Scripture: Mark 13:5-27

Aim: To help the pupil understand that Jesus is coming for His church, and after the seven years tribulation, He will return with His church and angels to defeat the forces of evil before He begins His millennial reign on earth.

Golden Text: “And then shall they see the Son of Man coming in the clouds with great power and glory” (Mark 13:26).

Shortly before Jesus was to be crucified, Jesus and the disciples were at the temple. The disciples asked Jesus about the prophesied destruction of the temple. Upon arriving to the Mount of Olives opposite the temple, Jesus sat down and instructed the disciples (Mark 13:1-4). Jesus warned them not to be deceived, as many would be (vs. 5). He continued telling them that many would come in His name, some claiming to be Christ. He warned them to not be deceived and then proceeds to instruct them in the coming future events (6-8).

First, He warned them that wars and rumors of wars, nations and kingdoms fighting against each other, earthquakes, famines, troubles and sorrows would first come upon the earth (vs. 6-8).

Second, the apostles and saints of God will be persecuted on the earth for a long period, and that men would hate to followers of God and seek to destroy them, even family members will be involved against family members (9-13)! We are in this period now.

I. Christ shall return in the clouds to take His church out of the world (I Thessalonians 4:14-17). Jesus shall come and rapture the Church out of the world. He will take them to be judged and purified in new bodies during the next seven-year period on earth.

II. Do not be fooled by people declaring that Christ is come, or has come (Mark 13:21-23). Many will claim to be Christ. Many will claim to be sent by Christ. There will be a great falling away from Christ and truth. Men will use signs and wonders to fool people into not believing on Christ as Savior. Signs, wonders, seducers, deceivers and all such like are denounced by the Lord in His Word, the Bible. Men who will not believe, and commit to obeying the truth as revealed in the Bible will follow anything that satisfies the sinful human flesh and pride. We are there today!

III. The Great Tribulation will be upon the earth with the rule of Anti-Christ (Revelation 13). This will be a seven-year period of time while all sorts of evil proliferates in the earth. The last three and one half years will is called “Jacob’s Trouble” (Daniel 9:26-27). It will be a terrible time of persecution of the Jewish people by the people on earth, with death by plagues and divine devastation upon the followers of Anti-Christ (Mark 13:14-20).

During the tribulation period all sorts of strange and powerful events shall occur in the earth and in the heavens (Mark 13:24-25). It will seem like the destruction of the world completely because of the extent of the death, devastation and destruction.

IV. Christ shall come (His Second Coming) to the earth for the destruction of the Anti-Christ and all his forces (Mark 13:26-27). He shall destroy all anti-God forces, put Satan in the bottomless pit, and gather all the Jews from over the world to Palestine to rule over the earth for one thousand years of peace.

We may not understand all the order of events, or the events themselves, but, we do understand enough to know that it is in the best interest of each person to repent of sins, receive Jesus Christ as his personal Savior, and dedicate his life to the honor and glory of God.

Otherwise, it may be eternally too late. Jesus Christ may come at any moment! The saints will shout “glory,” but the lost will be lost for eterntiy! Choose ye this day whom ye will serve.

Howard Tillery is the pastor of New Ochlocknee Baptist Church in Grady County. He lives in Cairo.