NMBC Sermon Podcast

When Jesus returns in glory, every person will stand before Him and our true relationship with Him will be revealed. We are not saved by our good works, but entirely by God’s grace through faith in Christ; yet genuine faith bears fruit in lives transformed by His love. Because Jesus came near to us in our spiritual poverty and gave Himself to rescue us, His grace compels us to reflect His love by seeing and serving those who are hurting, vulnerable, and in need.

In the Parable of the Talents, Jesus teaches that while we await His return, we are called to faithfully steward everything God has entrusted to us for His purposes. The faithful servants respond to their master’s generosity with trust and obedience, while the unfaithful servant’s actions reveal a heart that does not truly know or trust his master. Our faithfulness does not earn our place in God’s kingdom; rather, a life of faithful service is the fruit of belonging to Christ and living in light of His grace and promised return.

Jesus calls us to be ready for His return—not merely by identifying ourselves as Christians, but through genuine faith in Him that bears fruit in a life of faithfulness. We cannot inherit someone else’s relationship with Christ or make ourselves worthy of Him; salvation is by grace through faith in Christ alone. Because Jesus has given Himself for us, we are called to know Him, trust Him, and live faithfully as we joyfully await His return.

Jesus does not call us to predict the timing of His return, but to live faithfully in light of its certainty. Because Christ has borne our sin and judgment at the cross, His people can anticipate His return with hope rather than fear—living with an eternal perspective, faithfully stewarding what He has entrusted to us, and longing for the day when we will be with Him forever.

As Jesus begins the Olivet Discourse, He calls His followers away from fear and speculation about the future and toward faithful living in the present. In Matthew 24:1–14, we see how the hope of the gospel enables us to endure hardship, keep our eyes fixed on Jesus, and be “good news people in a bad news world.”

In Matthew 23:13–39, Jesus strongly rebukes the scribes and Pharisees for their hypocrisy—appearing righteous outwardly while their hearts are far from God and leading others away from Him. Yet His rebuke ends with grief and compassion, revealing His longing to gather and save those who continually reject Him.