Holy Week Series
Matthew 24:1-8: Be a Prepared Disciple
Introduction: Matthew 24 has a Prophecy related to the destruction of the Temple and the destruction of the world orders; natural calamities as foretold by Jesus Christ. The Disciples were asked to be prepared to meet any eventuality in life and the coming of the Lord.
Jerusalem Temple:
The Jerusalem temple was originally built by Solomon with 10000 laborers for about 8 years. Then it was renovated by Zerubbabel and Ezra (Ezra 6:15). Herod the Great greatly expanded and improved it. He started in 19 B.C. and completed in A.D. 63, taking more than 80 years. This temple was the center of Jewish life for almost a thousand years. (Enduring Word Commentary).
This evening let’s learn how to be Prepared Disciples of Christ. Being Prepared Spiritually, being Prepared Historically, and being prepared Gladly.
1. Be Prepared Spiritually (Matthew 24:1-2)
Physical pride becomes vain without spiritual richness. There was a beautiful temple, decorated and attractive but not useful spiritually to the worshippers. Pharisees Sadducees and Essenes scribes were proud of their temple. They were zealous about it. They were more worried about its grandeur glorious architectural and aesthetic look than its impact on their lives and the lives of the worshippers.
The temple became a monument and more sacred than the service to the people. These groups lived without spiritual depth and insight. Outward signs and traditional observations have become more important than their inner lives, influence, and impact on the worshippers. The magnificence and worldly glory do mightily dazzle our eyes, yet they did not affect Christ’s heart. Jesus Christ valued them as a heap of rubbish. There was a shallow nature in its impulses, its impressions, its intuitions, and very largely in its surroundings.
So, Jesus was officially abandoning Jerusalem and her children to coming judgment because Jerusalem refused to acknowledge Him as the Messiah and receive His protection (Matthew 23:37–38). It is true that sin brings cities and kingdoms, and private persons to their end. Jesus denounced the nation and left them empty, void of his peace and presence. The Roman emperor Titus destroyed the city and burnt the temple, and his General Turnus Rufus ploughed up the very foundation upon which the temple stood. The Prophecy of Jeremiah and Jesus was fulfilled (Jeremiah 26:1).
God hates hollow spiritual exercises without hallow and deeper commitment. One word makes a world of difference. Hollowed means empty, having a hole or empty space inside. Void, unfilled, vacant, and without significance. Hallowed means to make, have been made holy, sacred, and Filled with meaning and significance.
T. S. Eliot, in his poem The Hollow Men, captured the hollowness of humanity:
“We are the hollow men
We are the stuffed men
Learning together
Headpiece filled with straw. Alas! …
Shape without form, shade without color,
Paralyzed force, gesture without motion…”
The church structure, its hierarchies, its inner decorations, its programs, and its events lose their vitality if those were not decorated with born-again, spirit-filled, and God-fearing people. If those are not benefitting the newcomers and the seekers.
Aiden W. Tozer could clearly see what the priority of the church should be in this regard: "The popular notion that the first obligation of the church is to spread the gospel to the uttermost parts of the earth is false. Her first obligation is to be spiritually worthy to spread it."
2. Be Prepared Globally (Matthew 24:14).
The world evangelization will be completed by the time Christ comes back, However, we cannot know that time specifically (Matthew 24:36, Mark 13:32). But some mission leaders had a target of AD2000, some as 2020 project, now is said as 2050.
The end will come after the preaching of the Gospel. Global preparation is part of the preparation for the coming of the Lord through the preaching of the gospel. The end is correlated to the preaching of the Gospel. We are called to proclaim the gospel of the kingdom (Matthew 4:23, 9:35, 24:14, Mark 13:10). Gospel is the property of all nations and all peoples. He has given authority to preach to all nations (Matthew 28:19). There is a crowd in heaven compressed of all languages, tribes, and nations (Revelation 5:9).
What happens to someone who dies without ever hearing the gospel? This question has been debated by missiologists, theologians, ministers, and pastors for centuries. (C.J. Moore). It is referred to as the Gospel of Christ, the Gospel of God, the Gospel of glory, the Gospel of peace, and my/our gospel. This gospel must not simply be preached or shared throughout the globe but must be believed in every nation. (C.J. Moore).
The Greek word ????? (Ethnos) is not a geopolitical nation. It is a body of persons united by kinship, culture, and common traditions … people groups. The eschatological motivation frequently leads to pragmatic practices that hurt rather than help the Church’s mission. The proclamation of the gospel of Christ with a proper understanding of God’s sovereignty over the salvation of all and the Parousia will help the mission fruitful (C.J. Moore).
Go and make disciples of all nations (Matthew 28:18-20). Paul declared that the gospel preached to every creature under heaven (Colossians 1:6,23). The preaching is not only a witness, it actually places more emphasis on the entire process of conversion, feeding, growing, and overcoming than merely witnessing. Disciples are created through steady feeding, a believing response in those who hear combined with overcoming. (John W. Ritenbaugh).
The Kingdom will be preached. God will see it done. He will preach it through whatever means, by whatever agency, and in whatever time, He has already ordained. The question for us, then, is whether we will be in alignment with Him and usable by Him so that we can be directed by Him as He completes His work. (David C. Grabbe).
3. Be Prepared Gladly (Matthew 24:46-49)
Work till the End be at work till he comes (Matthew 24:46-49). Jesus is presenting a brief parable to illustrate what it looks like to live in readiness for His return. The master arrives unexpectedly but finds the servant doing his work well, that servant is blessed. Always doing faithfully the will of the Master (1 Corinthians 4:2).
This parable admonishes us to be faithful and wise in carrying out responsibilities and relationships with our fellow servants, with our brothers, and with all. A faithful person is trustworthy, scrupulous, honest, upright, and truthful. Simply means love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind (Matthew 22:37), and love your neighbor as yourself (Matthew 22:39).
Being wise means being judicious, prudent, sensible, and showing sound judgment. Whereas the evil servant's attitude is arrogant, violent, self-indulgent, gluttonous, and hypocritical. Watching means being ready for the coming of the Lord Jesus Christ, the Son of Man (Luke 21:36). Wait patiently like the virgins (Matthew 25:1-13). The master may return at late night or very early in the morning but be alert.
“Many times, when I go to bed at night, I think to myself that before I awaken Christ may come.” (Billy Graham).
“I hope that the day is near at hand when the advent of the great God will appear, for all things everywhere are boiling, burning, moving, falling, sinking, groaning.” (Martin Luther).
Christ speaks of two servants of God one was wicked, and the other was wise. The wicked servant finds himself with the hypocrites. All the while he has led a double life, he was pretending to serve God, but abusing God's servants. God's judgment involves an element of surprise, even bewilderment, catching us off-guard, sometimes tragically so. His judgment is not what we might expect (Charles Whitaker).
Conclusion: Be watchful, and prepared to meet the Lord.
