“Great Expectations”

(Matthew 24:9-28)

Series: God’s Fulfilled Promise [on screen]

Rev. Matthew C. McCraw, EdD

First Baptist Church, Bartow, Florida

August 30, 2020

The Passage

Matthew 24:9-28

9 “Then they will hand you over to be persecuted, and they will kill you. You will be hated by all nations because of my name. 10 Then many will fall away, betray one another, and hate one another. 11 Many false prophets will rise up and deceive many. 12 Because lawlessness will multiply, the love of many will grow cold. 13 But the one who endures to the end will be saved. 14 This good news of the kingdom will be proclaimed in all the world as a testimony to all nations, and then the end will come.

15 “So when you see the abomination of desolation, spoken of by the prophet Daniel, standing in the holy place” (let the reader understand), 16 “then those in Judea must flee to the mountains. 17 A man on the housetop must not come down to get things out of his house, 18 and a man in the field must not go back to get his coat. 19 Woe to pregnant women and nursing mothers in those days! 20 Pray that your escape may not be in winter or on a Sabbath. 21 For at that time there will be great distress, the kind that hasn’t taken place from the beginning of the world until now and never will again. 22 Unless those days were cut short, no one would be saved. But those days will be cut short because of the elect.

23 “If anyone tells you then, ‘See, here is the Messiah!’ or, ‘Over here!’ do not believe it. 24 For false messiahs and false prophets will arise and perform great signs and wonders to lead astray, if possible, even the elect. 25 Take note: I have told you in advance. 26 So if they tell you, ‘See, he’s in the wilderness!’ don’t go out; or, ‘See, he’s in the storerooms!’ do not believe it. 27 For as the lightning comes from the east and flashes as far as the west, so will be the coming of the Son of Man. 28 Wherever the carcass is, there the vultures will gather.

Introductory Comments:

We’re entering the middle of a section of prophecy and predictions by Jesus concerning chaos and confusion. We’re picking up in Matthew 24 in the middle of what we call the Olivet Discourse, which was given by Jesus to His disciples on the Mount of Olives (hence the name “Olivet Discourse”).

The interpretations of the all of what Jesus meant in these teachings from the Mount of Olives is widely debated. As we go through this passage, I’ll provide for you particular interpretations on certain aspects. However, as I teach this I will do so with the approach that there were probably some truths that applied directly to Jesus’ audience that day, while some of these truths also apply to us today.  

Before we get into this passage, let’s pray together and ask God to teach us. 

(prayer)

You may remember from last week’s sermon that we learned that Jesus was teaching about judgment that comes from sin. The disciples had some questions that arose from what Jesus was saying concerning the temple. 

You may also remember that Jesus predicted the destruction of the temple, which we know would happen in A.D. 70. 

Jesus said that certain signs would come that were like labor pains pointing us to a time when things would happen in fulfillment. There would be warning signs to indicate that the destruction of the temple was near. Likewise, there will be warning signs, like labor pains, that point us to when Jesus will return and the world as we know it will end. 

This idea of Jesus pointing to something with both a lesser and greater meaning is an idea we see all throughout the Bible.

Just as the temple would be destroyed and great calamity would come. So, also, the world would experience greater destruction and calamity at a later date determined by God. 

Similarly, just as the power of Adam’s sin affected all of Creation, the power of Jesus’ death and resurrection would have a greater effect on Creation. 

Just as