Endure to the End F.R.O.G

Intro:

Church can I give you a prediction on when I think the Lord is coming back?

If you’ve got a calendar I want you to open up to...

Turn me to Matthew 24

You know with the things going on in Israel, it makes you wonder, or makes me wonder God are you coming back soon, and if when?

That was what disciples thought in Matt 24 when they are trying to call the attention of the beautiful temple and the buildings to Jesus, and Jesus says, “Truly I tell you, not one stone will be left here on another that will not be thrown down.

Jesus had just walked out of the temple, where Jesus was laying it on the Pharisees and religious leaders. I mean just go look at Matthew 23 but Jesus was telling people do what they say, but don’t do what they do, because they don’t practice it and Jesus kept calling them out as hypocrites. Jesus told them they shut the door of the Kingdom of Heaven in people’s faces. Jesus ends the chapter with some sorrow that his own people are not willing to be His children.

Lets keep reading to see Jesus starts off and says, Matthew 24:4

Matthew 24:4 ESV

And Jesus answered them, “See that no one leads you astray.

And this topic and study about the end times is called Eschatology and there are lots of parts to it and much of it is debated, but here is the thing no one knows the time Jesus will come back, and no one will know with certainty all the details of what eternity looks like. Don’t get me wrong the scripture definitely gives us pictures here and there about all of these things, but the point of this passage in not Jesus revealing the exact time and way things will happen, again he’s says, Jesus will come again at an hour when you do not expect, and he does give us some signs in Matt 24 and other passages to look for

BUT

The point of this passage is that you would recognize He is coming soon, you would be ready for His coming, and you will endure until the end.

SO saying this I want to for a moment speak on this idea of being ready and enduring because these are the keys in this passage that point to salvation.

The Lexham Bible Dictionary The New Testament

Paul encourages Christians to be ready for the day of Christ’s return, though they do not know the exact day or hour (1 Thess 4:13–18). Until the time of Christ’s return, the temple is no longer in Jerusalem but rather in the heart of the believer (Eph 2:22).

This is also why I wanted you to see what Jesus was doing in the chapter right before this because it helps us understand and important detail about being ready and endurance. Here is the challenge:

Don’t be a hypocrite, faithfully follow Jesus.

If you want to be ready and endure don’t be a hypocrite.

Literally Jesus on both ends of this Matthew 24 passage encourages faithfulness and warns against hypocrisy.

Matthew 23:3 ESV

so do and observe whatever they tell you, but not the works they do. For they preach, but do not practice.

Matthew 24:45–51 ESV

“Who then is the faithful and wise servant, whom his master has set over his household, to give them their food at the proper time? Blessed is that servant whom his master will find so doing when he comes. Truly, I say to you, he will set him over all his possessions. But if that wicked servant says to himself, ‘My master is delayed,’ and begins to beat his fellow servants and eats and drinks with drunkards, the master of that servant will come on a day when he does not expect him and at an hour he does not know and will cut him in pieces and put him with the hypocrites. In that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.

Then he continues by talking about the parable of the Ten Virgins who have their lamps ready, the Parable of the Talents, and the Sheep and the Goats.

Here are some things that hypocrites do that we should guard ourselves from:

Say one thing, but live a different way.

They do everything to be seen by others.

Pay our tithes, but neglect, justice, mercy, and faithfulness.

Look the part, but are full of greed and self-indulgence.

Maybe for some of us we need to repent of pride and selfishness that is even making it hard for others to come to faith.

There is a song called “Pharisee In Me” that I came across that is a great song of repentance.

“CHANGE MY HEART, CHANGE MY MIND, BREAK DOWN THE STONE, BREAK DOWN MY PRIDE. THE PHARISEE IN ME IS FALLING TO ITS KNEES BEGGING YOU FOR MERCY, BEGGING YOU TO PLEASE CHANGE MY HEART”

You in this room, aren’t you tired of putting on. Jesus told the the religious leaders and those that acted like them that people’s applause will be their only reward. Would you repent and follow Jesus? He says you can let go of the act and trust him. Jenn and I went and show the Movie the Blind and it tells the story of how Phil Robertson, from duck dynasty came to believe in Jesus. I don’t want to give the movie way but there is this point where the Pastor meets him and says, “You don’t have to be good enough because Jesus is good enough for you" and he invites Phil to trust in Jesus as Savior and follow Him.

Which brings me to following Jesus. You see the challenge again

Don’t be a hypocrite, faithfully follow Jesus.

I want to remind us how we are to faithfully follow Jesus as we await His return. How do we stay ready, how do we endure even as times get worse and worse?

Well if you look at verse 12-14 we get the picture.

Matthew 24:12–14 ESV

And because lawlessness will be increased, the love of many will grow cold. But the one who endures to the end will be saved. 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.

Lawlessness, disobedience, sin - because of these the love of many will grow cold.

SO if the love of many grow cold because of disobedience and sin, obedience and repentance will help keep the love alive.

Cause Jesus says later, in Matthew 24:46

Matthew 24:46 ESV

Blessed is that servant whom his master will find so doing when he comes.

In another translation, it says, “Blesses is that servant whom the master finds doing his job when He comes.

So by remaining faithful to follow the Lord in what He calls and commands us to do we stay ready.

Literally Jesus tells his disciples some really difficult things to grasp in this chapter but He says for those who are following me, you don’t have to be troubled. See that you aren’t alarmed(throw into confusion, be gripped by a sudden fear, troubled emotionally and usually deeply.). He says and encourages them to endure. The great news is not only does GOD give endurance and encouragement but he allows us to go through trials of various kinds because the testing of our faith produces endurance, and let endurance have it’s full effect, so that you may be mature and complete, lacking nothing.

Endurance is powerful. Endurance allows you to continue even if the race gets hard or difficult.

ENDURANCE ITSELF REMINDS ME ENDURE THE RACE

The word here for endure means: to endure with the idea of persevere. it carries on the idea that “I remain behind, absolutely, I stand my ground in persecution, amid persecution, I endure, bear up against.”

In bible this word endure cross referenced with Romans 12:12 where it says,

Romans 12:12 ESV

Rejoice in hope, be patient in tribulation, be constant in prayer.

I was thinking this how you endure, and I was reading more of the chapter and I want to read it to you, because it says,

Romans 12 ESV

I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship. Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect. For by the grace given to me I say to everyone among you not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think, but to think with sober judgment, each according to the measure of faith that God has assigned. For as in one body we have many members, and the members do not all have the same function, so we, though many, are one body in Christ, and individually members one of another. Having gifts that differ according to the grace given to us, let us use them: if prophecy, in proportion to our faith; if service, in our serving; the one who teaches, in his teaching; the one who exhorts, in his exhortation; the one who contributes, in generosity; the one who leads, with zeal; the one who does acts of mercy, with cheerfulness. Let love be genuine. Abhor what is evil; hold fast to what is good. Love one another with brotherly affection. Outdo one another in showing honor. Do not be slothful in zeal, be fervent in spirit, serve the Lord. Rejoice in hope, be patient in tribulation, be constant in prayer. Contribute to the needs of the saints and seek to show hospitality. Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse them. Rejoice with those who rejoice, weep with those who weep. Live in harmony with one another. Do not be haughty, but associate with the lowly. Never be wise in your own sight. Repay no one evil for evil, but give thought to do what is honorable in the sight of all. If possible, so far as it depends on you, live peaceably with all. Beloved, never avenge yourselves, but leave it to the wrath of God, for it is written, “Vengeance is mine, I will repay, says the Lord.” To the contrary, “if your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him something to drink; for by so doing you will heap burning coals on his head.” Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.

Not only was I thinking this chapter shares how to endure, but what we should look like as we endure and wait the coming of the Savior.

INVITATION

SO church I don’t know how much time we have left, or when Jesus is coming, but I do know He is coming, times will continue to get worse but that does not mean Christians should become worse, but that we should endure and allow the Lord to continue to grow and shape us in the times we find ourselves in.

If Jesus where to come back right now would he find you as a hypocrite or a faithful servant who is doing what was commanded?

Those in the room who don’t know Jesus. Maybe you’re still trying to figure all of this out. I don’t have all the answers but I know Jesus who can rescue you from fear, anxiety, a troubled spirit. I know Jesus who can set you free from slavery of sin. You say, Justin I’m not a slave to sin, without Jesus Christ as Savior you are a slave to sin. If this is you your life may be filled with shame, guilt, anger, defiance, pride. You are not free apart from Christ. Would you place your faith in Him today?