Matthew 23: 37 – 24: 14

Jesus had just ended his woes against the religious leaders. Now Jesus will lament over all Jerusalem and the people that have rejected God again and again, killed the prophets, ands stoned the people send to bring good news, to call people back to God.

And Jesus again uses a picture that may make more sense if you have had chickens or know about them, but he said: How often would I have gathered your children together as the hen gathers the chickens under her wing. (safety and protection).

Jesus in verse 38, may refence Isaiah and or Jeramiah – Jerusalem will be destroyed, and left empty. 39 Jesus said you will not see me again, until you say blessed is, he who comes in the name of the Lord, Jesus here sighting Psalm 118 again, - wow what a psalm, Jesus quoted it before when he talked about the cornerstone being rejected the people shouted hosanna, -blessed is the one that comes in the name of the lord. Jesus in his way say you will not see me again before, you confess who I am, I am the Lord God… The one who is praised in psalm 188, the ones who’s love endures. But this place… will be in ruins before you do that… The disciples are not understanding that, on the way out of the temple the point out the buildings made by man, possibly the biggest in the world at the time, the seem to marvel at them. But Jesus responds all you see will be turned in to ruble, (What is built by man will not last, - Jesus predicting the destruction to the temple and Jerusalem, 70 AD). The disciples don’t respond before they get out of town, then they ask Jesus when this will happen. What will be the sighs of your coming? What, he is there with them, why would he leave and come back? Are they starting to get some of what Jesus had been teaching?

Jesus first response is a warning: Don’t be lead astray…

Then Jesus starts to describe what will happen before Jesus comes back…. Many will come and say they are the Christ. – and they will lead many astray. I was thinking who would do that that is crazy…(PPT about who claimed to be Christ or better). I feel sad, mad and frustrated, that anyone can fool people to follow them, saying that they are Jesus that has come back, - It is easy to refute, just like, when crazy preachers and others say they know when the world will end… Plan, in Jesus words, no one knows… It is that easy. Don’t be fooled… It important to know what Jesus taut, or we can easily be lead astray.

Then Jesus starts describing what will happen (after he is ascended to heaven). Rumors of war, he tried to calm the disciples, wars will come, but don’t be troubled by it, - then in verse7 nation ethos, will fight against other nations ethnics, and nature will so its brokenness, famines, earthquakes many places, Jesus said this is just the beginning of the birth pains. – Meaning it will take time…. Like a birth… After that Jesus addresses what will happen to them, he says the same things he said back in chapter 10, that people will deliver them up to judgment and you will be put to death, and be heated for my name’s sake. Many will fall away and betray one another, and hate one another.

Verse 11. And false prophets will come and lead many astray. We are to test the spirts, and be careful, if people say alt the things you want to hear, - yes, you will be rich, healthy, have no problems, war, what do you mean there will be no war, repent, no that is not important, you do you, be all you can be and trust your heart, and yes God will make you great. (False teachers and prophets are often bound by Money, sex, gluten, pride, getting things for them self, there is no real love for God, and no intention of living for his glory, but live for their own. Now sometimes it is obvious, other times it is revealed later, but be on your guard, know the real thing so well that people can fool you with the fake). The devil, the world, your pride is willing to give you anything, that will keep you form living for Jesus. (You may gain everything in this world and loos all, what does it profit if you lose your soul? PPT Matthew 16: 24-27) If someone teaches against what Jesus said, the person is a false teacher/ prophet.

Verse 12 Because of increased lawlessness, many will grow cold, and stop loving God. (Living in the word, we see and meet brokenness often, death, sickness, war, deception lies, relational conflicts, I sometimes get overwhelmed by it all, and get sad or down, - Jesus here is preparing his disciples, be aware that the brokenness and here lawlessness, does not take away your love for God. And you may have seen or heard people lose that, it may sound something like this: but if God did or let this happen, I will not love and follow him, how can God let the evil lawless people live and thrive? God must not be good). The opposite is to know the real Jesus, so well that what ever evil or brokenness we see and experience, the glory of Christ, will make it small and fail, because even for this Christ provide in his life, death and shed blood, his resurrection, that love that Jesus talks about in John 3:16, - it is growing in us every day, is it all consuming in what we value, does it hold us fast in Christ, by the Holy Spirt, or do we just know about Jesus, and not really know him? Are we really known by God? All parts of us, the deep and dark places the unlovable, parts? But God knows it all, and while we were his enemies God send Jesus, God showed who God is, as he sends Jesus, and Jesus it the exact imprint of who God is… We can know God; do we believe we are known by Him? What does that have to do with lawlessness and growing cold, everything, - we will grow cold if we don’t know who God is and what he has done, and how he shows us who he is, if we think Jesus is just a symbol or religious nice person, we will not love and serve God, because then when we see brokenness and evil lawlessness wining we will despaired and grow cold, but if we are altogether change, mind body, spirt, new creation, in Christ in his love, walking daily increasing in understanding the grace and mercy of God, his love for us, the redeemer God that comes after us, that our hope it not set on anything ells than him a firm foundation. A relationship, father to his children, near, kind, just, righteous. Setting our eye on the things above

Verse 13 The ones who endures to the end will be saved. – And before the end the good news will be proclaimed throughout the whole world, so that all nations or ethnics have a testimony of the good news. After that then the end will come. (I don’t think we carry this, I don’t think we hold our faith, or give our self our faith, we seek Jesus every day, for him to do his work in us, and as the old Calvin said, preserving of the saints).

Verse 14 The gospel will go to all ethnic groups, and then the end will come. Jesus the writers of the Gospels acts, letters, write in a state of wanting like Jesus for people to be ready, living like everyday is your last, - but hold on – not careless and using all you have for you self, but using all the opptuiities you have to live out your faith each day getting to know Jesus better that way and small steps of obedience will grow us in Christ and the next day we can live for Jesus again, because we don’t know when the end comes, and we don’t know our days, or the days of others. – So, don’t let this last part be an excuse for waiting and saying I don’t think Jesus is coming in my life time, but you we don’t know. Verse 14 does give hope to all nations/ethnic groups that God will let the good news about Jesus all groups of people. What a great God we serve, all will hear get the chance to respond to Jesus. And then the end will come…

If we are in Jesus, under his blood, his work, he will do the work, keeping us, helping us, holding us, letting us endure, but let us keep our eyes fixed on Jesus, daily taking up our cross and denying our self and following Jesus, - because nothing in this world will be to compared with the prize of Jesus, and restored relationship and adoption in to Gods family. Let’s live that out, every day.