Matthew Ch24v1-51 - The King's Return

Hey

So Matthew's Gospel chapter 24 if you need a Bible there's plenty there as you came in

coming through the door please feel free to go and get one if you need it

we're going to read right the way up to verse 35 and in case you have missed the theme of this

morning it's all about the Lord's return and this is what we come to in Matthew chapter 24 it's a

Matthew 24 · chapter mention

difficult section so we're going to read it and we are then going to pray and ask for the Lord's

help so follow along with me as we hear God's word to us verse 1 Jesus left the temple and was walking

away when his disciples came up to him to call his attention to its buildings do you see all these

things he asked truly I tell you not one stone here will be left on another everyone will be thrown down

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 at the end of the age

Jesus answered watch out that no one deceives you for many will come in my name claiming I'm the

Messiah and will deceive many you will hear of wars and rumors of wars but see to it that none of you

are alarmed such things must happen but the end is still to come nation will rise against nation

the kingdom against kingdom there will be famines and earthquakes in various places all these are the

beginning of birth pains then you will be handed over to be persecuted and put to death and you will be

hated by all nations because of me at that time many will turn away from the faith and will betray and

hate each other false prophets will appear and deceive many people because of the increase of wickedness

the love of most will grow cold 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

so when you see standing in the holy place the abomination that causes desolation spoken of through the prophet

Daniel let the reader understand then let those who are in Judea flee to the mountains let no one on the

house top go down to take anything out of the house let no one in the field go back to get their cloak

how dreadful it will be in those days for pregnant women and nursing mothers

pray that your flight will not take place in winter or on the sabbath

for then there will be great distress unequaled from the beginning of the world until now and never to be

equaled again if those days had not been cut short no one would survive but for the sake of the elect

those days will be shortened at that time if anyone says to you look here is the messiah or no there he is

do not believe it do not believe it for false messiahs and false prophets will appear and perform great signs and wonders to deceive

if possible even the elect see i have told you in advance so if anyone tells you there he is out in the desert or

do not go out or here he is in the inner rooms do not believe it for as lightning that comes from the east is visible in the west

so will be the coming of the son of man wherever there is a carcass there the vultures will gather

immediately after the distress of those days

the sun will be darkened and the moon will not give its light

the stars will fall from the sky

the heavenly bodies will be shaken

then will appear the sign of the son of man in heaven

and then all peoples of the earth will mourn

when they see the son of man coming on the clouds of heaven

with power and great glory

and he will send his angels with a loud trumpet call

and they will gather his elect from the four winds

from one end of the heavens to the other

now learn this lesson from the fig tree

as soon as its twigs become tender and its leaves come out

you know that summer is near

even so

when you see all these things

you know that it is near

right at the door

truly I tell you

this generation will certainly not pass away

until all these things have happened

heaven and earth will pass away

but my words will never pass away

well let's keep our bibles open

and let's pray

our father god

each one of us has come today

with many things on our minds

about the coming week

and the future

and we pray that your word

would give us a vision today

of the future to come

that would give us a perspective on life

that fills us with hope

and confidence

giving us the sure

and certain hope

that christ is coming

father would we be ready

for his return

and may we be attentive

to your word

so that we will live well

as we wait

so be our teacher

by your holy spirit

and help us all we pray

in jesus name

amen

well there we are

in matthew's gospel

it's tuesday evening

three days before jesus will be crucified

and put to death

and knowing what lies ahead

jesus wants his disciples and us to know

that he has authority over all things

no matter how bad things are going to get

jesus wants us to know

that we can face the future

with absolute confidence and hope

the king will return

just as jesus came once

so jesus is going to come again

three things jesus teaches us

about his return

in this chapter

believe the word

of the king's return

wait in hope

for the king's return

and invest your life

in the king's return

so three simple things

believe the word

wait in hope

and invest

your life

so first

believe the word

of the king's

return

in this text

in this chapter

jesus has made

two very clear promises

one that the temple

is going to be destroyed

and the second

that the lord

is going to return

and these two promises

are not separate

from each other

rather the first promise

paves the way

for the second promise

in other words

the temple being destroyed

is a sign

that the king

is going to come

have a look with me

in verse one

jesus left the temple

we remember previously

back in chapter

21

he had gone

to the temple

it's now tuesday

and he's gone

to the temple again

and they're now

leaving it

so jesus left

the temple

and was walking

away with his disciples

and they came up

to him to call

his attention

to the building

hey jesus

look at the size

of this temple

it was stunning

and elaborate

it was an architect's

dream

walking along

its perimeter

on the outer walls

you couldn't help

but be impressed

some of the stones

along the bottom

all cut by hand

were 40 feet long

12 feet high

and 12 feet deep

the white marble columns

at the entrance

and the roof

overlaid with gold

it was a magnificent

building

we can imagine

jesus and the disciples

as they were walking

around

gazing up at these

high walls

impressed

verse 2

do you see

all these things

do you see

this magnificent

building

jesus said

truly i tell you

not one stone here

will be left

on another

every one

will be thrown

down

pardon

excuse me

yes you heard

correctly

the temple

will be

destroyed

now the significance

of that is

somebody announcing

in the news today

that in

a number of years

time the white house

is just going to be

completely

obliterated

or leinster house

in a few years time

is just going to be

floored to the ground

well clearly

this had bothered

the disciples

so that evening

verse 3

as jesus was sitting

on the mount of olives

so this is an area

outside the city

on a hill

an olive grove

where jesus would go

over the course

of that week

and they could look

from there

down onto the city

and especially

over this

magnificent

temple

as jesus was sitting

on the mount of olives

the disciples

came to him

privately

tell us

they said

when will

this happen

when is this

temple going

to be destroyed

and what will be

the sign of your

coming at the end

of the age

it seems

the disciples

have been trying

to work things

out for themselves

jesus if

if this temple

is going to be

destroyed

does that mean

that when that

happened

it's going to be

the end of the age

the end of this world

and the end of history

as we know it

is that what you're

trying to tell us

well let's see what

jesus has to say

first

the destruction of the

temple

jesus is very clear

he says there's going

to be certain signs

that are going to

happen

that will tell us

the temple

will be destroyed

verse 5

he says there will

be false messiahs

verse 6

there will be

wars and nations

against nation

in verse 7

there's going to be

famine and earthquakes

verse 8

all these are the

beginning

of birth pains

these are all

signs he says

of a more

terrible event

to come

the destruction

of the temple

in fact the

disciples as they

listen

he says you will

feel it personally

verse 9

he says there will

be persecution

and some of the

disciples will be

put to death

verse 10

people will turn

from the faith

verse 12

wickedness will

increase

and all while

this is going on

verse 14

the good news

will continue

to be declared

and

end of verse

14

then the

end

will come

these are the

things you can

expect to happen

and then the

end will come

then the temple

is going to be

destroyed

verse 15

so when you

see standing

in the holy

place talking

about the

temple

when you see

standing in the

holy place the

abomination that

causes desolation

bit of a tongue

twister that one

well it's a

quote from

the prophet

Daniel who

hundreds of

years before

spoke of a

foreign enemy

one who is

going to come

in the future

and destroy the

temple and

overtake Jerusalem

Jesus says

when you see

that happen

the abomination

that causes

desolation

spoken of

through the

prophet of

Daniel

let the

reader

understand

in other

words if

you don't

believe my

words now

you will

certainly believe

my words

then

mark my

words

the temple

will be

destroyed

and when it

does happen

there will be

terrible suffering

verse 16

then let

those who

are in

Judea

flee to

the mountains

escape

get out

as fast

as you

can

don't wait

to pack

your bags

or bring

your favourite

belongings

run for it

verse 21

for then

there will be

great distress

terrible

suffering

unequals from

the beginning

of the world

until now

and never

to be

equaled

again

so Jesus

promises

that the

temple will

be destroyed

but he also

makes a second

promise

the promise

of the coming

Lord

verse 23

at that

time

at the time

the temple

is being

destroyed

if anyone

says to you

look

over there

here's the

Messiah

or

no no no

over there

don't

believe it

verse 26

so if anyone

tells you

there he is

he's out in

the desert

quickly go out

to him

or

no

he's in

the inner

rooms

whether he's

inside or

outside

don't

believe it

for as

lightning

that comes

from the

east

is visible

from the

west

so will

be the

coming of

the son

of man

Jesus

is crystal

clear

the king

will return

Jesus'

favourite name

for himself

the son

of man

a person

of absolute

power and

authority

who will

return to

establish

his eternal

kingdom

so we

have two

clear promises

the temple

will be

destroyed

and the

king

will return

but how

do they

relate

to each

other

well

the promise

of the word

Jesus is

connecting

these two

great events

the first

event

foreshadows

the second

event

the destruction

of the temple

is the sign

that the king

will return

when it's

destroyed

you will know

that the lord

is going to

come

you see

about 40

years

after Jesus

spoke these

very words

to his

disciples

all that he

said

came to

pass

you can

look it

up in

your

history

books

in

AD

66

the Jews

rebelled

against their

Roman

masters

they went

on the

offensive

and in

response

the emperor

Titus

went in

with his

armies

and his

response

was

devastating

they

overtook

Jerusalem

in

AD

70

they

came in

and put

a siege

around

the temple

where all

the rebels

had holed

up

his army

broke

through the

walls

the temple

was set

on fire

and all

the valuable

items

were ransacked

and by the

time the

armies

had finished

all that

remained

of the

temple

was the

foundation

on which

it was

built

it was

completely

leveled

just

as

Jesus

has

said

read

your

history

and you

will

see

that

what

Jesus

said

verse

2

truly I

tell you

not one

stone

will here

be left

on another

everyone

will be

thrown

down

and those

who didn't

flee to the

surrounding

mountains

like they

were warned

were butchered

to death

over those

four years

of battle

and in those

remaining

few weeks

historians

say that

at least

one

million

people

were killed

Jesus'

words were

yet again

true

verse 21

he said

there will

be

great

distress

a terrible

suffering

unequaled

from the

beginning

of the

world

until now

never to

be equaled

again

so Jesus

is making

it clear

to his

disciples

when all

this happens

when these

terrible events

come to

pass

that will

be the

sign to

you that

you know

the king

is going

to return

verse 34

truly I

tell you

this

generation

will certainly

not pass

until all

these things

have happened

all this

stuff to

the temple

the invading

army that's

going to

come

heaven and

earth will

pass away

everything else

may be

destroyed

but my

words will

never pass

away

what Jesus

says is

true

we can

trust his

words

if Jesus

says it

will happen

it will

happen

no doubts

well we

sit at a

time

two

thousand

years

since

Jesus

spoke

those

words

and a

little

more

since

the

temple

was

destroyed

today

you can

go to

that

very

site

and there

is no

temple

the only

wall

that's

left

is one

of the

big

outer

walls

surrounding

the temple

courts

called the

western wall

the wailing

wall

you may have

seen pictures

of it

you go there

today and

you will see

Jews very

devout

praying

wailing

crying

longing

for everything

to be

restored

but there

is no

temple

never

forget

its

significance

of what

Jesus

had said

Jesus

said

the temple

would be

destroyed

and so

we can

believe

his word

that the

king

will

return

of course

people spend

their days

don't they

trying to

predict

when that

will be

I mean

we've had

a plethora

of it

in recent

years

oh

the pandemic

across the

world

the lord

must be

coming

get ready

Russia

has invaded

Ukraine

oh

the lord

is coming

get ready

maybe he

is

maybe he

will

next week

well we're

not to get

caught up

with signs

and times

and catastrophic

events

or climate

change

and trying

to figure

out when

it's all

going to

happen

look at

verse 36

but about

that day

the day

of the lord's

return or

hour

no one

knows

not even

the angels

in heaven

nor the

son

but only

the father

so don't

bother

turning on

your

televisions

to the

god

channel

and listening

to all

these wonderful

predictions

of when

christ is

coming

none of

them know

if the

angels

don't know

the son

doesn't

know

well i

certainly

don't know

and neither

do you

the important

thing is not

when he is

coming

but that he

is coming

his words

are

true

we can

trust

his

words

so

first

believe the

word of the

king's return

the next

couple of

points that

we're going

to look at

are a little

shorter

we're not

going to be

as long

second

wait in

hope

for the

king's

return

so we

don't know

the time

of the

king's

return

but when

it does

happen

it will

be

unmistakable

rather than

a secret

event

known by

a few

it will

be public

and seen

by all

look at

verse 27

with me

for as

lightning

that comes

from the

east is

visible

even in

the west

you know

on the

rare occasions

even when

we have

lightning

it can

be miles

away

but people

way in

the opposite

direction

still see

it

so it

will be

with the

coming

of the

son

of

man

verse 28

wherever

there is

a carcass

there the

vultures

will gather

now that's a bit

of a tough one

I'll tell you what I

think it

means

that where

there is a

dead animal

way way up

in the sky

you see the

circling

vultures

and people

from miles

around

can all

see

what is

going on

and what

is

happening

so it

will be

with the

coming of

the son

of man

everybody

will see

in fact

when the

king returns

there will

be a

cosmic

upheaval

look at the

quote in

verse 29

the sun

will be

darkened

the moon

will not

give its

light

so whether

you're alive

at the time

of the sun

or whether

you're in

an area

of the

world

where the

moon

is out

the stars

will fall

from the

sky

and the

heavenly

bodies

will be

shaken

the return

of Jesus

will be

unmistakable

all will

see and

all will

know

wherever

you live

on the

planet

and with

his coming

there are

three glorious

things

we can

look forward

to

first

justice

will be

done

verse 30

then will

appear the

sign of the

son of man

in heaven

and then all

the peoples

of the earth

all the

nations

will mourn

when they

see the

son of man

coming on

the clouds

of heaven

with power

and great

glory

remember what

we looked at

just last

week

when Jesus

entered into

Jerusalem

do you remember

how he came

on a donkey

gentle

and humbly

but when

Jesus comes

again

he's going

to be riding

on the clouds

of heaven

in power

and in

great glory

first he came

to serve

and to save

now he's going

to come to

rule and to

judge

no wonder

verse 30

the nations

will be

mourning

for there

will be

no more

hiding

all will

be revealed

and everything

will be

exposed

what do you

think about

that

well that's

good news

because

justice will

be done

think of

all the

injustices

that have

taken place

in the history

of the world

where the

innocent

suffer

and the

guilty

escape

the invading

armies

the corrupt

politicians

where children

are trafficked

and women

enslaved

the rich

and the powerful

stealing and

abusing

the violent

and greedy

crushing

and killing

all has been

seen

and not

one of it

will ever

be forgotten

every penny

that has been

robbed

every hurtful

thought

every evil

deed

has all

been recorded

by God

and one

day

every human

being that

has ever

lived in the

history of

this world

will stand

before the

supreme king

every evil

will be

punished

and every

wrong

put right

nothing

and no

one

will escape

the pure

justice

of God

but before

we move

on

this

also means

that we

too will

receive

justice

because every

one of us

gathered here

today

will have to

give an

account to

the king

for our

every thought

word and

deed

how are you

going to

stand

before the

king

what would

it be like

to have

my life

all my

secret

deepest

thoughts

all exposed

by God

all revealed

you see

all who

have rejected

Jesus as

king

will face

the king's

judgment

and if

you are

here today

and you

are one

who is

rejecting

and refuse

to submit

to him

now

today

not a

moment

later

is the

time to

repent

and ask

for his

forgiveness

please

please

make sure

you are

ready to

meet the

king

so

justice

will be

done

second

all

God's

people

will be

gathered

in

verse

31

Ralph

referred to

this earlier

from

revelation

and he

will send

his angels

with a

loud

trumpet

call

and they

will gather

his elect

his believers

his followers

from the

four winds

from north

south

east

and west

they will

all be

gathered

from one

end of

the heavens

to the

other

from one

end of

the earth

to the

other

what a

welcome

it's going

to be

picture the

scene

we looked at

one angel

in revelation

here it says

all the angels

will be blowing

their trumpets

imagine the

noise

thousands

and thousands

upon angels

each blowing

their trumpet

god's very

own welcoming

party

and all

who have

submitted

their life

to king

jesus

will be

gathered in

just as the

king will

bring his

judgment on

those who

reject him

so the

king will

bring his

salvation to

those who

accept him

i love

the moment

before a

match

starts

and the

players

run

fired up

out of

the tunnel

onto the

pitch

and the

crowd

stand and

applaud and

cheer

shouting

well let's

get ready

for the

welcome of

all welcomes

one day

jesus will

return

and we

will run

into the

eternal kingdom

greeted by

cheering and

shouting in the

celebration of

angels embraced

by the king

of kings

this is the

guaranteed

promise of

jesus

just as he

came to

save you

and to die

for you

he will

come again

and he

will bring

you

home

he will

not forget

you or

leave you

you will

be gathered

in

so justice

done

gathered in

and joy

to come

verse 32

now learn

this lesson

from the

fig tree

do you have

any fig trees

in your

garden

well

there's a

lesson

as soon

as its

twigs become

tender

and its

leaves come

out

you know

that summer

is near

have a look

around your

garden

nature is a

wonderful

teacher

just as the

plants begin

to leaf

and begin

to bud

so we know

that summer

is coming

well says

Jesus

this is

what

life is

like

and what

the

kingdom

to come

will be

presently

he says

it's as if

we are

living

through

winter

life is

filled

with

hurts

and pains

but

we look

forward

to

joy

every

trial

and struggle

every

crushing

hurt

every

anxious

pain

are all

signs

that a

greater

glory

awaits

winter

is here

right now

but

summer

is coming

we see

the horrors

of war

and its

devastating

effects

but

summer

is coming

we watch

as families

are broken

and homes

destroyed

but

summer

is coming

we hurt

as children

are maimed

and their

innocence

lost

but

summer

is coming

we

struggle

with our

broken

promises

and

disappointments

but

summer

is coming

we

battle

with our

own

sin

and our

failing

and our

falling

but

summer

is coming

we

live

with

regret

we

fight

our

fears

but

summer

is coming

we

face

sickness

and

sorrow

we

struggle

through

pain

but

can we

say it

summer

is coming

we

say goodbye

to loved

ones

we

long

for

better

days

but

summer

is coming

as we

wait

for the

king's

return

we are

living

through

winter

life

under

the

curse

suffering

and

struggles

thorns

and

thistles

but

one

day

the

king

will

come

in

glorious

light

and

the

icy

winds

of

winter

will

be

no

more

wait

in

hope

look

forward

to his

coming

and

when

he

comes

justice

will

be

done

we

will

be

gathered

in

and

joy

will

be

ours

forever

and

ever

and

ever

amen

amen

so

third

invest

your

life

in

the

king's

return

you

see

it's

not

just

a

future

event

it

impacts

on

how

we

live

today

that's

Jesus

teaching

to

his

disciple

this

is

what

we

are

waiting

for

the

glory

to

come

these

things

are

yet

to

happen

so

here's

how

we

should

all

live

as

we

wait

for

the

king

very

quickly

three

things

we

can

all

invest

our

life

in

as

we

wait

in

hope

first

watch

out

look

at

verse

four

watch

out

that

no

one

deceives

you

for

many

will

come

in

my

name

claiming

I'm

the

Messiah

and

will

deceive

many

false

messiahs

false

prophets

with

a

false

message

how

are

they

going

to

deceive

what

will

their

message

be

well

it

will

be

something

like

this

trust

in

Jesus

and

you

will

be

healthy

and

wealthy

forever

believe

in

Jesus

and

you

will

have

your

best

life

now

speak

positive

words

and

you

will

be

healed

no

more

sickness

what

has

Jesus

been

telling

his

disciples

get

ready

for

difficulties

and

hardships

look

at

verse

eight

all

these

are

the

beginning

of

birth

pains

anyone

who

has

had

a

baby

knows

that

the

beginning

of

birth

pains

those

first

contractions

means

the

pain

is only

going to

get

worse

yes

the

glory

to

come

of the

little

baby

will

be

there

one

day

well

in a

few

hours

not a

whole

day

I

hope

will

eventually

come

but

there

will

be

pain

Jesus

saying

this

is

what