Jesus Coming Soon

Jesus Coming Soon Matthew 16:24-28

As we examine our text today, lets begin in v21

Matthew 16:21–28  “ From that time Jesus began to show to His disciples that He must go to Jerusalem, and suffer many things from the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and be raised the third day. 22 Then Peter took Him aside and began to rebuke Him, saying, “Far be it from You, Lord; this shall not happen to You!” 23 But He turned and said to Peter, “Get behind Me, Satan! You are an offense to Me, for you are not mindful of the things of God, but the things of men.” 24 Then Jesus said to His disciples, “If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me. 25 For whoever desires to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake will find it. 26 For what profit is it to a man if he gains the whole world, and loses his own soul? Or what will a man give in exchange for his soul? 27 For the Son of Man will come in the glory of His Father with His angels, and then He will reward each according to his works. 28 Assuredly, I say to you, there are some standing here who shall not taste death till they see the Son of Man coming in His kingdom.””

We’ll look at vv24-28 - break it apart into two sections - The Follow (24-26) and The Reward (27-28)

The Follow (24-26)

Matthew 16:24–26 

24 Then Jesus said to His disciples, “If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me. 

A powerful verse, filled with a guarantee and promise of this statement is mind blowing. Because some would tell you that humanity is fallen. True. That we are incapable of saving ourselves, also true. Some would say incapable of desiring or even asking for help, according to Jesus, not true.

Why would I say that? He literally says (with implication of the possibility), if anyone desires.

many want to follow, to be like Jesus travel with him. But we want to do it according to our own desires. But to desire to truly follow him, requires giving up your what? LIFE.

What does it mean to come after Jesus? What does it mean to deny ones self?

The Wuest translation says, “let him forget self and lose sight of his own interests,” if we are focused on our selves, we cant look to Him. Wiersbe said, “Denying self is not the same as self-denial. We practice self-denial when, for a good purpose, we occasionally give up things or activities. But we deny self when we surrender ourselves to Christ and determine to obey His will.” (Wiersbe, commentary on Mark)

If I am not following, I can’t go where He is leading. Now, I know he says as you go in Matt 28, but listen, if we are in Him, where he leads, we will follow (As we go).

Peter, wanted to direct Jesus. To keep Jesus from completing the work of God. Jesus came to die. To stand in the way of that is to stand in the way of God. Jesus says you have to get in line. That we all have to die to how we think we would follow Christ.

25 For (because) whoever desires to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake will find it. 

Because we must die to ourselves, you cannot selfishly hold onto your life. If you are about conserving your own goals and ambitions above that of Gods plans and provisions, you will lose/forfeit/ruin.

We know that we can have much in this world. We can have it all. But I would posit that if there is a real heaven, a real hell, and your soul will spend an eternity in one or the other, there is nothing

Be certain, to follow Jesus is to go to certain death.

26 For (Because) what profit is it to a man if he gains the whole world, and loses his own soul? Or what will a man give in exchange for his soul?

What would escaping an eternity in hell be worth? Hell, Jesus’ analogies and descriptions of Hell as a literal existence.

Jesus said it would be better to gouge out your eye, cut off your hand, better to enter heaven maimed than to enter hell whole. (most consider hyperbole for the sake of but also seems)

Outer darkness where you will weep and gnash your teeth, in terror and maddening anger. Matthew 8:12, your life is destroyed everlastingly. You will destroyed, losing everything good (including God) forever. 2 Thessalonians 1:7–9  “ and to give you who are troubled rest with us when the Lord Jesus is revealed from heaven with His mighty angels, 8 in flaming fire taking vengeance on those who do not know God, and on those who do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ. 9 These shall be punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of His power,”

Luke 16:19-31 the rich man was conscious, and very aware of the torments he experienced. Don't and I repeat don't think that you can just dodge at the last second. Torments with fire & brimstone, everlasting fire, the smoke (signs of punishment) shall be evident and rise forever and ever.

You cant do it, no other can do it for you but Him.

Jesus had to do it, because no man can. Psalm 49:6–9  “ Those who trust in their wealth And boast in the multitude of their riches, 7 None of them can by any means redeem his brother, Nor give to God a ransom for him— 8 For the redemption of their souls is costly, And it shall cease forever— 9 That he should continue to live eternally, And not see the Pit.” NO ONE can ever pay for eternal life because it requires an eternal price to be paid. WHICH JESUS PAID!

To truly believe in Jesus, is to follow Jesus, to join in. Its like joining a gym. You can pay the fees, do the tour, see what its like, etc. but until you actually go work out, you don’t have the experience.

Paul would write Ephesians 2:4–6  “ But God, who is rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us, 5 even when we were dead (you’re giving up death) in trespasses (wages sin), made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved), 6 and raised us up together, and made us sit together in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus,”

The Reward (27-28)

Matthew 16:27–28 

27 For (because) the Son of Man will come in the glory of His Father with His angels, and then He will reward each according to his works. 

You should come to the cross because the Son of Man (Jesus) is coming back. Jesus is gonna say in Matthew 24:30–31. “Then the sign of the Son of Man will appear in heaven” Brethren, this is on the way.

And friends, if you really ponder about this, when you think for a moment of the wrath that will be poured out on this earth (its coming) you would run to the cross.

The 4 horsemen of the apocalypse, war, death, disease, famine and then Revelation 6:7–8  “ When He opened the fourth seal, I heard the voice of the fourth living creature saying, “Come and see.” 8 So I looked, and behold, a pale horse. And the name of him who sat on it was Death, and Hades followed with him. And power was given to them over a fourth of the earth, to kill with sword, with hunger, with death, and by the beasts of the earth.” And thats just the beginning.

Reward according to his (peoples) works. How you lived, what you practiced. You can claim Christ, but listen, if you live like the devil, you can be sure of who you’re following.

I am not saying that we are saved by works. But that by our practices, our works we show what we believe.

28 Assuredly, I say to you, there are some standing here who shall not taste death till they see the Son of Man coming in His kingdom.”

Now, we’ll examine that statement, I would ask you to be patient as I really do think it belongs to the Transfiguration we see in 17:1-13.

some have said that it refers to John the Apostle seeing the Revelation of Jesus Christ.

Don’t get confused that this is the second coming though it is, because whats about to happen is a picture of the glory of His return.

Don't get confused also that suffering we are called to, and not suffering the things of the world either (cancer, job, etc). Thats what we all go through. But suffering for the cause of Christ, for the testimony of His grace, where you risk something sharing Jesus. Giving your life for His sake.

Its not just death and suffering. Its seeing a glorified Christ, healings, love, power, and coming into a real living relationship with the Living God.

In Closing

Romans 6:5–11 

“For if we have been united together in the likeness of His death, certainly we also shall be in the likeness of His resurrection, 6 knowing this, (3 things) that our old man was crucified with Him, that the body of sin might be done away with, that we should no longer be slaves of sin. 7 For (because) he who has died has been freed from sin. 8 Now if we died with Christ, (thats the question) we believe that we shall also live with Him, 9 knowing that Christ, having been raised from the dead, dies no more. Death no longer has dominion over Him. 10 For the death that He died, He died to sin once for all; but the life that He lives, He lives to God. 11 Likewise you also, (if we died with Christ) reckon yourselves to be dead indeed to sin, but alive to God in Christ Jesus our Lord.”

That word reckon is calculate to figure it out. Have you figured out the TRUTH, the only WAY to permanent LIFE, is in the one who is there already? The only one that could pay that price for your eternity.

Would you receive it? You can have eternal life, right now, in Him.

Figure out that you need to truly spiritually die to this world. That is found, completely, wholly, totally in Him.