Jesus is coming soonMatthew 24:36-44

Maud church of ChristBy Jim BradshawSunday Evening, Sept. 7, 2014

Jesus is coming soon

Revelation 22:20 ESV He who testifies to these things says, "Surely I am coming soon." Amen. Come, Lord Jesus!

Jesus is coming soon!

• Background Destruction of the Temple & Jerusalem in 70 AD, Matthew 24:1-2.

• The disciples asked three separate questions.

Matthew 24:3 NKJV Now as He sat on the Mount of Olives, the disciples came to Him privately, saying, "Tell us, when will these things be? And what will be the sign of Your coming, and of the end of the age?“

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When will be the close of the age?

Matthew 24:36-44 NKJV "But of that day and hour no one knows, not even the angels of heaven, but My Father only. (37) But as the days of Noah were, so also will the coming of the Son of Man be. (38) For as in the days before the flood, they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day that Noah entered the ark, (39) and did not know until the flood came and took them all away, so also will the coming of the Son of Man be. (40) Then two men will be in the field: one will be taken and the other left.

When will be the close of the age?

Matthew 24:36-44 continued (41) Two women will be grinding at the mill: one will be taken and the other left. (42) Watch therefore, for you do not know what hour your Lord is coming. (43) But know this, that if the master of the house had known what hour the thief would come, he would have watched and not allowed his house to be broken into. (44) Therefore you also be ready, for the Son of Man is coming at an hour you do not expect.

What does close of the age mean?

Matthew 28:18-20 NKJV And Jesus came and spoke to them, saying, "All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth. (19) Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, (20) teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age." Amen.

When will be the close of the age?

According to Vines, “aion”, “an age, era”…signifies a period of indefinite duration, or time viewed in relation to what takes place in the period. The force attaching to the word is not so much that of the actual length of a period, but that of a period marked by spiritual or moral characteristics.

When will be the close of the age?

Different Ages of Time

1. Patriarchal Age

• Romans 5:13-14 NKJV (For until the law sin was in the world, but sin is not imputed when there is no law. (14) Nevertheless death reigned from Adam to Moses, even over those who had not sinned according to the likeness of the transgression of Adam, who is a type of Him who was to come.

Different Ages of Time2. Mosaic Age

• Galatians 3:19 NKJV What purpose then does the law serve? It was added because of transgressions, till the Seed should come to whom the promise was made; and it was appointed through angels by the hand of a mediator.

• Galatians 3:23-26 NKJV But before faith came, we were kept under guard by the law, kept for the faith which would afterward be revealed. (24) Therefore the law was our tutor to bring us to Christ, that we might be justified by faith. (25) But after faith has come, we are no longer under a tutor. (26) For you are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus.

Different Ages of Time3. Christian Age

• Hebrews 9:15 NKJV And for this reason He is the Mediator of the new covenant, by means of death, for the redemption of the transgressions under the first covenant, that those who are called may receive the promise of the eternal inheritance.

• Hebrews 9:28 NKJV so Christ was offered once to bear the sins of many. To those who eagerly wait for Him He will appear a second time, apart from sin, for salvation.

The Ages of Time

Patriarchal AgeFrom Adam to

Moses

Mosaical AgeFrom Moses to

Christ

Christian AgeFrom Acts 2 to

Christ’s 2nd Coming

Eternal AgeFrom the 2nd

Coming & Judgement til -

forever

The End of the Christian Age

Matthew 24:36-44 NKJV "But of that day and hour no one knows, not even the angels of heaven, but My Father only. (37) But as the days of Noah were, so also will the coming of the Son of Man be. (38) For as in the days before the flood, they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day that Noah entered the ark, (39) and did not know until the flood came and took them all away, so also will the coming of the Son of Man be.

The End of the AgeThe End will

come like in the Days of Noah

Is there a rapture?

Is there a rapture?

Matthew 24:40-41 NKJV Then two men will be in the field: one will be taken and the other left. (41) Two women will be grinding at the mill: one will be taken and the other left.

Is there a rapture?1 Thessalonians 4:14-17 NKJV (14) For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so God will bring with Him those who sleep in Jesus. (15) For this we say to you by the word of the Lord, that we who are alive and remain until the coming of the Lord will by no means precede those who are asleep. (16) For 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. (17) Then 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.

“Caught up” – Latin translation – ‘rapio’ - rapture

Day will come like a Thief in the Night1. Date is unknown, only God knows, Matt. 24:36. 2. When Jesus comes again:• Revelation 1:7 NKJV Behold, He is coming with clouds, and

every eye will see Him, even they who pierced Him. And all the tribes of the earth will mourn because of Him. Even so, Amen.

• Two-fold resurrection – Joy for the faithful, and sadness for the lost

The ResurrectionJohn 5:28-29 NKJV Do not marvel at this; for the hour is coming in which all who are in the graves will hear His voice (29) and come forth-- those who have done good, to the resurrection of life, and those who have done evil, to the resurrection of condemnation.

Daniel 12:2 NKJV And many of those who sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake, Some to everlasting life, Some to shame and everlasting contempt.

In scripture “many” sometimes means all, (Matthew 26:28; 1 Timothy 2:6).

Like a Thief in the Night

Matthew 24:42-44 NKJV Watch therefore, for you do not know what hour your Lord is coming. (43) But know this, that if the master of the house had known what hour the thief would come, he would have watched and not allowed his house to be broken into. (44) Therefore you also be ready, for the Son of Man is coming at an hour you do not expect.

Like a Thief in the Night

1 Thessalonians 5:1-6 NKJV (1) But concerning the times and the seasons, brethren, you have no need that I should write to you. (2) For you yourselves know perfectly that the day of the Lord so comes as a thief in the night. (3) For when they say, "Peace and safety!" then sudden destruction comes upon them, as labor pains upon a pregnant woman. And they shall not escape. (4) But you, brethren, are not in darkness, so that this Day should overtake you as a thief. (5) You are all sons of light and sons of the day. We are not of the night nor of darkness. (6) Therefore let us not sleep, as others do, but let us watch and be sober.

Like a Thief in the Night

2 Thessalonians 1:7-10 NKJV (7) and to give you who are troubled rest with us when the Lord Jesus is revealed from heaven with His mighty angels, (8) in flaming fire taking vengeance on those who do not know God, and on those who do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ. (9) These shall be punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of His power, (10) when He comes, in that Day, to be glorified in His saints and to be admired among all those who believe, because our testimony among you was believed.

Like a Thief in the Night2 Peter 3:9-12 NKJV The Lord is not slack concerning His promise, as some count slackness, but is longsuffering toward us, not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance. (10) But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night, in which the heavens will pass away with a great noise, and the elements will melt with fervent heat; both the earth and the works that are in it will be burned up. (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?

Are you Ready?