The Story of God: Jesus Returns
Matthew 24:29-35
We all tend to live as though our lives will go on the same forever. But they won’t. Because the day is coming when Jesus Christ will return to planet earth. And when he returns, everything will change.
Our money will be forgotten. Our relationships will change. Our careers will be over. Our bodies will be transformed. Our homes will be no more. Our cars will be irrelevant. Our clothes won’t matter. Things that people today see as crucial will then be seen as worthless – and things that people today see as worthless will then be seen as crucial.
So what will happen when Jesus returns, and when will he return? To answer that, let’s turn to Matthew 24. If you need a Bible, go ahead and raise your hand and we’ll bring one to you. Matthew 24 is on p.829 in the Bibles we are passing out. This chapter, which is repeated in Mark 13 and Luke 21, is where Jesus gives his most detailed teaching on what will happen before He returns, what will happen when He returns, and when it is that He will return.
Last week we covered vv.1-28 on what happens before Jesus returns; this morning we’ll work on vv.29-35 on what happens when He returns. But first I want to set the stage by asking why is Jesus’ return so important to His followers?
Throughout the New Testament we can see that Jesus’ followers long for His return. In 1 Peter we read that followers of Jesus hope fully in Jesus’ return (
Here’s a couple reasons.
One is because in this life we are not yet free from sin. Even though Jesus has changed our hearts, He has not totally set us free from sin. So we hate our sin– our pride and lust and worry and lukewarmness and self-righteousness and gossip. And we are burdened with our sin And every day we have to fight against our sin. But when Jesus returns He will completely set us free from all remaining sin. So we long for His return.
Another reason is because in this life we have trials – trials which purify our faith, trials which give us opportunity to display Jesus’ worth; but still – they are trials. We feel physical pain, we experience emotional heartache, suffer the loss of loved ones. In this life we have trials. But when Jesus returns all our trials will be over. He will wipe every tear from our eyes, and there will be no more crying, no more heartache, no more pain. So we long for His return.
Another reason: because in this life we suffer for the gospel. We live to help people come to know Jesus. And often they do; but sometimes they respond with hatred and ostracism. Sometimes in other countries they respond with prison, beatings, death. Jesus said we would experience tribulation and suffer for the gospel. But Jesus’ return will bring the suffering to an end. So we long for His return.
One more reason: because in this life we just know Jesus in part. When we first put our trust in Jesus we taste the infinite joy of knowing Jesus – in prayer, in God’s Word, in worship. We do taste. And even just a taste of Jesus is infinitely more satisfying than anything else. But it’s just a taste. It’s not the banquet. But when Jesus returns the banquet will begin – we will know Jesus fully, personally, constantly. So we long for His return.
So because life involves fighting sin, enduring trials, suffering for the gospel, and knowing Jesus in part – we long for Jesus to return. And one day -- He will. Jesus Christ will return.
So what will happen when Jesus Christ returns? Jesus tells us in Matt 24:29-31. First, the entire cosmos will be transformed. Look at v.29 --
"Immediately after the tribulation of those days the sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give its light, and the stars will fall from heaven, and the powers of the heavens will be shaken.
Imagine that all of a sudden the sun becomes pitch dark, the moon stops giving light, all the stars fall to the horizon so even they don’t give light, and the powers of the heavens are shaken. Jesus might mean that all this will literally happen. But His point is that His coming will change the entire cosmos.
Everything will change – except for Jesus and what’s connected to Jesus. Picture it like this. Let’s say that you knew for certain that sometime in the next few minutes a massive earthquake would come and everything on earth would be destroyed except for this pillar here – and that if you tied yourself to this pillar you’d be safe. What would you do? Tie yourself to the pillar.
The day is coming when everything will change and fall away except for Jesus and what’s connected to Jesus. If you are tied to Jesus by faith, by trusting Him, then even though everything else changes – you’ll be fine. You’ll be more than fine.
Second, Jesus will be seen in power and great glory. Look at v.30 --
Then will appear in heaven the sign of the Son of Man [that’s a reference to Jesus], and then all the tribes of the earth will mourn [I’ll come back to that], and they will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of heaven with power and great glory.
God created us with a huge capacity for pleasure. And our highest pleasure comes from beholding greatness. We see a Kobe Bryant 3-pointer winning the game with 2 seconds left – we feel pleasure. Why? We’re beholding greatness. We see
But there is a greatness that’s infinitely greater than a Kobe Bryant 3-pointer or a 29,000 foot mountain – and that’s the greatness of God. Your infinitely highest pleasure is in beholding God’s greatness. And God chose to have Jesus – His Son – be the main way we see His greatness.
So 2,000 years ago God came to earth in the person of Jesus. We saw the greatness of God’s power – Jesus healing ten lepers at once; God’s wisdom – Jesus teaching in a way made sense of reality; and most of all God’s mercy – in how in Jesus God was willing to be punished so that we could be forgiven and freed from our sins.
But when Jesus came 2,000 years ago His greatness was veiled. It was not fully disclosed. He came lowly, hidden, and suffering. But when Jesus returns to the earth, he will not come lowly, hidden, and suffering. He will come glorious, revealed, and victorious.
And you will see Him with your own eyes. Whether you have bent the knee to Him in this life or not, you will see Him. So imagine what it will be like to see Jesus – to see power like you’ve never seen before; to see glory that fills the universe.
And your response to seeing Jesus will vary depending on whether you’ve bent the knee before Him or not. If you’ve bent the knee to Jesus – it will be infinitely better than winning a $500 million lottery. Imagine seeing infinite power and glory; and then looking into His eyes and seeing infinite love and care for you. You’ll weep with joy. You’ll fall at His feet speechless. You’ll jump up and dance.
But what if you’ve never bent the knee to Jesus? That’s the next point. Third, unbelievers will mourn in anguish. Read v.30 again --
Then will appear in heaven the sign of the Son of Man, and then all the tribes of the earth will mourn …
This is not the mourning of repentance. This is the mourning of anguish. Anguish, because if you have not bent the knee before Jesus your Creator and Savior, you will see that your Creator has returned, and that you now face His judgment forever.
To see a picture of this mourning in anguish, turn to Rev. 6:12-17 (p.1031) –
12 When he opened the sixth seal, I looked, and behold, there was a great earthquake, and the sun became black as sackcloth, the full moon became like blood,
13 and the stars of the sky fell to the earth as the fig tree sheds its winter fruit when shaken by a gale.
14 The sky vanished like a scroll that is being rolled up, and every mountain and island was removed from its place.
15 Then the kings of the earth and the great ones and the generals and the rich and the powerful, and everyone, slave and free, hid themselves in the caves and among the rocks of the mountains,
16 calling to the mountains and rocks, "Fall on us and hide us from the face of him who is seated on the throne, and from the wrath of the Lamb,
17 for the great day of their wrath has come, and who can stand?"
All who have not bent the knee to Jesus their Creator and Savior will mourn in anguish.
Fourth, the elect will be gathered. Read v.31 --
And he will send out his angels with a loud trumpet call, and they will gather his elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other.
Who are the elect? It’s those who, by God’s gracious work in their hearts, have bent the knee and trusted Jesus. It’s not those who trust Jesus perfectly; but it’s those who trust Him persistently and passionately. And Jesus will gather to Himself all of His elect from every nation, tongue, and tribe.
I’m not sure exactly what this will feel like – but it’s fun to imagine. If you are bending your knee in trust to Jesus, you will be stunned in seeing Jesus’ power and great glory. You will be thrilled to see in His eyes His infinite care for you. You will fall on your face in worship; you will weep with joy; you will leap in celebration.
And then the next thing you know you are being carried to Him. You, along with Rif Berbers from Morocco, Uighurs from Central Asia, Scandinavians from Norway, Mexican Indians, Chileans, Portuguese, Palestinian, Israeli, Inuit Eskimos, Han Chinese – a vast multitude that no one can count from every nation, tongue and tribe. You will be gathered to Him.
When Jesus returns, the entire cosmos will be transformed, Jesus will be seen in power and great glory, unbelievers will mourn in anguish, and the elect will be gathered.
So when will this happen? Jesus tells us in vv.32-35. These are not easy verses. Godly people have different opinions about them. I’ll just tell you my understanding – and you can study these verses for yourself. As I study these verses I see Jesus making two main points.
First, He could return at any time. Look at vv.32-34 –
32 "From the fig tree learn its lesson: as soon as its branch becomes tender and puts out its leaves, you know that summer is near.
33 So also, when you see all these things, you know that he is near, at the very gates.
Jesus says that when we see all these things – we’ll know that He is near – at the very gates. Jesus wants us to picture the earth as a city – and He’s coming to that city. So when we see all these things, we should recognize that He’s near – right outside the gates of the city.
So what things is he talking about us seeing? It can’t be the things in vv.29-31 – because when those things happen – when the cosmos is transformed and He comes with power and great glory -- He’s not outside at the gates – he’s in the gates. At that point He’s not just near; He’s here.
So the things that show He’s at the gates must be the things we looked at last week in vv.3-28 – wars and earthquakes and famine and
And so – since we can see those things happening right now – it means Jesus could come at any time. He’s there – at the gates – just waiting for the gospel to be taken to every nation, tongue and tribe, just waiting for a few more people to be saved here in
Then v.34 – which Bill asked about last week –
34 Truly, I say to you, this generation will not pass away until all these things take place.
All what things? The same things Jesus referred to when he said “all these things” in v.33 – the things in vv.4-28. Read vv.33 and 34 together to see this:
33 So also, when you see all these things, you know that he is near, at the very gates.
34 Truly, I say to you, this generation will not pass away until all these things take place.
So this generation – the generation Jesus is talking to at that time – will not pass away until all the things in vv.4-28 take place. And that verb can have the meaning of “begin” to take place. So Jesus’ immediate listeners will not die off until everything in vv.4-28 – starts to take place.
Jesus’ point in these verses is that He could return at any time. He could return during our potluck this afternoon. He could return while you are working tomorrow. He could return a 100 years from today.
Second, He will certainly return. Look at v.35 --
Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will not pass away.
In other words – everything else will pass away; but not my words. The words I have just spoken to you telling you that I will return – those words will not pass away. They will happen. I will certainly return. I will transform the cosmos. I will be seen in power and great glory. I will cause unbelievers to mourn in anguish. I will gather my elect to myself. I will certainly return.
So what does this mean for us?
First of all, think often about Jesus’ return. Don’t walk away this morning and return to living as if life would go on the same forever. It won’t. Whether you die first or live to see it happen – you will experience Jesus’ return. So think deeply about it. Talk with your home group about it. Think often about Jesus’ return.
Second, bend the knee and trust Jesus. Jesus is your Creator. You and all of us have rebelled against Him. But Jesus offers amnesty to all rebels, purchased by Him at the cost of His terrible suffering. So if you will bend the knee and trust Jesus – you will be forgiven, your heart will be changed, and you will experience the pleasure of knowing God in Jesus – of beholding God’s greatness in Jesus. And when Jesus comes back – and you see Him – you won’t mourn in anguish – you’ll leap for joy. So bend the knee and trust Jesus.
Third, seek Jesus to help you change. As I was talking to Jan about this morning’s teaching, she said lots of us would be tempted to feel so convicted about how far we are from living the way we should that we could either despair, or just say “I hope I’m ready.” So don’t despair, and don’t just hope you’ll be ready. Seek Jesus to help you change. Ask Him to stir your desire for His return. Take time to ponder Scripture about His return. Trust Him to help you change. If you will do this earnestly, He will help you change.
Fourth, be encouraged to keep following Jesus. Jesus will return. And when you see Him, He will be worth it all. So keep following Jesus.
Take time tonight to fight pride and lukewarmness through praying over God’s Word -- because Jesus will return – and when you see Him He will be worth it all. Lay down your life for your home group to help them fight against sin -- because Jesus will return – and when you see Him He will be worth it all. Fight to keep trusting Jesus when you are out of work or your body is sick or your husband is neglecting you -- because Jesus will return – and when you see Him He will be worth it all. Take the risk of sharing Jesus with your neighbor – or moving your family to central
He will be worth it all.