BE WATCHFUL 

MARK 13:1-4, 32-37 

As Jesus neared the end of his life he began to talk to the disciples about mankind’s future.  He begins by talking to them about the destruction of the temple in Jerusalem.  Hearing his prophecy in verse 2 of the coming destruction, the disciples question him about when to expect these events.  Jesus replies to them by giving them some insight into the things that would happen as mankind approaches the end of this age.  He ends his discussion by urging them to be watchful because not even He knew when he would be returning.  In other words they were to be ever on the alert and ready because he did not even know when these evens were going to occur.  It is two thousand years later and today God still wants to remind us to be watchful.  With that in mind the title of today’s message is “Be Watchful”. 

          Now we know that when Jesus told the disciple to take heed and watch he was not telling them to stand around gazing off into the sky looking to see him when he returned.  Of course he was saying to them be vigilant, be alert, be attentive, be prepared for when ever I return.  If Jesus were here today he would still say the same thing to us who are his disciples today.  In Mark 13:37 he says “And what I say unto you I say unto all, Watch.”  Thus He would still say to us watch ye therefore.  To follow this command requires some action on our part.  So I want to take just a minute today and mention a few areas where we as believers must continue to be watchful.

1.     Watch what you allow yourself to see (Ps. 101:3)

David said I will set no wicked thing before my eyes.  Why David.  Well David recognized that we have a tendency to crave what we see.  Our eyes are a direct gate to our minds.  Pictures that are imprinted on our minds can rule our actions for years.  Once I saw my mom ring a chicken’s neck and that chicken ran round in the yard until it finally died.  As much as I love chicken it was a while before I could eat it after that.  Even now I can still see that headless chicken running around.  It does not affect my eating chicken now but it did for awhile.  Still there are other foods that I do not eat today, not because I dislike the taste but because of the way the look and the bad memories they bring up in me.  Our eyes are a powerful source of input to our soul.  Why do you think that companies pay millions of dollars a year to advertise on TV.  They know that they can imprint suggestions on your mind that will prompt you to action when you go into a store.  Likewise the enemy knows that he can imprint suggestion onto the screen of your mind by what you see.  We have to watch what we allow our eyes to focus on.

Psalms 141:8

David said I will put no wicked thing before my eyes.  Here he says I will turn my gaze unto you God where my soul will not be left empty, and destitute.  We must choose to focus on the things of God and not allow our eye gate to be used by the enemy to focus us on our own fleshly desires. 

2.     We must watch what we hear (Psalms 78:1, Proverbs 23:12)

Have you every noticed that someone can be singing or playing a stupid song and that song just lingers with you for a period of time.  Today’s world is flooded with suggestive music, foul language and slander.  Sometimes without us even realizing it our ear gate is being flooded with unholy verbal communications.  These words stick in our minds just like music and they wait to produce unholy actions in our lives.  But here in this verse David says that we are to give ear to God law and to the voice of God.  Isn’t it amazing how we can hear everything else but struggle to hear the voice of God.  Solomon said we should lend our ear to that which will bring us knowledge.  In other words listen to learn.  But we must be watchful what we listen to because there are some ways of the world that we do not want to learn.

3.     We must watch what we think  (James 1:13-15)

What we see and hear will determine a lot of what we think, just as what we think will play a major role in what we do.  We have talked about this passage in Bible study.  We used it to show the tactics that the devil uses to lead us to sin.  We profess to know and to understand this scripture and the thought process that leads to sin. If we truly understand this scripture why do we still struggle with our thoughts? 

2 Corinthians 10:5  - Many Christians fail to bring their thought life into subjection.  They allow themselves to sit with idle minds.  We allow the devil to camp out in our minds with unholy thoughts.  When he knocks at the door, we invite him to come on in and stay a while rather than slamming the door in his face as we should.  How can we slam the door on him?

Philippians 4:8 -  Here we are given a list of things to think on.  When tempted by the devil to think unholy thoughts we should immediately turn our attention to that which is good, pure, honest, just, etc. 

4.     We must think about what we say (Ephesians 4:29) 

The word corrupt here is the Greek word Suppros which means useless, raunchy or obscene. Our speech is to be uplifting, edifying and encouraging to others.  Remember that Proverbs 18:21 says “Death and life are in the power of the tongue: and they that love it shall eat the fruit thereof.”

Matthew 12:37 – Many Christians are defeated by their own harsh, critical words.  They fail to be the blessing they should be because their tongue is being used as a knife to cut and wound rather than a healing balm to bring emotional healing.  Rather than bringing peace by what they say they bring condemnation, judgment, hatred and discord.  We must watch what we say and remember Proverbs 15:1 says “A soft answer turns away wrath: but grievous words stir up anger.”

Colossians 4:6 – To season with salt is to add flavor thus making the food easy and more enjoyable to eat.  Even when we are giving bad news or a rebuke we can say it in a way that will make it easier to receive.

5.     We must watch what we do. (I Peter 4:15)

To suffer as one of these things listed would mean that one has participated in one of these actions.  Of course Peter could not cover every sin here, but we know that we are not to participate in sin,  Since Peter could not list them all, a good general term is evildoer because it includes anything that is unholy and outside of the will of God

Philippians 1:27 – Paul encouraged these believers to live a lifestyle that was becoming of one having and understanding the gospel of Christ.  In other words as Christians we must watch what we do.  We do not want to bring a bad name upon Christ nor on His church.  We want to be an example of God’s standard to the world, keeping in mind that we too will one day have to give an account of our actions.

I Timothy 5:24-25 – Some sins done by individuals may be open or brought into the light before they die, while others may only show up in judgment.

6.  We must watch where we go.

          Going different places is not bad in and of itself, but we must have the proper motive for going.  Going to the club to get your groove on does not give the same appearance as going to pass out tracks.

7.  We must watch who we hang around with or associate with

(I Corinthians 15:33; I Cor. 5: 9-13)

8.  We must watch who we receive advice from

          Psalms 1:1 – ungodly

          2 Chronicles 10:8-11 peers

          Bible speaks against seeking information through horoscopes, palm readers, ouija boards, and all other spirit mediums.  When we need the help of others we are encouraged to seek wise and godly counsel. 

CONCLUSION

I Corinthians 9:27  - Be alert and watchful so that we will not end up as a cast away. 

We started in Matthew with Jesus explaining end time events and encouraging his followers to be watchful and prepared for the coming events especially sin no-one knows exactly when they will begin.  Want to end by looking at this same passage but given in Luke 21.  I am particularly interested in verse 36 where Jesus says “Watch ye therefore, and pray always, that ye may be accounted worthy to escape all these things that shall come to pass, and to stand before the Son of man.”  To escape the end time events we must either die before Christ returns to get his church or go with him in the rapture of the church.  In either case, we as believers must be watchful so that we are prepared when we meet Jesus.  We must watch what we see, what we hear, what we think, what we sat, what we do, where we go, who we hang around with and who we receive advice from.

I Thess. 5:6