The Coming King Matthew 24:36-51

During his 1960 presidential campaign, John F. Kennedy often closed his speeches with the story of Colonel Davenport, the Speaker of the Connecticut House of Representatives:   On May 19th, 1780 the sky of Hartford darkened ominously, and some of the representatives, glancing out the windows, feared the end was at hand. Quelling a clamor for immediate adjournment, Davenport rose and said, "The Day of Judgment is either approaching or it is not. If it is not, there is no cause for adjournment. If it is, I choose to be found doing my duty. Therefore, I wish that candles be brought." Rather than fearing what is to come, we are to be faithful till Christ returns. Instead of fearing the dark, we're to be lights as we watch and wait.

-We must prepare for the Coming of the King

I. Be Aware of His Return vv. 36-41

In chapter 24, Jesus answers His disciples’ questions about His return and the end of the age.

In some ways, this is a very interesting discussion, because we get a glimpse into the things that will take place

On the other hand, it can be very frustrating, because Jesus and all of the New Testament writers are less interested in sharing the particulars of His return than that we are prepared for His return

First, we must be aware of His return. We must be sure that it is happening and understand what will take place.

Three truths to be aware of:

It is determined but darkened

The Father has an hour determined that He will send Jesus

That having been said, that truth is darkened, and no one knows when it will take place! This is hidden truth.

It is either doom or deliverance

As in the days of Noah, many will be swept away in the judgment of God

However, in similar fashion, there will be a group who are rescued through an ark of salvation; they will pass through judgment in the grace of Jesus Christ

It is a time of distinction and disclosure

This is a time of separation where the wheat is separated from the weeds

Hidden truth is revealed; there will be no more hiding, no more silly religious games, and your identity, as either a child of God or an enemy will be made known

This is not a drill, this is not good news for all people; the coming of the Lord is either your greatest hope come true or your worst terror realized. The difference is found in your relationship with Him!

At the end of the book of Judges, we hear a fascinating refrain: “There was no king in Israel, everyone did what was right in their own eyes.” There must be a serious recognition that, when the King returns, He will bring justice and judgment with Him. We must understand that He will set things to right and He will not hesitate in the least to do so; it’s His entire purpose in returning!

II. Be Watching for His Return vv. 42-44

Second, we see that we must stay alert for His return; we must stay awake!

Why does Jesus call us to be alert regarding His return?

It will be unexpected

It is because this knowledge is hidden from us that we must be on the alert

You can study biblical prophecy until you know every thinker, theologian, and verse reference and you still will not know

You can watch for the “signs of the times” and stay on top of all of the news events and you still will not know

We are wasting our energy in our effort to know what will not be known; the best theologians of Jesus’s day missed His first coming, why should we feel any different about the second one?

It will be sudden

Jesus uses an interesting picture here to describe His coming, like a thief in the night

When the thief comes, his action is sudden and there is no time to respond or change your course of action

It will be decisive

There is no turning back, changing His mind, or adjusting when He comes

There will be no indecision or uncertainty on Jesus’s part when He returns; He is coming as a conquering King to deliver His people and to judge the unrighteous!

We must be on the alert, because once He returns, it will be too late! We must live our lives with an open eye to the reality of His coming.

During the Revolutionary War, a loyalist spy appeared at the headquarters of Hessian commander Colonel Johann Rall, carrying an urgent message. General George Washington and his Continental army had secretly crossed the Delaware River that morning and were advancing on Trenton, New Jersey where the Hessians were encamped. The spy was denied an audience with the commander and instead wrote his message on a piece of paper. A porter took the note to the Hessian colonel, but because Rall was involved in a poker game he stuffed the unread note into his pocket. When the guards at the Hessian camp began firing their muskets in a futile attempt to stop Washington's army, Rall was still playing cards.

Without time to organize, the Hessian army was captured. The battle occurred the day after Christmas, 1776, giving the colonists a late present--their first major victory of the war.

III. Be Ready for His Return vv. 45-51

Finally, we see that we are called to readiness.

What does readiness look like?

It is faithfulness- a personal commitment to our Master

It is wisdom- a knowledge of His ways and purposes

It is stewardship- caring for His people as He does Himself

This yields an incredible reward, the blessings of the Master

What does unreadiness look like?

Disregard for the Master’s character- He is delayed in coming

Disregard for His people- beats them

Disregard for His purpose- life is wasted on eating and drinking with drunkards

This yields punishment:

The King will judge them:

He condemns their actions and deems them as unworthy of His intent

He exposes their identity, gathering them with the hypocrites

He separates them from Himself in a place of weeping and gnashing of teeth

The answer is not found in better morality or religious principles; it is found in Christ

There is an old story of a king and his clown or “jester” who sometimes said very foolish things. One day the jester had said something so foolish that the king handing him a staff, said to him: “Take this, and keep it till you find a bigger fool than yourself.”

“Some years later, the king lay on his deathbed. His courtiers were called: his family and his servants also stood round his bedside. The king, addressing them, said, “I am about to leave you. I am going on a very long journey and I shall not return again to this place: so I have called you all to say goodbye.”

Then his jester stepped forward and addressing the king said “Your Majesty, may I ask a question? When you have journeyed abroad visiting your people or paying diplomatic visits to other courts your heralds and servants have always gone before you, making preparations for you. May I ask what preparations, your Majesty has made for this long journey that he is about to take?”

“Alas!” replied the king, “I have made no preparations.”

“Then,” said the jester, “Take this staff with you, for now I have found a bigger fool than myself.”

The way to be ready for Christ’s return is to be found in Him:

Repent of sin and self

Believe the Gospel

Philippians 3:4–9

[4] though I myself have reason for confidence in the flesh also. If anyone else thinks he has reason for confidence in the flesh, I have more: [5] circumcised on the eighth day, of the people of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, a Hebrew of Hebrews; as to the law, a Pharisee; [6] as to zeal, a persecutor of the church; as to righteousness under the law, blameless. [7] But whatever gain I had, I counted as loss for the sake of Christ. [8] Indeed, I count everything as loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I have suffered the loss of all things and count them as rubbish, in order that I may gain Christ [9] and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which comes through faith in Christ, the righteousness from God that depends on faith— (ESV)