it says, The day of the Lord is near. It will come as destruction from the Almighty. Therefore, all hands will fall limp, and every man's heart will melt. They will be terrified. Pains and anguish will take hold of them. They will writhe like a woman in labor. I mean, this is pretty stout. And this will be in response to the fury of his burning anger to make the land a desolation, and he will exterminate sinners from it. The righteous judge has come to a point, and he will exterminate sinners. From that, that's the day of the Lord. If you look at Revelation 6, you don't need to turn there. I'm going to read to you the sixth seal. The sixth seal, when it is opened, the Antichrist has come on the scene. He's run his course, and now in Revelation 6, 12, the sixth seal is opened up. Let me just read it to you. Same event being described. I looked, and when he broke the sixth seal, and there was a great earthquake, and the sun became black as sackcloth made of hair, and the whole moon became like blood, and stars. Of the sky fell to the earth as a fig tree casts unripe figs when shaken by a great wind. The sky was split apart like a scroll when it is rolled up, and every mountain and island were moved out of their places. Then the kings of the earth, and the great men, and the commanders, and the rich, and the strong, and every slave, and every free man, hid themselves in the caves and among the rocks of the mountains. And they said to the mountains and to the rocks, Fall on us, and hide us from the presence of him who sits on the throne and from the wrath of the Lamb, for the great day of their wrath has come, and who is able to stand? See, there's tremendous consistency throughout Scripture about this event. But there's a reason why he's given this shaking, both internal and external. First reason is to get attention. I mean, no one is going to miss this event. Many missed the first coming, but no one's going to miss the second coming. And this, not only does it get the attention, but it sets the stage for his second coming. And that is why in Mark 13, 21, he says, don't believe it when somebody else says, there's the Christ, or there he is. You're not going to miss it. You're not going to miss it at all. Matthew 24, 27 says, For just as the lightning comes from the east and flashes even to the west, so will be the coming of the Son of Man. He's not going to show up in some obscure place out in the desert here or there. You will see him coming. But there were signs that surrounded his first advent. And if the Bible told us about signs that were going to herald in his first advent, how much more would we expect signs to herald in his second advent? The word anvit means coming.
12:13His first coming, there were signs. You remember, there was the star, there were the angels, and his second coming is going to be the time of his exaltation. The first coming was his humiliation. That is what theologians call the time of his humiliation. And what that means is his whole life, he left heaven to be humbled and to walk among us. He was born in a manger. He lived a peasant's life. He suffered death as a criminal. And yet, this first coming was heralded by signs. And his second coming, how much more? It is going to be the time of his exaltation. He is not coming to slip in and out of the scene. He is coming to reign. How much more will you expect the signs of his second coming? And the Bible tells us about him. This is it. We're not going to miss it. There's going to be a darkened earth. There's going to be cosmic chaos. And this is going to get the earth's attention and it's going to set the stage for his return. That's the shaking. Next, I want you to see the coming. Look at verse 26. Then.
13:21So picture that blackened scene, the turmoil, the perplexity that is going on on the earth. Then they will see the Son of Man coming in clouds. With great power and great glory. Two things. He comes with great power and he comes with great glory. Great power is a reference to ruling authority. One thing Mark has demonstrated is that Christ has absolute authority over every realm of humanity, except, by this time, government. By the time you get to this place in Mark, he is absolutely has authority over everything, except in the hearts of men. The only realm that has not received him is sinful man. But he has authority over the cosmos and authority to rule and to reign as the only sovereign monarch of the world. Comes with great power. Governmental authority is in view. The ruling, the reigning. He's the authority over the cosmos and over humanity. And Daniel is very much on the mind of Jesus at this point. He's already talked about the abomination of desolation in accordance with Daniel. And now he is talking about the prophecy of the Son of Man coming in the clouds from Daniel. And there are two particular chapters worth mentioning in Daniel at this point. There's Daniel 2, and it speaks of the eternal kingdom. Remember this big statue, Nebuchadnezzar, representing all the Gentile kings of the earth or big kingdoms of the earth. And then this stone that comes without hands is cut, and it comes, and it hits the statue. You at the feet, and it grinds the whole thing to powder. And then this stone becomes a great mountain. And in Daniel 22, 44 says, In those days, in the days of those kings, the God of heaven will set up a kingdom. That's this little stone that turns into a mountain, which will never be destroyed. And that kingdom will not be left for another people. It will crush and put an end to all these kingdoms, but it itself will endure forever. A kingdom that will come, that will replace all others and endure forever. Then Daniel 7 speaks of the king of this eternal kingdom. So not only is there a kingdom coming, but there is the king of this kingdom coming. And that is what Daniel 7 is about. In Daniel 7:13, we read these words. I kept looking in the night visions. Picture all blackness. Think about Daniel. What does he see in here? And then comes the light, very much what he's describing here in Mark. Daniel 7:13, I kept looking in the night visions, and behold, with the clouds of heaven, one like a Son of Man coming. And he came up to the ancient of days and was presented before him. And to him was given dominion, glory, and a kingdom that all the peoples, nations, and men of every language might serve him. His dominion is an everlasting dominion, which will not pass away, and his kingdom, which is one that will not be destroyed. An enduring kingdom, and the enduring king of this kingdom. Who is his kingdom? The redeemed. Who is the king? The redeemer. Revelation 1.5 makes it very clear. Jesus speaking, referring to Jesus. Revelation 1.5 says, This, to him, Jesus, who loves us and released us from our sins by his blood, and has made us to be a kingdom of priests to his God and Father. To him be glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen. Behold, he is coming with the clouds, and every eye will see him, even those who pierced him, and all the tribes of the earth will mourn over him. So it is to be. Amen. He comes as the eternal king, that is, the redeemer king, of an eternal kingdom, that is the kingdom of the redeemed people purchased by his blood. So he comes with great power, but he also comes with great glory. Matthew 24, 30 tells us that during the time when the lights go out and darkness is all over the earth, that the sign of the Son of Man will appear in the sky. Now, what is this sign? Some early theologians thought of it might be the sign of a cross in the sky. I think it's the radiant glory of Christ, and it is described very well in Ezekiel 1. If you want to turn there, I know many of you ladies have been studying Ezekiel 1. Well, this is what I believe is that sign. In Ezekiel 1, just pick up reading in verse 4. As I look, behold, a storm. Wind was coming from the north, a great cloud with fire flashing forth continually and a bright light around it. You know, 1 Timothy 6, 14 or 6, 16 says that he dwells in an unapproachable light. But here is Ezekiel out there on the plain by the river Chibar, and he sees this glorious sight, a great cloud with fire flashing forth continually around it, a bright light around it, and in its midst, something like glowing metal in the midst of the fire. And then there is these living beings, and he goes on to describe these living beings that were part of this, that were moving at the voice. And then over the heads of these living beings, he describes in verse 22, something like an expanse. Above these living beings, there is this expanse, like the awesome gleam of crystal spread over their heads. And then over this expanse in verse 26, now above the expanse, over the heads, there was something resembling a throne.
19:00And on that which resembled the throne high up was a figure with the appearance of a man. And then I noticed from the appearance, from his waist upwards, something like glowing metal that looked like fire all around within it. And from the appearance of his waist and downward, I saw something like fire, and there was a radiance around him, and the appearance of a rainbow in the clouds on a rainy day. So was the appearance of the surrounding radiance. Such was the appearance and likeness of the glory of the Lord. And when Ezekiel saw it, he fell on his face. And I believe that that is what the glory, the sign in the heavens when all is dark, the sign is going to be the Son himself coming and his radiant glory. You see, he's not coming to be presented on a little donkey this time. That was in his humiliation. He comes as heaven's exalted king. He comes in like a Roman conqueror would on a big white horse with glory in his train, filling up the sky. Oh, no one's going to miss him. In fact, turn to Revelation 19. I want you to see this. Revelation 19 speaks about this event in verse 11. And I saw heaven opened, and behold, a white horse, and he who sat on it, he comes and he wages war in righteousness and judges. His eyes are a flame of fire, and on his head are many diadems, many crowns, and he has a name which is written on him which no one knows except himself. He is clothed with a robe dipped in blood, and his name is called the Word of God. And the armies which are in heavens, clothed in fine linen, white and clean, were following him on white horses. From his mouth comes a sharp sword, so that with it he may strike down the nations, and he will rule them with a rod of iron, and he treads the wine press of the fathers. Fierce wrath of God, the Almighty, and on his robe and on his thigh, he has a name written, King of Kings, Lord of Lords. It's going to be a glorious sight, and yet it is going to be a frightful sight. I remember growing up in northern New Mexico, there was this one place called Overlook Park where you could go out to the end of this mesa and you could see the Rio Grande Valley. You could see the river going down it, just a beautiful, glorious scene. One day I hiked the trail down to the river, got down to the bottom of the river, saw the beautiful river, and decided I'm going to swim it. I just jumped out into the river and swam across it and barely got out with my life. That thing was far more powerful than I ever imagined. And I purposed to never, ever do that again and to respect water with everything I have. Every time I get around water, and that's it's been the study of my life, hydrology. But I can tell you, I respect water and the power of it. And this scene, when I look over now, this scene of the Rio Grande Valley, it's glorious and it's beauty, but there is a little bit of something frightful in it because there's something so powerful there that it gives you a little bit of respect. Well, think now what's going on in the world at this juncture. You've got the cosmos wrecked, you've got the sun going. Out. Men, I mean, people melting fear, and then here comes the Son of God with all of his glory, beautiful, yet very, very frightful. Let me put a picture on the screen. Somebody get the light. I want you to see this. This was taken from Hubble Deep Space, the Hubble Extreme Deep Field Telescope, or however they put this thing together. The deep field on the sky. And you can see that X D F, see that little X right there, or that little box? That is just there's our moon. It's to scale. And you see that little bitty box there. That is a picture. This is the area that we're focusing on. So to the naked eye and even to telescopes, there's not anything that you can even see, just a blank piece of sky. Now, this photograph was just released. So look how small it is compared to the moon. Now take us to the next one. The Hubble telescope was able to see this deep into space. And it's not just a blank sky. These are galaxies.
23:44These are many and many galaxies. Look at that for just a moment. Each of those galaxies, or many of those galaxies, are much larger than the one we're in. I mean, this is our creation. Creator. This is what he created. And the more we study the world around us, the more majestic and awe-inspiring it is. And I'll tell you what, look in a microscope, and it's the same thing. And all of a sudden, you realize there's a universe like that in something microscopic. I mean, the infinity and the infinitesimal is just profoundly frightening when you look into it. And it is awesome. It is glorious. And yet, there's something about it that is just a little bit scary. Well, how much more do you think when the Creator Himself steps onto the scene in His full glory? Talk about awe-inspiring. That is the coming of our Lord. It's going to be glorious, and yet it's going to be frightful. But look, before you turn out of Revelation 11, I want you to, or 19, look at his name in verse 11. And I saw heaven opened up, and behold, a white horse, and he who sat on it is called faithful and true. Faithful and true. He is faithful and true to everything he ever said in the state of his humiliation. The peasant spoke the truth. He spoke the words, and this conquering king comes and he lives in perfect faithfulness to those words. It's a beautiful picture. And just listen to some of his promises. Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are those who mourn, for they are going to be comforted. Blessed are the gentle, for they shall inherit the earth. As if to say, I'm going to make sure they inherit the earth. Matthew 11:28, come to me, all you who are weary and heavy-laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light. John 6, 37, the one who comes to me, I will certainly not cast out. John 10, 27, My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me, and I give eternal life to them, and they will never perish, and no one will snatch them out of my hand. You see, he is a shepherd at heart. Though we see this picture of this glorious Lord coming, the glorious Creator, we know, we know he's a shepherd at heart. We know him from his time of his humiliation, and we know he is faithful and true to every word he ever spoke. Remember, when you have, let me tell you, when you have six kids, there are instances when things get out of order in the house and dad comes in and blows a gasket.
26:57One of these instances, I don't know what was. Taking place, but maybe the cows had trampled over my garden. Maybe a dog had killed one of my chickens. I don't know. But I came in, some things are out of order, and I just start barking orders, okay? And you can see my kids scurrying around, getting things, except for one, my youngest, Elise, is standing there, and she's standing there with a little picture that she had drawn, and she was waiting for me to get through. And then, after all that, she comes over, sits in my lap, and says, Yeah, I want to show you the picture I drew. I'm sitting there thinking, and I thought to myself, You should be afraid of me right now.
27:33Oh, she knew something about me, you know, she knew that I would take an interest. Well, that's the same thing. Though we see Christ coming with all of his glory, his name is faithful and true. And we know him from his humiliation. We know the words that he spoke, we know the promises, and this gives us that confidence to approach him. And though, yes, he is glorious and frightful, we know that that power he uses for our good. And it's not a reason to run from him. Power to save, power to keep, power to protect, power to sustain. You see, because only, only the king of kings and Lord of Lords can be our Savior because there's no one above him to say anything to the contrary. So only he, only the King of kings and Lord of Lords, can truly give rest. Only the highest authority can say your sins are forgiven. And that's who he is. Faithful and true. We looked at the shaking. We looked at the coming. Next, I want you to see the gathering. Verse 27. And then he will send forth the angels and will gather together his elect from the four winds, from the farthest end of the earth and to the farthest end of heaven. The four winds, meaning all directions, every direction, from the farthest end of the earth, that's every place on earth, to the farthest end of heaven. This is all his elect gathered from the earth and the heavens, farthest ends. This is a total gathering. Not one, not a single one is going to be missing. He knows them all by name. He knows where they are. He knows who they are, where they are. He has not forgotten them. And he gathers them together. And this is the fulfillment of his promise. Remember, his name is faithful and true. John 14, 2 says, In my father's house are many dwelling places. If it were not so, I would have told you. For I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go to prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to myself, that where I am, there you may be also. He's faithful and true. And so he comes to gather every single one, from the farthest ends of the earth to the farthest reaches to heaven, a total gathering. And this is the picture that he tells us in Matthew 13 about the parable of the wheat and tares. You may recall the parable is about a man who sows good. Seed into his field. And then an enemy comes and he sows tares or weeds into the field. And then the slaves look around and they say, Look, Master, look what happened. You've got wheat growing together with the tares. Do you want us to go in and tear them both out or tear the weeds out? And the master says, No, I don't want you going to tear out the weeds because you might tear out some of the wheat in the process. No, let them grow together. And then you'll be able to tell the difference at harvest time. And so his disciples ask him, Explain this to us. Will you explain this parable to us? And so Jesus explains. And he says in verse 37, The one who sows the good seed is the Son of Man. The field is the world. And as for the good seed, these are the sons of the kingdom. And the tares are the sons of the evil one. And the enemy who sowed them is the devil. And the harvest is the end of the age. And the reapers are the angels. So just as the tares are gathered up and burned with fire, so shall it be at the end of the age. The Son of Man will send forth his angels, and they will gather out of his kingdom all stumbling blocks and those who commit lawlessness, and will throw them into the furnace of fire. In that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth. Then the righteous will shine forth as the sun in the kingdom of their father. He who has ears, let him hear. See, by the end of the age, The angels aren't going to have any trouble to know who's who. You see, there's a time when the children of this world and the children of God look alike, but as they grow and mature, know there's a very distinct difference. One bears fruit, fruit of the Spirit, and at the harvest, it's very clear who's God's people and who is not. And by the way, when he comes back, he's going to turn the lights back on. Zechariah 14:4, let me just read this to you. In that day, his feet will stand on the Mount of Olives, which is in front of Jerusalem on the east, and on the Mount of Olives will be split in its middle from east to west by a very large valley, so that half the mountain will move towards the north and the other half toward the south. Then the Lord my God will come and all the holy ones with him. In that day there will be no light, the luminaries will dwindle, for it will be a unique day, which is known to the Lord, neither day nor night. But, and get this, but it will come about that at evening time there will be light. Restoration of conditions. Isaiah 30, 26 says this, at this time, the light of the moon will be as the light of the sun, and the light of the sun will be seven times brighter like the light of seven days on the day the Lord binds up the fracture of his people and heals the bruise that he has inflicted. Restored conditions. You see, so he gathered. His elect and he plants them in his eternal kingdom, the one which will never pass away. This is the gathering. So he looked at the shaking, the coming, the gathering. I'm going to ask you, what keeps a person going through difficult times? The promise of a better day. Why did Jesus tell his disciples all this? Because of the difficult times that they had in store for them. He told them this so that they would be encouraged to stay the course, to proclaim the gospel, even though all would be pressing in around them and would discourage them, perplex them, and even try to beat them into silence. The question is: why did Mark spend more time on this teaching than any other? This is Mark. We're reading this in the book of Mark. Who is he writing to? To his Roman audience. And I think he's got a little bit of the wind that the Nero-Neronian persecutions are about to come. He's already seeing signs in Rome and the hostility that is turning towards the Christians. So why did he write them? To encourage them, to encourage them to continue. And nothing, nothing encourages us more than the glorious picture of Christ. Let me read to you a story of an Anabaptist woman. It's recorded by Garland, who cites a man by the name of Will Campbell. Will Campbell tells the story of an Anabaptist woman in the 1500s who lived in Antwerp. She had been arrested a few days earlier for proclaiming the gospel of Christ, as she understood it from her personal reading of the Scripture and from study and discussion with others of like faith. She underwent the inquisition of the clerics for heresy and the bodily torture by the civil authorities, but she would not buckle under their pressure. After six months, she would not promise to stop proclaiming the word from her own reading of the Bible. So the authorities did what they thought they had to do. They sentenced her to death on october 5th, 1573. Included in the sentence was the stipulation to the executioner that her tongue be screwed fast to the roof of her mouth so that she might not testify along the way as they took her to the stake where she was to be burned. That day her teenage son, Adrian, took his youngest brother, three-year-old Hans Matthias, and they stood near the stake that so that her first and last concern in life might be near her at her moment of death. Three other women and a man were to die that day for the same terrible offense, unauthorized proclamation of the gospel. When the flames were lit, Adrian fainted. He could not witness the horror, but when it was all over and the ashes had cooled, he sifted through them until he found the screw that had silenced his mother's tongue, but it would not silence his. What moves a person to such loyalty? That's only one thing, and that is a view. Of the glorious return of our Christ. If you know how things are going to end, it strengthens you for the task that you have at hand today. And I'd like to invite you this morning to the only life that's worth living, and that is a life lived in the light of the soon return of Jesus Christ. He is the single sovereign and monarch of the universe. His kingdom is the enduring kingdom, he is the only monarch of that kingdom. To you who do not know Christ today, I want you to know the good news that it is being held out for you today, that you can be made part of this kingdom by placing your faith and trust in Jesus today. Let me read to you Isaiah 30, verse 15. If you do not know Christ today, or you're on the fence, or you're in a spiritual wasteland, listen to this. For thus the Lord God, the Holy One of Israel, has said, In repentance and rest you will be saved. In quietness and trust is your strength. Therefore the Lord longs to be gracious to you, and therefore he waits on high to have compassion on you. For the Lord is a God of justice. How blessed are those who long for him. I can tell you there is no greater blessing than for you to long for this coming kingdom. Cry out to him. Call upon his name today. He is faithful and true, and everyone who calls upon him he will not cast out. And to the believer, to you who know Christ, repentance and rest is still our salvation, and quietness and trust is still our strength. The bottom line is, you know how human history ends. So go out and proclaim the gospel and support those who do. Let's pray. Heavenly Father, we thank you for this glorious picture. We know that all of our activities will soon be done, and that we will be standing there in your presence in the glorious and frightful beauty of your majesty. And Father, we know that you are approachable. We know that you have spoken to us in truth. Father, help us today to live in light of that glorious moment where we will stand before you. Thank you, Lord, for this picture of eternity, for this picture of the coming end of the age. Lord, we know. We know what's going to take place. And we thank you for giving us this information. Lord, may we live in the light of it. In Jesus' name, amen.