The Return of the King

Lead Vocalist (Phoebe Garcia)

Welcome & Announcements (Mike Lindell)

Good morning family!

Ask guests to fill out connect card

4 announcements:

1) Sunday Night Theology: End Times

TONIGHT at 5:30 PM

Bring all your questions from Matthew 24!

Adventure Kids & youth

Potluck afterwards—we will eat what you bring.

2) Next Sunday: meeting in the gym

Our gym renovation project is moving forward, but since it’s going to take a bit more time than we expected we’ll be meeting there while we can

Please stick around if you can help move chairs after the service

If you have questions about the gym renovation project, please talk with one of the elders.

3) Men’s Ministry Event

September 16 at 7 PM

Cost is $15 for adults and $7 for kids (6-12)

4) Church Lunch

September 24 after the morning worship gathering

Menu: Lasagna & Salad or Hot Dogs and Chips

Cost: $5/person, $3/6-12 years old, $0/0-5 years old

PBC Members—please RSVP (even if NOT coming!)

Now please take a moment of silence to prepare your heart for worship.

Call to Worship (Psalm 102:24-28)

Prayer of Praise (Melissa Holdren)

Almost Home

On Jordan's Stormy Banks I Stand

Prayer of Confession (Joshua Winchell), Failure to trust promises

Assurance of Pardon (Romans 5:7-8)

Psalm 150 (Praise the Lord)

All Creatures of Our God & King

Scripture Reading (Matthew 24:29-35)

Pastoral Prayer (Mike Lindell)

SERMON

START TIMER!!!

Years ago Holly and I were in Memphis, Tennessee at a small music hall waiting for the band Switchfoot to step on the stage.

That particular night Holly and I were standing near a group of teenagers who were really excited to see Switchfoot. It was obvious they were sick of waiting and their excitement had reached a fever pitch.

After the final opening band got off the stage, I heard one of the teenagers say “Wouldn't it be horrible if Jesus came back right now?"

Now I didn’t know these teenagers, but I can only assume based on their comments that they must have at least identified as Christians. Why else would they even be thinking about the return of Christ?

And yet, they did not think about the return of Christ the way a Christian should think about His return.

But before we’re too hard on them, perhaps we should ask ourselves “what keeps me from longing for the return of Christ?”

Are you longing to enjoy the gift of marriage first?

Are you longing to enjoy the gift of children? Or are you looking forward to being an empty-nester?

Are you hoping to see Switchfoot in concert first? Eh, probably not.

Are you hoping to travel to certain places? Or experience certain things?

Are you just too busy living your life to think about it?

Whatever it is, I pray this morning God’s Word will correct those false longings and replace them with a greater longing for the return of Christ.

Turn to Matthew 24:29-35

It’s Tuesday night, just a few days before Jesus’ crucifixion.

Jesus just told His disciples the temple is going to be destroyed.

The disciples then ask Jesus two questions recorded in Matthew 24:3.

It’s crucial to remember those two questions as we walk through Jesus’ teaching in these chapters.

Question #1 is When will these things be? In other words, “when is the temple going to be destroyed?”

Question #2 is What will be the sign of your coming and of the end of the age? In other words, “when is the world going to end?”

Jesus’ words in our text this morning, mostly focus on that second question.

Most (but not all) of our passage this morning is about the return of Christ and not the destruction of the temple.

And as we study this passage, we’ll learn something the Bible consistently teaches about the return of Christ: it should be our eager expectation and hope.

Big Idea: Jesus’ return should be our eager expectation and hope.

Five truths to increase our longing for His return:

1) Jesus’ Return Will Be SOON.

Matthew 24:29-30a—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. Then will appear in heaven the sign of the Son of Man…

Did you catch what Jesus said? He said that “immediately after the tribulation of those days” their will be cataclysmic signs in the heavens and the Son of Man will return.

Last week we studied verses 15-28, which was all about the destruction of the temple in A.D. 70. That happened (checks notes) almost 2000 years ago!

Why does Jesus say in verse 29 He would return “immediately” afterwards?

There’s a few options...

1) The Heretical Options

When Christians say something is heretical or heresy, we’re not merely saying we disagree. We’re saying this is a massive disagreement. This is the type of disagreement that separates Christians from unbelievers.

A heresy isn’t just wrong it’s dead wrong.

There are two dead-wrong ways to deal with the word “immediately” in verse 29:

One is to simply say Jesus was wrong.

He thought He was going to return around A.D. 70, but He was wrong.

This view denies Jesus’ deity.

You cannot believe that Jesus was wrong and also worship Him as God. So we must reject this view.

Another dead-wrong view is to say Jesus did return in A.D. 70.

Some argue that ALL the prophesies about the return of Christ and the new heavens and the new earth have already been fulfilled.

So Jesus already came back, and we’re actually living in the new heavens and the new earth right now.

Sorry everybody, it’s a bit of a lemon! If this world is heaven, I want a refund!

We live in a world without ultimate justice, a world filled with tears, with sin, and great evil.

You cannot believe what the Scriptures say about heaven and hell and believe that the end has already come. So we must reject this view.

The heretical options are NOT options for a Christian. We cannot simply agree to disagree about these beliefs. But any of the next three options can be held by Bible-believing Christians and members of this church.

2) The Futurist Option

The position known as futurism says that verses 15-28 isn’t talking about the destruction of the temple in A.D. 70 at all.

It’s talking about a future temple that hasn’t been built yet and a future great tribulation that happens at the end of the world after which Jesus will immediately return.

Many faithful Christians past and present hold this view, including perhaps many of you.

My concern with this view is that it seems to ignore Jesus’ comments in verse 2 about the destruction of that temple, and the disciples follow-up question about when that temple would be destroyed.

3) The Preterist Option

The position known as preterism says that verses 29-30 aren’t talking about the return of Christ.

To be clear, they are NOT denying that Jesus will return. Most preterists believe that Jesus begins talking about His return in verse 36. They just don’t think verses 29-30 are talking about the return of Christ.

Now that might sound crazy to you, but if you look carefully at those verses it is possible that Jesus is using symbolic, cataclysmic language to describe His coming in judgment on Jerusalem.

My concern with this view is that it seems to ignore the obvious reading of verse 30, which talks about how “all the tribes of the earth . . . will see the Son of Man coming . . . with power and great glory.”

Nevertheless, many faithful Christians believe this view, and we should not disparage those who do.

4) The Spiritual Option

This is my view. I am not saying this view is more spiritual. This view is sometimes called the spiritual view because it tends to look for a spiritual fulfillment for much of the Bible’s teaching on the end times rather than a literal fulfillment.

It is also called Idealism.

A few weeks ago when I first mentioned this position, my son Jonah gently rebuked me for failing to share any faithful Bible teachers who hold this view. I mentioned some of my friends and he said “they don’t count.”

So if you’re looking for faithful Bible teachers you may have heard of who hold this view, they include Kevin DeYoung, J.I. Packer, Mark Dever, and most of the Reformers.

But how does this view understand the word “immediately” in verse 29?

It helps if you look carefully at the text. Jesus says “Immediately after the tribulation of those days” there will be cataclysmic signs in the heavens and He will return.

But which days are “those days”?

Is He talking about the days when the temple is destroyed in A.D. 70? I don’t think so. I think He’s referring back to “those days” in verse 22.

Matthew 24:22—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.”

I said last week that “those days” in verse 22 could be a reference to the days when the temple was destroyed.

But when Jesus says “no human would be saved” it suggests something bigger than “no human in Jerusalem.”

And when He says “for the sake of the elect” it suggests something more than “the elect who lived in Jerusalem around A.D. 70.”

So it’s better to understand Jesus’ words as referring to the entire age between His first and second coming.

After all, what happened in Jerusalem in A.D. 70 is in many ways typological of the types of suffering that Christians all over the world will endure between the first and second comings of Christ.

So in verse 29, when Jesus says “immediately after the tribulation of those days” He’s saying He will return immediately after the entire period of tribulation that is the church age.

Whichever your view, Jesus’ return must be your eager expectation and hope! Because Jesus is coming soon!

Jesus explicitly says He is coming soon in...

Revelation 22:7—“And behold, I am coming soon. Blessed is the one who keeps the words of the prophecy of this book.”

But what does "soon” mean? Jesus said those words almost 2000 years ago. How is that soon?

Instead of thinking about the word “soon” chronologically, think about it theologically.

In other words, it’s not a reference to the time of Jesus’ return as much as it’s a reference to the nature of Jesus’ return.

When Jesus says He is coming soon, I believe He means His coming is the next major item on God’s calendar.

Think of it like this. When I’ve got the kids in the car and we’re driving home from a faraway vacation, and they ask me if we’re going to be home soon I typically tell them NO unless we’re in the final stretch. Once I know we’ve made our last stop and it’s a straight shot the rest of the way I’ll tell them we’ll be there soon. Now soon may still be an hour or two or three. And that may feel like eternity depending on the age of the child. But it’s still soon because there’s no more stops along the way before we’re home.

I think that’s what the Bible means when it says Jesus is coming soon. We’re in the home stretch. There’s no more stops along the way. There’s no major prophesies that must be fulfilled before Christ can return. Soon could mean next decade, or it could mean next week. Whenever it is, we need to be ready.

Is that the way you think about the return of Jesus? Do you view it as a far-off thing that couldn’t possibly happen any time soon? Or are you prepared for His return today?

Jesus’ return should be our eager expectation and hope.

2) Jesus’ Return Will Be SEEN.

Matthew 24:29-30—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. 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.

Jesus says His return will be immediately preceded by cataclysmic signs in the heavens as the sun and moon go black, the stars fall from the sky, and the heavens are shaken.

It’s probably not helpful to try to figure out exactly what Jesus means by these signs in the heavens. I’m not sure if He’s saying the planets are literally going to go dark, or if He’s just saying whatever it is that’s going to happen it will be absolutely unmistakable.

Then He says “all the tribes of the earth… will see Him.”

The idea that Jesus’ return is a public event that is seen by everybody is not an isolated teaching. It’s all over the New Testament.

Revelation 1:7—Behold, He is coming with the clouds, and every eye will see Him, even those who pierced Him, and all tribes of the earth will wail on account of Him. Even so. Amen.

Acts 1:11— ". . . This Jesus, who was taken up from you into heaven, will come in the same way as you saw Him go into heaven.”

Now immediately we notice a potential problem with one way people often talk about the end of the world.

If you’ve ever read any of the Left Behind books you probably are familiar with something called the “rapture.”

In Left Behind, millions of people were immediately missing because Jesus raptured all the Christians and left the world to endure a period of tribulation before His second coming.

One problem with this view is the idea that Jesus has a secret second coming, and then after that a visible, public second coming.

Someone holding this view may say, “yeah but the rapture isn’t the second coming. It’s a different thing! Jesus doesn’t touch down on the earth during the rapture, He just meets us in the air!”

They get this view from...

1 Thessalonians 4:16-17—For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a cry of command, with the voice of an archangel, and with the sound of the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first. Then we who are alive, who are left, will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air, and so we will always be with the Lord.

But if you look carefully, Paul isn’t talking about a secret rapture at all.

Notice Paul mentions several things that will happen when Jesus returns for His people: there’s an archangel, a trumpet, and then Jesus rescues His people.

Matthew 24:31—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.

1 Thessalonians 4 and Matthew 24 are referring to the same event!

What does all this mean? It means, dear Christian, you do not need to be afraid that somehow you’re going to miss the second coming of Jesus. You’re not going to get “left behind” while all the other real Christians are taken away. Jesus’ return shouldn't be scary for you, Christian. Jesus is coming for His people. And every eye will see Him! You won’t miss it.

Jesus’ return should be our eager expectation and hope.

And if you’re not a Christian, you’re not going to get a second chance after all the Christians mysteriously disappear. You need to be ready NOW. Jesus could return very soon.

And if you don’t belong to Him...

3) Jesus’ Return Will Be SORROWFUL.

When Jesus returns, Matthew 24:30 says...

“. . . all the tribes of the earth will mourn. . .”

Why will they mourn? Doesn’t the hymn say “Joy to the world, the Lord is come”?

By the way, most of us LOVE singing that song at Christmastime, but if you look at the lyrics carefully it’s actually about the return of Christ. And so, we’re going to mix things up a bit and sing that song NEXT Sunday. I’m warning you in advance so you don’t get weirded out.

OK anyways, why in our text does Jesus say the tribes of the earth will mourn?

The answer is found in John’s vision of the return of Christ in...

Revelation 19:11-16—Then I saw heaven opened, and behold, a white horse! The one sitting on it is called Faithful and True, and in righteousness he judges and makes war. His eyes are like a flame of fire, and on his head are many diadems, and he has a name written that no one knows but himself. He is clothed in a robe dipped in blood, and the name by which he is called is The Word of God. And the armies of heaven, arrayed in fine linen, white and pure, were following him on white horses. From his mouth comes a sharp sword with which to strike down the nations, and he will rule them with a rod of iron. He will tread the winepress of the fury of the wrath of God the Almighty. On his robe and on his thigh he has a name written, King of kings and Lord of lords.

At His first coming Jesus appeared as a humble baby. In His second coming He will appear as a conquering King.

At His first coming He rode into Jerusalem on a donkey, offering peace. In His second coming He will ride a war horse.

At His first coming He was pierced with nails and a spear. In His second coming He will pierce His enemies with a sword.

At His first coming He was beaten with reeds. In His second coming He will rule with a rod of iron.

At His first coming He shed His blood to save His people. In His second coming He will shed the blood of all who reject Him.

Christian: you can trust that Jesus will bring justice when He returns!!!

Unbeliever: there will literally be hell to pay when Jesus returns!

But there is a way to escape!

Explain the Gospel

Repent and believe in the Gospel!

If you will do that today Jesus’ return can be your eager expectation and hope.

If you will do that today...

4) Jesus’ Return Will Be SWEET.

In the world of international adoptions, families sometimes talk about a “gotcha trip.”

It’s the trip mom and dad take to another country to bring their chosen child home.

Our family’s “gotcha trip” was in February 2021, when we traveled to Bogota, Colombia to gather our beloved son Ezekiel and bring him home.

At the time he didn’t really understand why these two strangers taking him and bringing him on an airplane was a good thing. But it was. He was most certainly scared and confused. But he didn’t need to be. We were bringing him home.

In a way, the return of Jesus is like the Trinity’s “gotcha trip.”

Matthew 24:31—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.

That word “elect” just means “chosen.” It’s referring to the people of God.

When Jesus says “from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other,” He’s simply saying that He will return to gather all His chosen people everywhere. From every corner of the world. From every moment in history. All of them are coming home!

I know that Christians sometimes get scared and confused when we think about the end of the world.

But we don’t need to be.

The New Testament is filled with encouragement about what to expect when Jesus will return...

When Jesus returns...

You will see Him face to face. You will look into the eyes of someone who knows you to your core, and yet loves you anyways. Don’t you want to see Him?

Your faith will be made sight. No more doubting. You’ll know that the stories are true, and you’ll never doubt again. Don’t you want to see Him?

Your obedience will be rewarded. How many times have you done the right thing and suffered for it? You’ll never feel that ever again. You’ll be able to look back on every sacrifice, every tear, every pain and say “worth it.” Don’t you want to see Him?

Injustice will end. We see so much evil in our world, and it seems like the wicked often get away with it. When Jesus returns you’ll see that they don’t. Every wrong will be made right. Don’t you want to see Him?

You’ll never be afraid again. The things that frighten you will be swallowed up forever. Don’t you want to see Him?

Every tear will be wiped away. No more pain. No more anxiety. No more caskets. No more cancer. No more divorces. No more breakups. No more arguments. Don’t you want to see Him?

There will be no more abortion. No more elections. No more racism. No more shootings. No more child abuse. No more hurricanes. No more pandemics. No more corruption. No more murder. No more war. Don’t you want to see Him?

You’ll be reunited with all the Christians who have gone before you. Those who led you to the Lord. Those who discipled you. Parents, grandparents, pastors, teachers, friends. All those painful funerals when you’ve said goodbye to fellow Christians—they’ll be just a blur when Jesus returns. Don’t you want to see Him?

When Jesus returns you’ll be free from sin! No more envy. No more pride. No more self-loathing. No more lust. For the first time in your life you’ll be able to experience the joy of worship unpolluted by sin! Don’t you want to see Him?

When Jesus returns Satan and his minions will be destroyed! He will never accuse you again! He will never tempt you again! He will never wreck another family, never split another church, never kill another marriage, never crush another spirit, never tell another lie, never tempt another soul, never steal another ounce of joy. Don’t you want to see Him?

When Jesus returns you will see your King in all His beauty. You will see the glory that the disciples saw when He was transfigured. You’ll see Him with such power and majesty and brilliance and beauty that you are forever transformed. Don’t you want to see Him?

Jesus’ return can be your eager expectation and hope.

Perhaps if we’re honest we do not think of the sweetness of Jesus’ return enough because we struggle believing—really believing—that it’s true.

If so consider our final truth about the return of Christ...

5) Jesus’ Followers Can Be SURE.

Remember how we said the Olivet Discourse is like a box of tangled up Christmas lights? There are two strands of prophesies in these chapters, one strand about the destruction of the temple and the other about the end of the world. And the strands are often tangled up so that sometimes it’s hard to tell where one starts and the other one ends.

Well we’re about to encounter another of those tangled-up sections beginning in...

Matthew 24:32-34—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. So also, when you see all these things, you know that he is near, at the very gates. Truly, I say to you, this generation will not pass away until all these things take place.

Once again we’re faced with an interpretive question: Is Jesus talking about the destruction of the temple in these verses? Or His return at the end of the world?

Let me suggest Four reasons why I believe Jesus is probably talking about A.D. 70:

First, notice He says to His disciples “when you see.”

Although it’s possible, it’s hard to imagine Jesus referring to anyone but the disciples who were sitting right there with Him on the mountain.

“Peter, James, John, everybody else—when you guys see these things something significant is about to happen!”

Second, notice He says “these things.”

In the original language, it’s the exact same word used in...

Matthew 24:3 when the disciples ask “. . . when will these things be,” referring to the destruction of the temple.

Third, notice Jesus says “he is near, at the very gates.”

Who is the “he” referring to in verse 33? Many of us probably assume it’s referring to Jesus.

And what are the gates? Many of us probably assume it’s a metaphor for someone being near.

But what if the “he” is actually referring to Titus? And what if the gates are a reference to the actual gates of Jerusalem that Titus literally entered when he destroyed the temple in A.D. 70?

Finally, notice Jesus says all this will happen before “this generation” passes away.

The most natural reading of the text is that the generation Jesus is talking about is the generation He’s talking to in that very moment.

And before 40 years passed Jesus’ words about the destruction of the temple were literally fulfilled!

Before we move on, you need to know that I am not super confident about my interpretation there. If you put a gun to my head and ask me what I believe about these verses I’ll say whatever you want me to say!

These are not worth dividing over! We can agree to disagree and still love and serve one another as a church family!

There is something far more important in these verses we can all agree on...

Matthew 24:35—Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will not pass away.

Why does Jesus take time in verses 32-34 to mention the destruction of the temple again?

Because He wants them to trust Him! He wants us to trust Him!

Jesus’ words can be trusted!

By the way, when Jesus says “heaven” is passing away, He’s not referring to “heaven” the way we usually use the term. He’s not saying that eventually heaven itself is going to be destroyed. He’s referring to “the heavens.” The sun, moon, stars, and planets!

When Jesus returns, this entire universe is going to be undone and remade. And all who belong to Jesus will live there forever.

Christian: you can be sure of that because so much of what Jesus has promised has already come true!

Jesus’ return should be our eager expectation and hope.

If I’m honest with you, I kind of agreed with those teenagers when they said what they did about Switchfoot. Oh I never would have said it out loud, but there was a part of me that was more excited about a band than the appearance of Jesus.

I too am prone to wander. I too sometimes allow my eager expectation and hope to get wrapped up in things that are much smaller than Jesus.

But you know, if you belong to Jesus He’s still coming to bring you home whether you long for His return like you should or not.

Many of you remember that Sunday in March 2021 when we walked into the gym as a family of seven. Our church got a little more diverse that Sunday didn’t it?

What if we walked in those doors and Ezekiel wasn’t with us? You approached me and asked, “where is he?” What if I told you, “well, he just wasn’t ready to come home, so we left him there.”

That would be an abomination! I hope, if something like that happened, that you would find sufficient reason to remove me as your pastor!

You don’t make plans and pay the price to adopt someone into your family and fail to bring that child home!

If that is true of a sinful earthly father, how much MORE is it true of our perfect heavenly Father?!?

Christian, you were not saved because God knew you’d be particularly good at longing for the return of Christ.

And you are not kept because you’re good at this either.

You are saved and kept by grace.

When that really sinks in. . . don’t you want to see Him?!?

Oh that day when freed from sinning

I shall see Thy lovely face

Full arrayed in blood-washed linen

How I’ll sing Thy sovereign grace

Come, my Lord, no longer tarry

Bring Thy promises to pass

For I know Thy pow’r will keep me

Till I’m home with Thee at last

Prayer of Thanksgiving

Come Thou Fount of Every Blessing

Benediction (1 Thess 5:23-24)