CONNECT:  What helps you cultivate a humble heart before God?

WARM-UP  Question  

1. When we think about ‘end times’ why do you think we’re often tempted to try and ‘decode’ Jesus’ words (or ‘signs of the time’) and look for ‘secret’ meanings or signals?
2. If we’re not being obsessed with ‘end times’, what is the danger of being overly complacent?

READ Matthew 24:1-5 (Watch Out)

1. What did Jesus predict would happen to the temple? Why was this such a big deal? (Try to think about the significance with regard to the type of building, its importance, and what people thought about it.)
2. As Jesus foretold the destruction of the temple, what three pieces of information did the disciples want to know? How had they merged all of these events together? Is that necessarilly the case?
3. As we think about ‘end times’ and Jesus returning, why do you think that we so often want to know when it will happen rather than how we should prepare for it?
4. What key piece of preparation does Jesus press upon the disciples? Are there false Messiah’s today and how do they deceive people? How can we ‘watch out’?
5. How is our waiting for Jesus’ return like birth pains? Why do you think Jesus uses this image?

READ Matthew 24:6-8 (Do Not be Alarmed)

1. What are the various types of trouble (in the world) that Jesus warns the disciples will be prominent before the end of the age? How has this been true since the fall and sin entering the world?
2. Why do we need to be careful about not trying to associate particular events (e.g., a war or natural disaster etc) as particular ‘triggers’ or ‘signs’ that Jesus’ return is imminent?
3. When we see these things, what does Jesus tell us not to do? When we think about these things, what would it look like to be an ‘alarmist’? How do we avoid acting in an ‘alarmist’ way?

READ Matthew 24:9-14 (Stand Firm & Preach the Gospel)

1. How is persecution of believers still prominent today? In response to turmoil within the church (be it persecution, abandoning of faith, false teachers, or sinfulness), what are the two things we should do?
2. What does it mean to ‘stand firm’? Practically what does that look like in your life or if trouble came?
3. What is meant by ‘preaching the Gospel’? How and where do you have the opportunity to do that?

APPLY: What is one way in which your certainty of Jesus’ return shapes your priorities?

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On Your Frontline This Week:  How is the one person you are praying to become a disciple of Jesus going? Have you touched base with them recently?

For Families: Play the game “What’s the Time Mr Wolf”. Have one person ‘up’ at one end and everyone else at the far end. Everyone to call out together “What’s the time Mr Wolf?” And the Wolf (the person up) is to answer with a number o’clock. Everyone else steps forward that many steps (e.g., 4 o’clock = 4 steps). The aim is to get as close to the wolf as possible and return to the far fence without being eaten/caught/tagged. Link: just like we don’t know when the Wolf will turn around, we don’t know the exact time when Jesus will return

Listen:          

• AUDIO: Some series on Chapter 24 and 25 (“The End is Coming) from St Helen’s Bishopsgate:
• Talk 1 // Talk 2 // Talk 3
• AUDIO: “Living in the Last Days” from Redeemer, New York
• VIDEO: The Day of The Lord Study by the Bible Project
• AUDIO: “Olivet Discourse, Part 1” by Don Carson:
  

Other Helpful Resources (For Series):  

• STUDY GUIDE: Download our Study Guide on Matthew
• BOOK: “Matthew: A Great Light Dawns”
• ONLINE: Introduction to the Gospel of Matthew (Fuller)
• VIDEO: The Bible Project, Matthew Overview

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