Waiting for the Kingdom

Intro:

This morning starts a series we are doing for Advent. Today’s passage in particular is a fully loaded plate to say the least, and I’m gonna do my best to shrink it down into a digestible meal for us all to think on. Our passage today focuses on the Return of Jesus that is promised to us. It’s something we all most be looking forward to.

Matthew 24:26–28 HCSB

26 So if they tell you, ‘Look, He’s in the wilderness!’ don’t go out; ‘Look, He’s in the inner rooms!’ 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.

Leading up to this passage, and including this passage we receive warnings about false messiahs and prophets. In the middle of a time to come of great crisis in this world, there will be false reports of a secret or a hidden coming of the Messiah. As a way to draw believers away from the true return of Jesus as He has promised He will Return.

We must recognize that in the period of time leading up to Jesus’ return, things are going to get really bad, you’ll see that in a moment, and within the chaos and confusion, some claiming to be the answer, some claiming to bring hope and healing will begin to try to persuade people to follow them. Some will even claim to be able to perform miracles.

Believer’s Bible Commentary B. The Man of Sin (2:3–12)

A miracle indicates supernatural power but not necessarily divine power.

ref 2 Thess 2:9-10 The lawless one comes with false miracles signs and wonders

But Christ’s return will be unmistakable. It will be sudden, it will put the whole world on notice, and it will be amazing! This will starkly contrast some of those claiming His coming in secret. There will be no secret about Jesus’ return friends. When He returns, no corruption and evil in this world will go without Divine Judgement.

Matthew 24:29–31 HCSB

29 “Immediately after the tribulation 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 celestial powers 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.

We are told then that at the close of the Great Tribulation, that the world will witness this great darkness cast over all the world. The Sun itself will be dark, which means of course the moon which is a reflection of the sunlight will also be dark. Even the stars in the sky will be affected by this transition, my friends this time that is yet to come will be terrifying.

Not only will this be terrifying, but listen, all who have rejected Christ the Messiah will mourn at that moment. Especially the twelve tribes of Israel. (Ref Zech 12:10)

Matthew 24:32–35 HCSB

32 “Now learn this parable 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 I assure 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.

What is most important for us to realize from this parable, is that Jesus is stressing the signs signaling His return. Just like the twigs and leaves of a fig tree signal the coming of summer, so also will the signs Jesus shares be a sign of His coming. And He assures us that His Word on these predictions is absolutely accurate with the same authority as the rest of God’s Word.

What am I saying? It’s gonna happen. Jesus wants His disciples to be looking forward to it.

Matthew 24:36–44 HCSB

36 “Now concerning that day and hour no one knows—neither the angels in heaven, nor the Son —except the Father only. 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. So 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 at the 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 also must be ready, because the Son of Man is coming at an hour you do not expect.

What is different in this passage, is before it, the fig tree emphasizes the signs leading up to Jesus’ return, but this one expresses the responses to the signs, and there consequences. You see in this time to come of great terror, when there is literally a cosmic shift going on in this world, people are going to still be living their lives as if nothing is going on. It will be business as usual, people will continue to pursue the things that are most important to them in these last days before Christ returns. Extreme sin and disregard for the Word of God will be everywhere.

This is why we must be ready now, no one knows when this will all take place, but what we do know, is we must be ready for it now.

What is my point today around this Advent Season? I made it super short and easy this week. We can sum this all up into 1 thing we need to be doing now, and forever:

Anticipate the Kingdom Jesus will usher in

Anticipation, what do I mean?

Illustration: Friend treating a woman with possible heart attack. “Going Home”

When our lives are lead in anticipation of the Kingdom to Come when Jesus returns, we will see action in our lives also. A person that knows the end is near tends to take it seriously. What Jesus doesn’t want us doing, is waiting to the last moment, you don’t know when that will be.

The time is right now to be right with the Lord, and with others if you are carrying unforgiveness and bitterness over someone else. The time is now if you’ve been wanting to get involved more in serving the Lord through whatever gifts and talents He’s given to you.

Those in Christ Jesus need not fear His return, but instead celebrate it as a reality. This will happen, and sometimes the reason people aren’t anticipating His return, is because they don’t understand what His Kingdom will look like.

Micah 4:1–8 HCSB

1 In the last days the mountain of the Lord’s house will be established at the top of the mountains and will be raised above the hills. Peoples will stream to it, 2 and many nations will come and say, “Come, let us go up to the mountain of the Lord, to the house of the God of Jacob. He will teach us about His ways so we may walk in His paths.” For instruction will go out of Zion and the word of the Lord from Jerusalem. 3 He will settle disputes among many peoples and provide arbitration for strong nations that are far away. They will beat their swords into plows, and their spears into pruning knives. Nation will not take up the sword against nation, and they will never again train for war. 4 But each man will sit under his grapevine and under his fig tree with no one to frighten him. For the mouth of the Lord of Hosts has promised this. 5 Though all the peoples each walk in the name of their gods, we will walk in the name of Yahweh our God forever and ever. 6 On that day— this is the Lord’s declaration— I will assemble the lame and gather the scattered, those I have injured. 7 I will make the lame into a remnant, those far removed into a strong nation. Then the Lord will rule over them in Mount Zion from this time on and forever. 8 And you, watchtower for the flock, fortified hill of Daughter Zion, the former rule will come to you, sovereignty will come to Daughter Jerusalem.

Listen, the Kingdom we are waiting for, is a kingdom with no Wars, that means no wars of nations, no Wars of cultures, No wars of Religion, No wars of Race. Hey, even no wars of Politics, will all have only one on the Throne ruling over everyone! That my friends is something to anticipate.

This Christmas season we celebrate remembering this first coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. It’s an awesome time of year. But remember He’s coming back, and we need to be ready and waiting for it!