Giving to the End
Mark 13.1-8, 32-37
Dr. D. William McIvor
November 16, 2003
Presbyterian Church in Sudbury 

Introduction to the Morning Lesson

The morning lesson today comes from the Gospel of Mark in a chapter that Bible scholars call the “Little Apocalypse.” The setting is just three days before Jesus was crucified. He was teaching daily in the Jerusalem Temple. As we saw last week, he asked the disciples to look at a poor widow who was putting everything she had in the Temple treasury and in the very next paragraph, which is today’s text, one of his disciples asked Jesus to look at the large, impressive architecture of the Temple. The contrast is amazing … and dumbfounding. Jesus wanted the disciples to see the widow’s faith. The disciples wanted Jesus to see the temple’s façade. It’s another example that Jesus’ closest followers were not paying attention. Of course, the question for us, are we paying attention?

Mark 13 is an example of apocalyptic writing. We don’t have time this morning to do an in-depth analysis of the apocalyptic genre in the Bible. Suffice it to say that it appears to be about “last things” — the end of time, the end of the world, or just “the end.” Of course, we live in a time when “the end” is a major industry.

You have undoubtedly heard about and perhaps some of you have read in the “Left Behind” series by Tim LaHaye and Jerry Jenkins. The eleventh book in this series came out in April and there are tens of millions of copies of the series in print. “Left Behind” even has its own website where, you can not only buy “Promise of Heaven” t-shirts, but also boxed sets, calendars, collectibles, gifts, greeting cards, apparel, videos, and music. And in addition to the basic “Left Behind” series, there are “non-fiction,” comic book, military, political, and kids series. The people behind the “Left Behind” phenomenon generally think that Christ is coming back any day. But I guess they figure they might as well make a good profit until he does so they sell, sell, sell.

I hope you’ll forgive or at least be patient my sarcasm. But I grew up in a home where the apocalypse, the “left behind”-way of thinking was everyday conversation long before it was popular. When I was born in 1947 my dear mother was absolutely sure that the Lord would return before I was an adult. In fact, that’s why I became a minister … but that’s another story for another day.

The issue before us this morning isn’t to reach a definitive understanding of apocalyptic with which everyone can agree. The issue for us today is to think about “the end” and reflect on what it means to live before the end. So let’s read a few verses of Mark’s version of the apocalypse.

Mark 13.1-8, 32-37 (NRSV)

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

When he was sitting on the Mount of Olives opposite the temple, Peter, James, John, and Andrew asked him privately, “Tell us, when will this be, and what will be the sign that all these things are about to be accomplished?” Then Jesus began to say to them, “Beware that no one leads you astray. Many will come in my name and say, ‘I am he!’ and they will lead many astray. When you hear of wars and rumors of wars, do not be alarmed; this must take place, but the end is still to come. 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 birthpangs.

“But about that day or hour no one knows, neither the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father. Beware, keep alert; for you do not know when the time will come. It is like a man going on a journey, when he leaves home and puts his slaves in charge, each with his work, and commands the doorkeeper to be on the watch. Therefore, keep awake — for you do not know when the master of the house will come, in the evening, or at midnight, or at cockcrow, or at dawn, or else he may find you asleep when he comes suddenly. And what I say to you I say to all: Keep awake.” 

Introduction

Regardless of how it is interpreted, apocalyptic writing has power because it speaks to the contrast between the world as we know it — misery, suffering, war, and death — and the world as we would like it to be — peace on earth, indeed, heaven on earth. Peace on earth is, of course, the hope that Christians have in Christ. But it’s a hope that many people feel. Not just conservative Christians think and write and speak in apocalyptic language.

For example, in 2002 the rock band U2 won a Grammy Award for Best Rock Album of the Year. U2’s album was called “All That You Can’t Leave Behind” — a rather apocalyptic sounding title — and in a song from the album called “Peace on Earth,” Bono, U2’s lead singer, expresses frustration about waiting for peace on earth. Here are some of his words:

Heaven on Earth
We need it now
I’m sick of all of this
Hanging around
Sick of sorrow
I’m sick of the pain
I’m sick of hearing
Again and again
That there’s gonna be
Peace on Earth
… Jesus can you take the time
To throw a drowning man a line
… Jesus in this song you wrote
The words are sticking in my throat …
… Hear it every Christmas time
But hope and history won’t rhyme
So what’s it worth …
This peace on Earth[1]

I wonder. Are we sometimes like Bono? Just tired of waiting? Or do we, as some who like the “Left Behind” stuff, take a false comfort in thinking how awful the end will be but at least we’ll be safe? Or do we, like I often do, just get sarcastic and cynical about all the apocalyptic hoopla? I mean, after all, generation upon generation have looked at the signs of the times and seen wars and rumors of wars, famines, earthquakes, floods, hurricanes, and more. And yet the end hasn’t come. So what does it mean to live — and since we’re been talking about stewardship — what does it mean to give in light of the end? Here’s a single point today. 

Our end is Christ. So do good.

Living and giving in light of the end is, I think, what the Heidelberg Catechism’s first question and answer are getting at. The Heidelberg Catechism is one of our denomination’s official creeds:

The question: What is your only comfort, in life and in death?

The answer: That I belong — body and soul, in life and in death — not to myself but to my faithful Savior, Jesus Christ.[2]

In life and in death we belong to God. That was the faith of the poor widow who put everything she had in the treasury. That’s the faith that Jesus didn’t often see in his first disciples and hopes to see in us. Our end is Jesus Christ. The end of the world is Jesus Christ. So before the end, we are to do good.

It’s hard to do. We get so distracted. Instead of focusing on what we should do today, we want to know what will happen tomorrow. That’s why the four disciples asked Jesus for the spiritual equivalent of insider-trading advice. “What are the signs of the end? Lord.”

But instead of giving them the guaranteed tip they were looking for, Jesus taught them about the importance of discernment. The most important thing is not when or how the end comes. The most important thing is seeing what God wants us to do right now. At least 14 times in Mark 13, Jesus says “beware,” “look,” “watch,” “discern.” The point isn’t to see signs. The point is to understand the challenges and opportunities of faithful discipleship.[3]

Do you remember the story of Chicken Little. Chicken Little was in the woods one day when an acorn fell on her head. It scared her so much she trembled all over. She shook so hard, half her feathers fell out.[4]

“Help! Help!” she cried. “The sky is falling! I must go tell the king!” so she ran in great fright to tell the king.

Along the way she met Henny Penny. “Where are you going, Chicken Little?” Henny Penny asked.

“Oh, help!” Chicken Little cried. “The sky is falling!”

“How do you know?” asked Henny Penny.

“Oh! I saw it with my own eyes, and heard it with my own ears, and part of it fell on my head!”

“This is terrible, just terrible!” Henny Penny clucked. “We’d better run.” So they both ran away as fast as they could.

Along the way Chicken Little bumped into not just Henny Penny but also Ducky Lucky and Goosey Loosey and — my favorite — Turkey Lurkey. Every time Chicken Little was a convincing eyewitness: “the sky is falling; I saw it with my own eyes and heard it with my own ears and felt a piece of it fall on my head; let’s run.” And those little feathered creatures did run until they met another character by the name of Foxy Loxy.

My friends, there are a lot of Chicken Littles running around right now convincing a good number of Henny Pennys, Ducky Luckys, Goosey Looseys and — my favorite — Turkey Lurkeys that the sky is falling. And it doesn’t seem to matter whether news in the world is good, which it seldom is, or bad, which it usually is. No matter what, the doomsayers’ voices get louder and more shrill.

So Chicken Little and her friends met Foxy Loxy who said to them, “Well, well, where are you rushing on such a fine day?”

“Help! Help!” they cried. “It’s not a fine day at all. The sky is falling, and we’re running to tell the king!” So they told Foxy Loxy how the sky was falling and that they had seen it with their eyes and heard it with their ears and felt it fall on their heads.

“I see,” said Foxy Loxy. “Well then, follow me, and I’ll show you the way to the king.”

So Foxy Loxy led Chicken Little, Henny Penny, Ducky Lucky, Goosey Loosey, and — my favorite — Turkey Lurkey across a field and through the woods. He led them straight to his den, and they never saw the king to tell him the sky was falling.

Friends, there are many things to fear in this world and many things for which we need courage. But falling sky is not one of them. Foxy Loxy ate Chicken Little and her friends for dinner and there are things that consume us and keep us from accomplishing our mission. What we must fear is not the end but distractions along the way. Whether we live or whether we die, we belong to God. Whether the end is today or a gazillion days from today, we belong to God. While we have time, let us do good.

St. Francis told the friars in his order just before he died, “Brothers, while we have time, let us do good.” Is Chicken Little right? Is this the end? I don’t know. But I do know that it is the time to do good in Jesus’ name. That’s what it means to live and give in light of the end. Our end is Jesus Christ. So let us do good in his name.

Conclusion

That’s why these four stewardship sermons have not been about church budgets. Sessions have one of two options when setting a budget after the pledges come in. If the pledges do not seem sufficient to meet the anticipated budget needs, the Session can either cut the budget or ask for more money. We don’t know yet what option the Session will have to take with the 2004 budget.

But here’s the great truth that I’ve seen proven time and time again over thirty years of ministry. When we all focus on doing good in Jesus’ name, we will give as a part of our spiritual obedience to God, and then there is always more than enough money.

To give to the end means to shape our lives and money and this church’s life and money according to our end in Jesus Christ. A moment ago when I shared with you the first question and answer from the Heidelberg Catechism, I didn’t read the whole answer.

Question: What is your only comfort, in life and in death?

Answer: That I belong — body and soul, in life and in death — not to myself but to my faithful Savior, Jesus Christ, who at the cost of his own blood has fully paid for all my sins and has completely freed me from the dominion of the devil; that he protects me so well that without the will of my Father in heaven not a hair can fall from my head; indeed, that everything must fit his purpose for my salvation. Therefore, by his Holy Spirit, he also assures me of eternal life, and makes me wholeheartedly willing and ready from now on to live for him.[5]

That’s what it means to give to the end: to be wholeheartedly willing and ready from now on to live for him. May it be so with us.

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