Series - The Road to the Resurrection - Message 7 - A Lesson from Our Lord in End Time Events - Part 1

Introduction

Good morning Church. It’s good to see each and every person who was able to make it out this morning. I’d also like to say good morning to all those who may be joining online with us today.

Today, we continue on in our study over the Book of Matthew. And over the last few weeks or so now you can’t help but to feel a bit of anticipation and hesitation, all at the same time, as we’ve been working our way through this series…The Road to the Resurrection.

Today we are in message 7 of our Series and we will be picking up here in Matthew Chapter 24.

Last week, we looked at the remaining portion of Chapter 23 at a message entitled, “8 Woes & a Wail.” Chapter 23 was all about the judgment of our Lord passed upon the religious elites of that day and time for their hypocritical practices of worshiping God.

They had created a religion that had forgotten about the relationship aspect between God and man and this religion that had been formed by man down throughout the ages had become burdensome to all who tried to uphold it’s laws and that was the opposite of what it was originally meant to accomplish.

Because of this, Jesus calls out the religious leaders of the day for their improper practices and this would be the last straw for the religious elites.

From this time forward, the fires of indignation against our Lord that burned in the hearts of these religious elite would cause them to seek any and all options of ridding themselves of this man named Jesus!

As we will see over the coming weeks, they would find a friendly foe in a man named Judas who would betray our Lord for a measly 30 peaces of silver.

But today, we are going to step away from Jerusalem and see a private lesson from our Lord in end-time events.

Jesus gives us here a glimpse into what the world can expect when it comes to end-times.

Now, with that being said, I want to make a statement this morning that has been made so many times by so many other people but has never been more true as it is at this very moment.

We are living in the last days. And today, we are closer than we’ve ever been to the end.

And as we are going to see in this set of messages over the next few weeks, there are some things that have taken place in our world over the last century that prove that statement to be true.

Some very important, definitive details, that have come to pass in the last generation that proves to us that the end is near.

Before we get into the scripture this morning, I want to set the stage for you by reading you an excerpt from my John Phillips commentary over this chapter.

John Phillips — The private discussions and public disputes were over. The King had passed final judgment on the nation of Israel. All that remained was the cross. But first, in an astonishing prophetic discourse, the King gave His disciples a sketch of the general tenor of the new church age that was about to be inserted into time, and then went on to speak of the end-time events that would herald His coming again.

This important prophetic statement gathers together the main threads of Old Testament end-time prophecy and the threads of New Testament prophecy, weaves them into an imposing fabric of eschatology, and embroiders the fabric with flashes of insight from the Lord’s omniscient foreknowledge.

Matthew bracketed the Lord’s public ministry between two sermons: the sermon on the mount, in which the emphasis was practical; and the Olivet discourse, in which the emphasis was prophetical.

In one sermon we read of the rules of the kingdom; in the other we read of the return of the King. Before giving the sermon on the mount, the Lord was baptized; after giving the Olivet discourse, the Lord was buried. Prior to the first sermon He proved that the tempter could not conquer Him; after the last sermon He proved that the tomb could not conquer Him.

The Olivet discourse can be divided into two parts: the Lord’s end-time prophecy in Matthew 24 and the Lord’s end-time parables in Matthew 25.

The prophecy deals with the course of this age, and the parable with the climax of this age. The prophecy is concerned with God’s judicial dealings with mankind; the parables deal with God’s judgmental dealings with mankind. Both prophecy and parables are concerned with the last days as they affect the Jews, the Gentile nations, and the church.

And we’re going to see that here today as we look at Chapter 24. We’re going to break this chapter down into four different main points as we work our way through the scripture.

The Inquiry into End-Time Events — (Vs. 1-3)

End-Time Events concerning the Gentile Nations — (Vs. 4-14)

End-Time Events concerning the Jewish Nation — (Vs. 15-31)

End-Time Events concerning the Church — (Vs. 32-51)

Now, today we’re only going to work our way through the first two and then, Lord willing, we’ll finish it up next week by looking at the last two.

With no further ado, if you have your Bibles turned to Matthew 24 would you say, Amen.

The Inquiry about End Times — (Vs. 1-3)

The chapter picks up right where we left off last week. Jesus finishes His condemnation of the religious crowd and exits the temple.

Now, in order to understand what happens right here, you need to understand something about the temple at this point and time.

If you will remember, I think it was last week or the week before, we talked a little bit about the Jews who had returned to Jerusalem from the Babylonian captivity, remember?

Well, if you will remember, they rebuilt the temple along with the walls surrounding the city but King Herod had set out on a mission to make the temple and it’s surroundings magnificent. He wanted to modernize the temple if you will.

Work on the temple was ongoing during this time period and the final touches weren’t completed until somewhere around A.D. 64.

And so you have this construction going on and the disciples were amazed by what they were seeing and they wanted to make sure Jesus seen it as well.

Jesus, less than amazed, says… “there shall not be left here one stone upon another, that shall not be thrown down.”

This had to be a shocker for the disciples but within 3 years of it’s final touches being completed in A.D. 64, the war with Rome broke out and it was burnt to the ground and demolished despite the Roman General Titus giving orders to have the temple spared in their ransack.

John Phillips said — “His word was of no avail against the prophetic word of Christ.”

After Christ prophesies the temple’s destruction, they head out of the city and we next find Jesus sitting upon the Mount of Olives when the disciples come to Him.

Now, this verse may not speak to everyone, but I kept asking myself why was Jesus just sitting there on the Mount of Olives?

You see, the Mount of Olives overlooks the city of Jerusalem and the Temple Mount rises above the city and is in clear sight of the Mount of Olives.

If you will remember, when Jesus came into Jerusalem on Palm Sunday, He stopped on the Mount of Olives and wept over the city.

Here, I think He’s sitting there on the side of that Mountain, gazing intently into the great city below with sadness in His heart for what He sees and knows is about to happen.

He’s just finished scolding the very people He came to save. He’s preached His most convicting sermon to date and the reality is instead of repenting, their hearts were only now set on revenge.

And I believe, Jesus is sitting here mulling it over in His heart as He sees the construction of the great temple below taking place how bad He’d of much rather have seen His people repent.

It wasn’t for fear of what they were about to do Him but rather because of His great love for His people.

His heart broke over what their future would hold.

But at the end of the day, you can’t make someone love you back. That’s something that has to be reciprocated by them.

Unfortunately it wasn’t and it would ultimately lead to their demise.

That’s what I think Jesus was doing here on the Mount of Olives when His disciples come to Him here in Verse 3.

Now, before we move on, there is a great lesson to be learned here.

Dear friend, “God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.”

God loves you this morning. It doesn’t matter what you’ve done in your past, how bad a person you have been…God loves you!

And He demonstrated that love toward us in that while we were yet sinners He sent His Son to die for us.

Jesus loves you this morning and the Bible says that God is not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance.

1 Timothy 2:3–4 NKJV

3 For this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Savior, 4 who desires all men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth.

Did you hear that? God desires all men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of truth!

Dear friend, God wants you to be saved this morning.

But the only way you and I can be saved is by putting our trust in this man named Jesus.

Just like the religious elite, we have a decision to make…do we repent of our sins and turn to Jesus or do we despise Jesus and turn away from Him?

To repent is to turn from our own ways and to turn to His ways.

To despise Him is to continue on our own path which leads to death an destruction.

You see, every single person that has ever been born or will ever be born has this same decision to make…do I believe in Jesus and put my trust in Him or do I go my own way?

I can tell you that Jesus loves you this morning and wants you to be saved but ultimately the choice is yours.

It’s a choice that only you can make.

My only prayer is that you’ll make the right choice and choose Jesus!

The disciples find Jesus sitting on the Mount of Olives and since Jesus comment from earlier had peaked their interest, they decided to ask Him to explain it to them.

The same question that has plagued the mind of men ever since… “When shall these things be and what shall be the sign of thy coming and the end of the world?”

So many people try to figure out the answer to this question but as we will see as we work our way on down, there’s only one who knows the exact time.

But with that being said, our Lord gives us some good indications to be on the lookout for that will tell us when the time is near.

He begins in Verse 4 by telling the disciples about...

End-Time Events concerning the Gentile Nations — (Vs. 4-14)

The first thing Jesus says here is “take heed”.

That means to be on the lookout, beware, to watch out for, to pay attention!

And what are we to be on the lookout for?

Vs. 4

That no man deceive us!

That word deceive is the Greek word (planaō) and it means to be led astray.

Dear friend, there are many today who are leading people astray!

Astray from what?

The Word of God!

They preach a gospel that is foreign to the Bible.

They teach a doctrine that is far from the truth.

They twist the words of God and take them out of context and bend the Word of God to fit their own will and sadly many don’t know it and don’t see it because they themselves are ignorant in the word of God.

And I don’t say that this morning to be mean but dear friend, you need to know the Word of God for yourself!

Yes, it’s good to be taught by someone who is smarter in God’s Word than yourself, but don’t dare use that as a crutch to not study the Bible for yourself!

You need to know the Bible for you!

And God wants you to read His Word because often times that’s how He speaks to you!

Get in the Word, educate yourself in the Word of God so that you don’t have to rely on someone else’s opinion.

Then and only then will you be grounded and settled and be able to tell when someone is perverting the Word of God.

“Take heed that no man deceive you!”

And then Jesus goes on to elaborate more on why it’s so important to be on guard!

Vs. 5

Jesus says here that many will come in His name claiming to be Christ and they will deceive many.

In John Jesus warned of this...

John 5:43 KJV 1900

43 I am come in my Father’s name, and ye receive me not: if another shall come in his own name, him ye will receive.

In Acts Chapter 5, Peter and the apostles were preaching about Jesus and the high priest had them thrown in prison and was contemplating on what to do with them when one of the Pharisees, a man by the name of Gamaliel, stood and said...

Acts 5:35–39 KJV 1900

35 And said unto them, Ye men of Israel, take heed to yourselves what ye intend to do as touching these men. 36 For before these days rose up Theudas, boasting himself to be somebody; to whom a number of men, about four hundred, joined themselves: who was slain; and all, as many as obeyed him, were scattered, and brought to nought. 37 After this man rose up Judas of Galilee in the days of the taxing, and drew away much people after him: he also perished; and all, even as many as obeyed him, were dispersed. 38 And now I say unto you, Refrain from these men, and let them alone: for if this counsel or this work be of men, it will come to nought: 39 But if it be of God, ye cannot overthrow it; lest haply ye be found even to fight against God.

There were already people claiming to be a false Messiah even in the immediate days after Christ’s departure.

There was also another man in the Book of Acts named Simon and the Bible says of him in...

Acts 8:9–10 KJV 1900

9 But there was a certain man, called Simon, which beforetime in the same city used sorcery, and bewitched the people of Samaria, giving out that himself was some great one: 10 To whom they all gave heed, from the least to the greatest, saying, This man is the great power of God.

John said in...

1 John 2:18–22 KJV 1900

18 Little children, it is the last time: and as ye have heard that antichrist shall come, even now are there many antichrists; whereby we know that it is the last time. 19 They went out from us, but they were not of us; for if they had been of us, they would no doubt have continued with us: but they went out, that they might be made manifest that they were not all of us. 20 But ye have an unction from the Holy One, and ye know all things. 21 I have not written unto you because ye know not the truth, but because ye know it, and that no lie is of the truth. 22 Who is a liar but he that denieth that Jesus is the Christ? He is antichrist, that denieth the Father and the Son.

1 John 4:3 KJV 1900

3 And every spirit that confesseth not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is not of God: and this is that spirit of antichrist, whereof ye have heard that it should come; and even now already is it in the world.

2 John 7 KJV 1900

7 For many deceivers are entered into the world, who confess not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh. This is a deceiver and an antichrist.

This is one sign that Jesus gave that proves to us since He ascended to the Father we have been in the last times!

And we must be on the lookout, we must be on guard against false Messiah’s!

Vs. 6

Then Jesus says there will be wars and rumors of wars but the end is not yet!

The word “end” used here is the Greek word (telos) and it means “the very end”.

It’s gonna seem like the end and I can only imagine many will wish it were the end but it won’t be.

These things must come to pass but the end (telos) is not yet!

Vs. 7

Famines

The United Nations World Food Programme Executive Director, David Beasley stated in his remarks to the Food System Summit in 2021 that every year 9 million people die from hunger every year!

Pestilences

Down throughout history the Bubonic Plague has killed hundreds of millions of people. In the 1300’s alone it wiped out roughly 30-60% of the population.

In the early 1900’s, the Spanish flu killed between 17-100 million people world wide.

The Aids virus has killed over 42 million people.

And the most recent, the Covid 19 Pandemic, killed between 6-28 million people globally.

These are just a few of the larger global pandemics that have killed large slews of people down throughout the ages but this is just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to how many people have died due to pestilences.

There will be famines, and pestilences, and earthquakes.

Earthquakes

One article said it’s estimated that around 20,000 people die every year from earthquakes.

Multiply that number by 2,000 years and you get 40 Million people over the last 2,000 years.

In Shaanxi China in 1556 an earthquake killed 830,000 people at one time!

In Haiti in 2010, 200,000-300,000 people died due an earthquake.

Two different earthquakes over the span of about 400 years killed over 500,000 people in Turkey.

Just last week around 3,000 people were killed in Morraco from an earthquake.

In February of this year almost 60,000 were killed in Turkey by an earthquake.

Records show that there’s been over 9k earthquakes already in 2023!

Jesus says all these things will happen in various places.

And then He says in...

Vs. 8

“All these are the beginning of sorrows.”

The word “sorrows” is the Greek word (ōdin) and it speaks of the birth pains a woman experiences when shes’s about to go into labor.

All these things…the wars, the famines, the pestilences, the earthquakes they’re all just part of the plan but by these you can know that the end is on it’s way!

Vs. 9

Not only are there going to be pains but there will also be persecutions.

Jesus says here...

Matthew 24:9 KJV 1900

9 Then shall they deliver you up to be afflicted, and shall kill you: and ye shall be hated of all nations for my name’s sake.

What did we just study this last week in 2nd Timothy?

2 Timothy 3:12 KJV 1900

12 Yea, and all that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution.

Persecution of Christians will only wax worse and worse.

Paul told Timothy in...

2 Timothy 3:1 KJV 1900

1 This know also, that in the last days perilous times shall come.

2 Timothy 3:13 KJV 1900

13 But evil men and seducers shall wax worse and worse, deceiving, and being deceived.

Jesus said in...

John 15:18–21 KJV 1900

18 If the world hate you, ye know that it hated me before it hated you. 19 If ye were of the world, the world would love his own: but because ye are not of the world, but I have chosen you out of the world, therefore the world hateth you. 20 Remember the word that I said unto you, The servant is not greater than his lord. If they have persecuted me, they will also persecute you; if they have kept my saying, they will keep yours also. 21 But all these things will they do unto you for my name’s sake, because they know not him that sent me.

We don’t see it as much here but in some of these other countries, Christians are persecuted sometimes eve to the point of death.

This treatment of Christians will only get worse and worse as the those final days approach.

Vs. 10-12

New Living Translation Chapter 24

10 And many will turn away from me and betray and hate each other. 11 And many false prophets will appear and will deceive many people. 12 Sin will be rampant everywhere, and the love of many will grow cold.

Does this sound familiar?

Dear friend, we’re living in the end-times and they very well may be approaching quicker than we could have ever imagined.

Jesus goes on to say in Verse 13-14...

Vs. 13-14

Matthew 24:13–14 KJV 1900

13 But he that shall endure unto the end, the same shall be saved. 14 And this gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in all the world for a witness unto all nations; and then shall the end come.

The word “endure” used here is the Greek word (hypomenō) and it means “to remain, stay under, stay behind, bear, hold one’s ground.”

It is remaining steady in the face of adversity rather than fleeing it, persevering in faith despite trials.

It’s an energetic word denoting active resistance to defeat—albeit with a calm and courageous demeanor—rather than passive resignation or mere patience.

Jesus resolute courage at the cross is described this way as well as our bearing temptations, trials, and persecution. — Word Study Bible

He that shall endure unto the end shall be saved.

The word “saved” used here means “to deliver.”

He that shall endure, shall stand firm in his/her faith in Christ no matter what comes their way shall be delivered!

Delivered from what you ask?

From the Great Tribulation Period which is what comes next but we’re going to save that for next week.

Jesus finishes up this first end-time events lesson concerning the gentile nations by making the statement...

Matthew 24:14 KJV 1900

14 And this gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in all the world for a witness unto all nations; and then shall the end come.

Break down the verse...

“This gospel of the kingdom”

“Shall be preached”

“In all the world”

“For a witness unto all nations”

“And then…the end shall come.”

Why didn’t God just wrap things up when Jesus was resurrected?

Because God is not slack concerning His promise as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.

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