End Game – Week Two
Matt 24:3-14
If you had one month to live, what specific areas of your life would see the most change? Why?
***For Leaders – Answers will vary. A grim medical diagnosis is a foreshadow of what is to come in someone’s life. The good news is that they are not always correct! There are countless testimonies of people who have survived grim medical diagnosis. Prophecies in Scripture are different as they are 100% accurate. What Biblical prophecy says about Jesus’ return will ultimately happen so those prophecies can be taken seriously so life changes can be made.
Pastor Josh shared a story about geese meandering through traffic as if there is no hurry and no threat. (Assuming this is NOT your first-time hearing about End Times). Have there been changes that you were going to make the last time you heard “End Times” being preached? What was said on Sunday to reignite an urgency to change?
***For Leaders – The first question above had to do with areas that we identify that need to be changed. The second question above has to do with our urgency to change. There are more prophecies about Christ’s second coming in the clouds and there was about his first coming to Bethlehem.
Pastor Josh shared that a sign is not the thing itself…but it points to something. For example, an exit sign is not the exit itself, but it points to the location of the actual exit. What do you think is our appropriate response as we see more “birth pains” or signs of the second coming of Christ?
***For Leaders – Our first response is to keep watch! As the earth’s “birth pains” or signs come with greater frequency and greater intensity so our prayer life should be with greater frequency and greater intensity.
Read Matt 24:3-4 Signs of Deception: People will come point to themselves rather than Jesus so we have to ask ourselves if we are following a person more than following Jesus. How can we be prepared to discern the truth from the lie?
***For Leaders – People learn to identify counterfeit money by studying real money. We have to be a people who study the Word of God and use it as our plumbline in life. So when you read an article, see a social media post or a video, or even have a friend that says something that seems right but slightly off, you’re able to identify it as off because you know what is right.
Read the Scripture and the rest of the possible signs listed below. Discuss among each person which of the signs are the biggest challenge for you to maintain peace in your spirit.
Read Matt 24:6-8 Signs of Devastation – Famine & Earthquakes
- Since 2020 the number has doubled in terms of those who are in a high level of food insecurity (famine) and approximately 1/10 of the people on the planet have no idea where their next meal will come from.
- From 1900 to 1969 major earthquakes on earth averaged 6 every 10 years. After 1969 they average more than 12 per year.
Read Matt 24:9-10 Signs of Persecution
- more than 340M Christians lived under high levels of persecution and discrimination in the world.
- Since Christ’s life there have been approximately 70 million martyrs.
- Christians will even get angry with each other in the way they live out their faith
Read Matt 24:10-11 False Prophets and False Religions
- A false prophet is someone claiming speak on behalf of God or to know a “new religious way”. Is this happening?
- Nearly 4000 more religions in the last 100 years claiming a new religious “way”.
Read Matt 24:12-13 Increased wickedness and love growing cold
- -the acceptance of sin and wickedness is so prevalent.
- And the acceptance of wickedness is often flown under the banner of love. But that version of love…sounds like this, “I won’t judge you, if you won’t judge me.” “what you do in private is not my business”. That’s not love. That’s tolerance.
After discussing which of the signs are the most challenging to your peace in our spirit. Read the following verses on peace and discuss WHY we CAN have peace while we get closer to the End Times:
- “God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble. Therefore we will not fear though the earth gives way, though the mountains be moved into the heart of the sea, though its waters roar and foam, though the mountains tremble at its swelling.”Psalm 46:1-3
- Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. Not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid.”John 14:27
- “…For he has said, ‘I will never leave you nor forsake you.’ So we can confidently say, ’The Lord is my helper; I will not fear; what can man do to me?’” Hebrews 13:5b-6
Apostles knew (Matt 24:3) (Josh’s thoughts on the signs. Don’t overact, but be concerned.)
- Sign of deception (v.4)– People will start pointing to themselves as the thing that will save instead of Jesus. ***Study real money so when the counterfeit comes, it will feel off. Our hearts are tethered in the right situation
- Signs of disputes among nations (v.6) – Why can we say that it’s going to be OK when there is war? Because Jesus is the Lord of lords. 50% of all research scientist are involved in arms development. 7 year peace treaty with Israel will be the beginning of tribulation.
- Sign of Devastation – Global famine #1 problem – War is the number one driver to famine. Famine has doubled. Large scale earthquakes are major with frequency and intensity
Signs of Persecution – (v.9) In 2021 World Watch List:
-more than 340M Christians lived under high levels of persecution and discrimination
Voice of the martyrs- they say approx. 100,000 every year.
Gordon Conwell Theological Seminary estimates that since Christ’s life there have been approximately 70 million martyrs.
-4500 churches and Christian facilities were attacked
-4,000+ Christians were detained with trial, arrested, sentenced or imprisoned.
***(v.10) At that time many will turn away from the faith and will betray and hate each other. We’ve got teachers here. What is you had to teach something, you believed was Biblically wrong. What if another Christian teacher, disagreed with your position and betrayed you or hated you for it. Oh…now that actually doesn’t sound to outlandish.
- False Prophets and False Religions – A false prophet is someone claiming speak on behalf of God or to know a “new religious way”. Is this happening?
- Increased wickedness and love growing cold – (v.12) We will be the few to love those who hate us.
- Increased gospel reach – 97% of the people have gotten the message.
****We need to be ready. Example of Geese walking through traffic.
Look for the signs of the birth pains.