The Last Days: Unknown Timing

Matthew 24:36-51

1) What are all of the main ideas/concepts/points in this passage? What is Matthew trying to say by including this episode or teaching? What is Jesus doing or saying in this episode?

Hypocrite at the end, the connection to Jesus’ early woes to the Pharisees

Son of Man is coming back - keep watch, be ready - what does this mean?

because you do not and you will not know the timing

you won’t know when he is coming!

he just gave us all these signs (in previous signs) but they are not so that we will focus on looking for the signs

being ready means - be about the master’s business, not expected to be found waiting and watching at the door for the master

there is a day, a fixed time and day, by a Father that is perfectly righteous and just, and he loves us and cares for us - he will be the same loving Father on that day

keep watch - be quick? be awake, look alive (not dead),

46-41 set up contrast between most people (not ready, no clue) and you (his disciples) know something is coming (even if you don’t know when)

Noah knew something was coming but he did not know when or what

we will be surprised with the timing, but not but not by the fact that Jesus is returning

completely surprised by someone coming over vs a guest you know that is coming soon

previous week’s verses about people grieving . . .

Jesus is coming soon, look busy (bumper sticker), being about the master’s business is not about looking like we are busy

2) What are the important background details that contribute to understanding the passage? (Historical, situational, context in Matthew or in the ministry of Jesus, OT connections, etc)

speaking in private with his disciples

previous week’s verses

verse 40-41

there is a day set, we don’t the time, the first readers likely would have been witnesses to the destruction of the temple

the disciple’s were more confused than we are, because we are on the other side of the death and resurrection of Jesus

the disciples asked the question in earlier verses

3) What are the key questions it answers or issues it might have been addressing for the 1st Century audience it was originally written for?

When is Jesus coming back, just like we do!

4) How are those questions/issues similar to what we face today? (Uncovered Tension)

If we don’t know the timing what are we supposed to do?

what does it mean to be about the master’s business?

tension: we want to know the timing, because we want to maximize how much we can get away with before he get’s back

5) How does this teaching or episode add to season of Lent and our series The Last Days?

in this tension of waiting for Jesus to return, what does it look like?

6) What is the ONE main point we should be highlighting?

- What do we want them to know, and why do we want them to know it?

- What do we want them to do, and why do we want them to do it?