The King is Coming
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How many of you would like to know the future?
How many of you would like to know what your life would be like one day?
If someone could come in here today and tell you what your future would be, would you like that?
Today, Matthew shows us, through the words of Jesus, the future.
***CBC Creed
As we prepare to read chapter 24, here are a few things I want you to consider:
Exalting Jesus in Matthew (Return of the King (Part 1) (Matthew 24:1–36))
1. Are you ready for whatever may happen in your life this week or in the next year?
2. Are you prepared for what may happen in the world in the next ten years?
3. Are you absolutely certain of where your life will be in eternity?
1 Jesus left the temple and was going away, when his disciples came to point out to him the buildings of the temple. 2 But he answered them, “You see all these, do you not? Truly, I say to you, there will not be left here one stone upon another that will not be thrown down.” 3 As he sat on the Mount of Olives, the disciples came to him privately, saying, “Tell us, when will these things be, and what will be the sign of your coming and of the end of the age?” 4 And Jesus answered them, “See that no one leads you astray. 5 For many will come in my name, saying, ‘I am the Christ,’ and they will lead many astray. 6 And you will hear of wars and rumors of wars. See that you are not alarmed, for this must take place, but the end is not yet. 7 For nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom, and there will be famines and earthquakes in various places. 8 All these are but the beginning of the birth pains. 9 “Then they will deliver you up to tribulation and put you to death, and you will be hated by all nations for my name’s sake. 10 And then many will fall away and betray one another and hate one another. 11 And many false prophets will arise and lead many astray. 12 And because lawlessness will be increased, the love of many will grow cold. 13 But the one who endures to the end will be saved. 14 And this gospel of the kingdom will be proclaimed throughout the whole world as a testimony to all nations, and then the end will come. 15 “So when you see the abomination of desolation spoken of by the prophet Daniel, standing in the holy place (let the reader understand), 16 then let those who are in Judea flee to the mountains. 17 Let the one who is on the housetop not go down to take what is in his house, 18 and let the one who is in the field not turn back to take his cloak. 19 And alas for women who are pregnant and for those who are nursing infants in those days! 20 Pray that your flight may not be in winter or on a Sabbath. 21 For then there will be great tribulation, such as has not been from the beginning of the world until now, no, and never will be. 22 And if those days had not been cut short, no human being would be saved. But for the sake of the elect those days will be cut short. 23 Then if anyone says to you, ‘Look, here is the Christ!’ or ‘There he is!’ do not believe it. 24 For false christs and false prophets will arise and perform great signs and wonders, so as to lead astray, if possible, even the elect. 25 See, I have told you beforehand. 26 So, if they say to you, ‘Look, he is in the wilderness,’ do not go out. If they say, ‘Look, he is in the inner rooms,’ do not believe it. 27 For as the lightning comes from the east and shines as far as the west, so will be the coming of the Son of Man. 28 Wherever the corpse is, there the vultures will gather. 29 “Immediately after the tribulation of those days the sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give its light, and the stars will fall from heaven, and the powers of the heavens will be shaken. 30 Then will appear in heaven the sign of the Son of Man, and then all the tribes of the earth will mourn, and they will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of heaven with power and great glory. 31 And he will send out his angels with a loud trumpet call, and they will gather his elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other. 32 “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. 33 So also, when you see all these things, you know that he is near, at the very gates. 34 Truly, I say to you, this generation will not pass away until all these things take place. 35 Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will not pass away.
If you remember last week in Chapter 23, Jesus had his last conversation with the Pharisees, the Scribes, and the Sadducees. And he warned them of their own destruction. Seven times he used the word “WOE.” Woe was a word used for judgement, warning, and damnation. He was calling them out for being hypocrites. Showing they were one thing when they were really another. He used words and phrases like only washing the outside of the cup but not the inside. They were like caskets, white on the outside, but dead on the inside. They looked religious, but their actions and faith were dead, and they were leading people to an eternal death by their requirements.
The last thing Jesus said to them was this:
39 For I tell you, you will not see me again, until you say, ‘Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord.’ ”
That time would be when he returns at the end of the ages. Jesus is telling them of the events of the future…the return of Jesus Christ at the end of the ages.
After that Jesus, in Matthew 24:1 leaves the temple when he had this conversation with the Pharisees, as as they are walking away the disciples looked at the temple and were amazed at how big and beautiful it was.
Let me try to paint a picture in your mind what the temple looked like...
Exalting Jesus in Matthew (Trust in the Authority of Christ)
It was built with large stones, some of which measured 40 feet long, 12 feet wide, and 12 feet deep. These stones could weigh more than 200,000 pounds each and they were stacked on top of one another—quite impressive for a day in which there was no advanced construction equipment! The massive, stacked stones led up to a roof bathed in a sea of gold. The white marble on the top of the temple would virtually blind you when you looked at it in the reflection of the sun. You can understand the shock of the disciples, therefore, when Jesus told them that not one stone would be left upon another
What did Jesus say about this beautiful place? Matthew 24:2
Matthew 24:2 (ESV)
2 But he answered them, “You see all these, do you not? Truly, I say to you, there will not be left here one stone upon another that will not be thrown down.”
This was the first of two prophesies that Jesus would make. The temple would come down. It would be destroyed. This was sometime around year 30 or 32. In year 70 the temple would be destroyed and many Jews would be killed because of their faith at the hands of the Romans.
So he makes his way to the Mt. of Olives, sits down, and the disciples ask the question.....when will all of this happen? When will the coming of the end of the age happen and what will be the signs.
He tells them the signs, but first he gives them a warning...
4 And Jesus answered them, “See that no one leads you astray. 5 For many will come in my name, saying, ‘I am the Christ,’ and they will lead many astray.
Then he begins to show them some signs that will happen...
6 And you will hear of wars and rumors of wars. See that you are not alarmed, for this must take place, but the end is not yet. 7 For nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom, and there will be famines and earthquakes in various places. 8 All these are but the beginning of the birth pains. 9 “Then they will deliver you up to tribulation and put you to death, and you will be hated by all nations for my name’s sake. 10 And then many will fall away and betray one another and hate one another.
There have been wars and rumors of wars for years. Nation against nation, kingdom against kingdom…is going on right now…but he said this will not signal the end. Earthquakes, famines…still not the end. All of these things plus people falling away from God and betraying each other. Will that be the end? No. Look at verse 11
11 And many false prophets will arise and lead many astray.
False prophets have been in existence since the apostles preached the gospel. They are even here in Nigeria. So is that the end? No. Look at verse 14.
Matthew 24:14 (ESV)
14 And this gospel of the kingdom will be proclaimed throughout the whole world as a testimony to all nations, and then the end will come.
There is an organization called Finish The Task. Finish The Task. And their passion is to identify groups of people around the world who have never heard of Jesus and the gospel message. In their research they have identified 144 unreached people groups. Now let me explain what a people group is. Like you are Igbo, or Hausa, Youraba or TIEV, those are people groups. So around there world there are 144 people groups who have never heard the gospel. Those 144 groups amount to 5.7 million people on the earth. 5.7 million people who have never heard the gospel, and as of right now, don’t have anyone to tell them. No missionary, no church, no gospel film or radio…no one in their community has a Bible or the truth of the gospel.
Why is this important to know? This verse (Matthew 24:14) When the world of God reaches all nations…every tongue…then the end will come.
Here is a map of the unreached people groups of the world....There are alot in India....but looks sat this...
There are two in Nigeria.
This world is decaying…there are false teachers, people are falling away from the faith, they are not loving one another…and there is coming a time when that last group of people will be reached… and the events that we see in the book of Revelation will unfold, and the world as we know it will be over. For those who trust him and follow his as Savior, we will be caught up with him, but for those who have denied him, they will look around and many people will be gone.
Are you ready? Knowing that this could happen very soon, are you ready? Are you prepared?
But here is another question. Why not you? Why can’t you be the one who goes to the _____________________ group and bring the gospel to them? Why can’t you be the one who goes to the __________________group and brings the gospel to them?
We need to stop thinking about education, stop thinking about making money, stop thinking about what our friends will think and start thinking about what we can do to welcome Jesus as he returns for his children.
Jesus then talks more about what that time will look like.
15 “So when you see the abomination of desolation spoken of by the prophet Daniel, standing in the holy place (let the reader understand), 16 then let those who are in Judea flee to the mountains. 17 Let the one who is on the housetop not go down to take what is in his house, 18 and let the one who is in the field not turn back to take his cloak. 19 And alas for women who are pregnant and for those who are nursing infants in those days! 20 Pray that your flight may not be in winter or on a Sabbath. 21 For then there will be great tribulation, such as has not been from the beginning of the world until now, no, and never will be. 22 And if those days had not been cut short, no human being would be saved. But for the sake of the elect those days will be cut short.
Jesus talks about the “abomination o8f desolation” What is that?
The prophet Daniel talked about this, so for a moment I want to take you back to the Old Testament.
13 Then I heard a holy one speaking, and another holy one said to the one who spoke, “For how long is the vision concerning the regular burnt offering, the transgression that makes desolate, and the giving over of the sanctuary and host to be trampled underfoot?”
27 And he shall make a strong covenant with many for one week, and for half of the week he shall put an end to sacrifice and offering. And on the wing of abominations shall come one who makes desolate, until the decreed end is poured out on the desolator.”
31 Forces from him shall appear and profane the temple and fortress, and shall take away the regular burnt offering. And they shall set up the abomination that makes desolate.
11 And from the time that the regular burnt offering is taken away and the abomination that makes desolate is set up, there shall be 1,290 days.
So Jesus used this phrase, the abomination of desolation. Here is what that means. Some one other than God would come into the Temple and place themselves in the Holy Place and say...WORSHIP ME. The abomination of desolation is the when a ruler, a king, even the anti-christ will put himself in the most Holy Place of the temple and say…I AM GOD. WORSHIP ME.
So Daniel wrote this almost 600 years before Jesus. And between this writing of Daniel and teh birth of Jesus there was a time (about 150 years before Jesus that this happened. There was a ruler named Antiochus Epiphanes (An-ty-uh-cus E-pif-an-ees) who did this. He came into the temple, set up a false god and even sacrificed a pig on the altar. ANd for the Jewish people…pig was very unclean. So this had happened in the past, but Jesus said, this was also coming. Here is his second prophesy...He prophesied that this would happen at the end of the age.
When these events happen, it will be a place you will not want to be.
But as a believer, you must understand that you could experience persecution.
Now this morning, I can give you my thoughts on what the end of the age looks like. And when I mean, my thoughts, I mean how it might happen based on the Scripture. But other people look at Scripture and and sometimes come up with other explanations. For example, will Christians who are alive when Jesus returns experience the tribulation, or will they be removed before that. Different people see the same verses and come up with different explanations. I have my own thoughts. But that is not what we are concerned about this morning. Whether you believe it says it this way or that way, what is for sure is that there will be a time when the world will end. There will be a time when Jesus will separate those who love him from those who don’t. There will be a time when Jesus fights the devil, a quick fight, the devil will be defeated and thrown into the abyss for a thousand years. And there will be a time when Jesus sets up the new heaven and the new earth.
But more than anything, what you need go know this morning, a question that only you can answer is, are you ready?
Because Jesus says that heaven and earth will pass away, but my word will not. He is true to his word. As he was leaving earth after his resurrection he said this...
John 14:1–3 (ESV)
1 “Let not your hearts be troubled. Believe in God; believe also in me. 2 In my Father’s house are many rooms. If it were not so, would I have told you that I go to prepare a place for you? 3 And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and will take you to myself, that where I am you may be also.
He is coming back! The King is coming back for his bride, the church, the believers. When? Only God knows. So what are we do to during this time? Look at verse 23:
23 Then if anyone says to you, ‘Look, here is the Christ!’ or ‘There he is!’ do not believe it. 24 For false christs and false prophets will arise and perform great signs and wonders, so as to lead astray, if possible, even the elect. 25 See, I have told you beforehand. 26 So, if they say to you, ‘Look, he is in the wilderness,’ do not go out. If they say, ‘Look, he is in the inner rooms,’ do not believe it. 27 For as the lightning comes from the east and shines as far as the west, so will be the coming of the Son of Man. 28 Wherever the corpse is, there the vultures will gather.
This is NOT how Jesus will appear. You are not going to wake up one morning and someone is saying I am Jesus. I have come back. Believe in me. That’s not Jesus. What does the Scripture say....
27 For as the lightning comes from the east and shines as far as the west, so will be the coming of the Son of Man.
There will be no doubt, when he comes, everyone will know. Don’t get caught up and deceived by a false prophet or a teaching that says he is already here.
29 “Immediately after the tribulation of those days the sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give its light, and the stars will fall from heaven, and the powers of the heavens will be shaken. 30 Then will appear in heaven the sign of the Son of Man, and then all the tribes of the earth will mourn, and they will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of heaven with power and great glory. 31 And he will send out his angels with a loud trumpet call, and they will gather his elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other. 32 “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. 33 So also, when you see all these things, you know that he is near, at the very gates. 34 Truly, I say to you, this generation will not pass away until all these things take place. 35 Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will not pass away.
The Bible talks about a time of tribulation. This will be a very dark time that the anti-Christ will rule and set himself us as God. In the book of Revelation it talks about what will happen during this time. But what we need to focus on for this text, is that after that period of spiritual darkness and persecution… Jesus will begin his return.
(Elect) those believers he has pre-ordained before they were even born who would follow him.
Let me quickly point ot one thing before we move on......THIS GENERATION WILL NOT PASS AWAY UNTIL ALL THESE THINGS TAKE PLACE>
Who is “this generation?” It would seen that as Jesus was speaking and saying “this generation” then he would mean, their generation, those listening to his, the disciples.
So how do we explain that now 2000 years later after that generation…Jesus has still not returned?
Scripture answers Scripture. The best answer for questions we have in Scripture come from Scripture.
The things he talked about: The coming abomination of desolation, the destruction of the temple, the tribulation, the gospel being proclaimed to every people… those things had not occured. So as we understand it that way, he is still coming. But when?
36 “But concerning that day and hour no one knows, not even the angels of heaven, nor the Son, but the Father only. 37 For as were the days of Noah, so will be the coming of the Son of Man. 38 For as in those days before the flood they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day when Noah entered the ark, 39 and they were unaware until the flood came and swept them all away, so will be the coming of the Son of Man. 40 Then two men will be in the field; one will be taken and one left. 41 Two women will be grinding at the mill; one will be taken and one left. 42 Therefore, stay awake, for you do not know on what day your Lord is coming. 43 But know this, that if the master of the house had known in what part of the night the thief was coming, he would have stayed awake and would not have let his house be broken into. 44 Therefore you also must be ready, for the Son of Man is coming at an hour you do not expect. 45 “Who then is the faithful and wise servant, whom his master has set over his household, to give them their food at the proper time? 46 Blessed is that servant whom his master will find so doing when he comes. 47 Truly, I say to you, he will set him over all his possessions. 48 But if that wicked servant says to himself, ‘My master is delayed,’ 49 and begins to beat his fellow servants and eats and drinks with drunkards, 50 the master of that servant will come on a day when he does not expect him and at an hour he does not know 51 and will cut him in pieces and put him with the hypocrites. In that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.
When is Jesus coming back? We don’t know. But even though we don’t know, we need to be ready.
Are you ready? Are you prepared to meet the King....face-to-face? Because, ready or not, you will meet him
Will you be “wise servant” that Jesus talks about,, or will you be the wicked servant?
Wise= like a master is faithful to set the wise servant over his possessions, the wise servant of Jesus will experience the possession of heaven. But for the wicked servant, the master will take every thing away and he will be sent to a place where there is weeping and gnashing of teeth.
Which servant are you?
-------Bow your head
Exalting Jesus in Matthew (Return of the King (Part 1) (Matthew 24:1–36))
Are you ready for whatever may happen in your life this week or in the next year?
Are you prepared for what may happen in the world in the next ten years?
And are you absolutely certain of where your life will be in eternity?