BE PREPARED

False Christs

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“Look! There he is!” Mark 13:21-23 ESV

At one time, it would have been fully believable to hear someone say “Look! There is Jesus!”, but those days are past. Jesus has been resurrected, he is no longer dead, but he also is no longer present with us in physical form. We must rely on his spirit and his word for guidance and comfort in our present time.

So, we must be very careful when we hear something like “Jesus has come back! He is just over there!” Anyone who makes this claim is intentionally deceiving you. We don’t have to worry about missing him. We won’t need to be told.

We will be the first to know.

What does it mean to be false? Today we fill our minds with a lot of fiction and fantasy in the form of movies, videos, games, books, etc. We have become quite comfortable with worlds and scenarios that are just not real. How do we tell when something or someone is just plain deceptive, misleading or not genuine?

Jesus tells us that these pretenders will be very convincing. They will be attractive, becoming, capable of incredible prophecies that actually come true. Or not. Who cares? It’s all so thrilling! They will perform amazing signs and wonders. Miracles will abound, seducing even the most faithful believer to turn away and follow them.

Please note that there are actual prophecies, signs and wonders that come from God. The trick is knowing what is real and what is not. (Hint: who gets the glory and credit? If it is a man or woman, beware!)

Get to know the real Jesus Christ while you can. Study his Word consistently and spend more of your time in prayer. Learn to trust him for the daily affairs of your life. This can be hard, stressful work, but soon you will see the rewards.

Copyright 2023 David J. Cooley

Wonderful buildings

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“Take heed that no one deceives you.” Mark 13:1-8

How much of the future should we seek to know? The Bible has always spoken against pursuing knowledge about tomorrow outside his counsel, the most famous being King Saul’s desperate grab for that very thing at Endor (I Samuel 28). Yet at the same time, God speaks in words of prophecy to his people about things to come.

Jesus has completed his teaching in the temple and the band of disciples makes their way back to Bethany at the Mount of Olives. As they leave, one of them is awestruck by the magnificence and splendor of the temple buildings. Jesus turns this into an opportunity for prophecy, saying that these great buildings will be broken down stone by stone, leaving only rubble.

This must have been a shock to the disciples. The temple was the core of Judaism. Without it, the sacrifices for the sins of the people and the nation could not be made. Yet no one remarked on or questioned this saying. Later, four of his closest men came to him while he was sitting on the Mount of Olives, and asked “When will these things be? What will be the sign?”

There is a great difference between Saul’s request and that of the disciples. Saul sought information in ways forbidden by God. The disciples asked a natural question of the most natural person: Jesus, the speaker of the prophecy, who just happened to be God in the flesh.

Jesus then gives his famous list of signs: the appearance of false messiahs, wars and rumors of wars, nation arising against nation and kingdom, earthquakes and famines. These things, he says, are but the beginning of birth pangs. Yet in the midst of it all, we are not to be frightened, for they must come about. It was if he was saying, “Now you know. Stop worrying.”

But first he gives what may seem to be an unlikely instruction: “Take heed that no one deceives you.” Sometimes it seems we humans jump at the chance to believe anything but the truth. Eve in the Garden is the earliest example. All it took was a little questioning for her to act against what she had previously known without a doubt. Jesus warns his disciples – the apostles – about the very same thing. Don’t be misled. Don’t be led astray.

He warns of someone actively seeking to get us off track. It is not an accident nor a blunder nor a mere misunderstanding. Someone is lying in wait to take us where we would not ordinarily have gone. Someone is cunning enough for us to think it is a good idea, in fact, the best thing to do. This someone would have you believe they come in the name of Jesus. They may even claim to be Jesus himself.

How do we overcome this? There’s only one good answer. You must know Jesus closer than you would know any brother. His voice must be easily recognizable to your heart, as the sheep know the voice of the shepherd. Draw near to him and he will draw near to you (James 4:8). Start today. Sooner is better than later.

Repent and believe

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“Now after John was arrested…”

Something just changed in the way Mark was telling the story. The incredible, relentless pace of events just stopped. Something happens that we didn’t see coming. When did it happen? How did it happen?

John is suddenly and forcibly removed from the scene and Jesus becomes the focus. As John himself said, “He must increase, but I must decrease.” (John 3:30). SPOILER: This is not the last we will hear of John. Don’t you just hate it when you see “to be continued”? Wait patiently for Chapter 6.

Jesus moves to Galilee and begins preaching the gospel of God. His message is slightly different than John’s. Instead of announcing one who is coming, he boldly states “the time is fulfilled” and “the kingdom of God is at hand”.

The response he demands is not a call to arms, to overthrow the oppressor Rome and set up God’s kingdom on earth. The Good News demands a different response – one of confession of sin, repentance, and baptism for the forgiveness of sins. The plans of Jesus are long range, much longer than the temporal hopes of many around him. The kingdom he proclaims will last forever, and its citizens must be prepared to dwell with God.

For more, see Mark 1:14-15

Copyright 2019 David J. Cooley

Down by the river side

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John appeared. First, Mark tells us of a promised messenger. Then John the Baptist appears. Simple and direct. No further explanation is required – the messenger has arrived.

Mark doesn’t tell us much about him save for a brief description of his rough clothing and peculiar diet. It wasn’t unusual for people who lived in the desert, but a source of great curiosity for city folks. But not great enough to draw them to John’s wilderness.

What got their attention was his preaching. He had two simple, straight-forward messages. First, repent and be baptized for the forgiveness of sins. Second, Someone is coming who is greater than I, who won’t be baptizing with mere water, but with the Holy Spirit.

Speculation must have run rampant about this coming Someone. Could it be at long last that God was about to visit them? Could the troubled times they lived in be coming to an end? And with these thoughts, a sense of uncleanness, of sin and shame, came as well. If God is coming, will I meet his expectations? Will I be worthy?

The short answer is no. Neither I nor anyone else can meet God’s expectations of holiness. The only course of action is to repent, change my ways and seek his forgiveness. John was preparing God’s people to meet their savior. His message continues to speak to us today. Will we take a moment to visit the wilderness, the wild areas of our lives where man can not rule and control, and present ourselves humbly to the One who does?

For more, see Mark 1:4-8

Copyright 2019 David J. Cooley

Prophecy in action

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As it is written in Isaiah the prophet …

All peoples of all times and places have respected an authoritative voice that could tell them what tomorrow would be like. It is still true today – just look at all the experts on the news giving us information on all kinds of future things. And like people of old, we are very gracious toward them, forgetting their failures and proclaiming those instances where they actually got it right. We also tend to discount the stern warnings we really don’t want to hear and embrace the good news we cross our fingers for and hope is true.

But that’s not how it worked for the Biblical prophets. It was a capital crime to speak the word of the Lord as prophecy and not have it come about. Prophecy was considered very serious business.

Mark quotes a reliable and trustworthy prophet, Isaiah: “Behold, I send my messenger…” Why would Mark choose this prophecy over one that directly predicts the coming Messiah? It may have to do with how communication worked in his day.

Obviously there were no newspapers, radio, television or internet to spread the news. Still, people expected some kind of announcement about important events and people. We all know the story behind the marathon and how a runner was dispatched from the scene of the battle to inform the king of victory. By the way this would have been “gospel,” or good news to their way of thinking.

Simply put, the prophecy said a messenger was coming to let you know to get ready for a coming VIP. Not just any VIP like a general or high priest, but the Lord himself. “Prepare the way of the Lord, make his paths straight.”

For more, see Mark 1:2-3

Copyright 2019 David J. Cooley

The end is near

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The end of the big game is minutes away and the outcome is obvious. Do we grab our stuff and head for the parking lot?

Peter is pretty straight forward: stay put, keep fighting and keep serving. No fair ducking out early. You leave when the Lord calls you, not before.

Keep the love of God flowing, especially in terms of hospitality. Honestly, you won’t miss the rapture if you’re too busy serving the Lord. Keep your focus on the work God has set before you. Use the gifts He has provided, as good managers of the resources and abilities God has favored you with. Don’t be shy, go all out. There is no need to hold back or be reserved.

This is how we glorify God. We are not showing off or proclaiming our own greatness. On the contrary, we are demonstrating what God can do with a sinner yielded and filled with His power.

For more details, see 1 Peter 4:7-11.

Copyright 2019 David J. Cooley

Gird your mind

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Gird Your Mind logo

“…gird up the loins of your mind”

To gird means “to encircle or bind with a flexible band; to securely fasten; to prepare for action.” When Peter was a fisherman, he girded his clothing about himself to prepare for work. Many jobs today require similar preparations: wearing a tool belt, safety goggles, gloves, steel-toed boots or putting on a hard hat.

Peter takes this idea beyond the protection and support of the body and applies it to our mind. The body often gets the blame for our uncontrolled desires and impulses. It is merely responding to the various stimuli and chemical reactions within it, we are told. But I think we know ourselves better than that.

The mind is the control center. The body does what the mind decides to do. An undisciplined body is the outworking of an undisciplined mind. Spiritually this is a disaster, as we leave ourselves open to every kind of enticement and attack of temptation.

Peter urges us to be sober. Certainly he means to not be under the influence of any intoxicating substance, but also to be serious minded, to have a secure grip on the true nature of things. And then to act. We can no longer afford to mindlessly allow the world to shape our desires and lead us back to the old lusts we once craved.

Paul echoes this same thought: “I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service. And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.” (Romans 12:1-2). Peter expresses this another way, saying “be ye holy in all your conduct.” Being holy means to be set apart from the world for God’s purposes.

This means obedience to God and his way of doing things and thinking about life. Central to this is the hope that we have of grace. God will cover our frailties, strengthen our hearts and remove our sin. He is the reason we can be saved and granted eternal life. Nothing we could do would ever be enough to earn that kind of reward.

1 Peter 1:13-16

(c)2018 David J. Cooley