Matthew: When will he come? (24:32-51)

This sermon was preached to Grace Church Guildford on 20 October 2024. The audio recording of the sermon can be found below along with the transcript.

‘Are we nearly there yet?’ It is the question that every parent has heard asked from the backseat during a long car journey. It usually comes from a young child who is eager to arrive at their destination, or is just bored of the car. I remember asking that question a lot when I was little. Before I could tell the time or read the numbers on road signs, the only way I had to work out how far away we were from the end, was to ask: ‘Are we nearly there yet?’

‘Are we nearly there yet?’ That is what children often ask in the car. But it is also what you perhaps found yourself asking after our sermon last Sunday night. As we picked up our series in Matthew’s Gospel again, we heard how chapters 24 and 25 contain the final of the five great sermons Jesus preaches in Matthew’s book. It is often called the Olivet Discourse, for it was delivered as Jesus sat just outside Jerusalem, on the Mount of Olives. And we will see over the coming weeks that it answers five great questions about the future, about Christs return, and the end of the world. It starts by answering the two questions of the disciples, which they first ask Jesus back in 24:3, ‘What is going to happen (with the temple, Christ’s coming, end of the age)? And when is this going to happen?’

Last week we saw in 24:4-31, that Jesus answers the first of their questions, explains what is going to happen both in this present period we are in, and in the future as well. He promises that this will be a period of persecution and proclamation for the church, but that before the end there will be a final time of great tribulation and then triumph. That is what is going to happen. And so now, from 23:32, Jesus begins to address the other question he was asked. Not what is going to happen, but when it is going to happen. Like little children, his disciples basically asked him, ‘Are we nearly there yet?’ And we will see tonight that Jesus gives them two answers in the rest of Matthew 24. First, in 24:32-35, he explains that the Lord is near. And yet in 24:36-51, he also reveals that the day is unknown. Those are our two points this evening: (1) The Lord is Near (24:32-35); and (2) The Day is Unknown (24:36-51).

1.     THE LORD IS NEAR (24:32-35)

It begins by Jesus drawing a line under all he has said so far, and drawing out a lesson that he wants us to learn. In 24:32, we read: [READ]. Given we don’t live in the Middle East, or interact much with fig trees, this lesson may not be immediately obvious. However, here in the UK, we do have some very similar horticultural events. For example, I am sure you have all noticed over the last month the colours of the leaves on many of our trees all changing, which is the first sign that autumn is on its way. In another few months, we will know that winter is just around the corner, because those same leaves fall off completely. And when daffodils pop up through the ground in February, we all know that that is a sign that spring is about to arrive. Nature is very good at giving us signs of the coming season. And this is true in the Middle East, in the land of Israel, as well. And one of the clearest signs of changing seasons, one obvious indication that summer is just around the corner, was the changes that you could see in the fig tree. For summer was the time of harvest, and so when you saw the branches grow tenders and leaves pop out, you knew that its figs were about to burst forth, to be picked and enjoyed all through the summer months. When you see certain signs, leaves changing colour on trees, Daffodils popping up through the soil, or in Israel, the fig trees growing ripe and ready, you know that the season is about to change, a new era is getting very near. And in 24:33, Jesus explains to his disciples that that is also true in relation to his return. When they see certain signs appear around them, they can know that the end of the age, his second coming, their final triumph, is near.

Well then, what are these signs that they will see? What are these fig tree like indications of the changing season? Well, there in 24:33, Jesus simply says that it is when they see ‘all these things’. That is all that he has been talking of in the chapter so far: the persecution of the church, the proclamation of the Gospel, a time of terrible tribulation. Nation rises against nation, kingdom against kingdom. There are wars, rumours of wars. earthquakes and famines. God’s people fall under religious deception, or into periods of persecution. The Gospel is taken to all the nations. In short, when they see all the signs that he has spoken of, they can know the end is near. For those sorts of signs show us that the Lord is near. That his coming is just around the corner. Like a changing season, he is on his way.

And Jesus immediately goes on to tell the disciples that these signs will start in their own lifetimes, that these sorts of things will happen within their own generation. Sometimes people read 24:34 and think that Jesus is telling us that everything he has spoken of will be completed in the lifetime of the disciple’s generation, the next 40 years. Sometimes people even think that Jesus himself promises here that he’ll return in that same time period. However, as Jesus himself clearly explains later in our passage, he knows neither the day or hour of his coming, and so he can promise no such thing. No, Jesus is not saying that all these things will be completed in the disciple’s lifetime, but rather that they will all be seen in their lifetime. That the disciples will themselves see these signs take place, including that sign of the abomination of desolation, when 40 years later, within their own generation, the temple in Jerusalem will be destroyed, and God’s people have to flee the city, just as Jesus said.

Jesus is not telling his disciples that he’ll return before the end of their lives, but rather that their lives will be part of the end days. That they will live into this final act of human history, be part of this last stage of the world’s story. And because of that, they can know that they are very near the end. For they are living in the final chapter of this great novel. And as you read on in the New Testament, we see the apostles clearly understood this to be the case, for Peter and John and Paul all regularly referred to the time they lived in as the ‘last days’, ‘the end of the ages’, and urged their readers to realise what Jesus says here in Matthew 24 was true: the Lord is near, that he is at the very door.

And you know, brothers and sisters, 2000 years later, that is still true. The Lord is still near, is still standing at the door, today. I wonder if you have considered how that can be? How could the Lord be near in the days of the New Testament, but still not have come here 2000 years later? How could the Lord be near then, and yet still be near now today? Well Christians answer that question by referring to the doctrine of the imminent return of Christ. Which simply means what Jesus says here, that his return, his second coming, is near, imminent. And, this nearness is not to be measured in time, but in events. [ILLUSTRATE]. Christ’s nearness is not measured in time, as we shall soon see he doesn’t himself know the day or the hour, but it is near in terms of events. His return is the next major event to happen in God’s plan, and so it is near, imminent, even if it is not immediate.

Maybe you are here this evening, and you aren’t a Christian, you aren’t trusting in Christ as your Saviour, eagerly waiting for his glorious and great return. And this all just sounds a bit strange to you. After all, it’s been 2000 years now, why would Jesus wait that long? What has God been doing all this time? If this world is so full of sin, […], why doesn’t he come to sort it out? If there is so much suffering, as you yourself can see, why doesn’t God come to fix it? Stop wars? Cure cancer? Save the vulnerable from oppression and violence? Where is this God that you Christians speak so much about? Well, if those are the kinds of questions you are asking this evening, first of all, I want to say it is great to have you with us, you are always welcome at our services here at Grace Church, because those are the kinds of questions that we want to talk about, for those are the kinds of questions that the Bible itself answers. In 2 Peter 3, Peter deals with that exact question, responds to those who even in his own day, in that first generation, were scoffing, mocking, asking where was this return of Christ that he talked so much about. I’d encourage you to go and read that chapter in 2 Peter 3. For there Peter points out that time is hardly a relevant measurement for the Lord. For to an eternal God, one day is like 1000 years, and 1000 years like one day. And that rather than being slow to keep his promise, God is in fact being merciful. It is not forgetfulness, but forgiveness, that drives this delay. For yes, last week we heard how he shortens some of those days of suffering for the sake of the elect, but Peter reminds that God also lengthens this time for the sake of the lost, that they may not perish, but rather come to repentance.

If you are here this evening and you are not a Christian, rather than seeing this period between Christ’s first and second coming as a problem, instead see it as an opportunity, a chance for you to get right with God. At his first coming […]. However, at his second coming […]. And this time in between has been given to you so that you might find forgiveness […]. Are you taking the opportunity that this delay brings? […].

Here in Matthew 24, Jesus teaches his disciples, teaches us, that when we see these signs, we can know we are living in the last days, and that the end is near. The Lord is just around the corner even now he is just on the other side of the door, and once this part of history has finally finished, all he has to do is turn the handle, step across that threshold, and suddenly usher in an endless summer for all who wait for him. Jesus tells us that his coming is not far away, it is near. In essence, Jesus is responding to the disciples here the same way that that parent responds to the child who asks, ‘Are we nearly there yet?’ […]

2.     THE DAY IS UNKNOWN (24:36-51)

The Lord is near, but the day is unknown. Yes, his coming is imminent, but we are ignorant. We do not, indeed, we cannot know when it will be. For as Jesus will explain in 23:36, neither the angels, nor he himself as the Son, know the end will come, but only the Father who is in heaven. If you are wondering how it is that the Son of God is limited in his knowledge, then I’d recommend you go back and listen to Jamie’s sermon from last December, where he speaks about Christ’s two natures from John 6. For here we see another example of that same reality: Jesus does not know something according to his human nature that he does know according to his divine nature.

However, rather than elaborate on such theological mysteries, Jesus instead presses on to paint a picture that helps us understand what this means not for him, but for us. For because we cannot know when he will arrive, Jesus tells us that it will be something of a shock, a surprise. In 23:37, he likens his return to the arrival of the flood in the days of Noah, when before the rain started, the people were simply going about their normal lives, doing their ordinary things, eating and drinking, socialising and marrying, and didn’t realise destruction was upon them until it was too late. He elaborates the same idea there in 23:40-41, where he paints a picture of those two men working in the field, when suddenly one finds themselves taken away in judgement, or two women working at the mill, when again one of them suddenly has judgment sprung upon her. In short, Jesus says that despite all of these dramatic signs, of wars and famines, earthquakes and desolation, the time before his return will actually seem less like a disaster movie, and a lot more like normal life, for those who are living in it. This world will go about its business as usual, socialising, celebrating, working away. As one commentator puts it, they will be ‘immersed in the everyday with no thought for the last day’. And then suddenly, like a thief in the night, the end will come and Jesus will arrive, bring judgment for sin and salvation for his people. Yes, we are able to see the signs, but we cannot tell the time. We won’t be possible to predict his return. And indeed, it is for this reason, that Jesus urges us in 23:42: [READ].

If you had to sum up the rest of Jesus’ great sermon in a single verse, it would be what Jesus says here in 23:42. For that is the truth that Jesus is now going to take and apply to his disciples again and again. He will use parables and metaphors, prophecies and punchlines, for the rest of his sermon to make this one simple point: be ready. Because the Lord is near, and the day unknown, we need to be ready. We need to live like Jesus may come tonight, for indeed he might. And yet, we must also live in light of the fact that he could be delayed for some more time, indeed delayed for the whole rest of our lives, for another 2000 years, and so we must be ready for that as well. How can we live in this kind of constant readiness? What does it look like to live in light of these twin truths that the Lord is near, but the day is unknown. Well that is really what we are going to cover over the coming weeks.

However, here at the end of Matthew 24, Jesus gives a mini-preview of what is in store. If you know Matthew 25, you will know that it contains two parables: of ten bridesmaids who were ready for the arrival of a bridegroom, and three servants who were entrusted with bags of gold, talents, to use wisely for their travelling master. We are going to see that from these parables that Jesus tells us that we are to watch and work, be mindful of the future, as well as faithful in the present. And these two things are clearly important, for here at the end of Matthew 24, he includes two mini-parables with the exact same points. Just as he will teach in the parable of the bridesmaids, here in 24:43-44, he uses a story about the arrival of a thief to emphasise the need to stay alert and awake as we wait for the Lord. Similarly, just as he will teach in the parable of the talents, here in 24:45-51, Jesus tells a story of a wicked servant who fails to work for his master when he was away and is punished accordingly. These lessons (watch and work) are so important to Jesus, that he literally teaches them to us twice, uses two very similar parables to drive home these two points.

And as a result, I want you to see that this sermon of Jesus’, which tells us all about the future, tells us what is going to happen, and when it will happen, it is actually far more practical that we sometimes assume. I think that as Christians, when we come to this area of teaching, this great topic of eschatology, that is doctrine of the future, we often treat it as if it is a kind of ivory tower type discussion regarding the length of the millennium and complex symbols that we find in the book of Revelation. And yet, what we find when we actually read Matthew 24-25, is that this area of Christian doctrine is actually incredibly practical. Most of Jesus’s great sermon on the future is not about what is going to happen then, but rather what we should be doing now. Most of this sermon is not in fact theoretical explanation, but it is actually real life application.

Like the disciples, we often come to this topic of the future, with only two questions: what will happen and when will it happen? And those are important questions, and Jesus starts by answering them. But then he quickly goes on to address some other very practical questions: Who will be ready? How should we live? Where will we go? Those are the three questions that he starts speaking about here at the end of Matthew 24, and will soon answer in much greater detail throughout Matthew 25, as we shall see in a few weeks time.

And this kind of practical eschatology, is not simply something that Jesus has, but it is how the rest of the New Testament authors treat this subject as well. For example, that book of Revelation was actually written to help suffering struggling Christians persevere, press on, overcome the obstacles they faced in their day. Similarly, we heard earlier that the rest of the testament commonly talks about the return of the Lord being near. And do you know why it usually does that? In most circumstances, the reminder that the Lord is near comes as a reason for obeying a certain ethical or moral command. For example:

The night is nearly over; the day is almost here. So let us put aside the deeds of darkness and put on the armor of light. (Rom 13:12)

What I mean, brothers and sisters, is that the time is short. From now on those who have wives should live as if they do not; those who mourn, as if they did not; those who are happy, as if they were not; those who buy something, as if it were not theirs to keep; those who use the things of the world, as if not engrossed in them. For this world in its present form is passing away. (1 Cor 7:29-31)

You too, be patient and stand firm, because the Lord’s coming is near. Don’t grumble against one another, brothers and sisters, or you will be judged. The Judge is standing at the door! (James 5:7-9)

The end of all things is near. Therefore be alert and of sober mind so that you may pray. Above all, love each other deeply. (1 Peter 4:7 )

And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds, not giving up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but encouraging one another—and all the more as you see the Day approaching.  (Heb 10:24-25)

These truths, this teaching on eschatology, is not given to us so that we can speculate about the future. No it is given to us so we can be faithful in the present.

If you are struggling to press on, struggling to persevere in this season, then maybe you need a bit more eschatology, a bit more clarity on Christ’s coming, a bit more oomph in your understanding of what the future will be like for you! Read the book of Revelation, or John Piper’s recent book, entitled Come Lord Jesus. For if we are to live faithful lives in the present, we must live them in light of, in knowledge of, the future. And we see here in Matthew 24 that we can do that. That Christ’s coming is something we can rely on, depend on.

CONCLUSION

The story is told of the devastation that befell the Polish capital Warsaw during WWII, when almost the entire city centre was destroyed and left in ruins. However, it is said that on its main street, there was one wall of one building left standing by the end of the war. The building was the Polish headquarters of the Bible Society, and the wall that was left standing happened to have a Bible verse engraved on it. It’s a Bible verse from our passage this evening. The only thing left stand amongst the chaos and destruction of the war was the words of Jesus there in 24:35, where he promises: Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will never pass away.

Brothers and sisters, that is of course true of all Jesus’ words. And yet, do you see how that it is most closely connected with these words here in our passage, it is in this sermon that he gives that saying, it this promise of his future return, that he assures us that we rely on.

His words will not merely last until the end of history, but even outlast history. When heaven and earth pass away, this great promise of his return will not. For brothers and sisters, the Lord is near, he will come, we can rely, depend upon it. Yes, we do not know the day or the hour, but we know that there will be a day, that there will be an hour.