Not One Stone: Mark 13:1-13

They were leaving the temple when one of the disciples—perhaps a Galilean seeing Jerusalem's glory for the first time—gasped at the sight: "Look, Teacher! What massive stones! What magnificent buildings!"

The temple complex was one of the wonders of the ancient world. Herod had spent decades rebuilding it. Some stones weighed hundreds of tons. The white marble gleamed in the sun, and gold trim blazed like fire. It seemed eternal, immovable, the house of God himself.

Jesus' response chilled the air: "Do you see all these great buildings? Not one stone here will be left on another; every one will be thrown down."

Forty years later, Roman legions would fulfill those words with terrible precision. But in that moment, the disciples could not imagine it.

Later, on the Mount of Olives, with the temple spread before them in the afternoon light, Peter, James, John, and Andrew pressed him privately: "Tell us, when will these things happen? And what will be the sign that they are all about to be fulfilled?"

Jesus began to speak of things that would shake the world:

"Watch out that no one deceives you. Many will come in my name, claiming, 'I am he,' and will deceive many."

False messiahs. The first birth pain.

"When you hear of wars and rumors of wars, do not be alarmed. Such things must happen, but the end is still to come. Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. There will be earthquakes in various places, and famines. These are the beginning of birth pains."

Beginning. Not the end—the beginning. The contractions before delivery.

"You must be on your guard. You will be handed over to the local councils and flogged in the synagogues. On account of me you will stand before governors and kings as witnesses to them."

The gospel would spread through persecution. Courts would become pulpits. Suffering would become testimony.

"And the gospel must first be preached to all nations."

Before the end, good news to every people. The mission remained.

"Whenever you are arrested and brought to trial, do not worry beforehand about what to say. Just say whatever is given you at the time, for it is not you speaking, but the Holy Spirit."

The Spirit would provide the words. Their job was faithfulness, not eloquence.

"Brother will betray brother to death, and a father his child. Children will rebel against their parents and have them put to death. Everyone will hate you because of me, but the one who stands firm to the end will be saved."

The cost was laid bare: family torn apart, hatred universal, endurance required. No false promises. Just the truth—and the promise that standing firm led to salvation.

The temple gleamed below them. Jesus saw its rubble.