Saturday after Populus Sion, The Second Sunday in Advent
Posted on December 10, 2022 by under
Scripture: St. Mark 13:5-13 (NKJV)
13:5 And Jesus, answering them, began to say: “Take heed that no one deceives you. 6 For many will come in My name, saying, ‘I am He,’ and will deceive many. 7 But when you hear of wars and rumors of wars, do not be troubled; for such things must happen, but the end is not yet. 8 For nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. And there will be earthquakes in various places, and there will be famines and troubles. These are the beginnings of sorrows.
9 “But watch out for yourselves, for they will deliver you up to councils, and you will be beaten in the synagogues. You will be brought before rulers and kings for My sake, for a testimony to them. 10 And the gospel must first be preached to all the nations. 11 But when they arrest you and deliver you up, do not worry beforehand, or premeditate what you will speak. But whatever is given you in that hour, speak that; for it is not you who speak, but the Holy Spirit. 12 Now brother will betray brother to death, and a father his child; and children will rise up against parents and cause them to be put to death. 13 And you will be hated by all for My name’s sake. But he who endures to the end shall be saved.”
Devotion
Our faith and life are not just about us. It is truly a good and joyful thing to know that we are saved through Jesus Christ’s death for us, but it is also important that we remember He desires others to be blessed through us. He desires that all men be saved and have knowledge of the truth (2 Tim. 2:3-6). The devil would have us turn in on ourselves and flee from work and persecution, only clinging to our own sense of comfort. However, Christ makes us part of His Body and His Life, so He also calls us to continue in His works of love, and in the persecutions that come against Him.
The Gospel reminds us that God loves the world. Repentance, forgiveness and salvation are to be preached to everyone, especially to the unfaithful and those who are enemies of His truth. We don’t support their unbelief, but we are sent in various ways to help them! And considering a lot of people do not want to be helped from their unbelief, this can be an unpleasant task. That is why our Lord teaches us to look beyond ourselves, and beyond the present sufferings. We are to love our enemies and endure to the end, because at the end we will have the fullness of His kingdom. The unpleasant work will be over and the glories of His promised kingdom will be greater than anything we have to endure now!
Prayer: Stir up our hearts, O Lord, to make ready the way of Thine only-begotten Son, so that by His coming we may be enabled to serve Thee with pure minds; through the same Jesus Christ, Thy Son, our Lord, who liveth and reigneth with Thee and the Holy Ghost, ever One God, world without end. Amen.
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
