Reflection on Mark 13:1-8

Mark 13:1-8 (NRSV)

1 As [Jesus] came out of the temple, one of his disciples said to him, “Look, Teacher, what large stones and what large buildings!” 2 Then Jesus asked him, “Do you see these great buildings? Not one stone will be left here upon another; all will be thrown down.”

 3 When 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?” 5 Then 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.”

Reflection

Births are wonderful: the baby’s first cry ringing out, assuring everyone that everything is just fine; the warmth of the baby on the mother’s chest, an assurance that all is right and well in the world once again; the tears of joy that stream down after the intense anxiety and fear and struggle is finally over.  Births are wonderful. 

I think that Jesus is tugging at us to imagine the birth of the new creation when he talks about the “beginning of the birth pangs” (Mark 13:8).  Sure, there is nothing great about the “birth pangs” themselves, but the very fact that he brought it up means that he wants our souls to crave what could be, or more to the point, what will be as God’s kingdom arrives.   The new creation is wonderful.  God’s presence with us and in us and through us is wonderful.  Births are wonderful. 

Do you know what is not so wonderful?  Pregnancy.  Take it straight out of the mouth of someone who has never experienced pregnancy firsthand; pregnancies can feel like the end of the world.  “Pastor Jira, you don’t even know the half of it,” you might be saying.  And, you would be right.  But, the half I do know looks like Armageddon. 

Throwing up for a month straight…or more?  Sign me up!  Worrying through sleepless nights, and tears streaming down your face concerning the state of the world that you are choosing to deliver this child into?  Bring it on.  Changes in your body that hurt and make you feel ugly.  No worries, I have always embraced ugliness.  And, the pain; the unimaginable pain!  You are right.  I cannot imagine it. 

Even though I will never experience it myself I still think that it is safe to say that births feel like the beginning of something new and wonderful, but pregnancies feel worse than the end.  “If only the end would come!”

Though I have not experienced the pain and struggle of pregnancy myself, I have an almost daily experience with people’s other pains and struggles.  Just the other day I heard a child express to me the Biblical fear of “wars and rumors of wars,” as she talked about how she runs into her room and closes the door while her mom and dad wage war with one another (Mark 13:7).  “Will they get divorced?” she wonders.  “Will my life fall apart?” she questions.  Young children cannot stop marital wars, no matter how perfect she tries to be around her parents.  No matter what she does, words will be lobbed and anger shot across the room, grazing her very heart, tearing it open.  The pregnancy that must be endured before the new life comes can be brutal.

Jesus taught his disciples that there will be “wars and rumors of wars.”  Jesus never promises that we will not feel pain, nor did he promise that we will never suffer.  But, what Jesus does promise is a new birth after the pain.  “This is but the beginning of the birth pangs” (Mark 13:8).

“Do you and grandpa still love each other,” the boy asked his father just a week ago. 

“Of course we do,” the father told his son, but the fact was that the father did not actually know. 

The politics of the nation had seeped insidiously into his relationship with his dad, and as a result, the family had become divided.  “Kingdom against kingdom” started waging war in conversations at the Sunday family meal (Mark 13:8).  One night the political war had become so bad that the desert had been forgotten entirely.  You know it is bad when warm, homemade vanilla pudding has been forgotten on the stove.  It had been weeks since the last family meal, and the father did not know if the war was over.

Jesus taught his disciples that “nation will rise against nation and kingdom against kingdom” (Mark 13:8).  Even further is this scripture, Jesus teaches that families will be divided and will turn against each other (Mark 13:12).  Jesus never promises that our world, or even our families, will be at peace.  But, what Jesus does promise is a new birth after the division. “This is but the beginning of the birth pangs” (Mark 13:8).

And, there may not be a famine in the land, but right in our own county we have a significant amount of people who are at risk of not having enough food.  Did you know that more than 6,000 people in Bradford County, that is 1 out of every 10 people in this very county, is food insecure.  One out of every 10 people that you encounter on any given day has not had enough to eat, or has not been able to eat healthily.  It is a famine hidden within plain sight, hidden under faces of pride and embarrassment.  And, this is happening within a nation of plenty.  We have not even talked about the famines that starve the bodies and souls of people in nations of scarcity and the starvation, stemming from the horrors of natural disasters and wars.

Jesus taught his disciples that “there will be earthquakes in various places; there will be famines” (Mark 13:8).  Jesus never promises that the land will provide abundantly, nor does Jesus promise that that the people will share.

In fact, the Bible teaches us the exact opposite.  After Adam and Eve fail to trust God in the garden, and choose to trust in themselves instead of God, God says that the consequences will be that “in pain” women “shall bring forth children,” and also “cursed is the ground” because of Adam’s failure for; “in toil you shall eat of it all the days of your life” (Genesis 3:16-17). 

And, we are no better at trusting God today than we were at the very start of creation.  Even today, when either our personal worlds and the greater world seems to be falling apart, rather than trusting in God, we either trust in our own ability to “fix things,” or we are susceptible to those who arise around us, promising to fix all that is broken.

Jesus warns us: “Beware that no one leads you astray.  Many will come in my name and say, ‘I am he!’ and they will lead many astray” (Mark 13:5-6).  So many people promise that they are the Messiah, even without outright saying it.  So many people seek our devotion and loyalty, promising to save us from out crumbling world.  They are not wrong when they point to the stones of this world being thrown down.  They are not wrong when they point to the sufferings of the people.  But, they cannot save us.  They will suck us dry of our devotion and loyalty, a devotion and loyalty that belongs to God alone.

“Let me take your $50.  I promise to make it grow.  You will see!” the new boyfriend said to the young mother.

“But, I need it to buy formula.  That stuff is not cheap,” she pleaded as she watched the money slip into his pocket.  Why did she leave it out on the dresser?  How could she be so stupid?

“I got this,” he said with an assuring smile, and went out the door.

That evening, when he came back through the front door she asked about the money.

“I still need to buy formula,” she reminded her boyfriend.

“I didn’t get lucky,” he said simply.  “I’m going to bed.”

“Beware that no one leads you astray.  Many will come,” promising to save (Mark 13:5-6).  But, there is only one who can save.

He is the one who finds us despairing as the stones of our lives tumble to the ground and promises us, “This is but the beginning of the birth pangs” (Mark 13:8).

The old ways are crumbling apart.  Like stones of a once ancient and remarkable temple being thrown down, the old ways are crumbling apart.  And, that crumbling does bring very real suffering that we can see and feel and experience. 

However, that crumbling is not the last word.  The crumbling and suffering is only a part of the pregnancy.  Because we all know that after the morning sickness and suffering, after the birth pangs, after the painful convulsions, and after the skin tearing pain of pushing; there is a new life that is born, and that new life changes everything.

After suffering on the cross and causing the whole world to go dark, Jesus breaks free from the tomb and is pushed out, bringing new life to the world; new life to you.

I hear your suffering.  I hear your pain.  But, it is only “the beginning of the birth pangs.” 

Now you hear this, your pain and suffering is not the end of your story.  The end of your story is Jesus Christ, the one who gave birth to new life.  The end of your story is resurrection.  The end of your story is a whole new story with Jesus leading the way. 

Just as a young couple, who have just given birth, start a whole new life with their child only after the pain of pregnancy and birth, so too do you start a whole new life, as Jesus throws the stones of your old life to the ground, smashing them and crushing them, and then provides for you a new life full of love and grace and truth; a new life!

Does the collapsing of the old walls of your old life hurt?  Of course.  Jesus never promised that it would not.  But, do not give up hope.  It is only “the beginning of the birth pangs.”  Jesus is giving you a new life of hope, love, grace and purpose.  Do not be surprised when the old walls fall.  Your new life with is just beginning.  And this time around, Jesus is leading the way.