The Church of Eleven22 - Don't Miss The Point - Religion to Redemption - Matthew S6E6

Episode Date: September 14, 2026

What does the Bible really say about the end times, and how should we live knowing Jesus is coming back? In Matthew 24 and 25, Jesus teaches about His return, the signs of the end times and the importance of being ready. While Christians may disagree on the details of how the end times will unfold, we can agree on what matters most: Jesus is coming back, salvation is found in Him alone and the invitation is open right now. Don’t get so caught up in predicting when Jesus will return that you miss the point. The question isn’t whether you have every detail figured out. The question is whether you know Him, love Him and have personally surrendered your life to the lordship of Jesus Christ. Link to A Night of Eschatology 📖 Scripture References: • Matthew 23: 36-39 • Matthew 24:1-25:13 • Daniel 7–12 • Ezekiel • John 14 • Romans 8 • Ephesians 1:13 • Philippians 1 • Revelation 19–21 📌 Supplemental Resources From This Week: • This Week’s Full Service • Deepen Podcast • God Is On The Move • Matthew Season 6 The Church of Eleven22® is a movement for all people to discover and deepen a relationship with Jesus Christ. Eleven22 is led by Pastor Joby Martin and based in Jacksonville, Florida, with multiple campuses throughout Jacksonville and the surrounding areas.   To find out more about how God is moving in and through The Church of Eleven22, visit coe22.com.

Let's go. Amen and amen. You feel like a winner today? I hope so. Hey, if you got your Bible, I hope you do, we're going to study a lot, a lot, a lot. We're going to do all of Matthew chapter 24.

We're going to bleed into the first parable of Matthew chapter 25, but we've got to get a running start in Matthew chapter 23 to understand what's happening here. So Matthew chapter 23, verse 36 is where we're going to start. I want to welcome everybody that's here. All the regulars, glad you're here. We've got a bunch of guests with us that are going to be at our church Sleaders Summit starting tomorrow.

I'm glad you're here. There's some of you, and you wouldn't even, you don't even know what you think about Jesus. I'm glad you're here. I hope that changes by the time that we're finished, all of our campuses. Thank you for being here, all of our outposts. And by the way, would you join me in welcoming our brand new outposts in Fort Worth, Texas, that is starting right now? Welcome.

I love me some Fort Worth. All right. There's also another brand new outpost. This is going to blow your mind. is that this weekend another brand new outpost starts at the University of Florida right now. Can you believe that? That's right. That's right.

We are a movement for all people. And good Lord, people know that those people need Jesus. Amen. We've even got some Browns fans here. Look at that. All right. It's all right. Y'all will be first in heaven because you're going to be last today.

All right. So here's what we're talking about, all right? It's kind of intense. By the way, I don't normally advertise this, but Pastor Britt, Pastor Vinkie and myself, normally sometimes pastors A's own A's there, we sit down and do a podcast called the Deepen podcast on Thursday night after the 722 service where we just do a deeper dive into the content that we're studying. We're going to be talking about things like eschatology and end times and the return of Christ

today. That's what we're talking about. And there's no way I can cover it all. In fact, you've got to listen a little bit faster. than you normally do or the next service might be sitting in your lap. I normally teach for about four or five pages of notes right now. I have 13, okay? So we'll get out by halftime, I swear.

And you're going to want to listen to this one because we get into a lot more discussion about all the camps and who lands where. There's lots of godly theologians that have debated about the end times and the timing of all the things. And here's the thing I want you to see, though, is that we're just going to be. to look at what Jesus says and its implications in our life. Now, sometimes people will actually ask me, Pastor, you mean to tell me you think that there's a second return of Christ that Jesus is returning?

And I say, you better believe I believe that Jesus is returning. Do you know why? Because he said he was. That's why. And why would I believe that? Because he called his shot. He said he was going to be dead, buried, and then on the third day be resurrected from the grave, and if you can pull that one off, you're going to want to believe whatever he says.

Now, before we get into all of the prophecies about the return of Christ, I want to back up to chapter 23, this is right where Pastor Matt left off last week, right after Jesus has cursed the religious leaders. When he says, whoa, seven times, if you'll remember, the beginning of his teaching ministry was called the beatitudes and where he says blessed, blessed, blessed, that means congratulations. Blessed are the poor in spirit. Now when he says, whoa, that's the opposite of that. That means cursed are you.

And as he's leaving that conversation, he's heading to the Mount of Olives. Here's what it says in chapter 23, verse 36. He says, truly, I say to you, all these things will come upon this generation. A part of the reason that verse matters is because when we get to chapter 24, and a whole bunch of the things that he prophesies. One of the things that you have to understand historically in order to understand Matthew chapter 24 is that there is an event in history

that happens about 40 years from this moment, which is the destruction of the temple that would change the entire mindset of the first century Jewish person. And then on his way out of the city, here's what happens in verse 37. Ready? He looks back at the city of Jerusalem.

And he says, I want you to see the heart of Jesus. Before we get to the scary stuff of his return and judgment, I want you to see the heart of Jesus. He looks at his people and he says, oh, Jerusalem, Jerusalem. The city that kills the prophets and stone those who are sent to it. How often would I have gathered your children together

as a hen gathers are brewed under her wings? And you weren't willing. You see how tender this is? I mean, can you think of anything more tender than like a little baby chick in the mama hand? It's like when the tough times come, won't you just come and find your refuge in me? Won't you find your protection in me? Won't you find your peace in me? This is the heart of Jesus.

And so before we get to the judgment and all of that, I need you to see what he wants is you. He wants you. He wants you to not get caught up in all the details of the prophetic about what will come. He wants you to understand today, right now, today is the day of salvation. Want you be willing to just come to Jesus, and regardless of how it all plays out, find your refuge in him. Verse 38. See, your house has left you desolate, for I tell you, you will not see me again until you say, blessed is he who comes. comes in the name of the Lord.

And if you'll remember from a few weeks ago, and again, I know you guys are the gifted class. You remember everything I say. Remember the triumphal entry? This is what they said. Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord. A part of what he's saying is when he returns, he's going to return to the same place in a similar way,

but there's going to be some differences. Because when he enters Jerusalem the last week of his life here on earth, he came in humbly and riding on a donkey. to lay down his life for the salvation of people. But when he comes back, he's coming in power, riding on a horse to judge the quicken in the dead. That's what's happening. Then you get to chapter 24, and I'm making up a theological term here, but what he's going

to share is what I would call near and far prophecies. Some of the things are going to happen in the next 40 years. Some of the things are to come. The theological term in knowledge, you're going to be. is partial preterism futurist. That's what it means, but whatever. Near and far works better. And one of the things, if you are a student of eschatology,

if you don't know what the word eschatology is, no problem, it just means the study of in-times. If you do know what the word eschatology is, you probably already fall in a camp. You probably already know what camp you are, and you may ask me, Pastor Jobi, so where do you land? Are you a premil, post-mill, ah-mill?

where is the rapture and all this? Are you pre-cherib, post-trib, mid-trib? Where are you on this? And I'm going to tell you, my feet are firmly planted in the air. It kind of depends on who I'm listening to. It kind of depends on what part of the Bible I'm in. In fact, if you're in the gifted class, jot this down, okay? Jot this down.

Bikers, write this down, boys. Ready? Go to YouTube tonight, after all the games are over, and watch this discussion, a knight of eschatology. It's four theologians talking about their point of view on

the millennial reign of Christ. It is the feel-good hit of the century, all right? Now here's why I want you to watch this because here's what's going to happen. There are four men that are gathered together and here's the thing about these four men. All four of them are conservative

Bible-believing evangelicals and they all come to the scriptures the same way. They all sit under the authority of the Word of God. They believe in the inspiration of the Word of God. They believe in the infallibility of the Word, every single one of them, and they can't agree on the details of the return of Christ.

A couple of these guys I know. One is a guy named Sam Storm. He's what you call a millennial. There's another guy named Doug Wilson. He's post-millennial. There's a professor from Southern Seminary named Jim Hamilton. He has this Ph.D. in eschatology. And then, in my opinion, there's the granddaddy of them all, Dr. John Piper, and he's historic premil.

And even though they all believe the same thing about the Bible, for two hours, they disagree about what it means in regards to return of Christ. And these dudes are smart. They got more degrees than Fahrenheit, and they can't figure it out. And here we are, they know Walmart trying to figure it out. You understand what I'm saying. Now, here's why bringing this up. Wherever you land on this, if you're pre-mill, if you're post-mill, if you're post-a-old,

meal, if you're ah mill, if you're whatever, okay? Wherever you land, here's what's even more important. This is not something that the church should divide over. Because there are some things that we all agree on. We all agree Jesus will return. We all agree that the devil will be cast into hell. We all agree that there will be a judgment. And for anybody that puts their faith in Jesus Christ,

you will be with him forever and you will hear well done good and faithful servant. So, in fact, to prove my point, on Wednesday, one of my dear friends, a pastor out of Nashville, Tennessee, his name's Robbie Gallagie. He's like the real live Goliath. Wait until you see him on Wednesday. He's nine feet tall. He's a monster. And he's going to preach. He's going to open up saturated.

And he is what is called a partial preterist post-millennial. That's what he is, okay? And he's going to preach the pain off the wall. It's going to be awesome. and then next year another friend of mine named Philip Anthony Mitchell is going to be preaching here at 1122

and he is a pre-millennial I'm not sure if he's a historic or a dispensationalist I'll ask him okay and here's the thing they're both going to preach the gospel because we are all on team Jesus so the church should not ever ever ever divide over secondary issues

primary issues are things like the Trinity Christology salvation by the Tony work of Christ, the authority and the infallibility of Scripture. Secondary issues are like this, eschatology, mode of baptism, role of women in the church, the liturgy, what kind of music you share, that kind of thing. It's kind of like in your marriage, in your marriage, there are primary issues. Like when you get married, you go, we're just sleeping with each other. That's primary. And if you're like, well, not us, you don't, that pineapple thing you're doing, that's not a marriage. Secondary issues are things like, what do you set the temperature at? And do you,

opening your presence on Christmas Eve or Christmas Day, which is Christmas Day, by the way, I'll solve that one for you. All right. So here's what we're going to do, and we've got to go fast. We're just going to read what the text says, and we're going to look at its implications for us today. Because here's the thing. I don't normally tell you the title of the sermon.

I'm not that guy, but I titled this sermon, don't miss the point. Because you can miss the forest for the trees on this one. And the point is this. There is a return and are you ready? Dude, I fly all the time. I think I travel 180 days this year. So I am on planes, planes, planes. And every couple of weeks or so I'm walking to my gate and my posture when it comes to hunting and airports is there is no early.

There's only late because I don't want to miss it. And I will see people chucking it through the airport and they get to the door and the door's closed. And guess what? They ain't getting in. I don't care what the excuse is. The Chick-fil-A line was longer. I prayed about it or God told me. That's adorable.

You ain't getting in. The message, the point of what Jesus is sharing is right now, the door is wide open, and you are invited to get in, but there is coming a time when the door will shut, and I want you to be ready. All right, now buckle up. Here we go. Chapter 24, beginning in verse 1. and Jesus left the temple and was going away

and his disciples came to point to him the buildings of the temple. This is the second Herodian temple. It's super bogey, okay? And all of Jewish life revolved around the temple in Jerusalem. And Jesus answered him, 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.

This was devastating to them. They were like, what? How could this possibly be? Our whole life centers around the temple. This would be like, I don't know, Washington, D.C. without the White House. You know, it would be a big deal. This would be like the South without Chick-fil-A. You'd be like, say it ain't so.

How will we survive? This happens in 70 AD. Rome surrounds Jerusalem. They come in and they wipe out the temple. But ultimately what Jesus is saying is when I'm, I'm done with this weekend, and the weekend he's talking about is that he is going to be crucified, dead buried, and when the third day be resurrected from the grave. He is saying we don't even need the temple anymore because that's where the sacrificial system happens.

And let me remind you of what my cousin, John, the baptizer said about me, behold the Lamb of God who comes to take away the sin of the entire world. So we don't need the blood of lamb and goats anymore because the Lamb will be slain for all who believe are welcome. Verse three, and as they sat on the Mount of Olives, the disciples came to him privately, and they asked him, either one question or three questions, depending on what camp you live in. Says, tell us, boss, when will these things be, what will be the sign of your coming, and what's the sign of the end of the age? Have you ever thought about that? Have you ever thought about what the end of the world is going to be like?

This is what the disciples are asking. And when they say to him, what will be the sign of your coming, they're obviously, so he's talking about his second coming because he's sitting right there. So when are you coming back, boss? What's the end of the world going to be like? Verse four, here's the first thing that comes out of Jesus's mouth. This is so important. And Jesus has answered to them, see that no one leads you astray.

This is the first thing he says. He's like, be careful, boys. Because people are going to use in-time stuff, and many people will be led astray. And Jesus does not want us to be led astray. Let me give you a little warning, okay, if you're kind of a college age, kids, so like our U.F. outpost and all our 18-25ers. Let me just tell you it's going to happen in your

walk with Jesus, okay? Is that when you're newer in your faith, and especially that when you're a college kid and you know everything, you have a tendency to go down these rabbit holes of theology and they can be good things, but you could take them to the point where you think it's the most important thing and you can miss the whole point. And so if you're like 20 years old, you're going to bump into a guy named John Calvin, not like at the mall, he's been dead a minute, and you're going to get a hold of the doctrines of grace, and you're going to learn about reform theology, and then if you're, and I believe it, I'm into it, but then what's going to happen is you're going to think you're smarter than everybody else, and you're going to find yourself arguing in your dorm room

and screaming at people about how much God loves them. Check yourself. Or the other rabbit hole you'll tend to go down is this, is you're going to bump into one of your charismatic friends, and they're going to be speaking in tongues, you know, like a should have bought a Honda kind of thing, You're like, oh, what's that? And you're going to get obsessed with the gifts of the spirit of spiritual warfare and be careful because you might go down a rabbit hole and miss the whole point. And then the third one that a lot of people get caught up in is this, is that in times, eschatology. And you're going to have like Google News up and the Bible up and you're going to try to link everything together. And what Jesus is saying is this, be careful that you don't get led astray and miss the point.

verse 5 for many will come in my name saying I am the Christ they don't say I am Jesus I am the Christ the Christ offers life this happens to you every single day every time you see an ad for something it's promising to give life that's what is promising that you can find life in this stuff and this experience and this feeling and Jesus says for many will come in my name saying I am the Christ and they will lead many astray we have seen this for over 2,000 years in cults, demonic religions, all the time we see this. Because here's what happens.

Somebody, it's always a man. Some man, occasionally it's a woman right now. Sometimes a man will show up and be like, okay, I have a unique connection with God, and I have a special place, and I'm the new conduit to God. And then the next thing they do is they redefine Jesus. Everybody's pro-Jesus as long as you get to define who he is.

So he's not exactly who the Bible said he is. This is who he is. He's a prophet. He's a good moral teacher. And then what begins to happen is they establish themselves. Have some kind of unique place. This is what Jesus warned about. By the way, this is why I try to say this as much as possible.

Please read your Bible for yourself, man. Ain't nothing special about me. I'm just a nobody willing to tell anybody about somebody who wants to save everybody. I'm just the mailman to tell you what it says, okay? and then here's how you know it's demonic. Because the way of that cult plays itself out is it always plays itself out in sexual immorality, status, and stuff.

Way back 2,000 years ago, that's what happened. There'd be sexual immorality, temple prostitution, and child sacrifice every time. You fast forward to today, you see the exact same thing. It's always the prophet. He's got some kind of special dispensation, and he gets to have 50-wise. but nobody else does, and it always comes at the expense of little kids.

It's happening today. I mean, look at child trafficking today. It's a demonic force. Help me understand this. This is the way I see it, okay? Is it even in our country, right now, there's all this child trafficking stuff, and there seems to be cover up at the highest levels of authority. Listen, normal people possessed by Jesus, we protect children.

demonic people hurt children, and it shows up that way every single time. May it not be so on our watch. So Jesus says, watch out. Now he's going to continue, and what he's going to do is he's going to give signs, okay? So if you want to get your eschatological bingo card out, let's check and see what's going on here. Verse 6, and you will hear of wars and rumors of wars. Check, you hear about wars? All day every day.

And then here's what he says next. pay attention to this. Early on he goes, but see that you are not alarmed. Here's what you have to understand. If you're a believer in Jesus, when you read apocalyptic literature, the point of it is not to make you scared. The point of it is to bring you peace and hope. Do you know why? Because I'm a professional. Like, I get paid to do this. You guys are good for nothing. I don't know if you know that. I've read to the end of the book, and the whole point is we win. We win. We win. We win. I've told you this before. This time of year, one of my favorite things to do is to watch reruns of my favorite teams, the Bulldogs and the Jaguars. So after I go watch a stomp a mud hole

in the Browns today live, when I get home, I'm going to watch the rerun. And here's the re-here's, I love it so much. Gras is like, why do it? It's so stress-free. I don't need stress in my life. I have you. I want to just be entertained. And so even if we fumble, even if it gets close, whatever. When I know that we won, I don't have to be afraid. And this is what Jesus is saying. So don't be alarmed. For this must take place. But the end is not yet. Verse seven, for nation will rise against nation, check. Kingdom against kingdom, check. There will be famines. Did you know right now in our world, a child dies every six seconds from famine, from malnutrition, check.

Earthquakes in various places, check. And then he says, all these are but the beginning of birth pains. This isn't at the end, this is the beginning of the beginning, and it's going to lead to a birth. Now, listen, here's the thing, okay? I've never had a baby. I've seen it twice, and this is triggering to half my country. Are you ready for this?

Not only have I not had a baby, I can't have a baby, because boys don't have babies. That's just how it goes, all right? Oh, anyway. Who would have thought that would be a radical thing to say? But I've seen it twice, and here's the thing, it's terrible. It's absolutely terrible. I mean, it is.

People are like, it's beautiful. It's a NASCAR wreck, okay? But here's the thing. There's pain, but then there's the payoff. And here's basically what happens. The pain is terrible, but the payoff so overshadows the payoffs. pain, this is why you mammas, you get like baby amnesia and they're like, let's have 11 of them. Because you forget, you forget about how terrible, because the payoff is so big.

This is what Jesus is saying. Pain is coming, but the payoff is so much better that you'll look back at the pain and you'll go, worth it. That's what he said. Verse 9, and then they will deliver you up to tribulation and put you to death, and you will be hated by all nations for my namesake. Is there persecution of the church today? You better believe it.

Now, listen, where we live right here, especially like in Jacksonville, there's a very mild form. I mean, somebody might, you know, make a mean YouTube video about you or something. Do you realize in Europe right now, the birthplace of common law? 17 pastors in London have been arrested this year for what they call hate speech, which is actually just preaching the Bible. 17,000 people in Europe have been detained. They won't call it arrested.

Detained. It looks like arrest when they put cuffs on you and put you in the cop car, but whatever. 17,000 people in Europe have been detained this year for social media posts, and 99.9% of them is just conservative Christian Bible language. Listen to me, votes have consequences. You should pay attention to that.

But then there's also persecution, persecution. You don't ever hear about it. this in the media. Since 2015, 50,000 Christians have been martyred for their faith in Nigeria. It's 13 per day. Yeah, this is happening right now. Check. He says, and then many will fall away. Literally in Greek, that means stumble and betray one another and hate one another. Check. You hear about the number of people that are deconstructing from their faith? By the way, let me tell you who doesn't deconstruct the person that's been run over by the grace train. They didn't put their faith in some kind of church systems that put their faith in Jesus

and have met Jesus. And do you see all the division online and where the people that all claim team Jesus seem to hate each other? Check. Verse 11. And many false prophets will arise and lead many astray. Check. False religions, cults, bad actors in the pulpit.

Verse 12. This is going to make you uncomfortable. So everybody listen up. and because lawlessness will increase, the love of many will grow cold. Does it look, do you like lawlessness is increasing? I mean, you see riots and looting and teen tagovers and all of this, check. And many of us have been consumed lately with a news story hanging here of a mom that killed her three kids. And the reaction from some is to cheer for her and raise her.

money for her, lawless. But the opposite reaction seems to be, and the love of many has grown cold. Listen, let me give you a very complex idea for the mature believer. Do you know that you can walk and chew gum at the same time? Do you know that if you're a follower of Jesus, you could simultaneously, the opposite of lawlessness would be justice, that you could cry out for justice for those three precious little babies and simultaneously have empathy in your heart for anybody that struggles with a mental health issue or is postpartum or is sad and simultaneously want to hold accountable

big pharma who's pumping poison into our people you understand you know you can hold those intention and so part of the reason i need to say this is because listen man if you're on the struggle bus right now like if you're if you're struggling with mental health issue and you're and you're thinking of harming yourself or harming somebody else, please let us help. We love you. We want to walk with you. We want to get you the help that you need. And what you need is the peace that comes through the person of Jesus. And you need a band of brothers or sisters around you to help speak truth into your life and to love you through this. And the worst thing you could do as a church is to other other people. Slap a label on those people. Because then you don't have to deal with

the image bearers of God. You just deal. with groups and categories that you've come up with. So what the church ought to be is justice and love. But our society is traded in love for lust and comfort. Verse 13, but the one who endures to the end will be saved. See, Jesus doesn't want you to be scared. My friend Matt Chandler says it this way. If we don't quit, we win.

Paul says it this way in Philippians chapter 1, verse 6. I am confident of this. He who began a good work in me will bring it to completion on the day of Christ Jesus. Verse 14, and this gospel of the kingdom will be proclaimed throughout the whole world. That's every neighbor and nation. That's the next series we're doing. As a testimony to all nations, and then the end will come. The way I see this is this is a key prerequisite to his coming.

So by the way, what we are leveraging our church for over the next two and a half years, you'll hear all about it beginning in the next series is this right here. We're going to take the good news to the gospel from every neighborhood to every nation. And now he's going to shift into overdrive. It's going to get more intense. It's going to get kind of, it's just going to be intense.

Ready, verse 15. So, when you see the abomination of desolation, and you're like, what's that? We'll read about it for yourself. Daniel 8, 13, 9, 27, 11, 31, and 12, 11. This is when somebody stands in the holy place and declares that they are God. 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 house top not go down to take what is in the house. 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 the winter or on a Sabbath. in my opinion I think what he's doing is both near and far prophecy right here

many people think will that happen at the fall of the temple in 70 AD absolutely but could it also mean a future event absolutely for then verse 21 for then after the abomination and desolation in the holy place for then there will be great tribulation

this means persecution of the believers and the whole world And so one of the questions that people ask is this. So will believers be a part of this persecution? Well, we either will or we won't be, but your answer to that depends on which camp you live in. So if you're a pre-tribulation person, you go, nope, we're going to be out of here.

If you're a partial preterist, I know you don't know what this means. You'd be like, no, that already happened in 70 AD. If you're mid-tribulationist, you'd be like half, three and a half years, and then we're out. If you're a post-tribulation, you're like, yep, we're here for the old thing. Here's the thing, man.

I'm not trying to be funny here, but I'm happy to change my opinion mid-air. That's my position towards this. I'm what you would call a pan-tribulationist. What does that mean? Man, I don't know. It's all going to pan out in the end. But here's what I know. I love Jesus.

Jesus is coming to get me whether I'm here or not for the tribulation. I just know this. We win. For then there will be a great tribulation such as has not been from the beginning of the world until now, no and never will be. And in those days, 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. I'm going to tell you who the elect are in just a second. Then if anyone says to you, look, here is the Christ, or there he is, don't believe it. For false Christ, this is, things are people that promise life outside of Jesus. For false Christ and false prophets will arise and perform great signs and wonders, and

as to lead astray, comma, if possible, comma, the elect. This is, Matt, this is Jesus' way of saying, it ain't possible. Sometimes people ask me this question. Can a Christian lose their salvation? I'm like, that's the wrong question. The right question is, can God lose one of his children? In Romans chapter 8, the whole back half of it says, absolutely not. There is nothing, nothing, nothing present, nothing things.

to come. There's nothing in heaven, nothing on hell. There's nothing in your past, nothing in your future. There's nothing that separates us from the love of God. So who are the elect? Here's who the elect are. The elect is anybody that puts their faith in Jesus Christ. Here's what the elect is. That means this, that you are wanted and that you are chosen. You ever watch The Chosen? If you love Jesus, that's you. How comforting is it that God. wants you, I think it's Mark 313, and Jesus called unto himself all those who he wanted and anybody who would believe would receive the right to become a child of God. Verse 25, see, I have told you beforehand so that if they say to you, look, he's in the wilderness,

don't go. And if they say, look, he's in the inner rooms, don't 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. Now in the first century, when you heard this, you're like, how's the whole world going to see one thing that happens in the Middle East? Today we're like, man, one GoPro camera, the whole world can see everything. But here's what he's saying. He's saying that there will be no doubt about it. When the trumpet blasts, when Christ returns,

that as far as the east is from the west, there will be no doubt that Jesus is back. And then a one-line parable, wherever the corpse is, there the vultures will be. That just means signs point to something. and then now he's going to turn it up even more. Verse 29. And immediately after the tribulation of those days, the sun will be darkened. Well, has that happened? Well, maybe allegorically, if that's how you take it.

And the moon will not give its light. Well, see, the moon seems to give its light now as a reflection of the sun. The stars will fall from heaven. Well, if it's talking about falling angels, then yes. If it's talking about the actual stars, it doesn't seem to happen yet. and the powers of heaven will be shaken. Have the powers of heaven been shaken? I don't know.

I haven't been yet. Verse 30, and then will appear in heaven the sign of the son of man. He's referencing back to Daniel chapter 7 when the son of man will come in on the clouds. And the sign of the son of man and then all of the tribes of the earth will mourn and they will see the son of man coming in clouds. This means judgment of heaven with power and glory. Once again, I want to remind you this should not see. stir fear this should stir hope. And he will send out his angels with a loud trumpet call

and they will gather his elect, the people that have put their faith in him, from the four winds from one end of heaven to the other. This is really good news, man, that if you have put your faith in Jesus Christ, that Jesus, the resurrected, ascended Savior is sitting at the right hand of God, the father just waiting for the moment

where his dad taps him on his shoulder and says, go get my kids and bring them home. Verse 32, Jesus has really been into fig trees the past couple weeks. He says this from the fig tree, learn its lesson. As soon as its branch becomes tender and puts out its leaves, you know that summer is near. So also when you see all these things, you know that he is near at the very gates. In other words, you should pay attention to the seasons. I'm just going to put my cards on the table.

The way I see this thing is that the season, here's what I promise you. We're one hour closer to his return right now than when we started this service. I can guarantee you that. Truly, I say to you, this generation will not pass away until all these things take place. Well, the destruction of the temple did take place. So that part was at least fulfilled then. Verse 35, heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will not pass away. This is such good news, people.

This is why we preach from this book. This is why we preach from the Word of God. This is not an old book. This is a timeless book. This book doesn't just tell you what happened. and it tells you what always happens. This book is not only true, it's trustworthy, and you can lean your life against all of the promises.

Now, I think the next verse, I think the reason that Jesus does this, is because you like me, I don't know if you're like me, you ought to be, then what we can do, oh, you thought that was funny? So regret to. Anyway, is you begin to see these prophecies

and what you begin to do, it's like we were talking about, get your bingo car down, but oh, I think that's it. I think that's the Antichrist. You begin to check the boxes, right? And so for those folks trying to figure out exactly when he's coming, he's got this word, verse 36, ready.

But concerning that day and hour, no one knows. Not even the angels of heaven, nor the son, but the father only. So don't believe anybody that predicts a day and hour when Jesus is returning. And this has been happening for a long time. I'll give you some examples. In the late 1800s, there was a guy named Charles Russell. He started an organization that's really a cult called the Jehovah's Witness. And he predicted in 1874 Jesus is returning.

Jehovah's coming back. And then 1874 came and went and he was like, oops. I meant 1914. So he shipped gears. He went to 1914. He was 0 for 2. Got it? In the 1980s, there was a man named Hal Lindsay.

And he taught everybody that Jesus was coming back in the early 80s, which would have been a sweet time. But he didn't do it. In 1988, a guy named Edgar Wisdenet wrote a book called 88 reasons why the rapture is in 1988. He was over 88. That book sold 5 million copies. Anybody remember Y2K? Explain to Gen Z what Y2K was.

They're like, you thought your alarm clock was going to end the world. Yeah, shut up. 2011 guy named Harold Camping, he was a popular radio personality. He believed May 21st, 2011 that's happening. He passed out brochures. He put bumper stickers everywhere. He was wrong. And so when May 21st came, he was like, no, no, I meant October 21st.

Y'all heard me wrong. He was wrong again. 2015, remember the blood moons? People thought it was the end. Listen, man, here's the thing. Jesus warns us. Nobody knows. It reminds me when I was in college and I was going down this rabbit hole,

I went to the best Christian I knew, which was my grandma. We called her Mert. Her name's Mertel. And I said, Mert, when do you think Jesus is coming back? And in the sweetest, most southern sticky way, she says, sugar, I've just always found it to be more beneficial to be on the welcome committee than the planning committee. That's a fact, Jack, okay? Because what you do when you're on the welcome committee is that you prepare.

Verse 37, so as were the days of Noah, so will be the coming of the son of man. Here's what he's saying. In the days of Noah, there was a promise, there was an obedient rescuer, there was an invitation, and then one day the doors were shut. He says, for as in those days, before the flood, they were eating and drinking and 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. Listen, they were consumed with their comfort, and they were not paying attention to impending judgment.

That's what he said. And so with Jesus, he made a promise, he made a way, it's called the gospel, that we are in the season of the invitation, but there will come an end. And the invitation will be over in the judgment will happen. Will you be ready? Verse 40, and then two men will be found in the field, and one will be taken, and one will be left, and two women will be grinding at the mill, and one will be taken and one left. And here's the thing, man, here's the thing. As I study all the passages from Daniel and Ezekiel and Matthew 24 in the book of

Revelation, here's the primary consistent thing I see when it comes to the end of times. It's this one word, be ready. Just be ready. Be ready for his coming. Verse 42, this is what he's talking about here. He says, so therefore stay awake. Church, have you been lulled to sleep by the comforts of this world? And all of your efforts and all of your energy and all of your money and all of your affections

are just caught up in the temporary things of this world that are going to be gone quickly? Or are you ready for his imminent return? He says, therefore, stay awake. For you don't know the day your Lord is coming. So if you don't know Jesus, get saved. and if you do know Jesus share the gospel with your one more

offer forgiveness leverage the talents the treasures the time that you have for the advancement of the kingdom of God just don't waste your life wake up church to the realities of eternity that's what he's saying but know this

this is another quick parable 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 he would not let his house be broken into. Therefore, you must also be ready for the son of man is coming at an hour that you do not expect. So you want to be ready for the end of the world? Then know Jesus and make him known.

Be ready. Verse 45, who then is the faithful and wise servant whom the master has set over the household to give them their food at the proper time? Blessed is that servant whom his master will find so doing when he comes. This is not supposed to be a verse to scare you. This is supposed to be a verse to spur the saved on to what's most important. I'm not trying to scare you. Listen, when I was in high school, the guy I was listening to a preach, he would use this verse to scare you, what you're going to be doing when he comes back.

Ooh. And I remember in 1991, a group of us got together, and we made a gamble, and we bought tickets to Terminator 2. and I can remember standing outside of Terminator 2 going, man, if he comes back during, when Arnie's on screen, we're going to hell. You know, that's what we thought. It's not what he's saying. He's saying live with the urgency of eternity.

And here's why there's a big warning here. Truly, I say to you, he, the master, will set him, that's the fateful servant over all his possessions. But if that wicked servant says to himself, my master is delayed, and you begin to beat your fellow servants and eat and drink with drunkers. In other words, I don't care how much you go to church and how many times you raise your hand and how many prayers you pray,

but if your life puts on display that Jesus is not your Lord, but you are the Lord of your own life, then you ain't ready. If you are greedy like the world and sexually immoral like the world and self-medicate like the world. And if your life is indistinguishable from the world, it's because Jesus is not your Lord and you are. Because if you even run over by the grace train, it changes everything about everything about everything.

And this is serious, man. I know what, if you're new here, you're probably looking at the guy that brought you and you're like, man, you said he was funny. This ain't funny. This ain't funny. This ain't funny. This is your eternity.

So put your faith in Jesus. He says, the master of that servant will come on that day when he does not expect him, and at the hour he does not know, and will cut him into pieces and put him with the hypocrites and in that place there will be weeping a gnashing of teeth. This is hell. I think it's ridiculous right now. I hear all these podcasters, and they're like, I really like the teachings of Jesus. I don't know if he's the Lord, but I really like the teachings of Jesus.

It's obvious you haven't read the teachings of Jesus. You just read the part about the kids and the sheep. They're fun, but the flowers and the birds. That's neat. But how about the part of you don't trust them as your savior? You get cut up into pieces and thrown into hell or they'll be weeping and gnashing of teeth. R.C. Sprole, God rest his soul, says this.

He says, the weepers in hell are the people that wake up and they're like, oh, no, I missed it. Oh, no. I mean, at the depth of, like, losing a child or something, you realize that you lost the opportunity to love God forever and ever, They will weep and they will weep and there will weep and there's another group that will wake up and they'll gnash their teeth and they'll curse God for giving him what they chose in this life. Don't be that. Please don't be that.

So I didn't want to end with that verse because Jesus doesn't end there. Some of you look scared. And I think Jesus looks at the crowd of disciples who just said, what's the end of the world going to be like? And they're like, and he goes, all right, sit down, boys. Let me tell you three stories. and in these three stories, he's going to tell us how to be prepared. We're only going to cover the first one today. We're going to come back to the next two parables a few weeks from now.

The first story or parable is how to ultimately be ready. It's called the Parable of the Ten Burgins. And let me just tell you the point, in case you fall asleep or something. The whole point is this, just be ready, don't miss the party. right now the invitation is out. One day the invitation is going to end, the party's going to start. And you're either going to be in or out. I want you to be in.

That's what he's saying. Ready? It goes this way. Then the kingdom of heaven. Sound familiar? I hope so. Some of you got the hat on. Repent for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.

This is what he's been preaching from the beginning. Then the kingdom of heaven will be like ten virgins who took their lamps and went to meet the bridegroom in the first century that he got married like we get today. Like they would have a betrothal, which is kind of. like an engagement legally, it was way more intense. Like you had to get a legal divorce to get out of it. And they didn't send out like a save-a-date, like February 26th, 2.30 p.m., be at the church because we're going to have a wedding. That's not how it would work.

What would happen is that a man would go to a woman's family, ask for her hand, basically, and then they would be betrothed. And then he would say to her, hey, I've got to go away for a little while. but don't let your hearts be troubled because I'm going to prepare a place for you and in my father's house there's plenty of room and I wouldn't have told you this if I wasn't going to come back and get you and take you home

and where I'm going you're going to be with me also. Now for your gifted class, that's John 14. And a part of the reason is because the primary illustration of Christ's love for the church is that of a groom's love and union with his bride. So if you want some extra homework, read Revelation 1920 and 21 about the married supper of the lamp. And so then what would happen is the people knew about a year from the betrothal.

That's when the wedding would be consummated. And these 10 young women or virgins would show up and they would have lamps. And the groom would come into the household of that girl's father and family and say, you're coming with me and they would process down the road with these lamps. And then they all lived together like in their dad's house. It was super communal. And they would go to this new house and he would be transferring her from that kingdom to his kingdom and say, come with me. So this is what they're waiting on.

And so there were ten virgins. And they took their lamps and they went to meet the bridegroom. And five of them were foolish. And five were wise. For when the foolish took their lamps, they took no oil with them. But the wise took flask of oil in their lamps. In the New Testament, oil is almost always a picture of the Holy Spirit of God. So let me just put it on the bottom level.

Five were foolish because they didn't have the Spirit of God because they did not trust in Jesus. They trusted in themselves. And five of them were wise because they trusted in Jesus. Therefore, they had the Holy Spirit. They're like, where do you get this? Listen, when you get Jesus, you get the Holy Spirit. Ephesians 1-13 says this, in Him, you all. when you heard the Word of Truth, the gospel of your salvation, and believed in him,

you were sealed with a promised Holy Spirit, who is the guarantee of our inheritance until we acquire possession of it to the praise of His glory. Now here's the thing. There were only two categories. There's no third category. You either got the oil or you ain't got the oil. There's no people that are like, well, we ain't got the oil, but look how clean our lamps are. It doesn't work. And as the bridegroom was delayed, they all became drowsy and slept. This is why he keeps saying, be ready and wake up. But at midnight, there was a cry. Here's the bridegroom. Come out to meet him.

This is the return of Christ. Then all those virgins rose and they trimmed their lamps. But the foolish one said to the wise, give us some of your oil for our lamps are going out. And the wise answered, since there will not be enough for us and for you, go rather to the dealers and buy for yourself. Bottom shelves. Somebody else's faith can't save you. Sometimes I'll meet people and they'll be like, I've been a Christian my whole life. Unless your last name's Christian, that ain't true.

And your last name being Christian ain't going to save you. The question is, have you put your faith in Jesus Christ? The line to give in to heaven is a single file line. And these fools said, we got this, we got plenty of time, and they didn't have time. And while they were going to buy, the bridegroom came, and those who were went in with him to the marriage feast and the door was shut. And after the other virgins came also saying, Lord, Lord, open to us, but he answered truly, I say to you, I don't know you.

Watch therefore, you know neither the time nor the hour. Here's the point. Don't miss the point. Please don't get caught up in all the abomination of despolation. All that stuff's important. It's in the Bible, but just it's not the main point. The main point is he's coming back. Do you know him?

Do you have the oil? Have you put your faith in Jesus Christ? Can I tell you something? Here's one thing that's better in reality about the gospel than the story Jesus tells. Is you don't have to go buy oil. It is offered to you as a free gift from him right now. For all who believe received the right to become a child of God. Here's something.

I mean, I deal with a lot being your pastor. Here's the one that freaks me out. I don't think he's talking to atheists right here. Because they come to him and they go, Lord, Lord. Atheists don't call him Lord. Secular progressives don't call him Lord. You know who calls him Lord, church people? And so if you think your good works are going to be enough

that oillessly you can let the light shine, it just doesn't work that way. What you have to do is what Ephesian says. In him, you also, when you heard the word of truth that's happening right now, the gospel of your salvation, that is that Christ came to do for you what you could not do for yourself. You have a sin debt against God that you cannot pay. and God made Him who was without sin to be sin for us that we would be made, the righteousness of God.

This is the greatest exchange ever. Then feel it admit it, I'm a sinner, God. I got nothing. And I trust that somehow when Jesus died on the cross, that counted for me. Then the Bible says that all who call in the name of the Lord will be saved. And when you do that and believe in Him, you're sealed with the promised Holy Spirit. Listen, when Paul talks about the end of the world in Matthew chapter 2, he says, listen, there is coming a day when Christ returns. and every knee will bow

and every tongue confess that Jesus says, Lord. So guess what? You got two options. You can bow or you can bow. That's it. The timing is everything. If you refuse to bow right now and humble yourself before Jesus and say, I surrender my life to you, then when he returns,

and I know people are like, when Jesus comes, I'm going to ask him. You ain't asking Jack, dude. You're going to follow him. your face, you're going to pee your pants, and you're going to think, oh God, don't kill me, and then he's going to. That's how that goes. But you ain't going to die. It's terrible.

And the crazy thing is, but now, during the age of invitation, before the party starts, if we bow in humility that when he returns, he opens up the door to the party, he goes, well done, my good and faithful servant, enter into the joy of the master, all that I have is yours. And he says, every tongue confess that Jesus Christ. His Lord. Took me forever to figure out what that meant. That all of us will say you're the Lord. The question is Lord of what?

He'll either be Lord of your salvation or Lord of your damnation. But every one of us will bring glory to the Almighty God, either as a trophy of his grace or a demonstration of his justice. And here's what I need you to hear, though. So are you ready? Have you put your faith in Jesus? Because you know what his heart is? He ain't mad at you.

He wants you. If we go all the way back to the very beginning of when I started talking, his heart is, oh, 1122, 1122. Oh, that you would come to me like a little baby chick and find refuge under my provision, under my protection, under my gospel, and I will shield you from all of the justice that you deserve, because I will take it upon myself, and I will be afflicted, and I will be beaten, and I will be crucified so that you can live if you will just come to me.

That's what he wants. That's how to be ready. So I want to give you that opportunity right now. Would you bow your heads? Would you close your eyes? And if you say, I'm ready, I'm ready. I thought I could do this on my own, or maybe you believed the lie of the enemy

that you thought you had done something so bad that disqualified you, that is a lie from the pit of hell. God loves you, and Jesus is the proof, and there's more grace than Jesus than sin in you. And so whether you're a religious person or a rebellious person, that today could be the day that you get ready for eternity. And if you were ready today for the very first

time. To admit it, I'm a sinner and native a Savior. I believe that when Jesus is down on the cross somehow that counted for me. And today you were ready to confess him as Lord. I want you to lift your hand as high as you can and say, Lord, Jesus save me. And that's a promise that he keeps 100 percent of the time. Amen.

Amen. Lifted high. Our good and gracious Heavenly Father God, we love you more than anything because you loved us first. And Lord, I thank you that you came on a rescue mission. Lord, I thank you that right now there's salvation in your name amongst your children who you have called to yourself. And Lord, for those of us that have known you, Lord, I pray that we would wake up and be ready

and say, Maranatha, come Lord Jesus. And Lord, I pray that you would help us to be ready by taking as many people to the party as we possibly came. And God, we ain't scared because you're in control and you still got the whole. world, all eternity, including the end of times in your hands. We pray this in Jesus' name. Amen. Church, did you please stand to your feet? The gospel demands a response, and we're going to respond.

We're going to bring our first and best as an act of worship. A part of what we do when we bring our first and best is we tell the world, you don't give life, Christ gives life. And I'm not going to worship two masters. I'm only going to worship the Lord, so I'm bringing my first and best to you. And then what we do with every dime of it here at this church is that we leverage it to take as many people to heaven as we possibly can. And you'll get to play a significant part of that. And we're going to pray.

And a bunch of us need to wake up. And a part of the way we're going to wake up is we're going to sprint down here and get on our face and say, Lord, help me to be ready. I don't want to waste my life. And then we're going to sing. And we're going to sing the gospel. And it starts with turning our eyes towards Gagatha, towards Calvary. And then the way this song ends, I'm just telling you, man, it's going to talk about the return of Christ.

And if you're saved, you ought to tell your face and you ought to tell your voice, and we ought to sing this thing so loud that heaven shakes because God sees on this Sunday morning, there's some people everywhere from Orlando up to Jessup, and we were just making much of our returning king. So let's sing, let's bring, let's pray. Let's respond.