[0:00] Seeking the Lord's blessing, let us now turn to the portion of scripture that we read together in the Gospel of Matthew and chapter 24. And we'll read again verse 42 and 44.
[0:19] Watch therefore, for ye know not what hour your Lord doth come. Therefore be ye also ready, for in such an hour as ye think not, the Son of Man cometh.
[0:40] Now these chapters that we have, chapter 24 and 25, is speaking to us of future events.
[0:51] And the study of future events is called eschatology, which really means the study of the last things.
[1:05] And this chapter and the following chapter which speak of eschatology have become known as the Olivet Discourse. Because it took place on the Mount of Olives.
[1:19] It is an important part of the teaching of Jesus. And we have this along with Mark chapter 13 and Luke 21.
[1:35] But it is a section that has divided opinion in the church down through the ages. And the most contentious part of the study of the last thing, the things, is the millennium.
[1:55] The word millennium means one thousand years. And the term comes from the book of Revelation in chapter 20.
[2:05] And there are three main millennial views. There is post-millennialism.
[2:16] That view is that the progress of the gospel and the growth of the church will increase so that a larger and larger proportion of the world's population will be Christians by the end of the age.
[2:33] Some refer to that as the glory of the latter days. The millennium in this view will last for a long period of time.
[2:45] Not necessarily, of course, a literal thousand years. But it will end finally as Christ will return.
[2:56] That is post-millennialism. Pre-millennialism, the view is that Christ will come back before the millennium. The present age will continue until it comes near the end of the age, when there will be a great period of tribulation.
[3:17] And after that time, Christ will return to establish a millennial kingdom.
[3:32] And believers will reign with Christ on earth for a thousand years. Not necessarily a literal thousand years, but for a long period of time.
[3:44] At the end of which judgment will take place. And then comes the eternal state. That is pre-millennialism. And there is another menu on the millennium called amillennialism.
[3:59] And they take Revelation 20 as describing the present age, the age in which we live now. Satan's influence over the nation has been greatly reduced so that the gospel can be preached to the whole world.
[4:19] In their view, those who are said to be reigning with Christ for a thousand years are Christians who have died and are already reigning with Christ in heaven.
[4:36] Christ's reign in the millennium is not a bodily reign here on earth, but rather the heavenly reign that is spoken of when he said that all authority and power has been given to him in heaven and in earth.
[4:53] A millennium, there is no future millennium yet to come. Revelation 20 has now been fulfilled. The millennium described there is currently happening.
[5:06] The present age will continue until the time of Christ's return. So these are the three main millennial views.
[5:18] Very briefly. However, tonight we are not going to enter this contentious argument, but rather we are going to focus on the fact that Christ is going to return.
[5:36] Therefore, be ye also ready. For in such an hour as ye think not, the Son of Man cometh.
[5:48] This was one of the great promises with which he comforted his disciples and the church in his discourse on the night that he was betrayed.
[6:01] He said to them, I will come again and receive you unto myself, that where I am, there ye may be also.
[6:12] His coming again to them was a means of great comfort to the disciples. It was a means of great comfort to the church down through the ages.
[6:27] It is one of the great promises that is given to us by God in the Bible to comfort us as we go through this world, as we journey through this world, as we journey through a world that is hostile to the things of God, where we meet with many hardships and pain and grief and disappointment, where we meet with persecution, where we meet with suffering.
[6:59] Yet here is the great comfort for us that Christ is going to return. When Jesus ascended to heaven from this very mount where he is teaching them now, the Mount of Olives, the angel comforted the disciples with these words, And Christ's return was the clear teaching of the apostles.
[7:49] Paul taught, Paul taught, For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God.
[8:02] The author to the Hebrews said, So Christ was once offered to bear the sins of many, and unto them that look for him shall he appear the second time without sin into salvation.
[8:16] And the book of Revelation has frequent references to Christ's return, ending with the promise of Jesus, Surely I come quickly.
[8:28] And what was John's response to that? He said, Even so come Lord Jesus. Jude records for us regarding Enoch, that Enoch also the seventh from Adam prophesied of these, saying, Behold the Lord cometh with ten thousands of his saints, to execute judgment upon all, and to convince all that are ungodly among them, of all their ungodly deeds, which they have ungodly committed, and of all their hard speeches, which ungodly sinners have spoken against him.
[9:06] And with the thought of the return of the Lord Jesus, according to Titus, it ought to train us to live sober, upright, and godly lives in the world, teaching us that denying godliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly, in this present world, looking for that blessed hope and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour, Jesus Christ.
[9:49] that is, looking earnestly and eagerly with great expectation for the coming of our Lord.
[10:21] It is the same word that was used regarding Simeon, who was in the temple. There he was, we are told, in the temple, looking for the consolation of Israel.
[10:34] Looking for the consolation of Israel. He was there, earnestly and eagerly, waiting with expectation for the consolation of Israel.
[10:45] And the same word is used when it is said of Joseph of Matthias, that he was looking, or that he waited for the kingdom of God. And the same thought is, of course, expressed regarding the believer in Romans chapter 8, that he was looking for the glory and the glory of the Lord.
[11:06] But ourselves also, which are the first fruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves, groan within ourselves, waiting for the adoption to wit the redemption of our body.
[11:17] That word waiting is the same word that is used there by Titus when he is saying that we ought to be looking for that blessed hope and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour, Jesus Christ.
[11:34] So, the question can be asked of me and you tonight, are we eagerly looking for Christ's return? Are we earnestly and eagerly with a great expectation looking for the return of Jesus Christ?
[11:54] There is always the danger that as we get caught up in the good things of this life, that we come to neglect Christian fellowship, that we come to neglect our own personal relationship with the Lord.
[12:14] And what happens when we do that is that we grow cold or lukewarm and we think less regarding his return.
[12:26] we shall not long for his return with that eagerness and earnestness and expectation that ought to be with us.
[12:43] Now, looking for the return of the Lord does not mean that we should not commit ourselves and plan long-term activities. it doesn't mean for us to become idle and to sit down and just wait.
[13:01] On the Mount here of Olives, when the Lord was teaching them about his return, he didn't mean for them to become idle.
[13:12] but we must be faithful and we must obey Christ in the present and we must be living our lives and serving him in the world.
[13:27] And that doesn't mean for us to be idle but to be active in the world, living our lives and serving Christ. However, what we find here is that the disciples' curiosity was aroused and they ask a double question and that we didn't read it is at the beginning of chapter 24.
[13:54] They said to him, tell us when shall these things be and what shall be the sign of thy coming and of the end of the world. And there were natural questions for them to raise since they had heard Jesus say as they came to show him the building of the temple.
[14:15] The temple was an important and beautiful building and the Jews were very proud of it and they were showing Jesus the temple.
[14:27] And Jesus said unto them, see ye not all these things? Verily I say unto you, there shall not be left here one stone upon another that shall not be thrown down.
[14:39] Here Jesus prophesied the destruction of the temple. Now at the end of the previous chapter 23, the chapter of woes spoken to Jerusalem's leaders, Jesus said, ye shall not see me henceforth till ye shall say, blessed is thee that cometh in the name of the Lord.
[15:03] So they are putting the two things together, his return and the destruction of the temple. Now there are many difficulties in interpreting chapter 24 and I suppose that it is very difficult to divide it up neatly between what is said about the destruction of Jerusalem and the Lord's second coming.
[15:32] However, we acknowledge that they are two separate events. He refers to things that we shall always have because of our sin, like there will always be false messiahs, there will always be wars and rumors of wars, there will always be famines and earthquakes, there will always be persecutions, there will always be apostasy, there will always be false prophets, all these are things that has characterized history to the present age.
[16:13] We shall always have these things. Then he refers to the destruction of Jerusalem and although the destruction of Jerusalem would be terrible, this would not be the end of the age and Christ's return.
[16:33] In fact, we do not know when Christ will return. But of the day and hour knoweth no man, no, not the angels of heaven, but my father only.
[16:49] But what Jesus does here is he wants us to be ready. And that's really what we want to focus on tonight. On his return, wherein he warns us here to be ready for his return.
[17:09] And he stresses this single, essential and important point with seven references, verbal, pictures or parables for us. We have four here in chapter 24 and we have three in chapter 25.
[17:29] And what he's really saying to us is, are you waiting? Are you watching? Are you ready for Jesus Christ's return?
[17:40] Are you ready for my return? And tonight we're going to look at the four references that he gives a seer in chapter 24.
[17:54] And the first historical reference that he uses to emphasize the suddenness of his coming and the need to be ready for it is the destruction of the earth by the flood in the days of Noah.
[18:14] But as the days of Noah were, the coming of the Son of Man be, for as in the days they were before the flood, they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day that Noah entered into the ark, and knew not until the flood came and took them all away, so shall also the coming of the Son of Man be.
[18:43] This is a well-known example of God's judgment of wickedness. As we read it in the book of Genesis, God saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every imagination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually.
[19:05] And God said unto Noah, The end of all flesh has come before me, for the earth is filled with violence through them, and behold, I will destroy them with the earth, and behold, even I do bring a flood of waters upon the earth to destroy your flesh, wherein is the breath of life from under heaven, and everything that is in the earth shall die.
[19:33] And the point here that Jesus is making is that these waters of the flood came suddenly, and those who were not prepared were drowned.
[19:49] This may be a reference to that world, that the world may be largely unbelieving, yet the crime of Christ's return, we just do not know.
[20:02] But as the days of Noah were, so shall also the coming of the Son of Man be. For as in the days that were before the flood, they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day that Noah entered into the ark, and you not until the flood came, and took them all away, so shall also the coming of the Son of Man be.
[20:27] he will come suddenly. His return will be sudden, just as the flood that came in the days and in the time of Noah.
[20:41] The people were going about their normal routine, when suddenly all the fountains of the great deep broke up, and the windows of heaven were opened, and it rained forty days and forty nights.
[21:01] And the people of Noah's days were warned, for Noah was a preacher of righteousness, but they gave no heed to his words, they didn't listen to them.
[21:17] For a hundred and twenty years he warned the people, but they did not listen. And suddenly the flood came, and they were too late.
[21:31] But Noah had found grace in the eyes of the Lord. The writer to the Hebrews says, By faith, Noah, being warned of God, of things not seen as yet, moved with fear, prepared an ark to the saving of his house, by which he condemned the world, and became heir of the righteousness, which is by faith.
[22:00] So the first picture then that Jesus gives to us is that of Noah and the flood. And the second picture that Jesus gives to us is in verse 40 and 41, where he says, then shall two be in the field, the one shall be taken and the other left.
[22:22] Two women shall be grinding at the mill, the one shall be taken and the other left. Here we have the idea not merely of suddenness, but here we also have the idea of separation.
[22:44] The time of Christ's coming will not only be that he will come suddenly, but it will also be a time of separation.
[22:58] The two in the field, probably co-workers together, and suddenly one is taken and the other one is left.
[23:10] And may I suggest that the one taken has been taken to share in the blessings of God. Paul says, for the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel and with the trump of God, and the dead in Christ shall rise first.
[23:31] Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air, and so shall we ever be with the Lord.
[23:46] Two women working at the hand mill, probably closely related, or perhaps two servants in the same household, and one of the women is taken, and the other is left.
[24:02] left. Here not only are we reminded of the suddenness of Christ's coming, and that with his coming there will be a separation, but it is also a reminder for us that not all will be saved.
[24:21] It's reminding us that no one would be saved simply by being close to or even related to another person who is a Christian. Here we find the two men, co-workers, working together, and yet one is taken, and the other is left.
[24:40] Here we have two women, closely related, and yet one is taken, and the other is left. And so shall it be when Christ shall return.
[24:54] One will be taken, and the other left. doesn't matter how close we may be to others who are believers. When Christ returns, it is for each individual.
[25:10] This is where individualism comes in. Everyone will stand for himself or herself. The thing is that you must believe in Jesus Christ in order to be ready for his return.
[25:30] Those who live with no thought for the things of God on the day of Christ's return will have no part whatsoever in the blessings of God.
[25:44] To have a part in the blessings of God, you must believe in Jesus Christ. And the third illustration that he uses is of a thief breaking into a house.
[26:03] But know this, that if the good man of the house had known in what watch the thief would come, he would have watched and would not have suffered his house to be broken up.
[26:18] This is a well-known illustration in the New Testament in reference to the return of Christ. Paul wrote, Peter says that the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night, in which the heavens shall pass away with a great noise, and the elements shall melt with fervent teeth.
[27:10] The earth also, and the works that are in shall be burnt up. In the book of Revelation, Jesus sent a message to the church at Sardis, and he said to them, remember therefore, how thou hast received and heard, and told fast and repent.
[27:35] If therefore thou shalt not watch, I will come on thee as a thief, and thou shalt not know what hour I will come upon thee.
[27:47] He says the same thing later on in the book of Revelation through John. He says, behold, I come as a thief, blessed is he that watcheth and keepeth his garments, lest he walk naked and see his shame.
[28:04] So again, the suddenness and the unpredictability in the coming of the Lord is here being emphasized.
[28:16] Then lastly in this chapter, we have the illustration of the two servants. Who then is a faithful and wise servant, whom his Lord hath made him ruler over his household, to give them meat in due season?
[28:35] Blessed is that servant whom his Lord when he cometh shall find so doing. Verily I say unto you, that he shall make him ruler over all his goods, but and if that evil servant shall say in his heart, my Lord delayeth his coming, and shall begin to smite his fellow servants, and to eat and drink with the drunken, the Lord of that servant shall come in a day when he looketh not for him, and in an hour that he is not aware of, and shall cut him as thunder, and appoint him as portion with the teeth.
[29:17] You see, there is a great contrast, is there not, between the two servants, between the faithful and wise servant, and the evil servant.
[29:30] The first servant, that is the faithful and wise servant, illustrates to us how we are to make ourselves to be ready for the coming of the Lord.
[29:43] Being ready means loving and trusting with our whole hearts serving and fully committed and waiting with eager expectation for the coming of the Lord.
[29:59] That's the way that this wise and faithful servant was. And the servant was ready for the coming of the Lord.
[30:12] And the faithful servant is faithful because he is expecting his Lord's return. But he is also faithful in continuing to do what the Lord has left for him to do in this world.
[30:31] He has made him ruler over his household and he is carrying out that responsibility. But at the same time he is waiting for his Lord.
[30:47] But what about the evil servant? Well he neglects his work. He says in his heart my Lord delayeth his coming and he begins to smite to hate his fellow servants and he begins to eat and to drink and that with the drunkards.
[31:07] he has become cruel he has become careless he has become neglectful. How we need to heed the words of the apostle Peter who says beloved be not ignorant of this one thing that one day is with the Lord as a thousand years and a thousand years as one day.
[31:35] The Lord is not lack concerning his promise as some men count slackness but is long suffering to us word not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance.
[31:52] You may ask well why is the Lord not coming? Well he is not coming because of his long suffering to us word not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance he goes on to say for us to account that the long suffering of our Lord is salvation.
[32:19] Well what was the end of this servant this evil servant? Well the Lord of that servant shall come in a day when he looketh not for him and in an hour that he is not aware of and shall cut him as under and appoint him his portion with the hypocrites and there there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.
[32:48] And through these four illustrations the Lord is saying to us watch therefore for ye know not what hour the Lord doth come therefore be ye also ready for in such an hour as he think not the Son of Man cometh.
[33:10] Are you ready? You may be promising yourself extra time. You may be saying to yourself well there is time enough for me to make ready.
[33:27] Well what the word here tells us and the illustrations tells us is the fact of the suddenness of his return.
[33:37] Like it was in the days of Noah. They were marrying and giving in marriage. They were eating and drinking going about their daily routines and suddenly the fountains of the earth broke up and the flood came.
[33:57] Two men in the field, two women at the mill working away and suddenly one was taken and the other was left.
[34:12] And we have here the two servants, the wise and faithful servant who committed themselves to the work of his master, eagerly waiting for his return, who was ready.
[34:36] But the evil servant who thought, well, my Lord delayeth his coming, and he began to act unwisely, and suddenly the Lord came and rewarded him according to his deed.
[34:56] There is an old story in which three apprentice devils were talking to Satan. The first one said, I will go and tell people that there is no God.
[35:20] They were out to deceive the people. And the first apprentice said, I will go and tell people there is no God. And Satan answered and said, that will not fool many, because they know there is a God.
[35:37] And the second apprentice devil said, I will tell them that there is no hell. And Satan said, you will never fool many that way, because they know that there is a hell.
[35:52] And the third apprentice devil said, I will tell the people that there is plenty of time, there is no need to hurry.
[36:04] And Satan said, go and you will ruin millions. Well, my friend, is that what he is whispering in you here tonight.
[36:17] And is he saying to you, there is no hurry. There is plenty of time. Yes, the Lord is going to return, but there is no hurry.
[36:30] There is plenty of time. That's not what the Lord said. What the Lord Jesus said was, watch therefore, for ye know not what thou your Lord doth come.
[36:42] Therefore be ye also ready, for in such an hour as he think not, the Son of Man cometh. Well, are you ready for his return?
[36:56] Are you watching and ready for his return? Or you might say, well, I'll probably die before he will return physically to this earth.
[37:13] Well, remember, my friend, as a tree falls, so shall it lie. And if you die Christless, when he shall return, you will still be Christless.
[37:28] Are you ready for his return? Are you waiting and ready for his return? May the Lord bless to us these thoughts.
[37:41] Let us pray.