Mark 13:1-13

“And Jesus answered and said to him, ‘Do you see these great buildings? Not one stone shall be left upon another, that shall not be thrown down.’” (Mark 13:2, NKJV)

Inconceivable! That is what the disciples thought when Jesus said these words. They looked up at the massive stones in the temple. It was unfathomable that such a cataclysmic event could ever happen. The stones that Herod used to reconstruct the second temple were massive. The ones in the walls were 3-4 feet high, 3-15 feet long, and 6-15 feet deep, weighing 2-15 tons! How could each of these stones be thrown down? But Jesus’ words were precisely fulfilled in AD 70.

There is a tendency to think that things will always continue as they have. In fact, Peter said that this would be the general attitude of the last days.

“Most importantly, I want to remind you that in the last days scoffers will come, mocking the truth and following their own desires. They will say, ‘What happened to the promise that Jesus is coming again? From before the times of our ancestors, everything has remained the same since the world was first created.’” (2 Peter 3:3–4, NLT)

The sun rises and sets each day, and we assume it will always be this way. But the Bible tells us that suddenly everything will change. We see this on an individual basis when someone is unexpectedly taken from this life. But we will see it on a worldwide level prior to the Second Coming of Christ. Jesus said that this will occur when we least expect it.

There are two “comings” of Jesus. He will come for His Church as "a thief in the night.” One day we will be about our normal business and suddenly we will be caught up with the Lord and His saints in the air! But for worldlings, this will mark a day of disaster when their worst fears will be unleashed over the next seven years. Everything they have known and loved will come crashing down. All their hopes and dreams will be ruined.

“Since everything around us is going to be destroyed like this, what holy and godly lives you should live, looking forward to the day of God and hurrying it along. On that day, he will set the heavens on fire, and the elements will melt away in the flames.” (2 Peter 3:11–12, NLT)

We ought to live each day as though it could be our last. We should exploit every opportunity to bring others to Christ, because another chance is not guaranteed.

Stop and think: If I knew today was my last day, what would I change?