Transcript

How Will The World End?-Part One

Matthew 24:1-14
Sunday, August 22, 2010
Pastor Randy Smith

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When and how will the world end?

Apocalyptic curiosity had always infected humankind. Today the frenzy is again at a peak. Based upon Mayan calendar predictions, deadly radiation released from peaking solar storms, unintended results from super atomic accelerators, massive underground volcanoes waiting to erupt, overdue cataclysmic events and changes in the earth's magnetic field have led "date setters" to conclude that the earth will cease in 2012. I believe Hollywood took advantage of the hoopla and created a movie under the title…2012.

Yet when it comes to predictions, there is no other source more accurate than the Bible. Down to the smallest of prophecies, it predicted in detail with complete perfection the first coming of Jesus Christ. It has been estimated that the Bible has eight times more to say about the second coming of Jesus Christ and how the world as we know it will come to an end.

This morning we enter one of the most fascinating sections in the entire Bible. It is our Lord's final sermon before His betrayal and crucifixion. And the subject of this final sermon, contained in Matthew 24 and 25, is commonly called among theologians: "eschatology" (derived from the Greek word eschatosmeaning "last"). Eschatology is the study of the last things.

Although Jesus does not provide dates, this sermon from Him will cover the signs leading to His return, the Second Coming itself, final judgment and multiple warnings for those not living for God.

This morning we will begin His sermon and learn the eight signs that will pave the way for the return of Jesus Christ. We will also learn how these future signs should impact our Christian living today.

1. THE SETTING

We begin with the first point which I am calling "The Setting." Before we cover the individual signs, let's examine the background to our Lord's comments.

As people are eager for a world deliverer today, the Jews in the first century were no exception. They had chafed for years under the political oppression of the Roman Empire. They were well acquainted with the Old Testament prophecies that predicted a Messiah, a spiritual superhero that would again restore Israel to a world power. They longed for things to even exceed the glory days - a leader like David but greater than David and a lawgiver like Moses but greater than Moses.

Many in the first century felt Jesus Christ could be such a person.

On the one hand, He acted like the Messiah. We have seen this in our study through Matthew. He fulfilled countless prophecies, performed extraordinary miracles, preached of a coming kingdom and operated in the power of God. As He entered Jerusalem on Palm Sunday, countless Israelites were prepared to crown Him the Messiah.

Yet on the other hand, He made some disturbing comments that did not agree with their expectations. He did not speak about killing the Romans. Rather He spoke often of His own impending death (Mt. 16:21; 17:22-3; 20:18-19). He did not cleanse the surrounding pagan nations. On the contrary He cleansed the temple in Jerusalem (Mt. 21:12). And as we saw last week in chapter 23, His harshest words were for the hypocrites, the Jewish leaders themselves.

Were the people to follow Him or reject Him?

They turned on their Messiah by demanding His death. Our Lord's final public words were that of judgment. Matthew 23:38, "Behold, your house is being left to you desolate!" To the Jewish mind, that was the definition of divine abandonment. Because they had rejected Him, He had now rejected them.

Now in chapter 24, verse 1 we learn that when Jesus left the temple the disciples made an observation about the "temple buildings." Mark in his gospel gives us more details. They said, "Teacher, behold what wonderful stones and what wonderful buildings!" (Mk. 13:1). The temple was the centerpiece of their culture and religious activity. It was hard for them to imagine such a glorious place would ever be desolate.

Jesus goes a step further. Verse 2, "And He said to them, 'Do you not see all these things? Truly I say to you, not one stone here will be left upon another, which will not be torn down'" (cf. Jer. 26:6, 18; Mic. 3:12). In other words, "Not only will this place we desolated. It will also be totally destroyed."

2. THE QUESTION

As we move to the second point, this shocking comment triggered all kinds of questions in the disciples' minds. Verse 3, "As He was sitting on the Mount of Olives, the disciples came to Him privately, saying, 'Tell us, when will these things happen, and what will be the sign of Your coming, and of the end of the age.'"

Depending on how you divide it, the disciples basically asked three questions and all of them deal with the subject of future judgment: judgment on Israel and judgment on the world. In the minds of the disciples all was connected. To them the destruction of God's temple had to mean the end of the world.

The first question: "Tell us, when will these things happen?" Based upon the context, the "these things" has to be the destruction of the temple. And based our Lord's following comments I believe that Jesus never answered this question (some contend that verses 4-35 deal with the destruction of the temple).

We know from history that the temple was destroyed in AD 70, less than forty years after our Lord's prediction. In an effort to totally eliminate the Israelites, the Romans knew they had to completely wipe out their religious orientation. They destroyed the temple. Not one stone was left upon another - literally!

The second two questions, pertaining to His coming and the end, are answered in the remainder of the chapter. It is the longest answer Jesus ever gives to a question. This will be our focus this morning as we begin to explore this fascinating sermon from Jesus commonly called the "Olivet Discourse." Let's move to "The Answer." Let's move to the events that will precede our Lord's return.

3. THE ANSWER

Before I get to the specifics, the best way I can summarize the answer is found in the two words from verse 8: "birth pangs." You will notice that many of these events that come before the return of Christ have happened and are presently happening in our world. We have experienced earthquakes, famines, wars, etc. Yet there will be a difference from that which we have experienced.

Women do not have birth pangs at conception or midway through pregnancy. They have birth pangs just before the baby is delivered. In the same way, these worldwide distressful events will come in greater succession and with greater intensity just before the Messiah is "delivered" into the world (cf. 1 Thes. 5:2-3).

False Christs

Jesus identifies the first birth pain in verses 4-5. "See to it that no one misleads you. For many will come in My name, saying, 'I am the Christ,' and will mislead many." In a similar way He says in verse 11, "Many false prophets will arise and will mislead many."

Spiritual deceivers are nothing new. The Bible provides countless examples of such people and countless warnings to avoid them. We are well aware of recent big names such as Jim Jones and David Koresh. Others false spiritual leaders exist today, possibly not calling for mass suicide but still leaving behind spiritual catastrophe in their wakes. Self proclaimed leaders either intentionally or unwittingly misleading and deceiving people. Jesus sounds the warning, "See to it that no one misleads you" (Mt. 24:4). The only protection we have is to examine all claims with the word of God (cf. Ac. 17:11).

I believe the time will come in the future, some suggest that the stage is presently being set, that society will become desperate. They will long for a leader that promises economic prosperity and worldwide peace. They will be ripe to receive, as Jesus says, one of the "many" false leaders "saying 'I am the Christ.'" These charlatans claim to be the Messiah Himself. They will be very attractive and very promising and very deceptive. Verse 24 says, "For false Christs and false prophets will arise and will show great signs and wonders, so as to mislead, if possible, even the elect" (Mt. 24:24).

And even these "false Christs" are birth pangs to set the stage for the ultimate false Christ himself: antichrist. Antichrist is spoken of throughout the Bible. Daniel called him the "little horn" (Dan. 7:8), John the "beast" (Rev. 13:1-4) and Paul the "man of lawlessness" (2 Thes. 2:3). He will be the Satan-inspirited self-proclaimed savior of the world. Most will run after him. Revelation 13:8 says, "All who dwell on the earth will worship him."

Wars

So we will have false Christ's and according to verses 6 and 7 there will also be wars. "You will be hearing of wars and rumors of wars. See that you are not frightened, for those things must take place, but that is not yet the end. For nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom."

The Bible is filled with stories about wars. Recently we have survived two world conflicts. Our nation is presently at war. One author said there have been three hundred wars in Europe in the past three hundred years. War is always the result of sin somewhere along the line. While Satan is the "god of this world" (2 Cor. 4:4), wars will be inevitable. Yet I believe before the return of Christ they will increase. How can we expect anything else when verse 12 says, "lawlessness [will] increase" and "people's love will grow cold." Sin brings hate and hate brings conflict.

Famines and Earthquakes

The second half of verse 7. "And in various places there will be famines and earthquakes."

Again trials the world has always experienced - yet trials that will usher in the return of Christ as they become more extensive and intensive.

Persecution

There will be persecution. Verse 9, "Then they will deliver you to tribulation, and will kill you, and you will be hated by all nations because of My name."

Again nothing new. Right from the get-go all of the Apostles were martyred except John. Church history chronicles savage persecution that Christians experienced in the first three centuries and during the time of the Reformation. Pick up a copy of the Voice of the Martyrs and read what our brothers and sisters overseas are experiencing in our present day and age. It has been estimated right now that 200 million Christians worldwide are being imprisoned, tortured and executed.

Ironically, persecuted churches are always the strongest. Phony believers are weeded away, and true believers deepen in their commitment to God and need for one another. As the early church father Tertullian said, "The blood of the martyrs is the seed of the church."

For now we have been spared the threat of death as Christians in America, but who knows how long that will last. Yet even now we remember what Paul said, "All who desire to live godly in Christ Jesus will be persecuted" (2 Tim. 3:12). Hatred by the world is a badge that every true Christian will wear regardless of when and where they live. If the world hated our Savior, how much will they hate those who seek to be like Him (Jn. 15:18)? As verse 9 says, we will be hated "because of [Jesus'] name."

The world's hatred of Christ's followers will only intensify. All this tribulation foreshadows an ultimate time of tribulation in the future. It will last for three and one-half years just prior to the return of Christ (Dan. 7:25; 12:7; Rev. 12:6, 14). We call it the "Great Tribulation." Look at verse 21: "For then there will be a great tribulation, such as has not occurred since the beginning of the world until now, nor ever will."

After antichrist reveals himself, he will ruthlessly go after believers, and most of the world that has fallen in love with this man will be on his side. Christians will refuse to take his mark and therefore, identify themselves as his enemy. There will be a massive conflict. Yet the Bible says true believers will be victorious. "And they overcame him because of the blood of the Lamb and because of the word of their testimony, and they did not love their life even when faced with death" (Rev. 12:11).

Defection

There will be defection. Verse 10, "At that time many will fall away and will betray one another and hate one another." This is perhaps the most tragic, but again, nothing new. I read this week that approximately 70% of teens leave Christ and the church when they go off to college.

Back in chapter 13 we learned about the four soils. You will remember that only one soil stayed faithful, while the other three professed Christ and then departed from the faith. The second soil caught my attention. "The one on whom seed was sown on the rocky places, this is the man who hears the word and immediately receives it with joy; yet he has no firm root in himself, but is only temporary, and when affliction or persecution arises because of the word, immediately he falls away" (Mt. 13:20-21).

Again, it's easy to be a Christian in America. Most American believers think the world is coming down around them if they get made fun of or lose a once friendly neighbor because of their faith. You have to wonder how many of these people would stay with Christ if it potentially cost them their lives? How many if that price was on the line would stay faithful to Jesus Christ? Right now that dilemma is happening in scattered places all over the word. During the "Great Tribulation" it will happen in every place all over the world. Combine that with all the false teachers and the result Jesus says, will be a great decline in most compromising churches.

We call this apostasy. Paul predicted it in 2 Thessalonians even before antichrist is revealed. "Let no one in any way deceive you, for it will not come unless the apostasy comes first, and the man of lawlessness is revealed, the son of destruction, who opposes and exalts himself above every so-called god or object of worship, so that he takes his seat in the temple of God, displaying himself as being God" (2 Thes. 2:3-4).

What makes verse 10 even worse is that it says those who fall away will become the very enemies of the church. They will "betray one another and hate one another" (cf. Mk. 13:12). They will turn on the very people they once professed to love.

This is why verse 13 says, "But the one who endures to the end, he will be saved." We saw it back in 10:22 as well: "You will be hated by all because of My name, but it is the one who has endured to the end who will be saved."

False believers defect, but the greatest mark of a true believer is endurance. And by the grace of God His people will show themselves to be His people by faithfully persevering to the end. Those who fall away did not lose their salvation. They only proved to themselves and to others that they were never really saved in the first place (cf. 1 Jn. 2:19).

Godlessness

Another sign before the return of Christ is godlessness. Verse 12, "Because lawlessness is increased, most people's love will grow cold."

As a result of God being removed from society and less people truly following Him, sin will become more rampant. And as a result of lawlessness, love to God and others (as we just learned, God's two greatest commandments - Mt. 22:37-40) will disappear.

Is our country moving in this direction of godlessness? Our media? Our schools? Our government? Our churches? Pastors can generate thousands of professing believers and never speak about sin and repentance. We love sin and hate conviction. How many do you know who really want to be godly today? When we ask our children what they want the most would being godly even make the top ten?

Godlessness will be a mark of our world before Christ returns.

Gospel Proclamation

Finally, before Christ returns He says in verse 14, "This gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in the whole world as a testimony to all the nations, and then the end will come." The mercy of God - one final chance for all to repent before He returns in judgment.

You have to remember that the gospel of Jesus Christ, the message of salvation, was entrusted to a few uneducated disciples in Jerusalem. They went out and began to share that message to the surrounding Mediterranean regions. The book of Acts describes how the gospel went from "Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and even to the remotest part of the earth" (Ac. 1:8).

Wycliffe Bible Translators is an excellent organization that has as their ministry to translate the Bible into other languages. Just to show how God is using them to spread the gospel, I'd like to share with you some fascinating statistics. In 1800, the Bible was translated into 40 languages. Another 26 languages had a portion of the Scripture translated. By 1900, the entire Bible had been translated into 200 languages, with portions of Scripture being translated into some 500 more. By 2000, the entire Bible has been translated into 350 languages. The New Testament has been translated into more than 1000 languages. And more than 2000 languages have a portion of the Scripture translated.

Great to have Scripture translated, but verse 14 says, "The gospel…shall be preached." How?

How will the gospel reach all people groups? Angelic proclamation? The advent of technology (much of what we now have today) that permits the gospel to penetrate new places at faster speeds. Maybe it will simply be obedient Christians risking their lives to take the message of salvation to the lost.

If the latter is so, it is an amazing thought. In the midst of great tribulation, extensive godliness and defection from many in the church (when Jesus wonders if He will "find faith on the earth" - Lk. 18:8), there will stand a faithful remnant. While the world hates God and each other, these people will love God, in obedience sharing His message and love others, in sharing the only hope of salvation. Do you think that describes you?

And that only hope of salvation comes through this blessed message we call the Gospel. We are all sinners because we have repeatedly violated God's holy law. Yet God has provided a way of forgiveness. He sent His son, Jesus Christ, to pay the penalty for sin. We can receive that complete forgiveness the Bible says as a gift simply by believing in Him and repenting from sin.

There will be a final time of judgment. We have no second chances once we die and if we are around after the Lord returns. Are you prepared to stand before the living God? Have your sins been washed white in the blood of Jesus? Have you accepted His only offer to be forgiven?

And if you have, is there evidence that you are truly a Christian? Based on today's passage are you avoiding all forms of deception? Are you persevering in the faith? Are you persecuted because you stand up for Christ? Are you pursuing godliness? Are you longing for His return?

We have some great weeks ahead as we continue to dive into this subject! And let's remember that the goal of eschatology is not to set dates, but rather to be encouraged that Christians will be on the winning team (1 Thes. 5:11) and to live everyday in light of our Lord's return as we keep our focus on living and proclaiming the gospel.