Sermon Tone Analysis

You may recall from the Genesis account, the story of Noah and the flood.

After the waters had receded Noah sent out a dove.

At first the dove could find a place to perch, and so it returned to the ark.

About a week later Noah sent the dove out again, and this time it brought back in it’s mouth a fig leaf, which indicated that the ground was nearly dry enough for them to leave.

The final time Noah sent out the dove, it did not return.

Based on the title for today’s message you might be tempted to think that I plan to study this incident.

But that would be wrong.

(After writing about this I checked the account and found that it was an olive leaf and not a fig leaf!).

Actually, the reason for the title is simply that I had to provide a title to our “secretary” by Wednesday morning, because she was leaving town on Thursday morning.

And at that time I hadn’t a clue as to how I was going to present this text yet.

If you have not done so yet, please turn in your Bible to .

We are continuing on in our study of the Olivet Discourse, and in this section Jesus mentioned both an olive tree, and Noah — hence the title.

But the real thrust of our message is going to be on certainty and uncertainty.

If had waited until the end of the week to give this message a title I would have titled it FOR CERTAIN & FOR SURE!

Though many things are uncertain from a human perspective, from God's perspective all things are for certain and for sure.

Let’s read our passage together.

The first thing I want you to note is that

There is No Uncertainty with God

Just think about how uncertainty affects the stock market.

Uncertainty is a uniquely human trait

Uncertainty is spawned by fear of the unknown

The stock market is a perfect example of fear of the unknown

Though there are many things in life which mere mortals are uncertain of, there are several things of which believers can be certain.

Let’s consider

MATTERS OF CERTAINTY:

First, let’s note

The Certainty of Christ’s Return

Look with me at verses 32-34.

I am one who believes in the beauty of simplicity.

And Jesus, once again, shows His mastery by using a simple analogy to drive home the point of His teaching to the apostles.

Fig trees were as common in 1st Century Palestine, as corn fields and soy bean fields are in 21st Century Lenawee County

This generation

Possibly the generation of the apostles

Possibly the generation that experiences the Tribulation Period

Could it be a double fulfillment prophecy?

All these things:

Things spoken of in verses 4-31

Birth Pangs (vs.

4-5)

False Teachers

Rumors of Wars

Tribulation (vs.

10-13)

Worldwide Proclamation of the Gospel (vs.

14)

The Abomination of Desolation (vs.

15-23)

Accompanied by false signs and wonders (vs.

24)

Be prepared for:

The kingdom is near (vs.

33)

He = It

The kingdom and the person of Christ are so linked together that they are almost synonomous

The King will come unexpectedly

This is the thrust of

The King might come at any time () — our present text

The King might come after He is expected () — the parable of the faithless slave

The King might come before He is expected () — the parable of the ten virgins

Though this exhortation for preparation is for those who either lived in the first century, or for those who will live through the horrors of the Tribulation Period, still it should give us pause today to reflect on how we should prepare.

Preparation commences with salvation

Preparation continues with sanctification

Preparation concludes with glorification

As we sang this morning, Jesus’ Return is for certain and for sure.

But that is not the only thing that the believer can count on being for certain and for sure.

Next, let’s note

The Certainty of the Passing Away of all of Creation

Look with me at the first phrase of verse 35.

Peter wrote:

Next, let’s note

The Certainty of the Eternality of God’s Word

Look again at verse 35.

The OT gives witness to the enternality of God’s Word:

Next, let’s note

The Certainty of the Deity of Christ

There are a couple of things we should say regarding verse 36.

First, there is a small textual difference between the Greek manuscripts which Erasmus compiled — The Textus Receptus — and the Greek texts which most modern translations use.

The KJV and NKJV which are based on The Textus Receptus do not contain the phrase “nor the Son.”

However, does.

D. A. Carson notes that while the omission may have been prompted by the doctrinal difficulty presented by the words, it is … surprising that has not suffered similar distortion.”

In other words, while theologians in the early days of the church, beginning with the 2nd century, argued over the deity of Christ, some well meaning scribes removed this statement from later copies of the Greek text, hoping to strengthen the argument for Christ’s deity.