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Welcome everyone, I'm glad you could be with us for today's beach talk.

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I love to help us understand every word of God that's in the word of God.

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And my objective is always the same every time that I teach.

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It's disciples making disciples who plant churches that plant churches.

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Because we want to see Jesus be a beautiful grassroots movement all over the world.

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Now our vision for this year is to multiply from four churches in two countries

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to eight churches in four countries.

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Jesus is a really big vision, we need you to help us.

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And you can do that by praying and asking God how he might use you to accomplish this.

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Now this year we have four trips.

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We have a couple in June to El Salvador.

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And then we have one in September to Indonesia.

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And one in December to Bangladesh.

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We'd love to have you participate.

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Go on one of those trips with us.

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You can go to OceanWater.com and click on trips.

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And you can get signed up there.

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We'd love to have you come and do that with us.

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As we use ocean-based water systems that turn water in the background,

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like the ocean behind me, into fresh, clean drinking water for people.

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We use these systems to plant new churches.

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It's very exciting.

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Now today we're in Matthew 24.

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It says, and then when Jesus went out and departed from the temple,

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his disciples came to him to show him the buildings of the temple.

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And Jesus said to them, do you not see all these things?

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Surely I say to you, not one stone shall be left here upon another

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that shall not be thrown down.

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Pretty heavy stuff here.

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And now after, after this, Jesus would no longer talk to the religious leaders.

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He'd never again come to the temple in his earthly ministry for,

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after this, he departed from them and from the temple.

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Now the emphasis here was on the idea, it was like a verb.

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It was that he was literally going away as one who would not return.

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You see, after Herod's work, the temple was huge.

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It was nearly 500 meters long and 400 meters wide.

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Herod's plan for rebuilding the temple started in the 19 BC and was completed in 8063.

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Took about 80 years.

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The temple was finished only seven years before it was actually destroyed.

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Now the second temple was, was just as big, wasn't just as big.

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It was also beautiful.

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Josephus, a Jewish historian said that the temple was covered with gold plates.

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And when the sun shone on them, it was blinding for them to look at.

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There was, where there was no gold, there were these huge blocks of marble that were pure white.

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So from far off, people could see that the, how bright the temple would shine.

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Now the disciples wanted Jesus to look at the beautiful buildings.

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Jesus told them to turn around and to take a good look.

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He was about to give several illustrations about what this meant.

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You see, some 40 years after Jesus said this, there was a widespread Jewish revolution against

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the Romans in Palestine.

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And there they enjoyed early success, but ultimately the Roman soldiers crushed the rebels.

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And in 80, 70 Jerusalem was leveled, including this temple that Jesus was referencing in

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this teaching.

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So the lesson here is that buildings built by men are temporary, but what God is building

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in your character and in your heart is permanent.

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Now it's said that at the fall of Jerusalem, the last surviving Jews of the city fled to

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the temple because it was the strongest and most secure building in the city.

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You see the Roman soldiers, they surrounded it.

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And in fact, it's believed that one drunken soldier started a fire that soon engulfed

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the whole building.

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Now isn't it interesting?

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It only takes one drunk jack wagon to ruin what a lot of people have built.

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The destruction was so complete that today they have true difficulty learning exactly

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where the foundation of it is.

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So this prophecy was fulfilled literally.

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There was a temple and it was literally destroyed.

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Now the literal fulfillment of this prophecy sets the tone for the rest of the world.

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The tone for the rest of the prophecies that Jesus is going to teach in this chapter.

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Now we should expect a literal fulfillment of those as well, the sort of a foundation

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being laid.

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Now look at verse three.

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It says, now when he sat on the Mount of Olives, the disciples came to him privately saying,

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tell us when will these things happen and what will be the sign of your coming at the

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end of the age?

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Now the disciples asked Jesus questions about his bold prediction concerning the destruction

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of the temple for good reason.

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Jesus said the temple would be completely destroyed, which it was.

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It was logical that the disciples wanted to know when it would happen.

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Jesus will speak to this question, but only in the context of answering their next two

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questions.

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You see the disciples probably thought they had asked only one question in their minds.

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When was the destruction of the temple at the end of the age?

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Were they connected?

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But really they were asking two questions and the second question is answered in the

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remainder of the chapter.

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So let's get into chapter 24.

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Jesus answers this important second question.

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He'll make many specific comments and predictions about the end times in the next couple of

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verses.

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Now these predictions have been the source of significant conversation amongst the

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followers, the disciples of Jesus for hundreds of years.

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So we really want today to try to be able to understand what it is that Jesus is saying

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here.

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Now one reason why prophecy sometimes seems vague or imprecise is because God once

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every age and all of his disciples, regardless of when they live to live with the ambiguity

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that he might return, that he might come back.

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Yes, even in their lifetime, even now in our lifetime, you see some interpretations are

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different.

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We know that Jesus is coming again, so we got to be ready for that.

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We need to line up our lives for that.

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Look at verse four.

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Jesus answered and said to them, take heed that no one deceives you for many will come

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in my name saying I am the Christ and I will deceive many and you will hear of wars and

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rumors of wars so that you are not troubled for all these things.

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They must come to pass.

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But the end is not yet for nation will rise against nation and kingdom against kingdom.

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And there will be famines.

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There will be pestilences like diseases.

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There'll be earthquakes in various places.

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And these are the beginning of the sorrows.

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Sounds very much like today.

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Now Jesus warned the disciples that many would be deceived as they anticipated when he was

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going to come back.

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Now the kind of things that Jesus mentions in this section are not the things that mark

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the specific signs of the end.

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They're like things like false messiahs, wars, rumors of wars, earthquakes, certainly marked

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history since Jesus's resurrection.

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But we're not specific signs of the end.

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In fact, Jesus says catastrophes will happen, but these will not signal the end.

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Now in the midst of any great war or great famine or any great earthquake, it is natural

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to believe that the world is coming to an end.

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But Jesus said there is a far more specific sign that would indicate his return.

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And he describes this later in the chapter.

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Though none of these events are the specific sign of the end, collectively they are a sign.

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Now when Jesus described these calamities as the beginning of sorrows, he literally

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called them the beginnings of labor pains.

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Just as it is true with labor pains, we should expect that the things mentioned, wars and

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famines and earthquakes and so on, would become more frequent and more intense before the

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return of Jesus without any of them being the specific sign of the end.

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Makes sense.

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Now look at verse 9.

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It says, then they will deliver you up for trials and kill you and you'll be hated by

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all nations for my namesake.

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Many will be offended.

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We'll betray one another and we'll hate one another.

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Then many false prophets will rise up and deceive many.

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And because lawlessness will abound, the love of many will grow cold.

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But he who endures to the end shall be saved.

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And this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in all the world as a witness to all nations.

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And then the end will come.

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Let me unpack this here.

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Now in this period after Jesus ascends to heaven and before he comes again, his disciples

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should expect to be persecuted.

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This may make his followers believe the end is near, but this is also not the specific

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sign of his return.

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Now in the period after Jesus ascends to heaven and before he comes again, the disciples of

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Jesus will see many false prophets.

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Remember this.

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And even their success.

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But these are not the specific signs of his return.

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Now in the period after Jesus ascends to heaven and before he comes again, his disciples

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you and I should expect to see society become worse and worse.

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But this also is not a specific sign of his return.

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You see, Jesus also promised that before the end, the gospel would go out to the whole

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world.

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Their persecution, false prophets in general, downgrade of society, would not prevent the

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spread of the good news of the gospel.

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Now look at verse 15.

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Therefore, when you see the abomination of desolation spoken of by Daniel the prophet,

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standing in the holy place, whoever reads, let him understand.

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Now essentially, the abomination of desolation speaks of the ultimate desecration of a Jewish

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temple, the establishment of an idolatrous image in the holy place itself, which inevitably

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results in God's judgment.

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It is the abomination that brings desolation.

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Now Jesus described a gross form of idolatry, standing in a holy place, that brings with

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it great destruction.

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Now the normal meaning of holy place is Hagios Topos, literally the temple complex.

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By the time the Romans had actually desecrated the temple in 8070, it was too late for anyone

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in the city to flee.

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Yet when we understand the importance of what is said about this event, the abomination

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of desolation, we must give priority to this event even more than the easiest interpretation

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of it, because it's sort of a little bit hard to get at.

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Now it is the critical sign mentioned in Matthew 24.

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It is the warning to flee that's mentioned in this chapter, so it's a critical warning.

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It is also a sign of the consummation of all things according to the Old Testament.

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It is also the sign that's foreshadowed by Antiochus Epiphanes in Daniel chapter 11.

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There's a lot happening in this chapter.

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It is the precise marker of the days to the end according to Daniel 12, and it is the

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revelation of the man of sin in 2 Thessalonians.

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So let's try to understand this and get all this.

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It's also the image of the beast in Revelation chapter 13.

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So taking these passages in their most plain meaning, the abomination of desolation cannot

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be the Roman armies or the signs that they marched under.

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It can't be totalitarian governments or any other conjecture.

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The abomination of desolation is some kind of antichrist set up in an actual temple that

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is the decisive sign for the end.

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That means that for the most part, Jesus' teachings in Matthew 24 haven't been fulfilled,

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so we should study them and learn from them.

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It was almost as if Jesus was saying, don't miss this.

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If you don't understand this, you won't understand a lot of things, and that's exactly the air

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of many who with good intentions misunderstand the plain meaning of the abomination of desolation.

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So Jesus wants us to understand this.

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Now look at verse 16, then let those who are in Judea flee to mountains.

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Let him who is on the housetop not go down and take anything out of the house, and let

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him who is in the field not get back to his clothes.

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But woe to those who were pregnant and to those who are nursing babies in those days,

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and pray that your flight may not be in winter or on the Sabbath.

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So in light of the broader context of this chapter, these words of Jesus should be understood

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as having primary application to those who see the abomination of desolation in the very

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last days during the Great Tribulation, events that have yet to happen.

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So Jesus told his disciples about the abomination of desolation, which is set up by the antichrist

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in the middle of the Great Tribulation, and warned them of his coming destruction of the

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Great Tribulation.

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Some Christians or disciples believe that all Christians will go through this.

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I don't believe that.

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To them it seems evident.

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Why would Jesus say that these things to his disciples if all of his disciples would not

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experience them?

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So the answer is simple.

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We know from this passage and other passages that God will remove his church, his followers

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from the great fury of the Great Tribulation, catching them away to meet Jesus.

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Yet this information is valuable for the followers of Jesus so they can understand his plan for

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the future, how history unfolds right in front of us.

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And that this information is valuable for those who would become his disciples after

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the Great Tribulation, after the church is gone.

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Now look at verse 21, for then there will be great tribulation such as not happen since

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the beginning of the world, pretty heavy, nor will ever happen.

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Unless those days were cut short, no one would be saved.

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But for the elect's sake, those days will be shortened.

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And if anyone says, do you look here is the Christ or there is the Christ, don't believe

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it for false Christ and false prophets will rise and show signs and wonders and deceive

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if possible, even the elect.

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So I've told you beforehand, therefore, if I say to you, look, he's in the desert, don't

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go out there.

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Or look, he's in the inner room, don't go there.

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For as the lightning comes from the east and flashes to the west, so also it will be the

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coming of the Son of Man.

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For wherever the carcass is, there the eagles will be gathered together.

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So Jesus said that this will be the most awful time in all of human history.

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When we think of the terrible wars and plagues and famines and genocide history is seen,

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this is a sobering statement.

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When God pours out his wrath on a God rejecting world, it will be a truly great tribulation.

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Now this reminds us that this great tribulation, this time of catastrophe that hasn't been

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since the beginning of the world until now has not yet been fulfilled.

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No one should be deceived about the nature of Jesus's coming.

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It would not be secret or private, but as plain as lightning that flashes across the

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sky.

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But in the midst of such tribulation, there will be temptation to look for false messiahs

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and false Christ and false prophets because people will want deliverance, but Jesus says

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they're false.

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So we have to pay attention to this.

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Look at verse 29, immediately after the tribulation of those days, the sun will be darkened, the

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moon will not give light, the stars will fall from heaven and the powers of heaven will

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be shaken.

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Then the sign of the son of man will appear in heaven and then all the tribes of the earth

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will mourn and they will see the son of man coming on the clouds of heaven with power

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and great glory.

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And he will send his angels with a great sound of a trumpet and they will gather together

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his elect from the four winds from one end of heaven to the other.

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So what's happening here?

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Well, the sun will turn dark, the moon will not give its light.

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So a lot of prophetic passages describe the cosmic disturbances that will precede the

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second coming of Jesus.

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The word simian is a regular word for the arrival of a governor who entered into his

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province for the coming of the king to his subjects.

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It regularly describes a coming in authority and power.

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That's exactly what Jesus is going to do.

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Look at verse 32, now learn this parable from the fig tree when its branches already become

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tender and puts forth leaves and you know that summer is near.

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So you also when you see all these things know that it is near at the doors.

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Assuredly, I say to you, this generation will by no means pass away.

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So all these things take place.

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Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will by no means pass away.

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So learn this parable from the fig tree.

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The fig tree has a regular pattern.

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The leaves appear and then the summer follows.

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When you see the leaves, you know that summer is near.

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What is Jesus trying to say to us?

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Well, the fig tree was a common fruit in Israel.

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It is mentioned many times in the Old Testament, especially as a description of the abundance

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of the land.

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So it seems that Jesus's reference here is not so much on the figness of the fig tree,

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but on the way that the fig tree follows reliable growth cycles related to the seasons.

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This is especially evident when this passage is compared with Luke 21.

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Now look at the fig tree and all of the trees.

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When they are already budding, you see and know for yourselves that summer is now near.

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So Jesus is saying again, pay attention to the signs.

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So you also when you see these things happening, know that the kingdom of God is near.

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So when a fig tree buds, there's an inevitable result.

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Summer is near and fruit is coming in the same way when these signs are seen, the coming

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of Jesus in his glory with this church to this world will inevitably fall.

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So we're supposed to study them and understand them.

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Now up to this point, Jesus has given an important outline for end times events.

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Few things, there will arise catastrophes and persecutions, but those in themselves are

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not the sign of the end.

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There will arise a pivotal sign, the abomination of desolation.

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When the abomination of desolation appears, there are warnings to Israel to flee after

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the abomination.

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Now on the heels of the abomination of desolation comes great tribulation and cosmic disturbances.

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So in culmination, Jesus Christ will return in glory to the earth.

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So look at verse 36, but on that day and hour, no one knows, not even the angels in heaven,

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but only my father.

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Now Jesus refers back to the original question of Matthew 24 verse three, what will be the

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sign of your coming?

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His answer is somewhat unexpected saying that the day and the hour, nobody knows, but only

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the father.

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Now Jesus claimed that his knowledge was reserved for his father only if Jesus himself, at least

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during his earthly ministry did not know the day and hour.

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It emphasizes the foolishness of anybody later on making predictions about when this is going

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to happen.

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So verse 37, but as the days of Noah were so also will be the coming of the son of man,

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for in the days before the flood, they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in

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marriage until the day that Noah entered the ark and did not know until the flood came

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and took them all away.

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So also will be the coming of the son of man.

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So Jesus explained what he meant by the days of Noah.

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It means that life centered around normal things, eating and drinking and marrying and

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giving in marriage.

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In other words, life will be business as usual, perhaps even very sinful, but usual.

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Now those in the days of Noah were warned and judgment eventually came, but those who

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had ignored the warnings, it came suddenly and unexpectedly.

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Now how can Jesus come to a business as usual world and a world experiencing the worst calamities

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ever seen on earth?

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The difference is in expectations.

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Verse 40, then the two will be in one field, one will be taken to the other, one left,

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two women will be grinding at the mill, one will be taken in the other left.

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Watch therefore, for you do not know what hour your Lord is coming, but know this, that

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if the master of the house had known what hour the thief would come, he would have watched

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and not allowed his house to be broken into.

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Now therefore you also be ready for the son of man is coming in an hour that you do not

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expect.

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So Jesus here pointed to curious disappearances, to a catching away of some at the coming of

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the son of man was described in first Thessalonians chapter four.

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Now since the day and hour of this coming are unknowable, Jesus's followers must be

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on constant guard for his coming.

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Must be ready for it.

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Jesus is coming in an hour that you do not expect.

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We must not escape the emphasis.

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We must be ready because his coming will come without warning.

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Now Jesus follows with a few parables to drive home this point.

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Now look at verse 45, who then is a faithful and wise servant whom his master has made

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rule over his household to give them food and do season.

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Now blessed is that servant whom his master when he comes will find so doing.

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Assuredly I say to you that he will make him ruler over all of his goods.

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Now Jesus told us that we must carry on with diligence while the Lord is gone.

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We must be that faithful and wise servant who takes care of his master's business while

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the master is away.

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So Jesus also promised that we will be rewarded for our diligence.

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The servant served the master but the master knows how to take care of and reward the servants.

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Now lastly in verse 48, but if that evil servant says in his heart my master is delaying his

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coming and begins to beat his fellow servants and to eat and drink with the drunkards, the

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master of that servant will come on a day when he is not looking for him and that he

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is not aware of and he will cut him in two and appoint him his portion with the hypocrites.

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There will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.

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So Jesus warns us of the attitude which says my master is delaying his coming.

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No we must live in constant anticipation of Jesus' return and that means being about our

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business for him right now.

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Now the most dangerous lie isn't that there is no God or that there is no hell but the

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most dangerous lie is that there is no hurry.

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It is no small thing to say Jesus is not coming today or for several years because our system

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of prophecy demands it.

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We need to be ready for the imminent return of our Lord Jesus.

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Now the evil servant who is not ready for the master's return sinned in at least three

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different ways.

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Well one, he was not about the business of his master that his master left for him.

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Two, he fought with and mistreated his fellow servants.

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And then lastly he gave himself to the pleasures of the world instead of serving his master.

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So this emphasis on constant readiness is a challenge for the disciples and followers

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of Jesus today.

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It can be said that many disciples were not ready in the same three ways.

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Now we should be greatly impressed by the urgency of Jesus' appeal.

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Now the faithful and wise servant was rewarded but so was the evil servant.

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He was rewarded for his wickedness and he would have the portion with the hypocrites

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that he deserved.

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It says here that they to cut him in two, now the probable meaning is we'll cut him

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in two so to speak with the whip or thrash him as unmercifully.

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It's a strong word selected to sympathize with the master's rage.

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Now this wraps up our time in Matthew 24.

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There was a lot in this chapter and I want you to be asking, you know, what was one thing

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that God was talking to me about today?

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Now we want to talk to God about that one thing and it's called prayer.

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Prayer is an opportunity to realign with God, to reset our lives back to what Jesus is calling

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us to do.

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Now would you do that right now?

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Would you just say, God, thank you for speaking to me today.

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Help me to follow through on that nugget that you dropped in my heart.

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Give me a fresh start.

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Help me to realign with you.

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Help me to follow you in all of my thoughts and all of my actions and all of my motives

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with my entire life.

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And I ask you to help me do this in Jesus name.

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Amen.

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The last thing we want to do today is the Bible teaches us to give as part of our worship

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and the giving of our finances reflects the values that we have.

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This has been practiced for thousands of years, the disciples of Jesus.

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The Bible teaches this concept of giving the first fruits of your income.

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We call that tithing or a tenth and that's what we teach.

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Now we're a church planting church so we want you to give to the best of your ability.

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We want to take everything that you give and we want to multiply it in our church and through

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our church to other churches and also to help people get their water from the ocean.

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So I trust that God will speak to you today about that and that you'll do whatever he

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does that you ask God to give you the strength.

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If you're wondering how to do that, you can go on our website, go to Oceanwater.com and

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click on give and just follow through with whatever God puts on your heart.

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I love you, glad I get to be your pastor and I hope you have a beautiful day.

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Thanks so much.