The Olivet Discourse: Part Two

Matthew 24:1-14 – “The Need for Endurance” (part 1)

A sermon by Pastor Joe Haynes

Preached on August 25, 2024 at Beacon Church

In his final, public words to the people of Jerusalem, the Lord Jesus Christ announced two great prophetic, truths about the future: 1) Desolation was coming, and 2) Jesus will come again. 

 37 "O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, the city that kills the prophets and stones those who are sent to it! How often would I have gathered your children together as a hen gathers her brood under her wings, and you were not willing!  38 See, your house is left to you desolate.  39 For I tell you, you will not see me again, until you say, 'Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord.'"  (Matt. 23:37-39 ESV)

The desolation Jesus said was coming upon the Jews was because the Jews rejected the Messiah God sent. And yet, Jesus foresaw a day in the future when the Jews will welcome Jesus as the Messiah. So what we have in our Lord’s double prediction at the end of Matthew 23, is a glimpse of a tragic period that was coming soon for the Jewish people, ending, eventually, in a joyful period when Christ returns. But of course, that doesn’t tell us how much time will pass in between. We just don’t know.

But what do we know? Well I want to suggest to you that the most important thing we know for sure about the long wait for the return of Jesus Christ, is that He never changes. “Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever,” (Heb. 13:8). This gives every believer a reason for strong hope in dark times because, for example, of what we see in Mat 23:37. Throughout the history of the ancient nation of Israel, the Lord wanted to save them and gather them like a hen gathers her brood under her wings. But they were not willing. Now because the Lord never changes, you can depend on this, that He still wants to gather sinners and be their Saviour—both from the Jews and from the nations. Which tells us something about the dark times predicted in the Bible. They are intended to turn hard hearted people from their sin to repentance and faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. And before the end comes, even the nation of Israel will turn to Jesus. He will love them and save them. They will love Him and be saved.

So now what do we know? A period of desolation was coming for the Jews, followed by a time of joy, and through it all the Lord Jesus never changes. He is unmovable. The One in whom Christians believe. Our Rock of Refuge through it all. The Cornerstone of the Church He is gathering. You and I know this because we read it in Scripture. But those disciples following Jesus did not yet understand these things. They were unprepared for the seismic upheaval that soon shook the Jewish nation. They were like blind men walking into a clearly marked minefield. Within their lifetime, Jerusalem would be desolated along with the Temple. The greatest symbol of their national identity would be gone. The centre of their religious identity, destroyed. But a Christian is a person whose identity and stability is anchored in the Lord Jesus Christ. These disciples needed to become Christians with earthquake proof faith in Jesus Christ. Do you have that faith?

As they are following Jesus from the temple, they show how attached to it they still are. So in these verses, then, the Lord Jesus gives a series of predictions that teach you to depend on Him no matter what the future holds. Notice what Jesus wants His followers to “see.” In verse 2, he asks if they see the temple; in verse 4, he commands them to “see” a danger; in verse 6, to “see” they are not alarmed; in verse 15, to wait for something they will “see”; and in verse 25, to “see” who told them all these things before any of them happened. Jesus aims to make Christians trust His word more than their own eyes. So hear the Word of the Lord.

Don’t focus on the temple! (1-2)

The Lord’s first prediction comes in verse 2. Jesus turned His back on the Temple and was walking away but His disciples weren’t ready to leave. "Jesus left the temple and was going away, when his disciples came to point out to him the buildings of the temple," (Matt. 24:1 ESV). Like Lot’s wife who looked back at Sodom even as judgment fell on it. Why do they point out the buildings of the Temple? Well I think it comes down to a very simple explanation: they didn’t want to give it all up. They thought the Temple was worth keeping. It was beautiful. Magnificent. It filled the hearts of devout Jews with awe and reverence for God. It was a place where you wanted to pray, where you were inspired to worship. And not only was it valuable for spiritual purposes, it was the national treasure of the Jewish people. According to the historian Josephus, even the Roman general Titus, when he conquered Jerusalem forty years later, at first wanted to try and save the temple.[i] Charles Spurgeon commented that the disciples saw it as beautiful but the Lord Jesus saw it as defiled.[ii] Remember when He drove out everyone buying and selling in the Temple? He wanted to cleanse it. “He said to them, "It is written, 'My house shall be called a house of prayer,' but you make it a den of robbers." (Matt. 21:13) But they were not willing. So He condemned it: “See, your house is left to you desolate,” (Mt 23:38). [read v2] Jesus declares everything they “see” is doomed.

I explained last week that this “desolation” of the temple and Jerusalem had been a long time coming. The predictions in the Bible go way back to Moses, repeated through Solomon, Jeremiah, and Daniel, etc. (Lev 26; Deut 28; 1 Kin 9; Jer 22; Dan 9). So why do the disciples seem surprised? Why do they hang onto what God is condemning? Well don’t we all do that? Why do we cling to what won’t last? Even when we know it’s sin? I suggest it is because it is easier for us to trust what we can see than to trust the Word of the Lord. Listen again. He speaks directly to those men, “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." (Matt. 24:2 ESV, emphasis added). First He’s speaking directly to those men—“you” then not us now. Second, He’s talking about the temple buildings they could see at that time. Not one bit of wall will be left standing. Not one stone on another. It’s all coming down. If the Lord Jesus was talking to you, what might He warn you isn’t going to last?

There’s a warning in this I think especially for Christians. When you read Christian biographies and history, it can seem like a long list of one great church, one great institution, one great movement after another—and none of them last. We need to be very careful not to be more attached to our beloved institutions than we are to Jesus Christ. Yesterday, today, forever—Jesus Christ remains. Only Jesus Christ. Verse 2 was the wake up call the disciples needed. When God leaves His own House desolate, it needs to teach us to remember the sinfulness of sin and the holiness of God. God demands much more than merely a new coat of religious paint. He calls you to be holy because He is holy. To trust in Him from the heart. To serve Him with your life. To be loyal to Him above everything. You know what? To love Him with all your heart, all your soul, all your mind (Mat 22:37). Well then, in these verses, the Lord gives a series of predictions that teach you to depend on Him no matter what the future holds. What does the future hold? For them it was their worst fears. And it happened in their lifetimes. In verse 2, Jesus explicitly predicts the destruction of the temple. Next, then, hear the Word of the Lord again.

Don’t be led astray! (3-5)

The Lord’s second prediction comes in verse 5. Jesus sat down outside of Jerusalem on the Mount of Olives and the disciples came to him to ask a follow up question. "As he sat on the Mount of Olives, the disciples came to him privately, saying, "Tell us, when will these things be, and what will be the sign of your coming and of the end of the age?" (Matt. 24:3 ESV). Their question shows their confusion. Luke 19:11 confirms: “they supposed that the kingdom of God was to appear immediately.” When they talk about Jesus’ “coming” and “the end of the age,” they have in mind when He will come and be King, and when the present age will give way to a new Messianic age. So they assume the destruction of the temple (v2) will be part of these great events ushering in Jesus’ kingdom—and they assume it will be soon. They want to know exactly when and how people will know when His time comes. Like the Pharisees asked for a sign in Mat 12:38, and again in 16:1, the disciples ask Jesus now for a sign that the Kingdom is really coming.

I’ve listened to some heartbreaking stories from people badly shaken because they firmly believed God was going to do some thing, and then it never happened. The healing of a loved one; the saving of a marriage; the growth of a church; the lost child come home. But in all those cases, it was never God who promised to do what they hoped He would do. Faith is believing God will do what He said. If you are believing God will do what you merely wish He would do, that’s not faith, that’s just wishing. Jesus warned His disciples, those men, in verse 4, “See that no one leads you astray.” Speaking directly to them—His disciples. Because anyone who puts their hopes in something God never promised, is going astray. "And Jesus answered them, "See that no one leads you astray. For many will come in my name, saying, 'I am the Christ,' and they will lead many astray," (Matt. 24:4-5 ESV).

He says there will be men claiming to be the Messiah, the Christ, who will indeed lead many astray—into apostasy; off course; away from following Jesus. The implication is that they will make people think God’s Kingdom has arrived; that it’s time; that the waiting is over! And people will follow. But look more closely at verses 4 and 5. In verse 4 He speaks to them directly (You); in verse 5 He makes a more general prediction—many will claim to be the Christ, and many will be led astray. Not only does Jesus see something that will go on for a longer period of time—He sees how it will affect many other people well beyond His original disciples. The words our Lord uses in verse 4 make the warning personal to those original disciples. But the words He uses in verse 5 make the prediction apply to every generation ever since. False messiahs and false teachers have been leading false Christians astray from the very beginning. The Lord gives a series of predictions that teach you to depend on Him no matter what the future holds. In verse 5, He predicts false messiahs leading many astray. Next…

Don’t be alarmed! (6-14)

The Lord makes a lot of predictions in verses 6-14. And in the first section, vv6-8, Jesus shifts from what those original disciples can see with their eyes to what they will hear with their ears. But your ear can lead you astray just as effectively as your eye 

And you will hear of wars and rumors of wars. See that you are not alarmed, for this must take place, but the end is not yet.  7 For nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom, and there will be famines and earthquakes in various places.  8 All these are but the beginning of the birth pains. (Matt. 24:6-8 ESV)

Notice how Jesus commands them, when they hear that all kinds of wars are happening, “see that you are not alarmed…” The command “See,” is like a new bullet point helping us see Jesus is talking about a new threat His disciples will have to face. He commands them to see to it; to make sure they are not alarmed by what they hear. If only more Christians obeyed this! Look what Jesus says in verse 6: “…for this must take place, but the end is not yet.” In plain English that means when those disciples hear that war is coming, and natural disasters are happening, it’s not a sign of the end times. You need to listen to this.

He says it again in verse 7: nations will clash with nations and kingdoms with kingdoms; famines and earthquakes are going to happen in many places. None of these things are signs of the end, just of the earliest beginning of what’s coming. My wife first started having contractions, with one of our kids, more than 3 months before he was born. It wasn’t time. That’s what Jesus is saying. In our case, it was a sign that she needed bed rest; but Jesus’ point is that these earliest birth pains don’t mean you need to rush to the hospital. Yet. It’s not time yet.

This is just as true today as ever. And the danger is just as real. Wars have been happening ever since Jesus said this. Famines and earthquakes have been happening ever since Jesus said this. There are records of at least a dozen major earthquakes around just the Roman Empire from the time Jesus said this while some of those disciples were still alive.[iii] There are earthquakes and famines recorded and discussed in the book of Acts![iv] They were not signs of the end. The wars, famines and earthquakes that came just meant the world was getting more dangerous and that it was going to get even harder to keep on following Jesus. So next, in verses 9-14, the Lord shifts again—from what they will see, to what they will hear, and now to what will happen to them as they follow Him.

The Lord Jesus had warned them when He appointed them as His apostles, in Matthew 10:16f, that He was sending them out like sheep among wolves; that they would be persecuted, arrested, brought to trial in synagogues, before governors and kings; some would die, and all would be hated, “but the one who endures to the end will be saved,” (Mat 10:23). That’s what He’s saying here again. "Then they will deliver you up to tribulation and put you to death, and you will be hated by all nations for my name's sake," (Matt. 24:9 ESV). He says this first, directly to those men then: they will deliver you up; put you to death; hate you for my sake—the book of Acts records all these things already happening. But then, second, He again applies these predictions to every generation since then. "10 And then many will fall away and betray one another and hate one another.  11 And many false prophets will arise and lead many astray.  12 And because lawlessness will be increased, the love of many will grow cold," (Matt. 24:10-12 ESV). Our Lord Jesus Christ didn’t say only those first disciples would suffer for His names’ sake. He said it in the beatitudes: “"Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness' sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven,” (Matt. 5:10). He said it in Mat 16-- Anyone who wants to follow Jesus, He said, must deny himself, take up his own cross, and keep on following Him (Mt 16:24). If you lose your life for the Lord’s sake, you will save it; if you try and save your life by turning from Him, you will forfeit your soul (16:25).

Verse 12 says the love of many will grow cold because lawlessness will increase. You know what lawlessness means here? It’s that condition that happens in a soul where there is no more fear of God. When there is no holy restraint keeping the heart back from all the evils it desires. Lawlessness grows in hearts where sin is tolerated; then accepted; then welcomed. Lawlessness increases in churches that adjust what the Bible says so that people who don’t wish to repent, don’t have to leave the church. Our Lord sees a tragic future unfolding: the love of many one-time professing Christians will grow cold. Their candles will flicker and go out; their little lights will stop shining; their lamps will go dark. Will the Lord find faith on the earth when He returns? It’s a good question isn’t it? Salvation involves endurance. You and I need endurance just as much as those original disciples needed endurance. But first Jesus had to show them in this series of prophecies that the long years ahead of them were going to be hard years; that the Kingdom wasn’t coming right away like they assumed; that the opposition to the Gospel would be fierce. The Lord told them to see the coming destruction of the temple in his words; to see that no one leads them astray with false hopes; to see that they are not alarmed by news of wars or famines or earthquakes—none of these things are signs of the end. So keep going.

"13 But the one who endures to the end will be saved.  14 And this gospel of the kingdom will be proclaimed throughout the whole world as a testimony to all nations, and then the end will come,"  (Matt. 24:13-14 ESV). What Jesus said to those men at that time has given believers, ever since then, strength to keep following Christ ever since. The series of predictions our Lord gives in these verses have been teaching Christians for nearly two thousand years to depend on Jesus no matter what the future brings. The book of Acts records that by the time the Apostle Paul died, the Gospel had been proclaimed to the ends of the Roman Empire. But the words of Christ in verse 14 apply this to every generation since then as well. The Gospel is still spreading; still being proclaimed; still being preached in all the world. This is the mission every Christian needs to get behind, until the end comes. You have a testimony.

Our Lord didn’t just intend to gather a small number of people to put their trust in Him. He has a vast Kingdom in mind. Look back at what He said to Jerusalem: “how often would I have gathered your children as a hen gathers her brood under her wings…!” (23:37) Then consider how he equipped those men He sent, his disciples then, to survive and endure so many things for the sake of the Gospel; how he equips and strengthens every generation of believers to endure, to keep going! So the testimony about Jesus Christ the Saviour would reach the ears of all nations! And see what this says about the Saviour God we worship.

If you ask when our Lord is coming back, the answer is that we don’t know. He didn’t tell us. But He did tell us about the long desolation that fell on the Jewish people. He did tell us to look forward to a day when all Israel will say “Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord,” (23:39). He did tell us that His Kingdom wasn’t coming right away. That wars and disasters are not signs of the end. That false teachers will give false hope and many will fall away; that lawlessness will grow and the love of many will turn cold. But yesterday, today, and forever, Jesus Christ is the same. And He told us to endure for the sake of our salvation. He told us to keep telling others about Him. About the loving kindness of our Lord, who seeks and saves the lost. If you are a Christian, be very sure your love is not growing cold. Because His is not. He is the good Shepherd who seeks out lost sheep to bring them home. Jesus said, it is not God’s “will that one of these little ones should perish,” (Matt. 18:14). He is the God and Saviour who told Jerusalem He wanted to gather them like a hen gathers her brood under her wings (23:37). So stop relying merely on what your eyes see, or what your ears hear. Do not walk by sight but by faith. Depend on the words and the promises and the Gospel of Jesus Christ. He will never let you down. No matter what the future holds.