1 00:00:00,000 --> 00:00:08,000 It was a week before the great crucifixion weekend. 2 00:00:08,000 --> 00:00:18,520 Friday, Jesus made his way to the suburban town of Bethany on the outskirts of Jerusalem 3 00:00:18,520 --> 00:00:21,520 for the very last time. 4 00:00:21,520 --> 00:00:30,560 Lazarus, Mary, Martha, doubtlessly waiting at the door anticipating his arrival. 5 00:00:30,560 --> 00:00:32,120 That was Friday. 6 00:00:32,120 --> 00:00:34,280 The next day was a big day. 7 00:00:34,280 --> 00:00:42,120 In fact, Martha had been busy all day already on Friday getting ready for Sabbath because 8 00:00:42,120 --> 00:00:47,680 Sabbath was going to be dinner at Simon's house. 9 00:00:47,680 --> 00:00:50,760 And of course, Mary had been preparing also. 10 00:00:50,760 --> 00:00:58,720 It was on that Sabbath evening for dinner that Mary broke open that alabaster bottle 11 00:00:58,720 --> 00:01:06,080 and the fragrance told everybody what she was doing. 12 00:01:06,080 --> 00:01:08,080 Sunday morning came. 13 00:01:08,080 --> 00:01:11,920 Jesus relaxed a little bit. 14 00:01:11,920 --> 00:01:19,520 Later in the day, mid afternoon, late afternoon, even, he decided to make his way towards Jerusalem. 15 00:01:19,520 --> 00:01:26,400 The day was getting late, but it was also a day with planning and preparation because 16 00:01:26,400 --> 00:01:33,480 he had told his disciples, go to this certain house and you will find a young colt there. 17 00:01:33,480 --> 00:01:37,480 Tell the owner that I have need of it. 18 00:01:37,480 --> 00:01:39,760 He rode into Jerusalem. 19 00:01:39,760 --> 00:01:41,280 He rode into Jerusalem on a donkey. 20 00:01:41,280 --> 00:01:44,520 We call that the triumphal entry. 21 00:01:44,520 --> 00:01:46,360 That was late in the day on Sunday. 22 00:01:46,360 --> 00:01:51,240 After spending the night again with Mary, Martha, and Lazarus, no doubt in Bethany, 23 00:01:51,240 --> 00:01:54,120 he made his way back to the temple. 24 00:01:54,120 --> 00:01:59,760 Monday morning, what he saw in the temple was not pleasing to him. 25 00:01:59,760 --> 00:02:07,880 In fact, the money changers there reacted in such a fashion that they were terrorized 26 00:02:07,880 --> 00:02:10,760 and fled in fear. 27 00:02:10,760 --> 00:02:16,560 And later the scriptures say that the children came and sat at Jesus' feet. 28 00:02:16,560 --> 00:02:19,880 Wow, what an experience. 29 00:02:19,880 --> 00:02:27,120 Interesting that day, that Monday, at the temple in Jerusalem. 30 00:02:27,120 --> 00:02:33,840 Please turn in your Bibles with me to Matthew chapter 21. 31 00:02:33,840 --> 00:02:39,960 We want to look at Matthew chapter 21 and look at verse 13. 32 00:02:39,960 --> 00:02:47,480 Matthew 21, verse 13, the Bible says, and he said unto them, it is written, my house 33 00:02:47,480 --> 00:02:49,600 shall be called what? 34 00:02:49,600 --> 00:02:58,920 A house of prayer, but you have made it into a den of thieves. 35 00:02:58,920 --> 00:03:02,880 My house shall be called a house of prayer, but you have made it into a den of thieves. 36 00:03:02,880 --> 00:03:05,680 Jesus was displeased. 37 00:03:05,680 --> 00:03:12,760 And at the end of that day, Monday of the Passion Week, he left the temple and made 38 00:03:12,760 --> 00:03:19,600 his way back to where he spent the nights, typically in Bethany. 39 00:03:19,600 --> 00:03:23,640 But the next day found him back at the temple. 40 00:03:23,640 --> 00:03:29,960 In fact, that next day when he was back at the temple, we go through Matthew 21, we go 41 00:03:29,960 --> 00:03:33,720 through Matthew 22, we go through Matthew 23. 42 00:03:33,720 --> 00:03:41,640 Jesus is doing a lot of teaching there in the temple. 43 00:03:41,640 --> 00:03:50,000 So previously, the day before, he had left the temple saying, this was my house, but 44 00:03:50,000 --> 00:03:53,720 something changed in the 24 hours that ensued. 45 00:03:53,720 --> 00:03:59,640 Because now when we look at our next passage in Matthew 23, verse 38, we find that something 46 00:03:59,640 --> 00:04:01,080 has radically changed. 47 00:04:01,080 --> 00:04:05,080 Jesus said, see, your house is left to you desolate. 48 00:04:05,080 --> 00:04:07,800 What did he just say? 49 00:04:07,800 --> 00:04:13,960 Jesus had gone from my house to your house. 50 00:04:13,960 --> 00:04:21,080 And then he left saying, I'm leaving it to you desolate. 51 00:04:21,080 --> 00:04:25,920 This is a significant transition. 52 00:04:25,920 --> 00:04:30,560 That is the end of chapter 23. 53 00:04:30,560 --> 00:04:35,760 Notice what it says, the first verse of chapter 24. 54 00:04:35,760 --> 00:04:43,080 Chapter 24, the first verse, then Jesus went out and departed from the temple and his disciples 55 00:04:43,080 --> 00:04:47,720 came up to show him the buildings of the temple. 56 00:04:47,720 --> 00:04:49,560 What did Jesus do? 57 00:04:49,560 --> 00:04:55,040 He went out and departed, the Bible says. 58 00:04:55,040 --> 00:04:56,500 Did you catch the word? 59 00:04:56,500 --> 00:05:01,800 He went out and departed from where? 60 00:05:01,800 --> 00:05:04,760 From the temple. 61 00:05:04,760 --> 00:05:11,400 We had gone from my house to your house to departing. 62 00:05:11,400 --> 00:05:20,960 In fact, what's interesting here is that Jesus will never go into the temple again. 63 00:05:20,960 --> 00:05:23,440 That was his last time. 64 00:05:23,440 --> 00:05:27,040 He has now left, as we say, for good. 65 00:05:27,040 --> 00:05:28,040 That's Tuesday night. 66 00:05:28,040 --> 00:05:30,800 Well, we know Thursday is the Lord's Supper. 67 00:05:30,800 --> 00:05:34,160 We know Friday is the crucifixion and the weekend proceeds. 68 00:05:34,160 --> 00:05:35,600 But we want to camp ourselves. 69 00:05:35,600 --> 00:05:36,600 We want to park. 70 00:05:36,600 --> 00:05:45,040 We want to stay for a while on Tuesday because when Jesus departed from the temple, he went 71 00:05:45,040 --> 00:05:46,360 out from the temple. 72 00:05:46,360 --> 00:05:51,560 That phrase is only used here in all of the New Testament. 73 00:05:51,560 --> 00:05:53,020 It's significant. 74 00:05:53,020 --> 00:05:54,120 He went out. 75 00:05:54,120 --> 00:06:02,880 He departed down the Kidron Valley. 76 00:06:02,880 --> 00:06:05,520 The temple is on Mount Zion. 77 00:06:05,520 --> 00:06:06,520 It's a bit of a rise. 78 00:06:06,520 --> 00:06:09,340 It's a bit of a hill. 79 00:06:09,340 --> 00:06:12,280 Not the most significant hill around, but it is. 80 00:06:12,280 --> 00:06:16,320 Down into the Kidron Valley, maybe 100 feet descending down into the valley. 81 00:06:16,320 --> 00:06:20,560 When he gets down to the bottom of the valley, there's a garden there that he and his disciples 82 00:06:20,560 --> 00:06:21,840 would frequently go to. 83 00:06:21,840 --> 00:06:25,880 In fact, if they weren't down in Bethany spending the night, they were at this garden spending 84 00:06:25,880 --> 00:06:26,880 the night. 85 00:06:26,880 --> 00:06:28,880 And that was the garden of Gethsemane. 86 00:06:28,880 --> 00:06:32,800 But he didn't stop in Gethsemane. 87 00:06:32,800 --> 00:06:33,800 This was Tuesday. 88 00:06:33,800 --> 00:06:35,660 He would be back. 89 00:06:35,660 --> 00:06:39,960 He would be back in two more days for a Gethsemane experience. 90 00:06:39,960 --> 00:06:41,240 But not tonight. 91 00:06:41,240 --> 00:06:46,760 Tonight, as the evening is wearing on and the sun is getting low in the sky, Jesus is 92 00:06:46,760 --> 00:06:49,880 going up the other side of the valley. 93 00:06:49,880 --> 00:06:51,800 He's down from Mount Zion. 94 00:06:51,800 --> 00:06:56,320 He's into the Kidron Valley going through the garden and he's starting to go up the 95 00:06:56,320 --> 00:07:03,880 other side, which is a higher, taller, greater ascent than his descent coming down in. 96 00:07:03,880 --> 00:07:08,540 He may come 100 feet down, but he's going to go about 300 feet up. 97 00:07:08,540 --> 00:07:09,960 Maybe 400 feet up. 98 00:07:09,960 --> 00:07:13,000 By the time he gets up to the Mount of what? 99 00:07:13,000 --> 00:07:14,000 Olives. 100 00:07:14,000 --> 00:07:18,920 Then he can look back on the Temple Mount and he's a tad bit higher than the Temple 101 00:07:18,920 --> 00:07:19,920 Mount. 102 00:07:19,920 --> 00:07:22,440 And it's a wonderful vista. 103 00:07:22,440 --> 00:07:28,720 It's a panoramic view of the glory of Israel. 104 00:07:28,720 --> 00:07:30,520 There we are. 105 00:07:30,520 --> 00:07:33,680 Matthew chapter 24. 106 00:07:33,680 --> 00:07:35,720 Matthew chapter 24. 107 00:07:35,720 --> 00:07:42,160 The Bible said in verse one that he went out, departed from the temple, and as they got 108 00:07:42,160 --> 00:07:46,760 up the Mount of Olives, his disciples came and showed him. 109 00:07:46,760 --> 00:07:47,840 What does that mean? 110 00:07:47,840 --> 00:07:52,520 That means they were pointing their fingers and saying, look back over there. 111 00:07:52,520 --> 00:07:58,440 Imagine the sun becoming low in the sky. 112 00:07:58,440 --> 00:08:04,600 Imagine the light of the sun beginning to reflect on the beautiful temple structure. 113 00:08:04,600 --> 00:08:05,600 Wow. 114 00:08:05,600 --> 00:08:09,920 Jesus, Jesus, look over there. 115 00:08:09,920 --> 00:08:15,680 The glory of Israel. 116 00:08:15,680 --> 00:08:18,360 Nothing as we go to verse two. 117 00:08:18,360 --> 00:08:24,480 As we go to verse two, the focus is the same. 118 00:08:24,480 --> 00:08:30,320 Notice in your Bibles, Matthew 24 verse two, and Jesus said to them, do you see all of 119 00:08:30,320 --> 00:08:31,320 these things? 120 00:08:31,320 --> 00:08:35,280 Well, exactly what are these things he's talking about? 121 00:08:35,280 --> 00:08:39,720 He's talking about the temple and Mount Zion. 122 00:08:39,720 --> 00:08:42,720 They said, we want to show you that. 123 00:08:42,720 --> 00:08:45,960 He says, do you see it? 124 00:08:45,960 --> 00:08:48,280 It's one thing to be shown something. 125 00:08:48,280 --> 00:08:53,080 It's another thing to actually see it. 126 00:08:53,080 --> 00:09:01,800 Because seeing is going to involve more detail and more insight and more understanding. 127 00:09:01,800 --> 00:09:03,280 Disciples are focused on the temple. 128 00:09:03,280 --> 00:09:05,400 Jesus is focused on the temple. 129 00:09:05,400 --> 00:09:07,800 It's very clear. 130 00:09:07,800 --> 00:09:13,120 But remember, even though they're focused on the temple, remember what we just read 131 00:09:13,120 --> 00:09:23,360 moments ago in Matthew 23, 38, the Bible said that he not only departed from the temple, 132 00:09:23,360 --> 00:09:27,440 but he left it desolate. 133 00:09:27,440 --> 00:09:29,760 Don't miss the wording. 134 00:09:29,760 --> 00:09:31,760 He left it desolate. 135 00:09:31,760 --> 00:09:38,360 And so now we're coming back here from a desolate temple back to Matthew 24 verse two, and we 136 00:09:38,360 --> 00:09:42,640 find something additional that is added to the picture. 137 00:09:42,640 --> 00:09:45,960 Jesus said to them, do you see these things? 138 00:09:45,960 --> 00:09:52,120 Assuredly, I say to you, reading the New King James Version today, assuredly, I say to you, 139 00:09:52,120 --> 00:09:54,160 not one what? 140 00:09:54,160 --> 00:10:01,960 Not one stone shall be left here upon another that shall not be what? 141 00:10:01,960 --> 00:10:03,440 Thrown down. 142 00:10:03,440 --> 00:10:06,840 Oh, interesting, interesting, interesting. 143 00:10:06,840 --> 00:10:11,920 I want you to notice now there is a progression. 144 00:10:11,920 --> 00:10:13,680 Don't miss it. 145 00:10:13,680 --> 00:10:23,760 We've gone from my temple to your temple to a departed temple to a desolate temple to 146 00:10:23,760 --> 00:10:26,640 a thrown down temple. 147 00:10:26,640 --> 00:10:31,160 Do you see what's happening? 148 00:10:31,160 --> 00:10:37,560 And all of this happening within 24 hours. 149 00:10:37,560 --> 00:10:46,360 He walked in saying, you're making my house a den of thieves? 150 00:10:46,360 --> 00:10:51,000 And the next day, it's not my house anymore. 151 00:10:51,000 --> 00:10:54,680 It's your house. 152 00:10:54,680 --> 00:10:58,720 And he at this time has departed. 153 00:10:58,720 --> 00:11:00,040 It has become desolate. 154 00:11:00,040 --> 00:11:08,240 The presence of God will no longer abide at that place. 155 00:11:08,240 --> 00:11:10,000 In fact, it will be destroyed. 156 00:11:10,000 --> 00:11:11,600 It'll be thrown down. 157 00:11:11,600 --> 00:11:15,120 Verse three, Matthew 24 verse three, keep looking in your Bibles. 158 00:11:15,120 --> 00:11:17,480 We're progressing through the word of God today. 159 00:11:17,480 --> 00:11:24,080 Now as he sat on the mount of all of his disciples came to him how? 160 00:11:24,080 --> 00:11:33,640 Privately the Bible says came to him privately saying, tell us when will these things be? 161 00:11:33,640 --> 00:11:41,720 Well we have the phrase these things just previously and the these things in verse two 162 00:11:41,720 --> 00:11:44,120 referred to the temple. 163 00:11:44,120 --> 00:11:48,880 But Jesus had made an interesting progression now that was fascinating. 164 00:11:48,880 --> 00:11:56,040 In fact, disturbing the minds and the hearts of his disciples when they come to him privately. 165 00:11:56,040 --> 00:11:59,220 It's like we want the inside information now. 166 00:11:59,220 --> 00:12:00,480 We want the inside scoop. 167 00:12:00,480 --> 00:12:05,040 We want to be able to understand what you might not be teaching to everybody, but but 168 00:12:05,040 --> 00:12:07,080 we're the inside circle. 169 00:12:07,080 --> 00:12:10,560 Tell us now. 170 00:12:10,560 --> 00:12:12,000 When are these things going to be? 171 00:12:12,000 --> 00:12:18,200 They've gone from mine to yours to desk to departed to desolate and now they're hearing 172 00:12:18,200 --> 00:12:22,080 thrown down. 173 00:12:22,080 --> 00:12:25,180 Cause for concern. 174 00:12:25,180 --> 00:12:26,180 They are concerned. 175 00:12:26,180 --> 00:12:28,760 When are these things going to be? 176 00:12:28,760 --> 00:12:36,160 And then they go on and say in verse three, and what will be the sign of your and the 177 00:12:36,160 --> 00:12:38,320 end of the. 178 00:12:38,320 --> 00:12:45,800 Of course, the sign of your coming at the end of the age are kind of one issue. 179 00:12:45,800 --> 00:12:51,000 We can look back and retrospect on this experience and we can separate all these things out. 180 00:12:51,000 --> 00:12:57,800 But in the minds of the disciples, when the temple was destroyed, that was it. 181 00:12:57,800 --> 00:12:59,760 It's over with. 182 00:12:59,760 --> 00:13:04,320 Jesus might as well be coming back then the world might as well just shrivel up and and 183 00:13:04,320 --> 00:13:09,720 blow away because it's all done. 184 00:13:09,720 --> 00:13:15,080 In their minds, the destruction of the temple would be the terminus point. 185 00:13:15,080 --> 00:13:20,040 That would be the finality. 186 00:13:20,040 --> 00:13:25,720 Of any God Earth relationship. 187 00:13:25,720 --> 00:13:30,720 Wow. 188 00:13:30,720 --> 00:13:33,640 And that takes us right to verse four, doesn't it? 189 00:13:33,640 --> 00:13:36,120 Our scripture reading today. 190 00:13:36,120 --> 00:13:41,640 And Jesus answered and said into them, take heed that no one deceive you. 191 00:13:41,640 --> 00:13:48,200 What does take heed mean? 192 00:13:48,200 --> 00:13:52,900 Take heed, pay attention, be diligent. 193 00:13:52,900 --> 00:13:55,800 The disciples are saying, tell us these things. 194 00:13:55,800 --> 00:13:59,320 Tell us these things about the destruction of the temple, about the coming, about the 195 00:13:59,320 --> 00:14:00,920 end of the age. 196 00:14:00,920 --> 00:14:13,280 Chapter 24 verse four, he says, take heed because take heed is an alert point. 197 00:14:13,280 --> 00:14:17,620 Don't miss it. 198 00:14:17,620 --> 00:14:20,060 And it's interesting how Jesus starts here. 199 00:14:20,060 --> 00:14:21,420 Take heed, don't miss it. 200 00:14:21,420 --> 00:14:26,560 Before he gives any details, before he gives any teachings, before he gives the signs of 201 00:14:26,560 --> 00:14:33,440 the event, because there's always signs before the event, God does nothing but he reveals 202 00:14:33,440 --> 00:14:42,680 to his servants, the prophets, there's always an advance warning something's going to happen. 203 00:14:42,680 --> 00:14:46,800 They anticipate this before the details. 204 00:14:46,800 --> 00:14:50,640 What does this tell us? 205 00:14:50,640 --> 00:14:57,480 If he's saying, watch out, we can only conclude that what we think is going to happen is not 206 00:14:57,480 --> 00:15:00,000 going to happen. 207 00:15:00,000 --> 00:15:03,040 What else is there to say? 208 00:15:03,040 --> 00:15:09,440 Nobody tells somebody to watch out if everything's going to be fine. 209 00:15:09,440 --> 00:15:15,480 And you're not going to be somehow caught off guard or surprised or even deceived, to 210 00:15:15,480 --> 00:15:22,600 use the word of Jesus. 211 00:15:22,600 --> 00:15:28,000 May I even say that even those of us that study Bible prophecy would do well to bow 212 00:15:28,000 --> 00:15:37,760 our heads in a moment of thoughtful consideration lest we be deceived. 213 00:15:37,760 --> 00:15:42,040 Verse five, for how many? 214 00:15:42,040 --> 00:15:47,960 Many will come in my name saying, I am the Christ, and will deceive many. 215 00:15:47,960 --> 00:15:51,800 So many are going to come and many are going to deceive. 216 00:15:51,800 --> 00:15:54,800 That's plural. 217 00:15:54,800 --> 00:15:59,160 Well remember, we're talking about destruction of Jerusalem, second coming, end of age. 218 00:15:59,160 --> 00:16:01,560 We're talking about multiple events. 219 00:16:01,560 --> 00:16:05,040 Disciples maybe didn't perceive it that way, but we know retrospectively looking back, 220 00:16:05,040 --> 00:16:08,040 it is that way. 221 00:16:08,040 --> 00:16:17,080 Lots of time has gone by. 222 00:16:17,080 --> 00:16:26,720 Keep in mind that there's always one truth, but there's not just one error. 223 00:16:26,720 --> 00:16:31,760 There's always one truth, but there's not just one error. 224 00:16:31,760 --> 00:16:38,560 Satan capitalizes on a method of bringing multiple options for you, which are multiple 225 00:16:38,560 --> 00:16:39,920 errors. 226 00:16:39,920 --> 00:16:43,080 And you'll grab this group of people with this and this group of people with this and 227 00:16:43,080 --> 00:16:48,800 that group of people with the other thing when there's only one truth. 228 00:16:48,800 --> 00:16:53,360 All roads don't lead to Rome. 229 00:16:53,360 --> 00:16:59,300 There's only one way to be saved, and that's through Jesus Christ. 230 00:16:59,300 --> 00:17:05,180 So the very first sign that Jesus presents here in scripture, the very first sign is 231 00:17:05,180 --> 00:17:08,180 false Christs. 232 00:17:08,180 --> 00:17:09,980 But wait a minute. 233 00:17:09,980 --> 00:17:14,720 Usually when we're doing our presentations on last day events, we're jumping down there 234 00:17:14,720 --> 00:17:18,860 to verse six and verse seven and verse eight. 235 00:17:18,860 --> 00:17:20,660 We have wars and rumors of wars. 236 00:17:20,660 --> 00:17:27,000 We have famines and pestilence and earthquakes, and they're going to be increasing like labor 237 00:17:27,000 --> 00:17:28,180 pains. 238 00:17:28,180 --> 00:17:33,400 That means getting more and more with greater and greater intensity. 239 00:17:33,400 --> 00:17:38,200 How come we just pass over this false Christ thing when that's the very first thing he 240 00:17:38,200 --> 00:17:41,320 mentioned? 241 00:17:41,320 --> 00:17:43,420 Hmm. 242 00:17:43,420 --> 00:17:49,700 We don't want to negate and put down and sideline or marginalize the wars and rumors of wars 243 00:17:49,700 --> 00:17:53,960 and the famines and the pestilence and all this kind of stuff. 244 00:17:53,960 --> 00:17:57,080 It's true. 245 00:17:57,080 --> 00:18:03,720 We are living in a world where there are wars that are politically generated, which are 246 00:18:03,720 --> 00:18:07,200 causing great refugee issues. 247 00:18:07,200 --> 00:18:10,620 We can just start naming the countries of the world. 248 00:18:10,620 --> 00:18:14,800 All we have to do is travel a little bit south in our own country. 249 00:18:14,800 --> 00:18:20,680 We see issues of refugees and migrants because life is not good where people are. 250 00:18:20,680 --> 00:18:25,160 And they think if I can just go somewhere else, the grass is certainly greener over 251 00:18:25,160 --> 00:18:28,080 on the other side. 252 00:18:28,080 --> 00:18:31,140 And in some cases, it's true. 253 00:18:31,140 --> 00:18:34,040 I've been blessed with traveling much of the world. 254 00:18:34,040 --> 00:18:40,720 The grass is pretty green around here in many ways. 255 00:18:40,720 --> 00:18:44,120 Famines. 256 00:18:44,120 --> 00:18:46,840 Famines. 257 00:18:46,840 --> 00:18:50,960 Environmental issues. 258 00:18:50,960 --> 00:18:56,920 We can't deny that the Bible teaches if there's famines. 259 00:18:56,920 --> 00:19:00,200 Where do famines come from? 260 00:19:00,200 --> 00:19:01,200 There's something in the climate. 261 00:19:01,200 --> 00:19:02,200 Did I just use the word climate? 262 00:19:02,200 --> 00:19:07,920 There's something in the word climate that's not working right anymore. 263 00:19:07,920 --> 00:19:11,040 Is that true? 264 00:19:11,040 --> 00:19:12,800 Is that true? 265 00:19:12,800 --> 00:19:20,440 Now let's be careful that if we deny climate change, we may be following a popular 2024 266 00:19:20,440 --> 00:19:24,760 narrative, but we're not following the Matthew 24 narrative. 267 00:19:24,760 --> 00:19:29,000 The Matthew 24 narrative says there is climate change. 268 00:19:29,000 --> 00:19:32,000 It's in the Bible. 269 00:19:32,000 --> 00:19:33,000 Earthquakes. 270 00:19:33,000 --> 00:19:34,000 Famines. 271 00:19:34,000 --> 00:19:36,120 Where do they come from? 272 00:19:36,120 --> 00:19:39,120 Something's not working right anymore. 273 00:19:39,120 --> 00:19:41,120 Pestilence. 274 00:19:41,120 --> 00:19:43,280 Yeah. 275 00:19:43,280 --> 00:19:47,680 Three years ago, we had pestilence go all over the place. 276 00:19:47,680 --> 00:19:50,200 What is pestilence? 277 00:19:50,200 --> 00:19:56,200 This is a pandemic illness. 278 00:19:56,200 --> 00:20:02,400 And we say the word pandemic because that means it's in grand proportions, both in severity 279 00:20:02,400 --> 00:20:06,200 and in scope of where it's at. 280 00:20:06,200 --> 00:20:08,280 These are biblical. 281 00:20:08,280 --> 00:20:12,240 If we're denying these things, we're not in tune with what the scripture is saying is 282 00:20:12,240 --> 00:20:14,320 happening at the end of time. 283 00:20:14,320 --> 00:20:16,120 It's there. 284 00:20:16,120 --> 00:20:18,800 So we have wars and rumors of wars. 285 00:20:18,800 --> 00:20:20,760 We have pestilence. 286 00:20:20,760 --> 00:20:21,760 We have famines. 287 00:20:21,760 --> 00:20:22,760 We have earthquakes. 288 00:20:22,760 --> 00:20:23,760 We have all this. 289 00:20:23,760 --> 00:20:27,480 But interestingly enough, Jesus first mentions false Christ. 290 00:20:27,480 --> 00:20:34,360 The issue is not a geographic issue or a climate issue or a health issue. 291 00:20:34,360 --> 00:20:41,000 False Christ is clearly a religious implication issue. 292 00:20:41,000 --> 00:20:43,280 Are we following today? 293 00:20:43,280 --> 00:20:47,720 The disciples' very first question, when is the temple going to be destroyed? 294 00:20:47,720 --> 00:20:51,760 Jesus' very first answer is that false Christ will come. 295 00:20:51,760 --> 00:20:57,520 He's not saying that the... 296 00:20:57,520 --> 00:20:59,200 Okay, almost a slip. 297 00:20:59,200 --> 00:21:04,720 That the Romans are going to be invaded. 298 00:21:04,720 --> 00:21:09,960 He's not saying, now watch out when General Titus comes to surround Jerusalem. 299 00:21:09,960 --> 00:21:12,200 That's not what he says. 300 00:21:12,200 --> 00:21:16,720 He says watch out for the false Christ. 301 00:21:16,720 --> 00:21:18,680 Does he know that Roman armies are going to come? 302 00:21:18,680 --> 00:21:19,760 Yeah, he does. 303 00:21:19,760 --> 00:21:22,140 But that's not the first thing to watch for. 304 00:21:22,140 --> 00:21:24,600 Does he know that people are going to be starving to death in Jerusalem? 305 00:21:24,600 --> 00:21:27,560 Yeah, but that's not the first thing to watch for. 306 00:21:27,560 --> 00:21:30,240 We have clues then and we have clues now. 307 00:21:30,240 --> 00:21:36,680 Dear friends, where we're going today is that what happened with Jerusalem in ancient times 308 00:21:36,680 --> 00:21:42,440 could be a type of where we are today in 2024. 309 00:21:42,440 --> 00:21:44,520 Could be a type. 310 00:21:44,520 --> 00:21:48,920 It's only as we look back on prophecy that we get total clarity and we can't look very 311 00:21:48,920 --> 00:21:51,080 far back on what's happening right now yet. 312 00:21:51,080 --> 00:21:57,240 But we are in 2024 and it's a hinge year. 313 00:21:57,240 --> 00:22:01,360 Trust me, 2024 is a hinge year. 314 00:22:01,360 --> 00:22:05,640 Much is turning on this year. 315 00:22:05,640 --> 00:22:09,400 There's a lot of stuff happening around the world. 316 00:22:09,400 --> 00:22:14,360 A lot of stuff happening. 317 00:22:14,360 --> 00:22:16,440 This first thing, watch out for false Christ. 318 00:22:16,440 --> 00:22:19,460 So let's take a slice of history. 319 00:22:19,460 --> 00:22:22,400 Let's take that slice of history when Jesus was alive. 320 00:22:22,400 --> 00:22:28,560 Let's look at the particular closing scenes right around his passion week. 321 00:22:28,560 --> 00:22:31,120 The week we're talking about in scripture. 322 00:22:31,120 --> 00:22:34,680 There is a true Christ and there is a false Christ. 323 00:22:34,680 --> 00:22:39,920 There will be both at the very same time, Jesus is saying. 324 00:22:39,920 --> 00:22:46,720 Because if they weren't happening simultaneously, if they weren't synchronized, then there will 325 00:22:46,720 --> 00:22:50,280 be no deception. 326 00:22:50,280 --> 00:22:53,120 They're going to be happening together. 327 00:22:53,120 --> 00:22:56,720 That's what the deception is all about. 328 00:22:56,720 --> 00:23:06,200 So God never does anything without Satan giving a counterfeit or multiple counterfeits. 329 00:23:06,200 --> 00:23:12,000 So in the context of Matthew 24, we have the destruction of the temple that Jesus and his 330 00:23:12,000 --> 00:23:17,160 disciples have been talking about. 331 00:23:17,160 --> 00:23:23,580 And the destruction or the saving of the temple, depending on which Messiah the Jewish leaders 332 00:23:23,580 --> 00:23:25,860 would accept. 333 00:23:25,860 --> 00:23:28,120 It's that clear. 334 00:23:28,120 --> 00:23:31,960 The temple is going down and the temple is not going down, depending on which Christ 335 00:23:31,960 --> 00:23:34,440 you choose. 336 00:23:34,440 --> 00:23:37,800 It's that simple. 337 00:23:37,800 --> 00:23:40,640 So here we are, Matthew 27. 338 00:23:40,640 --> 00:23:46,880 The true Messiah, that's not hard for us as believers here in this sanctuary today to 339 00:23:46,880 --> 00:23:49,160 come down on, probably on the right side. 340 00:23:49,160 --> 00:23:51,840 I don't think there's any problem with us agreeing on that. 341 00:23:51,840 --> 00:23:57,200 Matthew 27 verse 11, the Bible tells us very plainly and very clearly, now Jesus stood 342 00:23:57,200 --> 00:24:01,840 before the governor, that would be Pilate, and Pilate asked him saying, are you the king 343 00:24:01,840 --> 00:24:02,840 of the Jews? 344 00:24:02,840 --> 00:24:04,920 Basically, are you the Messiah? 345 00:24:04,920 --> 00:24:07,320 Are you the long anticipated one? 346 00:24:07,320 --> 00:24:09,120 Keep in mind, this is Friday. 347 00:24:09,120 --> 00:24:15,360 What had just happened on Sunday as Jesus was riding on the donkey and the palm branches 348 00:24:15,360 --> 00:24:20,320 were waving and the goats were being laid down, Hosanna to the who? 349 00:24:20,320 --> 00:24:24,880 Oh, oh, oh, and David was just a shepherd? 350 00:24:24,880 --> 00:24:25,880 Uh-uh. 351 00:24:25,880 --> 00:24:27,880 David was the king. 352 00:24:27,880 --> 00:24:34,080 Oh, so Pilate is saying, are you the king? 353 00:24:34,080 --> 00:24:38,200 What we're looking for here is political intent. 354 00:24:38,200 --> 00:24:41,200 You understand? 355 00:24:41,200 --> 00:24:46,120 Pilate doesn't care about David being a shepherd when he cares about someone in the lineage 356 00:24:46,120 --> 00:24:47,120 of David. 357 00:24:47,120 --> 00:24:51,400 Does Jesus qualify for Dimash? 358 00:24:51,400 --> 00:24:56,040 He's concerned about something coming in the lineage of David, who then is going to upset 359 00:24:56,040 --> 00:25:02,160 the political equilibrium that's happening in Jerusalem at the time. 360 00:25:02,160 --> 00:25:05,160 That's what the concern is. 361 00:25:05,160 --> 00:25:08,120 And Jesus replied, have we finished the verse? 362 00:25:08,120 --> 00:25:09,120 We haven't. 363 00:25:09,120 --> 00:25:10,120 What were we at? 364 00:25:10,120 --> 00:25:15,320 Verse 11, and Jesus said to him, it is as you said. 365 00:25:15,320 --> 00:25:17,440 There you go. 366 00:25:17,440 --> 00:25:18,940 You said it, man. 367 00:25:18,940 --> 00:25:21,140 You said it. 368 00:25:21,140 --> 00:25:22,140 It's me. 369 00:25:22,140 --> 00:25:40,160 Jesus didn't always identify who he was, but in this context with Pilate, he does it. 370 00:25:40,160 --> 00:25:45,680 So now we see Jesus claiming to be the king of the Jews. 371 00:25:45,680 --> 00:25:47,480 So we have the true Christ. 372 00:25:47,480 --> 00:25:49,320 So how about a false one? 373 00:25:49,320 --> 00:25:51,480 Chapter 27, we're there in 27. 374 00:25:51,480 --> 00:25:53,880 Let's look to verse 15. 375 00:25:53,880 --> 00:25:58,160 Chapter 27, verse 15 to 17. 376 00:25:58,160 --> 00:26:03,520 Now at the feast, the governor was accustomed to releasing to the multitude one prisoner 377 00:26:03,520 --> 00:26:05,200 whom they wished. 378 00:26:05,200 --> 00:26:10,280 And at that time, they had a notorious prisoner called who? 379 00:26:10,280 --> 00:26:12,040 Barabbas. 380 00:26:12,040 --> 00:26:17,740 Therefore, when they had gathered together, Pilate said to them, whom do you want me to 381 00:26:17,740 --> 00:26:23,200 release to you, Barabbas or Jesus who is called Christ? 382 00:26:23,200 --> 00:26:25,560 There's the question. 383 00:26:25,560 --> 00:26:27,200 There's the question. 384 00:26:27,200 --> 00:26:32,880 Barabbas or Jesus who is called Christ? 385 00:26:32,880 --> 00:26:40,560 So we have identified Jesus is the true Christ. 386 00:26:40,560 --> 00:26:50,060 Now we want to unpack the information to see whether Barabbas would qualify as a what? 387 00:26:50,060 --> 00:26:55,200 As a false Christ. 388 00:26:55,200 --> 00:26:57,020 Let's look a little more of the context. 389 00:26:57,020 --> 00:27:01,360 Verse 20, chapter 27, verse 20. 390 00:27:01,360 --> 00:27:06,120 And the chief priests and the elders persuaded the multitudes. 391 00:27:06,120 --> 00:27:09,520 Let's just stop right there. 392 00:27:09,520 --> 00:27:15,200 What's going on? 393 00:27:15,200 --> 00:27:19,240 We have somebody getting in someone else's mind. 394 00:27:19,240 --> 00:27:26,280 We have somebody speaking a narrative that a lot of people are beginning to believe. 395 00:27:26,280 --> 00:27:30,680 Hmm, sound a little bit familiar. 396 00:27:30,680 --> 00:27:34,940 Speaking narratives that lots of people begin to believe. 397 00:27:34,940 --> 00:27:38,320 The leaders are persuading the multitudes. 398 00:27:38,320 --> 00:27:40,000 Don't miss this. 399 00:27:40,000 --> 00:27:47,000 They are not being stirred on their own because these very same people on Sunday, previous 400 00:27:47,000 --> 00:27:54,200 to Friday, were waving palm branches saying, Hosanna to the son of David. 401 00:27:54,200 --> 00:28:04,960 And now they're saying quite the opposite because somebody has redirected their focus 402 00:28:04,960 --> 00:28:12,560 because deception is not that hard to pull off. 403 00:28:12,560 --> 00:28:20,040 Ask God about one third of his folk up there and how they decided to do something different. 404 00:28:20,040 --> 00:28:27,760 Deception, ask our forefathers, Adam and Eve. 405 00:28:27,760 --> 00:28:31,240 Satan got 100% of them. 406 00:28:31,240 --> 00:28:34,080 Deception is powerful, dear friends. 407 00:28:34,080 --> 00:28:36,320 It is absolutely powerful. 408 00:28:36,320 --> 00:28:43,000 So here we have which to release, Barabbas. 409 00:28:43,000 --> 00:28:47,400 This is not just a choice of which guy is going to die today, which guy is going to 410 00:28:47,400 --> 00:28:49,160 go up there on the cross. 411 00:28:49,160 --> 00:28:53,840 It's not just like is Jesus dying, Jesus of Nazareth, or is Barabbas dying. 412 00:28:53,840 --> 00:28:55,640 That's not the issue. 413 00:28:55,640 --> 00:29:00,600 This is a turning point in Jewish history. 414 00:29:00,600 --> 00:29:02,760 Which one they choose. 415 00:29:02,760 --> 00:29:08,480 This is the true Christ versus the false Christ. 416 00:29:08,480 --> 00:29:12,000 Wow. 417 00:29:12,000 --> 00:29:13,920 So let's continue on. 418 00:29:13,920 --> 00:29:20,440 Verse 16, let's notice here in verse 16, the Bible says in verse 16, we read that already, 419 00:29:20,440 --> 00:29:30,680 Matthew 27, 16, and at that time they had a notorious prisoner called Barabbas. 420 00:29:30,680 --> 00:29:37,840 I have an interesting little number two right in the front of the word Barabbas in my Bible. 421 00:29:37,840 --> 00:29:38,840 I didn't put it there. 422 00:29:38,840 --> 00:29:40,560 The publishers put it there. 423 00:29:40,560 --> 00:29:43,240 That refers me to the center column reference. 424 00:29:43,240 --> 00:29:44,240 I don't know. 425 00:29:44,240 --> 00:30:01,700 I don't know if you can find it in some of your Bibles.