FINAL JEOPARDY
MATTHEW 24:1-14
OCTOBER 28, 2001
INTRODUCTION: [JESUS IS COMING SOON: Gospel song by R. E. Winsett?]
TRANSITION THOUGHT: Our text for this day speaks of the reality of the return of Jesus someday for His church. The disciples have confronted the Master over this issue. The strange occurrence here is that Jesus has been talking about toppling buildings and the ultimate destruction of the Temple and to this the disciples reply, “When will you come back?” “When is this thing going to wind up?” “When will the day of termination come?” Jesus realizing now that He has a teachable moment steers the conversation in a different direction. He doesn’t really seem to answer the question about dates, but focuses on what is really important for HIS disciples. The key, Jesus says, is how you will live until all these things come to pass. As Jesus addresses this issue, He gives His disciples, us as well, three key terms that will guide us safely through the journey of making it until the end.
THESIS SENTENCE: When time ends is not the central issue to the life of a Christian, but how we live until the end.
THE FIRST KEY TERM JESUS GIVES IS…
I. THE DANGER OF DECEPTION (VV. 1-8, 11-12)
“Jesus answered, ‘Watch out that no one deceives you.’” THE NEED NOW IS FOR….
A. Sharp Minds (vv. 4-5, 11)
1. Jesus fear for the fledgling church is that it will be deceived.
2. As we have study the 7 churches of Revelation on Sunday Nights, we have discussed how 5 of the seven churches are rebuked for losing their focus. Somewhere along the way they have bought into something that Jesus was not happy with. The constant admonition to these churches is to stay true and hold.
(E.g. Rev. 3:11-12, “I am coming soon. Hold on to what you have, so that no one will take your crown. Him who over comes I will make a pill in the temple of my God.”
3. The key thought is not that another will come and say I am Jesus, but that another will come and say, this Jesus whom you follow was not really the long awaited Messiah/Christ, but the deceiver himself. They will then say, I am the one God was to send to bring the reign of God to the earth.
AND, B. Clear understanding (vv. 6-8)
1. Deception is not only brought about by false teaching, but by a false focus on the times.
2. How many times have we heard predictions about the end of the age, the coming of Christ at a specific time?
ILLUSTRATION: Edgar Whisenant sold 4.3 million copies of his book detailing why Christ would come in 1988. The next year he sold 30,000 copies of a book he wrote detailing why Christ would come in 1989. After missing it twice, the retired NASA engineer who lived in a one-room shack outside of Little Rock, Arkansas said he could, “Stand in front of the Lord and say I gave it my best shot.”
3. Matthew 24:26 and Mark 13:32 state, “No one knows about that day or hour, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father.”
4. Jesus does give us a precursor to it all, “You will hear of wars and rumors of wars, but see to it that you are not alarmed. Such things must happen, but the end is still to come. Nation will rise against Nation, and kingdom against kingdom. There will be famines and earthquakes in various places. All these are the beginning of birth pains (Mtt. 24: 6-8).”
5. What is Jesus saying? Notice your times and beware of the happens of the world, but don’t let this be your focus. All this must happen, but “see to it that you are not alarmed.”
6. The key phrase or statement by Jesus here is that, “the end is still to come” and this is just “the beginning of the birth pains.” Labor can last a long time? Can I get an AMEN from the ladies?
NOW THAT THE DISCIPLES UNDERSTAND DECEPTION, JESUS STATES THAT THE NEXT KEY TERM TO UNDERSTAND IS…
II. THE PERILS OF PERSECUTION (VV. 9-10, 12)
“Then you will be handed over to be persecuted and put to death, and you will be hated by all nations because of Me (vv.9).”
A. ACTION
1. The news just keeps getting better. Not only will “many come to deceive us,” but also after this takes place, we “will then be handed over to be persecuted.”
2. When the time is drawing near, Satan will let loose all the wrath he can. This reminds me of Jesus speaking to Peter before the Crucifixion. Jesus says to Peter, “Simon, Simon, Satan has asked to sift you as wheat. But I have prayed for you, Simon, that your faith may not fail (Luke 22:31-32).”
3. Jesus says be ready church/ disciples. As the end comes, so will persecution. Don’t let it catch you off guard. Satan wants to sift you.
4. What will this persecution look like? “You will be put to death, and you will be hated by ALL NATIONS because of [Jesus] (verse 9).”
5. Satan and “THE WORLD” will take action against the church, but HOW will the church respond?
ILLUSTRATION: PERSECUTION (JESUS FREAKS STORY) & CURRENT EVENTS.
B. REACTION
1. Jesus states that the church will not respond well. Instead of taking action, many will react.
2. “Many will turn away from the faith (verse 10).”
3. Many “will betray and hate each other (verse 10).”
4. How does Satan win against the church? How does Satan keep us from reaching the lost? How subtle is Satan? How does he work that we don’t even see what he is doing?
C. COLD HEARTS
1. When the church is not doing its job, Wickedness increases!
2. When wickedness increases, Love disappears!
3. When love disappears, we no longer care for others. We become self-centered and focus on SELF-PRESERVATION!
4. The Apostle Paul saw this in the church and wrote, “Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility consider others better than yourselves. Each of you should look not only to your won interests, but also to the interests of others. Your attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus: (Philippians 2: 3-5).
5. Did you notice also that word “MOST?” Jesus knew what it would look like when the time grew short. WHAT TIME IS IT? Are you one of the many or are you one of the few?
THINGS JUST SEEM TO BE GOING FROM BAD TO WORSE, BUT JESUS SAYS THERE IS ONE MORE KEY TERM TO CONSIDER AND IT IS…
III. THE SURITY OF SALVATION (VV. 13 –14)
“But he who stands firm to the end will be saved.”
Climax: 1. The culmination of one or more events. 2. The highest point of action, stress, motion, etc. 3. The most effective point of a narrative, drama, or argument.
A. Climax #1 INDIVIDUAL/PERSONAL SALVATION
1. Does Jesus have your attention Yet? Has this discussion made you think? Jesus surely had the attention of His disciples. As he painted a hopeless picture of the future, surely the disciples were at the point of despair. Maybe you are at the point of despair as you consider the reality of the times and the state of the world and possibly the STATE OF THE CHURCH.
2. BUT, Jesus is making a point. The key issue is not when will THE END COME, BUT HOW ARE WE TO LIVE UNTIL THE END AND CHRIST RETURN!
3. To this Jesus answers, “Stand Firm until the end!”
4. And if you do, I will make you a promise, “you will be saved.”
5. Question, when does salvation actually occur? Is it when you call upon the Lord, or is it when He returns?
6. Regardless of your answer, Jesus states that Salvation is made evident by how you live all the time, even until the end.
7. This first climax, the most effect point of the text, is that standing firm brings salvation!
B. Climax #2 CORPORATE/UNIVERSAL SALVATION
1. There is at the end of this text a huge contrast. Verse 1-12 stand in direct contrast to verse 13 & 14.
2. Jesus states that the church is in Danger of Deception and it is in the Perils of Persecution. But here at the End of our text we see the Surety of Salvation, not only for ourselves, but also for the whole world.
3. Now I am not talking about universalism that some preach, the thought that all will be saved and enter into heave regardless of their lifestyle. What I am talking about is the HOPE for the whole world to be saved.
4. Verse 14 is a promise. The promise is that Jesus, the hope of the world, will be preached in the whole world as a testimony to all the nations.
5. The huge contrast in these last two verses is that of a church on the defense to that of a church on the offense.
6. Now this is what I call a climax. Surely the Disciples are no longer in despair, but now are rejoicing in the Lord. They have moved from the When will you come to NOW I KNOW WHAT I AM TO DO.
7. Just in case you missed it. The to do list is: Stand firm and be saved and preach the gospel!
ILLUSTRATION: In Christianity Today, David Neff writes, “About five years ago, Christian social critic Richard John Neuhaus was being driven from the Pittsburgh airport to a speaking engagement. During the drive, one of his hosts persisted in decrying the disintegration of the American social fabric and the disappearance of Christian values from our culture. Cases in point were too numerous to mention, but Pastor Neuhaus’ host tried anyway. After the tedious drive, Neuhaus offered these words of advice: “The times may be bad, but they are the only times we are given. Remember, hope is still a Christian virtue, and despair is a mortal sin.”
CONCLUSION: Have recent events caused you to ponder just when Jesus will return? Have you wondered what all this chaos in our world means today? Have you come to the place of Despair? What is your focus? Have you made a covenant with God to Stand firm? Are you proclaiming the Gospel, giving a response for the Hope that is within you?
THE PROMISE IS SURE, HE IS COMING BACK, BUT WILL HE FIND YOU READY?
Concluding Hymn: “SOON AND VERY SOON” #551 THE HYMNAL
