Today’s passage: Mark 13:1-13
Helpful thoughts:
- Great buildings come and go. God’s kingdom is forever.
- When the disciples ask Jesus about signs, He warns them not to be led astray.
- People often read this passage and start to look for wars and rumors of wars, earthquakes, etc. But, Jesus is telling the disciples not to fear when these things come because they are only the beginning.
- Instead of giving the disciples a specific marker to know the exact moment of the end, Jesus tells the disciples what their life will be like and encourages them to persevere.
Questions to consider:
- What does it mean to be ready for Christ’s return? Is it a correct prediction of the date or a life being lived for His glory? When we take Christ’s imminent return into consideration, what should it compel us to do?
- With all of the events Jesus listed in this passage, what is the actual command He gives? Are we supposed to scout for signs or be cautious of them? How does the end of verse 5, the first half of verse 7, the beginning of verse 9, and the end of verse 13 give us great instruction as we continue to await His return?
- Who will persevere to the end? Will there be true Christians who do not persevere? What do passages like 1 John 2:19, and Romans 8:29-30 teach us about the perseverance of the saints?