March 31, 2010
CAN YOU PAGE THE ANESTHESIOLOGIST?
Matthew 24:3-14
Alex Wagner
Central Truth
Just as surely as Jesus came, He is coming again. The Lamb will return as a Lion, but not before there is much trouble.
Key Verse | Matthew 24:6
"You will be hearing of wars and rumors of wars. See that you are not frightened, for those things must take place, but that is not yet the end." (Matthew 24:6)
Matthew 24:3-14
Signs of the End of the Age
3 As he sat on the Mount of Olives, the disciples came to him privately, saying, “Tell us, when will these things be, and what will be the sign of your coming and of the end of the age?” 4 And Jesus answered them, “See that no one leads you astray. 5 For many will come in my name, saying, ‘I am the Christ,’ and they will lead many astray. 6 And you will hear of wars and rumors of wars. See that you are not alarmed, for this must take place, but the end is not yet. 7 For nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom, and there will be famines and earthquakes in various places. 8 All these are but the beginning of the birth pains.
9 Then they will deliver you up to tribulation and put you to death, and you will be hated by all nations for my name's sake. 10 And then many will fall away 1 24:10 Or stumble and betray one another and hate one another. 11 And many false prophets will arise and lead many astray. 12 And because lawlessness will be increased, the love of many will grow cold. 13 But the one who endures to the end will be saved. 14 And this gospel of the kingdom will be proclaimed throughout the whole world as a testimony to all nations, and then the end will come.
Dive Deeper | Matthew 24:3-14
Early in my preparation for this devotional, I found this quote: "Matthew 24 is a crucial passage for understanding the second coming of the Lord Jesus Christ; however, it is one of the most difficult in the whole of Scripture and has been an exegetical battleground with no absolute consensus even among those who take the Bible seriously as God’s Word."
Great.
After considering a crash course in the Second Coming or trading with the lucky chump who got the passage announcing the birth of the Messiah, I decided to press on, hoping to find something I could speak to with a shred of credibility.
Then I saw these words: BIRTH PANGS. I'm an expert in birth pangs, having experienced them six times. Fortunately, I am also a six-time acquaintance of the master of “pang” disguise, the anesthesiologist.
The individuals who will experience the things Jesus is speaking about in this passage should be so lucky. Jesus was asked: When will You return? What will be the sign of Your coming? What about the end of the age? He answers by describing the birth pangs: many will come to mislead you (ouch), there will be wars and rumors of wars (can you page the anesthesiologist?), nations will rise against nations, kingdom against kingdom (are you sure you hit the epidural space?), famines and earthquakes (OK, I am sure to need another dose). These birth pangs signal an imminent delivery of tribulation.
The truth is that there is no anesthesia for these pangs! In fact, death isn’t even an option, though many will wish for it (Revelation 9:1-6).
Great. Now what?
First, be reminded that this passage is speaking of events leading up to Christ's return, and if our Pre-Tribulation scholar friends are right, then believers will already be home with Him. Let’s pray for that! Second, remember that whether or not we are out of here, many whom God loves will not be. Let’s speak to them. We must compel them to consider the Divine Physician, who is far better than any anesthesiologist . . . birth pangs or not.
Discussion Questions
1. Have you trusted in the One who loves you and is coming again?
2. Do you know God's Word so that you are not misled by false teaching?
3. Are you sharing the hope of Christ with those who need to know Him?
FAMILY DISCUSSION QUESTIONS
1. God has given us many great people to guide and direct us, but who should we look to for ultimate guidance and truth?
2. Where do you go to get that guidance and truth?