Matthew
Yes, terrible things will happen to the earth and to people but that is not the end
The wages of sin is death and death is coming on a grand scale
But for the disciple of Jesus, hope is coming on the grandest of scale
The author of Genesis 1,2 and Revelation 20,21 also authored the whole Bible
Although we killed the author
You killed the author of life, but God raised him from the dead. Acts 3:15
The Author gives us salvation through suffering
In bringing many sons to glory, it was fitting that God, for whom and through whom everything exists, should make the author of their salvation perfect through suffering. Both the one who makes men holy and those who are made holy are of the same family. Hebrews 2:10-11
So, the right way to look at what God has written is to fix our eyes on the Author
Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. Consider him who endured such opposition from sinful men, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart. Hebrews 12:2-3
Life, Eternal Life, will come after death of everyone
That does confess Jesus Christ as Lord Romans 14:11
The Author of Life has written your story
So stick with the script and find your eternal purpose
The Author
Jesus had one message from
the beginning of His ministry to the end…
“The Kingdom of Heaven is at hand”
Every disciple of Jesus is instructed to pray…
“Thy Kingdom come thy will be done in earth as it is in heaven.”
So, it should not be a surprise to read in Matthew 24
the disciple’s question…
"Tell us, "they said, "when will this happen,
and what will be the sign of your coming
and of the end of the age?"
Matthew 24:3
“The End” can be very frightening.
My dad, after he turned 70, would talk to me
about “end of life planning”…
How to live the last years of your life.
It can be nice to stop working for the future
and live off the labors of your past.
But the fear of the body failing
and the unknown after the last breath can be frightening.
Matthew 24 can be frightening as we look
to the failing of earth and its last breath.
I think it is wise to be prepared for the hardships
of the end…
But not to lose sight of the new beginning.
The Bible is laid out with the first two chapters
describing the beginning of the heavens and the earth.
Genesis 2,3
The last two chapters of the Bible
describe the beginning of a new heaven
and new earth.
Revelation 20,21
When God created the heavens
and the earth it was good…
According to God’s standard.
Man was put in the middle of paradise.
Adam and Eve were given everything to rule over and to enjoy.
Sadly, the one thing forbidden by God was too resistible.
Adam and Eve’s desire was to be their own god.
This is where the third chapter of Genesis starts recording
the failures of man as being his own god.
2000 years ago…
God sends His Son who is called the Son of Man.
He came to save the world from their failure
and reveal the Kingdom of Heaven
and how man can enter into it again.
The picture we get from Revelation 20 and 21…
Tell us of a new heaven and new earth
where again everything is right, “righteousness”.
But in keeping with his promise we are looking forward
to a new heaven and a new earth, the home of righteousness.
2 Peter 3:13
Again, a place where by God’s standard it is good.
Right standing with God
and with one another
and the new heaven and earth.
This picture is beautiful and fills the heart with hope
in the last days of this earth.
So, before you read Matthew 24…
Read Genesis 1 and 2 to see what God
created and we had lost.
Then read Revelation 20 and 21
to see what God is creating and
what He is saving for disciple
who call Jesus Christ, LORD.
Jesus describes things to come in Matthew 24:4-8
not as the end, but the “beginning of birth pains”.
In verses 9-14, Jesus does not describe everyone as fallen.
There are those who have made Jesus Christ Lord
even under trial…
Those have hope and standing firm to the end
and are being saved.
The preaching of the Kingdom of Heaven
is not stopped by persecution…
Even to the end times and reaching
to the ends of the whole earth.
The Kingdom message is so important that
the end cannot come until every part of the earth
has heard of the great hope for all mankind.
Yes, terrible things will happen to the earth
and to people, but that is not the end.
The wages of sin is death
and death is coming on a grand scale.
But for the disciple of Jesus…
Hope is coming on the grandest of scale.
The author of Genesis 1,2 and Revelation 20,21
also authored the whole Bible.
Although we killed the author…
You killed the author of life,
but God raised him from the dead.
Acts 3:15
The Author gives us salvation through suffering..
In bringing many sons to glory,
it was fitting that God, for whom and through whom everything exists,
should make the author of their salvation perfect through suffering.
Both the one who makes men holy
and those who are made holy are of the same family.
Hebrews 2:10-11
So, the right way to look at what God has written…
Is to fix our eyes on the Author.
Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. Consider him who endured such opposition from sinful men, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart.
Hebrews 12:2-3
Make sure you read the end of the book…
Because those who follow Jesus…
WIN!!!
Our Salvation comes by making
Jesus Christ LORD of our lives.
That if you confess with your mouth, "Jesus is Lord," and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you confess and are saved. As the Scripture says, "Anyone who trusts in him will never be put to shame."
Romans 10:9-11
Hard times have always tested our commitment
to our confession of Jesus being our Lord…
And rightfully so.
If God allows into the new heaven and new earth
those whose hearts are not full of faith in Jesus…
If our mouth is confessing anything other than Jesus’ Lordship…
If anyone lacks trust in His rule and authority…
Then the New Heaven and New Earth will end
like the first heaven and earth.
Everyone doing what is right in their own eyes.
If Jesus is not Lord
of your life and your world…
YOU DON’T WANT IT.
The wages of sin is death…
To our fleshly desires and to this world.
But the Gift of God is eternal life
through Jesus Christ our Lord.
Romans 6:23
Don’t lose sight of the Lordship of Jesus.
Don’t lose sight of the Gift of God.
Life, Eternal Life, will come after death of everyone
that does confess Jesus Christ as Lord.
Romans 14:11
The Author of Life has written your story…
So stick with the script and find your eternal purpose.
Scripture Reading
Matthew 24:1-14 NIV
24 Jesus left the temple and was walking away when his disciples came up to him to call his attention to its buildings. 2 "Do you see all these things?" he asked. "I tell you the truth, not one stone here will be left on another; every one will be thrown down."
3 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 and of the end of the age?"
4 Jesus answered: "Watch out that no one deceives you. 5 For many will come in my name, claiming, 'I am the Christ,' and will deceive many. 6 You will hear of wars and rumors of wars, but see to it that you are not alarmed. Such things must happen, but the end is still to come. 7 Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. There will be famines and earthquakes in various places. 8 All these are the beginning of birth pains.
9 "Then you will be handed over to be persecuted and put to death, and you will be hated by all nations because of me. 10 At that time many will turn away from the faith and will betray and hate each other, 11 and many false prophets will appear and deceive many people. 12 Because of the increase of wickedness, the love of most will grow cold, 13 but he who stands firm to the end will be saved. 14 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.
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