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Sermon

#1019. Easter Tuesday- Stand firm (26/3/24)

Community Church Putney Sermons

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  1. During this Easter Week, I thought that it would be helpful to look at some of the events and teaching on each day running up to Resurrection Sunday - The Greatest Day! Today we look at some of the events of Easter Tuesday.

  2. Lesson: During these ‘Last Days’ there are many things that test our faith and love, so let’s be aware and prepared so as to remain faithful and loving.

  3. You can listen to this devotional below (It’s also available on Spotify on the Community Church Putney podcast)

  4. https://youtu.be/r2QK1a8w8uo

  5. On the Tuesday of Easter Week, Jesus taught His disciples about the signs -‘the birth pains’- preceding His return. This section, often called The Olivet Discourse because it takes place on The Mount of Olives, runs from Matthew 24:1-25:46. Here, Jesus prophesies about The Last Days leading up to His return and how we are to stand firm and remain faithful in these very challenging times. Here is an overview of the features - good and bad - that He speaks about:

    Matthew 24:1–25:46

  6. * The destruction of the temple - the centre of worship.

  7. * False Saviours with a false message and hope.

  8. * War, Famines, Earthquakes.

  9. * Persecution, deception and discouragement leading to coldness of heart.

  10. * The gospel of the Kingdom will be preached in all nations before His return.

  11. * Great distress, unequalled from the beginning of the world.

  12. * Jesus, The Son of Man, coming on the clouds of heaven at an unexpected time.

  13. * A call to remain faithful and ready for His return.

  14. A particular feature that I’d like to highlight in light of wars around the world and in Israel and Gaza at present, is the promise of war and conflict as a part of the ‘birth pains’ before Jesus’ return. We read:

  15. ‘You will hear of wars and rumours 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.’ (Matthew 24:6-8)

    Matthew 24:6–8

  16. Conflict and the the various signs spoken of are the kinds of things that can cause people to doubt that there is a God. They can also cause us to be ‘alarmed’. Our faith is tested through such events and some will even turn to false saviours. Jesus reminds us that these are all a part of the ‘birth pains’.

  17. RESPONSE - STAND FIRM!

  18. On this Easter Tuesday, let’s me reminded that during these ‘Last Days’ there are many things that test our faith and love so let’s be aware and prepared so as to remain faithful and loving. Jesus challenges us and encourages us:

  19. ‘…But the one who stands firm to the end will be saved.  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.’ (Matthew 24:13-14)

    Matthew 24:13–14

  20. ‘”So you also must be ready, because the Son of Man will come at an hour when you do not expect him. ‘Who then is the faithful and wise servant, whom the master has put in charge of the servants in his household to give them their food at the proper time?“‘ (Matthew‬ ‭24‬:‭44‬-‭45‬)

  21. On this Easter Tuesday, Jesus is showing us both positive and dark features of these Last Days. We don’t live in Disney Land! We live in a fallen and passing world in which the ‘birth pains’ are painful. However, labour c