Jesus Tells Of The Age To Come

Matthew Series | Matthew 24:1-26:2 | Pastor Duane Smets

This week is an exegetical sermon on Matthew 24:1-26:2 where Jesus talks about the future, what it will be like when he returns and how to prepare in the meantime. This sermon was originally preached on October 31st, 2010 at The Resolved Church in San Diego, CA.

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The Resolved Church
Pastor Duane Smets
October 31st, 2010

Jesus Tells Of The Age To Come
Matthew 24:1-26:2

I. Before Jesus Returns (24:1-22)
   Tough Times, False Saviors, Gospel Spread
II. How Jesus Returns (24:23-31)
   Everyone Sees His Full Power & Glory
III. When Jesus Returns (24:31-44)
   A Known Season & Unknown Time
IV. Four Return Stories (24:45-26:2)
   A. The Drunks Who Doubted Return
   B. The Virgins Who Returned To Late
   C. The Servant Who Had No Return
   D. The King Who Returns To Judge

Introduction

Today we’re going to read and work through Jesus last official sermon in it’s entirety. It’s known as either the “Fifth Discourse” or the “Olivet Discourse” and the whole subject of it is the future and the things surrounding Jesus’ return to earth.

The last time we were studying Matthew together Jesus essentially fired all the religious leaders because they had disqualified themselves. Now, seemingly later that day as Jesus is leaving the temple and the city of Jerusalem the temple building that stood in the first century becomes the focus of attention.

Historians tell us there was nothing like it, it was the wonder the ancient world. Herod’s temple in the first century was 1600 feet wide by 900 feet deep and rose over 9 stories high in some areas. That’s like the size of 15 football fields twice as high as Qualcomm stadium. Its walls were made of these huge stones weighing over 100 tons and the outside of them was covered with these massive gold plates. It was said that when the sun reflected on it you couldn’t even look at it and when you saw it from a distance it looked like a snow-clad mountain.

Jesus is here looking at this thing. He’s got his group of disciples who have been hanging out with him for the last three years while he’s been doing his traveling vagabond ministry teaching, preaching and performing miracles. He comes to Jerusalem, the capital city of God and everyone starts calling him the Messiah, the Christ…which in their minds solely means political military revolution leader against the current ruling power of Rome.

But up to this point Jesus has not taken a single militaristic action, not even the slightest one. Yet, he has been accepting messianic titles and acting as though he has the power and the authority of The Messiah. Then comes this scene…

Open your Bible to Matthew 24:1-2, “Jesus left the temple and was going away, when his disciples came to point out to him the buildings of the temple. 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.’”

Now that sounds more like the military messiah everyone is expecting right? Over topple some stones…finally! So what’s the disciples question? Verse 3, “Tell when will these things be, and what will be the sign of your coming and the close of the age.” That is a key verse which sets off this long speech or sermon by Jesus on his coming.

So let me read it as a whole as Jesus meant for it to be heard. It’s long but hearing it all together will keep us from error as we work through the major things Jesus points out in it.

(Read the text and pray over it)

Okay, a couple disclaimers before we get started.

One, on my method. There are both a lot of crazy ideas and theological debates which spring out of various sections of this sermon from Jesus. I think most, if not all, get cleared up when we look at it as a whole and move from the clear to the less clear. So we’re going to focus on the majors and not take the time to get into all the little details here. As a general rule, it’s usually when try and figure out the details of a passage of the Bible that talks about the future that you usually get yourself into trouble.

Two, I don’t think everything here is necessarily in a strict time chronology order…some things are, other things are repeated by Jesus and illustrated later. So my basic approach and outline that we have up on the screen here is meant to help simplify it all so we can grasp main things Jesus is getting at. So, real simple… “Jesus, what’s the sign of your coming?” Answer…things “Before Jesus Returns” things about “How Jesus Returns” and things about “When Jesus Returns” followed by four stories to illustrate it all.

The last sort of prep thing I’ll say is this. I know there are some of you who are new to our church and new to Christianity and you’re just trying to figure out what’s with this Jesus guy. If that’s you, know you’re in good company. That’s what the disciples are trying to do here. So you’re probably more connected to the story than anyone here in the room if you’ve got a healthy, open, and desirous questions about Jesus.

I. Before Jesus Returns (24:1-22)

Aright, first let’s get into the things Jesus says must happen before he returns. What we’re going to see immediately and all throughout everything Jesus says is that it is all future. If I counted right he refers to future events seventy times in this single teaching.

That might seem pretty basic but it’s hugely significant because if Jesus was the expected Messiah then in most people’s minds that meant that’s it…the Messiah will save us and then things will be good, the end. So when Jesus says there’s going to be a bunch of stuff that has to happen before his Messiah role is fully fulfilled…that’s a surprise. No one envisioned that there would be two comings of the Messiah.

Jesus is addressing their basic ideas about the Messiah and what he had come to do in his first coming. When Jesus says there’s still going to be tough times ahead…like wars and famines and earthquakes and tribulation that’s a huge surprise. I mean, he even says in verse 16 of chapter 24 that things will get so bad they should run. Don’t fight, flee to the mountains. If you’re a first century Jew, you’re response to Jesus might be…”Okay then, if you are the Messiah, and you’re not going to put an end to all that stuff now then why are you here? Why are you telling us to run? What kind of Messiah are you?”

When you look at it from a historical perspective like this it’s a good question right? I mean this is the reason most blood line orthodox Jews today do not believe Jesus was the Messiah…because there is not peace and there hasn’t been. Just wars and pain. Yes, the Messiah is supposed to be righteous and wise and kind but he is also to be powerful, kingly, a warrior and is to come, judge and make peace. So what’s up Jesus?!

Have you ever found yourself asking a similar thing? We bought a house about two weeks ago now. Until a few days ago I was working non-stop fixing it up and then moving my family in. In the midst of it there have been tons of things that have gone wrong. Both the plumbing under the kitchen sink, bathroom sink, and the tub all basically blew up. I’ve made like 25 trips to home depot in the last seven days. Every time someone tells me something different and I end up with a new part and a new problem. I finally thought I got it working and in a matter of minutes a hose under the sink started blasting water while I was trying to hang my flat screen TV on the wall, which I ended up dropping and cracking. I seriously hit my breaking point and sat down and I think I literally said out loud…”Jesus, why is everything so hard?!”

Now I know that plumbing and high def TV’s are nothing compared to wars, famines and earthquakes…but it’s the same sentiment right? Jesus, if you’re the Messiah, if you’re the savior then why are things so hard, why don’t you fix everything and make it all better? I thought that’s what you’re supposed to do. Why am I following you again?

Which is the next thing Jesus addresses. In our frustration, we will be tempted to listen to false christs, false saviors with more immediate answers. Jesus says many will come saying I am the Christ and lead many astray. We could spend all day talking about false gospels and their christs, they’re everywhere.

Duane, you just need to have a more positive mental approach and attract positive energies. If you do that you will be saved from all the negativity and negative things which can happen.

Duane, you just need to eat healthy and exercise more then if everything goes bad at least you can feel good about your body.

Duane, you just need to do some more good deeds and help out the poor more. If you do that it will give you some perspective and you will be saved from caring about a house or a TV.

Every one of these ideas has their champions. You know you they all are. They’re all in a rotating schedule of being the guests on Oprah. False christs, false saviors offering a false hope. How do you know? It’s anyone or anything that leads us away from Jesus. That’s what Jesus says. Look at verse 5, “Many will come in my name, saying ‘I am the Christ’ (I can save you) and they will lead you astray.” With this statement Jesus is openly declaring that only he can save.

Why the time gap Jesus? Why the two comings? I mean Jesus, in large shoves most the physical and social salvation of the Messiah’s role to the future in a second coming when he will return to accomplish all those things later. Revelation 21 says then, after that second coming, he will wipe away every tear and there will be no more pain, suffering or death.

I’m sure in God’s divine wisdom there’s more than one answer for why the two comings and the time gap, this long period between now and the age to come…but the answer Jesus gives here is simple…he says it is so the gospel can be spread. Look at verse 14 of chapter 24, “this gospel of the kingdom will be proclaimed throughout the whole world as a testimony to all nations, and then the end will come.”

It’s a striking statement if you see the connection. In verse 9 he says all tribulation, including death is meant to propel us in the mission of the gospel. Why the need for the gospel? Verses 10-12 say because of the lack of love and the abundance of lawlessness. They go hand in hand. What’s lawlessness. Doing your own thing. Living outside of God’s law and making up your own rules and beliefs. The result is you end up being very self centered, betraying others and love for others “grows cold.”

The only answer for it is the “gospel of the kingdom.” The good news that Jesus is king and he is worthy and able to rule over our hearts and our lives. We can live under him and when we do, we are filled with his love, for God and for God’s people.

So get the connections. Whenever we hear the sirens of an ambulance…whenever we hear the report of an earthquake or famine, whenever something goes wrong…tribulation of any sort really for tribulation is the nature of this age and has been for a long time…whenever we are aware of it and especially when it increases, even abomination in the temple (the fall of spiritual centers and leaders)….it is meant to propel us in mission. Tribulation is meant for us to think…people need Jesus, how can I proclaim it and spread it throughout the world.

You see I think Jesus’ scope is far bigger than just the destruction of the 1st century temple in 70AD. You can’t read through this entire sermon of his and say that. He’s concerned with the gospel and no tribulation, even the worst kind ought to be enough to detract from the mission of the gospel instead it’s meant to propel it.

We’re going to move on to “How Jesus Returns” but before I do, I think it would be foolish for me not to ask…are there things that have been leading you astray, false christs and false gospels which pull your attention of your need for Jesus? How’s your love for God and his people? Have you been lawless? Has hardship made you turn away from Jesus or toward him and spreading the the need for him to others?

Before Jesus returns there will be tough times, false christs, and the spread of the gospel. We can expect it. So when he does return, what will it be like, how will we know?

II. How Jesus Returns (24:23-31)

“How Jesus Returns.” This is my favorite part of everything Jesus says in this sermon of his. Here’s the key things he says. Verse 27, “As the lightening comes from the east and shines as far as the west, so will be the coming of the Son of Man.” Verse 29-31, “The powers of the heavens will be shaken. Then will appear in heaven the sign of the Son of Man and then all the tribes of the earth will mourn, and they will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of heaven with power and great glory. 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.”

Wow! That is amazing. It literally sounds like something straight out of a sci-fi movie. Here’s the thing. All throughout the Gospel of Matthew we have been hearing Jesus make references to himself as being deity and he’s shown his divine attributes on occasion here and there…demonstrating power over nature, knowing intimate details of others thoughts, and being aware of things which happen in other geographical locations. But for the most part he just seems like a mere man, not the divine Son of God…just a poor, vagabond carpenter turned rabbi with some good things he says and does.

If he were actually God this is kind of coming from heaven is exactly the sort of thing you would expect. Lightening, an earthquake, power, glory, on clouds with angels and a trumpet call everyone hears. Yeah…that kind of sounds more like the son of God.

Remember the disciples’ question which spawned this sermon, “What will be the sign of your coming?” Jesus’ answer…you really won’t need a sign because everyone will see it and know it…it’s not going to be a secret, it’s not going to be like this time around. When Jesus comes again, he will not come as a poor traveling homeless man, he will come with the glory of heaven.

In Jesus’ first coming he comes and demonstrates utter humility allowing himself to be primarily seen as a weak human being. In Jesus’ second coming he comes with all his royal guard which he has had since before the world was created.

You see, some have come up with the foolish idea of people disappearing when Jesus returns leaving a bunch of people wondering what happened. Nope. Jesus makes it pretty clear…everyone will see it and know it. And this is the universal view of the Bible. In Philippians 2:10-11 it says, every knee will bow and tongue confess that he is Lord.

That’s why here Jesus says some will mourn and others will be gathered to him. Those who mourn will be those who bow in fear knowing that they are about to be judged and those who are gathered are the elect who have believed.

Now I know, maybe some of this just seems like fantasy to you. But I plead with you, it’s not. There’s a reason why such a saga excites us…we are built for it and our souls know it’s true. I don’t know if it’s just San Diego and we live in a more beautiful city than most…but often it seems we will have the sun breaking through sharply defined clouds…usually when the morning fog is burning off. Often when that happens I look up and I see the light piercing through and an excitement starts to build in my bones, you can ask Amy, often times I’ll tell her and say “Amy look at the sky!” When that happens I think maybe today…maybe now…and I just start whispering the words “come Lord Jesus.”

How will Jesus return? With great power and glory and everyone will see it and know it.

III. When Jesus Returns (24:31-44)

The next natural question then is when? When’s it going to happen? Jesus anticipates this response so he directly addresses two main ways in verses 31-44 of chapter 24. Basically he says, you can recognize the season but no one can know exactly when it’s going to happen.

In regards to the season he uses the example of a fig tree, that when the time is approaching for it to bear fruit, the tree changes and thus you know the season. So is it the season, how do you know? Here’s how Jesus says you know, verse 35, “Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will not pass away.” So when we see Jesus words being fulfilled, we know it’s the season.

The interesting thing here is everything Jesus has said can be understood as having been fulfilled from within the first forty years after he said them on down to now. Thus, there have been people from nearly every century from then until now who have thought Jesus would return in their generation. Some Bible scholars have noted that was intentional of Jesus to word things in such a way that every generation would be anxiously waiting and expecting his return.

Which unsurprisingly becomes the thrust of his next point, to be ready. First he says, don’t try and figure out when it’s going to happen. Which is funny because there have been several wacky Christians and religious cults and who have attempted to pinpoint the day and time. Most notably the Jehovah’s Witness who said Jesus was supposed to return in 1914. Then there were a bunch of crazies who said it was supposed to happen at the turn of the millenium in 2000.

But you can’t know that. Listen to Jesus’ words in verse 36 of chapter 24, “Concerning the day and hour no one knows, not even the angels of heaven, nor the Son, but the Father only.” According to Jesus here, anytime someone thinks they have the time down, you know there’s no way they could know that and they’re probably wrong.

What Jesus really wants, the reason why he even brings it up, is so that we would be ready for his return. He gives a few quick illustrations, one of Noah, a couple about workers, and one about a home owner and a thief. In each of the illustrations, either a person or possessions are taken because of not being ready. Jesus logic is, since you don’t know when it will be, you ought to be ready for it to be at any time.

Check it out, verse 44, “Therefore you also must be ready, for the Son of Man is coming at an hour when you do not expect.” Now that doesn’t mean, “live everyday as if it were your last.” If I knew tomorrow was going to be my last day I’m sure I’d go do some different things. It means be ready for Jesus…anytime.

If Jesus were to return right now, would you be ready for him? Here’s a test. If right now, while I was preaching, all of a sudden there was a massive lightening storm and an earthquake and then we heard these massive trumpets being sounded and if when we walked outside we saw Jesus coming down on a cloud in bright light surrounded by his angels…what would your thought be?

Would you be excited or would you be afraid of what he would say to you? Would you weep with tears of joy at long last seeing the savior face to face or would be praying trying to repent and get right with God real quick?

Are you ready? Really…are you ready to meet Jesus today?

IV. Four Return Stories (24:45-26:2)

Well after just sort of saying straight out what’s going to happen before he comes, how he comes, and when he is going to come Jesus switches gears to storytelling mode and he dishes out some parables to drive home the implications of what he has just taught. Jesus is always pressing for change in our in us. He’s been talking about his return so he gives four different types of return stories.

A. The Drunks Who Doubted Return

First is the story of the drunks who doubted he would return. A master of a house entrusts his estate to some servants to take care of the place while he’s gone. But after awhile it seems like the master isn’t returning and they haven’t heard from him…so they just figure he’s not coming back and decide to start partying it up drinking and fighting for position in ruling over the estate.

I think this one is funny because there is actually a technical term liberal scholars have come up with to describe what they think is a delay in Jesus’ return, the actually call it the “delay of the parousia.” They suppose Jesus and the apostles thought it would happen in only a few years and because it didn’t that they were wrong. I think it’s funny because Jesus here basically says that’s so stupid you got to be drunk to think that.

Earlier Jesus said, “heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will not pass away.” If Jesus is who he said he was, the divine God-man who knew all things, then he knew when he said this that it would be nearly 2,000 years plus before he would return. The longer it is before he returns the more true this story is.

Have any of you ever been caught doing something you knew you shouldn’t be doing? The classic one is if you work in an office and you’re playing solitaire or on Facebook or something and the boss walks by and you try and change the screen real quick.

Take that and multiply it. The boss hasn’t been into work for days, weeks, years…it doesn’t seem like anyone is checking on anything. Soon you’re dipping into the company’s money, never working, and instead just getting drunk on the job. If the owner walked in, you’d be more than fired, you be prosecuted. Same thing here with this story.

Doubting whether Jesus will return can be dangerous. Jesus says the consequence is being cut into pieces and put in the place where there is weeping and gnashing of teeth.

B. The Virgins Who Returned To Late

The next return story is of some virgins who returned too late. There’s nothing really special about them being virgins and we’re pretty detached from the story culturally. Basically there is a wedding to go to and a bunch of girls figured they had a lot of time to get ready for the wedding but they end up sleeping through it and coming late.

When they get there to try to get in the bridegroom answers, “I don’t know you” implying that if they really knew and loved the bridegroom they wouldn’t have been so careless to waste time, not prepare, and just sleep through everything.

The sentiment Jesus is getting at here is those who would say, “I’ll get right with God later, but right now I just want to do my own thing.” That’s dangerous. If you find yourself in a place where you know there are things that are not right between you and God that need to get straightened out and you think, “I’ll just deal with that later” then beware.

Here’s what Jesus says about that…verse 14 of chapter 25, “Watch therefore, for you know neither the day or the hour.” You don’t want to here those words, “I do not know you.” Do you really know Jesus or are you investing in relationships that have the effect of snuffing out your relationship with him?

C. The Servant Who Had No Return

Next is the story of the servant who had no return. Here’s the story. A man gives three guys a certain amount of money. The first dude he gives fives talents. A talent is about $275K, so the first guy gets like $1.3 million dollaers. The second guy gets $550K, the third guy gets $275K and each are told to go make more money with it.

The story goes into detail about how each of the first two multiplied their profit and then focuses on the third guy, who makes no profit, he has no return and instead he blames the man who gave him the money.

So what’s the point? Well, it’s a pyramid scheme on how to make money fast. Just kidding. It’s really been treated like that though. Just so you know the parable has nothing to do with money or giving to church…it’s about what you do with what Jesus has given you.

When Jesus returns he expects his followers to do what he has asked them to do in the meantime. So what has he said so far? One, spread the gospel. Two, be ready.

Now there’s a ton of cool and interesting parallels in this story but we’re going to move on. I’ll just ask this one question. In addition to the things Jesus has mentioned here, spreading the gospel and being ready…it is true that according to Ephesians 4:7-8 Jesus gives each person different gifts or abilities which he intends for them to use for his kingdom and glory.

So are you using your gifts? Has Jesus given you the ability and interest to do something and you’re not doing anything with it? Are you just sort of sitting in the stands and you need to get into the game? If so, get in the game…don’t risk hearing those words, “you worthless servant.” Use your gifts for the glory of God.

D. The King Who Returns To Judge

Lastly, Jesus gives one more story about the return of the king who comes to judge. In this final story about his coming and the age to come, Jesus brings things full circle back to where he started with the temple in asserting himself as the true Messiah who judges all.

Here’s the key elements of the story. He will return as as shepherd king judge and will divide the sheep from the goats. In the middle east often the sheep there can look like goats and vice versa, but a shepherd can inspect the animals and knows the difference.

In the same way Jesus uses this story to say that each person’s love for him will be inspected by looking at how they loved others. It’s what theologians call the “fruit of faith.” Not that anyone earns their way into heaven by doing good deeds for others but that those who truly believe in Jesus will have compassion for those who are hungry, naked, sick, in prison or a stranger.

The story basically ends up with some of the goats upset at Jesus, claiming they were really his followers. Jesus responds to them saying he was hungry and they didn’t feed him, thirsty and did not give him anything to drink, naked and was not clothed, sick and in prison and not visited. They respond in shock and surprise saying, “When did we ever do that Lord?”

And here’s his reply. Verse 45, “Truly I say to you as you did not do it to one of the least of these, you did not do it to me.” One of the marks of Christians, that we are all to be ministers of Christ to the world…administering to the wounds sin has wreaked upon the peoples of the earth. To be a “Christian” is to be a representative of Christ, to be his hands, feet, and mouth to the world.

One of my favorite verses is Colossians 3:23-24 “Whatever you do, work heartily, as for the Lord and not for men…you are serving the Lord Christ.”

We’ve got to be able to look past faces and see the face of Christ and serve others as though we are serving Jesus himself. Otherwise instead of hearing Jesus words, “Come, you who are blessed by my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you (25:34)” we will hear the words, “go away into eternal punishment (25:46).”

Anytime we do anything for others, whether it’s for church or for our friends or for our bosses or co-workers…anyone, if you’re a Christian you doing it for Jesus. And that ought to radically change the way we see and approach everything. Jesus tells four return stories to say we can either doubt, delay, do nothing or instead do everything all for him.

Conclusion

Okay, let’s conclude. We made it, that was a fat section of Scripture to work through. Here’s how I want to conclude. Just how Jesus does. 26:1-2 “When Jesus finished all these sayings, he said to his disciples, ‘You know that after two days the Passover is coming and the Son of Man will be delivered up to be crucified.”

Jesus’ whole conclusion to this phenomenal telling of his great power and glory and his future return and his call for us to be ready and the consequences of not being ready…his grand conclusion to all that is…okay, now I’m going to go die.

It’s jarring. It leaves you wondering…why go die, if you are this guy? The answer is the same reason Jesus said there were two comings and a long period of time between the two…the gospel.

You see the reality is we’ve all be lawless. Our love has grown cold. We’ve all put hope in false christs. We’ve all thought the Master wasn’t returning and thought we could get away with doing what we want. We’ve all showed up late to the wedding. We’ve all been slothful and unfaithful with the gifts and talents Jesus has given us. We all deserve to be cast aside like the goats, thrown into eternal darkness.

Jesus came in his first coming to change all that, to give us hope and healing for our hearts and souls by dying on the cross. The gospel is the good news that Jesus has died on the cross to pay the price for all our failure…our cold lawlessness, our false hopes, our slighting God and his people, our misuse of his gifts, and the penalty of hell we deserve. Jesus died for it all so that we might be forgiven and given his perfect righteousness in exchange.

Jesus ends his sermon by saying he must be crucified. Jesus’ cross is the only way out of the sinful traps he vividly described. Jesus’ cross is the only way we will see him with delight and favor when he returns instead of seeing him to receive judgment. Jesus was judged for us on our behalf so we wouldn’t have to be.

Believe in him. Love him. Look to him. Worship him.

Let’s pray.