Wednesday -Holy Week- The Gospel According To Mark

Welcome to Daily Prayer. Today is Wednesday of Holy Week. Wednesday was actually a silent day except for Judas going to the chief priests to betray Jesus. 

Today’s reading is a continuation of the teaching that Jesus gave on Tuesday. Tuesday was a day packed with important teaching. It is important for us to lean in and listen closely even though these sections are longer than we are used to listening to. Today we walk with Jesus as he predicts the destruction of the temple. He speaks of the end of the age. He warns us to watch and he receives anointing for burial. 

As we begin our time together, let’s quiet our hearts and ask the Lord for help. 

Lord, give us ears to hear. Help us to see. Open our eyes to see wonderful things from your Word.

Before you listen to this passage, I want you to know that this is a prediction of something incredible. Jesus stood in front of one of the most impressive buildings in the ancient world and predicted its total destruction. Within a generation in 70AD, it happened exactly like he said.

If someone can accurately predict the destruction of something as massive and central as the temple and can predict his own death and resurrection, we should pay attention to everything he says. 

You can think of this prophetic section as having two layers. There is an immediate fulfillment within their lifetime and an ultimate fulfillment in his second coming. We must stay awake, be watchful, and endure. This language fills the pages of the New Testament.

A Scripture Reading from Mark 13:1-14:11

"And as he came out of the temple, one of his disciples said to him, “Look, Teacher, what wonderful stones and what wonderful buildings!”

And Jesus said to him, “Do you see these great buildings? There will not be left here one stone upon another that will not be thrown down.”

And as he sat on the Mount of Olives opposite the temple, Peter and James and John and Andrew asked him privately,

“Tell us, when will these things be, and what will be the sign when all these things are about to be accomplished?”

And Jesus began to say to them, “See that no one leads you astray.

Many will come in my name, saying, ‘I am he!’ and they will lead many astray.

And when you hear of wars and rumors of wars, do not be alarmed. This must take place, but the end is not yet.

For nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. There will be earthquakes in various places; there will be famines. These are but the beginning of the birth pains.

“But be on your guard. For they will deliver you over to councils, and you will be beaten in synagogues, and you will stand before governors and kings for my sake, to bear witness before them.

And the gospel must first be proclaimed to all nations.

When they bring you to trial and deliver you over, do not be anxious beforehand what you are to say, but say whatever is given you in that hour, for it is not you who speak, but the Holy Spirit.

Brother will deliver brother over to death, and the father his child, and children will rise against parents and have them put to death.

And you will be hated by all for my name’s sake. But the one who endures to the end will be saved.

And when you see the abomination of desolation standing where he ought not to be (let the reader understand), then let those who are in Judea flee to the mountains.

Let the one who is on the housetop not go down or enter his house to take anything out,

and let the one who is in the field not turn back to take his cloak.

Woe to those who are pregnant and to those who are nursing infants in those days!

Pray that it may not happen in winter.

For in those days there will be tribulation, such as has not been from the beginning of the creation that God created until now, and never will be.

And if the Lord had not cut short the days, no human being would be saved. But for the sake of the elect, whom he chose, he shortened the days.

And then if anyone says to you, ‘Look, here is the Christ!’ or ‘Look, there he is!’ do not believe it.

For false christs and false prophets will arise and perform signs and wonders, to lead astray, if possible, the elect.

But be on guard; I have told you all things beforehand."

“But in those days, after that tribulation, the sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give its light, and the stars will be falling from heaven, and the powers in the heavens will be shaken.

And then they will see the Son of Man coming in clouds with great power and glory.

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.

“From the fig tree learn its lesson: as soon as its branch becomes tender and puts out its leaves, you know that summer is near. So also, when you see these things taking place, you know that he is near, at the very gates.

Truly, I say to you, this generation will not pass away until all these things take place.

Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will not pass away.

But concerning that day or that hour, no one knows, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father.

Be on guard, keep awake. For you do not know when the time will come.

It is like a man going on a journey, when he leaves home and puts his servants in charge, each with his work, and commands the doorkeeper to stay awake.

Therefore stay awake—for you do not know when the master of the house will come, in the evening, or at midnight, or when the rooster crows, or in the morning—

lest he come suddenly and find you asleep.

And what I say to you I say to all: Stay awake.”

Now after two days was the Passover and the Feast of Unleavened Bread. And the chief priests and the scribes were seeking how to arrest him by stealth and kill him,

   for they said, “Not during the feast, lest there be an uproar from the people.”

And while he was at Bethany in the house of Simon the leper, as he sat at table, a woman came with an alabaster jar of very expensive ointment of pure nard. She broke the jar and poured it over his head.

But there were some who said to themselves indignantly, “Why was the ointment wasted like that?

For this ointment could have been sold for more than three hundred denarii and given to the poor.” And they scolded her.

But Jesus said, “Leave her alone. Why do you trouble her? 

She has done a beautiful thing to me.

For you always have the poor with you, and whenever you want, you can do good for them. But you will not always have me.

She has done what she could; she has anointed my body beforehand for burial.

Truly, I say to you, wherever the gospel is proclaimed in the whole world, what she has done will be told in memory of her.”

Then Judas Iscariot, who was one of the twelve, went to the chief priests in order to betray him to them.

And when they heard it, they were glad and promised to give him money. And he sought an opportunity to betray him.

A Prayer of Adoration:

Lord, we are amazed. You are came in humility but you have all authority. 

You are the Lord and leader of your people and you gave your life for us. 

You came to take on our judgement and you will ultimately bring judgement against every power and person that resists your love and rule. 

This world is made by you and it is all for you. You are the rightful ruler with unbelievable grace. 

You have been so patient for us to turn. You have tolerated resistance and betrayal and you have restored all who turn to you. 

Thank you for your mercy. 

We know that there is a coming day when you alone will be exalted. Every knee will bow. 

Like this women with her costly oil, you are worthy of extravagant acts of voluntary love. 

Jesus, you gave it all for us. Lord, you are worthy of our lives and you are worthy of our trust and you are worthy of all of our love. Jesus, we adore you. 

A Prayer of Confession:

Lord, we confess how easily we are distracted. You tell us to stay awake, but our hearts drift into comfort. We are worried and concerned about many things. 

We fall asleep. We are weak. We are easily deceived and lulled to sleep. 

We confess our dullness to eternal realities. We confess our anxiety about the future instead of trust in your leadership. 

Lord, forgive us for giving you leftovers instead of costly devotion. Lord, forgive us, cleanse us, and renew a right spirit within us. 

A Prayer of Trust:

Jesus, You said these things must take place so they will. When we hear of wars and rumors of wars, we will not fear. We trust you to sustain us in every moment of testing. We lean on you. 

You have told us beforehand that we will watch and pray. You are inviting us to keep our lamps full of oil. You are inviting us into intimacy with you.

Lord, we trust that there will be shaking but we are receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken.

A Prayer of Intercession

Lord make us a people who stay awake. Give us courage in the face of pressures. Give us peace in difficulty. 

Lord, we want to be like the women who anointed you. We want to have extravagant hearts of devotion that are unashamed to pour out our love on you. We particularly pray for those getting baptized. Pour your love into them that they would pour out love for you. 

As we finish our time, we close by praying the Lord’s prayer. 

Our Father, who art in heaven,

Hallowed be your name.

Your kingdom come

Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven

Give us this day our daily bread

Forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us

Lead us not into temptation but deliver us from evil

For thine is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever and ever. Amen.