Signs

When will the temple be destroyed? That is where we left off last week. Quite a question to end on. Let’s look at Jesus response to His disciples when they asked that question.

We have studied through the 5 discourses of Matthew, and we are now on the 5th and final one. Known as “The Olivet Discourse” or “The Discourse on the End Times.”

The Olivet Discourse

Last week, we looked at Matthew 23, and Jesus interaction with the pharisees and teachers of the law. We looked at what is called “the 7 woes.” Where Jesus lays into the pharisees. To summarize, He tells them they are hypocrites, only caring about what is on the outside, how people see them, but not what is on the inside.

Then He leaves, the weight of that conflict on Him, knowing they are now going to kill Him, although nobody else knows that yet. He feels sorrow for these descendants of Abraham, and grief over what He knows will happen to this place that God Himself ordained to be built.

So we read Matthew 24:1-3. And we are going to be in the NLT, the New Living Translation, today.

Matthew 24:1–3 NLT

1 As Jesus was leaving the Temple grounds, his disciples pointed out to him the various Temple buildings. 2 But he responded, “Do you see all these buildings? I tell you the truth, they will be completely demolished. Not one stone will be left on top of another!” 3 Later, Jesus sat on the Mount of Olives. His disciples came to him privately and said, “Tell us, when will all this happen? What sign will signal your return and the end of the world?”

Jesus sees the future destruction of the temple, which happens in 70 AD. But the disciples here ask 2 questions. When will this happen, and what are the signs of 1: your return, and 2: the end of the world. Or “the end of the age” in other translations.

I want to reiterate the moral of the story before we begin. We do not know when, and that’s intentional on God’s part. We need to be ready today.

Matthew 24:4–8 NLT

4 Jesus told them, “Don’t let anyone mislead you, 5 for many will come in my name, claiming, ‘I am the Messiah.’ They will deceive many. 6 And you will hear of wars and threats of wars, but don’t panic. Yes, these things must take place, but the end won’t follow immediately. 7 Nation will go to war against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. There will be famines and earthquakes in many parts of the world. 8 But all this is only the first of the birth pains, with more to come.

They will claim they are the messiah. The messiah is the anointed one. Sent to redeem the world. My opinion is that they won’t all use those exact words. They won’t always say they are Jesus reincarnate. But there are many that will claim that they are the only one that can save everyone. We have many messiahs just as they did. Now here Jesus is answering the question regarding the destruction of the temple, but His words are true. And so I feel compelled to give a word of caution.

We have an election coming up. There are those in here that are passionate about politics. We need to be involved. We need to vote. But be careful that you don’t see a candidate as the messiah. We can say “Oh I don’t.” But often the way we live and the actions we take prove otherwise.

Moving on. You will hear of wars and threats of wars, but

DON’T PANIC

Don’t be alarmed. When Amelia was younger, I made it my mission to help her to calm down. She would get so worked up, so I devised a plan to help her. We talked about this word, panic, and how panic never helps. It always makes thing worse.

We practiced not panicking. When we were playing one day, I had lifted her up facing the sky. And she started thrashing trying to grab my arms. I explained that in her panic, I had almost dropped her, like a lifeguard trying to save a drowning victim. So we practiced, I would lift her up, and she would not panic. She would calm her breathing and remain still.

There were other scenarios after that that I could say “don’t panic” and she would calm herself. Panic helps no one. In fact, it makes it to where we are ineffective and negatively effect everyone around us.

And the reality is He says “these things must take place.” I take comfort in that. So for the disciples, when these things started happening, they knew it must happen, and could keep on mission.

Matthew 24:7–8 NLT

7 Nation will go to war against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. There will be famines and earthquakes in many parts of the world. 8 But all this is only the first of the birth pains, with more to come.

When the wars start. It’s the first of the birth pains. Then what?

Matthew 24:9–14 NLT

9 “Then you will be arrested, persecuted, and killed. You will be hated all over the world because you are my followers. 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. 13 But the one who endures to the end will be saved. 14 And the Good News about the Kingdom will be preached throughout the whole world, so that all nations will hear it; and then the end will come.

This isn’t metaphor. Throughout their ministry the disciples experienced these hardships. And in those times, how often did they think “we are failing.” Only to remember, yet again, that Jesus said these things would happen.

What discouragement they must have felt. And many who came to Jesus turned away, betraying one another. Hating each other. In the midst of persecution and death. As they are taking the message of the kingdom of God on earth. The message that Jesus the messiah had died for their sins and offered them eternal life and salvation. That Jesus had risen from the dead.

The discouragement as you see rampant hedonism, lust, oppression, murder, constant lies. Living in opposition to others claiming that THEY have the truth. Great deceivers.

Sin will be rampant everywhere, and the love of many will grow cold.

Fellow believers. That is a warning. Why do we take the gospel to others? Is it out of fear? Is it a need for others to agree with us?

It must be love. Love for someone else made in the image of God. A relationship with Jesus brings freedom, healing, and purpose. I want you to have that because I love you. But when we are surrounded with sin. With the failure of others and rejection of the gospel. What happens to the love in our heart?

It grows cold. It grows bitter. Jesus is telling them “these terrible things will happen. People will do terrible things to you. And many of my disciples will stop loving people.”

The one who endures to the end will be saved. Keep going. Keep loving. You will be saved. It will be over. All of it will be redeemed. It will be hard. But why keep going? Why keep loving even the worst of sinners? Why preach and love those that will thrown them in prison and execute them?

Matthew 24:14 NLT

14 And the Good News about the Kingdom will be preached throughout the whole world, so that all nations will hear it; and then the end will come.

The temple was destroyed in 70 AD. It’s hard to know the exact dates of when the disciples were killed, but we know that each of the original 12 disciples except John and Judas were martyred. Judas, though, committed suicide.

Here are the disciples that we killed at about the same time or before the destruction of the temple.

James, son of Zebedee: Beheaded by Herod Agrippa I, around 44 AD (Acts 12:2).

Peter (Simon Peter): Crucified upside down in Rome during the persecution by Emperor Nero, around 64-68 AD.

Andrew: Crucified on an X-shaped cross in Patras, Greece, around 60-70 AD.

Thomas (Didymus): Killed with a spear in India, around 72 AD.

Philip: Crucified or stoned in Hierapolis, Phrygia, around 80 AD.

Matthew (Levi): Killed by the sword in Ethiopia or Persia, around 60 AD.

Bartholomew (Nathaniel): Flayed alive and then crucified in Armenia or India, around 70-71 AD.

Matthias (replaced Judas Iscariot): Stoned and then beheaded in Jerusalem or Ethiopia, around 65-80 AD.

Simon the Zealot: Crucified or sawn in half in Persia or Britain, around 65-107 AD.

Thaddeus (Jude): Clubbed to death in Persia or crucified in Edessa, around 65-72 AD.

James, son of Alphaeus (James the Less): Thrown down from the temple, stoned, and then clubbed to death in Jerusalem, around 62-69 AD.

John, son of Zebedee: Died of natural causes in Ephesus, around 98-100 AD. He was the only apostle not to be martyred.

They had taken the gospel all over the world. They endured. They loved. And then the end came. The temple was destroyed. Just as Jesus said it would. He knew then, and He knows now.

Jesus message to us is still the same. Spread the gospel. Endure in love. Maintain a heart of desperate love for all people, especially those that hurt you on account of Jesus.

Let’s pray today for renewed love for the people of this world.