Summary of message (Matthew 24:29-35) 2 October 2025

Summary of message on the 2nd of October 2025 (Matthew 24:29-35)

In this section, Jesus wants to highlight the contrast between the deception of false Christs and their appearing and Christ’s real appearing a second time. In the previous section, we heard that false Christs and false prophets will be among God’s people, and they will attempt to deceive the elect of God. But Jesus made it clear and foretold of these occurrences. Again, we need to highlight that false Christs and false prophets were operating before the destruction of Jerusalem. But as we said before, this section in Matthew 24, 25, deals both with the coming of Christ in judgement upon Jerusalem and the end of the Jewish temple and sacrifices, the end of the Jewish age and also with the end of the world. Matthew 24 and 25 deal with both events. And also, as we read in Matthew 24:4-12, there are 8 signs that characterise every age, every generation. They are called general signs that characterise the fallen world we live in: 1) the appearance of false Christs, 2) the prevalence of wars and nations fighting against one another, and 3) earthquakes and pestilences. 4) famine and 5) persecution of believers and 6) betrayals and hatred of non-believers and 7) deception from false prophets and 8) the increase of lawlessness. It seems that these signs occur cyclically throughout the history of the world (Matt 24:3). But what Jesus wants to highlight is especially the contrast between false Christs and his second coming. We know from Scripture that Jesus ascended into heaven by a cloud (Acts 1:11) and that he said he will come again. So clearly in the previous texts we see Satan will use false Christs claiming to be Christ to deceive people. And also, as we read last week in 2 Thessalonians 2, of the man of sin that will appear and make as if he is God in the temple (or house of God), and he will do this with false miracles and wonders. Jesus, however, highlights the contrast between his coming and their comings. Their coming will be in secret or on earth; his coming will be illustrious and glorious in the air. Their coming will not be anything like his; his will be conspicuous and glorious. Every eye will see him (Rev 1:7), and the earth and heavens will be shaken. This occurrence is the first thing we need to notice.

Secondly, this event, the second coming, is, in its essence, a comfort to Christians; it is the ultimate hope for the Christian in a fallen world filled with sin, sickness, and suffering. The doctrine of the second coming is at the heart of our hope as Christians. Christ promised to come and gather his elect and take them to a new heaven and earth, where all will be made new, where there will be no sin, sickness, suffering and death. There is no gospel without the promise of a new heaven and earth. The gospel is no gospel without the actual second coming of Christ and the renovation of heaven and earth. The death and resurrection of Christ have no meaning without the second coming of Christ.

The third point that is made clear is that this event is closer to all of us than we may realise. Therefore, we see in the next passages Christ urges us to always be ready for that day. He said to his disciples when they see the signs, especially of the abomination of desolation, it is at the door, and for that generation his coming to Israel as judge already took place. And in a sense Christ is coming for every person when they die, within a short period. And even though we are not sure when the actual second coming will take place in history – it may be in our generation or the next or 1000 years from now – the injunction is to be ready, to be prepared, for this word comes with the same force to us.

What we also notice being highlighted in this passage is the certainty of the second coming of Christ and therefore the certainty of God’s fulfilment of his covenant and promises and that He will renovate the earth and heaven and bring in a new order where righteousness will reign for his elect.

Summary of Matthew 24:36-44: Be always ready for Christ will come suddenly and unexpectantly

Summary of message on 9th of October 2025

A few weeks ago, when I was visiting Mae Ai, there was a video going around of a pastor in South Africa who had a “word”, a so-called “prophecy”, that Jesus was going to come on the 23rd of September 2025. I listened to this video on the 21st or 22nd of September. The man was noticeably confident that he was correct, claiming that God had revealed the word to him, and despite others’ scepticism, he maintained that he was right. What was more alarming was the fact that a very renowned gospel singer also believed the message and started telling people to prepare and get ready for the day. And then I saw other videos of people who went to the forests and were all singing and being in ecstatic worship and waiting for Jesus to rapture them. The fact that people have gospel hope of Jesus coming again is heartwarming, but what is heartbreaking is pastors and false prophets who claim that God has spoken to them and disclosed to them the day of the second coming.

This incident is not an isolated event, as many of you know. In the 2nd and 3rd centuries, the Montanists, a charismatic group, also made predictions about the end of the world. It is no coincidence that groups that believe in the continuation of the gift of prophecy, “getting new words from God”, have set dates over and over in history and then been bitterly disappointed by their “pastor”, so-called “leader” or “prophet”. The Jehovah’s Witnesses made predictions about the second coming in 1874, 1878, 1914, 1918, 1925, and 1975 and were forced to reinterpret their so-called prophecies. William Miller, a Baptist preacher, predicted the second coming in 1843. His followers eventually formed the Seventh-day Adventist Church. There have been too many to name in history who have made predictions. In 1999, when I was a young Christian, an older Christian got hold of me and told me the great tribulation was around the corner and the rise of the Antichrist was to emerge. He believed no one knows the day or the hour, but the season we shall recognise. He believed the season was in 1999.

What we have to come to grips with is this: even though there will be definite events preceding the end of the world, like the gospel being preached among all ethnic groups (Matt 24:14), and a great tribulation (Matt 24:29; Revelation 20::3; 7-9) and the man of sin being revealed (2 Thess 2:3,4) and a great apostasy, it is impossible to determine when all these events will actually converge. We see apostasy in every age in the church; there is tribulation and persecution in every century and decade, there are anti-Christs in politics in every age, and it seems even in so-called churches. All these end-time signs just before the second coming can probably happen in a very short period; we need not wait for them before we prepare ourselves for the coming of Christ. The import of this passage and the subsequent passages is all the same: the second coming will come suddenly and unexpectedly; no one will be able to calculate the date, the day, or the hour, nor, I believe, even the season or year. As Jesus said, it will come suddenly, like a thief in the night. It will take the world by surprise. And the event will be a cataclysmic event; it will not happen in a corner. It will be like in the days of Noah’s flood. The whole world will be destroyed.

Because Jesus says this event will come suddenly and unexpectedly, there is a great need for the people on earth to always be ready and prepared to meet their God. It may be that Jesus tarries for another 1000 years; we don’t know. What we also know is this: Jesus can come personally for any person on any day. As the Lord has been tarrying for 2000 years, we need to admit that God’s coming for us personally can also be sudden; for example, when a natural disaster strikes and you die, or you are in a fatal accident, or you have a sudden heart attack or accident. At times of war (as happened at the fall of Jerusalem), a person’s life can suddenly and unexpectedly be taken away. In this sense, we need to always be ready, because Christ can come at any time for us personally, and no one knows his time, as the second coming is unknown to all humanity.  These words of Jesus should make us live life, every day, as if it is our last. Every day you need to live Coram Deo, in the presence of God, under the authority of His Word and for His glory.