MATTHEW 24:1-14
In our text we find Jesus leaving the Jewish temple with which His disciples were obviously impressed. History says this was the second temple after the temple of Solomon was destroyed. This was the temple that the prophets Haggai and Zechariah and Malachi spoke of as they admonished God’s people to forego building their own immaculate houses and focus on building up the kingdom of God. Although the disciples were impressed, Jesus was not impressed. He dropped on their countenance as he told them even this new temple would one day be destroyed. This prompted them to quietly approach him about the topic of the end of the age. Jesus gave them several signs that would come to pass as signs of the end of the age. He said there would be false Christs who would deceive many. There would be wars and rumors of wars. Nation would rise against nation, and kingdom would rise against kingdom. There would be famines and earthquakes, and this would be just the beginning of sorrows. He told them they would be persecuted and put to death. Then many would turn away from the faith and will betray and hate each other. And because iniquity (anomia – lawlessness) shall increase, the love of many will grow cold. But he who stands firm to the end will be saved. In the end times, Jesus said LOVE WILL MAKE THE DIFFERENCE!
I. IT IS RARE (OUR TEXT)
II. IT IS THE SIGN OF THE DISCIPLES OF CHRIST
John 13:34-35
“A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another; as I have loved you, that you also love one another. 35 By this all will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another.”
III. IT IS THE SIGN OF TRUE SPIRITUAL SERVANTS
Galatians 5:22-23
22 “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness, self-control. Against such there is no law.”
I Corinthians 13:1-8
1” Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I have become sounding brass or a clanging cymbal. 2 And though I have the gift of prophecy, and understand all mysteries and all knowledge, and though I have all faith, so that I could remove mountains, but have not love, I am nothing. 3 And though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, and though I give my body to be burned,[a] but have not love, it profits me nothing.
4 Love suffers long and is kind; love does not envy; love does not parade itself, is not puffed up; 5 does not behave rudely, does not seek its own, is not provoked, thinks no evil; 6 does not rejoice in iniquity, but rejoices in the truth; 7 bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.”
IV. IT ENDURES (STANDS FIRM TO THE END)
8 “Love never fails. But whether there are prophecies, they will fail; whether there are tongues, they will cease; whether there is knowledge, it will vanish away.”
