Watching For Signs

Watching for Signs

Matthew 24:1-14

September 25, 2005

Morning Service

Introduction

On your way to church today, did you have to obey any signs? Of course you did!

Stop signs, street signs, caution signs or even our church sign. We are conditioned to follow signs. What would happen if no one followed the road signs anymore? There would be mass chaos! People would go through intersection without stopping. Some might drive through a road closed sign and cause an accident.

Signs play an important part in our daily lives. They give us direction. They tells what we need to do or what we need to avoid. They help us find our way and show us where we need to go.

A year or so ago, we were going to the Cincinnati Zoo and we were going a way that I had never driven before. My thinking was that I could simply follow the signs and I would get there without any trouble. Unfortunately, I missed one of the signs and went the wrong direction. To this day, I still maintain that the sign was not where it needed to be. The result was that we headed in the wrong direction and had to turn around, go back and find some signs.

This same principle works for us in our spiritual lives. We need to be carefully watching the spiritual signs of life, so we will not be led in the wrong direction. This morning I want to look at some of the specific signs that Jesus gave to His disciples about the end of time.

1 Jesus left the temple and was walking away when his disciples came up to him to call his attention to its buildings. 2 "Do you see all these things?" he asked. "I tell you the truth, not one stone here will be left on another; every one will be thrown down." 3 As Jesus was sitting on the Mount of Olives, the disciples came to him privately. "Tell us," they said, "when will this happen, and what will be the sign of your coming and of the end of the age?" 4 Jesus answered: "Watch out that no one deceives you. 5 For many will come in my name, claiming, `I am the Christ, ’ and will deceive many. 6 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. 7 Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. There will be famines and earthquakes in various places. 8 All these are the beginning of birth pains. 9 "Then you will be handed over to be persecuted and put to death, and you will be hated by all nations because of me. 10 At that time many will turn away from the faith and will betray and hate each other, 11 and many false prophets will appear and deceive many people. 12 Because of the increase of wickedness, the love of most will grow cold, 13 but he who stands firm to the end will be saved. 14 And this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in the whole world as a testimony to all nations, and then the end will come.

I. The Progress of Turmoil (1-7)

There will be a personal turmoil (1-3)

The disciples were with Jesus in Jerusalem for the Passover feast. This was one of the many times that week that jesus visited the temple with them. As they left the temple Jesus told them that the temple would be destroyed. This was a shocking statement because of what the temple represented to the people of Israel.

A.) There was a spiritual connection

B.) There was a social connection

C.) There was a security connection

The disciples are clearly dismayed at what such an event would bring to their lives. So they approach Jesus and ask two important questions. These questions deal with two separate issues.

1.) When will this happen? - Meaning the destruction of the temple

2.) What will be the sign of your coming and the end of the age?

There will be a spiritual turmoil (4-5)

Jesus makes it clear that there will be a great spiritual deception. The reality is that Satan has no need to deceive those who are already His. He needs to deceive the church with anything he can to create chaos. Jesus is talking about believers being led astray and being taken away from the church. How will he be able to do this?

The Bible is God’s Word and the essence of His divine Truth. If there is something that does not measure up to the Truth of scripture, it cannot be true. Believing God at His Word is a personal choice. If you choose not to believe the bible, you choose to believe a lie. Far too many Christians do exactly this very thing.