“Great Expectations”
(Matthew 24:9-28)
Series: God’s Fulfilled Promise [on screen]
Rev. Matthew C. McCraw, EdD
First Baptist Church, Bartow, Florida
August 30, 2020
The Passage
Matthew 24:9-28
9 “Then they will hand you over to be persecuted, and they will kill you. You will be hated by all nations because of my name. 10 Then many will fall away, betray one another, and hate one another. 11 Many false prophets will rise up and deceive many. 12 Because lawlessness will multiply, the love of many will grow cold. 13 But the one who endures to the end will be saved. 14 This good news of the kingdom will be proclaimed in all the world as a testimony to all nations, and then the end will come.
15 “So when you see the abomination of desolation, spoken of by the prophet Daniel, standing in the holy place” (let the reader understand), 16 “then those in Judea must flee to the mountains. 17 A man on the housetop must not come down to get things out of his house, 18 and a man in the field must not go back to get his coat. 19 Woe to pregnant women and nursing mothers in those days! 20 Pray that your escape may not be in winter or on a Sabbath. 21 For at that time there will be great distress, the kind that hasn’t taken place from the beginning of the world until now and never will again. 22 Unless those days were cut short, no one would be saved. But those days will be cut short because of the elect.
23 “If anyone tells you then, ‘See, here is the Messiah!’ or, ‘Over here!’ do not believe it. 24 For false messiahs and false prophets will arise and perform great signs and wonders to lead astray, if possible, even the elect. 25 Take note: I have told you in advance. 26 So if they tell you, ‘See, he’s in the wilderness!’ don’t go out; or, ‘See, he’s in the storerooms!’ do not believe it. 27 For as the lightning comes from the east and flashes as far as the west, so will be the coming of the Son of Man. 28 Wherever the carcass is, there the vultures will gather.
Introductory Comments:
We’re entering the middle of a section of prophecy and predictions by Jesus concerning chaos and confusion. We’re picking up in Matthew 24 in the middle of what we call the Olivet Discourse, which was given by Jesus to His disciples on the Mount of Olives (hence the name “Olivet Discourse”).
The interpretations of the all of what Jesus meant in these teachings from the Mount of Olives is widely debated. As we go through this passage, I’ll provide for you particular interpretations on certain aspects. However, as I teach this I will do so with the approach that there were probably some truths that applied directly to Jesus’ audience that day, while some of these truths also apply to us today.
Before we get into this passage, let’s pray together and ask God to teach us.
(prayer)
You may remember from last week’s sermon that we learned that Jesus was teaching about judgment that comes from sin. The disciples had some questions that arose from what Jesus was saying concerning the temple.
You may also remember that Jesus predicted the destruction of the temple, which we know would happen in A.D. 70.
Jesus said that certain signs would come that were like labor pains pointing us to a time when things would happen in fulfillment. There would be warning signs to indicate that the destruction of the temple was near. Likewise, there will be warning signs, like labor pains, that point us to when Jesus will return and the world as we know it will end.
This idea of Jesus pointing to something with both a lesser and greater meaning is an idea we see all throughout the Bible.
Just as the temple would be destroyed and great calamity would come. So, also, the world would experience greater destruction and calamity at a later date determined by God.
Similarly, just as the power of Adam’s sin affected all of Creation, the power of Jesus’ death and resurrection would have a greater effect on Creation.
Just as David was the great king of Israel, Jesus the Messiah, the Son of David would be a greater king for Israel.
Just as Moses represented the people of God with the delivery of the law, Jesus would represent the people of God with the delivery of grace.
So, we see this lesser and greater work in the Bible. We’re seeing more of that in today’s passage. Let’s see where God leads us and what He teaches us in this passage.
Let’s discover three great expectations that we should look for in a lesser and greater way in the history and future of our world.
First, . . .
I. Expect great conflict (vv. 9-14) [on screen]
Remember, this is part of the larger message that Jesus is delivering on the Mount of Olives. He has already spoken about false messiahs, cataclysmic natural disasters, and the destruction of the temple.
Now, Jesus is adding further clarity to what life might be like for followers of His who are around when some of this happens.
Look at verses 9-14 to hear about some of this.
9 “Then they will hand you over to be persecuted, and they will kill you. You will be hated by all nations because of my name. 10 Then many will fall away, betray one another, and hate one another. 11 Many false prophets will rise up and deceive many. 12 Because lawlessness will multiply, the love of many will grow cold. 13 But the one who endures to the end will be saved. 14 This good news of the kingdom will be proclaimed in all the world as a testimony to all nations, and then the end will come.
As Jesus spoke to the disciples on the Mount of Olives, they needed to understand that they could expect conflict. Indeed, all of the disciples would suffer imprisonment, banishment, or death.
We must also grasp this, church: as followers of Jesus we should expect great conflict.
Jesus even names certain types of conflict that the disciples at that time, disciples now, and disciples in the future can expect:
Verse 9 indicates that followers of Jesus can expect to be persecuted and killed. This has happened in the past, it is happening in certain parts of the world now, and it will certainly happen in the future as well.
Verses 9 and 10 indicate that followers of Jesus can expect to be hated. In our own country, it’s becoming less and less socially acceptable to be a genuine follower of Jesus. We should expect this as we near the end of our world as we know it.
Verse 10 indicates that professing followers of Jesus will actually fall away from the faith and will in turn betray and hate true followers of Jesus.
Verse 11 indicates that false prophets will rise up and deceive many. This has happened, is happening, and will happen.
Verse 12 indicates that lawlessness will grow while love towards others will fade. The greatest thing that Jesus said for us to do (love) will begin to grow cold. What a sad reality.
There has been and will be many different types of conflict for those who follow Jesus.
Jesus then provides a sign of hope at the end of this section.
Jesus says in verse 13, “But the one who endures to the end will be saved.” Two things are implied from this verse. First, we know that there is an end to this conflict. Jesus will one day take away all conflict and make all things right. Second, we know that those who are truly followers of Jesus will remain faithful during this conflict. They will ultimately trust Him and follow Him. That is evidence of the fact that they have truly followed Jesus.
He goes on in verse 14 with more good news. Before the end of all things, Jesus says, “This good news of the kingdom will be proclaimed in all the world as a testimony to all nations.” We must understand this, church: there will be great conflict for followers of Jesus, but that conflict WILL NOT stop the proclamation of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. In fact, the conflict from which believers suffer is often used to magnify the beauty and power of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. We learn from this passage that the Gospel will be proclaimed in all the world as a testimony of Jesus to the nations! What great power Jesus displays in the midst of conflict!
Many of these conflicts that Jesus spoke of were fulfilled just a few years after Jesus left the earth. However, Jesus is speaking about more than just the immediate years after His death and resurrection. There is a lesser and greater meaning here. These conflicts should not cause us fear, but we should be aware of them and expect them in greater measure until Jesus returns.
Second, . . .
II. Expect great distress (vv. 15-22) [on screen]
Now, this section gets a little confusing and deals with somewhat of a mysterious topic called “the abomination of desolation.” This is an area where I am convinced that Jesus is talking about something that will happen soon for the people to whom He is speaking, but also something that has prophetic implications for the far future.
Let’s look at the passage. Look with me, if you will, at verses 15-22:
15 “So when you see the abomination of desolation, spoken of by the prophet Daniel, standing in the holy place” (let the reader understand), 16 “then those in Judea must flee to the mountains. 17 A man on the housetop must not come down to get things out of his house, 18 and a man in the field must not go back to get his coat. 19 Woe to pregnant women and nursing mothers in those days! 20 Pray that your escape may not be in winter or on a Sabbath. 21 For at that time there will be great distress, the kind that hasn’t taken place from the beginning of the world until now and never will again. 22 Unless those days were cut short, no one would be saved. But those days will be cut short because of the elect.
So, we have here the abomination of desolation. Jesus said that this is something that Daniel referred to.
We know that the prophet Daniel spoke of this in the Old Testament book of Daniel in Daniel 9:27 and Daniel 11:31. In both cases it is evident from Daniel’s prophecy that something that is an abomination (or extremely sinful) is set up in or near the temple in a way that desolates (or brings emptiness or death to) the temple.
There are a few times in history where this could have happened, including before Jesus’ time, and the destruction of the temple after Jesus’ time in A.D. 70.
So, we have to think that at least in part, Daniel and Jesus referred to what would happen in the temple in the days after the Old Testament or just after the time of Jesus.
However, when we hear this prophecy from Jesus, it seems in the context of all that Jesus is saying that there are implications beyond that day.
Look, for example, at verse 21. Jesus says, “For at that time there will be great distress, the kind that hasn’t taken place from the beginning of the world until now and never will again.” Well, we know that things will get really bad at the end of days, and we know that many atrocities have been committed in the world since A.D. 70, so when Jesus says that nothing that distressful will ever happen again He’s probably talking about more than the destruction of the temple in A.D. 70.
So, the abominations of desolation can refer to some terrible things that happened in the past connected to the temple of God and the people of God, as well as something terrible that will happen again in the future.
As Jesus speaks of this, He says that there will be great distress.
Jesus says that people should waste no time fleeing from this distress. We shouldn’t waste time grabbing a coat or anything out of our house.
He says that it will be difficult for those who cannot flee quickly, such as pregnant and nursing women.
Jesus said we should pray that this doesn’t happen during difficult days such as in winter or on days where His followers at that time would be unprepared, such as on a Sabbath day.
Again, at the end of this section, in verse 22, Jesus offers a message of hope. Jesus said that these days will be so terrible that no one would survive if God didn’t put a stop to it. However, because of God’s love for His own, God’s chosen people which Jesus refers to as “the elect,” the days will be shortened. God loves His own and will shorten the days of calamity to spare some of His own.
Listen, church: no matter what we go through, God is with us!
So, we must realize that days of great distress have come to God’s people in the past and they will surely come to God’s people again in the future. The horrible events that happened in A.D. 70 were just a small taste of some of the tribulations that the world will experience before Jesus makes all things new. We must expect great distress.
Finally, . . .
III. Expect the great Messiah (vv. 23-28) [on screen]
Jesus already spoke in verses 4 and 5, in last week’s passage, about false Messiah’s; but in today’s passage, Jesus offers some more clarity on this.
Look at verses 23-28:
23 “If anyone tells you then, ‘See, here is the Messiah!’ or, ‘Over here!’ do not believe it. 24 For false messiahs and false prophets will arise and perform great signs and wonders to lead astray, if possible, even the elect. 25 Take note: I have told you in advance. 26 So if they tell you, ‘See, he’s in the wilderness!’ don’t go out; or, ‘See, he’s in the storerooms!’ do not believe it. 27 For as the lightning comes from the east and flashes as far as the west, so will be the coming of the Son of Man. 28 Wherever the carcass is, there the vultures will gather.
Jesus again tells us false Messiah’s will present themselves and others will claim that Messiah has come back. However, we are not to be deceived.
We’ve seen this happening for years, right? Christian cults and false teachers have long claimed that they’ve calculated the date that Jesus will come back.
There was a lot of speculation that Y2K was going to be the end of the world, right?
Or, the Mayan calendar will point you to when the end of the world is!
Let me just tell you, if there was ever a year where things got bad enough for us to think that it might be the year that Jesus was coming back, that year is 2020! Yet, we still don’t know that Jesus will come back this year.
Jesus says in verse 24, “false messiahs and false prophets will arise and perform great signs and wonders to lead astray, if possible, even the elect.” Now, let me say, I don’t think it’s possible to truly deceive the elect, which I think is Jesus’ point. However, Jesus is saying that the false prophets are so good at what they do that they will deceive many. Church, we must not be deceived!
Well, how will we know when Jesus truly comes back? Jesus answers that question for us in verse 27: “For as the lightning comes from the east and flashes as far as the west, so will be the coming of the Son of Man.” There will be no mistaking the return of Jesus! It will be like lightning flashing across the sky! We know about lightning here in Central Florida, don’t we? [show picture on screen] My boys are both fascinated and frightened by lightning so everyone knows about it when it happens near our house! There’s no mistaking a lightning storm. So, also, there’s no mistaking the return of Jesus our Messiah! Do not be deceived, for you will know when He returns!
Finally, Jesus concludes with this challenging verse. Verse 28 says, “Wherever the carcass is, there the vultures will gather.” The King James Version says “eagles” rather than “vultures.” Well, what does this mean?
Well, the idea here is that there are a type of scavenger birds that are gathering to something that is dead.
Some have said that the insignia on the Roman flags at the battle in A.D. 70 had eagles on them so this is what Jesus was referring to.
Some say that this is a reference to the end times as we read in the book of Revelation of birds of the air feasting on dead bodies that are present from all the conflict and distress.
Some say, as vultures are drawn to a dead carcass, so also people will be drawn to the appearing of Jesus when He returns.
Still, others, say that as there is no mistaking when there is a dead animal nearby because of the presence of vultures, so also, there will be no mistaking when Jesus returns. This is like the lightning illustration.
I don’t know that we really know for sure what Jesus meant (we can ask Him when we get to heaven), but we know this: Jesus is saying that there will be some sort of evidence to support something that is happening. Something will happen that is compared to the corpse, and something else will happen that is like the vultures or eagles gathering. So, here’s the point: listen to what Jesus said, look for the signs, trust Jesus, get ready for His return, and you’ll know it when it happens.
We must be ready for the Messiah! We must expect the great Messiah!
Concluding Thoughts:
So, we should expect great conflict, we should expect great distress, and we should expect the great Messiah.
I summed it up like this in the bottom line:
Bottom Line: We should expect tribulation, and we should expect Jesus’ victory. [on screen]
(repeat)
I’ve said this before, but it’s worth saying again: followers of Jesus should never be surprised when something happens that Jesus said would happen. Further, followers of Jesus should not live in fear and uncertainty because we are certain of Jesus’ victory!
Listen to what Jesus said elsewhere in John 16:33, “I have told you these things so that in me you may have peace. You will have suffering in this world. Be courageous! I have conquered the world.” [on screen]
So, expect tribulation, but more than that, expect victory in Jesus.
Challenge yourself this week to live out this passage in the following ways:
Weekly Challenge: [on screen]
1. Identify the tribulations you have faced. [on screen]
We’ve all gone through many tribulations or have witnessed tribulation in this world.
Take some time this week and identify some of those tribulations. It’s ok to identify these, and it can even be helpful to do so.
However, don’t stay there.
2. Identify the victory found in Jesus. [on screen]
Take some time this week to identify the victory in your life and in your future that is found in Jesus!
Don’t concede victory to conflict or distress, trust in Jesus and His victory.
Again, no matter what happens, Jesus is with us!
Reflect on that victory this week!
3. Proclaim the good news of the kingdom. [on screen]
Jesus said in verse 14, “This good news of the kingdom will be proclaimed in all the world as a testimony to all nations . . .”
Will you play your part in proclaiming the good news of the kingdom? Until He comes, let us all do so: in Bartow, in Polk County, and to all nations!
Closing:
Are you a follower of Jesus? If so, is your hope and victory found in Him? Don’t be deceived: tough times will surely come, but so also will Jesus!
If you’re not a follower of Jesus you are not ready for the judgment of God. Distress awaits you that is far worse than anything described in Matthew chapter 24. However, there is hope for you found in Jesus. He will change your life!
(Gospel presentation)
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