Sermon on Mark 13:1-10, 24-37, "Birth Pain and New Birth"

Guest Preacher at Emmanuel, Rev. Mark Bowditch

Sermon Notes for January 31st, 2016 

Text:  Mark 13:1-10, 24-37 

“Birth Pain & New Birth” 

INTRODUCTION: Birth pain always comes before ________.  Though severe, it doesn’t compare to the joy of a newborn (a new mother “no longer remembers her anguish, for the joy that a baby has been ________” – John 16:21)!  In Mk 13:8, Jesus compared the pain & tribulation of the end times to the birth pain that will occur before His promised 2nd coming… which leads to new heavens, a new earth, and a new resurrection body for believers in Jesus! 

May the Holy Spirit teach us and lead us to be more prepared for Christ’s Second Coming which will bring each believer New Birth!  !  From the Holy Scriptures, we learn that: 

1. Jesus is going to return visibly and with great glory!  (Mark 13:26)   

2. Before His return, there will be terrible birth pain – increasing turmoil and distress for the church and the world.  (Mark 13:8-13, 24-25, 29) 

3. Christ’s return is a great source of hope & joy for the Christian because it will bring a new eternal kingdom, end all birth pains, and bring a new birth!  (Rev. 1:6, Dan 7:14) 

4. Jesus is returning to bring in the final harvest …when He will separate the wheat from the weeds on one final great judgment day.  (Mark 13:27, Matthew 13:30, 36-43) 

1. Jesus will return ___________ and with great ___________! 

• Mark 13:26 – “And then they will see the Son of Man coming in clouds with  

great power and glory.” 

• Revelation 1:7 – “Look He is coming with the clouds and every eye will see Him,  

even those who pierced Him.” 

• Daniel 7:13-14 – “behold, with the clouds of heaven there came one like a Son  

of Man ...  And to Him was given dominion
and glory and a kingdom, that all  

peoples, nations, and languages
should serve Him;
His dominion is an  

everlasting dominion, 
which shall not pass away.”   

On _________, Jesus was asked directly, “are you the Messiah, the Son of God?” and Jesus answered: “I am … and you will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of heaven” (see Mark 14:61-62 & Matthew 26:63-65).  Jesus is God, the King of Kings and Lord of Lords (Rev 19:16), whose Kingdom is not of this world, and He boldly announced at His trial (while beaten and bloodied) that He would return in glory!! 

2. Before His return, there will be terrible birth ___________ – increasing turmoil and   distress for the ___________ and the world.   

• False prophets, teachers, & messiahs will arise to deceive many – using signs & wonders  
• Persecution & Murder of Christians (even beheadings – Rev 20:4) 
• Wars and rumors of wars … nation will fight against nation (clearly on the rise)  
• Earthquakes, famines, and other natural troubles like forest fires, tornados, hurricanes, tsunamis will increase  
• Final signs: “the sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give its light, and the stars will be falling from heaven” … and then every eye “will see the Son of Man coming in clouds with great power and glory.”  (Mark 13:24-26) 

NOTE:  In the midst of all the labor pain, Jesus speaks of a blessed, ongoing sign.  He promises there will be sweet times of relief (just as a woman in labor has those cherished breaks between contractions). The one sign of God’s mercy and grace is _________________.  

“And the _____________ will be preached to all nations!”  (Mark 13:10 & Matt. 24:14) 

3. Christ’s return is a great source of hope and joy for the ______________ because it will bring a new eternal kingdom, end all the birth pains, and result in a new birth!   

• Luke 21:28 – “When these things begin to take place, stand up and lift up your heads, because your redemption is drawing near!” 
• Colossians 3:4 – “When Christ who is your life appears, then you also will appear with him in glory.” 
• Revelation 21:1-4 – “Then I saw a new earth for the first earth had passed away … and I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, ‘Behold, the dwelling place of God is with man … And He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore!” 

4. Jesus is returning to bring in the final ___________ when He will separate the _________  from the weeds on one final great judgment day.   

• Mark 13:27– “And then He will send out the angels and gather his elect from the four winds, from the ends of the earth to the ends of heaven.” 

• Matthew 13:30 – “Let both grow together (the wheat and the weeds) until the harvest, and at harvest time I will tell the reapers, Gather the weeds first and bind them in bundles to be burned, but gather the wheat into my barn… 
• Matthew 13:39-43 – “The harvest is the end of the age, and the reapers are angels.  Just as the weeds are gathered and burned with fire, so will it be at the end of the age. The Son of Man will send his angels, and they will gather out of his kingdom all causes of sin and all law-breakers, and throw them into the fiery furnace. In that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth. Then the righteous will shine like the sun in the kingdom of their Father. He who has ears, let him hear.”                

     CLOSING GOSPEL ILLUSTRATION:  Story of the Prairie Fire … When the final     

     judgment comes upon mankind, there’s only one place where you & I can safely stand! 

       *The great task of the church:  “save others by snatching them out of the fire” (Jude 1:23)