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You Also Must Be Ready

Matthew 24:1-51

Key Verse 24:44

So you also must be ready, because the Son of Man will come at an hour when you do not expect him.

This passage teaches us the healthy attitude towards the second coming of Jesus and the practical way to make ourselves ready for his coming, that is, by serving God’s flock with His living word, so God’s flock would grow in Jesus’ image. To help others to be ready is the key to oneself being ready.

1. In the conversation between Jesus and His disciples (beginning in verse 1), the disciples see things differently than Jesus does. What does the expression “the beginning of birth pains” in verse 8 indicate about the hope we have in spite of the many confusing things happening in the world? (Isaiah 65:17, 66:22; Revelation 21:5; Romans 8:22-25)

** It teaches us that we need to have God's hope in mind, for despite confusing things that are going on in this world, God is working continuously towards fulfilling his redemptive purpose, that is, helping men to repent, believe in Jesus and be saved into His kingdom to come.

2. Verses 9-14 say that the end will come when “the gospel of the kingdom [has been] preached in the whole world.” What does this tell us about God’s will for: 1) all people on earth [despite their hostility to the gospel and its servants]; and 2) the servants of the gospel?

** His will is that all peoples on earth would hear the gospel and be saved into His kingdom.

** To share this gospel by: 1) not blending with the crowd nor following the lifestyle of the people of this world, but rather 2) positively preaching the gospel in words and actions despite hardships and difficulties such as peer pressure, temptations, etc.

By the "birth" (as in birth pains) Jesus means for us to live in the hope of perfect redemption. Then in vs. 9-14 Jesus says that we need to live by faith and walk in His love, so we would never become weak in faith, nor become cold in love (of the Lord and others).

3. Consider the events predicted in verses 15-28. This passage begins with “the abomination that causes desolation” standing in the holy place and ends with vultures gathering wherever there is a carcass. What does this passage suggest about: 1) the cause of the end times and 2) the general condition of the people at that time? What will the Lord do for the elect in those days? What wisdom do the following phrases teach us who live in the 21st century: 1) “flee” (v. 16); 2) “Let no one…go down…[or] back” (vs. 17-18); and 3) “flight” (v. 20). (verse 25; Matthew 6:21,33; 1 Peter 1:1,17)

** They will all degenerate and become objects of God's wrath and anger.

Read 2 Timothy 3:13 While evil men and impostors will go from bad to worse, deceiving and being deceived.

** The cause is the inversion of God's creation order. The expression "abomination [causing desolation] standing in the holy place" is an idiom for ultimate inversion of God's creation order. When man keeps God's creation order, that is, putting God first, then men second, and then the material world, man can enjoy perfect happiness in God's perfect world. But, when this order is broken, man will only go from bad to worse. Jesus came to restore this broken order. But when man rejects Jesus and goes on his own, he will only go worse, until he becomes good for nothing. only becoming an object of eternal destruction.

** The Lord will be concerned about his elect even towards the time of the end , making it that they are saved.

** The word "flee" or "flight" (as it refers to the believers in Judea both circa A.D.70 (and of course the Jews in the days to come) reminds us of such exhortation as the one in 2 Timothy 2:22, "Flee the evil desires of youth, and pursue righteousness, faith, love and peace, along with those who call on the Lord out of a pure heart," or the exhortation found in 2 Corinthians 6:15-17 "What harmony is there between Christ and Belial? What does a believer have in common with an unbeliever? What agreement is there between the temple of God and idols? For we are the temple of the living God. As God has said: "I will live with them and walk among them, and I will be their God, and they will be my people.” Therefore come out from them and be separate, says the Lord. Touch no unclean thing, and I will receive you."

The expressions "Let no one...go down (or back)" indicates the need for us to put our hope in the things above rather than things below, so we would live as holy pilgrims, not attached to the things of this world. It exhorts us to seek first his kingdom and his righteousness.

Read Colossians 3:2

Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things.

4. Verses 29-31 say that at Jesus’ second coming, while all nations mourn, His elect will be gathered to Him. What differentiates those who mourn from those who are gathered to Him? (Matthew 13:23) What does this passage tell Christians to do? (Hebrews 9:24-28)

** The difference begins with how one listens to and what one does with God's word. Those who mourn refer to those who have listened to God's word and yet failed (or neglected) to cultivate their hearts, so that their hearts remain unfruitful like path, rocky or thorny places in Jesus' parable of a sower. The elect refers to those with a good and noble heart who after listening to the word of God repent, and continue to struggle to grow in Jesus' image, until one can bear fruit 30 times, 60 and even 100 times.

** As Hebrews 9:24-28 say, we need to wait for Him to come and take us back to Him. This is because just as it is Jesus who began a good work in us, so also it is Jesus who will finish the work he began.

Read Philippians 1:6

Being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.

5. In verses 32-44 we find phrases such as “you know,” “no one knows,” “they knew nothing,” and “you do not know.” What do you think Jesus wants to teach us through these phrases? (v. 42)

** Jesus does not want us to go to sleep, but to remain awake, demonstrating that it is so easy for us to be like the foolish virgins in Jesus' parable of ten virgins in Matthew 25:1-13.

6. Compare the disciples’ question in verse 3 with Jesus’ question in verse 45. Why do you think Jesus finished His discourse in chapter 24 with this question?

** Jesus saw in their questions a red flag, that is, their unhealthy interest in eschatology. Many Bible scholars, pastors, evangelists, suffer from the same problem. By trying to predict the time of Jesus' second coming they try to set themselves above others, in order to look bigger and better than they are. Some by doing so try to take advantage of the flock of God such as ripping them off financially for their own selfish gain.

The disciples wanted to reap dividends without working hard for them. God is more interested in saving than judging.

7. Verses 46-51 contrast the reward for a good and faithful servant with the punishment for a wicked servant. What is the difference? What does this passage teach about the way to be ready for the second coming of Jesus Christ?

The difference however is found in v. 48, for the wicked servant said, "My master is staying away a long time", when in fact the time is near.

** To wake up to the reality that the time to work for Jesus' review is not as much as we think it is. This then reminds us of what the Apostle Paul said in 1Co 7:29 What I mean, brothers, is that the time is short. From now on those who have wives should live as if they had none;