The Fig Tree, Part 1a

Turn with me in your Bible to Matthew chapter 24. Matthew chapter 24. The great hope of every Christian is the return of Jesus Christ our Lord. The anticipation of our Lord's return is something that motivates us to live a life that brings glory to God. That's important for us to grasp. You don't hear very many sermons today about the second coming of Jesus Christ.

very few sermons do you hear about the return of Jesus. And yet the Bible is replete with all kinds of exhortations concerning the return of Jesus Christ, our Lord. Paul would say in 2ndtipathy 4, verse number 8, that there is that crown of righteousness that's awaiting all those who love his appearing. There's something about the Christian that marks him out as one who loves the appearing of his great God and Savior. Titus 2.13, Paul would record that believers look for that blessed hope and glorious appearing of the great God and our Savior, Jesus Christ.

That time where the children of God will be set free from the sin of this world, the time and where death will be forever defeated, and we will rule and reign with Jesus Christ in eternity forever. And so the theme of the New Testament centers around the return of Jesus Christ. The Old Testament would point to the coming of Christ as a babe, but the New Testament would emphasize his return again. And while that is also talked about in the Old Testament, it was that motivating issue in the life of the apostles that caused them to write with fervency, that caused them in their evangelistic efforts with great urgency to share Jesus Christ with people who need to hear the truth because they believe that at any moment Jesus Christ could return.

The New Testament writers believed in the imminent return of Jesus Christ. And we do too. And so we preach the gospel, not knowing when our Lord is going to return, hoping that it returns today, tonight, before tomorrow, before I have to write my next bill or before I have to go to take my next test at school that somehow Jesus will come back and free me from all those things. But the Lord's second coming is a real event.

Just like his first coming was real. And you know what? We can go back and we can begin to chronicle the coming of Christ as the babe in a manger. And we can look back at those details and we can marvel at them. But very few people, very few people, are aware of the events surrounding the second.

coming of Jesus Christ. It's just that important to a lot of people. I think it's exciting. I think it's just the greatest thing in all the world to realize that one day Jesus is going to return and I'm going to go home to be with him. And so what happens in Matthew chapter 24 and Matthew chapter 25 is sort of special, different than all the other exhortations concerning his return because this is Jesus talking to his men about the event. events surrounding his return. Tonight, I want to cover for you just the introduction to the parable of the fig tree.

And three things I want you to see. Our outline is the same. It's the introduction, the instruction, and the implications. But just by way of introduction tonight, there are three things I want you to see. Number one is that there is a sermon we need to listen to, and it's the sermon that Jesus preaches.

Number two, there's a savior that we need to look for. And number three, there's a story we need to learn from.

Those are the three points by way of introduction to the parable of the fig tree. Number one, there is a sermon to listen to.

In Matthew 24 and 25, it's commonly called the Olivet discourse, because Jesus would have taken his men outside the temple, down and crossed over the Kedron Valley, and went up into the Mount of Olives. And, you know, if you've ever been to Israel, this is an incredible sight. To be able to stand on the Mount of Olives and overlook the city of Jerusalem. And just imagine that there are no cars and there's no roads around the city. And so it would be quiet compared to way it is today. But to overlook that city from the Mount of Olives is an incredible sight.

And these men had the opportunity to hear from the mouth of Jesus Christ their Savior. some things that would completely astonish them. But he would chronicle the events surrounding his return because he wanted them to know them. He wanted them to understand them from his perspective because one day he would return. They had heard. They had heard. They had heard that in his father's house were many mansions. If it were not so, he wouldn't have told them. And that he would go away and he would prepare a place for them.

and that he would come again and receive them to himself, that where he is, there they would be also. And so he would have already spoken with them concerning these issues. And they would begin to wonder in their minds about his coming back and taking them to his father's house. The Al-Avette discourse has a theme of the return of Christ. He talks about his return. He talks about the end of the present age. He talks about the establishment of his kingdom. And the sermon flows from a question. It flows from a question that the disciples ask him.

And because they ask him this question, Christ answers in a way, unlike he answers any other question that we know of while on earth. Because it's the longest answer he gives to any question asked of him during his earthly ministry. So think about that for a moment. You know, people ask me questions. You know, and my wife was always on me about this because people ask me a question and I can, you know, I can go on and on and on with an answer. And she's like, you know, get to the point. You know, what's the real point here?

You know? And because I'm a preacher, I like to throw in all kinds of things in my answer to make it all inclusive, you see. Well, think about Jesus. I mean, he knows everything. He's omniscient. And he gets asked this question about his return. So he's going to kind of summarize it for his disciples. And yet, in the summation of his return, it's the longest answer he gives to any question asked of him, telling us something very significant that you better understand the return of Jesus Christ. If he's going to take a long time to give you an answer about a question asked of him, you better make sure you get the answer, right?

If you come to your mom and your dad and you ask him a question and they go on and on and on and on with an answer, it's a pretty important answer. And that's the way it is with Jesus. This was a pretty important answer. But the question that they asked was very significant. And the context in which they asked it is even more significant. Because you see, before Matthew 24 is Matthew chapter 23. And in Matthew chapter 23, Christ, oh, just levels the religious leaders. And listen to what he says in verse number 37.

Oh, Jerusalem, Jerusalem. who kills the prophets and stones those who are sent to her. How often I wanted to gather your children together the way a hen gathers her chicks under her wings. And you were unwilling. That's the heart of our Lord. Oh, I just wanted to gather you together. Oh, I just wanted you to be with me. I wanted to have you all a part of what I am and who I am. But you, you were unwilling. And then it says this, verse number 38, Behold, stand amazed, be aware, be astonished of something significant.

Your house, notice, it's not my father's house anymore. It's your house. Why? Because Iqabod had been written across the temple. The glory of the Lord had departed. It's no longer my father's house. It's your house now.

Your house is being left to you desolate. For I say to you, from now on you shall not see me until you say, Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord. Judgment is coming upon you. Now think about this. You go right into verse 1 of chapter 24. And Jesus came out from the temple and was going away when his disciples came up to a point out of the temple buildings to him. And he answered and said to them, do you not see all these things? Truly I say to you, not one stone here shall be left upon another, which will not be torn down.

Now turn with me over if you would to Mark chapter 13, because Mark chapter 13 helps us understand Christ's answer.

It says in Mark 13, these words, and as he was going out of the temple, one of his disciples said to him, teacher, behold, what wonderful stones and what wonderful buildings. Now, why would they say that about the temple? Because Jesus had just said, your house is going to come down to ruin. Now this temple was built with blocks that were incredibly huge. 12 feet wide, 12 feet high. I mean, these things were 40 feet long. I mean, they were humongous, and they were raised 2 to 300 feet in the air.

I mean, they were humongous stones. And Christ says that your house is going to be ruined. It's going to be destroyed. Your house. The disciples listening to this, walk out of the temple with our Lord, and one of them, we don't know which one, says, Lord, that needs great, great stones, aren't they? This is a massive structure. What a building. See, because they want to know how this is going to be destroyed. You've got to be kidding me. How can this thing be ruined? It's a massive structure. It's the temple of God.

And that's when Christ says to them, do you not see all these things? Truly, I say to you, not one stone here shall be left upon another, which will not be torn down. Now, if you've been to Jerusalem and you've stood by the wedding wall or you stood outside the city gates of, Jerusalem, you begin to realize the ramifications of this statement. You got to realize, some people say, well, you know, if the wailing wall is still there, then why is it those stones weren't torn down? You got to remember that the wailing wall, or the better yet call the Western wall, was significant because it was one of those cornerstone walls that were like retaining walls for the mountain.

They weren't the temple itself. The temple itself, it is true, and Josephus confirms in his chronicles of the history and antiquities of the Jews that every stone was destroyed. There was not one stone upon another. And these massive stones were destroyed when the Romans came in in 70 AD and just pummeled the city. destroyed it. And so what Christ was saying was actually true, you can go there today and still see parts of the retaining wall that are still standing. But they weren't part of the temple itself.

What Jesus said was true. What would happen happened exactly as he said it would happen. You come to verse number three and says, and he was sitting on the Mount of Olives.

Disciples came in privately saying, tell us when will these things be and what will be the of your coming and of the end of the age. Disciples now are with our Lord. They're on the Mount of Olives. It's not a far journey. It's very close. It's not far at all. You can walk in a matter of minutes. And there they were, wondering when these things are going to be. What is this going to happen? Wouldn't that be a question you would ask? Oh, your house is left to you desolate. It's going to be ruined. Say, well, when's that going to happen, Lord?

How's that going to take place? And so they ask him about the desolation of Jerusalem. When would it take place? They did not understand that there would be a time between the destruction of that temple. and the actual return of Jesus Christ himself. They thought they would happen simultaneously. They would come about at the same time. So they asked, what would indicate the coming of this end of the age? Remember, the disciples were curious about the return of Christ, even after his resurrection and right before his ascension.

They said, is this the time now you're going to restore the kingdom to Israel? I mean, is this what's going to happen? Now that you have died and you've risen again and you're in your glorified form, it is now the time. And he said, no, now it's not the time. It's not for you to know the time of that. But you should be my witnesses. You have an obligation. You have responsibility to fulfill for me. But in Matthew 24, they ask, when will these things be? And what will be the sign of your coming? your parosia, your coming in your full presence.

It's a question that talks about the coming of God's presence. Lord, when will you come and be present among us? When is that going to take place? It's a word used in verse 27 of Matthew 24, verse number 37, and verse number 39, and the Lord would use it frequently to describe his return, as some of the New Testament writers did, James 5, 8, 2, 3, 4, 1 John 2, 28. Parosea became the synonymous with Christ's arrival to set up his kingdom. And so they would say, Lord, when are you going to arrive in your full messianic revelation?

They wanted Christ to rule. They wanted Christ to set up his kingdom. They knew that when he set up his kingdom, they would rule and reign with him. That's what they wanted to see happen. and they would prefer it to happen sooner rather than later. They wanted to experience this great coming. And so they ask, what will be the sign of your coming? And of the end of the age. That phrase is very significant. What is the sign of the end of the age? Or literally the consummation of the ages. It's a phrase used five times, five times in the book of Matthew alone.

It's used in Matthew 2820. When Christ is low, I am with you always, even until the end of the age. It's used over in Matthew 13. We studied it when we looked at the parable of the wheat and the tares. And it says, the harvest is the end of the age. And the reapers are the angels. As therefore the tears are gathered and burned in the fire, so shall it be. at the end of the age. The end of the age is when God separates the wheat from the tears and sends the tears to hell. Over in Matthew 13, 42 and 43, it says, He shall cast them into a furnace of fire, and there should be wailing a gnashing of teeth.

Then shall the righteous shine forth as a son in the kingdom of their father. And then in verses 49 and 50, so shall it be at the end of the age. The angels shall come forth and separate the wicked from among the righteous, and shall cast them into the furnace of fire, and there shall be wailing and gnashing of teeth. The end of the age is a time when Christ comes in his ultimate final judgment and sends the unbelievers to hell and takes the believers with him into his presence. But the disciples ask a question.

What's the sign? What's the evidences of your return? What's going to take place? What's going to happen? And the Lord begins to answer in verse number four, and Jesus answered and said to them, see to it that no one misleads you. You will note that he never goes back and talks about the destruction of Jerusalem because, you see, there are two separate events, and that's a very significant thing. Why? You see, when a prophet would prophesy, He would prophesy something near as well as far. You see, if he just prophesied something far away into the future, no one could prove that he was a true prophet, right?

How would you know that the prophet was true? How would you know the prophet would say something into the future and know it would be right? Well, if you read through the Old Testament, you will note that a lot of times they prophesied something coming soon. Why? Because the validity of their prophecy in the future would be seen in the fulfillment of their prophecy in the present. And what Christ would do would give them a near prophecy. Something that would happen in 70 AD at the destruction of Jerusalem, when the Romans would come in and just completely plundered the city and destroy the temple.

And it was a massive massacre where 1.1 million Jews were slaughtered. It was an incredible scene. And he prophesied of it. And that would cause people to realize that what Jesus said was true about the destruction of Jerusalem. And so about the end of the age, that too must be true. Because if he was right about the temple being destroyed, then he will be right about the consummation of the ages. So Christ begins to give them a small taste. of what happened in the future. Give them a glimpse of the signs of the end of the age.

And I know that I have a very limited view in terms of Matthew 24. Most people believe in the symbolism of Matthew 24 that everything in here was fulfilled during the destruction of Jerusalem. Well, they have a real problem hermeneutically when it comes to that. The bottom line is, is that these things were not fulfilled in 8070. They were not. Because what Christ talks about is something that happens to the whole world, not just a city, not just a nation, but the whole world. And that's why the book of Revelation is so important.

Especially when you understand Revelation chapter 3, verse number 10, where he gives the promise to the churches that he will keep them out of the hour of tribulation. that's to come upon the whole world. The word used there, terrao-ec, is a word very significant that removes you out of this tribulational period, which removes you out of this problem that's going to come upon the entire world, not just one central location in the world. And so you begin to understand what Christ is saying when it begins to give the signs.

Let's look at them together. Jesus answered said to them see to it that no one misleads you. For many will come in my name saying, I am the Christ, and will mislead many. One of the first signs is deception.

There's going to be a great deception in the world where people will come and mislead many people. And not only that, there'll be dissension, verses six and seven. And you will be hearing of wars and rumors of wars, see that you are not frightened. for those things must take place, but that is not yet the end. For a nation will rise against nation and kingdom against kingdom, and in various places there will be famines and earthquakes. Not only is there going to be dissension, but there's going to be devastation, there's going to be disease, there's going to be disaster.

Why? Because there are famines, pestilence, and earthquakes. All these things are a part of. of the signs of the end or the consummation of the age. If you read down in verse number eight, but all these things are merely the beginning of birth pains, then they will deliver you to tribulation and will kill you, and you will be hated by all nations on account of my name. Death is another sign of the end of the ages. Disloyalty down in verse number 10 is another sign, and at that time many will fall away and will deliver up one another, and hate one another.

Verse 11, delusion is another sign, and many false prophets will arise and will mislead many. And because lawlessness is increased, most people's love will grow cold. Defection is another sign. And then it says, but the one who endures to the end, he shall be saved, and the gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in the whole world for witness to all the nations. And then the end shall come. There'll be a declaration of the gospel throughout the whole world. Those are ten signs. Did you get all ten of them, by the way?

They all begin with D, in case you missed them. If not, you can buy the tape and pick them up on your way home tonight. But at least ten different significant signs, many things begin to happen. And they parallel Matthew chapter 24 and Matthew chapter 25 in terms of what takes place during the tribulational period. You know, it's fascinating for me to sit back and to keep an eye on the Middle East and watch what happens. We'll have to cover the rest next week. Let's pray together. Thank you.