Sermons

The Story of God: Before the End

Matthew 24:1-28

The Bible tells us that Satan is a deceiver.  And I want to start this morning by telling you about one of his most devious deceptions. 

Let’s set the stage: all of us have rebelled against God, so God withdrew His blessing and allowed us to become prisoners in Satan’s prisoner of war camp.  Our willful sin keeps us Satan’s prisoners.

But in great mercy, God sent Jesus, who died on the Cross so we could be forgiven for our sin and set free from Satan’s prisoner of war camp.  And if today you are trusting Jesus, it’s because some follower of Jesus entered enemy territory, invaded Satan’s prisoner of war camp, and told you about Jesus.  And as you repented of your sin and trusted Jesus – you were freed and walked out of that camp.  That’s why you are trusting Jesus.

But it doesn’t stop there.  If you are trusting Jesus, then He has called you to a mission.  You are a soldier of Christ, empowered by the Holy Spirit, with the mission of heading into enemy territory, invading Satan’s prisoner of war camps, and setting Satan’s prisoners free.

But Satan hates this.  Here’s these Spirit-empowered soldiers heading into your territory, ready to preach the gospel to your prisoners – the gospel which will can set them free.  What can Satan do?

He knew it would not work to tell us to stop following Jesus.  So he’s done something much more devious.  He’s told us that if we are really following Jesus, if we are really trusting Jesus, then we will have abundant life, which he says means we will never never suffer, we will never be wounded, we will never be killed.  And we thought – that sounds good!

And the result is that over here you’ve got Satan’s prison-camps full of people who could be set free if someone would go and tell them about Jesus -- but way back here, way back behind enemy lines, way away from the war, we’ve got all these fully-equipped, Spirit-empowered soldiers, who think that following Jesus means never suffering and never being wounded and never being killed -- which is why they never set foot into enemy territory.

But now think of what would happen if all those soldiers way behind enemy lines suddenly realized that they’d been duped.  If they realized that they weren’t following Jesus.  That Jesus called them to follow Him into enemy territory to invade Satan’s prison of war camps and be uncomfortable and suffer and wounded and even killed – but that this would be the abundant life because He would be closer to them than they could have ever imagined.  What would happen?  The soldiers would head into enemy territory.  They would see prisoners set free.  They would suffer and even be killed.  But they’d have abundant life: more of Jesus’ presence filling them than they ever thought possible.

That’s what I am praying Jesus will do in our hearts this morning.  This morning I want us to think about what Jesus says the lives of His followers will be like.  Does He say that our lives will be easy, prosperous, without any suffering?  Or does he say something else?  I want to focus on this by asking: what does Jesus say life will be like between now and His return? 

To answer that, let’s turn to Matthew 24.  If you need a Bible, go ahead and raise your hand.  Matthew 24 is on p.829 in the Bibles we are passing out.  Let’s start with v.1 –

1              Jesus left the temple and was going away, when his disciples came to point out to him the buildings of the temple.

2              But he answered them, "You see all these, do you not? Truly, I say to you, there will not be left here one stone upon another that will not be thrown down."

3              As he sat on the Mount of Olives, the disciples came to him privately, saying, "Tell us, when will these things be, and what will be the sign of your coming and of the close of the age?"

The disciples want to know what will happen before Jesus returns.  And as I studied vv.4-28 I saw nine descriptions of what will happen before Jesus returns.

First, many will be led astray by false christs.  You can see that in vv.4-5 --

4              And Jesus answered them, "See that no one leads you astray.

5              For many will come in my name, saying, 'I am the Christ,' and they will lead many astray.

Jesus’ immediate concern is that we not be led astray.  This is a huge danger because, as He says – many false christs will come and will lead many – many – astray.  So how do we avoid being led astray?  By understanding that there will be false christs who will teach something different than God’s Word.  So learn God’s Word, keep your nose in God’s Word, and be part of a home group in which you are lovingly and humbly helping each other.

Second, there will be wars, famines, and earthquakes.  You can see that in vv.6-8 --

6              And you will hear of wars and rumors of wars. See that you are not alarmed, for this must take place, but the end is not yet.

7              For nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom, and there will be famines and earthquakes in various places.

8              All these are but the beginning of the birth pains.

Don’t miss what this means.  Jesus is clear that the time between His first coming and His second coming would not be easy.  It would not be peace and comfort and ever-increasing prosperity.  It would be wars and famines and earthquakes.

Third, v.9, “then they will deliver you up to tribulation and put you to death, and you will be hated by all nations for my name’s sake.”

Why?  Because, as we’ll see in v.14, we’re traveling to all the nations and telling people about Jesus.  As we do this, many will be freed from Satan’s camps and brought into the joy of knowing Jesus.  But at the same time, many will not – and will hate us and deliver us up to tribulation and put us to death.

Now is Jesus saying this will happen to all of us, or just to the apostles?  To answer this turn to Phi 1:29 (p.980).  Here Paul is talking to all the believers in the city of Philippi.  And what he says is shocking --

For it has been granted to you that for the sake of Christ you should not only believe in him but also suffer for his sake…

That word “granted” is a Greek word which describes precious and undeserved gifts.  And here Paul says that God gives every follower of Jesus two precious and undeserved gifts.

One gift we receive is that of believing in Jesus.  When God saved you He gave you the gift of faith so you turned from your sin and trusted Jesus and were saved.  The other gift is that of suffering for Jesus.  Every bit of suffering we experience as followers of Jesus is a precious gift given to us by God.

Now how is suffering a precious gift?  Think of three words: strength, nearness, opportunity.  One reason is because Jesus will give us the strength we need to endure whatever suffering He calls us to endure – like how Jesus sustained Stephen as he was being stoned to death (Act 7:55).  Another reason is because Jesus promises to make His nearness especially real to us in our suffering, like Paul experienced with His thorn in the flesh (2Co 12:9-10; 1Pe 4:14).  A third reason is because suffering gives us an opportunity to display Jesus’ glory – as our willingness to suffer for Jesus shows that Jesus is infinitely more precious to us than anything else (Heb 10:34).

So God will give every one of His followers faith in Jesus and suffering for Jesus.  That’s why, when Paul traveled back to churches he had planted, what he taught in every one of them was this – Acts 14:22 -- “through many tribulations we must enter the kingdom of God.”  Paul went out of his way to teach new believers that tribulation was coming, that they would face tribulation, that they should not be surprised by tribulation.

Now this doesn’t mean that we are passive whenever any problems arise.  When Paul faced a threat in a city, he left.  When Peter was put in prison, the church prayed for his release.  When Paul was low on money, he prayed and asked Jesus to provide.  But what this means is that when the battle brings suffering – we must not be surprised – and we must never let the prospect of suffering keep us from the battle.

Imagine that you are one of Jesus’ disciples, with Him on the Mt. of Olives.  And he looks you in the eye and with tears says: they will deliver you up to tribulation and put you to death, and you will be hated by all nations for my name’s sake.  Feel that.

 Fourth, in vv.10-11, “and then many will fall away and betray one another and hate one another and many false prophets will arise and lead many astray.”  Let this sober you.  Many will fall away from trusting Jesus; many will betray one another; many will hate one another.

Fifth, the love of many will grow cold and cause them to not endure to the end.  You can see that in vv.12-13 --

12            And because lawlessness will be increased, the love of many will grow cold.

13            But the one who endures to the end will be saved.

Notice.  What sustains us is not mostly discipline, or duty, or will-power.  What sustains us is love.  Everything flows from love for Jesus Christ.  So you might be here this morning thinking – I’m never coming back here!  Who wants to hear about tribulation and suffering and death?  And that’s a fair question.

But what I want you to understand is that this is all about knowing Jesus Christ.  Jesus died for our sins and rose again so that we can know Him now.  And when we turn to trust Him, He pours His love into our hearts.  And for the first time we see and feel and experience Him as God – loving, good, powerful, wise.  And we are so satisfied in Him that our greatest joy is in sharing His glory with everyone around us – even if that means suffering.

So please don’t miss the point.  The point isn’t suffering.  We’re not all masochists here.  The point is Jesus.  Knowing Jesus.  And understanding that because of our sin, this world is a battle zone between God’s Kingdom and Satan’s Kingdom, and that we are called to set Satan’s captives free.  And that this will mean suffering.  But Jesus is worth it all.

So see the importance of love for Jesus.  And if you are following Jesus, but find that your love for him is lukewarm, then understand that you are in a dangerous place.  Fight to regain your first love.  Every day take time to nurture your trust in Jesus – your love for Jesus.

Sixth, the gospel will be proclaimed to all the people groups – then the end comes.  That’s in v.14 --

14            And this gospel of the kingdom will be proclaimed throughout the whole world as a testimony to all nations, and then the end will come.

So before Jesus comes back the gospel will be proclaimed to all the nations – to every nation, tongue, and tribe.  And not only will it be proclaimed – the gospel will save people from every nation, tongue, and tribe.  I say that because in Rev. 7:9-10 we read  that in heaven there will be a great multitude that no one can count from every nation, tongue, and tribe.

So we – Jesus’ followers – every one of Jesus’ followers – are called to take the gospel to every nation, tongue, and tribe.  Your call is not just to work, get a house, raise your family, retire, and go to heaven.  Those might all have a place.  But your call is to cross enemy lines, invade Satan’s prisoner of war camps, set the captives free. 

Seventh, Jerusalem will be destroyed.  Read vv.15-20 --

15            "So when you see the abomination of desolation spoken of by the prophet Daniel, standing in the holy place (let the reader understand),

16            then let those who are in Judea flee to the mountains.

17            Let the one who is on the housetop not go down to take what is in his house,

18            and let the one who is in the field not turn back to take his cloak.

19            And alas for women who are pregnant and for those who are nursing infants in those days!

20            Pray that your flight may not be in winter or on a Sabbath.

600 years earlier, Daniel had prophesied about the abomination of desolation (Dan 9:27).  So when will this be fulfilled?  I think Jesus is saying that it will be fulfilled in two ways.  First, it will be partially fulfilled in AD 70 when Jerusalem would be destroyed.  And it’s interesting that the church historian Eusebius tells us that believers took v.16 seriously and fled to the mountain of Pella and were protected during the destruction of Jerusalem.  And second, this prophecy would be completely fulfilled at the end of history when the Antichrist appears.

Then eighth, there will be great tribulation.  Read vv.21-22 --

21            For then there will be great tribulation, such as has not been from the beginning of the world until now, no, and never will be.

22            And if those days had not been cut short, no human being would be saved. But for the sake of the elect those days will be cut short.

The time before Jesus’ return will be marked by great tribulation.  But now some of you are probably wondering – what about the rapture?  Many godly people believe that before the great tribulation Jesus will take the church out of the world so we are protected.

And what I am about to say might sound troubling.  But I have not seen a rapture taught anywhere in Scripture.  In fact, I think Scripture teaches that we will be here during the tribulation.  I’ll never forget when I was in junior high and my dad showed me a verse which teaches this -- 2Th 2:1-4 (p.989) –

1              Now concerning the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ and our being gathered together to him, we ask you, brothers,

2              not to be quickly shaken in mind or alarmed, either by a spirit or a spoken word, or a letter seeming to be from us, to the effect that the day of the Lord has come.

3              Let no one deceive you in any way. For that day will not come, unless the rebellion comes first, and the man of lawlessness is revealed, the son of destruction,

4              who opposes and exalts himself against every so-called god or object of worship, so that he takes his seat in the temple of God, proclaiming himself to be God.

So we will not be gathered to Jesus until after the rebellion and the man of lawlessness is revealed and the tribulation takes place.  Now study this on your own, but my conviction is that unless we die first, we will be here during the tribulation.

Ninth, false christs and prophets will perform signs and wonders.  Vv.23-28 --

23            Then if anyone says to you, 'Look, here is the Christ!' or 'There he is!' do not believe it.

24            For false christs and false prophets will arise and perform great signs and wonders, so as to lead astray, if possible, even the elect.

25            See, I have told you beforehand.

26            So, if they say to you, 'Look, he is in the wilderness,' do not go out. If they say, 'Look, he is in the inner rooms,' do not believe it.

27            For as the lightning comes from the east and shines as far as the west, so will be the coming of the Son of Man.

28            Wherever the corpse is, there the vultures will gather.

False prophets will work miracles – healing the sick and raising the dead.  These are not charlatans.  They really heal the sick.  But they are doing it by Satan’s power, not by Jesus’ power.  So don’t be misled.

And Jesus wants us to understand that the next time Jesus comes to earth he won’t be out in the wilderness or in some inner room or at the Sheraton where you have to go see Him.  The next time Jesus comes back it will be seen by everyone all at the same time – like lightning flashing across the sky from east to west.

Questions?

What sort of lives should we expect?  As you look ahead to your future on earth, what sort of life are you expecting?  Comfort?  Ease?  Prosperity?  That’s not what Jesus promised.  What Jesus promised was tribulation, suffering, persecution – as we advance the gospel.  And He promised that as we suffered He’d give us all the strength we need, He’d give us an unusual sense of His nearness to assure and satisfy us, and that our suffering would give us an opportunity to display that He is worth it all.

So – let’s cross enemy lines here in the South Bay.  Let’s enter enemy territory.  Let’s invade Satan’s prisoner of war camps.

And all of us – let’s seriously consider crossing enemy lines by moving our wives and families to a closed Muslim country. 

I promise you, if we will follow Jesus into enemy territory, we will suffer, we will have the joy of seeing people come to know Jesus, and we will experience more of Jesus’ nearness than we thought possible.