Our Obsession with the End Times

Big Idea: We've been obsessed with the end of the world for decades—but we often don't understand what Jesus actually said.

Paul Boyer's Observation

Paul Boyer (secular professor):

"Since the 1970s, we've reached a fever pitch with end-of-the-world speculation. Evangelical Christians—particularly Pentecostals—have been obsessed with 666, Gog and Magog, Antichrist, the mark of the beast, and Armageddon.

Every time something happens on the world stage or political stage, Christians point to the end of the world."

The Real Problem

Big Idea: Americans revere their Bible, but by and large, they don't read it. Therefore, they don't understand it. We've become a nation of biblical illiterates.

The church has become more a student of culture than of God's Word.

Ephesians 4:14 - The role of the church and pastors is to make sure people are no longer "children, tossed to and fro by the waves and carried about by every wind of doctrine, by human cunning, by craftiness in deceitful schemes."

The purpose of the church is to mature you with the Word of God so that you know the truth and have hope.

What IS the End of the World?

Big Idea: The end is about Christ coming again and righting all the wrongs of the world.

From The Hope of the Early Church: "The end is the hope of a believing people that the incompleteness of their present experience of God will be resolved, their present thirst for God will be fulfilled, and their present need for salvation will be realized."

In short: The end is about Christ coming again and restoring everything.

What Sin Did:

• Fractured everything

• Blurred everything

• Marred and scarred everything

• Disrupted us as humans

• Disrupted creation itself

What the End Will Do: God will restore righteous order to this broken world. He will make all things new.

Reflect:

• Is your view of the end times focused on destruction or restoration?

• Do you think of the end as something to fear or something to hope for?

The Challenge

Big Idea: Set aside what you think you know. Set aside what you've heard. Let's look at what Jesus actually says about the end.

Scripture to Read: Matthew 24-25 (The Olivet Discourse)

The Context: Matthew 24

The Scene:

Matthew 24:1-3 "Jesus left the temple and was going away, when his disciples came to point out to him the buildings of the temple. But he answered them, 'You see all these, do you not? Truly, I say to you, there will not be left here one stone upon another that will not be thrown down.'

As he sat on the Mount of Olives, the disciples came to him privately, saying, 'Tell us, when will these things be, and what will be the sign of your coming and of the end of the age?'"

The Jewish Temple:

• Radically important to every Jew

• A source of pride

• A massive complex

The disciples are pointing it out to Jesus with pride: "One day, this will all be ours."

Jesus' Response: "Not one stone will be left on another."

Two Questions, Two Answers

Big Idea: The disciples ask two questions, and Jesus answers both—which makes this passage difficult to understand.

Question 1: "When will these things be?" (When will the temple be destroyed?)

Question 2: "What will be the sign of your coming and of the end of the age?"

Jesus answers BOTH questions in Matthew 24-25.

Jewish Expectations of the Messiah

Big Idea: The disciples had specific expectations about what the Messiah would do.

Luke 19:11 "As they heard these things, he proceeded to tell a parable, because he was near to Jerusalem, and because they supposed that the kingdom of God was to appear immediately."

The disciples believed Jesus would start His Messianic rule immediately.

What Jews Expected from the Messiah (Based on Emil Schürer, 19th-century scholar):

1. Terrible Tribulation (Zechariah 14)

   • Roman occupation WAS tribulation to them

   • They viewed it as "great tribulation"

2. An Elijah-like Forerunner

   • Someone to announce the Messiah's coming

3. The Messiah Appearing and Vindicating His People

   • Setting up His kingdom

   • The disciples wanted Jesus to kick out Rome and make them princes

4. An Alliance of Nations Would Fight the Messiah

5. The Messiah Would Destroy Those Nations

6. The Restoration of Jerusalem

   • Jerusalem would return to David's glory

   • Israel would be a world power again

7. All Scattered Jews Would Return to Israel

8. Palestine Would Become the Center of the World

   • All nations subjugated to it

9. The Messiah Would Bring a Rule and Reign of Peace

In Jesus' Day: The time was ripe for the Messiah to come. They had suffered long enough under Rome. Jesus was healing people, raising the dead—His ministry was expanding.

The disciples believed Jesus' next step was to bring in Messianic rule.

When they point to the temple buildings, they're probably thinking: "One day, this will all be ours."

Jesus' Answer: Part 1 (Generic Signs Throughout All Generations)

Matthew 24:4-14

"And Jesus answered them, 'See that no one leads you astray. For many will come in my name, saying, "I am the Christ," and they will lead many astray. And you will hear of wars and rumors of wars. See that you are not alarmed, for this must take place, but the end is not yet. For nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom, and there will be famines and earthquakes in various places. All these are but the beginning of the birth pains.

Then they will deliver you up to tribulation and put you to death, and you will be hated by all nations for my name's sake. And then many will fall away and betray one another and hate one another. And many false prophets will arise and lead many astray. And because lawlessness will be increased, the love of many will grow cold. But the one who endures to the end will be saved. And this gospel of the kingdom will be proclaimed throughout the whole world as a testimony to all nations, and then the end will come.'"

What Jesus is Saying:

Terrible things will happen:

• False Christs

• Wars

• Earthquakes

• Famines

• People abandoning their faith

• Lawlessness

• Preaching of the gospel

But here's the key: These are all GENERIC things that will happen throughout ALL generations.

The "Loop" Theory

Think about it:

• There are always wars

• There are always earthquakes and famines

• There is always catastrophe

• There is always lawlessness

• There is always the preaching of the gospel

Why? God knows all and knows all the timing. Our enemy, Satan, does not.

It makes sense that these things happen again and again because the enemy is always waiting to establish his kingdom (the Antichrist kingdom).

It's why the apostles talk about "antichrists" (plural) in their writings—it's happening every generation.

It's built into a loop:

• Wars, rumors of wars, famines, earthquakes, lawlessness, antichrists

• Next generation: same thing

• Next generation: same thing

• Next generation: same thing

But at some point, Christ WILL return.

Jesus is saying: Don't be distracted by these generic signs. They'll always be there.

Jesus' Answer: Part 2 (A Specific Prophecy for a Specific Time)

Big Idea: Jesus gives a warning about something that will happen VERY SOON to the disciples' generation.

Matthew 24:15-28

"So when you see the abomination of desolation spoken of by the prophet Daniel, standing in the holy place (let the reader understand), then let those who are in Judea flee to the mountains. Let the one who is on the housetop not go down to take what is in his house, and let the one who is in the field not turn back to take his cloak. And alas for women who are pregnant and for those who are nursing infants in those days! Pray that your flight may not be in winter or on a Sabbath. For then there will be great tribulation, such as has not been from the beginning of the world until now, no, and never will be. And if those days had not been cut short, no human being would be saved. But for the sake of the elect those days will be cut short.

Then if anyone says to you, 'Look, here is the Christ!' or 'There he is!' do not believe it. For false christs and false prophets will arise and perform great signs and wonders, so as to lead astray, if possible, even the elect. See, I have told you beforehand. So, if they say to you, 'Look, he is in the wilderness,' do not go out. If they say, 'Look, he is in the inner rooms,' do not believe it. For as the lightning comes from the east and shines as far as the west, so will be the coming of the Son of Man. Wherever the corpse is, there the vultures will gather."

The Abomination of Desolation

What It Is: Spoken of by the prophet Daniel (Daniel 8, 9, 11, 12) - a time when a foreign ruler would come into the temple and profane it.

Historical Background: Most Jews linked this prophecy to 168 BC, when Antiochus Epiphanes came into the temple, erected a pagan altar, and sacrificed a pig over it, defiling the house of God.

But Jesus is saying: That was only a foretaste of what will happen when Jerusalem is destroyed.

The Fall of Jerusalem (70 AD)

What Happened: Approximately 40 years after Jesus spoke these words, Roman armies surrounded Jerusalem, besieged it, and destroyed the temple.

The Roman army made sacrifices to false gods and declared Titus (the Roman emperor) to be God.

Josephus (Jewish historian) described the Roman slaughter:

• Savagery

• Disease

• Famine

• Parents ate their own children (cannibalism)

• Many were taken as slaves

• Millions died

All of this happened 40 years after Jesus spoke these words.

Why This Matters:

Jesus is saying: "Don't be led astray by wars, earthquakes, and famines. All these things will happen throughout history. But something SPECIFIC will happen in YOUR lifetime, disciples. When you see it, you'll know I was telling the truth about everything else."

This is Peak One.

Jesus' Answer: Part 3 (The Second Coming)

Matthew 24:29-31

"Immediately after the tribulation of those days the sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give its light, and the stars will fall from heaven, and the powers of the heavens will be shaken. Then will appear in heaven the sign of the Son of Man, and then all the tribes of the earth will mourn, and they will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of heaven with power and great glory. And he will send out his angels with a loud trumpet call, and they will gather his elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other."

The Word "Immediately"

Don't think "immediately" (right away). Think "suddenly" (unexpectedly).

Here's how to understand it:

Life will be full of calamity—wars, earthquakes, famines. Disciples, make sure you don't get drawn away by those things.

Then there will be an event in YOUR lifetime that will rattle you to your core: the fall of Jerusalem.

And when you see the fall of Jerusalem, you will know that I will be coming back.

Why This Was Important for the Disciples:

Think about it:

• Jesus dies a violent death

• They see Him resurrected

• They see Him ascend

• For 40 years, they preach the gospel and establish the church

• They believe He's coming back

• Their hope begins to wane

Jesus is setting an immediate marker: "When you see these things, understand—I will return. Don't lose heart."

The Hiking Analogy:

The pastor's daughter loves to hike. On a hike at Smith Rock, Oregon, he would point to a peak and say, "All we have to do is get to that peak, and we'll be done!"

They'd climb and climb, only to reach that peak and see a bigger peak beyond it.

This is what Jesus is doing:

• Peak One: The fall of Jerusalem (you'll see this in your lifetime)

• Peak Two: My second coming (this will happen later)

"I'm telling you about Peak One so you can have confidence that Peak Two is coming."

The Two Peaks

Matthew 24:34-35

"Truly, I say to you, this generation will not pass away until all these things take place. Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will not pass away."

Peak One: This generation will see the fall of Jerusalem.

Peak Two: Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will not.

No One Knows the Day or Hour

Matthew 24:36-44

"But concerning that day and hour no one knows, not even the angels of heaven, nor the Son, but the Father only. For as were the days of Noah, so will be the coming of the Son of Man. For as in those days before the flood they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day when Noah entered the ark, and they were unaware until the flood came and swept them all away, so will be the coming of the Son of Man.

Then two men will be in the field; one will be taken and one left. Two women will be grinding at the mill; one will be taken and one left. Therefore, stay awake, for you do not know on what day your Lord is coming. But know this, that if the master of the house had known in what part of the night the thief was coming, he would have stayed awake and would not have let his house be broken into. Therefore you also must be ready, for the Son of Man is coming at an hour you do not expect."

What Jesus is Saying:

His coming will happen in the ordinary rhythms of life.

• Eating and drinking

• Marrying

• Working in the field

• Grinding at the mill

And yes, that includes:

• Earthquakes

• Famines

• Wars

People will try to deceive you into thinking these things mean something specific. But really, Christ could come:

• Today

• Tomorrow

• Wednesday when it's 70 degrees

• Friday when it's -10 degrees

He's going to come back in the normal rhythms of life.

The Point of the Whole Message:

Get ready. And stay ready.

Jesus is saying: "You're going to see things in your lifetime you won't believe. It's going to be terrifying. You'll want to run and hide. It's going to be devastating.

But when you see it, know that I am coming. So you better get ready and stay ready."

Three Parables: How to Stay Ready

Big Idea: Jesus gives three parables to illustrate how we're to stay ready while waiting for His return.

Parable 1: The Ten Virgins (Matthew 25:1-13)

The Story:

• 10 virgins are waiting for the bridegroom

• 5 are foolish—they took no extra oil

• 5 are wise—they took extra oil

• The bridegroom took a long time to come

• The wise were ready to endure

The Application: Be ready to endure.

There will be many things that try to take you off course:

• False Christs

• False religions

• Distractions

Don't be distracted. Patiently endure.

In our society, we don't like talking about endurance because endurance means pain and suffering.

But Jesus says: You must endure to receive the kingdom of God.

Be ready to endure all the pain, all the suffering, and be ready for His return.

Parable 2: The Talents (Matthew 25:14-30)

The Story:

• A master leaves and gives each servant something to manage (talents)

• One gets 5 talents, one gets 2, one gets 1

• The ones with 5 and 2 put them to work

• The one with 1 hides it for safekeeping

• After a long time, the master returns

• The ones with 5 and 2 are rewarded

• The one with 1 has nothing—not even interest—and is punished

Why was he punished? He wasted what the master had given him.

The Application: Don't waste, hide, or hoard your resources. Continue using what He has given you for His good.

Y2K Example: Christians were building bomb shelters, storing water and toilet paper, ready to hide in bunkers.

That's NOT what we're supposed to do.

What we're supposed to do: If we know the end is coming, we should put our resources into action to provide a return for the Lord.

We are to make disciples until the very last second.

• Never hide

• Never fear

• Never hoard our resources

Use what He gives us to produce a harvest for Him.

Parable 3: The Sheep and the Goats (Matthew 25:31-46)

The Story: Jesus separates people into two groups—sheep (righteous) and goats (unrighteous).

How do you know they're righteous? By what they're doing.

Matthew 25:35-36 "For I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me, I was naked and you clothed me, I was sick and you visited me, I was in prison and you came to me."

What are they doing? They're correcting the wrongs in society. They're doing acts of justice.

Old Testament Pattern: Most of the time, people declared righteous in the OT are doing works of justice.

They're attempting to restore and heal the brokenness in the world.

There's a compassionate bent toward people who cannot repay.

Jesus' Ministry Announcement (Luke 4)

Luke 4:18-19 "The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim liberty to the captives and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty those who are oppressed, to proclaim the year of the Lord's favor."

Jesus' ministry was about restoring broken things.

At the end, the people who are good and righteous are the ones bringing restoration into these same areas.

The Goats:

Matthew 25:42-43 "For I was hungry and you gave me no food, I was thirsty and you gave me no drink, I was a stranger and you did not welcome me, naked and you did not clothe me, sick and in prison and you did not visit me."

They didn't visit Him in prison. They didn't feed Him when He was hungry. They didn't clothe Him when He was naked.

The Application:

While He's away, we are to make sure our good works are pointed to the people who need them most: "the least of these."

Putting It All Together

Big Idea: The basic framework of Matthew 24-25.

The Pinnacle of Our Belief:

He will come again.

Jesus will come back one day. I don't know how. I don't know when. I don't know where. But He will come back.

What We Can Expect:

There will be times of chaos and catastrophes that will try to pull us away and distract us from mission.

But we can be sure He is coming again, just as He prophesied the fall of Jerusalem.

What We're to Do Until Then:

1. Patiently wait and endure it all (Parable of the Ten Virgins)

2. Continue to do and focus on what He's called us to do—good works that glorify Him (Parable of the Talents)

3. Do it for the people who need it most—"the least of these" (Sheep and Goats)

Final Reflection

This is a remarkable passage.

It teaches us everything we need to know about:

• The end

• Our priority

• Our focus

We can get distracted by this or that, but our priority is that we glorify God until He returns.

And we can be assured that He WILL return.

Action Steps

Today:

• Stop speculating about the end times

• Start focusing on what Jesus actually said

This Week:

• Read Matthew 24-25 slowly

• Ask: Am I ready? Am I enduring? Am I serving "the least of these"?

This Month:

• Identify one way you can serve someone in need

• Use your resources (time, money, gifts) to make disciples

• Stop hoarding—start serving

The End is Not About:

• Figuring out who the Antichrist is

• Matching headlines to Revelation

• Building bomb shelters

• Speculating and arguing

The End is About:

• Christ coming again

• Restoring all things

• Making everything new

Until Then:

• Endure

• Serve

• Stay ready

"Therefore you also must be ready, for the Son of Man is coming at an hour you do not expect."
— Matthew 24:44

"Truly, I say to you, as you did it to one of the least of these my brothers, you did it to me."
— Matthew 25:40