This past weekend at Eastbrook, we continued our new series entitled “The Beginning of the End.” This series explores the resurrection of Jesus in tandem with some of Jesus’ teaching about the fall of Jerusalem and the end of all time.This weekend I preached out of the first half of Matthew 24, verses 1-35, where Jesus responds to His disciples questions in verse 3:

• when will this happen?
• what will be the sign of your coming and of the end of the age?

This message is from the tenth and final part of our longer journey through the Gospel of Matthew, which includes “Family Tree,” “Power in Preparation,” “Becoming Real,” “The Messiah’s Mission,” “Stories of the Kingdom,” “Who Do You Say I Am?“, “‘Tis the Reason,” “Jesus Said What?!“, and “Scandalous Jesus.“

You can find the message video and outline below. You can also view the entire series here. Join us for weekend worship in-person or remotely via Eastbrook at Home.

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“As Jesus was sitting on the Mount of Olives, the disciples came to him privately. ‘Tell us…when will this happen, and what will be the sign of your coming and of the end of the age?” (Matthew 24:3)

Two Questions from Jesus’ Disciples (24:1-3)

The situation

Two questions:

• When will this [the destruction of the Jerusalem Temple] happen?
• What will be the sign of your coming and of the end of the age?

The Beginning of Birth Pains…But Not the End (24:4-8)

Human conflicts

Natural world difficulties

False claims of the Messiah

Pay attention but don’t be alarmed

Standing Firm Amid Persecution (24:9-14)

Persecution

False prophets lead people away from the faith

Some disciples’ love will grow cold and they will not stand firm

The message preached to the whole world

The Historical Destruction of the Temple (24:15-28)

‘The abomination that causes desolation’

Great distress unlike any other time

Be warned of false Messiahs that appear

The Arrival of the Son of Man (24:29-31)

Immediately after the distress of those days

The sign of the Son of Man

The Summary of Prediction (24:32-35)

The fig tree

Jesus’ trustworthy words

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Dig Deeper

This week dig deeper in one or more of the following ways:

• Memorize Matthew 24:12-13.
• Set aside space and time this week to meditate on Matthew 24:12-13. Let the Lord search through your heart and mind about your love for Him. Ask the Lord to strengthen you in your steadfastness and faith.
• For more background on the destruction of the Temple and the fall of Jerusalem, consider reading one of the following:
  • “A.D. 70 Titus Destroys Jerusalem” in Christian History
  • “Siege of Jerusalem” in Britannica