Theme: A Portrait of the King
Title: "The King's Itinerant Ministry Chronicled"
Text: Matthew Chapters 24-25
INTRO: * The Olivet Discourse - A Sermon on the End Times *
*** Matthew 24 ***
I. The Setting of the Sermon
Matthew 24:1-3
A. A Discussion Concerning the Temple
Verses 1-2
B. A Private Questioning About End Times Events
Verse 3
1. When Shall These Things Be ?
2. What Shall Be the Sign of Thy Coming ?
3. What Shall Be the Sign of the End of the World ?
II. A Warning of Deception
Matthew 24:4-5 c/f Mark 13:5-6 & Luke 21:8
A. The Warning Given
Verse 4
B. The Deception Explained
Verse 5 c/f Mark 13:6 & ** Luke 21:8
1. False christs Will Come & Deceive Many.
2. False christs Will Say the End is Near & Draw People After
themselves.
III. A General Preview of History & Earthly Sorrows ( Pos-
sibly Up to the Middle of the Tribulation Period Time-wise )
Matthew 24:6-8 c/f Mark 13:7-8 & Luke 21:9-11
A. Wars & Rumors of Wars with Nation Rising Against Nation
B. Famines
C. Pestilences
D. Earthquakes in Divers Places
E. Troubles -- Mark 13:8
F. Fearful Sights & Great Signs in Heaven -- Luke 21:11
IV. A Description of Persecution, Perseverance, Preaching,
& Patience Unto the End
Matthew 24:9-14 c/f Mark 13:9-13 & Luke 21:12-19
A. There are 5 Basic Persecutions that Concern the Students
of the Bible from Christ's Time Unto the End of Time.
1. The Persecution of the First Century Christians by the Jewish
Religious Leadership.
2. The Persecution of the Jews by the Gentiles from 70AD Until
the 7 Year Peace Treaty is Signed with the Antichrist
3. The Persecution of Christians by the Roman Emporers Until
Constantine
4. The Persecution of True Christians who Honor the Bible &
Submit to It's Authority By the False Professing christian
church from Constantine Until the Destruction of the Religious
Babylon in Revelation 17
5. The Persecution of Orthodox Jews & Tribulation Saints By the
Antichrist from the Middle of the Tribulation Until It's End for
3 & 1/2 Full Years
B. These 5 Persecutions are All Under Consideration to Vary-
ing Degrees in these Verses, & All of the Counsel Contained
therein is Edifying to the Christian .
C. Consider the Counsel.
Verses 9-14 c/f Mark 13:9-13 & Luke 21:12-19
1. Persecution from Without will be Deadly, & Hatred will Cross
All National Boundaries.
Verse 9 c/f Mark 13:9 -- Jewish Persecution of Christians
2. Persecution from Without will Cause Stumbling within the
Ranks of Professing Believers.
Verse 10
3. Stumbling in the Ranks will Result in Betrayal & Hatred within
the Ranks of Professing Believers.
Verse 10 c/f Mark 13:12
4. There Will be False Prophets ( Preachers, or Spokesmen
for God ), & They will Deceive Many.
Verse 11
5. Rampant Sin will Diminish & Cool the Love of Many.
Verse 12
6. The Truly Saved Will Endure to the End with No Turning
Back or Falling Away.
Verse 13 c/f Mark 13:13
7. The Gospel of the Kingdom Must Be Proclaimed Throughout
the World Before the End Can Come.
Verse 14
8. The Persecution will be a Platform for a Testimony to Jesus
Christ Before Worldly Rulers.
Mark 13:9
9. The Believers who will be Persecuted are Not to Worry About
Just What they should Say About the Lord But Trust the
Holy Spirit to Help them Testify to their Persecutors.
Mark 13:11
10. The Lord Promises that the Persecuted Believers' Testimo-
nies will be Blessed with a Wisdom from God that Man
Cannot Argue with or Resist.
Luke 21:15 c/f Acts 6:7-10
11. Physical Death Does Not Mean Destruction.
Luke 21:16-18
12. Persecution May Take a Life, But It Can't Take a Person's
Soul, so the Persecuted are to Possess their Own Souls
With ( or in ) Patience.
Luke 21:19
V. Jerusalem's Days of Woe & Destruction : A Twofold
Prophecy
Matthew 24:15-22 c/f Mark 13:14-20 & Luke 21:20-24
A. Many of the Prophecies in the Bible Have a TWO-FOLD
Fulfillment in Time .
1. The Prophesied Seed of Abraham Fulfilled in Isaac & Jesus
Genesis 15:1-6 ; Genesis 17:1-8 , & 19 ; Genesis 22:15-18 ;
Galatians 2:8 , 13-14, & 16
2. The Prophesied Seed of David who would Build the House of
God & Sit On the Throne to Rule which was Fulfilled in
Solomon & is Being Fulfilled By the Lord Jesus.
II Samuel 7:1-29 ; I Chronicles 22:1 - 23:1 ; Isaiah 9:6-7 ;
Matthew 16:18 ; & I Peter 2:1-10
B. The Greater Fulfillment in a Two-fold Prophecy is Usually
the Later Fulfillment, & In a Sense the Secondary Fulfill-
ment ( Time-wise ) Becomes the Primary Fulfillment
( Significance-wise ).
C. The Prophecy of Jerusalem's Days of Woe & Destruction
was First Fulfilled by Titus in 70AD .
Luke 21:20-24
1. From 70AD Until 1967 the Gentiles Had Control Over the
City of Jerusalem.
2. From 70AD Until 1948 the Jews were a Dispersed & a
Displaced Nation.
3. From 70AD Until 1917 the Land of Palestine was Not Con-
sidered to be the Homeland of the Jews but rather that of
the "Palestinians."
4. The Year 1967 Marked the Beginning of the End of the
Times of the Gentiles, & the Prophecy will Find It's
Ultimate Fulfillment in Revelation 19 at the Revelation of
Jesus Christ as the King of Kings and the Lord of Lords.
Revelation 19:11-16
D. The Prophecy of Jerusalem's Days of Woe & Destruction
are Primarily & Ultimately Fulfilled in the Tribulation
Period BY the Antichrist .
Matthew 24:15-22 & Mark 13:14-20
1. The Sign, the Time, & the Person of the Prophecy
Matthew 24:15 & Mark 13:14
a. The Sign of the Abomination of Desolation Spoken of by
Daniel -- Desecration of the Jewish Temple
Matthew 24:15 ; Mark 13:14 ; c/f Daniel 9:26
b. The Time of the Abomination of Desolation Spoken of by
Daniel -- The Middle of the 7 Year Tribulation
Daniel 9:27 c/f II Thessalonians 2:1-4
c. The Person of the Abomination of Desolation Spoken of
by Daniel -- The Antichrist
Daniel 9:26-27 c/f II Thessalonians 2:1-4
2. Recognize the Clearly Jewish Nature of this Prophecy.
Matthew 24:15-20 c/f Mark 13:14-27
a. A Jewish Holy Place In a Jewish Temple
Verse 15 c/f Mark 13:14
b. The Focus on Judea
Verses 16-20 c/f Mark 13:14
c. The Sabbath Day
Verse 20
d. Day of Vengence & Wrath on This People
Luke 21:20-23
*** NOTE : There are Two Periods of Wrath on Israel from
the Time of Christ to the End of Time.
1.) The Generation of Jesus Christ
Matthew 23:33-36
2.) The Last Generation During the Tribulation Period
Revelation 12:1-17 ; c/f Jeremiah 30:7 &
Daniel 9:26-27
3. Recognize the Context of the Prophecy Historically
Matthew 24:21-22 -- The Great Tribulation
*** This is the Last 3 & 1/2 Years of the Tribulation Before
the Lord Returns in Revelation Glory to Rule & Reign.
E. The Instructions of the Prophecy of Jerusalem's Days of
Woe & Destruction
Matthew 24:15-22 c/f Mark 13:14-20
1. When You See the Sign , Flee the Area.
Verses 15-16 & Mark 13:14 Also, c/f Luke 21:20-21
*** Note : Luke Gives a Different Sign -- but the Same
Instruction
2. Don't Worry About Your Possessions ; just Escape with
Your Life.
Verses 17-18 c/f Mark 13:15-16
3. A Pronouncement of Woe Upon Pregnant & Nursing
Mothers
Verse 19 c/f Mark 13:17 & Luke 21:23
4. A Prayer to Pray About the Day of Flight
Verse 20 c/f Mark 13:18 -- Neither In Winter , Nor
on the Sabbath Day
5. A Promise of Troubled Days Like Never Before
Verse 21 c/f Mark 13:19
6. A Promise of Grace for the Sake of God's Elect
Verse 22 c/f Mark 13:20
VI. A Warning of False christs & a Description of Christ's
Second Coming
Matthew 24:23-28 c/f Mark 13:21-23
*** Notice that Luke's Gospel Completely Omits this Section.
A. False Prophets will Speak of False christs & Seek to Draw
Followers Unto them, but Jesus Says Not to Believe &
Not to Follow them.
Matthew 24:23-26 c/f Mark 13:21-23
B. Many Sign & Wonders will be Performed to Deceive.
Matthew 24:24 c/f Mark 13:22
C. False christs will be Portrayed as Being Isolated & Having
Come in Secret -- Rather than Openly.
Matthew 24:26
D. The Second Coming is Described as Glorious, Visible, &
Open and All Encompassing.
Matthew 24:27-28
VII. The End of the Tribulation, the Revelation of Jesus
Christ, & the Gathering of His Elect
Matthew 24:29-31 c/f Mark 13:24-27 & Luke 21:25-28
A. The Chronology of the Lord's Second Coming
Matthew 24:29 c/f Mark 13:24 -- Immediately After the Trib-
ulation of those Days
B. The Darkest Hour Immediately Precedes the Light .
Matthew 24:27-30 c/f Mark 13:24-26
1. Sun, Moon, & Stars were Given for Light in the Earth & Sky,
but Jesus is the Light of the World.
Genesis 1:3-4 & 16-18 c/f John 8:12
2. Ultimately, when Jesus is Around , there is No Need for
Any Other Form of Light.
Matthew 4:12-16 ; John 8:12 ; & Revelation 21:22-24
C. A Shake-up within the Structure of the Heavens
Matthew 24:29-30 c/f Mark 13:25-26 & Luke 21:25-27
1. There is a Shake-up in the Heavenly Bodies : the Sun,
Moon, & Stars.
2. There is a Shake-up in the Authority Structure of the Heav-
enly Realm.
a. Satan is the Prince of this World.
John 14:30
b. Satan is the god of this World.
II Corinthians 4:3-4
c. Satan is the Prince of the Power of the Air.
Ephesians 2:1-2
d. Satan is the Chief Ruler of the Darkness ( Spiritual Wick-
edness ) of this World.
Ephesians 6:10-13 & Luke 4:5-6
3. Jesus is the King of All Kings & the Lord of All Lords.
Revelation 19:11-15
4. Jesus Already Has All Power In Heaven & In Earth.
Matthew 28:18
5. Every Knee Will Bow to Jesus & His Authority when the Time
Comes In the Heavens & In the Earth.
Philippians 2:9-11
6. When the Time Comes, the Prince of this World & his king-
dom Will be Shaken-up BY the Second Coming of the King
of Kings & the Lord of Lords.
John 12:31 c/f Revelation 19:11-15
D. The Dividing of the Sheep from the Goats & Israel's Final
Gathering
Matthew 24:31 c/f Mark 13:27 ; Matthew 25:31-46 ; &
Luke 21:28
1. This is Not the Rapture of the Church Age Saints but
the Gathering of God's Elect at the Revelation of Jesus
Christ At the End of the Tribulation .
2. Post Tribulation Rapture People Believe This is the Rap-
ture & that the Church will Go Through the Tribulation, be-
cause they Don't Understand Dispensational Theology.
VIII. The Parable of the Fig Tree & the Discernment of the
End Times in General
Matthew 24:32-35 c/f Mark 13:28-31 & Luke 21:29-33
A. There are 2 Basic Views when Examining these Verses.
1. The Fig Tree Refers to Israel, & It's Budding Refers to It's
Re-institution as a Sovereign Nation in 1948.
2. The Budding of the Fig Tree is Not Specifically Related to the
Re-emergence of Israel as a Nation But was Used as a Par-
able to Demonstrate Recognition of Seasonal Changes By
Observable Signs and How that Ability Parallels the Ability to
Know the End Times (Season) by the Observable Signs that
Jesus Reveals In this Discourse.
B. The Basis for the First View that the Budding of the FIg
Tree is Israel Becoming a Nation.
Joel 1:7 & Hosea 9:10
C. The Interpretation of the Passage In Light of this 1st View
1. The Prophecy of the Budding of the Fig Tree was Fulfilled in
May of 1948 when Israel for the First Time in 1,900 Years
Became a Sovereign Nation -- Ultimately in 2,600 Years
when You Consider that Complete Sovereignty was Lost in
586 BC when Babylon Conquered Judah & Destroyed Jer-
usalem.
Verse 32
2. When Israel Becomes a Nation, the End Times is About to
Begin.
Verse 32
3. When All the Rest of the Signs in Matthew 24 Accompany
the Blossoming of the Fig Tree, the End is Right At the
Door .
Verse 33
4. The Generation Living when the Fig Tree Blossoms will Not
Die Out Until Everything Prophesied in Matthew 24 has
Come to Fulfillment.
Verse 34
*** The Word Generation is Defined as :
a. A 39 or 40 Year Period Specifically
b. A General Time-frame Relating to the Generic Life Span
of An Unspecified Individual (Roughly 70 or 80 Years)
c. The Jewish People ( Geneologically )
5. The Reliability & Eternality of the Word of Jesus Christ &
His Prophecies of the End Times Events Can be Depended
Upon to a Greater Degree than the Very Earth on which we
Stand & the Heaven in which It is Suspended.
Verse 35
D. The Basis for the 2nd View of the Budding of the Fig Tree
as Being Merely a Parable Relating to a Man's Ability to
Read the Signs of Seasonal Change & How that Relates to
Our Ability to Recognize the Signs of the End & Know the
Season is Near.
Verses 32-35 c/f Habakkuk 3:17-19 ; Nahum 3:12-13 ;
Revelation 6:13 ; & Luke 21:29-30 -- " And All the Trees "
1. The Fig Tree Portrays Gideon or Jerubbaal.
Judges 9:10-11
2. A Fig Falling from a Tree Portrays All the Host of Heaven
Falling Down In the Day of God's Judgement.
Isaiah 34:4-6
3. The Fig Tree Portrays the People of God from Whom He
Expects Fruit.
Luke 13:1-9
4. A Fig Tree is Compared with a Fountain of Water.
James 3:12
*** 5. Ultimately, Fig Trees are Often Used to Illustrate Different
Things in the Bible in Parable Form, so It is Not Possible
to Say with any Certainty that the Fig Tree in Matthew 24
Is In Fact the Re-emergence of the Nation of Israel as a
Sovereign State or Country.
E. The Interpretation of the Passage In Light of this 2nd View
1. The One Sign of the Budding of the Fig Tree Signals the
Seasonal Change that Summer is Near.
Verse 32
2. In the Same Way as that One Sign Signifies the Change of
the Season to Summer the Many Signs Listed Here in
Matthew 24 Signify that the End of the World System, as
we Know it, is Near at Hand.
Verse 33
3. The Generation Living when these things All Begin to Un-
fold will Not Die Out Before Everything Prophesied in
Matthew 24 has Come to Fulfillment.
Verse 34
4. The Reliability & Eternality of the Word of Jesus Christ &
His Prophecies of End Times Events Can Be Depended
Upon to a Greater Degree than the Very Earth on which
we Stand and the Heaven In which It is Suspended.
Verse 35
IX. A Disclaimer About Date-setting
Matthew 24:36 c/f Mark 13:32
*** Note : Again , Luke Omits this Particular Piece of Information.
A. We May Know the Season , but No Man will Know the Day &
the Hour of the Revelation of Jesus Christ.
Matthew 24:36 & Mark 13:32
B. The Angels of God Don't Know the Hour Either .
Matthew 24:36
C. Not Even the Son of God Himself Knew the Day or the Hour
of His Own Return -- Only the Father.
Mark 13:32
1. Perhaps, this Changed After the Lord's Ascension & Return
to the Father in Glory , whereas, Before His Death & Resur-
rection He had "Emptied Himself" in Such a Way that Though
He was Truly God He Did Not Exercise All of His Preroga-
tives as Deity -- Including His Omniscience.
2. Perhaps, this Revelation is Still a Mystery to Jesus -- Even
Now.
3. If it is Still a Mystery to Jesus Christ , THAT is a Marvelous
Mystery Indeed, for Jesus Is God, & God Is Omniscient.
4. Paul Said It Well In His Letter to the Roman Christians.
Romans 11:33-36
X. The Second Coming Described
Matthew 24:37-41 c/f *** Luke 17:26-37
A. The Two Analogies Given
1. As the Days of Noah Were
Matthew 24:37-39 & Luke 17:26
2. As In the Days of Lot
Luke 17:28-30
B. The Two Comings of Christ Revealed -- 2-fold Revelation
1. Rapture -- I Thessalonians 4:16-18
2. Revelation -- Revelation 19:11-16
C. The Similarities Between Noah's Calling & the Rapture
Matthew 24:37-41 c/f Genesis 6 & 7
1. Both Happen Suddenly in a World that is Occupied with the
Every Day Things of Life : Eating, Drinking, Marrying etc.
Matthew 24:37-38
2. Both are Hidden and Mysterious Events to the Unbelievers of
their Day.
Matthew 24:38-39
3. Both Events are Mysterious Despite the Fact that they had
been Preached About & Openly Declared for a Very Long
Time Before they Actually Occurred.
Matthew 24:39
4. Both Involve the Calling of God's Elect to a Place of Safety
High Above the Earth that is to Suffer God's Judgement &
Destruction.
Matthew 24:40-41
5. Both Involve a Period of 7 Days ( or Like in Daniel, a Week
of Years -- 7 Years ) of Removal from the Rest of the World
Before the Final Judgement Falls.
Matthew 24:37-41
D. The Similarities Between Lot's Calling Out & the Revelation
of Jesus Christ at the End of the Tribulation
Luke 17:28-33 c/f Genesis 19
1. Both Events Happen Suddenly in a World that is Occupied
with the Every Day Things of Life.
Luke 17:28-30
2. Both Involve a Calling of God's Elect to a Place of Safety On
the Earth Under Divine Protection, while the Wicked, As-
sembled In Another Place, are Completely Destroyed.
Luke 17:29-30
3. Both Involve the Judgement of God Falling Down from Heav-
en Upon the Wicked In the Same Day as the Righteous are
Removed to the Place of Safety.
Luke 17:29-30
4. Both Involve a Sifting & a Revealing of the Hearts of Men
Regarding their Love for the Things of This World & their
Own Lives Over the Things of God & His Word.
Luke 17:30-33
E. A Division & Separation Caused By God
Matthew 24:40-41 & Luke 17:34-37
XI. A Final Exhortation & Warning to Take Heed, Watch, &
Be Ready Always for the Lord's Return
Matthew 24:42-51 c/f Mark 13:33-37 & Luke 21:34-36
A. The Commands Given
( See All Scriptures Listed Above Under XI )
1. Watch
2. Take Heed
3. Pray Always that You May Escape.
4. Be Ready Always for the Lord's Return.
B. An Uncertainty Declared
Matthew 24:42 c/f Mark 13:33 -- Concerning the Timing
C. Some Analogies Given
1. A Householder Watching for a Thief so the House won't be
Broken Up
Matthew 24:43-44
2. A Servant Waiting for the Master of a Household to Return
so He Can be Found Faithful
Matthew 24:45-51 & Mark 13:34-37
3. A Snare to Catch the Unwary & Pre-occupied Souls
Luke 21:34-36
D. A Great Question Presented
Matthew 24:45-46 -- Who then Is a Faithful & Wise Servant ?
E. A Description of the Faithful & Wise Servant
Matthew 24:45-46 c/f Verses 42-49 ; Mark 13:34-37 ; &
Luke 21:34-36
1. He is a Man of Obedience.
Verses 42-46 -- Shall Find SO DOING
2. He is a Man of Authority.
Mark 13:34
3. He is a Man with an Occupation.
Mark 13:34 & Matthew 24:45
4. He's a Man with Temptations
Matthew 24:48-49 ; Mark 13:34-37 ; & Luke 21:34
a. Impatience & Slothfulness
Verse 48
b. Attacking His Fellowservants
Verse 49
c. Running with the Wrong Crowd
Verse 49
d. Sleeping on the Job
Mark 13:34-37
e. Materialism
Luke 21:34
f. Drunkenness
Luke 21:34
g. Worldly Cares
Luke 21:34
5. He's a Man of Blessings
Matthew 24:46-47 & Luke 21:36
a. He will Rule Over All of the Master's Goods.
Matthew 24:47
b. He will Escape the Judgement Upon the World & Stand
Before the Lord.
Luke 21:36
F. A Description of the Evil Servant
Matthew 24:48-51
1. He's a Man with an Evil Heart.
Verse 48
2. He's a Man who Plays Around while the Boss is Away.
Verses 48-50
3. He's a Man who Yields to the Temptations Previously
Listed & Ignores the Commands that are Given.
Verses 48-49 & Etcetera
4. He is Condemned as a Hypocrite.
Verse 51
5. He's a Man Caught Off Guard & Unawares
Verse 50 c/f Mark 13:35-36 & Luke 21:34-35
6. He's a Man Appointed for Destruction, Misery, & Agony.
Verses 50-51