Enduring to the End

Matthew 24:4-14

As Jesus sats down on the Mount of Olives, His disciples asked Him about what they had just heard (Matt. 24:3). They had been admiring the magnificent buildings of the temple (Matt. 24:1), and Jesus had just told them that it all would be thrown down, not leaving one stone on another (Matt. 24:2). The temple would be destroyed.

The disciples connected the destruction of the temple with Jesus’ coming—the ushering in of His kingdom and the end of the age. They asked Him, “Tell us, when will these things be? And what will be the sign of Your coming, and of the end of the age?” (Matt. 24:3). I believe that the disciples thought that Jesus was about to accomplish all these things, that they would be fulfilled in their lifetimes. Even after Jesus’ death and resurrection, they asked Jesus, “Lord, will You at this time restore the kingdom to Israel?” (Acts 1:6).

They are not expecting two advents of the Lord Jesus Christ, and a time gap in between. They could not conceive of an extended period of time between the ascension of Jesus and the second coming of Jesus. So, looking down from the Mount of Olives to the temple mount and trying to make sense of what they are hearing, they asked two questions: a when question, “When will these things be?”, and a what question, “What will be the sign of Your coming, and of the end of the age?” They wanted to know the timing of these things, and what signs would show that they have arrived.

In the Olivet Discourse that follows, Jesus answered both these their questions. And in answering, He also gave us an outline of future events. He told us signs of the time leading up to a great tribulation (Matt. 24:4-14), and He told us about that great tribulation (Matt. 24:15-26). He then told us about what follows that great tribulation, namely, His return in glory (Matt. 24:27-31). He gives us signs for that great tribulation, and for His second coming.

So, the section we are looking at today (Matt. 24:4-14) has to do with the time prior to the great tribulation (Matt. 24:31). Remember, the disciples had asked Jesus “when” these things would happen. But I want you to notice that Jesus answers that question mostly by telling them when it would not happen. Notice that after Jesus warns them of signs that would take place, He says, “See that you are not troubled; for all these things must come to pass, but the end is not yet” (Matt. 24:6). He says, “All these are the beginning of sorrows” (Matt. 24:8). He tells them, “But he who endures to the end shall be saved” (Matt. 24:13), suggesting that the end has not yet come. The one indication He gives of the time of the end is in Matthew 24:14, “And this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in all the world as a witness to all the nations, and then the end will come.”

All the signs that Jesus gives in Matthew 24:4-14 we can find in our world today. In fact, what Jesus describes has been ongoing throughout the history of the church. These things may increase in intensity and frequency as the time gets nearer to Jesus’ return, like birth pains increase as the time for birth draws near (Matt. 24:8).

What Jesus stresses in these verses is not so much when He is coming, but how we are to live until His coming. How we live during this undefined amount of time between Jesus’ first coming and His second coming is more important than knowing the timing of His coming. Jesus gives some specific things we are to do while we wait for His coming. The real question we need to ask is not “When will the end come?” but “Will I endure to the end?” Jesus said, “But he who endures to the end shall be saved” (Matt. 24:13).

So, in Matthew 24:4-14, Jesus gives us warnings to help us endure to the end.

1. Take heed that no one deceives you (Matt. 24:4)

Jesus commands them to , “Take heed”. Literally, that is “See!” or “Look!”. Figuratively, it means “Beware!” or “Take care!” Jesus commands us to continually, habitually watch out and beware. Of what? Deceivers. The word “deceives” can also mean “leads astray” or “leads into error”. Jesus wants us to take care that we are not led astray into error.

A. Spiritual Deception

How could we be led astray? Jesus warns, “For many will come in My name, saying, ‘I am the Christ,’ and will deceive many.” (Matt. 24:6). Jesus predicts many false messiahs, false prophets, and false teachers will arise. It happened in the early church. It happens today. It will continue and get worse as the time grows closer to Jesus’ return. Throughout the centuries of the church, many people have risen up and said that they were the Christ—either meaning that they were the long-awaited Jewish Messiah, or that they were the “manifestation of Christ” in some way.

Wikipedia lists over 40 people who have to be some kind of Christ in just the 20^th and 21^st centuries. Some of the names are infamous from the headlines: 1) Sun Myung Moon: considered within the Unification Church as the Messiah and the second coming of Christ. 2) Jim Jones: claimed to be the reincarnation of Jesus, Buddha, Vladimir Lenin, and Father Divine prior to leading a mass suicide of his followers. 3) Marshall Applewhite: claimed to be Jesus and the Son of God prior to leading his Heaven’s Gate cult mass suicide to rendezvous with a space ship hiding behind the comet Hale-Bopp. 4) David Koresh: leader of the Branch Davidian religious sect in Waco, Texas. Claimed to be “the Son of God, the Lamb.”

They almost always announce the end of the old age, and the beginning of a new age. They seek people to follow them and worship them. They claim to be God or Christ. Jesus warns us not to be fooled by such things.

John warns us in 1 John 2 writing, “Little children, it is the last hour; and as you have heard that the Antichrist is coming, even now many antichrists have come, by which we know that it is the last hour.” (1 John 2:18). These are not just men who are openly against Christ, but also those who are something or someone instead of Christ. These include the false Christs of the cults, the false Christs of other religions, and the false Christ of ultra-liberal theologians. Their message is anti-Christian in that they reject the true Christ. Don’t be deceived. Their Christ is an imposter!

Jesus’ point is: don’t be fooled!

Another thing that will happen and may cause us to be deceived is…

B. International Disruption

Jesus warns us that many world events would occur that may cause us to think that the end-times had come. He says, “And you will hear of wars and rumors of wars.” (Matt. 24:6) He explains this in Matthew 24:7, saying, “For nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom.” It seems that ever time there is war, people begin asking “Is this the end of the world?” They asked it in World War I and World War II. People asked it again when terrorists attacked on 9/11. Recently, people asked it when Hamas and Israel went to war in Gaza or when Iran attacked Israel.

When we see all this international disruption, Jesus says, “See that you are not troubled; for all these things must come to pass, but the end is not yet.” (Matt. 24:6). World wars are not the end of the world. There will be no peace until the Prince of Peace, Jesus Christ returns.

C. Natural Disasters

Jesus says (Matt. 24:7), “And there will be famines, pestilences, and earthquakes in various places.” Famines can be caused by weather patterns, infestations, or by war. All these can cause scarcity of food. Famine can also be sent by God as a judgment. Earthquakes are common all over the world. Just this week there was another powerful 7.8 earthquake in the Kamchatka region of Russia.

These types of things have happened all throughout human history.

That’s why these are general signs. They are reminders to us that this world is not right, it has been marred by sin and subjected to futility and corruption (Rom. 8:20-21). They are reminders of God’s judgment on this world of sin and that Christ is coming again to make all things right. And yet, Jesus warns us not to be led astray by these things. “All these“, as horrible as they may appear, are only “the beginning sorrows”. “Sorrows” literally means “the pain of childbirth” or “labor pains”. These calamities are only early contractions of the new heavens and new earth that will be born.

Later on in this section of Matthew;’s Gospel, our Lord tells us what the signs are that we should be looking for. But it isn’t any of these things. Don’t be troubled by those who mistakenly declare that the end has come. Don’t be led astray, through fear or panic, from living the life you should in Christ.

A second thing that we are to do is …

2. Endure until the end (Matt. 24:9-13)

Our Lord implies this from His statement in Matthew 24:13, “But he who endures to the end shall be saved.” The word “endures” means to persevere under trial, or bear up under tribulation. Why will we need to endure? Because of what Jesus says will happen during this time.

First He says there will be …

A. Religious Persecution

Jesus says, “Then they will deliver you up to tribulation and kill you, and you will be hated by all nations for My name’s sake.” (Matt. 24:9). This is probably not speaking about the “great tribulation” because that is not mentioned until Matthew 24:21-22. Rather, this is speaking of the reality that our Lord had already told His disciples about in Matthew 10:16-22 when He first sent them our to preach the Kingdom of Heaven:

“Behold, I send you out as sheep in the midst of wolves. Therefore be wise as serpents and harmless as doves. But beware of men, for they will deliver you up to councils and scourge you in their synagogues. You will be brought before governors and kings for My sake, as a testimony to them and to the Gentiles. But when they deliver you up, do not worry about how or what you should speak. For it will be given to you in that hour what you should speak; for it is not you who speak, but the Spirit of your Father who speaks in you. Now brother will deliver up brother to death, and a father his child; and children will rise up against parents and cause them to be put to death. And you will be hated by all for My name’s sake. But he who endures to the end will be saved” (Matthew 10:16-22).

Our Lord said something similar to His disciples on the night He was betrayed in John 15,

“If the world hates you, you know that it hated Me before it hated you. If you were of the world, the world would love its own. Yet because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, therefore the world hates you” (John 15:18-19).

Christians have been persecuted and killed for their faith throughout all of church history. There were terrible persecutions of the early Christians by the Jews and then by the Romans under Nero and the other emperors. Most of the twelve apostles were martyred for their faith. Indeed, every century has seen persecution of Christians for their faith. However, there has been an absolute explosion of Christian persecution in the last hundred years or so. More Christians died for their faith in the 20th century than in the first 19 centuries combined.

Then there will also be …

B. Spiritual Defection

Not only will there be external pressures from the world against us as Jesus’ followers, but He also warns that there will be internal pressures. The times will be tough; and they will test the integrity of those who say they belong to Christ. He says, “And then many will be offended, will betray one another, and will hate one another.” (Matt. 24:10). To “be offended” means to “cause to stumble or fall away”.

In some of history’s most trying times for the church, those who professed to be His followers would betray others who professed to be His followers. It reminds me about the seed that fell in the rocky places in the parable of the sower in Matthew 13. Jesus said about the false believer, “For when tribulation or persecution arises because of the word, immediately he stumbles.” (Matt. 13:21). He falls away. And even worse, Jesus says, they will betray and hate one another.

Part of this defection may be the result of false believers who have followed false teachers. Jesus warns in Matthew 24:11, “Then many false prophets will rise up and deceive many.” They have not believed in the true Jesus because they believed the perversions of the false prophets and false teachers. Today we see so many cults and false religions that draw people away from the truth of Christ. That’s why it is so important to know and study God’s word, so you can discern the truth from deception and falsehood.

Then also there will be …

C. Lawlessness and lack of love

Jesus says, “And because lawlessness will abound, the love of many will grow cold.” (Matt. 24:12).

Lawlessness was the characteristic of the scribes and Pharisees (Matt. 23:28) whom Jesus denounced in Matthew 23. John writes, “Whoever commits sin also commits lawlessness, and sin is lawlessness.” (1 John 3:4). Sin promotes self-love, not the selfless love of God. We have certainly seen self-love replace love for others in our day. Homosexuality and transgenderism are at the root the sin of self-love. Paul warns in 2 Timothy 3,

¹ But know this, that in the last days perilous times will come: ² For men will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, ³ unloving, unforgiving, slanderers, without self-control, brutal, despisers of good, ⁴ traitors, headstrong, haughty, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, ⁵ having a form of godliness but denying its power. And from such people turn away! (2 Tim. 3:1-5).

Lawless sin causes love for God and others to grow cold. Lawlessness seems to be prevailing in our society as a whole. Theft, murder, assassinations, riots, mass shootings are all lawlessness. It gets so bad that if we do not endure in faith and love in Christ, it could even cause our love to grow cold. Beware!

So Jesus says, “But he who endures to the end shall be saved.” (Matt. 24:13). Even though many will stumble, fall away, and grow cold, true believers in Christ will endure. He who stays true to the LORD in such times will prove that they truly belong to Him. Paul goes on in 2 Timothy 3 to write,

¹⁴ But you must continue in the things which you have learned and been assured of, knowing from whom you have learned them, ¹⁵ and that from childhood you have known the Holy Scriptures, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus. (2 Tim. 3:14-15).

The end-times will come; but they haven’t come yet. And our focus shouldn’t be on when the end-times come, but rather on our own faithfulness in the times in which the Lord has placed us. And in all such times, our Lord tells us, “he who endures to the end shall be saved”.

Finally, Jesus reminds us of our task as we await His coming.

3. Preach the Gospel to all the world

Jesus says in Matthew 24:14, “And this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in all the world as a witness to all the nations, and then the end will come.”

This is a promise of our sovereign Lord. No matter what the times are like—throughout the period of our time of awaiting our Lord’s return—His gospel will go forth and save lost people. Even in the places where the governments of men forbid the gospel from entering, the Lord Jesus says that it will be preached as a witness to all nations.

But this isn’t a promise only. It’s also a call. It’s a reflection of our Lord’s great commission; in which He said,

“All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth. Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age” (Matt. 28:18-20).

When we live in the midst of dark times—when we live in times that are the “beginning of birth-pangs”—the most important work we can be doing is the work of spreading the gospel. The end-times are not here yet; but they’re fast approaching. Our Lord’s return is nearer today than it was the day before. And it’s more important than ever that we proclaim the Savior to lost men and women. 

Let’s make sure that we are alert to the times—and that we are not fooled into thinking the end has come when it hasn’t yet arrived, and thus lose sight of our duties. Let’s make sure we endure in the faith to the very end—no matter what the times may be; and that we thus remain useful to Him in the work of His kingdom. And above all else, let’s make sure we are proclaiming the good news of the gospel of Jesus Christ wherever—and whenever—He has chosen for us to live; because it is that gospel alone that saves lost souls for eternity.