WARNING SIGNS OF THE END
Rev. Bernt P. Tweit
Epistle Lesson;
1 Thessalonians 3:7-13
Old Testament Lesson;
Jeremiah 25:30-32
Sermon Text;
Matthew 24:1-14
As we get to this time of the church year, tradition has us talk about end times, Judgment Day, and the end of the world. During this part of the church year, Jesus shares with us, warning signs that will precede the end of the world.
And so I begin by sharing with you some examples in our everyday life that are warning signs to us, reminding us that something is coming to an end.
In the autumn of the year, when the leaves fall off of the trees, it is a warning sign to us that the warm days of summer are coming to an end.
When you are in your car, and that little light, next to the gas gauge comes on, it is a warning sign to you that your supply of gas is coming to an end.
When my son Benjamin was a baby, and we were spoon-feeding him, it was a devastating warning sign, as that spoon would clink against the jar that his food supply was coming to an end.
In football, right before the half time intermission, or before the end of the game, there is a two-minute warning. It is a warning sign to the players and the coaches that the half, or the game, is coming to an end.
And then, (in keeping the with picture on the front of your bulletin cover this morning) there is an example just a couple blocks away on East Washington Avenue. When you see a sign, with a big flashing arrow, and barrels in front of you on the road, leading you out of your lane, it is warning sign to you that the lane you are driving in is coming to an end.
Just as we have examples of warning signs in everyday life, Jesus gives us very practical warning signs of things that will take place before the end of the world comes. The verses from our text for today, took place on Tuesday of Passion Week. Just two days before this, Jesus would have ridden on a donkey in to Jerusalem, on that very first Palm Sunday. The day before Jesus would have taught in the temple area. And then on this Tuesday, Jesus also would have been teaching in the temple area.
As Jesus and His disciples are walking away from the temple, this was the very last time that Jesus would have physically been present in the temple. As He and His disciples are walking away, the disciples’ attention turns to the wonderful outward appearance of those buildings. In another section of scripture, they say, "Look at these magnificent stones."
The disciples were concerned about the outward appearance of its structure. Notice what Jesus says, "I tell you the truth, not one stone here will be left on another; every one will be thrown down."
Jesus was not concerned about the outward appearance of the temple. Jesus is concerned about the inward appearance of our hearts.
Our culture loves the outward appearance, doesn’t it? Our culture stresses that we are to have beautiful bodies. And we do everything that we can, to make our bodies beautiful. But, what we see as beautiful from the outside will one day be worm meat. Our beautiful bodies are going to decay. Our beautiful bodies are going to die. Our bodies are going to be placed in a casket, in the ground, and it will become worm meat.
The beautiful buildings that we say are magnificent, will one day be a ruinous heap. What we value as beautiful outwardly, Jesus tells us to be concerned about the appearance of our inward heart. Does it have faith in Jesus, as our Savior?
And so Jesus’ words here, as He walks out of the temple for the very last time, fulfill scripture. Earlier He said, "Your house will be left to you desolate." Jesus, here, is prophesying the destruction of Jerusalem, and the destruction of the temple, that would take place within forty years of Him speaking these words.
That is exactly what took place in 70 AD, as the Romans came in. The Roman soldiers came in and they devastated Jerusalem, and they devastated the temple. One of the people who were there to witness that event was an early church historian by the name of Josephus. He says, "Caesar gave orders that they should now demolish the whole city and temple except the three towers and a part of the western wall. And these were spared. But for all the rest of the wall it was laid so completely even with the ground that there was left nothing to make those who came after it believe that it had ever been inhabited."
And so, that was fulfilled by the prophet Micah, in which he said, "Zion will be plowed like a field. Jerusalem will become a heap of ruble, the temple hill a mound overgrown with thickets."
Jesus prophesied the destruction of Jerusalem and the temple. After Jesus spoke those words, He led His disciples out of Jerusalem across the Kidron Valley and they went up on the Mount of Olives, where they had a wonderful view from that hill, of Jerusalem and its temple. Then, the disciples came to Jesus and privately asked Him, "When will this happen and what will be the sign of your coming and the end of the age?"
Well, the destruction of Jerusalem and its temple was one of those signs, but now Jesus goes on and gives us many warning signs that will take place before the end of the world. They really can be put into three categories. There will be warning signs in nature. There will be warning signs in the life of men and the nations. And, there will be warning signs in the church.
First of all there will be warning signs in nature. Jesus said that there will be famines and earthquakes. Are those things happening today? Yes they are. Were those things happening in Jesus’ day? Yes they were. All we have to do is open a paper each and every day, and we will see natural disasters taking place every single day.
A tornado in Stoughton.
Hurricanes in Florida, Louisiana, and in Texas.
A tsunami in Malaysia.
As you see in your bulletin today, flooding in India.
Jesus said that there will be warning signs in nature to prepare us for the end of the world.
There will also be warning signs in the life of men and the nations. Jesus said that there will be wars and rumors of wars. Nation will rise against nation and kingdom against kingdom. Were those things happening in Jesus’ day? Yes. Are those things happening today? Yes. Again, as you open a paper each and everyday, we see those warning signs being fulfilled in the life of men and of the nations.
To that very point the apostle Paul once spoke to a young pastor, Timothy. He
spoke of some more signs that would happen in the life of men and of the
nations. He said, "Mark this, there will be terrible times in the last days.
People will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boastful, proud, abusive,
disobedient to their parents (that is exactly what is happening over in France,
with the young people rioting), ungrateful, unholy, without love, unforgiving,
slanderous, without self-control, brutal, not lovers of the good, treacherous,
rash, conceited, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God."
And so those warning signs in the life of men and the nations are fulfilled,
reminding us of the end of the world.
Finally, Jesus said that there will be warning signs in the church itself. Jesus tells us today, "Watch out that no one will deceive you. For many will come in my name, claiming, ‘I am the Christ.’"
For the last two thousand years people have raised themselves up claiming to either to be Christ himself, or a representative of God. In Acts, Chapter 8 we have an example of a man by the name of Simon the Sorcerer, who claimed to be a great power. And he deceived many people. In Acts, chapter 28 the apostle Paul was accused of being an Egyptian false prophet, having led 4,000 people away into the desert. In our day too, we have examples, Jim Jones of the 1970’s leading people astray in South America and then committed mass suicide. David Karesh, down in Waco, Texas in the early 1990’s, claiming to be Christ Himself, in that compound in Waco, was burned. The Reverend Sun Young Moon claims to be the Messiah and has led thousands of people astray as they believe in him instead of Christ.
There are warning signs in nature, in the life of men and the nations, and also in the church itself.
Well, Peter, in his day, said the end of all things is at hand. And if Peter, in his day, could say that, we who live 1950 years later can certainly say the same thing. The end of all things is at hand.
Why is it imperative for us to know these warning signs? Well, it is imperative for us to know these warning signs, so we know who we are. And, who are we? We are sinners. And, we are without excuse, having sinned against God by thought, by word, and by deed. Scripture tells us that everyone who sins breaks the law. In fact, sin is lawlessness. Scripture tells us everyone who keeps the whole law and yet stumbles at just one point is guilty of breaking all of it. Which reminds us that everyone of us will one day stand before the Judgment Seat of Christ. And we will have to answer for the things done in the body, whether good or bad. As we stand before God, who is our Judge, we are guilty and we deserve to be condemned, because of our sin.
But, thanks be to God that we have a Redeemer, Jesus, who has stepped in and who has taken our place. And thanks be to God that Jesus has come in and taken all of that sin upon Himself. God, our Heavenly Father, has pardoned us. Jesus endured that through His death on the cross. And we have eternal life in Heaven.
Which gets us to the good news of our text for this morning. In the very last two verses of our text, we have some wonderful hope that Jesus lays out for us. First of all, Jesus says, "he who stands firm to the end will be saved." Here, Jesus is asking us to be steadfast in our faith, until the end, as we see these warning signs surrounding us.
Then Jesus says, "this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in the whole world." And that is happening too. Even in our ELS, we have a missionary who goes deeper and deeper into the Amazon jungle, bringing the Gospel of Christ to people who have never heard it before. Then, Jesus says, "the end will come."
Yes, we do have warning signs each and every day of our lives that remind us of things to come. One of those examples was my son Benjamin. When he was being spoon-fed and heard the clinking of that jar, it was a devastating warning that his food supply was coming to an end.
We hear these warning signs, from scripture about the end of the world, in nature, in the life of men and the nations, and in the church itself.
May we be prepared in faith, in Jesus as our Savior, to stand steadfast! And then, the end will come.
Lord keep us steadfast in your Word.
Curb those who by deceit or sword
would wrest the Kingdom from your Son,
and bring to naught all He has done.
Lord Jesus Christ, your power make known.
For you are Lord of lords alone.
Defend your holy church that we
may sing your praise triumphantly.
Oh comforter of priceless worth.
Send peace and unity on earth.
Support us in our final strife.
And, lead us out of death to life.
Amen.
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