Sermon Tone Analysis

Announcements:

SEPTEMBER 15 — prayer + worship gathering

Welcome

Let’s turn to .

As you turn there, I want to point out that in this particular passage, Jesus talks about heaven and uses “end times” language, and if we’re not careful it can all get a bit confusing.

But let’s start by asking, “when you think about heaven what do you think of?”

When you think of life with God what do you think of?

Where are we headed?

Have you thought about it?

Have you wrestled with that idea?

That thought or assumption that’s coming to your mind right now…why do you believe that, why do you think that?

Here’s what I am fairly confident of: very few of us have an appropriate view of where we’re headed.

It’s a tough thing for us to think about… and this is what Jesus spends time alluding to in the things that he is saying in this particular passage of scripture.

Jesus knows that we will struggle to have a healthy perspective on where we’re headed… so he warns his listeners in this passage!

But like many other times… the warning is coupled with promise and HOPE!

If you’e able, please stand with me for the reading of God’s Word.

What are you most influenced by?

Who has your ear?

What do you desire?

Really, take a minute and think about it…

Who are you listening to?

When you make decisions, who are you looking to for counsel and wisdom?

Big idea: “PAY ATTENTION TO WHAT GOD HAS SAID.”

matthew 24:

there is something powerful about the WORDS OF GOD!

God’s words carry authority… God’s words carry creative power!

john 1:

genesis 1:1-

God SAID (speaking, words), “LET THERE BE LIGHT!”

“In the beginning was the WORD.”

Big idea: “PAY ATTENTION TO WHAT GOD HAS SAID.”

Py attention… where is your head?

Where is your attention?

and the passage starts with a bit of a caution!

Jesus cautions his listeners.

matthew 24:

Theologian Craig Blomberg writes:

there is no reason to take any of Matthew’s text here as looking beyond the events that culminated in the destruction of the temple in A.D. 70.

The desolation of God’s house, briefly predicted in 23:38, is now described with more horrifying detail.

We need to remember: this passage is Rooted Historically.

The temple in Jerusalem was destroyed in 70AD.

The destruction of the temple in 70AD was a significant event in the life of the people in and around Jerusalem.

And that’s why many biblical scholars date the writing of Matthew to be between 70-80AD, after the temple has been destroyed.

So as Matthew is writing this and quoting Jesus, he would have this significant historical event in mind.

there is no reason to take any of Matthew’s text here as looking beyond the events that culminated in the destruction of the temple in A.D. 70.

The desolation of God’s house, briefly predicted in 23:38, is now described with more horrifying detail.

It’s easy to misunderstand what is happening here if we don’t understand the historical context.

So Jesus gives these details about trouble coming...

matthew 24:

Blomberg writes:

It is probably best, therefore, to understand this period of great distress, or “the great tribulation,” as it is more commonly known, as the entire period beginning with the devastation of A.D. 70 and continuing on until Christ’s return (cf.

“immediately” in v. 29).

At least in Matthew, however, it would seem that the tribulation Jesus has in mind must refer to the entire church age from A.D. 70 on.

This doesn’t necessarily mean that the world will become as evil as is entirely possible, but that people will become more and more hostile to the truth of God.

Hostility towards truth and towards God will diminish, that’s what is being said here.

Think for a moment where we are culturally in terms of ideas about truth… we live in a society that has embraced ideas like relativism (“what is true for you is true for you, and what is true for me is true for me.”)

everyone is the caption of their fate and master of their soul (As the old Invictus poem reads)

everyone decides for themself what is right, and good, and just

THIS IS A GREAT DEPARTURE from CHRISTIAN DOCTRINE + A BELIEF IN GOD.

matthew 24:

Big idea: “PAY ATTENTION TO WHAT GOD HAS SAID.”

Remember the context that Matthew is in when he is writing this:

The Jewish people were in the midst of Roman rule and the opposition between Israel and Rome only grew after the destruction of the temple in 70AD.

So it makes sense that Jesus is talking about all this trouble that is coming.

ESV SB says:

Whether these events are to be understood as being primarily literal or primarily figurative, it is clear that these will be “earth-shattering” events, through which all creation will be radically transformed at the return of Christ.

And I think that’s where our focus should be… that’s what should shape our behavior and our focus — is on the return of Christ… to remember where we’re headed and what’s in front of us!

For Christians, the future is filled with HOPE.

vs 21-22, 23-28… there are warnings and details of events… but these are not necessarily chronological (they don’t happen in order), but are warnings of what will follow after what is described in 21-22 (time of tribulation)

23-28… not necessarily chronological, but are warnings of what will follow after what is described in 21-22 (time of tribulation)

[Jesus gives a warning and Jesus also offers HOPE]

Jesus offers hope for the elect.

I love that image of gathering the elect together.

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This idea of the elect is this picture of the people who are in Christ!

These are the people who are genuine believers in the gospel… they’ve displayed faith and repentance in a way that reflects the reality that they are in Jesus!

And we see this shift… there is a great contrast between Jesus now being in Jerusalem, about ready to be murdered on a cross to this vision of his second return!

Look at verse 30!

“POWER AND GREAT GLORY”

so what Matthew is writing now is a very different scene from the one that we see now — with Jesus in Jerusalem preparing to be murdered and betrayed.

Now, in Matthew, Matthew is recounting the events that are leading up to Jesus’ death.

Upon Jesus’ second return, Jesus will be coming down in “power and glory”

The question many have wrestled with is “when”… when does this happen?

Craig Blomberg writes

Matt 24 point to the nearness of Christ’s return (vv.

32–33).

But nearness simply implies that nothing more in God’s plan of redemption must occur before the end can come.

The universality of God’s Words!

They’ve always been, always will be, and extend to the farthest reaches of existence.

Nothing surpasses or negates God’s Words!

They are and have always been!

Big idea: “PAY ATTENTION TO WHAT GOD HAS SAID.”

APPLICATION:

In terms of application, let’s break apart that purpose statement: Big idea: “PAY ATTENTION TO WHAT GOD HAS SAID.”

PAY ATTENTION.

Be attentive.

says, “be watchful, stand firm”

1 timothy

I think this is all a good reminder that we need to be honest with ourselves + we need to have structures built in our lives that help us know what is really going on with us (mentor, counselor, honest colleague/friend)… we need to be attentive!

WHAT GOD HAS SAID.

The primary evaluation by which we compare and contrast what is going on with us — is reflecting on things like,