Jesus Is Coming

Say it with me…this is our great hope.

Anyone here wondering about what is going on in this world and looking at the signs of what’s going on and asking this question: “How much longer?”

We are not the first people to ask and the first part of Matthew 24 spells out the curiosity of the disciples. They wanted to know just like we do.

Read with me…

Matthew 24:1–14 ESV

Jesus left the temple and was going away, when his disciples came to point out to him the buildings of the temple. But he answered them, “You see all these, do you not? Truly, I say to you, there will not be left here one stone upon another that will not be thrown down.” As he sat on the Mount of Olives, the disciples came to him privately, saying, “Tell us, when will these things be, and what will be the sign of your coming and of the end of the age?” 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. 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. 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. “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. 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.

Abdullah Hashem - Egyptian American religious leader claims to be mahdi and successor of Jesus. Clue…He’s not!

WW1, WW2, Vietnam, Korea, Kuwait, Iraq, Russia and Ukraine, Russia and other states…

In 70 AD the first fulfillment of prophecy in this chapter was completed. The Romans deliberately sacked the temple, burned it, and moved every stone to get to the gold that melted into the cracks. It was also intended to humiliate and destroy the Jews.

Despite the loss of the temple, dispersing the first church, and the diaspora (dispersing the Jews to the four corners of the known world), Christianity and Judaism continued.

It is estimated that there were over 5,000 martyrs in 2024 and that number is most likely low. Another source reports over 8,000.

From Global Christian Relief:

The persecution of Christians extends beyond individuals to places of worship and property. In 2023, 430 churches and other Christian properties were attacked or destroyed—but that number has grown by an astounding 800% since 2018, according to First Liberty. Protestant churches, in particular, have been frequent targets in countries like Burkina Faso and regions such as the Middle East, where Christian communities face systemic oppression and violence. These attacks highlight the vulnerability of Christian communities and the need for greater protection and religious freedom in these places.

Jesus IS Coming

John 14:1–4 ESV

“Let not your hearts be troubled. Believe in God; believe also in me. In my Father’s house are many rooms. If it were not so, would I have told you that I go to prepare a place for you? And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and will take you to myself, that where I am you may be also. And you know the way to where I am going.”

There is a lot to be unpacked in the verses we just read.

We can have 2 responses to all the bad things Jesus listed in the scripture we just read.

We can;

Have Fear - Run from

Excitement - Can’t wait

But wait:

Jesus IS Coming

Rapture dreams are all over the internet. Are you aware? Of course, there are also a lot of people claiming they know the day too. We are not to do that because we cannot know the day or the hour.

Some people quote Joel 2 here, but the context in Joel is referring to after Israel is delivered and Jesus returns.

Does it apply? That’s a great question. What did Peter quote in Acts 2:17-18

Acts 2:17–18 ESV

“ ‘And in the last days it shall be, God declares, that I will pour out my Spirit on all flesh, and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, and your young men shall see visions, and your old men shall dream dreams; even on my male servants and female servants in those days I will pour out my Spirit, and they shall prophesy.

This is directly from Joel 2. Read that whole chapter and then read what Peter said in Acts 2. It may seem out of order from one to the other, but don’t forget that Peter is an Apostle speaking this. Apostles have authority and also experience with walking with Jesus. Peter knew what he was saying and was under the control of the Holy Spirit.

So it applies.

Look at what is happening around us in light of those words. Rapture dreams, prophecy, many Christ’s/Messiah’s, earthquakes, volcanos, Tsunamis, Hurricane, Tornados, plagues (ever heard of Covid, Ebola, hemorrhagic fever) love of others growing cold. Look at the slide.

Signs of Jesus coming or birth-pangs

Many Messiahs, Jesus

Wars

Famines

Earthquakes

Christian Persecution/martyrs

Believers falling away

Betrayal

False Prophets

Lawlessness

. Love grows cold

Jesus IS Coming

Let’s go back to Matthew 24:15-28

Matthew 24:15–28 ESV

“So when you see the abomination of desolation spoken of by the prophet Daniel, standing in the holy place (let the reader understand), then let those who are in Judea flee to the mountains. Let the one who is on the housetop not go down to take what is in his house, and let the one who is in the field not turn back to take his cloak. And alas for women who are pregnant and for those who are nursing infants in those days! Pray that your flight may not be in winter or on a Sabbath. For then there will be great tribulation, such as has not been from the beginning of the world until now, no, and never will be. And if those days had not been cut short, no human being would be saved. But for the sake of the elect those days will be cut short. Then if anyone says to you, ‘Look, here is the Christ!’ or ‘There he is!’ do not believe it. For false christs and false prophets will arise and perform great signs and wonders, so as to lead astray, if possible, even the elect. See, I have told you beforehand. So, if they say to you, ‘Look, he is in the wilderness,’ do not go out. If they say, ‘Look, he is in the inner rooms,’ do not believe it. For as the lightning comes from the east and shines as far as the west, so will be the coming of the Son of Man. Wherever the corpse is, there the vultures will gather.

This passage deals with the tribulation. Read the context and the people it speaks about. It is clear if you know what you are looking for. This is stated again in Revelation word for word.

What is God doing when He repeats Himself?

Something that is little known unless you study theology is that Hebrew prophecy often repeats itself.

Jesus IS Coming

Matthew 24:28–31 ESV

Wherever the corpse is, there the vultures will gather. “Immediately after the tribulation of those days the sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give its light, and the stars will fall from heaven, and the powers of the heavens will be shaken. Then will appear in heaven the sign of the Son of Man, and then all the tribes of the earth will mourn, and they will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of heaven with power and great glory. And he will send out his angels with a loud trumpet call, and they will gather his elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other.

Jesus IS Coming

He is coming in a very public, spectacular, every eye will see, way. There will be no doubt that He/Jesus is back. Everyone will know of His return.

Signs of the last week (Daniel 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.”

Where did you think that part in Matthew came from. Jesus was reciting what He told Daniel through Gabriel. When Jesus told the disciples this He was only a short time away from His crucifixion. The term after 62 weeks included an earlier 7 weeks that was already fulfilled. This was weeks of years Daniel was referring to and on the final day of week 69, Jesus rode in on the back of a young (colt) Donkey. As he rode down the street the people threw palm branches and their cloaks in the road and shouted, “Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord.” The Jews knew the day and were looking for messiah. He showed up and they decided to kill Him because he was not what they thought he should be. Their traditions and manmade interpretations made it so that they did not recognize Him. They jealousy and pride made sure they murdered Him. He was the Prince that was cut off and had nothing.

Do you begin to see the connections?

Are you scared or excited yet?

WHY?

Jesus IS Coming

Let’s finish this morning with lessons from the fig tree.

Matthew 24:32–35 ESV

“From the fig tree learn its lesson: as soon as its branch becomes tender and puts out its leaves, you know that summer is near. So also, when you see all these things, you know that he is near, at the very gates. Truly, I say to you, this generation will not pass away until all these things take place. Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will not pass away.

Who is the fig tree in symbolism? Israel.

What does it mean to become tender and put out leaves?

It begins to grow again, to show life, to get ready to bear fruit.

What is summer?

It is the time of final growth before harvest.

It is usually hot and dry, in some parts of the country.

It is the time many kings went to war.

It is a time when the farmer prepares.

It is the final season before harvest.

What is a generation? It depends on what part you are speaking of.

Oxford Dictionary says: the average period, generally considered to be about thirty years, during which children are born and grow up, become adults, and begin to have children of their own.

The Generation That Will See These Things

A point of significant discussion among scholars and theologians is Jesus' statement, "This generation will not pass away until all these things take place." There are various interpretations of what Jesus meant by "this generation."

Contemporary Generation: Some interpret "this generation" to refer to the generation alive at the time of Jesus. This view suggests that the initial fulfillment of some of the signs occurred within the first century, particularly with the destruction of the Temple in AD 70.

Future Generation: Others believe "this generation" refers to the future generation that will witness the final fulfillment of all the signs, including the return of Christ. This interpretation aligns with the idea that the parable speaks to the ultimate culmination of prophetic events.

Theological Generation: Another perspective is that "this generation" symbolizes the collective group of believers throughout history who will witness the unfolding of God's redemptive plan. This view emphasizes the timeless relevance of Jesus' words to all generations of His followers.

What is the lifespan of a human in a generation?

What does God say about age of a human?

Not as much as we think. In general people only live to be 70 or 80 years old. Psalm 90:10

Psalm 90:10 ESV

The years of our life are seventy, or even by reason of strength eighty; yet their span is but toil and trouble; they are soon gone, and we fly away.

Some will argue it is 120 based on Genesis 6, but based on the context, that is how much longer mankind other than Noah had. That is not an age limitation. We rarely see a person over the age of 100, but they do exist. In some cultures we see claims of 120 plus, caucasus mountain region.

Let’s go with the Psalm interpretation, 70 or 80 years.

When did Isreal become a nation again?

May 14, 1948, that’s 77 years.

What does the scripture say?

Matthew 24:34 “34 Truly, I say to you, this generation will not pass away until all these things take place.”

If you look at the whole, some of the prophecy has been fulfilled, ONCE, but there is still some remaining.

Have you paid attention to the nations calling for Israel’s destruction?

What’s amazing to me is the nations described in Ezekiel 38-39 are the nations calling for Israel to be destroyed.

Hmmm…

I have no idea of the day or the hour. If Jesus didn’t know, I can’t know. I do know this though, he is at the door.

All the world events are lining up.

There is nothing left that has to be fulfilled before Jesus returns except one thing…the last member of the church is born again and the Father says, “Go get your bride.”

The wedding story…

Will you be ready?

Jesus IS Coming