All This Took Place #10: The End of the World As We Know It

StoneBridge Community Church

Pastor Jeff Cheadle

Locations & Times

StoneBridge Campus
4832 Cochran St, Simi Valley, CA 93063, USA
Saturday 5:30 PM, Sunday 9:00 AM, Sunday 10:30 AM
Growth Groups
Simi Town Center Way, Simi Valley, CA 93065, USA
Sunday 12:00 PM

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Matthew 24:36-44 NIV

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Matthew 24

Bob Utley, "Matthew 24" from the series The First Christian Primer: Matthew

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The Temple in Jesus' Time

The Temple

Justin Taylor, "What Did the Temple Look Like in Jesus' Time?" The Gospel Coalition, July 13, 2010

http://bit.ly/2ojygdv

Matthew 24:1-2 NIV

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Temple stones, Jerusalem.

Matthew 24:3 NIV

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Zechariah 14:4-9 NIV

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The Mount of Olives

The Mount of Olives, Wikipedia.

http://bit.ly/2ojBIVD

"The Prophecy of the Destruction of the Temple" by James Tissot

The Siege of Jerusalem (AD 70)

Siege of Jerusalem (AD 70), Wikipedia.

http://bit.ly/2ocum5A

Josephus on the Destruction of Jerusalem

Titus Flavius Josephus (37– c.100) was a first-century scholar and historian born in Jerusalem. In this section of his work "Of the War" he describes Titus' siege of Jerusalem and the great extremity to which the Jews were reduced. It includes a memorable description of the Temple before it was toppled by the Romans.

http://bit.ly/2oTSxnN

1. Jesus will…

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1. Jesus will return in glory.

For reflection/discussion

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How important is it for Christians to know that Jesus Christ will return? Some Christians believe that the appearance of false messiahs, wars, rumors of wars, international conflict, and natural disasters are signs that we are living in the end times. Are they? What does Jesus say in Matthew 24.6? Why, in your judgment, have there been so many failed predictions about the return of Christ and the end of days?

Matthew 24:4-8 NIV

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Matthew 24:9-14 NIV

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List of Dates Predicted for Apocalyptic Events

This list is composed of mostly Christian predictions, though other religious traditions are included. The list also includes scientific predictions of the world's end." "List of Dates Predicted for Apocalyptic Events" Wikipedia.

http://bit.ly/2oNL1hH

2. Everyone will…

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2. Everyone will know without a doubt when Christ returns in glory.

Matthew 24:26-27 NIV

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Christ the Redeemer, Rio de Janeiro

Matthew 24:36 NIV

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For reflection/discussion

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Jesus couldn't be clearer. He will return, his return will be unmistakable, and everyone will know when it happens. But no one knows when it will take place. Given the uncertainty, how should we live our lives? If you knew that Jesus was returning tomorrow, would you live your life any differently? Why or why not? If so, how so?

3. We will…

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3. We will want to be ready when Jesus Christ returns.

Matthew 25

Bob Utley, "Matthew 25" from the series The First Christian Primer: Matthew

http://bit.ly/2nWm3ID

Matthew 25:1-13 NIV

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"Parable of the Ten Virgins" by anjin. MOV Studios.

The Ten Virgins

Bob Deffinbaugh, "The Ten Virgins: What It Means to Be Ready" (Matthew 25:1-13) from the series Studies in the Gospel of Matthew

http://bit.ly/2nWtvnb

Matthew 25:14-29 NIV

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The Parable of the Talents

Bob Deffinbaugh, "The Parable of the Talents" (Matthew 25:14-30; Luke 19:12-28) from the series Studies in the Gospel of Matthew

http://bit.ly/2ns29Jp

Matthew 25:31-46 NIV

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"Christ Separating Sheep from Goats" Byzantine mosaic, S. Apollinare Nuovo, Ravenna, Italy

Matthew 10:40-42 NIV

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Matthew 12:48-49 NIV

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What You Probably Don’t Know about "The Least of These"

Andy Horvath, "What You Probably Don’t Know about ‘The Least of These’ A more biblically accurate understanding of Jesus' words in Matthew 25" Christianity Today, March 5, 2015.

http://bit.ly/1McnRnl

Who Are "The Least of These"?

Kevin DeYoung, "Who Are 'The Least of These'?" The Gospel Coalition, March 21, 2017.

http://bit.ly/2mQ3dXr

Scholars on "The Least of These"

“By far the best interpretation is that Jesus’ ‘brothers’ are his disciples… The fate of the nations will be determined by how they respond to Jesus’ followers, who, ‘missionaries’ or not, are charged with spreading the gospel and do so in the face of hunger, thirst, illness, and imprisonment. Good deeds done to Jesus’ followers, even the least of them, are not only works of compassion and morality but reflect where people stand in relation to the kingdom and to Jesus himself. Jesus identifies himself with the fate of his followers and makes compassion for them equivalent to compassion for himself.” —D. A. Carson, “Matthew” in Matthew & Mark, The Expositor’s Bible Commentary (Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 2010), 583.

“That the ‘brothers’ are here ‘disciples’ is the majority view in church history and among contemporary New Testament scholars.”—Craig S. Keener, The Gospel of Matthew: A Socio-Rhetorical Commentary (Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 2009), 606.

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More Scholarship on "The Least of These"

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“There is overwhelming evidence that this expression does not refer to everyone who is suffering, but to Jesus’ followers who are suffering. The emphasis is not on generic compassion (as important as that is elsewhere), but on who has shown compassion to the followers of Jesus who are hungry, thirsty, unclothed, sick, or in prison.” —D. A. Carson, For the Love of God: A Daily Companion for Discovering the Riches of God’s Word, vol. 1 (Wheaton, IL: Crossway, 2006).

“The majority view throughout church history has taken them to be some or all of Christ’s disciples.” —Craig Blomberg, Matthew, New American Commentary (Nashville: Broadman & Holman, 1992), 377.

“‘My brothers,’ makes it almost certain that the statement refers not to human beings in general but rather to brothers and sisters of the Christian community.” —Donald Hagner, Matthew 14-28, Word Biblical Commentary (Dallas, TX: Word, 1995), p. 744.

“There is a long and noble interpretation in the history of the church that the parable of the sheep and the goats refers not to the needy in general but to the persecuted church, or to persecuted missionaries, or to persecuted followers of Jesus… This is what is at work in the parable of the sheep and goats, not general compassion for the poor (however important that might be).” —Scot McKnight, Kingdom Conspiracy: Returning to the Radical Mission of the Local Church (Grand Rapids: Brazos, 2014), 121.

For reflection/discussion

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What do you take from the fact that Jesus offers three extended parables/ stories about our being ready for his return? How are the three parables similar? In what ways do they differ? How do the three parables complement one another? Are there any details that were unclear or confusing? (Refer to the YouVersion articles and a study Bible for insight.) Why is it important to take context into account when interpreting a biblical text? How should we prepare for the return of Christ?

Matthew 24:42 NIV

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