Participants: Glenn Russell & Ranko Stefanovic (Host)
Series Code: MTBOTB
Program Code: MTBOTB00021A
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00:21 Hi and welcome to the Books of the Book series
00:24 on the Gospel of Matthew. 00:25 I'm Glenn Russell, Professor of Religion at Andrews University, 00:28 partnering with 3ABN on this wonderful series exploring 00:33 the major concepts, and ideas, and passages of the gospel 00:37 of Matthew. 00:38 Our teacher is Dr. Ranko Stefannovic as we're studying 00:41 God's Word together. 00:42 Ranko is a professor of the New Testament at Andrews University 00:45 Theological Seminary. 00:46 Ranko we're glad to have you with us here. 00:49 Let's go to God in prayer as we get started. 00:52 Lord we ask that You will come and be with us as we open 00:56 Your Word. 00:57 We want to know You more. 00:59 We want to understand the deeper things of Your Word. 01:02 We want to grow in our love for You, so come we pray through 01:06 Your Holy Spirit. 01:07 May we recognize Your presence here. 01:09 In Jesus' name, Amen. 01:11 Amen. 01:12 We're in the last part of the Gospel of Matthew, 01:16 the last part of Jesus' earthly ministry, just a few days 01:20 before the cross. 01:21 And He's giving His disciples those famous passages that many, 01:26 many Christians study: Matthew 24 and 25. 01:29 Let's wrap up Chapter 24 today and go into Chapter 25. 01:33 We saw when Jesus stated to the disciples that Jerusalem and the 01:41 temple, in consequence of rejecting the Messiah, 01:46 will be destroyed by the Romans in A.D. 70. 01:50 The disciples were stunned. 01:51 The disciples approached Jesus with the clear question: 01:56 When will these things happen? 01:58 They associated the destruction of the temple with the Second 02:02 Coming of Jesus, assuming that this is the end of the world. 02:08 So they were interested: When? 02:12 But Jesus surprised them. 02:15 As we went through Chapter 24 we saw actually that Jesus 02:20 never, never explained to His disciples when the end 02:27 would come. 02:28 He told them there would be indications in the world; 02:33 the things and events that will take place; all this to remind 02:37 them that the end is coming. 02:40 Always to remind them and keep afresh in their minds of the 02:46 reality of the Second Coming of Christ. 02:48 And by watching those signs that Jesus told them, 02:52 from that metaphor of the fig tree, when you see it 02:56 you'll know that He's close at the door. 02:58 But the problem is we don't know when. 03:02 Do the disciples wondered when Jesus... 03:05 By the way, Glenn, I would like to mention something. 03:08 If you go to the book of Acts, in Chapter 1, the disciples 03:14 did not get it. 03:15 After the resurrection the disciples came to Jesus, 03:18 in Verse 8 of the book of Acts, asking Jesus, Are you going now 03:23 to establish Your kingdom? 03:25 What is that that Jesus told them? 03:27 It is not given to you to understand the things that the 03:32 Father has not revealed to you by His own authority. 03:36 And you can understand that, Ranko, because our natural 03:39 desire for something good and wonderful is to know when. 03:42 Glenn, I must say something. 03:45 I'd like to know what the future brings. 03:47 Oh my! 03:48 If about fifteen or more years ago, I think, 03:51 something like that, fifteen years ago, I knew what would 03:55 happen to my son. 03:56 You remember that my son was almost killed. 04:00 Our family went through a terrible tragedy. 04:04 Uh huh. 04:05 If I knew what would happen to my family, probably I would 04:08 make different plans of where to live and what to do 04:11 in my life. 04:12 We would like to know what the future brings. 04:14 But Jesus Christ gave us a reminder of what the 04:18 future will bring. 04:19 But, unfortunately, we don't know the exact time, 04:23 the exact time when it's that time. 04:25 God in His mercy may have held back the exact time, 04:28 but there should be a sense of urgency. 04:30 Look at Verse 42. 04:31 Yes. 04:32 Watch therefore, for you do not know on what day your Lord 04:36 is coming. 04:37 But know this... 04:38 So there's a watching, and there's a waiting. 04:42 Therefore, verse 44, you also must be ready. 04:47 Actually, I would like to invite the viewers to go through 04:51 Chapters 24 and 25 to see how many... 04:54 Well, let's go to 25:13, Be on the alert for you do not know 04:59 the day or hour. 05:00 Jesus constantly reminds them, you don't know when. 05:04 Okay, we don't know exactly when, but we know 05:08 that it is close. 05:09 Do you see the difference? 05:10 We know that it is near. 05:11 He is at the door. 05:13 Okay? 05:15 Yes. 05:16 So there's an urgency, but not an exact moment. 05:17 But now there's a shift in Jesus' presentation. 05:20 But before that shift, 05:24 Not at all. 05:25 Jesus, you see, Glenn would you read from Verse 36 05:29 to Verse 41? 05:32 But of that day and hour no one knows, not even the angels 05:37 of heaven, nor the Son, but the Father only. 05:40 As for the days of Noah, so will it be in the coming of 05:44 the Son of man. 05:45 For as it was in the days before the flood they were eating 05:48 and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, 05:50 until the day when Noah entered the ark. 05:52 And they did not know until the flood came, and swept 05:55 them all away. 05:56 So it will be with the coming of the Son of man. 05:59 Then two men will be in a field; one is taken, the other is left. 06:04 Two women will be grinding at the mill; one is taken, 06:07 and one is left. 06:08 Okay. 06:09 You know that to illustrate the suddenness of His coming, 06:12 Jesus uses six parables, and how to live as we are waiting 06:17 for the Second Coming of Christ. 06:19 The first parable is based in the historical reality 06:21 of the flood. 06:22 I must say something. 06:24 So many times I hear preachers that are referring to the time 06:28 of Noah, you know, that will establish the date of the 06:30 Second Coming of Christ. 06:31 You know in history what people are doing 120 years, etc. 06:35 But I see other Christians that say, you know, Jesus told us 06:40 when He will come. 06:41 When? 06:42 Before His Second Coming people will eat and drink; 06:45 they will marry and divorce; they will build houses, 06:50 and build better houses. 06:51 It appears that people have never been doing something like 06:54 that just before the Second Coming of Christ. 06:56 It sounds like pretty normal behavior. 06:58 Actually what Jesus was trying to tell us, 07:03 Glenn, what can we say about the time of Noah? 07:05 Do you remember that? 07:06 Noah preached to the people for a long period, 120 years, 07:10 reminding them of the flood that would come. 07:12 Nobody believed. 07:14 Finally, you remember that song, "Two by two, two by two," 07:17 all those animals, they actually came and entered the ark. 07:22 Suddenly people became silent. 07:24 They saw that something was going on. 07:27 But the angel of the Lord, according to the book 07:30 of Genesis, closed the door and people are watching 07:34 what will happen. 07:35 The first day came and was over and nothing happened. 07:40 The second day nothing happened. 07:43 The third day nothing happened. 07:44 And people suddenly started laughing, coming and laughing 07:48 there at Noah, probably knocking on the Ark. 07:51 Do you see that? 07:52 The fourth day, the fifth day, the sixth day; nothing happened! 07:56 The seventh day. 07:57 You see, people were going and getting married, 07:59 planning marriage, building houses, eating and drinking; 08:02 celebrating. 08:03 Everything looked normal. 08:05 And then Jesus said, and the flood came suddenly. 08:09 Does that make sense? 08:11 The flood came suddenly. 08:13 So Jesus said, So it will be at the day of the Second Coming 08:16 of Christ. 08:17 So Jesus said, Two people will be working in the field. 08:20 Why do you work in the field? 08:22 You want to provide the food for the next year. 08:24 One will be taken. 08:26 Jesus will come. 08:28 One will be taken and another one who was not ready 08:30 will be left. 08:31 Two people will be working there in the house, grinding there. 08:35 Okay? 08:36 One will be taken and another one will be left. 08:39 We don't have here any Secret Rapture. 08:42 Jesus is talking about His coming. 08:44 This is what will happen at His coming. 08:47 You see, those who are ready will meet Jesus Christ. 08:51 Those who are not ready, they will not meet Jesus Christ. 08:55 And for those who are not ready it will be like a thief 08:57 in the night. 08:58 Yeah, I'd like to say a few words to the viewers. 09:01 We must be ready. 09:04 You see, my faith in Jesus Christ and His coming is not 09:08 based on different speculations trying to establish the date of 09:13 His coming. 09:14 My faith in the Second Coming is not based on the fact that 09:21 I know when He will come. 09:23 My faith is based and established on that; 09:26 on the reality of His coming. 09:28 That He is coming, and indeed He is coming very soon! 09:33 And Jesus said, Be ready! 09:35 Be ready because you do not know the exact time 09:39 of His coming. 09:40 This is the main message of Matthew Chapter 24. 09:45 Now He's introduced us to the illustration from Noah, 09:49 but there's some other stories that... 09:52 There are six parables. 09:53 Right. 09:54 We are going now to the second one. 09:55 Alright. 09:56 Please can you read the next parable? 09:58 Verse 45 of Matthew 24, Who then is the faithful and wise 10:02 servant, whom his master has set over his household, 10:05 to give them their food at the proper time? 10:07 Blessed is that servant, whom when his master comes will find 10:11 him so doing. 10:12 Truly I say to you, he will set him over all his possessions. 10:16 But if that wicked servant says to himself, My master is 10:20 delayed; and begins to beat his fellow servants, 10:22 and casts them, and drinks with the drunken; 10:26 and the master of that servant will come on a day when he does 10:29 not expect him, and at an hour when he does not know, 10:33 and will punish him, and put him with the hypocrites: 10:36 there men will weep and gnash their teeth. 10:39 So we have here a parable of two servants. 10:43 What is the point that Jesus made? 10:45 You see, what we have here, this parable, (actually it's 10:51 linked to the previous one; the illustration that Jesus uses 10:55 from the time of Noah and the flood.) 10:57 And, Glenn, I'd like, please, to ask you for a favor. 11:00 If you can read these linking texts, that serve as a link 11:05 between the Noah saying and these verses, 42 and 44. 11:12 Just to see what the main point is that Jesus is trying to 11:15 make for us. 11:16 Watch therefore for you do not know on what day your Lord 11:19 is coming. 11:20 But know this, that if the householder had known in what 11:23 part of the night the thief was coming, he would have watched, 11:26 and he would not have let his house be broken into. 11:29 And Verse 44. 11:30 Therefore you also must be ready: for the Son of man is 11:34 coming at the hour you do not expect. 11:35 So what is the main point of referring to the time of Noah? 11:39 That the flood came suddenly; so the Second Coming of Christ 11:43 will be sudden. 11:45 How it's important to be ready for the Second Coming of Christ. 11:50 But you see, building on that concept; now Jesus uses 11:54 a parable of two servants. 11:57 Glenn, we have to work it now together. 11:59 What was the assumption that the unfaithful servant made? 12:05 The delay; my master's not coming. 12:08 Who knows when He will come? 12:09 I would like to say to the viewers, we are all tempted 12:14 to do that when we are carried by this life to say, you see, 12:18 everything looks normal in nature. 12:20 You see, the promise of Jesus coming has been already for two 12:24 thousand years. 12:25 Who knows when He will come? 12:27 We are not talking here about Christians who have given up 12:32 that believe in the Second Coming of Christ. 12:35 I mentioned previously my father who has been a Christian 12:40 for sixty years. 12:41 When he accepted Jesus Christ as his personal savior, 12:45 he fell in love with Him. 12:46 My father knew nothing to talk about but the Second Coming 12:50 of Christ. 12:51 Actually, I visited my father the last time before he died. 12:54 Believe me, he was a skeleton covered with skin. 12:58 But suddenly when we started singing the songs about the 13:00 Second Coming of Christ, and I read the promise of Jesus 13:03 from the gospels, suddenly my father was filled 13:08 with new energy. 13:10 It is with that hope that he died. 13:13 My father firmly believed that Jesus would come 13:16 during his time. 13:18 But He did not come. 13:19 So you see, we are all tempted with that. 13:21 You know, we don't know when, so who knows when? 13:25 Let us just live in this life. 13:27 But what is the right attitude according to this parable? 13:32 What about the wise servant? 13:34 The servant who is so doing. 13:35 In other words, how we deal with the delay is an indication. 13:40 So the wise servant, he doesn't speculate, establish the date. 13:44 He doesn't know when the master will come, but he says, 13:48 he can come today; so he's ready for today. 13:52 Tomorrow for him is today. 13:53 The day after tomorrow is today. 13:56 I really like what William Miller, the founder of the 14:00 Millerite Movement, said after the failure, you know, 14:03 of that date and the expectations of the 14:05 Second Coming of Christ. 14:06 He said, From now on I have fixed my mind on one date, 14:11 and I will stick to that date, 14:15 until the time I die. 14:16 What is that date? today? 14:18 If Jesus does not come today; not tomorrow, today, 14:24 the next day? 14:25 If Jesus does not come again, today, today, today, this is how 14:30 we must live because Jesus is coming for us today. 14:34 Glenn, after this program you and me, we can sit in the car 14:36 and be killed in a car accident. 14:38 For me, Jesus has come. 14:39 That's right. 14:41 We must always be ready because we do not know. 14:44 But we know that He is coming, and this is the main point 14:48 that Jesus is trying to make. 14:49 And if you haven't heard the Pillars music of that 14:53 very message; today, today, you'll want to make sure 14:56 you get that. 14:57 Go to the website for 3ABN. 14:58 Fantastic song about readiness for Jesus. 15:03 We'll be right back after our break as we explore these other 15:06 parables of Jesus that deal with the readiness for the 15:09 Second Coming. 15:10 We'll be right back. |
Revised 2014-12-17