Even to the End of the Age (Mark 13:1-8)

As a pastor, I preach from the Lectionary, which is a systematic progression through the Bible over three years.  There have been times when it was necessary to go off the Lectionary because of current events that demand our attention.  But I cannot remember a time when the lectionary selection for the week matched what we saw on the news as completely as it did this week.  The horrific images coming out of Paris, and images like it, often give us pause to consider, is this the end?  Are these the end times that Jesus spoke of?  Yet in today's lectionary reading from Mark, we hear that wars and rumors of wars are just the beginning of the birthpangs.  This thought may not be comforting, unless you have assurance in a saving relationship with Christ.

Recorded at Hudson UMC on November 15, 2015