Mark 13:1-8 (NLT)
1 As Jesus was leaving the Temple that day, one of his disciples said, “Teacher, look at these magnificent buildings! Look at the impressive stones in the walls.” 2 Jesus replied, “Yes, look at these great buildings. But they will be completely demolished. Not one stone will be left on top of another!” 3 Later, Jesus sat on the Mount of Olives across the valley from the Temple. Peter, James, John, and Andrew came to him privately and asked him, 4 “Tell us, when will all this happen? What sign will show us that these things are about to be fulfilled?” 5 Jesus replied, “Don’t let anyone mislead you, 6 for many will come in my name, claiming, ‘I am the Messiah.’ They will deceive many. 7 And you will hear of wars and threats of wars, but don’t panic. Yes, these things must take place, but the end won’t follow immediately. 8 Nation will go to war against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. There will be earthquakes in many parts of the world, as well as famines. But this is only the first of the birth pains, with more to come.

As this chapter of Mark starts we see the disciples are amazed at the great buildings they saw around the temple. Christ was quick to tell them the buildings would one day be demolished so He might bring them back to reality that even something so amazing in present times does not have lasting substance. Some of the disciples began to wonder when the temple building would be destroyed. Jesus told them not to be panicked or disturbed over the things that would take place. Instead they were to keep their focus on the true Messiah and not those who claimed to be.

A person once said, “Life is what happens when you are making other plans.” Life ticks away second by second. While people were going on with their lives during the 1950’s, it was the start of the cold war. It brought about uneasy feelings and even a new term, MAD, mutually assured destruction. While many people thought this might be the end of the world the Soviet Union collapsed and the Berlin wall came down. There were even two great buildings that many admired and visited. Remembering the words of Jesus as the disciples admired the great buildings around them He said, “Yes, look at these great buildings. But they will be completely demolished. Not one stone will be left on top of another!” On September 11, 2001 the great majestic towers of the World Trade Center fell from the act of terrorism. Plans that were made suddenly ceased and many had to take a new course in life. Many have suffered from such terrible personal crisis they wonder how life can go on. Yet life continues to tick away second by second. If you walk through Washington, D.C. there are many reminders of past wars. These wars have come and gone and all that remains are the memories. Yet we ask the question when will the end of time come? In some ways it is the continuance of man’s sin to want to know as much as God knows. What is something far worst than disasters, the possibilities of war, and the potential devastation of mankind? Not trusting God, not placing faith in the Salvation of Christ and not believing that nothing can separate us from the love of God, not even personal crisis, wars, terrorist acts or even economic recession. Do not fear the future, but instead place your faith and trust in God who will carry you through even in the difficult times.