In Times Like These
Notes
Transcript
KEY TEXTS
KEY TEXTS
REFLECTION: Hebrews 9:27-28
And just as it is appointed for man to die once, and after that comes judgment, so Christ, having been offered once to bear the sins of many, will appear a second time, not to deal with sin but to save those who are eagerly waiting for him.
SERMON: Matthew 24:3-14
MEMORY: Matthew 7:7-8
“Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives, and the one who seeks finds, and to the one who knocks it will be opened.
Benediction: Romans 16:20
The God of peace will soon crush Satan under your feet. The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you.
INTRODUCTION
INTRODUCTION
Like so many of you, I have watched the scenes unfold on big and small screens from Israel this week.
The terrorists attacks that rock this world are nothing new.
Tensions in the Middle East are nothing new.
Wars are nothing new.
Evil is nothing new.
But week after week, we seem to be confronted with some new slice of evil, in almost real time. It’s scary.
But it’s different when you see ISRAEL in the center of
But when you look at what Scripture says about the beginning of the end, you see some incredible parallels playing out in our news feeds.
This morning, I’m convinced that there will be two responses to God’s Word.
Great encouragement and marching orders for the Christian.
I also believe and pray that (bear with me here) there might be great terror for the poser, the unbeliever.
That as we see Biblical prophecy unfold in front of recent generations, that all of us will realize, it’s later than we think.
In times like these; God is still in control!
God is not reactive in his dealings with mankind.
God is not reactive in his dealings with terrorist organizations.
God is not reactive to political systems that are corrupt and seem hell-bent on pushing people away from TRUTH.
God is not reactive when evil is so easily visible to us.
He is the King of Glory!
He is ALL KNOWING!
He is ALL PRESENT!
He is ALL POWERFUL!
He is RETURNING SOON…PERSONALLY to
- PUT AN END TO HUMAN HISTORY,
- TO MAKE THE HEAVENS AND THE EARTH NEW,
- TO PUT US AS HEIRS, ROYAL DESCENDANTS, RULING AND REIGNING WITH HIM IN PERFECTION, FOR ALL ETERNITY.
Won’t it be wonderful there
Having no burdens to bear
Joyously singing with joybells all ringing
Won’t it be wonderful there?
I’m not sure I understand what joy bells are…or if they’ll be in Heaven; but I am certain that it WILL BE WONDERFUL! IT WILL ALL BE WORTH IT SOON!
So we do not lose heart. Though our outer self is wasting away, our inner self is being renewed day by day. For this light momentary affliction is preparing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison,
OUR GOD IS GOOD, HE IS HOLY, RIGHTEOUS, LOVING, AND SOVEREIGN over EVERYTHING!
> Let the church say AMEN!
This morning, it is NOT my intention to get into the weeds about timelines of Christ’s return.
And, for all of the teaching and preaching heroes that we have that seem to ooze confidence around their particular view of the end times; I have found that that more I study it and them…the more I recognize that God has shrouded some things in mystery.
This particular passage is difficult because Jesus uses somewhat unfamiliar language - He’s mixing “prophetic” and “apocalyptic” phrasing.
It is also challenging because Jesus makes few CLEAR distinctions on which time in history He is speaking of.
It is also arduous because there is NOT a consensus among trusted Christian scholars as to its interpretation.
That being said:
We shouldn’t be AFRAID of studying prophecy. (A large portion of Scripture is prophetic writing.)
We shouldn’t be AFRAID of studying apocalyptic portions of Scripture either.
We SHOULD ask the Holy Spirit to give us insight…and when He does, He will run His Holy Highlighter across the things that point us to the supremacy of JESUS CHRIST and the clear demands on our lives to be living sacrifices for Him!
“In Times Like These, We Know What To Do!”
But before I run to the application in this passage, we need to understand what IS here - clearly. As well as what IS NOT here clearly.
Pascal said,
In the Bible there is enough clarity to enlighten the Elect, and enough obscurity to humble them.
Blaise Pascal
When the Hamas terrorists unleashed a surprise terrorist attack on Israel from the Gaza strip this week…it was ALARMING!
The destruction of life and property should make us ache to our core…and long frViolence should always be alarming to us.
We don’t celebrate a culture of violence.
We do expect nations to act accordingly to protect and provide for their people.
But when Jewish lives are lost, we grieve that many died without knowing Jesus as the Messiah.
When Muslim lives are lost, we grieve that they died without knowing Jesus Christ as the true and resurrected King who paid the price for their redemption, too.
When the world’s eyes are on Israel, though; our antenna is UP as Biblical Christians - as Evangelical Christians.
Why?
Because the Word of God has so much to say about Israel and prophecy.
From a Biblical Perspective:
Israel is the Geographical Center of the World
Israel is the Geographical Center of the World
“Thus says the Lord God: This is Jerusalem. I have set her in the center of the nations, with countries all around her.
Israel is the Religious Center of the World
Israel is the Religious Center of the World
In this vast region, the Garden of Eden was planted
In this land, God called Abraham
In this land, God gave the Ten Commandments
In this land, Jesus was born. He taught here. He suffered, bled and died here.
In this land, Jesus ascended to Heaven
In this land, He will return!
You can see what why our Lord refers to Israel as the Apple of His Eye (Zech 2)
The Abrahamic Covenant predates any political recognition.
Knowing what we know…when we see things escalating in that region of the country, We ask questions like the disciples did...
Matthew 24:3 (ESV)
“Tell us, when will these things be, and what will be the sign of your coming and of the end of the age?”
AND THE FIRST THING THAT JESUS SAYS IS WHAT?!
Does He give a date? No
Does He give an EARTHLY sign of trouble and say, “IMMEDIATELY after America is attacked…or in 203?...”
NO
And Jesus answered them, “See that no one leads you astray. For many will come in my name, saying, ‘I am the Christ,’ and they will lead many astray.
1. BE CAREFUL WHO YOU LISTEN TO?
1. BE CAREFUL WHO YOU LISTEN TO?
Be careful who you listen to.
Anyone that makes THEIR “THING” as important as JESUS is leading you astray!
For the weapons of our warfare are not of the flesh but have divine power to destroy strongholds. We destroy arguments and every lofty opinion raised against the knowledge of God, and take every thought captive to obey Christ, being ready to punish every disobedience, when your obedience is complete.
Then Jesus begins this carefully choreographed dance through prophecy and apocalyptic phrasing:
And you will hear of wars and rumors of wars. See that you are not alarmed, for this must take place, but the end is not yet.
Can we stop here for just a moment? Note the second command in our plan of action...
2. DON’T BE ALARMED!
2. DON’T BE ALARMED!
This world is in a tailspin of sin.
With all of our education, innovation, wealth, ingenuity, communication, and connectivity; it doesn’t take a scholar to see that THIS WORLD IS BROKEN!
God designed this world to display His beauty and purpose all around us. The Bible tells us that God originally planned a world that worked perfectly, where everything and everyone fit together in harmony.
And God saw everything that he had made, and behold, it was very good. And there was evening and there was morning, the sixth day.
The heavens declare the glory of God,
and the sky above proclaims his handiwork.
But humanity sinned and it broke everything!
We see it in this world.
We see it in our institutions.
We see it in and around our own lives as well.
There is a way that seems right to a man,
but its end is the way to death.
We know this. We see this.
This is on display in the Middle East conflict.
It’s on display in the crime near us.
It’s on display in the imaginations of our heart.
JESUS SAID, DON’T BE ALARMED!
He didn’t say, Don’t be concerned!
He didn’t say, stick your head in the ground...
He did say DO NOT BE ALARMED!
He then says…and this is hard to hear...
“this must take place.”
You may ask, “this”? “really”?
How could a loving God allow so much evil to happen?
Joni Eareckson Tada says it beautifully,
“Sometimes, God permits what He hates to accomplish what He loves.”
God displayed this so many times through the devastation and defeat of His people in the Old Testament.
He displayed it at Calvary...
He’s allowing it right now that His unfolding plan of history and revelation of Jesus Christ might be accomplished.
He’s allowed it in YOUR LIFE…in MY LIFE…in the lives of so many of our spiritual heroes through the ages.
“Sometimes, God permits what He hates to accomplish what He loves.”
And you will hear of wars and rumors of wars. See that you are not alarmed, for this must take place, but the end is not yet.
THE END IS NOT YET!
Let’s say that together… “the end is NOT YET!”
Let’s read on...
For nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom, and there will be famines and earthquakes in various places. All these are but the beginning of the birth pains.
Many of us wonder out loud when so many earthquakes are reported.
Many of us wonder out loud - why? with all the world’s resources are we still battling famine?
I think we were shocked to realize just how vital Ukraine was to the food supply for much of the world…most of us were not keenly aware of that until there was WAR.
We don’t have to hunt for these things any more…
we don’t have to stretch some urban legend into a prophetic touchpoint
we haven’t needed to do that for a few generations.
We are seeing these things play out right in front of us.
And these things we are seeing - Jesus said these things are the birth pangs of a new creation that is coming.
All these are but the beginning of the birth pains.
Jesus is the one that reminds us,
rev 21.5
Revelation 21:5 (ESV)
And he who was seated on the throne said, “Behold, I am making all things new.”...
Let’s read on...
“Then they will deliver you up to tribulation and put you to death, and you will be hated by all nations for my name’s sake. And then many will fall away and betray one another and hate one another. And many false prophets will arise and lead many astray. And because lawlessness will be increased, the love of many will grow cold. But the one who endures to the end will be saved.
Let’s look at this on the surface here…what is Jesus describing?
They? = mankind / those outside the faith
Just like there were those who rejected Jesus
there were others who rejected Him and set out to make like as difficult as possible for him and his followers
these (whether they know it or not) are agents of the Devil
Jesus said,
Whoever is not with me is against me, and whoever does not gather with me scatters.
will deliver / cause tribulation
God-haters make life hard - they resist the light of the Gospel
men love darkness rather than light
will put you to death
Religious Persecution is at an all time high for Christians now (I’m NOT talking about this nation).
Subscribe to Open Doors to see what’s going on in closed regions across the world
many will fall away
betrayal within the church as wolves creep in
lawlessness will be NORMALIZED
folks will not love one another well
false teachers will lead people away from Jesus
DOES THIS SOUND LIKE IT IS IN THE FUTURE OR RIGHT NOW?
Before I touch the final verse in our sermon text this morning, let me address the rest of this passage in Matthew 24.
In verses 15-31, Jesus says exactly WHAT He means to say IN THE WAY HE MEANS TO SAY IT.
That doesn’t mean it’s totally clear to us in 2023.
Some people interpret all the talk of tribulation, millenium, and “ESCHATOLOGY” in the category of: “IT’S ALL ALREADY HAPPENED!”
Others interpret it all as: “IT’S ALL IN THE FUTURE”!
Jesus shifts between literal and word pictures here so quickly…He is also shifting in historical timelines, I’m convinced.
The reality is, as we read this passage and other prophetic passages in 2023, there are historic events that TOTALLY MATCH WHAT GOD’S WORD SAYS OF THE LAST DAYS.
Some things have happened, just as Jesus said that they would.
Some things are happening NOW, just as the Bible promised.
And yet, there is so much that HAS NOT YET OCCURRED!
There is quite a bit in this passage AND OTHERS in the “not yet” category.
HELPFUL ILLUSTRATION: Grandfather Mountain
I don’t if you have been to Grandfather Mountain in NC recently.
On the approach, it looks like it is so close together…like you can see the outline of an old man’s face looking upward.
You can see it clearly for miles away.
But the closer you get to it, reality sets in.
It’s not quite as close as you thought.
In fact, two of the peaks are NOT accessible by the privately owned Grandfather Mountain park. “You can’t get there from here.” You have to exit and reenter two different state areas to do it safely.
It takes considerable amount of hiking to see and touch it all.
Imagine that imagery as Jesus is speaking here. He is talking about the FUTURE giving an overview, but touching some peaks of prophecy and apocalyptic reality.
But some of these elements are very distant from one another.
Keep that in mind - ONLY THE FATHER IS HOLDING THE TIMEPIECE OF EARTHLY HISTORY!
Let’s get back to our plan of action...
IN TIMES LIKE THESE, we know what to do! The Church has a plan!
BE CAREFUL WHO YOU LISTEN TO
DO NOT BE ALARMED
Look at verse 13
But the one who endures to the end will be saved.
3. TRUST GOD TO KEEP YOU!
3. TRUST GOD TO KEEP YOU!
Unlike those whose love grows cold, the true Christian will endure!
Whether this reads as the end of this period of persecution, OR the end of one’s life, OR BOTH...
Those who are in Christ are SAFE - from divine wrath to experience the full blessing of Jesus Christ both NOW AND FOR ETERNITY!
We are KEPT BY THE POWER OF GOD!
which is why I suffer as I do. But I am not ashamed, for I know whom I have believed, and I am convinced that he is able to guard until that day what has been entrusted to me.
LASTLY THIS MORNING, of all the things that we see here so far in the plan this one is the most distinct because it requires death to self, and a complete outward focus.
The first 3 are really for our edification:
Be careful what you listen to
Don’t be alarmed
Trust God to keep you
These elements of God’s plan are important, but they are for our personal and family benefit as the church.
You can experience these at your DEVOTIONS DESK or in your PRAYER CLOSET!
But these things don’t ADVANCE GOD’S KINGDOM...
And these things alone RESULT IN PARTIAL OBEDIENCE TO OUR LORD - which is disobedience.
Be careful who you listen to
Don’t be alarmed
Trust that God will keep you
And now that you are calmed by His presence and promise…look at the next verse:
And this gospel of the kingdom will be proclaimed throughout the whole world as a testimony to all nations, and then the end will come.
4. PROCLAIM THE GOSPEL!
4. PROCLAIM THE GOSPEL!
We see suffering and say, “Even so, come quickly Lord Jesus!”
God says, be comforted and Go make disciples.
We see wars and cry how long?
God says, “until you’ve preached the Gospel to all the nations!”
We see increasing hostility toward the Church and say, “Lord, help us!”
God says, I am a very present help in the time of trouble…and I will be WITH YOU AS YOU GO AND MAKE DISCIPLES!
He formalizes the command in Matthew 28 - you know it!
And Jesus came and said to them, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.”
Mark records it, too...
And he said to them, “Go into all the world and proclaim the gospel to the whole creation.
Luke’s Gospel reads
and said to them, “Thus it is written, that the Christ should suffer and on the third day rise from the dead, and that repentance for the forgiveness of sins should be proclaimed in his name to all nations, beginning from Jerusalem.
John records,
Jesus said to them again, “Peace be with you. As the Father has sent me, even so I am sending you.”
Jesus promised the disciples, and us...
But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.”
CONCLUSION
CONCLUSION
IT’S ONE THING TO BE BOTHERED BY WHAT WE SEE...
we should be appalled by what is happening as Israel is attacked
we should be moved with compassion
IN TIMES LIKE THESE GOD’S PEOPLE NEED TO BE CAREFUL WHO THEY LISTEN TO!
Anything (EVEN A VIEW OF THE END TIMES) that takes your eyes off of Jesus is NOT WORTH LISTENING TO!
IN TIMES LIKE THESE GOD’S PEOPLE SHOULD NOT BE IN A STATE OF PANIC!
We should be the calmest people on the planet as it relates to our own welfare!
IN TIMES LIKE THESE, GOD’S PEOPLE SHOULD TRUST GOD MORE!
He is in charge!
He is on the throne!
He is not in a state of emergency!
IN TIMES LIKE THESE, GOD’S PEOPLE SHOULD BE ABOUT THE FATHER’S BUSINESS…TELLING EVERYONE ABOUT THE GOOD NEWS OF JESUS CHRIST!
Your friends and family NEED THE TRUTH whether they want it or not.
“Sometimes, God permits what He hates to accomplish what He loves.”
God loves when His children point to His Son!
In times like these, will you post more about conspiracy theories and confusing eschatology MORE THAN YOU POINT INDIVIDUALS TO JESUS?
WE HAVE A PLAN!
WE KNOW WHAT TO DO!
IT’S WHAT WE WERE CREATED FOR…WHAT WE WERE SAVED FOR!
LIVE FOR JESUS!
If you don’t have a living relationship with Jesus Christ today, the fact is that you are in JUST AS BAD A SHAPE THAN THOSE UNDER SIEGE IN ISRAEL! Possibly worse.
The BAD news is, you are a sinner!
for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,
Romans 6:23 (ESV)
For the wages of sin is death,
The WORSE news is, YOU CAN DO NOTHING TO REMOVE YOUR SIN ON YOUR OWN.
For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God,
The GOOD NEWS is, At the cross, Jesus did for us what we could not do for ourselves. He shed His blood and died to pay for our sins!
1 John 1:7 (ESV)
...and the blood of Jesus his Son cleanses us from all sin.
THE BEST NEWS is, by faith, we freely receive forgiveness and eternal life through Christ Jesus - the Resurrected King of GLORY!
Romans 6:23 (ESV)
...the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.
Will you receive this FREE GIFT of Jesus love and forgiveness?
because, if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.
Whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.
He is mighty to save to the uttermost all who call upon Him.
Will you tell him this moment what a sinner you are, how sick you are by sin?
Will you tell Him that you’re unable to save yourself.
Would you call upon Him?
Say, Lord Jesus save me.
I am a wretched hell-bound sinner,
but your grace saves sinners like me.
And if you will call upon His name like that,
I promise you by the authority of the word of God
that He will save you—that He will save you today.
He will wash your sins away.
You will be clean and pure
from the top of your head to the bottom of your feet.
LET’S PRAY!
LET’S PRAY!
I’m going to give you time, right now…TO PRAY! TO CALL ON JESUS!
This is the greatest offer that has ever been made to anyone on this earth.
This is the glorious good news of salvation in Jesus Christ.
if you have never believed upon Jesus Christ,
in your heart of hearts to say,
Lord Jesus I am a sinner, and you are a Savior;
Lord, I am a great sinner, you are a great Savior,
and I now this moment as an act of my will, I commit all that I am to you.