The End in Sight
Matthew 24:1 – 25:46
CHCC: April 1, 2012
INTRODUCTION:
This is the END of our series about the Preaching of Jesus. We’re going to END by looking at what Jesus had to say about how everything will END. This is one of the most fascinating of all Jesus’ sermons. He preached it as a private message to his closest disciples on the Mount of Olives.
Earlier that day, the disciples called Jesus over and said, “Look at this amazing Temple!” They had reason to be impressed. After all, the nation had been working on the Temple for about 50 years --- and it was almost finished. This Temple was the symbol of Jewish identity, and the disciples knew its history.
• Solomon had built the first Jewish Temple about 1000 years before ---- and that Temple stood for about 400 years before it was destroyed by Babylon.
• Then, after 70 years of Babylonian exile, the second Temple was slowly rebuilt over a period of many years. This second temple was desecrated by a Syrian king, and all Temple Worship stopped in 167 BC.
• Temple worship was eventually restored --- until Rome conquered Jerusalem in 63 AD. Pompey actually entered the Holy of Holies and the Temple was left in ruins.
• Then, about 40 years before Jesus’ birth, Rome commissioned Herod the Great to rebuild the temple. The construction was well under way, and the beautiful building was the pride of the Jews.
The Disciples evidently believed Jesus would set himself up as Ruler in that very Temple. As his followers, they were probably scoping out office-space for themselves! So you can imagine how shocked and horrified the disciples were when Jesus bluntly told them, “You may well look. But I tell you this: not a single stone here will be left in its place; every one of them will be thrown down.”
Jesus was prophesying an event that would happen in 70 AD when Rome set the Temple afire and soldiers tore every stone apart to get the gold that had melted into the walls.
Later, as Jesus sat on the Mount of Olives, the disciples came to him in private. Tell us when all this will be, they asked, and what will happen to show that it is the time for your coming and the end of the age. Matthew 24:3
The Disciples thought they were asking ONE question. They believed the destruction of the Temple and the End of the Age were the same event. But in reality, they were asking TWO questions. And Jesus answered both. Part of His answer prophesied the events of 70 AD when the temple would be destroyed. The rest of His answer prophesied events that … we now know … would not occur for 2000 years … and counting …
All kinds of theories and speculation have grown out of this prophetic sermon. Today, all I can do is give you an overview of Matthew 24 and 25. I want to give you a context for reading these chapters yourselves and for discussing them with your Bible Study groups. This last sermon of Jesus is essential to understanding how we are to live until He returns.
We’ll start by looking at the answer Jesus gave to the FIRST question:
1. When will the Temple be Destroyed?
In Matthew 25:15-20, Jesus gave specific advice for anyone who was in Jerusalem on the day when the Temple would be destroyed. He said that on that day, people should immediately flee the city and “run for the hills.”
This was strange advice. Usually, when a city of under attack, everyone ran INTO the city so they could have the protection of the city walls. History records that thousands of people were killed within the city, but the Christians escaped, because they heeded the advice Jesus gave them to run OUT of the city as fast as they could.
Jesus said there would be signs of warning before this Temple destruction. In Matthew 24:32-34, he said they should look at events the same way you look at a fig tree to see if summer is near. And he told them that “these things will happen before the people now living have all died.” Matthew 24:34 In fact, the destruction of the Temple came just a little over 40 years later!
So, the answer to the FIRST question – “When will the Temple be destroyed?’ – Was that it will be SOON and there will be SIGNS.
The answer to the SECOND question, “When will it be the time of your coming and the end of the age” – is not nearly so specific.
2. What will be the Sign of your Coming –
Jesus gave SIGNS for the Temple destruction, but when he moved to the question about His Coming and the End of the Age, this is what Jesus said: No one knows, however, when that day and hour will come—neither the angels in heaven nor the Son; the Father alone knows. Matthew 24:36
Jesus did not give a time-table for His second coming because … according to Him; even HE did not know the day and hour.
Before we go further, I want to stop a minute and talk about Biblical Prophecy in general. When you look at Prophecy in the Old and New Testament, you find that it is not given in a linear manner. In other words, prophecy doesn’t tend to be chronological. It’s not spelled out step by step. God doesn’t draw us a chart.
Instead, God gives prophecy that reveals the absolute truth about the future without letting us actually see into the future. God isn’t a fortune teller and He doesn’t give us a map of the exact when and what of the future.
There were many Prophesies about the coming of the Messiah in the Old Testament. At the time when Jesus was born, many people had theories about the coming Messiah. Many scholars knew the Prophecies of the Old Testament backward and forward. But not a one of them understood exactly what was going to happen until AFTER it came to pass.
Only AFTERWARDS could they look back and see how amazingly Jesus fulfilled the prophecies. Even Jesus’ closest disciples misunderstood His mission. It was AFTER Jesus’ death and resurrection that they fully understood the Prophecies.
In Matthew 24 and 25, Jesus prophesies the absolute truth about his Second Coming. But these prophesies won’t be perfectly understood until the actual events happen. Jesus warns against jumping to conclusions or thinking that we know the when, where and how of coming events.
It’s good to study Prophecy. I think it’s even good to try to figure out how things might be fulfilled. But when people draw charts about exactly what the chronology will be, I’m skeptical.
In fact, whenever someone sets a DATE for the Second Coming, I think to myself, “Well, looks like He won’t be coming on THAT day.” People who draw charts and write novels about the Second Coming need to have the humility to admit they don’t have all the answers.
This Prophetic Sermon of Jesus in Matthew 24 and 25 is absolutely true, but it’s not simple or straightforward. It’s likely that some of what Jesus said has a dual-prophetic meaning. This is common in Biblical Prophecy.
A prophecy may be fulfilled once and then be more fully fulfilled later. Some of what Jesus said may be referring both to the destruction of the Temple in 70 AD and to His Second Coming.
For example, look at Matthew 24:15 where Jesus said, You will see The Awful Horror of which the prophet Daniel spoke. It will be standing in the holy place. (Note to the reader: understand what this means!)
o This was fulfilled in 167 BC when Antiochus sacrificed a pig on the Temple Altar.
o It was fulfilled in 63 BC when Pompey entered the Holy of Holies.
o It was fulfilled in 70 AD when the Temple was destroyed. It is possible that this verse will have its final and complete fulfillment at a future date.
As complex as Prophecy can be, many things Jesus preached in Matthew 24-25 are absolutely clear. For one thing, Jesus said that He WILL return.
• When Jesus returns, He will come unexpectedly
In Matthew 24:6-14 Jesus explains that until He comes again, things on earth will get worse, not better. There will be an increase of wars, famines, earthquakes, and persecution of believers. There will be many false teachers and evil will spread. But on the bright side, before He comes again, the Good News about Jesus will be preached to all people.
In verses 36 – 44 Jesus says the Second Coming will be as in the days of Noah. People will be going about their business, not realizing that the end is near. Then suddenly … unexpectedly … He will appear. Jesus warns us to live in constant readiness.
You must always be ready, because the Son of Man will come at an hour when you are not expecting him. Matthew 24:44
• When Jesus returns, He will come as King and Judge
In Matthew 24:23-31 Jesus explains that when he comes again, it will be with cataclysmic power. No one will wonder, “Did Jesus return or not?” Every individual will know --- without a doubt --- that Jesus, the King and Judge of the world, has returned.
In Matthew 25:31-46 Jesus describes the scene when he Returns to JUDGE the nations: When the Son of Man comes as King and all the angels with him, he will sit on his royal throne, and the people of all the nations will be gathered before him. Then he will divide them into two groups, just as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats. He will put the righteous people at his right and the others at his left.
This Judgment will not be based on what people might have supposed. It won’t be about what nation you belong to or what religious affiliation you claim. People will be judged on the basis of whether or not they showed love and compassion to others.
• Until He comes, Jesus expects us to live our lives for Him.
Jesus spent more time on this message than any other part of the sermon. He told three parables to illustrate the way we need to live until he comes.
I’m going to give you a homework assignment today --- to go home and read these 3 parables. This was the last sermon Jesus preached. These were the last parables He told … and their purpose is to show us how to live until He returns!
The parable of a good and a bad servant, in Matthew 24:45-51, warns us to live in constant expectation that Jesus might return an any moment … because he might! What will Jesus find us doing at the moment of His appearing?
In Matthew 25:1-13 Jesus gives the parable of the 10 Bridesmaids who were waiting for the Bridegroom to appear. His appearance was delayed. FIVE wise bridesmaids kept their lamps filled with oil, but FIVE foolish bridesmaids let their oil run dry. In scripture, OIL is a symbol of the Spirit of God. This parable warns us to live in constant connection to the Holy Spirit so that we will be ready to welcome Jesus when He appears.
The parable of three servants in Matthew 25:14-30 describes two good servants and one bad. All three were given coins.
The two good servants invested the coins and earned an increase.
The bad servant buried his coin and gained no interest.
This tells us how essential it is that we INVEST our lives for God’s Kingdom.
The coin could stand for anything God has given you --- your money, your health, your talents and abilities, your opportunities.
When Jesus returns, will He find that you have invested your money, your health, your talents, your opportunities to grow His Kingdom?
CONCLUSION:
You have this opportunity today to be sure you are living in readiness for the return of Jesus Christ.
Jesus came the first time to lay down His life. He paid the price for sin. He offers Salvation as a free gift to anyone who will believe.
When Jesus comes again, it will be with great power, as King and as Judge. Will you be ready?
