The Text

Mark 13:1–2 (CSB)
1 As he was going out of the temple, one of his disciples said to him, “Teacher, look! What massive stones! What impressive buildings!”

2 Jesus said to him, “Do you see these great buildings? Not one stone will be left upon another—all will be thrown down.”

The Devotion

Luke 23:28-31 (CSB) But turning to them, Jesus said, “Daughters of Jerusalem, do not weep for me, but weep for yourselves and your children. Look, the days are coming when they will say, ‘Blessed are the women without children, the wombs that never bore, and the breasts that never nursed! ’ Then they will begin to say to the mountains, ‘Fall on us! ’ and to the hills, ‘Cover us! ’ For if they do these things when the wood is green, what will happen when it is dry? ”

Hosea 10:8 (CSB) The high places of Aven, the sin of Israel, will be destroyed; thorns and thistles will grow over their altars. They will say to the mountains, “Cover us! ” and to the hills, “Fall on us! ”

Revelation 6:15-17 (CSB) Then the kings of the earth, the nobles, the generals, the rich, the powerful, and every slave and free person hid in the caves and among the rocks of the mountains. And they said to the mountains and to the rocks, “Fall on us and hide us from the face of the one seated on the throne and from the wrath of the Lamb, because the great day of their wrath has come! And who is able to stand? ”

John 3:36 (CSB) The one who believes in the Son has eternal life, but the one who rejects the Son will not see life; instead, the wrath of God remains on him.

The Lord Jesus Christ has commanded each of us to repent of our sin.

Where shall our sin go?

Only to God.

Psalms 103:12-13 (CSB) As far as the east is from the west, so far has he removed our transgressions from us. As a father has compassion on his children, so the LORD has compassion on those who fear him.

How does he take our sin?

By placing our sin on his Son.

Nothing in this world in this life matters if you do not repent and believe Jesus Christ.

His kingdom is now.

The Discussion

1. If our sins are removed, what happens to future sin?

2. If we are sinless based on what Christ has done, should we sin all the more?

3. What happens if we do sin in the future? Are we lost to God?

The Prayer from the Psalms

Psalm 18:30–36 (CSB)
30 God—his way is perfect; the word of the LORD is pure. He is a shield to all who take refuge in him.

31 For who is God besides the LORD? And who is a rock? Only our God.

32 God—he clothes me with strength and makes my way perfect.

33 He makes my feet like the feet of a deer and sets me securely on the heights.

34 He trains my hands for war; my arms can bend a bow of bronze.

35 You have given me the shield of your salvation; your right hand upholds me, and your humility exalts me.

36 You make a spacious place beneath me for my steps, and my ankles do not give way.

Who is like you, my Lord?

Who is like my God?

The one who has saved me and never abandoned me. The one who is my shield when fiery arrows have scorched the skies. The one who has called me righteous and equips me according to his own righteousness?

The one who has given me the speed to run to him in times of trouble? The one who has set me upon the mountaintop to see his awesome glory?

I have been trained but not by my own doing but by the teacher who will see my training till the end. I stand tall but not by my own strength but by the strength of your mighty hand. I have been made great but not my own pithy efforts but made great by your sweet gentle love, grace, and mercy.

My enemies, they have nothing on me. Their greatest numbers amass in vain. Their weapons cannot take my life. They battle without purpose because my King has soundly, completely, definitely, perfectly conquered them when He went to the cross and gave his life up so that I might live.

My foot presses against Death’s neck as I can hear his skull grind into the dirt beneath him. He waves at me but he has no power because he rules nothing.

You have given me this power. You alone have given me life.

I love you, Lord.

Amen

The Resources

Calvin’s Commentaries.
by John Calvin.
Baker. 2009.
Olive Tree

Mark: An Expositional Commentary
by R.C. Sproul.
Reformation Trust Publisher. 2011.
Goodreads

New Testament Commentary: Exposition of the Gospel According to Mark
by William Hendriksen.
Baker. 1981.
Goodreads

The Gospel according to Mark: The English Text With Introduction, Exposition, and Notes (The New International Commentary on the New Testament)
by William L. Lane.
Eerdman’s. 1974.
Goodreads

Mark (Ancient Christian Commentary on Scripture, NT Volume 2)
Edited by Thomas C. Odin & Christopher A. Hall
IVP Academic. 2005.
Goodreads

Mark (The Story of God Bible Commentary Series)
by Timothy G. Gombis.
Zondervan Academic. March 9th 2021.
Goodreads