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By Pastor Joshua Ng

Mark 13:1–8 (NRSV)

¹As he came out of the temple,

       one of his disciples said to him,

               “Look, Teacher,

                            what large stones and what large buildings!”

²Then Jesus asked him,

        “Do you see these great buildings?

               Not one stone will be left here upon another;

                       all will be thrown down.”

³When he was sitting on the Mount of Olives opposite the temple,

              Peter, James, John, and Andrew asked him privately,

⁴                    “Tell us, when will this be,  

                  and what will be the sign that all these things

                            are about to be accomplished?”

⁵Then Jesus began to say to them,

             “Beware that no one leads you astray.

⁶                                          Many will come in my name and say,

                                     ‘I am he!’ and they will lead many astray.

⁷                    When you hear of wars and rumors of wars,

                              do not be alarmed;

                                    this must take place,

                                    but the end is still to come.

⁸                    For nation will rise against nation,

                       and kingdom against kingdom;

               there will be earthquakes

                        in various places;

              there will be famines.

                        This is but the beginning of the birth pangs.

Brothers and Sisters, peace be with you!

This is my first Sunday serving as your pastor. Thank you for choosing me for this role. We have a long journey ahead, walking together in service to God and building His house.

The election is over. Regardless of who was elected as President of the United States, our lives and service to God must continue. The Bible teaches us to pray for those in authority. 

Today’s Gospel records the teachings of our Lord Jesus, which may seem related to the end of the world. In truth, it serves as a reminder for us to reflect: Are we prepared to give an account to God?  As I begin my ministry as a pastor, it also challenges me personally: Am I prepared? If the pastor isn’t ready, how can he lead the congregation to be prepared? 

What is the end of the world?  Simply put, it is the catastrophic destruction of the world.

I enjoy Hollywood’s apocalyptic [əˌpɑkəˈlɪptɪk] movies, where people flee disasters, and a hero saves loved ones, family members, or romantic partners. 

There are countless such films depicting the end of the world through earthquakes, volcanic eruptions, floods, cosmic collisions, wars, and missile attacks—natural and man-made disasters alike.

One of the earliest apocalyptic movies may be “Day the World Ended” (1955), which portrays the world’s end caused by war and the explosion of atomic bombs. Back then, it was the atomic bomb; today, it’s nuclear weapons. If a nuclear bomb detonates, it would leave no room for escape.

Why do people think about the end of the world? Some suggest it’s because humanity, in just a short time, experienced two world wars: the first in 1914 and the second in 1939. This leads to thoughts of the world’s ultimate demise. 

A major reason, however, lies in biblical references, particularly Jesus’ descriptions of the end times. Moreover, the Old Testament recounts the Great Flood, which covered the earth.

In today’s Gospel, Jesus says, “Not one stone here will be left on another; every one will be thrown down.”

For the Jews, this naturally evoked memories of the First Temple, built by King Solomon, which was destroyed by the Babylonian [ˌbæbəˈloniən] king in 586 BC. The First Temple stood for about 400 years before being obliterated.

Historical accounts confirm the destruction of the First Temple, along with the massacres and exile of the Jewish people. When Jesus predicted the destruction of the Second Temple, it must have struck a chord with His listeners, foreshadowing a repeat of history.

Today, near the Western Wall in Jerusalem’s Old City, you can see scattered stones, some scorched by fire. Archaeologists consider these remnants as evidence of the Temple’s destruction by Roman forces in 70 AD, fulfilling Jesus’ words.

Many historians divide Jewish history into periods based on the First and Second Temples. For the Jews, their history is inseparable from their religion. The Temple was their center of worship.

Many people see signs of the end times in today’s world: ozone depletion [dɪˈpliʃən], climate change, melting polar ice caps, rising sea levels, and more. These are serious concerns.

Just recently, volcanic eruptions in Indonesia disrupted flights across Southeast Asia. Jakarta, Indonesia’s capital, has sunk about 16 feet over the past 25 years and is at risk of being submerged by 2050. With a population of 30 million, the city faces a dire future, prompting plans to relocate the capital to Kalimantan, Borneo. 

Jesus’ statements reveal how central the Temple was to Jewish life. He described it as a house of prayer, referred to its destruction and rebuilding in three days (pointing to His resurrection), lamented over it like a hen gathering her chicks, and witnessed the poor widow’s offering there. Even His death marked the tearing of the Temple’s veil.

Peter, James, John, and Andrew asked Jesus privately, “What will be the sign when all these things are about to happen?”

Have you noticed that the end of the world is somehow connected to the Temple? 

In Matthew 24 and Luke 21, the same term, “the end,” is used. It means “the conclusion” or “the end times.” 

The disciples asked Jesus about the timing of the Temple’s destruction, but Jesus went further, explaining that the destruction of the Temple would mark the beginning of humanity’s journey into the end times. Jesus then elaborated, describing unprecedented disasters and calamities throughout history.

Essentially, Jesus said the signs of the end times include the emergence of false faiths. 

What is false faith? It is deception—wolves in sheep’s clothing. Many false prophets will claim to be Christ. They will misuse the name of Jesus, twist the Bible, and cunningly present themselves as saviors. But they are not. Many will be deceived, follow them, and unknowingly walk toward destruction.

Every nation has its own false Christs, both big and small. For example, in Korea, Sun Myung Moon, founder of the Unification Church, is well-known. He initially used the Bible to attract students but eventually directed them away from it, claiming he was the savior. The Unification Church organizes large-scale cross-border marriages, and many young people follow this path. Even a former Japanese prime minister was reportedly a follower of the Unification Church. 

False Christs often use the Bible to gather followers, but they also introduce unique doctrines to attract people. Reflect on any cults you know—do they follow a similar pattern?  

Cults or heresies, if cults or heresies lead followers to commit evil deeds, such as encouraging harm, suicide, or family destruction, then it is an evil doctrine. The false Christ teaching that we see on the other hand, do not usually promote such evil actions. In fact, followers of cults or heresies can sometimes appear more loving and virtuous than Christians. These qualities are used to draw people to their cause. Today, we see many cults or heresies that have already emerged, all claiming to act in Christ’s name. 

How do we recognize them? It’s simple: 

1. They do not believe in the Triune God. 

2. They do not believe in the traditional Christian creeds, such as the Nicene [,naɪ’sin] Creed and the Apostles’ Creed.  Of course, there is also the longer Athanasius [ˌæθəˈneʃəs] Creed, though we rarely recite it. The first two creeds are sufficient to discern whether a group is cult or heretical. Even churches that seldom recite creeds, like Baptist or independent churches, affirm the Apostles’ Creed. Cults and Heresies, however, reject these creeds.

Jesus also spoke about natural and human disasters—wars, ethnic conflicts, famines, earthquakes, volcanic eruptions, and tsunamis. We have seen these events occur repeatedly, especially in the past century. Between 1900 and 2015, there were approximately 10,000 significant earthquakes of magnitude 6 or higher. Major, destructive earthquakes of magnitude 7 or above were frequent.

What Jesus described seems to be happening right before our eyes. So, what should we do? 

Jesus says, “Beware/ Be alert.” He used the parable of the ten virgins awaiting the bridegroom to teach His disciples about vigilance. This parable, found only in Matthew 25, connects closely to His teachings in Matthew 24 and today’s Gospel about the end times.

In every teaching, Jesus always instructs us on what to do. He doesn’t just tell us “what” or “why” but also “how”. The “how” is essential. “Be alert” means cultivating a heart of hope while being outwardly prepared. 

How can we test if we have hope in our hearts? By examining whether we are outwardly prepared. In the parable of the ten virgins, five were prepared with extra oil, while the other five were not. Today, our preparation must include one key practice: “prayer!” Pray! Pray! Pray!

Amen!