Live Ready, Matthew 24

Jesus tells the parable of the Vinyard owner, in which Jesus says. “Therefore, I tell you, the kingdom of heaven will be taken away from you and given to a people producing its fruit.”

Matthew 22

Jesus tells the parable of the wedding banquet where those who were originally invited to the banquet are replaced with those who said yes to the invitation to come. The one who showed up at the banquet on his own and apart from the invitation was throw into the outer darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.

Matthew 23

Jesus warns the Pharisees and those who follow them with a series of woes against their hypocrisy. Matthew 23:37–39 (CSB) says, 37 “Jerusalem, Jerusalem, who kills the prophets and stones those who are sent to her. How often I wanted to gather your children together, as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, but you were not willing! 38 See, your house is left to you desolate. 39 For I tell you, you will not see me again until you say, ‘Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord’!”

Jesus tells them that their house will he desolate, empty, fruitless. Through Matthew’s Gospel he has been building toward this pivotal moment in the ministry and life of Jesus. Because Jesus has been so forthright in predicting the destruction and desolation of Israel, the disciples are interested in understanding clearly what He was talking about.

The idea of the house of God empty and desolate went against their understanding of the Messiah and His reign. The temple was of great significance to the people of Israel. The temple is where they went to atone for their sins, it was where the Lord came to meet with His people. If the temple was desolate then they would not be atoning for their sin through their sacrifices and offerings. If there was no temple then where would God meet with His people?

With Matthew 23:37-38 ringing in their ears they wanted to know more about the coming judgment of God on Israel.

As they left the crowd and the temple the disciples began asking Jesus questions. Matthew 24:1-2 (CSB) says, “As Jesus left and was going out of the temple, his disciples came up and called his attention to its buildings. 2 He replied to them, ‘Do you see all these things? Truly I tell you, not one stone will be left here on another that will not be thrown down.’”

Jesus responds to their conversation about the temple and its buildings with the prediction of the temple’s destruction.

Now, the big picture of Matthew helps us to see that Jesus is warning Israel of its impending judgment. And, knowing the context of the bigger picture helps us to make sense of the rest of Matthew 24. There are a few different interpretations that you may hear when this passage is preached and taught. And, my goal today is to present our passage in its biblical context so we can best apply it to our lives and church in 2021.

In its immediate context we can see pretty clearly that Matthew 24:1-2 flows from the bigger picture of the impending punishment of Israel. And, in Matthew 24:2 we see that Jesus clarifies for the disciples that God will punish Israel with the total destruction the temple in Jerusalem. Jesus points to all “these things” and we know that He means the temple and its buildings because of the rest of what He says. Jesus motions to “these things” and then says that “not one stone will be left here on another…”

A little while after this exchange coming out of the temple the disciples approached Jesus in private. Matthew 24:3 says, “3 While he was sitting on the Mount of Olives, the disciples approached him privately and said, ‘Tell us, when will these things happen? And what is the sign of your coming and of the end of the age?’”

Remember our context is Jesus’ warning of the impending punishment of Israel for its hypocrisy and rejection of the Messiah. The punishment will be the destruction of the temple. In addition to now knowing that the temple would be destroyed, we see that they understood Jesus would leave them and then one day return to them at the end of all things.

The disciples assumed that the destruction of the temple and the end of the age would be at the same time. But, as we will see here in Jesus’ reply that was and is not the case.

As Sam Storms points out, “Jesus responds with two crucial answers: First, he tells them when the Temple will be destroyed, but, second, he also tells them that, contrary to their expectations, his second coming and the end of the age are not to occur at that time (i.e., not at the same time as the destruction of the Temple).”

1. These are not the signs

Matthew 24:4-14

4 Jesus replied to them, “Watch out that no one deceives you. 5 For many will come in my name, saying, ‘I am the Messiah,’ and they will deceive many. 6 You are going to hear of wars and rumors of wars. See that you are not alarmed, because these things must take place, but the end is not yet. 7 For nation will rise up against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. There will be famines, and earthquakes in various places. 8 All these events are the beginning of labor pains.

9 “Then they will hand you over to be persecuted, and they will kill you. You will be hated by all nations because of my name. 10 Then many will fall away, betray one another, and hate one another. 11 Many false prophets will rise up and deceive many. 12 Because lawlessness will multiply, the love of many will grow cold. 13 But the one who endures to the end will be saved. 14 This good news of the kingdom will be proclaimed in all the world as a testimony to all nations, and then the end will come.

As verse 8 says, all these events are the beginning of labor pains, but they are not the signs of the destruction of Jerusalem or the second coming of Jesus.

These verses characterize the conditions that would mark the time (33 to 70 AD) between the ascension of Jesus back to heaven and the signal that Israel’s collapse was at hand.

These times would be increasingly difficult for Jerusalem. Both for Jews and for Christians. During this time there would be many who fall away and many false prophets. But, even though this can be characteristic of our day as well, Jesus was talking about how it would be leading up to the destruction of the temple, not the end of the world.

2. This is the sign of the destruction of Jerusalem and Israel

Matthew 24:15

15 “So when you see the abomination of desolation, spoken of by the prophet Daniel, standing in the holy place” (let the reader understand)”

The disciples asked Jesus when will these things happen, and in this verse Jesus tells them clearly that these things are about to happen when they see “the abomination of desolation”

Matthew is writing to a largely Jewish audience, and he uses the term abomination of desolation which would have been familiar to his readers. “The Abomination of Desolation is referred to 4x in Daniel 8:13; 9:27; 11:31; 12:11. The first and immediate reference was to the Syrian king Antiochus who ruled over Palestine in 175-65 b.c.” (Sam Storms)

These references in the book of Daniel, combined with what Luke writes in 21:20 help us to make sense of what to look for. Luke writes, 20 “When you see Jerusalem surrounded by armies, then recognize that its desolation has come near.”

In the same way that Daniel referred to the armies of their enemies, Jesus is predicting that the fall of Israel is connected to the fall of the temple at the hands of their enemies. As Jesus says, when you see the enemy in the temple, run and flee for your safety.

Matthew 24:16-22

16 “then those in Judea must flee to the mountains. 17 A man on the housetop must not come down to get things out of his house, 18 and a man in the field must not go back to get his coat. 19 Woe to pregnant women and nursing mothers in those days! 20 Pray that your escape may not be in winter or on a Sabbath. 21 For at that time there will be great distress,, the kind that hasn’t taken place from the beginning of the world until now and never will again. 22 Unless those days were cut short, no one would be saved. But those days will be cut short because of the elect.

When the abomination of desolation is seen in the temple, they are to run because the destruction of Israel is imminent. Jesus is answering the disciples question concerning the desolation and destruction of the temple. But, what about the second question about His second coming? When you see this passage in its context you see clearly that the destruction of the temple and the destruction of Israel are not connected to the second return of Christ. Jesus clarifies in Matthew 23:23-28 that His second coming will not be associated with the destruction of the temple and Israel.

Matthew 24:23-28

23 “If anyone tells you then, ‘See, here is the Messiah!’ or, ‘Over here!’ do not believe it. 24 For false messiahs and false prophets will arise and perform great signs and wonders to lead astray, if possible, even the elect. 25 Take note: I have told you in advance. 26 So if they tell you, ‘See, he’s in the wilderness!’ don’t go out; or, ‘See, he’s in the storerooms!’ do not believe it. 27 For as the lightning comes from the east and flashes as far as the west, so will be the coming of the Son of Man. 28 Wherever the carcass is, there the vultures will gather.

In the same way that Jesus tells of the warning signs that precede the destruction of the temple and Israel, He tells us that His second coming will come without warning.

3. There is no warning sign, but there is certainty.

29 “Immediately after the distress of those days, the sun will be darkened, and the moon will not shed its light; the stars will fall from the sky, and the powers of the heavens will be shaken. 30 Then the sign of the Son of Man will appear in the sky, and then all the peoples of the earth will mourn; and they will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of heaven with power and great glory. 31 He will send out his angels with a loud trumpet, and they will gather his elect from the four winds, from one end of the sky to the other. 32 “Learn this lesson from the fig tree: As soon as its branch becomes tender and sprouts leaves, you know that summer is near. 33 In the same way, when you see all these things, recognize that he is near—at the door. 34 Truly I tell you, this generation will certainly not pass away until all these things take place. 35 Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will never pass away.

Luke records this same teaching in Luke 21:24–25 (CSB). He writes, “24 They will be killed by the sword, and be led captive into all the nations, and Jerusalem will be trampled by the Gentiles, until the times of the Gentiles are fulfilled. 25 “Then there will be signs in the sun, moon, and stars; and there will be anguish on the earth among nations bewildered by the roaring of the sea and the waves.”

Verses 29-35 tell us that there are no signs like the ones that preceded the fall of Israel. The signs of second coming of Christ accompany His return.

This why we can say there is no sign, but there is certainty. Jesus says in Matthew 24:35 “Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will never pass away.”

The promise of Jesus is certain, but by the time you see the sign it will be too late.

So, when people tell you that the current events of our world mean that Jesus is about to come back… you should know that Jesus said otherwise. Jesus said that He will return, but that His signs signal He is here, not that He is coming. The birth pains Jesus spoke of were preceding the destruction of the temple and Jerusalem.

The rumors, wars, earthquakes, etc will all occur until Jesus returns. And when the time is fulfilled He will return immediately, not progressively. When Jesus predicted the fall of the temple He told them what to watch for, and when they say the sign He told them to run for safety before they were destroyed.

But, because of how He will return… like a thief, lightning, immediately, Jesus tells us to live ready.

4. Live ready

Mathew 24:36-51 says,

36 “Now concerning that day and hour no one knows—neither the angels of heaven nor the Son—except the Father alone. 37 As the days of Noah were, so the coming of the Son of Man will be. 38 For in those days before the flood they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day Noah boarded the ark. 39 They didn’t know until the flood came and swept them all away. This is the way the coming of the Son of Man will be. 40 Then two men will be in the field; one will be taken and one left. 41 Two women will be grinding grain with a hand mill; one will be taken and one left. 42 Therefore be alert, since you don’t know what day your Lord is coming. 43 But know this: If the homeowner had known what time the thief was coming, he would have stayed alert and not let his house be broken into. 44 This is why you are also to be ready, because the Son of Man is coming at an hour you do not expect.

45 “Who then is a faithful and wise servant, whom his master has put in charge of his household, to give them food at the proper time? 46 Blessed is that servant whom the master finds doing his job when he comes. 47 Truly I tell you, he will put him in charge of all his possessions. 48 But if that wicked servant says in his heart, ‘My master is delayed,’ 49 and starts to beat his fellow servants, and eats and drinks with drunkards, 50 that servant’s master will come on a day he does not expect him and at an hour he does not know. 51 He will cut him to pieces and assign him a place with the hypocrites, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.

God doesn’t tell us to be ready with our boarding pass. He tells us to live ready.

Like when the flood came… Noah and his family were on the boat when the rain came. They didn’t go running for the boat at the first drop. God had them board the ark before it began to rain.

There is a huge difference between keeping your boarding pass on you at all times and being faithful to God in all things. The pharisees and other leaders were not ready when Jesus arrived on the scene. They had wandered away from the Word of God, and like those who came before them they rejected God’s messenger and killed them. ‘

They had already done this to John the Baptist, and now they are just days away from crucifying Jesus. The Pharisees lived with their ancestry in hand, as if Abraham’s faith was their boarding pass into eternity. But, we know in Scripture that Abraham’s faith was credited to him as righteousness. This means that righteousness is credited to those who have faith, not those who come from certain families. It also means that righteousness is not the result of works, but of grace… it is a gift of God so that no man can boast about his accomplishments.

The Pharisees were living as they saw fit, and when Christ came they crucified Him like the characters in the stories that Jesus told to them. Jesus tells us that we are to be ready in the way that we are living.

The imagery Jesus gives of His second coming leaves no room for hesitation today. When He comes again it will be swift, it will be final, it will be too late. Jesus calls us to live ready for His return at any moment… Living ready serves to help us know what to do and what not to do.

For instance, when you are tempted to sin you can ask yourself, do I want to be found doing this when Jesus returns? Or, do I want to be found here in this place, in this moment when Jesus returns? But, living ready is more than just a helpful defense against temptation… Living ready is also a direction on what do be doing as well.

Living Ready is being faithful to God in all things and being found faithful to Him when Jesus returns.

Jesus calls us to live ready by being alert and doing the job that God has given to us when He returns.

Living Ready:

1. Loving God with all that you are and all that you have

2. Growing with others in love, faith, unity, and grace

3. Living Sent by sharing the good news of Jesus Christ through your words and actions

Living ready is not something you can put on a shelf and grab when Jesus returns. Living ready is here and now

Living ready is what we do until He returns

Living ready is motivated by the love and grace of God and aims at the glory of God