Things to Happen

Matthew 24:4-8 “Watch out that no one deceives you. 5 For many will come in my name, claiming, ‘I am the Christ,’ and will deceive many. 6 You will hear of wars and rumors of wars, but see to it that you are not alarmed. Such things must happen, but the end is still to come. 7 Nation will rise against nation, and Kingdom against Kingdom. There will be famines and earthquakes in various places. 8 All these are the beginning of birth pains.”
 
AS the disciples have asked Jesus, “When will this happen, and what will be the sign of your coming and of the end of the age?” (Matthew 24:3), Jesus did not answer “when” but his reply focused on the signs that will point the faithful to his coming.
   Jesus words here are a summary of world and church history until history’s end. First, he warns against false teachers. We know that from Jesus’ time to this very day false teachers have elevated man’s teachings over our Savior’s truth. Some have raised themselves to the level of Jesus and promised their followers could avoid Jesus’ prophesied trials and tribulations. Some have even set dates for Jesus’ return. 
   Amid these false Christs and teachers, true disciples will face trials. We know of the first disciples’ trials and persecutions. That was merely the beginning. Persecution today against Jesus’ church is at its highest level in history.
   Second, Jesus says war will essentially be constant until he comes again. This is a common warning in Revelation as well. The picture of mankind’s horrific destruction of one another is the great heartache of our story. History and current events certainly tells us this is true. Third, Jesus affirms natural disasters are also part of God’s plan. We sometimes wonder why they occur. One reason is to remind us the physical world needs Jesus’ redemption as much as we do. Jesus will come to end creation’s upheaval.
   The Olivet Discourse lesson here is this: In the midst of turmoil in our lives, the church and the world, we must faithfully be centered on Jesus. What is happening may look like chaos, but all is under God’s order to prepare us for Jesus’ coming.