Sermon Tone Analysis

The very last thing we read in Matthew’s gospel are these familiar words from Jesus:

We can safely assume then that one of Matthew’s aims in writing is to help Christians fulfil this command.

We can safely assume then that one of Matthew’s aims in writing is to help Christians fulfil this command.

Matthew has organised his Gospel around five major blocks of teaching.

And because Matthew wants disciples in every age to be equipped to teach everything Jesus commanded, he has organised his Gospel around five major blocks of teaching.

Chapters 5-7 - Kingdom Ethics (Sermon on the Mount)

Chapter 10 - Kingdom Workers (Sending of the Twelve)

Chapter 13 - Kingdom Parables

Chapter 18 - Kingdom Community

Chapter 24-25 Kingdom Future

And so we have now arrived at Kingdom Future.

What did Jesus say about the future, and in particular his return?

What difference should that make to us now in terms of how we live as his disciples?

We have two chapters in Matthew which deal with these specific questions, and we’ll be spending some time here over the next few weeks.

In the previous three chapters Jesus clashed with Pharisees, Scribes, Chief Priests, and finally pronounced Seven Woes of judgement signalling the downfall of the Jewish nation on account of its failure to accept the Messiah.

From the start I want to say that we will not

And as Jesus literally and figuratively turns his back on the Temple and all it represented, his disciples’ ask these questions:

3:38-39

And the very next thing we read comes in

Matt 23:

Which was both a literal and figurative description of Jesus turning his back on the Temple and all it represented.

And it was this that prompted the disciples’ questions:

Matt 24:1-

The disciples are asking about two things: “When will the downfall of Jerusalem happen?” and secondly, “How will we know that you’re coming at the end?”

This block of teaching is often known as the Olivet Discourse (because it was delivered on the Mount of Olives).

What follows is the final block of teaching, which is often known as the Olivet Discourse (because it was delivered on the Mount of Olives).

There are loads of details, some of it confusing, and we can’t possibly hope to cover everything!

But we can get to the big idea of what Jesus is saying.

We’ll be helped by imagining ourselves on a journey to the mountains.

We’re on foot.

It’s a long trek, impossible to measure in distance or time.

And the guide tells us that we will face many setbacks along the way, and he warns of things to look out for.

But if we are to experience the joy of reaching the summit we must keep going!

The journey that we’re on as those who have Christ as their Guide is very similar.

The Last Days (the whole period between Christ’s first and second coming) are marked by distress, apostasy and Antichrist, but the faithful must endure to the end.

So we

Keep going when there is...

Distress

And in the Last Days there will be plenty of things to cause distress.

[What are the Last Days?]

The earth will suffer

4:6-

Suffering is a general reality of post-Fall life, manifested in these macro signs that can be seen in every age.

Note the saying: These are the beginning of birth pains.

They remind us that the end is certainly coming, but is not here yet.

Note the saying: These are the beginning of birth pains.

They remind us that the end is certainly coming, but is not here yet.

But Jesus also speaks of more specific suffering for the church in the Last Days...

The church will suffer

This is a mark of the Last Days, that Christians and the message of Christ will not be welcomed by all.

In some cases there will be violent hostility.

In many there will be plain ambivalence, perhaps even disdain and pity.

This is a mark of the Last Days, that by and large Christians and the message of Christ will not be welcomed with open arms by all.

In some cases there will be violent hostility.

In many there will be plain ambivalence, perhaps even disdain and pity.

A general characteristic of the experience of the church in the Last Days is one of distress.

But Jesus also appears to suggest that there will be an intensification of distress in the immediate run up to the end.

Matt 10:22

Verse 15 is a direct reference to the fall of Jerusalem which occurred some 40 years after Jesus spoke these words:

Matt 24:15

The Romans desolated the Temple and Jerusalem in AD 70, so we can point to specific historical events that fit this prophecy.

Clearly this was a time of great distress for the believers.

But it gets complicated in v29...

But it gets complicated in v29...

The word “immediately” poses a problem, because these signs did not appear immediately after AD70 and neither did the Son of Man (v30).

So we might expect a period of great distress (unequalled) in the immediate run up to the appearance of Christ and the end of the age (cf.

Revelation).

But again timing and specifics are uncertain.

We can be certain of two things:

In spite of great distress 1) those who endure through the distress will be saved, and 2) the gospel will be proclaimed everywhere:

1) The gospel will be proclaimed everywhere:

The gospel will be proclaimed

So what is the big idea?

Why is Jesus telling us all this?

So that we will keep going.

In spite of distress, suffering, even persecution, we must keep going with Him and with the gospel.

So what is the big idea?

Why is Jesus telling us all this?

So that we will keep going.

In spite of distress, suffering, even persecution, we must keep going with Him and with the gospel.

Even though it is hard when we’re distressed, especially because of our faith in Christ, we must endure to the end.

On our journey to the mountain, we can certainly expect all kinds of distress.

On our bodies, in our minds.

The long trek to the mountain will itself be fraught with sore feet and weary hearts.

But we had been warned that it would and so we prepared ourselves!

We brought extra socks, creams and lotions for our feet, and we filled our minds and hearts with pictures of the mountain top.

The words of the guide are fresh in our minds and we frequently remind each of them along the way, so that we keep going!

And even though we keep moving forwards, the mountain never seems to get closer.

So what must we do?

Keep going!

Endure the physical and mental pain that comes with the journey and keep pressing on towards the end.

That’s why Jesus is telling us these things.

Not so we can predict things or match up historical events with biblical prophecies.

He’s telling us that it’s going to be hard so that we will be well prepared, so that we will endure to the end.

And so that we will work hard to bring others with us on the journey.

But there are more setbacks ahead, because not everyone will want to keep going, and many will turn away.

And so we must keep going in spite of...

And so that we will work hard to bring others with us on the journey.

It would be an utter waste of our time if all we took from Jesus’ words was a fascination and obsession with working out what every historical event means, and whether we can predict dates and times of the Christ’s return.

Matt 24:9

:

Apostasy

Rejection of the faith by those who have claimed to profess it, is another feature (sign) of the Last Days.