Month: October 2025

Matthew 24:15–28, 32–35
By Pastor Luke Sills

I remember hearing someone once say, “The Bible is the only book that tells the future with perfect accuracy.” That truth echoes loudly when we come to Matthew 24. Here, Jesus sits with His disciples on the Mount of Olives and begins to describe events that would shake the very foundation of their faith. He tells them that the magnificent temple—the pride of Jerusalem, the center of their worship—will one day be destroyed.

For His disciples, that was unthinkable. The temple was the visible symbol of God’s presence. Yet Jesus’ words weren’t meant to spark fear but faith. He wanted them—and us—to understand that while earthly structures and systems may crumble, His Word will never pass away.

“Heaven and earth will pass away, but My words will not pass away.”
— Matthew 24:35

The Warning: When You See the Abomination of Desolation

Jesus said, “When you see the abomination of desolation spoken of by the prophet Daniel, standing in the holy place…then let those who are in Judea flee to the mountains.” (v.15–16)

To understand this, we have to look back to Daniel’s prophecy. Centuries before Christ, Daniel saw a vision of a ruler who would desecrate the temple (Daniel 8, 9, 11, 12). That prophecy was partially fulfilled in 168 BC when Antiochus Epiphanes entered the temple and defiled it—setting up a pagan altar and even sacrificing pigs there. But Jesus says that wasn’t the end of it—it was only a preview.

In A.D. 70, the Roman general Titus fulfilled Jesus’ words with horrifying precision. The Roman army surrounded Jerusalem, destroyed the city, and burned the temple to the ground. As the fire melted the gold, soldiers tore the stones apart to retrieve it—literally leaving “not one stone upon another,” just as Jesus foretold.

The Jewish historian Josephus wrote that Jerusalem was so completely destroyed that a stranger would never believe it had once been inhabited. Over a million people perished; nearly a hundred thousand were taken as slaves.

Jesus’ prophecy came true—down to the last detail.

And yet, even as He described such devastation, Jesus’ purpose was not despair but preparation. His message was clear: Be ready.

The Commands of Christ and Their Application for Us

Although Jesus spoke directly to His disciples about the destruction of the temple, His words still carry timeless truth for us. We may not be fleeing Jerusalem, but we are living in a world that is just as unstable, deceptive, and distracted. The same spiritual commands still apply.

1. Flee from what God calls you to flee from.

Jesus told His followers to flee to the mountains. For us, that means running from anything that draws us away from faithfulness to Christ.
As Paul wrote in 2 Timothy 2:22: “Flee youthful passions and pursue righteousness.”
Don’t linger around temptation—run from it. Flee sin and pursue Jesus.

2. Don’t go down for what you can’t keep.

Jesus warned not to go back into the house to gather possessions.
The lesson? Don’t cling to temporary things when God is calling you forward in obedience. What’s in the house won’t save you when the storm comes. Hold this world loosely.

3. Don’t turn back.

When God calls you out, don’t look back. Lot’s wife turned back—and lost everything. When we look back to our old life or sin, we miss what God wants to do ahead of us. Faith moves forward.

4. Pray with dependence.

Jesus told them to “pray that your flight may not be in winter or on a Sabbath.” Prayer reminds us that timing and strength come from God alone. A praying believer is a prepared believer.

5. Don’t believe every voice.

False teachers, false prophets, and false saviors will always rise. Jesus warned that many would perform signs and wonders to deceive even the elect. We live in a time of spiritual confusion—don’t chase every new message. Test everything by the Word of God.

6. Learn from what God shows you.

Jesus said, “From the fig tree learn its lesson.” Be discerning. Pay attention to the seasons. Don’t sleep through the signs. Learn from God’s Word so you can stand firm in changing times.

How Jesus Fulfills This Prophecy

The temple fell, but God’s presence did not.
When the Romans tore down stone after stone, God was pointing to a greater truth: His presence would no longer dwell in a building but in the hearts of His people.

Jesus is now our greater temple—the true meeting place between God and man. He was the One “cut off” as Daniel foresaw. He bore the desolation of our sin on the cross so that we might never be forsaken.

The destruction of Jerusalem reminds us that earthly kingdoms fall, but Christ’s kingdom will never fail. His resurrection proves that what He promises, He performs.

So when Jesus says, “Heaven and earth will pass away, but My words will not pass away,” He’s declaring that His promises are more permanent than the universe itself. The temple burned, the city fell—but His Word still stands.

Living Ready

So how do we live ready today?
By doing exactly what Jesus told His disciples—by obeying His Word, praying with faith, and discerning truth in every season.

When the world shakes, stand firm in Christ.
When deception rises, cling to His truth.
When fear grows, pray with dependence.
When everything else fades, remember: Jesus remains.

A Final Invitation

If everything Jesus said about the temple came true, what makes us think His words about His return won’t?

The same Jesus who warned of judgment also offers salvation. The same Lord who spoke of desolation promises restoration. What He said would happen, happened. What He says will happen, will.

Readiness doesn’t mean panic—it means preparation. It means placing your trust not in your own goodness, not in a system or a structure, but in Jesus Christ alone. He is our refuge when the world shakes. He is the temple that will never fall.

Maybe for you, readiness means surrendering your life to Him for the first time—confessing your sin and trusting in the One who died and rose again for you. Or maybe it means returning to Him, renewing your focus, and saying, “Lord, I want to be found faithful when You come.”

Don’t wait. Don’t turn back. Come to Him now—while there’s still time.

Because when everything else falls, Jesus still stands.
And that’s the ultimate proof of prophecy fulfilled.

By Luke Sills

I remember hearing someone once say, “The darker the days, the brighter our hope must shine.” That truth echoes throughout Matthew 24, where Jesus gives His disciples a sobering yet hopeful picture of the days to come.

Our main idea is simple but profound:

Despite the trials that may come that will test one’s faith, those who are in the faith will persevere to the end.

The Context of Hope

Matthew 24:1–14 opens with the disciples marveling at the temple in Jerusalem — a building so magnificent that it symbolized Israel’s pride, power, and identity. But Jesus shocks them with His words:

“Truly, I say to you, there will not be left here one stone upon another that will not be thrown down.” (v. 2)

That prophecy came true just decades later in A.D. 70, when the Romans destroyed the temple. Stones still lie in ruins near the Western Wall today — a visible reminder that everything built by human hands eventually falls.

But Jesus’ words didn’t stop with the temple. They pointed beyond it — to the trials, false teachers, and global turmoil that would characterize every generation until His return.

Scholars often describe this as prophetic foreshortening — when near and distant events are spoken of together because they share similar traits. Like mountain peaks that look close from a distance but are separated by miles, Jesus spoke of both the destruction of Jerusalem and His future return.

And through it all, His message was clear: Do not be led astray. Do not be alarmed. Endure with faith.

1. Tribulation Will Come — So Stay Steady

Jesus began His teaching with a warning:

“See that no one leads you astray.” (v. 4)

Before He mentioned wars or earthquakes, Jesus called His followers to discernment. In every generation, there will be false voices — new “messiahs,” new “truths,” and new distortions of the gospel.

In the years before Jerusalem fell, false prophets led crowds to their deaths. Josephus recorded how men like Theudas and an Egyptian prophet deceived thousands with empty promises of deliverance. Even within the early church, false teachers twisted the message of Christ.

Jesus’ warning still rings true today. Deception wears modern clothes — self-proclaimed saviors, political idols, false gospels of prosperity and comfort. Yet His command hasn’t changed: “See that no one leads you astray.”

Then Jesus adds, “You will hear of wars and rumors of wars. See that you are not alarmed.” (v. 6)

The world has known almost constant conflict since those words were spoken. Yet war is not a sign that God has lost control — it’s proof that the world still groans for redemption. Every famine, earthquake, and act of violence reminds us that creation itself is in “the beginning of birth pains” (v. 8), longing for new life.

Like labor contractions, these pains intensify before the joy of birth. The world’s chaos isn’t the end — it’s the beginning of something new.

2. There Is Hope in the Last Days — Because Faith in Jesus Saves

Jesus’ warnings crescendo with darkness — persecution, betrayal, and lawlessness. “The love of many will grow cold,” He says (v. 12). But then He adds the promise that anchors our hope:

“The one who endures to the end will be saved.” (v. 13)

That’s the heart of Christian hope — not that we’ll escape trouble, but that faith in Christ will hold us through it.

The apostle John knew this firsthand. Exiled to the island of Patmos for preaching the gospel, he wrote,

“I, John, your brother and partner in the tribulation and the kingdom and the patient endurance that are in Jesus.” (Revelation 1:9)

John’s faith didn’t remove him from suffering; it sustained him through it. In that lonely place, Jesus met him with revelation and glory. What the empire meant for isolation, God used for inspiration.

That’s what tribulation does for believers — it refines our faith and redirects our hope. It strips away comfort and control until all that’s left is Christ — and that’s where real hope lives.

And even in the midst of chaos, Jesus promises something extraordinary:

“This gospel of the kingdom will be proclaimed throughout the whole world as a testimony to all nations.” (v. 14)

The gospel will not be silenced by war, famine, persecution, or unbelief. It will go forward — because Jesus is Lord, and His kingdom cannot fail.

As Tertullian once said, “The blood of the martyrs is the seed of the church.” The more the church is pressed, the more the gospel spreads. From Jerusalem to Rome to every corner of the earth, God’s mission moves forward.

So instead of obsessing over signs and timelines, Jesus calls us to focus on the one mission that matters: make disciples of all nations.

We’re not saved to escape the world — we’re sent into it. The time between Christ’s resurrection and His return is missions time. Every generation of believers carries the torch a little farther until He comes again.

Head, Heart, and Hands

Head: What We Must Understand

• Tribulation, deception, and persecution are not signs that God has lost control — they’re part of His redemptive plan.
• The instability of the world points us toward the stability of Christ’s eternal kingdom.
• Endurance is the evidence of genuine faith, not the cause of it.
• The gospel will go forth — no matter the darkness.

Heart: What We Must Believe and Feel

• Confidence: Jesus reigns over history.
• Courage: Suffering is not abandonment but refinement.
• Compassion: Every “birth pain” reminds us redemption is near.
• Persevering love: Even when others grow cold, Christ’s love in us stays warm.

Hands: What We Must Do

• Stay grounded in Scripture so no one leads you astray.
• Keep sharing the gospel — every hardship is a chance to witness.
• Stand firm in community and encourage endurance in others.
• Live alert but not alarmed, with active faith and patient hope.

Our Hope Is Christ

When the world trembles, our foundation remains unshaken — Jesus Christ, the true Temple and eternal King.

The world may grow darker. The love of many may grow cold. But the gospel still burns bright, and our Savior still reigns.

So church — lift your eyes, steady your heart, and hold fast to hope.
The one who endures to the end will be saved.