24th Sunday After Pentecost

Daniel 12:1-13

12“At that time Michael, the great prince, the protector of your people, shall arise. There shall be a time of anguish, such as has never occurred since nations first came into existence. But at that time your people shall be delivered, everyone who is found written in the book. ²Many of those who sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake, some to everlasting life, and some to shame and everlasting contempt. ³Those who are wise shall shine like the brightness of the sky, and those who lead many to righteousness, like the stars forever and ever.

Hebrews 10:11-25

¹¹And every priest stands day after day at his service, offering again and again the same sacrifices that can never take away sins. ¹²But when Christ had offered for all time a single sacrifice for sins, “he sat down at the right hand of God,” ¹³and since then has been waiting “until his enemies would be made a footstool for his feet.” ¹⁴For by a single offering he has perfected for all time those who are sanctified. ¹⁵And the Holy Spirit also testifies to us, for after saying, ¹⁶“This is the covenant that I will make with them after those days, says the Lord: I will put my laws in their hearts, and I will write them on their minds,” ¹⁷he also adds, “I will remember their sins and their lawless deeds no more.” ¹⁸Where there is forgiveness of these, there is no longer any offering for sin.

¹⁹Therefore, my friends, since we have confidence to enter the sanctuary by the blood of Jesus, ²⁰by the new and living way that he opened for us through the curtain (that is, through his flesh), ²¹and since we have a great priest over the house of God, ²²let us approach with a true heart in full assurance of faith, with our hearts sprinkled clean from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water. ²³Let us hold fast to the confession of our hope without wavering, for he who has promised is faithful. ²⁴And let us consider how to provoke one another to love and good deeds, ²⁵not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day approaching.

Mark 13:1-8

13As 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. ⁶Many will come in my name and say, ‘I am he!’ and they will lead many astray. ⁷When you hear of wars and rumors of wars, do not be alarmed; this must take place, but the end is still to come. ⁸For 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 birthpangs.

"Do ya know what I heard?"

Rumors, Fear Speak, and Finding the Gospel

Women have the beauty shop, men have depending on if you live near Waukon - then its the barber shop or the implement dealer, and indeed if you live long enough in a rural community our lives can be turned inside out by rumors. I cannot begin to tell you how many times I have heard this sentence begun as I walked into a room - "Do you know what I heard?" No, please tell me - what did you hear?

We will hear about awful things - but where does our hearts rest? Do we live for the next word or do we live for the very Word that quiets our weary souls? There will be times of anguish - "There shall be a time of anguish, such as has never occurred since nations first came into existence. But at that time your people shall be delivered, everyone who is found written in the book." But within this and the words of the Gospel we know that God's continued presence will remain. "Your people shall be delivered." Do we believe this?

If the promise of salvation and redemption regardless of the perils of this present age comes to us in the Word today - then why are we shaking in fear? He's got the whole world in his hand - He's got you and me brother in His hands. Do we believe this?

Do you know what I heard? Let's walk then into the Word today and hear about the good Word - the Gospel today. This is not a rumor but it is the truth - the whole truth - nothing but the truth - so God helps us.

Applying the Word

1. Do not be miss lead!
1. 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. ⁶Many will come in my name and say, ‘I am he!’ and they will lead many astray.
2. But wait with patience for God to finish his work.
3. Fear this! (t-shirts and salvation) Tell fear to taking a flying leap. Are we people grounded in hope or fear?
4. Be clear and cleaver. Know the signs of being mislead.
   
2. Take refuge in God.
1. When you hear of wars and rumors of wars, do not be alarmed; this must take place, but the end is still to come.
2. See the signs of destruction - is the savior coming soon?
3. ¹⁹Therefore, my friends, since we have confidence to enter the sanctuary by the blood of Jesus, ²⁰by the new and living way that he opened for us through the curtain (that is, through his flesh), ²¹and since we have a great priest over the house of God, ²²let us approach with a true heart in full assurance of faith, with our hearts sprinkled clean from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water. ²³Let us hold fast to the confession of our hope without wavering, for he who has promised is faithful.
3. Be transformed through the experience of community found in this place.
1. 3Let us hold fast to the confession of our hope without wavering, for he who has promised is faithful. ²⁴And let us consider how to provoke one another to love and good deeds, ²⁵not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day approaching.
   
2. A Baptist missionary was walking in Africa when he heard the ominous padding of a lion behind him. "Oh Lord," prayed the missionary, "Grant in Thy goodness that the lion walking behind me is a good Christian lion." And then, in the silence that followed, the missionary heard the lion praying too: "Oh Lord," he prayed, "I thank Thee for the food which I am about to receive."
   
3. Thank God for each other. Thank God for this place of mission and ministry. Thank God for the reality of community - not manufactured - but honest to God love for each other.
   
4. Do you know what I heard - "God is here!"