A New Song – Mark 13:3,4

While he was sitting on the Mount of Olives across from the temple, Peter, James, John and Andrew asked Jesus privately, ‘Tell us when will these things happen? And what will be the sign when things are about to be accomplished?’ ~Mark 13:3,4

The early winter darkness was a place of comfort and dread.

As I was warm and comfortable, snug underneath the covers of my bed, I knew that it was coming. Although I didn’t have a glowing alarm clock or a watch beside the bed (waaaay before mobile phones), I knew that my father would be coming to wake me up to do the chicken chores.

And he always came in the same way. With a song.

Rise and shine! Hear the birdies sing! Tweedle-dee, tweedled-dee, tweedled-dee!

I hated that song. It was a sign that things were about to change. I would be cast out into the cold darkness, out from under my warm covers, to do something that didn’t seem necessarily positive for me.

So it was for the disciples. Throughout the history of Israel, God always brought about change with prophets and kings leading the charge. Prophets to speak God’s judgement and reconciliation and kings to bring it about.

The problem was, the song seemed to be a broken record. The prophets were ignored and the kings kept falling away – even the best ones.

God needed to change the song. He needed to change the sign.

We still, just like those disciples, want to know when things are going to change for the better for us Christians, or us faithful people. We want to know – give us a sign – when we can come out of our caves and pound our chests with victory.

But Jesus, the newest and most beautiful living Word of the Father, a song like no other, reminded his disciples that all sorts of bad news must happen. For the ancient world and now for us. Jesus will come again when we least expect it, so we can be ready and excited (and somewhat fearful, yes) of that moment.

Thankfully, God’s judgement is in and through Jesus. We shall be saved.

Pastor Reid Matthias