August 29 | Are We Living in the End Times?

Series | The Purpose Filled Life

Scripture | Matthew 24:42, “Therefore keep watch, because you do not know on what day your Lord will come.”

Lesson 29 | Are We Living in the End Times?

According to the Bible we have been living in the end times since the Day of Pentecost (approx. 33 AD).  Peter made this clear when he preached his first sermon that day from the prophecy of Joel found in the Old Testament.  In Acts 2:17 Peter said, “In the last days, God says, I will pour out my Spirit on all people. Your sons and daughters will prophesy.”  Thus, the outpouring of the Holy Spirit marked the beginning of the last days.

At the same time, though the initial end time period started at Pentecost, Jesus spoke about the conclusion of the end times being His return and second coming.  In Matthew 24 Jesus gave very specific signs to look for to know that His coming is near.  As the above passage teaches no one can know the day, but Jesus also said in Matthew 24:33, “Even so, when you see all these things [signs], you know that it is near, right at the door.”

Here is a list of the eight signs Jesus gave in Matthew 24 to let us know when His coming was close, (1) False Christs- v. 5, (2) Wars/Revolutions- v. 7, (3) Famines- v. 7, (4) Earthquakes- v. 7, (5) Diseases- Luke 21:11, (6) Persecution- v. 9, (7) Sin Will Abound- v. 12, & (8) The Gospel Will Be Preached to All the World- v. 14.

Now consider the following stats concerning these signs in our current generation, (1) Over 1,000 people in the last 50yrs have claimed to be “Jesus,” (2) We’ve had over 40 major wars and revolutions since 1940, (3) Over 1 billion people are starving in the world today, (4) Major earth quakes are on the rise, (5) More than 50 million people have AIDS, (6) Over 100,000 Christians die each year for their faith, (7) Sins like abortion, homosexuality, and greed are corrupting all cultures, & (8) Today Christianity is growing 8x faster than the rate of birth in places that have never heard the name of Jesus!

Therefore, I believe we are living in the last seconds of the last day before Jesus’ return.  Preach, pray, and plug away until He comes.  Maranatha- come Lord Jesus!

Reflection | Are you ready for Jesus to come back?

Action | (1) Prepare your heart to meet the Lord. (2) Watch and see how the signs of the end increase in your lifetime.  (3) Lastly, tell all your friends, “Get ready because Jesus is coming back soon!”

One Year Reading Plan (Optional) | Job 31:1-33:33, 2 Corinthians 3:1-18, Psalm 43:1-5, & Proverbs 22:8-9. Click here to read online.