Trinity Church, 1589 Hwy 174, Edisto Island, SC 29438
Advent I, November 29, 2020

Mark 13:24-37 Sermon Notes
Intro - Friday night Pizza Party after Thanksgiving with Nathan Camp.

The distinction between authority and power.
1st Coming then 2nd Coming.
Mark 13:24-25 - “But in those days, after that tribulation, the sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give its light, 25 and the stars will be falling from heaven, and the powers in the heavens will be shaken.

The Second Coming of Jesus is mentioned 300 times in the New Testament. 1 out of 13 verses.

What Difference does His Second Coming make in my life? His Second Coming -

1. Changes my Whole Understanding of Salvation.

Mark 13:26 - And then they will see the Son of man coming in clouds with great power and glory.

16-1Thess.4.17" class="scriptRef">I Thessalonians 4:16-17 - 16 For the Lord himself will descend from heaven with a cry of command, with the voice of an archangel, and with the sound of the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first. 17 Then we who are alive, who are left, will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air, and so we will always be with the Lord.

Revelation 21:1-4 - Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and the sea was no more. 2 And I saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. 3 And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, “Behold, the dwelling place of God is with man. He will dwell with them, and they will be his people, and God himself will be with them as their God. 4 He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away.”


2. Helps Change my Personal Behavior. Why? Because of

The Surprise Inspection -
Mark 13:32 - “But of that day or that hour no one knows, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father.

Two Ways to supervise employees - Exception or Inspection.

CS Lewis, “The World’s Last Night.”

Causes Me to Watch and Not to be Asleep.
Mark 13:33-36 — Take heed, watch; for you do not know when the time will come. 34 It is like a man going on a journey, when he leaves home and puts his servants in charge, each with his work, and commands the doorkeeper to be on the watch. 35 Watch therefore—for you do not know when the master of the house will come, in the evening, or at midnight, or at cockcrow, or in the morning— 36 lest he come suddenly and find you asleep. 37 And what I say to you I say to all: Watch.”

Watch - “meaning that they are to be on duty, doing their jobs … the steady, regular performance of their tasks. Not scanning the horizon for the master’ return and then rushing about in a dither. The contrast is

Asleep - which signifies failing to do one’s duty and not taking seriously the warning of the master’s return. (Mark, Larry Hurtado, p. 212)

Each with his work - What Gospel work has He called me to do? How will my “work” advance the Gospel of HIs 1st Coming?

If I am a young person - What life vocation has He given me gifts and talents for? What “work” has He Inclined my heart to want to accomplish?

If I am already working - How can I accomplish this work with a Gospel focus? With a Kingdom of Heaven perspective?

If I am retired - What new calling has He placed on my life? How can my maturity be used to bring about new Gospel growth?