Sermon Notes:
1. One of the benefits of spending time alone with Jesus is that He will give you perspective on the world.
What will the world look like before He returns?
2. Jesus says the world will be worse before His return, not better!
3. Jesus says there will be an increase of false religious teachers.
4. Jesus says there will be an increase of wars.
5. Jesus says there will be an increase of earthquakes.
6. Jesus says there will be an increase of contagious deceases.
7. Jesus says there will be an increase of wickedness and a decrease of love
8. Seeing what is going on in the world through Jesus’ eyes will help you to stay in balance.
Follow-up Questions from Sunday:
Quick Review:
Looking back at your notes from this week’s teaching, was there anything you heard for the first time or that caught your attention, challenged, or confused you?
Digging Deeper:
1. Read Matthew 24:1-8. How would you describe what is happening in this passage?
2. What does Jesus say the future world will look like before He comes? Do you think this is happening today?
3. Read Matthew 24:7-8, Luke 21:10-11. When we harmonize these two readings of Jesus’ teaching on the Last Days, we understand that plagues will be a part of the birth pains leading up to The Second Coming of Jesus. The Greek word “panoukla” is used for plague, meaning pestilence/contagious disease. Do you think that Covid-19 is a part of this prophecy? Why or why not?
4. Read Matthew 24:10-12, 2 Timothy 3:1-5. How would you compare this list to the times we are living in today? Which of these have you most recently seen in our society?
5. When we look at the times we are living in prophetically, would you say these are times of gloom or times of hope? Please share?
6. Read Matthew 24: 42-44. When Jesus ends his teaching on the signs leading up to His Second Coming, He tells us to be alert. Why do you think it is important to be spiritually alert in the days we are living in?
Prayer:
Pray to the Lord and ask Him if you are “out-of-balance” in your life and if so to show you in what ways.
Taking it home:
Practice Jesus’ solution of finding balance in your life this week by taking a pause on life (turn off the world), go with Jesus to a quiet place, and rest. In your time alone with God, read Mattthew 24 aloud in different translations. Pray and ask Jesus to help you not be alarmed (vs 6) and to be watchful (vs 42) in the days we are living in.