Untitled Sermon (4)

I. THE SETTING OF THE OLIVET DISCOURSE

A. THE WORDS OF JESUS IN THE TEMPLE...

1. His parables depicting Israel’s rejection of Him, and its consequence

a. The parable of the two sons - Mt 21:28-32 (cf. v.31-32)

b. The parable of the wicked vine dressers - Mt 21:33-46 (cf. v.42-45)

c. The parable of the wedding feast - Mt 22:1-14 (cf. v.7-9)

2. His condemnation of the scribes and Pharisees

a. Who would fill up the measure of their fathers’ guilt - Mt 23:29-32

b. Who kill, crucify, scourge, and persecute the prophets, wise men, and scribes He would send to them - Mt 23:33-34

c. Upon whom the blood of all the righteous would come, upon that very generation - Mt 23:35-36

3. His lamentation over Jerusalem

a. The city who kills the prophets and stones those sent to her - Mt 23:37a

b. The city unwilling to accept the love shown to her - Mt 23:37b

c. Whose house would be left desolate - Mt 23:38-39

B. THE PROPHECY OF JESUS ABOUT THE TEMPLE...

1. After his disciples were showing Him the buildings of temple - Mt 24:1

2. Declaring that not one stone would be left upon another - Mt 24:2

C. THE QUESTIONS OF THE DISCIPLES...

1. In Mark’s gospel, two questions are asked - Mk 13:4

a. “When will these things be?”

b. “What will be the sign when all these things will be fulfilled?”

2. In Luke’s gospel, the two questions are similar - Lk 21:7

a. “When will these things be?”

b. “What sign will there be when these things are about to take place?”

3. In Matthew’s gospel, the second question is worded differently - Mt 24:3

a. “When will these things be?”

b. “What will be the sign of Your coming, and of the end of the age?”

4. Observations regarding these questions:

a. Matthew wrote his gospel for a Jewish audience

b. Mark and Luke wrote their gospels to Gentiles

II. THE OLIVET DISCOURSE

A. WHAT WILL “NOT” BE THE SIGN...

1. Be careful that none deceive you, claiming to be the Christ - Mt 24:4-5

2. Don’t be troubled by wars, earthquakes, famines, pestilence - Mt 24:6-8

a. Such things will come, but the end (destruction of the temple) is not yet

b. They are only the beginning of sorrows (not the sign of the end)

3. Anticipate persecution and hard times - Mt 24:9-13

4. The gospel of the kingdom will be preached in all the world - Mt 24:14

a. As a witness to all the nations

b. Then the end (the destruction of the temple) will come

- cf. Co 2:14-17; Ep 2:14-16; He 8:13

Colossians 2:14–17 ESV

by canceling the record of debt that stood against us with its legal demands. This he set aside, nailing it to the cross. He disarmed the rulers and authorities and put them to open shame, by triumphing over them in him. Therefore let no one pass judgment on you in questions of food and drink, or with regard to a festival or a new moon or a Sabbath. These are a shadow of the things to come, but the substance belongs to Christ.

Ephesians 2:14–16 ESV

For he himself is our peace, who has made us both one and has broken down in his flesh the dividing wall of hostility by abolishing the law of commandments expressed in ordinances, that he might create in himself one new man in place of the two, so making peace, and might reconcile us both to God in one body through the cross, thereby killing the hostility.

Hebrews 8:13 ESV

In speaking of a new covenant, he makes the first one obsolete. And what is becoming obsolete and growing old is ready to vanish away.

-- Was the gospel preached to all nations prior to the destruction of the temple? Note what Paul wrote prior to 70 A.D. - Ro 10:16-18; Co 1:23

Romans 10:16–18 ESV

But they have not all obeyed the gospel. For Isaiah says, “Lord, who has believed what he has heard from us?” So faith comes from hearing, and hearing through the word of Christ. But I ask, have they not heard? Indeed they have, for “Their voice has gone out to all the earth, and their words to the ends of the world.”

Colossians 1:23 ESV

if indeed you continue in the faith, stable and steadfast, not shifting from the hope of the gospel that you heard, which has been proclaimed in all creation under heaven, and of which I, Paul, became a minister.

B. WHAT WILL BE THE SIGN...

1. The “abomination of desolation” - Mt 24:15; Mk 13:14

a. Standing in the holy place (the holy city Jerusalem)

b. As foretold by Daniel - cf. Dan 9:26-27

Daniel 9:26–27 ESV

And after the sixty-two weeks, an anointed one shall be cut off and shall have nothing. And the people of the prince who is to come shall destroy the city and the sanctuary. Its end shall come with a flood, and to the end there shall be war. Desolations are decreed. And he shall make a strong covenant with many for one week, and for half of the week he shall put an end to sacrifice and offering. And on the wing of abominations shall come one who makes desolate, until the decreed end is poured out on the desolator.”

2. When you see Jerusalem surrounded by armies - Lk 21:20

a. Luke therefore explains the “abomination of desolation”

b. In 70 A.D., Roman armies surrounded and besieged Jerusalem prior to destroying it and the temple

-- Thus Jesus answers the disciples’ question: “What sign will there be when these things are about to take place?”

C. WHAT TO DO WHEN YOU SEE THE SIGN...

1. Those in Judea are to flee to the mountains - Mt 24:16-22

a. Don’t delay by going to your homes and getting your clothes

b. It will be a difficult time for pregnant and nursing mothers

c. Pray that your flight be not in winter (when travel is difficult) or on the Sabbath (when city gates are closed to travel)

d. For there will be “great tribulation”, though shortened for the elect’s sake

2. Don’t be misled by false christs and false prophets - Mt 24:23-28

a. Even those who show great signs and wonders to deceive

b. For the coming (judgment) of the Son of Man will be like lightning across the sky

- cf. Lk 17:22-24

Luke 17:22–24 ESV

And he said to the disciples, “The days are coming when you will desire to see one of the days of the Son of Man, and you will not see it. And they will say to you, ‘Look, there!’ or ‘Look, here!’ Do not go out or follow them. For as the lightning flashes and lights up the sky from one side to the other, so will the Son of Man be in his day.

c. Where the carcass is, there the eagles will be gathered

D. WHAT WILL HAPPEN NEXT...

1. Events to occur “immediately after the tribulation of those days”...

a. Cosmic disturbances - Mt 24:29

b. The sign of the Son of Man will appear in heaven - Mt 24:30

c. The elect will be gathered - Mt 24:31

2. Such events certainly sound like the second coming of Christ, but consider two reasons why they may not be referring to Jesus’ coming at the Last Day...

a. The events were to occur “immediately after the tribulation of those days” (“in those days, after that tribulation”) - Mt 24:29; Mk 13:24

b. The events are similar to those used to foretell God’s judgment of other nations

3. For such reasons, I suggest that even in Mt 24:29-31...

a. Jesus refers to the destruction of Jerusalem

b. Like other Jewish prophets, Jesus uses figurative language to depict:

c. Jewish prophets foretold God’s judgment upon such nations...

E. ADMONITIONS TO BE PREPARED AND PRODUCTIVE...