Spring City Fellowship
251123Sunday
Sunday November 23, 2025 10:15AM Service

      • Psalm 150:3NIV2011

  • New Doxology
  • God You're So Good
  • Give Thanks
  • God You're So Good
  • Great Is Thy Faithfulness
  • Thank You Jesus For The Blood
  • Because Of Jesus
  • Our Theme for 2025 is “Live Like Jesus”
    It comes out of a simple desire to follow Jesus - and to learn better what that means.
    We are spending the entire year in the Gospel of Matthew.
    We have covered just about everything that Matthew tells us about the renewed life and living like Jesus including defining devotion and the reward for service in the Kingdom of God.
    The Kingdom of God is bigger than any church, denomination or organization.
    The rule of God encompasses the whole world - but only some people recognize it and are partnering with God to help restore it.
    Jesus redefined the way we think about life and about God and that shapes the way His followers live the renewed life.
    We are now culminating our study on the renewed life and Jesus disciples ask Him that question that everyone is dying to know...
    So how does this story end?
    Consider a jigsaw puzzle. At first, the scattered pieces can seem chaotic and confusing. But as you start connecting them, you discover a beautiful picture forming. And now consider putting together a jigsaw puzzle together without the box. Sometimes we're convinced we know how the picture should look. However, Matthew 24 tells us that God adds pieces we never expected, creating a masterpiece far beyond our imagination. Embrace the surprises of life; they may just be part of the divine plan unfolding!
    How will it be at the end of the age?
    How will our story end?
    We know that God’s plan is to restore all things.
    The disciples probably imagined that Jesus was going to lead a revolution and that they were going to become His generals.
    The truth is that Jesus does lead a revolution - but a moral revolution, not a military revolution.
    It’s the renewed life - living like Jesus.
    it is a life characterized by love for God and for others.
    It is a life whose values are just the opposite of what the world is searching for.
    You can expect that the culmination of this story is going to be full of surprises as well.
    There is going to be an unexpected ending - not the one that most people think.
    And there will be some major plot twists that have been foreshadowed all along - those who are familiar with the story will recognize them when they see them.
    And the element of surprise will be used to gain the advantage in the end for those who have been part of the story all along.
    This chapter should not be troubling for those who have chosen to live like Jesus.
    It should make you lean in and be attentive to what happens next...

    The unexpected ending.

    Matthew 24:1–2 ESV
    1 Jesus left the temple and was going away, when his disciples came to point out to him the buildings of the temple. 2 But he answered them, “You see all these, do you not? Truly, I say to you, there will not be left here one stone upon another that will not be thrown down.”
    Most of us have heard this passage before and it may have lost some of it’s shock value.
    What Jesus says about the destruction of the temple is nothing short of astounding.
    So much so, that it has caused many scholars to insist that Mathew must have written this gospel (or at least this portion of it) after the events of 70 AD (when the Romans actually destroyed the Jewish temple complex).
    But scholars who have no trouble believing that Jesus foretold these events prophetically - counter that the most natural reading is that Jesus is in fact foretelling these events.
    So try to imagine for a moment that you don’t know that the temple will be destroyed?
    How would you have felt If someone told you before 9/11/2001 that the World Trade Center would be destroyed?
    Imagine how you would have felt before November 9, 1989 if I told you that the Berlin Wall would come down?
    Some of you can remember a time before November 22, 1963 - what if someone told you then that the President would be assassinated? Would you have believed them?
    Now you understand the magnitude of what Jesus is saying.
    This is mind-blowing stuff.
    We talked last week about narratives - we all have an idea of how we think the story is supposed to go.
    This doesn’t fit anyone’s narrative - nobody wants to even think about it.
    Just mentioning it probably evokes feelings like “its the end of the world!”
    However, according to Jesus, it’s not...at least not yet.

    The end is not yet.

    Matthew 24:3–14 ESV
    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 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.
    There is a political strategy - and if you are paying attention, you have probably recognized it - whereby leaders intentionally create chaos in oder to manipulate people into submission.
    First you create a crisis and then you present your solution.
    And if you do it right, nobody realizes that you were the one who created the crisis in the first place.
    You frame someone else as the cause of the crisis and claim to be the hero who can fix it.
    I will let you come up with some recent examples on your own...
    Jesus told us that this was going to happen.
    He said there would be chaos.
    He said that there was going to be international conflict and tension.
    He said that there was going to be social polarization.
    And he even predicted that it would divide believers and non-believers.
    He told his disciples that they would become the object of the worlds scorn.
    And He even promised that there would be suffering.
    John 15:18–19 ESV
    18 “If the world hates you, know that it has hated me before it hated you. 19 If you were of the world, the world would love you as its own; but because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, therefore the world hates you.
    Jesus told us ahead of time so that we wouldn’t get caught up in the chaos.
    We know that much of the world is under the control of our spiritual enemy.
    We should be surprised when they turn on us.
    The whole idea is to create confusion so that we give up and give in.
    Sometimes its going to feel like the end of the world - except it’s not the end.
    Jesus said it would be so - this is just the beginning of the end.
    Some people will give up - their love will grow cold.
    Some people will be fooled my the misdirection and follow the wrong leaders.
    But the one who hangs in there will make it through - Jesus promises!
    So what should we do...?

    Pray to be prepared.

    Matthew 24:15–22 ESV
    15 “So when you see the abomination of desolation spoken of by the prophet Daniel, standing in the holy place (let the reader understand), 16 then let those who are in Judea flee to the mountains. 17 Let the one who is on the housetop not go down to take what is in his house, 18 and let the one who is in the field not turn back to take his cloak. 19 And alas for women who are pregnant and for those who are nursing infants in those days! 20 Pray that your flight may not be in winter or on a Sabbath. 21 For then there will be great tribulation, such as has not been from the beginning of the world until now, no, and never will be. 22 And if those days had not been cut short, no human being would be saved. But for the sake of the elect those days will be cut short.
    So what is the “abomination of desolation” that is spoken of by Daniel?
    Daniel 9:27 NLT
    27 The ruler will make a treaty with the people for a period of one set of seven, but after half this time, he will put an end to the sacrifices and offerings. And as a climax to all his terrible deeds, he will set up a sacrilegious object that causes desecration, until the fate decreed for this defiler is finally poured out on him.”
    In one sense this has already happened before Jesus was even speaking.
    In 167 BC Antiochus Epiphanes IV, the Syrian King, set up an idol of Zeus in the sanctuary of the temple and sacrificing a pig on the altar.
    But the way Jesus is speaking it sounds like he is saying it will happen again.
    When Rome invaded again in 70 AD it was not the same kind of ceremonial defilement as before.
    This time they literally burned the temple to the ground.
    And the Jews were systematically killed - except for those who immediately fled.
    This fulfilled Jesus’ prediction and thousands of Jews remembered Jesus’ words and put their faith in him - though most did not.
    I know that many contemporary Bible teachers have taught that Jesus is talking about a time of tribulation that is still to come.
    And we also know that history repeats itself - so it is not “inconceivable” that these words could have yet another fulfillment.
    What should we do if we see another time of tribulation in our day?
    If you see that those who are considered powerful according to this world intentionally desecrate and attempt to destroy the Presence of God on this earth.
    First of all, don’t wait around to see what happens next.
    Get to a place of safety, if there is such a place.
    Second - just know that this is all part of God’s plan - God is going to let them do it, but He is going to have the last word.
    Paul gives us a bit more detail about what Jesus said:
    2 Thessalonians 2:3–5 ESV
    3 Let no one deceive you in any way. For that day will not come, unless the rebellion comes first, and the man of lawlessness is revealed, the son of destruction, 4 who opposes and exalts himself against every so-called god or object of worship, so that he takes his seat in the temple of God, proclaiming himself to be God. 5 Do you not remember that when I was still with you I told you these things?
    God is going to let evil do what evil wants to do - for a time - so that evil will be seen for what it is.
    Remember, evil creates chaos and them pretends to be the hero.
    Because if people saw the true nature of evil, they would never follow it.
    So God sets the trap - let evil think they have won.
    Wait until they have let down their guard and take off their mask.
    Then let the whole world see what they have been following so they never do it again.
    This plot has already played out multiple times throughout history - do you think God might do it again?
    The lesson for followers of Jesus is to pray so that we might not be deceived.
    This is not just praying to shape the course of events.
    But praying so that the course of events shapes us and the world we live in.
    We want to pray in agreement with God that even though evil may appear to win, it will just drive people into the loving arms of Jesus.
    The real Jesus...the One they were not expecting.

    The foreshadowed plot twist.

    Matthew 24:23–28 ESV
    23 Then if anyone says to you, ‘Look, here is the Christ!’ or ‘There he is!’ do not believe it. 24 For false christs and false prophets will arise and perform great signs and wonders, so as to lead astray, if possible, even the elect. 25 See, I have told you beforehand. 26 So, if they say to you, ‘Look, he is in the wilderness,’ do not go out. If they say, ‘Look, he is in the inner rooms,’ do not believe it. 27 For as the lightning comes from the east and shines as far as the west, so will be the coming of the Son of Man. 28 Wherever the corpse is, there the vultures will gather.
    How are we going to know the real Jesus?
    Jesus told us these thing beforehand so we will not be fooled.
    The idea is that we “tune in” to Him.
    In the early days of television, the signal was often weak and fuzzy, making it hard to distinguish shows. However, dedicated viewers would adjust their antennas or position themselves to catch the clearest signal. Like the tuning required to find a good TV signal, we must actively seek Christ in our daily lives, tuning out distractions and focusing on His Word to truly recognize Him amidst the confusion.
    Don’t be fooled - its not some clever secret - some esoteric knowledge that someone will try to sell you.
    It’s like lightning - you can’t not see it.
    It lights up the entire sky.
    When Jesus comes - you will know it!
    How will you know it?
    When you see vultures circling in the sky - you know to avid the area - something dead is there.
    So there will be signs that you will be drawn to and others which will help you to know what to avoid.
    You may not know exactly when it is going to happen, but there will be signs.
    ...deadly signs.
    So what are you saying Jesus...?

    It gets worse before it get better.

    Matthew 24:29–31 ESV
    29 “Immediately after the tribulation of those days the sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give its light, and the stars will fall from heaven, and the powers of the heavens will be shaken. 30 Then will appear in heaven the sign of the Son of Man, and then all the tribes of the earth will mourn, and they will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of heaven with power and great glory. 31 And he will send out his angels with a loud trumpet call, and they will gather his elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other.
    Bible commentators will point out that whenever ancient texts talk about the sun, moon and stars - it is usually a metaphor for world rulers and the spiritual powers behind them.
    I don’t know if the stars will literally fall from the sky - perhaps!
    But I think it is also likely that the Bible is saying that powerful people in high places of leadership are going to fall.
    There will be dark days where it seems that we have no light to follow.
    Everything that we think is stable in this world is going to be shaken.
    However, when everything else seems like it is falling apart - that is when you must look up!
    That is when you are going to see Jesus coming on the clouds.
    And the people who have thrown in their lot with the evil forces are going to know that its over.
    And those who have held on to their faith in Christ are goings to recognize what is happening and respond accordingly.
    Is this the rapture? Maybe.
    What is clear is that those who who are following Jesus will be drawn to Him.
    I want to be following Jesus right up to the end.

    Look for the culmination of these events.

    Matthew 24:32–35 ESV
    32 “From the fig tree learn its lesson: as soon as its branch becomes tender and puts out its leaves, you know that summer is near. 33 So also, when you see all these things, you know that he is near, at the very gates. 34 Truly, I say to you, this generation will not pass away until all these things take place. 35 Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will not pass away.
    Who are the people standing with Jesus when He returns?
    They are the people who stood with Him when everyone else was against them.
    They are the ones who held on to their faith when things got really bad.
    How do you hold on to faith like that?
    You have to recognize that what you see in the moment is just part of a bigger process.
    When you see the trees bud in the springtime you immediately recognize that it is a sign of what comes next - leaves!
    When you see things going from bad to worse - just see it as a sign of what comes next!
    When you see all the chaos - remember what comes next.
    When you see people pretending to be the hero - remember what comes next.
    When it looks like evil is winning - remember what comes next.
    When everything looks dark and hopeless - remember what comes next.
    What comes next is the element of surprise ...for those who don’t know what comes next.

    The element of surprise.

    Do you like surprises? - Some people do - some don’t.
    Some surprises are nice - like a surprise party.
    Some are not so nice - like a bill in the mail.
    Some are not so nice but some people still think its fun - like a practical joke.
    The end of the age will be no joke!
    I think how we feel about that surprise will depend on what we are expecting.

    Expect the unexpected.

    Matthew 24:36–44 ESV
    36 “But concerning that day and hour no one knows, not even the angels of heaven, nor the Son, but the Father only. 37 For as were the days of Noah, so will be the coming of the Son of Man. 38 For as in those days before the flood they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day when Noah entered the ark, 39 and they were unaware until the flood came and swept them all away, so will be the coming of the Son of Man. 40 Then two men will be in the field; one will be taken and one left. 41 Two women will be grinding at the mill; one will be taken and one left. 42 Therefore, stay awake, for you do not know on what day your Lord is coming. 43 But know this, that if the master of the house had known in what part of the night the thief was coming, he would have stayed awake and would not have let his house be broken into. 44 Therefore you also must be ready, for the Son of Man is coming at an hour you do not expect.
    The point of this passage is not to know when Jesus is coming and expect it.
    Just the opposite - you don’t know - no one knows.
    And so the first thing to expect is that you don’t know when it’s going to happen.
    Most recently there was a pastor from South Africa who had a vision of Jesus returning during the Jewish Feast of Trumpets. His vision spread virally over the internet so that many believed that Jesus was coming back September 23 or 24, 2025.
    Well, that didn’t happen - and for everyone saying that Jesus was coming on that date - there was someone else saying that I couldn’t be that date because the Bible specifically says that we won’t know the time or the day of his coming.
    I would just say this - get used to not knowing and be comfortable with it.
    No body knew when the flood was going to happen.
    Not even Noah, as far as I can tell.
    But that didn’t stop Noah from getting up every morning and preparing the ark.
    The rain came when the ark was ready.
    Following Jesus means preparing every day for His return.
    Not because we know when He is returning, but precisely because we don’t know.
    Only God knows and if we are attuned to Him - we will also be ready.
    We must learn to live in that state of readiness.
    And doing so will mean that we are both surprised and not surprised when He comes.
    The element of surprise is necessary for exposing evil - but for those who are following Jesus it should at least be a pleasant surprise.
    So how are we to be prepares if we are also sure to be surprised?

    Don’t stop being diligent.

    Matthew 24:45–51 ESV
    45 “Who then is the faithful and wise servant, whom his master has set over his household, to give them their food at the proper time? 46 Blessed is that servant whom his master will find so doing when he comes. 47 Truly, I say to you, he will set him over all his possessions. 48 But if that wicked servant says to himself, ‘My master is delayed,’ 49 and begins to beat his fellow servants and eats and drinks with drunkards, 50 the master of that servant will come on a day when he does not expect him and at an hour he does not know 51 and will cut him in pieces and put him with the hypocrites. In that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.
    Do you know who is prepared for surprises? - First responders, firemen, police, military personnel all train for the unexpected.
    When something catches you by surprise - a fire, an accident or an attack - your adrenaline surges - you go into a fight or flight mode.
    Your brain actually functions at a lower level so that your body has more energy for whatever comes next.
    In other words, we usually don’t make good decisions when we are surprised.
    That’s where training comes in - first responders are trained for what to do in case of an emergency.
    They don’t have to think so hard because they have prepared both mentally and physically.
    They have considered as many possible scenarios as they could possibly imagine.
    They have disciplined their minds and their bodies to take the appropriate actions for each possibility.
    They have rehearsed the most common scenarios over and over again until their actions become almost automatic.
    Now apply this concept to preparing for our Lord’s return.
    The one thing we can be sure is that we don’t know when Jesus is coming.
    But we should live disciplined lives so that whenever it happens, we are prepared.
    We watch the signs of the times, not to try to figure out when it’s going to happen, but to prepare ourselves for the very things Jesus warned us about.
    It’s going to be difficult, confusing and even chaotic at times.
    But this is what we have trained for.
    We know who we are and what we have to do.
    And we do it even if we are not feeling it.
    We live like Jesus - and when Jesus comes back, we will know it.
    We will know the real Jesus because we have practiced looking like Him.
    And we will be immediately drawn to Him because we belong to Him.
    One last thing, don’t be afraid of the end of the age.
    Because for those who live like Jesus, this is precisely the moment He has prepared you for.
    And its not really the end - it just the beginning of a new chapter where God is restoring all things.

    Questions for reflection:

    When you think about end times, how does it make you feel? Are you afraid? Are you anxious? Are you intrigued and perhaps even excited? Are you ready to meet Jesus in person? Will it be a pleasant surprise?
    Since we don’t know when this will happen, how are you preparing? I’m not talking about your bomb shelter or your emergency rations - I’m talking about your spiritual disciplines. Are you preparing to meet Him?
    Are you watching for the signs of the times? Does it discourage you when you see the chaos in the world or does it fill you with anticipation of Christ’s return? What happens next? If you see these things aligning, what is your response?

      • Matthew 24:1–2NIV2011

      • Matthew 24:3–14NIV2011

      • John 15:18–19NIV2011

      • Matthew 24:15–22NIV2011

      • Daniel 9:27NIV2011

      • 2 Thessalonians 2:3–5NIV2011

      • Matthew 24:23–28NIV2011

      • Matthew 24:29–31NIV2011

      • Matthew 24:32–35NIV2011

      • Matthew 24:36–44NIV2011

      • Matthew 24:45–51NIV2011

  • Carry The World
Spring City Fellowship
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