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Part 2 – The Return Of The King SERMON SERIES | THEME: The Return of Christ & The Destiny of Believers

Part 2 – The Return Of The King

SERMON 2/5 | 09 & 10 MAY 2020 | All Services

Rev Stanley Chua, Pastor-in-Charge

Scripture Passage: Matthew 24:31-51

WATCH | SERMON (Video)

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READ | SERMON NOTES

Summary | In Part 1 of The Return of the King sermon, we learned about the four major signs of Jesus’ return: 1. The World; 2. The Church; 3. Jerusalem; and 4. In the Sky, and focused on the first two signs. We will look at the third and fourth signs today which point to the sudden and unpredictable nature of Christ’s return, and remind us to remain vigilant and ready in our faithful service to God.

The Third Sign – Jerusalem. There are many Christians who are fascinated about events happening in Israel and used them to speculate about Jesus’ second coming. They also speculate about who the anti-Christ figure may be. Unfortunately, many Christians are more fascinated with who the anti-Christ is rather than Christ Himself. This is the wrong focus. The reason Jesus talked about the signs was to reassure and prepare us for what must happen, and not for us to speculate.

The Fourth Sign – In the Sky. Jesus tells us clearly that His second coming will happen suddenly and unmistakably in the sky (Matthew 24:29-30). Again, many Christians have tried to predict the time of Jesus’ return but failed. Jesus said clearly that nobody except the Father knows the hour of His return, not even the angels or Himself. God likely doesn’t want to reveal this so we would have to live by faith day by day, trusting in God.

The Four Pictures. Jesus gives us four pictures in Matthew 24 to ready us for His return:

  1. Days of Noah: Like the days of Noah when the flood came suddenly and took away many by surprise, so will Christ’s return.
  2. Two Men/Women: If two people are together at the time of Christ’s return, one may be taken and the other left behind. This tells us that not all will be saved, even those who are close to a believer.
  3. Thief Breaking in: Jesus’ return will be sudden and unpredictable. This picture reminds us to value our souls and be ever watchful and ready.
  4. Two Servants: We are to be like the faithful servant going about his duties whilst expecting his master’s return, and not like the careless, cruel and carousing servant who gets cut to pieces when his master returns unexpectedly.

Our Attitudes. Biblical prophecies are not there to satisfy our curiosity but to affect our behaviour so that we may continue to serve God faithfully as we prepare for His return. The question is, are we ready? Are we confident that Jesus will say, “Good and faithful servant, come and share in my glory!”

(Sermon Notes by Desley Khew)

PONDER | REFLECTION QUESTIONS:

  1. What is the third sign that Jesus mentioned about his return? Where is this happening?
  2. What is the meaning of “The Abomination that Causes Desolation?” What kind of attitude should we adopt in our understanding of “The Abomination that Causes Desolation?”
  3. What is the fourth sign of Jesus’ return? Where and how will this happen?
  4. What should our response be towards prophecies concerning predictions of Jesus’ second coming and the Anti-Christ figure? What should we learn from Church History on such predictions?
  5. What are the four pictures that Jesus mentioned after he talks about the signs of his coming in Matthew 24? What does each picture represent and mean?
  6. According to the speaker, what is the main message of Matthew 24?
  7. What is the one promise or takeaway that I will act on?

Sermons In This Series:

  1. Part 1 – The Return Of The King (Matthew 24:1-30) – 02/03 May 2020
  2. Part 2 – The Return Of The King (Matthew 24:31-51) – 09/10 May 2020
  3. Don’t Be Caught By Surprise! (Matthew 25:1-13) – 23/24 May 2020
  4. What Does The King Require? (Matthew 25:14-30) – 30/31 May 2020
  5. Who Is In & Who Is Out? (Matthew 25:31-46) – 06/07 Jun 2020