Beginning of the End Thinking

I want you to be encouraged this morning, because I believe that is why Jesus spoke the words that we are going to look into today. There are many reasons to be discouraged, many reasons to lose heart and give up. But beyond all those reasons, there is great cause to press on to the end and hope in the one who sees the end from the beginning.

That is the application of this opening passage of Matthew 24. As we read it, and study it, and think on it, we should do so with that aim. Reading this passage with a pessimistic attitude, or one of fear or dread or doubt will do just the opposite of what is intended.

Is there warning here? Yes, there is. Are there terrible things mentioned? No doubt. But those things are only necessities that we must pass through on our way home. The journey is grim, the road sometimes rough, but the destination and the One leading the entourage is worthy of following.

Matthew 24 and 25 are known as the Olivet Discourse, simply because Jesus did this teaching from the Mount of Olives. Interesting things happen when Jesus takes his Disciples up on a mountain.

The opening teaching of the book of Matthew was the Sermon on the Mount, which set a foundation for everything else we have seen. Then, Jesus took Peter James and John up on the Mount of Transfiguration where his preeminent radiant glory was shown to them, and the Father said “Listen to My Son.”

Now, on this Mount of Olives, Jesus will tell his disciples much about the coming of the end of days, and how they should live in light of all that is to happen.

Finally, we will see Jesus climb Mount Calvary, where He will give His ultimate display of love, of mercy, and teach his greatest lesson in the form of the visible Gospel - the very passion of Christ where blood would pill and last breath be drawn to purchase our redemption.

This Mount of Olives teaching has to do with what we term “Eschatology” which means, the study of the last things. There are many interpretations of what the Bible has to say about the last days. If you have been following along in Sunday School, Matt has been going over some of those views.

I should say, as a precursor, that it is not a requirement of this church that you hold one particular view over another. You may even hold that view strongly, but as we study this passage, our aim will not be to enumerate or defend any one of the particular “views,” but rather to get the practical points of this teaching. Jesus did not utter these words to His disciples in order for them to create charts and diagrams and make predictions. He uttered these words for one basic reason - to tell them how they should live in light of the second coming.

Yes, Jesus is coming back. He promised it many times.

John 14:1–3 ESV

“Let not your hearts be troubled. Believe in God; believe also in me. 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? 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.

Acts 1:9–11 ESV

And when he had said these things, as they were looking on, he was lifted up, and a cloud took him out of their sight. And while they were gazing into heaven as he went, behold, two men stood by them in white robes, and said, “Men of Galilee, why do you stand looking into heaven? This Jesus, who was taken up from you into heaven, will come in the same way as you saw him go into heaven.”

We all agree that Jesus is coming again. Our concern should not be “when will that be?” But rather, “How shall we live?”

1. We Don’t Adore Earthly Things - Vs. 1-2

What we read last week in Matthew 23, apparently took place within the temple complex. As Jesus walks out of the temple here in Matthew 24, He is doing so for the last time. He was done with the temple, he was done with the official religion of the temple. He had spoken his most scathing words against the leaders of that temple, and now he will speak his most vivid words against the building itself.

He gives his Jewish disciples a stunning prediction - against a building that they greatly admired and appreciated, not just from a cultural and architectural standpoint, but from a traditional and spiritual one, he says it will be utterly destroyed.

And it would be. In just a matter of about 40 years from that time, the Roman siege and destruction of Jerusalem under Titus would happen. In fact, much of this Olivet Discourse has to do with predicting that very event, which is an amazing testimony to the Divinity of Jesus.

But imagine this scene. Jesus and His disciples are leaving the temple mount, and heading East into the Kidron Valley, and then ascending up onto the Mount of Olives, the disciples turn around to take in the view, and they point it out to Jesus.

You see, these were Galilean fishermen and common men. While they made pilgrimages and trips to Jerusalem, they did not often go there. They weren’t always met with the stunning view of Herod’s temple complex.

And stunning it would have been. Massive stone blocks, some weighing many many tons, much of it covered in Gold, and its buildings stretching for at least a thousand feet in all directions. It was a pinnacle of Jewish culture and religion, and its beauty drew many foreigners to behold it. Still it is considered a marvel of the ancient world.

It meant so much to so many. It meant the glory of religion. It meant the recounting of history back to Solomon’s original temple. It meant the daily sacrifices and trappings of religion. It meant the Holy of Holies where None could go in before God.

How could they not turn around and point it out. And Jesus looks, when they point at it, but He is not so much amazed as He is determined. You see, He has set his face now to a greater end, a greater accomplishment than the building of the temple or any of the sacrifices that had been performed in it or anywhere else before it. As the Lamb who would soon be slain once and for all, he utters these words.

Matthew 24:2 (ESV)

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.”

We aren’t given the disciples immediate response, we aren’t told if Jesus gave any more explanation in that moment, we’re only given this phrase. But I want you to let it sink in.

Jesus looks at the pinnacle of their religion and says to them, “it will be utterly destroyed.”

And dear one, here is our first encouragement of this teaching. We may stand back at times and admire any number of achievements or wonders of this world, be they personal or something we simply hold in high regard. They may be things that have great sentimental or cultural value, they may be things that great effort went into accomplishing. Yet, the Son of God would probable say to us, “You see these things, don’t you? I Say to you, these things will be destroyed.”

In the days to come, the need for any temple would be eradicated, because Jesus would make by His own sacrifice a way for Man to come before God. The need for priests and sacrifices would be done away with, because there would be one sacrifice. And in the final analysis, all the “things” and traditions of this world will be done away with, because Christ will make all things new.

This is not to say we should utterly despise all things, but simply that we should take them in light of these promises that Jesus is coming back, and that all this will pass away.

We can even take this in light of our own little church. This church has a long and storied past of 240 years. This building itself is beautiful and historic. But do you see these pews, and stained-glass windows, and the beautiful molding and millwork? Not one element will remain - but the purpose of its construction will remain.

Colossians 3:1–2 ESV

If then you have been raised with Christ, seek the things that are above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth.

2. We Aren’t Easily Led Astray - Vs. 3-5

We read on, and now Jesus and the 12 are up on the Mount of Olives, and Jesus sits down. Much like in the Sermon on the Mount, the seated position was the position of the teacher in those days. And here he will give his last major sermon we have in Matthew before the events of his death take place.

The teaching that comes in these two chapters comes from two questions that the disciples ask

Matthew 24:3 ESV

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?”

“When will these things be”

“What will be the signs of your coming at the end of the age?”

I will tell you, that over these two chapters, Jesus does not answer these questions in the way that we probably would like them answered. In fact, concerning the “when” question, his definitive answer is that “no man knows the day nor the hour except the Father.”

And concerning the “sings of His Coming,” what he gives are not so much signs of the coming, but rather signs that he is coming.

We will see more of that in a minute, but given the disciples question and their concern, it is interesting that Jesus first teaching to them is not theological but practical.

“See that no one leads you astray.”

One of the chief elements of End Times theology is this question of “who is the Antichrist?” And some people have assigned that title to historical figures throughout the years. Some have made a bit of a sport out of it, and any political leader that they don’t like get’s this role.

But here, Jesus tells us that there will be many who come and say, falsely, “I am the Christ.”

One who comes “in the place of Christ” or “against Christ” is the simple meaning of the term antichrist.

1 John 2:18 (ESV)

Children, it is the last hour, and as you have heard that antichrist is coming, so now many antichrists have come. Therefore we know that it is the last hour.

There have been many who have come as false messiahs and false prophets in the history of Christ’s people. There have been many who have come and claimed that Jesus was not the Christ.

1 John 2:22–24 (ESV)

Who is the liar but he who denies that Jesus is the Christ? This is the antichrist, he who denies the Father and the Son. No one who denies the Son has the Father. Whoever confesses the Son has the Father also. Let what you heard from the beginning abide in you. If what you heard from the beginning abides in you, then you too will abide in the Son and in the Father.

“Let what you heard from the beginning abide in you.”

John was encouraging his readers with the very same lesson that Jesus gives here. Do not be led astray.

That is one of the main objectives as we live in the beginning of the end. As we look for Jesus coming. That we not be led astray.

Dear one, if you are a follower of Jesus, you walk in a line of many thousands and millions of believers who have held fast what they heard from the beginning, what God has revealed in His word. We have many voices and messages calling out in this world, but hear these simple words of Jesus - do not be led astray.

Guard your heart and mind for the purpose of following Christ. Don’t be swayed to the right or left, but fix your gaze firmly upon our Savior. As Peter had to do when he stepped out to walk on water, so we, if we let our gaze veer, will find ourselves sinking in light of all that is going on in this world.

3. We are Not Needlessly Alarmed - Vs. 6-8

I mentioned a few minutes ago, that regarding the “signs of the coming” that the disciples asked about, that Jesus did not so much give signs of his coming, but signs that he is coming.

And this is what I mean by that.

Wars, famines, earthquakes,people speak of the blood moons and other astronomical events all as signs that “he must be coming soon!”

In fact, many have taken up a fool’s errand and tried to predict a date of Christ’s coming based on earthly events.

From Hyppolytus of rome in 500 AD, all the way to Joseph Smith, the false prophet of the LDS cult, to the Jehovah’s Witenesses, Hal Lindsay, to most recently a man named Harold Camping, all these have proven themselves false teachers and embarrassed themselves and those who follow them by trying to predict Christ’s return at a particular year or even date.

We do these things. I remember even as a Kid, when all the hype around Y2K was happening, that was the Buzz - “Oh, with all this going on, Jesus must be coming back very soon!”

Even with the reinstatement of Israel as a recognized nation in the middle of the 20th century, many people took that as a sign that “Jesus must be coming back any year now!”

Further, like Jesus says here, when we hear of wars and rumors of wars, nations fighting nations, famines and earthquakes, many times we take an escapist viewpoint and say ‘Oh, Jesus must be coming back! Things are getting so bad!”

But dear one, we must listen to the words of Christ here which are so direct and pointed. He says, in light of all these things, “Do not be alarmed.”

Do not be surprised, do not pack you bags yet, do not live as though nothing you do here matters. Just because these terrible things are taking place does not mean that the end is tomorrow.

We live in tumultuous times, but we live in nowhere near the worst of times that mankind has faced. Within a few decades, the people of Jerusalem would face destruction and torture and fires and being driven away by roman Government.

Plagues have wiped out vast swaths of population over and over again.

Atomic bombs have been dropped and taken out hundreds of thousands in an instant.

Children have been countless times left homeless and orphaned by the horrors of war and international crises.

Natural disasters take out seaside villages and level whole towns and cities in their wake.

But Jesus says, “do not be alarmed. This must take place, but the end is not yet.”

So these “signs of the end” are not signs of the end at all. What are they?

Jesus says, in verse 8, they are “the beginning of birth pains.”

Any of you who have given birth or have been with your wife who was expecting a child understands this concept.

Especially with your first child, it seems that any hint of contracting pain must be the onset of real labor. And nervous husbands, hearing their wife complain of a pain or cramp or discomfort, are ready to start the car and high-tail it to the hospital. And many times young couples make that trek to the hospital only to be sent home with the frustrating news, “just braxton hicks.”

Well, Jesus is saying about all these things, “Don’t have a fatalist attitude. these are just the braxton hicks. It is not the end yet.”

It sounds almost cruel at first, because Jesus acknowledges all this evil and disaray will happen, but then says “Don’t be alarmed.” Don’t be alarmed? Don’t you see all this evil, Jesus? Don’t you see all this death and destruction? How can you say, “don’t be alarmed?”

John 16:33 ESV

I have said these things to you, that in me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world.”

Yes, bad things happening are not signs that we should lose hope, not signs that we should let up because the end is near, no, they are signs that Jesus was right - that things are going to get worse until he comes. These hings “must happen.” But he is not done with this world yet, so we are not done yet either.

We can easily be escapists and try to bury our heads in the sand and hope that Christ returns tomorrow to rescue us. No, dear one, remember this - Christ has already rescued us. Our end is as secure as can be. Don’t be alarmed.

4. We are not Wearily Anemic - Vs. 9-12

Cynicism is a blight on Christianity, it is a blight on Jesus’ followers. And here, Jesus predicts it and speaks out against it.

I say here, we are not “wearily anemic” because that is just the temptation in a time when things are so bad.

When we think of the end times, the word “tribulation” often is taken to mean one event, “the great tribulation” which many believe is a seven year period right before Jesus’ coming. But in this section and the paragraphs to come, I believe Jesus is telling us that “great tribulation” is experienced world-wide from the time of his departure to the time of his coming. It may get worse at times, and there may be a culmination of that tribulation that will be even worse, but tribulation is to be an expected pattern.

Tribulation, persecution, apostasy, betrayal, false teaching.

These things are not things that will happen in the seven years right before Jesus returns, these are things that Jesus promises to his disciples in their own lifetime, and to us in ours.

He predicts all these things, much like the wars and famines and earthquakes, because they “must happen.” And we can take the same admonition as before, “do not be alarmed.” But we can also take this warning - the love of many will grow cold.

Yes, discouragement, the temptation to grow weary because of the events of our days, is so near to us. At all times, we turn on the news, we read a paper, we phone a friend or get a text message, we see that article posted on facebook, and we say “my goodness, how can we even go on!”

And some, sadly, do fall away. Now, John says “they go out from us because they were never among us.” But this is a real warning. This is why we are called to encourage one another, to bear one another’s burdens, to exhort one another daily and meet together, because this temptation to “grow cold” in our love is so real.

We must not be embittered or become cynical or endlessly pessimistic. Just because all these things happen does not mean that Christ has failed, nor that he has forgotten us, nor that He is not working. No, in fact it is quite the opposite. That we see all these things confirms that Christ was right, that He is working, and that He is coming.

But there is good news - consider verse 13. “The one who endured to the end will be saved.”

Yes, many will fall away and grow anemic and cold, but Christ’s true followers, those who persevere by grace and faith, those who God has begun a good work in that he will complete, yes, they will be saved.

Philippians 1:6 (ESV)

And I am sure of this, that he who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ.

Yes, dear Christian, press on. Press on through tribulation and trial - your end is secure.

Press on through heartache and sadness - your end is secure.

Press on through poverty and need - your end is secure.

Press on when your loved one betrays you - your end is secure.

Press on when your child walks away - your end is secure.

Press on though many around you are cold and indifferent - your end is secure.

He is not done with you, and His work is not done, and that is what we see finally.

5. We are not Gospel-Apathetic - Vs. 14

Here is the final application for us, but it is also one major “reason” that the end is not come yet.

The work is not done yet. Christ promises here, that before the end comes, the Gospel will be preached throughout all the earth, and then the end will come.

A Testimony to all nations of the Kingdom of Christ. It is the message that John the Baptist proclaimed, and the message that Jesus came proclaiming.

“repent, for the Kingdom of God is Here.”

Yes, dear one, that is what we proclaim to the world - Christ is King, he came once to offer himself as redeemer and Lord, and he will come again as Judge and deliverer - Judge for those who reject Him, deliverer of those who accept him.

And here is the main reason, of all the reasons that I have shared, that I believe that Jesus spoke these words in order to encourage not to discourage.

The message that we have is good news. It is good news. The work that is unfinished is the delivering of the good news.

This is the message that Christ’s followers will preach all the way up until His coming. We will see this at the end of Matthew. Here it is in short at the end of Mark.

Mark 16:15 (ESV)

And he said to them, “Go into all the world and proclaim the gospel to the whole creation.

It is the work of Christ’s followers, His body on earth, the church, to preach the Gospel everywhere until he comes.

If we are still here, we have this job to do. To proclaim Christ’s Gospel. This good news that the Kingdom is here, and every person must come to terms with that.

This message takes on its fulness with the fact that this king died, was buried, and rose again to save us. Yes, good news is the reason why all these “signs of the times” are not reasons to wring our hands and hope for the end, but to press on in the task we are called to.

Yes, be encouraged, press on, don’t lose heart and grow cold, and don’t be apathetic when it comes to the job we have been given.

Mothers and fathers, teach and show the Gospel to your children above all else. Friends, be ready at all times to give a reason for your hope, it is the good news. Volunteer down at Collide and share the gospel with these kids and teenagers. Form relationships with your neighbors and strike up Gospel-conversations with them when the time comes.

Answer the call, if it comes, to go across culture and border and preach the Gospel to an unreached area. We have this as a sure promise, the end is not coming until God says this work is done. So while we are still standing, the work is not done yet.

And here today, the Gospel goes out to you. All this talk of the end may strike fear in you, but there is good news - Jesus is a sure deliverer who will rescue all the people who trust in Him by faith. Would you come to Him?

And to those of us who have answered his call, we press on, knowing this promise, that Christ is with us even to the end of the age.