Are you Concerned about the Future?

Part 2 Matthew 24

 

Intro: In 1996 An explorer by the name of George Tulloch led an expedition to the spot where the Titanic sank in 1912

A)He & his crew recovered numerous artifacts – everything from eyeglasses to Jewelry to dishware

 

B) In the search Tulloch noticed that a large part of the Hull had broken off of the Ship & was resting not far from the vessel.

1)   Tulloch thought this would be a great opportunity to rescue part of the vessel itself

 

C) His team set out to raise the 20 ton piece of iron & place it onto the boat

1)    They were successful in lifting it to the surface but a storm arose and broke the ropes – the piece of iron sank back down to the bottom

 

D) Because of the storm – Tulloch was forced to retreat & regroup but before he left – he went back down in a little sub

1)   And w/ a Robotic arm attached to the Sub – he attached a piece of metal to the Hull of the Ship

 

E) On the piece of metal he wrote these words – I WILL COME BACK – GEORGE TULLOCH 

 

Now at first glance his actions seem humorous – I mean it wasn’t like he needed to worry about someone stealing his piece of iron

A)For one thing it was 2 ½ miles below the surface of the Atlantic & for another it was  a Piece of Junk

 

B) You wonder why would anyone go thru so much expense & effort for a piece of Junk ?

 

C) You know one could say the same thing about us – Why would God go to such drastic measures to reclaim us/ Rescue us 

1)   What good are we to Him ?

But 2,000 yrs ago Jesus Christ entered the murky waters of Humanity to seek out those who were Lost – Seek & Save the lost

A)Cross – died save lost man – paid a huge price / Great effort & Expense to save man who was sunk in his sin

 

B) And for everyone who would put their faith in the finished work of Christ on the Cross – He places His name upon them - 

1)  And Promises -I WILL COME BACK  for You

 

C) In 1998 George Tulloch did come back & rescued the piece of Iron

 

D) Matt Ch. 24 is one of those tags of Jesus – It spells out His Promise to return & to Reclaim that which He has paid the Price for

     1) Read v.1-8 & do a Quick Review

 

Now We noted in our Study last time the Setting of this Message

A)Admiring The Temple -/ Jesus response – v.2 “Do you not see all these things? Assuredly, I say to you, not one stone shall be left here upon another, that shall not be thrown down.”

 

B) Disciples question – What will be the ….. age ?

 

C) Jesus starts talking not about a SIGN but several signs of things that would be happening on the earth prior to his coming

1)   Purpose of a Sign ? – Let you know that something is coming up ahead and that you are getting closer to it – FWY Sign 50 miles / 25 / Etc

 

D) So the signs listed here in verses 4-8 Spiritual Deception / Wars / Famine / earthquakes / Pest. Or deadly diseases

     1) Are indications of when we are getting closer to the Lord Return

 

 

 

 

Now we also We noted that v.8 was a Key verse - 8All these are the beginning of sorrows. – Lit. Birth pangs / Labor pains

A)  Now this is a Key insight – these signs are going to be like Contractions

1)   Meaning they are going to Start Slow/ One here another one an hr later 

 

B)  But once you get close to the Due Date or in this case the Return of Christ those contractions are going to be growing in their Frequency & Intensity

1)   Prior to Jesus return the world will be in full blown Labor

 

C) Now understand Jesus is describing events that are going to Precede his 2nd coming

1)   All of these are signs that are mentioned in the book of Rev 6-19 seen happening during that time known as the Tribulation

 

D) The Tribulation begins immediately after that event Known as the Rapture of the Church – Comes to the clouds

1) 1Thes. 4 16For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of an archangel, and with the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first. 17Then we who are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And thus we shall always be with the Lord. 18Therefore comfort one another with these words.

 

After the Rapture happens – the 7 yr. Tribulation Is going to Start at which time the world will be in full blown labor – Very Intense / Frequent

A)So much so that Ό of the earth population is going to be killed in short 3yr time span / wars/  famines / Disease & earthquakes

 

B) We read in v. 22 that time will be so intense that 22And unless those days were shortened, no flesh would be saved; 

 

C) So the world is going to be in full blown labor during the Tribulation –   1) but right now we are currently seeing an increase in the Intensity & frequency of these signs – Why – these are the Contractions

 

D) When Rapture happens – like water breaking & the Labor begins

Now last wk we discussed the  first 2 Signs – Increase in Spiritual Deception v.4,5,11 / And the increase in Wars & rumors of War v. 6,7

A)Tonight we want to talk about 3 more – Famine & Pestilences or Deadly Diseases & Earthquakes

 

B) Famines – According to a recent report by the BBC 800 million People in the world are Malnourished

1)    Most if not all of us have seen the Picture of Little kids in places like Sudan & Africa – bellies Bloated / ribs sticking out – Skeletons

 

C) We go to our fast food Restaurants & Pizza parlors – when a large portion of the world doesn’t know where they will get their next meal from

 

Ate dinner today ? While we sat down to dinner, 400 people starved to death.

A)Malnutrition stalks the globe. It claims 10,000 lives every day.

 

B) Famine is affecting Humanity like never before – bad weather conditions/ drought / floods / and Oppressive Governments 

 

C) Nearly 16 million people in the Horn of Africa are threatened with starvation, according to the United Nations.

1) In Ethiopia, where more than eight million are at risk of famine.

     In northern Kenya nearly 2.7 million people

 

D) 1.5 million people at risk in Somalia. 

    The UN estimates that 1.7m people in Sudan/ 220,000 Uganda

 

But it is not just Africa that is experiencing Famine conditions

A)North Korea is dealing w/ Famine / As is Afghanistan

 

B) Tajikistan which was a part of the former Soviet Union is  facing famine

1)      Pop of 6.4 million Average annual income is US $280.00 / Life expectancy of men is 61 / Women is 67

 

C) So we definitely are seeing a increase in the amount of famine taking place in the world & the Intensity of it

 

The Next sign mentioned is Pestilences or deadly Diseases –

A)Now when the topic of Deadly diseases comes up – immediately we think of the Aids virus – claimed the lives of 25 million people World wide

     1) And there are some 40 million people presently infected

 

B)News report Friday out of London - LONDON, England (Reuters) -- AIDS will soon surpass the Black Death as the world's worst pandemic if the 40 million people living with HIV or AIDS do not get life-prolonging drugs,

 

C) An estimated 14,000 people are infected w/ HIV each day

 

 

Now it is amazing when you think that we are the most Civilized & Technologically advanced Society in the History of man

A)And yet we see a growing # of Deadly diseases that we cannot do anything about /

 

 

#1: Heart Disease

Heart disease kills a million people a year in North America alone, and millions more worldwide. It's an epidemic.

It's the equivalent of wiping out entire cities of people like San Diego or Sydney or Vancouver every year, somebody dies at least every 32 seconds from heart disease.

 

#2: Cancer

Cancer is the most feared and most expensive of all diseases, and for good reason. At least a million North Americans will be diagnosed with cancer this year. 50% of those will die within five years.

That amounts to 1,500 people a day or one every minute of every day in America and one every 3 or 4 seconds somewhere in the world.

 

#3: Stroke

Most of us are petrified of cancer without realizing that stroke kills more women than breast cancer, and more men than prostate cancer

Researchers at the University of Cincinnati recently found to their alarm that approximately 730,000 strokes occur in the USA each year / 150,000 of those people will die as a result of their stroke

 

B) But many of the diseases are the result of Promiscuous life style/ Herpes is on the rise 32% / as well as other Sexually transmitted Diseases

 

So we are definitely seeing an increase in Famine / in deadly diseases what about earthquakes?

A) There is a growing debate today when it comes to the subject of

earthquakes –

B) Some say there hasn’t been increase / better technology / more seismographs stations have been built to record earthquakes

1)   As well as the advances in global communications

 

 

Now I also – think it is Possible that Jesus –knew that the Earthquake technology would be greater – ( explain increase)

A)   The Context of the section definitely – speaks of an increase Also – increase in Places – various places/ able to detect

 

B) Consider the break down of major earthquakes 6.0 or greater in the 1900s - US Geologic Survey

     From 1900 to 1910 there was a killer earthquake

From 1910 to 1920 there were three earthquakes

From 1920 to 1930 there were two earthquakes

From 1930 to 1940 there were five earthquakes

From 1940 to 1950 there were four earthquakes

From 1950 to 1960 there were nine earthquakes

From 1960 to 1970 there were thirteen earthquakes

From 1970 to 1980 there were fifty-six earthquakes

From 1980 to 1990 there were seventy-four quakes

From 1990 to 1999 “ “ “ “ “       161                                      

C) Whether earthquakes are on the rise or we just  have the ability to track them better I am not sure – but every earthquake is a Contraction

1) Rapture is just around the corner

 

Next week – Persecution & the growing Hostility toward Israel how does that play into Bible Prophecy / Why Rapture is before Tribulation

 

Then Antichrist – the Mark of the beast Tech. / the building of the Temple - 

 

Close tonight   1 Peter 1:3

 

1Pet.1: 3  Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who according to His abundant mercy has begotten us again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead,

4  to an inheritance incorruptible and undefiled and that does not fade away, reserved in heaven for you,

 

Those who have that Hope / their Lives will be affected in 3 ways

A.)    It produces a cleanliness in lifestyle. In other words - a holiness is 

          produced

          1.)     John said in 1 John 3:3 - Hope (coming) purifies, He is pure!

 

B.)If you expect Jesus come soon - live in a way to please Him      

- realize need to be ready when He comes - 2 Peter 3:11

 

11  Therefore, since all these things will be dissolved, what manner of persons ought you to be in holy conduct and godliness,

12  looking for and hastening the coming of the day of God, because of which the heavens will be dissolved, being on fire, and the elements will melt with fervent heat?

 

b) Knowing Jesus can come any moment - Holy fear in you

     1) like when a mom says - "Wait until your father gets                     home" - I'd better straighten up

 

C.)    Not just a holy fear – but ALSO  a  healthy expectation

          1.)     My kids, daddy's home - car pulls up - expectation, anticipation

a.)              fun, play, wrestle - "whine's when is daddy coming home?"

 

So knowing Jesus could come at any moment will cause me to live godly and to anticipate His coming.

 

 

 

 

#2 - Knowing Jesus can come at any moment - produces comfort in sorrow

A.)    Christians - death - loved ones die When loved ones die - great grief - loss, big hole is left in our emotions

         

B)     But if we know the Lord and believe in promises - great comfort because Jesus said - John 14 -"Let not your hearts be troubled ... mansions - place for you"

 

B)    I was talking w/ a friend of mine – wives cousin was killed in WWT center building – vacation – breakfast – park the car –

        {Only consolation saved

 

So - comfort in sorrow

 

#3 - Conviction in Service

A.) Knowing He could pop in at any minute not just gets my act together - but also serve diligently

 

B)knowing Jesus can come back - minute seeing signs, watching news, 

       reading paper - one message - our mind - Let's get busy!

 

C) Be about sharing the gospel - because some of our friends and       family

     don't know Christ

1.)             Jesus said - "night is soon coming when no man can                

          work - let's do it while still today"

 

D) conviction for service - get busy-  Looking forward to future reward:  Hear "Well done ...enter into   joy of your Lord"

 

William Barclay - fictional story - meeting Satan held w/ demons where trying to figure out how to trick people into eternal damnation

A.)    1st demon: "There is no God" - no Satan said - creation declares       the reality of God. People too smart to deny His existence

          1.)     A few idiots might get sucked in but not the masses

B.)    2nd demon: "No Hell". No said Satan - "People understand there     needs to be retribution and judgment - people won't buy that

 

C.)    3rd demon: "Instead of saying no God or no hell - no hurry!

          1.)     Satan responded that is it! no hurry!  Spread the word

 

D.)    Sad but true many have lost their sense of urgency but the cry will soon come.  "The bridegroom is coming"

          1.)2 Pet 1:10 - Brethren, give diligence to make your  calling                      election sure, if you do these things you will never be made to stumble

                   .