Watching the Signs, Welcoming the savior
mt. 24:1-35
Sermon Introduction
Hurricane Jeanne – watching the signs, waiting for the hurricane. Not fascination, but preparation and anticipation.
The
amount of energy produced by a typical hurricane in just a single day is about
the same as the entire electric energy production of the
Text
Matthew 24:1-35 (ESV)
Prop: God has given us signs of His sons immenent
return. This is Not that we would have a
fascination with signs but for the purposes of Understanding, preparation and
anticipation. We are to prepare and anticipate the appearing of our great hope,
our lord and savior – Jesus Christ Himself.
Are you watching the signs and waiting for the Savior?
Introduction and
Exegetical Assumptions
Outline:
|
The Setting |
Verses 1-3 |
|
General Descriptions of
the Signs |
Verses 4-14 |
|
A Notable Sign: The Fall
of |
Verses 15-21 |
|
The Signs of False Christs |
Verses 22-28 |
|
The Coming of the Son of
Man |
Verses 29-31 |
|
The Significance of the
Signs |
Verses 32-35 |
Acts 2:17-21 (ESV)
17 “ ‘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; 18 even on my male servants and
female servants in those days I will pour out my Spirit, and they shall
prophesy. 19 And I will show wonders in the heavens above and signs
on the earth below, blood, and fire, and vapor of smoke; 20 the sun
shall be turned to darkness and the moon to blood, before the day of the Lord
comes, the great and magnificent day. 21 And it shall come to pass
that everyone who calls upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.’
1.
Watching the
signs.
Preach the gospel.
So the signs are given to keep Christians from being surprised by these remarkable events, to assure then that God knows them all in advance, and to keep them from following after alleged messiahs who do not come in the dramatic, visible, world-conquering way in which Jesus himself will come. But the signs are never given to make us think, “Jesus couldn’t come for a few years.” There is no indication that Jesus gave these things in order to provide Christians with a reason not to be ready for his return or in order to encourage them not to expect that he could come at any time!
Wayne Grudem,
1.1.
The Fall of
Matthew 24:15-21 (ESV)
15 “So when you see the abomination of desolation spoken of by the
prophet Daniel, standing in the holy place (let the reader understand), 16
then let those who are in
Eusebius. He says that as the Romans approached the city, "The people belonging to the church at Jerusalem had been ordered by an oracle revealed to approved men on the spot before the war broke out, to leave the city and dwell in a town of Peraea called Pella" (EH III:5).
"No one," says Josephus, "can conceive a louder, more terrible shriek, than arose from all sides during the burning of the temple. The shout of victory and the jubilee of the legions sounded through the wailing of the people, now surrounded with fire and sword, upon the mountain, and throughout the city. The echo from all the mountains around, even to Perea (?), increased the deafening roar. Yet the misery itself was more terrible than this disorder. The hill on which the temple stood was seething hot, and seemed enveloped to its base in one sheet of flame. The blood was larger in quantity than the fire, and those that were slain were more in number than those that slew them. The ground was nowhere visible. All was covered with corpses ; over these heaps the soldiers pursued the fugitives." The Romans planted their eagles on the shapeless ruins, over against the eastern gate, offered their sacrifices to them, and proclaimed Titus Imperator with the greatest acclamations of joy. Thus was fulfilled the prophecy concerning the abomination of desolation standing in the holy place." (Philip Schaff, vol. 1 pp. 397-398).
1.2.
Wars, Earthquakes
and Famine
Matthew 24:1-35 (ESV)
6 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. 7 For
nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom, and there will be
famines and earthquakes in various places. 8 All these are but the
beginning of the birth pains
Number of wars 20th Century.
one arrives at a result of between 214 and 226 million politically caused deaths for the entire 20th century.6,7
Milton Leitenberg, Center for International and Security
Studies,
See that you are not alarmed, for this must take place, but the end is not yet.
Psalm 46
7 The Lord of hosts is with us; the God of Jacob is our fortress. Selah 8 Come, behold the works of the Lord, how he has brought desolations on the earth. 9 He makes wars cease to the end of the earth; he breaks the bow and shatters the spear; he burns the chariots with fire. 10 “Be still, and know that I am God. I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth!” 11 The Lord of hosts is with us; the God of Jacob is our fortress.
1.3.
Persecution
Matthew 24:1-35 (ESV)
8 All these are but the beginning of the birth pains. 9 “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. 1
1.4.
Apostasy
Matthew 24:1-35 (ESV)
10 And then many will fall away and betray one another and hate one
another. 11 And many false prophets will arise and lead many astray.
12 And because lawlessness will be increased, the love of many will
grow cold. 13 But the one who endures to the end will be saved.
· False Christ’s leading people away.
· The reality of people falling away
When in many European countries today, countries which have known the gospel for centuries, people stay away from the church in droves – surely this is apostasy. When many so-called Christian leaders, both in Europe and America, deny cardinal teachings of ht eBible like the bodily resurrection of Christ and still claim to be Christian theologians – surely this is apostasy. When preachers proclaim myths instead of facts, existentialist philosophy instead of Christian theology, humanism instead of the truth of the gospel – surely this is apostasy… we must always be ready, praying for grace that we may continue to stand fast in the faith.
Hoekema, The Bible and the Future, p. 154
1.5.
False Prophets /False
Christs/AntiChrist/
Matthew 24:1-35 (ESV)
4 And Jesus answered them, “See that no one leads you astray. 5
For many will come in my name, saying, ‘I am the Christ,’ and they will
lead many astray…………… 11 And many false prophets will arise and lead
many astray. ……………………..23 Then if anyone says to you, ‘Look, here is
the Christ!’ or ‘There he is!’ do not believe it. 24 For false
christs and false prophets will arise and perform great signs and wonders, so
as to lead astray, if possible, even the elect. 25 See, I have told
you beforehand. 26 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. 27 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. 28 Wherever
the corpse is, there the vultures will gather. 29 “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. 30 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. 31 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.
2 Thessalonians 2:1-12
(ESV)
1 Now concerning the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ and our being
gathered together to him, we ask you, brothers, 2 not to be quickly
shaken in mind or alarmed, either by a spirit or a spoken word, or a letter
seeming to be from us, to the effect that the day of the Lord has come. 3 Let
no one deceive you in any way. For that day will not come, unless the rebellion
comes first, and the man of lawlessness is revealed, the son of destruction, 4
who opposes and exalts himself against every so-called god or object of
worship, so that he takes his seat in the temple of God, proclaiming himself to
be God. 5 Do you not remember that when I was still with you I told
you these things? 6 And you know what is restraining him now so that
he may be revealed in his time. 7 For the mystery of lawlessness is
already at work. Only he who now restrains it will do so until he is out of the
way. 8 And then the lawless one will be revealed, whom the Lord
Jesus will kill with the breath of his mouth and bring to nothing by the
appearance of his coming. 9 The coming of the lawless one is by the
activity of Satan with all power and false signs and wonders, 10 and
with all wicked deception for those who are perishing, because they refused to
love the truth and so be saved. 11 Therefore God sends them a strong
delusion, so that they may believe what is false, 12 in order that
all may be condemned who did not believe the truth but had pleasure in
unrighteousness.
1.6.
Proclamation of
the Gospel to the Nations
Matthew 24:1-35 (ESV)
13 But the one who endures to the end will be saved. 14 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.
The missionary preaching of the gospel to all the nations is, in fact, the outstanding and most characteristic sign of the times. It gives to the present age its primary meaning and purpose. The period between Christ’s first and second coming is the missionary age par excellence. This is a time of grace, a time when God invites and urges al men to be saved.
Hoekema, The Bible and the Future, 138
Oh my brothers and sisters in Christ, if sinners will be dammed, at least let them leap to hell over our bodies and if they will perish, let them perish with our arms about their knees, imploring them to stay, and not madly destroy themselves. If hell must be filed, at least let it be filled in the teeth of our exertions, and let not one go there unwarned and unprayed for.
Charles Hadddon Spurgeon
Reading obituaries.
Stats. Overhead
Has the gospel been preached to all nations? Probably not, since there are many language groups and tribes that have still never heard the gospel. It is unlikely , therefore, that his sign has been fulfilled.
Grudem, ibid.
1.7.
Cosmic Cataclysm
Matthew 24:1-35 (ESV)
28 Wherever the corpse is, there the vultures will gather. 29 “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. 30 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. 31
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.
Some huge signs! The final signs!
The trumpet call!
The gathering!
The joy there!!!!!
Buried in
It is unlikely but possible that the signs have already been fulfilled, and therefore we simply cannot know with certainty at any point in history whether a ll the signs have been fulfilled or not.
Wayne Grudem,
They are indications that God is working out his purpose in history. When they occur, we are not to become fearful, but are to accept them as the birthpangs for a better world.
Hoekema, 163
2.
Waiting for
Christ’s Return
2.1.
Watching Out For
False Christs, Preaching the Gospel
Empty headed credulity is as great an enemy of true faith as chronic skepticism. Christian faith involves the sober responsibility of neither believing lies nor trusting imposters.
DA Carson
Philemon 6 (ESV)
6 and I pray that the sharing of your faith may become effective for
the full knowledge of every good thing that is in us for the sake of Christ.
….., for they live as if Christianity were all eating the fat and drinking the sweet and not serving at all—as if religion had many privileges but no precepts and, as if, when men were saved, they became licensed loiterers to whom it is a matter of honor to magnify Free Grace by standing idle all day in the market place. Alas, I know some who never do a hand’s turn for Christ and yet call Him Master and Lord! Many of us acknowledge that we are servants—that everything we have belongs to our Master and that we are bound to live for Him. So far, so good. But we may get as far as that and yet, in the end, we may be found unprofitable servants and so be cast into outer darkness where shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth. Let us take heed of this.
Spurgeon
2.2.
Preparing for
Persecution, Trial and Tribulation
Job 13:15a (ESV)
15 Though he slay me, I will hope in him;
2.3.
Avoiding
Lawlessness, Keeping Your Love Warm, Enduring to the End
2 Timothy 3:1-10 (ESV)
1 But understand this, that in the last days there will come times
of difficulty. 2 For people will be lovers of self, lovers of money,
proud, arrogant, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy, 3
heartless, unappeasable, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, not
loving good, 4 treacherous, reckless, swollen with conceit, lovers
of pleasure rather than lovers of God, 5 having the appearance of
godliness, but denying its power. Avoid such people.
10 You, however, have followed my teaching, my conduct, my aim in life, my faith, my patience, my love, my steadfastness,
The basis for our joining together as members
of King of Grace Church is our relationship with God the Father through the
work of his son Jesus Christ communicated to us by the Holy Spirit.
As a member of King of
• I will rejoice in the grace of God,
privately and corporately giving thanks to our heavenly Father for the
sacrifice of his son Jesus, for the forgiveness of our sins, and for the gift
of the Holy Spirit who empowers us to believe and to live for the glory of God.
• I will live together with my brothers and
sisters in love, just as God has loved us. I will seek their good through
forming relationships that promote holiness, discipleship, worship, and sound
doctrine.
• I will care for my brothers and sisters in
Christ in distress, sickness, and poverty.
• I will not neglect to meet together in
corporate worship and in small group fellowship in those contexts that the
church provides.
• I will devote myself to the study of
Scripture and to prayer both privately and in the corporate setting.
• I will seek to grow in the grace and
knowledge of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ through seeking progressive
growth in holiness through the application of the means of grace as taught in
Scripture.
• I will seek to advance the proclamation of
the gospel through those relationships God has afforded me in my family, my
workplace, and my community, and support those whom the church sends to
proclaim the gospel beyond our locale.
• I will participate in the ministry of my
church through regular giving of my time, effort, and finances.
• I will pursue conciliation when offense
occurs between me and another member, and I will reject all opportunities to
speak or to hear gossip or slander.
• I will watch out for church members and
admonish anyone whose practice of sin requires it. If a church member requires
corporate discipline, I will support the efforts and direction of the church,
as led by its pastors, to call that member to repent of his sins. I agree with the church’s doctrine and
practice of church discipline. I support
the church’s teaching on conciliating disputes and agree to abide by the
church’s “Statement on Conflict, Disputes, and Lawsuits.”
• I will promote marriage as a reflection of
Christ’s relationship with his church and bring up any children God gives me in
the discipline and instruction of the Lord.
I support the church’s understanding of the Bible’s teaching on divorce
and remarriage.
. Proverbs 4:23 (ESV)
23 Keep your heart with all vigilance, for from it flow the springs
of life.
Many shipwreck there lives for not practicing these things. Many aspire, few attain. Leroy Eims.
Robert Clinton, The Making of A Leader – few finish well
Hebrews 3:13 (ESV)
13 But exhort one another every day, as long as it is called
“today,” that none of you may be hardened by the deceitfulness of sin.
Hebrews 10:24-25 (ESV)
24 And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good
works, 25 not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some,
but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day drawing near.
The wood of the cross, the fire of the Spirit.
Watching the signs,
waiting for the Savior
3.
Conclusion Applications
Prayer – for wandering, cold hearts.
Song – Come Thou Fount v3
4.
Preperation
Preparation Questions to be
Answered:
1. What does the text mean?
2. How do I know what the text means?
3. What concerns caused the text to be written?
4. What do we share in common with:
5. How should people now respond to the truths of the
text?
6. What is the most effective way I can communicate the
meaning of the text?
Diagramming!
|
1 Jesus left the temple and was going away, when his
disciples came to point out to him the buildings of the temple. 2 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.” 3
As he sat on the (1) “Tell us, when
will these things be, and (2) what will be the sign of your coming and of the close of the age?” (the delay with trouble and one hard birth pain) 4 And Jesus answered them, (sign 1) “See that no one leads you astray. 5 For many will come in my name, saying, ‘I am the Christ,’ and they will lead many astray. (sign 2) 6 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. 7 For nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom, (sign 3) and there will be famines and earthquakes in various places. 8 All these are but the beginning of the birth pains. (sign 4) 9 “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. (sign 5) 10 And then many will fall away and betray one another and hate one another. (sign 5b) 11 And many false prophets will arise and lead many astray. (sign 5c) 12 And because lawlessness will be increased, the love of many will grow cold. 13 But the one who endures to the end will be saved. (sign 6) 14 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. The Destruction of
the (sign a)
15 “So when you see the abomination of desolation spoken of by the prophet
Daniel, standing in the holy place (let the reader understand), 16 then let
those who are in 21 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. 22 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. (sign g) 23 Then if anyone says to you, ‘Look, here is the Christ!’ or ‘There he is!’ do not believe it. 24 For false christs and false prophets will arise and perform great signs and wonders, so as to lead astray, if possible, even the elect. 25 See, I have told you beforehand. 26 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. 27 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. 28 Wherever the corpse is, there the vultures will gather. 29 “Immediately after the tribulation of those days (sign d) 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. 30 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. 31 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. (this next applies to whole of interadvent) 32 “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. 33 So also, when you see all these things, you know that he is near, at the very gates. (sign e) 34 Truly, I say to you, this generation will not pass away until all these things take place. (they will experience all aspects – save the parousia, which no one knows the date save the Father.) 35 Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will not pass away. |
The observation, the
statement, the questions The signs given One very painful sign –
both present and like the time period. Back to the time period. The final sign. Being a good sign reader |
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Matthew 24:1-35 (ESV)
1 Jesus left the temple and was going away, when his disciples came to point
out to him the buildings of the temple. 2 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.” 3 As he sat on the
(1) “Tell us, when
will these things be,
and (2) what will be the sign of your coming and of the close of the age?”
(the delay with trouble and one hard birth pain)
4 And Jesus answered them, (sign 1) “See that no one leads you astray. 5 For many will come in my name, saying, ‘I am the Christ,’ and they will lead many astray.
(sign 2) 6 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. 7 For nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom, (sign 3) and there will be famines and earthquakes in various places. 8 All these are but the beginning of the birth pains. (sign 4) 9 “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. (sign 5) 10 And then many will fall away and betray one another and hate one another. (sign 5b) 11 And many false prophets will arise and lead many astray. (sign 5c) 12 And because lawlessness will be increased, the love of many will grow cold. 13 But the one who endures to the end will be saved. (sign 6) 14 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.
The Destruction of
the
(sign a)
15 “So when you see the abomination of desolation spoken of by the prophet
Daniel, standing in the holy place (let the reader understand), 16 then let
those who are in
21 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. 22 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. (sign g) 23 Then if anyone says to you, ‘Look, here is the Christ!’ or ‘There he is!’ do not believe it. 24 For false christs and false prophets will arise and perform great signs and wonders, so as to lead astray, if possible, even the elect. 25 See, I have told you beforehand. 26 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. 27 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. 28 Wherever the corpse is, there the vultures will gather.
29 “Immediately after the tribulation of those days (sign d) 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.
30 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. 31 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.
(this next applies to whole of interadvent)
32 “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. 33 So also, when you see all these things, you know that he is near, at the very gates.
(sign e) 34 Truly, I say to you, this generation will not pass away until all these things take place. (they will experience all aspects – save the parousia, which no one knows the date save the Father.)
35 Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will not pass away.
Matthew 24:1-35 (ESV)
1 Jesus left the temple and was going away, when his disciples came
to point out to him the buildings of the temple. 2 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.” 3 As
he sat on the