New Beginnings Signs You Can’t Ignore Sermon 3

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03 The question of how the world will end

has fascinated and frightened many
throughout the centuries.

04 Today there is concern that climate

change will eventually destroy life on
Planet Earth.

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05 Some fear we will destroy ourselves in a

nuclear war.

06 Some fear a world-wide pandemic.

07 Others say we’ll run out of food and other

resources as world population continues
to explode.

08 Others are afraid we may be wiped out as

a huge comet or asteroid collides with
earth.

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09 Most of us, of course, have plenty of other

things to worry about. We struggle with
just trying to make a living or with
sickness and grief and death.

For many of us, life isn’t easy. Sometimes

we may even find ourselves wishing the
world would end! Surely life wasn’t
meant to be so full of pain and hunger and
weariness and stress. We want a better
world!

10 The good news, my friend, is that the

world is going to end, and there is a better
world coming! In fact, a God of love has
not tried to keep information from us.

Instead, He has given signs of the end and

warnings about the end so that no one
needs to be surprised or caught
unprepared! He desperately wants you to
be a part of that better world He has
promised!

And even when His warnings seem severe

or the way He describes end- time
conditions seems harsh, it’s only because
He loves us enough to tell us the truth!

11 If your child was crossing the road, and

about to be hit by a car, you wouldn’t
speak soft, comforting words. You’d
shout a warning as loudly and urgently as
possible—because you love your child
and want to save him or her!

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12 So just how will this world, as we know

it, come to an end? Tonight we’re going
to look at the Bible’s predictions about
how this will happen. And I think that you
will agree with me that the prophecies
given nearly 2,000 years ago are, in fact,
surprisingly accurate!

13 One day Jesus and His disciples were in

Jerusalem. The disciples were
commenting on the magnificent temple,
which had just been enlarged by the
Roman government. Gazing at this
incredible building, Jesus made a startling
statement to His disciples.

14 He said, “Do you not see all these things?

Assuredly, I say to you, not one stone
shall be left here upon another,

15 ...that shall not be thrown down”

(Matthew 24:2).

16 This was the greatest building in the

Jewish nation, and Jesus predicted it
would be completely destroyed! The
disciples were shocked!

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17 As they followed Jesus up the Mount of

Olives, they asked Him the question that
all of us would have asked: “Tell us, when
will these things be? And what will be the
sign of Your coming, and of the end of the
age?” (Matthew 24:3).

18 You see, the disciples were sure that

Jerusalem with its temple would last
forever –one day ruling the nations, until
the end of the world.

They were certain that the destruction

Jesus foretold would take place when the
whole world was destroyed. But as we
study this passage more closely, we find
that Jesus was actually speaking about
two different events.

19 One of them was his second coming– His

return to earth in glory and the
establishment of an everlasting kingdom
here on Planet Earth.

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35 Jesus gave a number of clear signs that

would take place before the destruction of
Jerusalem and before the end of the world,
so that His followers could know when
the time was very near. We would do well
to pay attention to His predictions!

36 Let’s take a closer look. First, Jesus said

that there would be political strife and
conflict. In Matthew 24:7

Jesus said, “For nation will rise against

nation, and kingdom against kingdom.

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37 And there will be famines, pestilences,

and earthquakes in various places.”

38 Recent decades have seen the rise of

bloodshed and wars. The twentieth
century was the bloodiest century in
mankind’s history. Some seventy million
perished just in the two world wars.

In the most scientifically advanced and

educated societies we still have violence
and hatred and bloodshed. This is one of
the signs of the times.

39 But there wouldn’t only be an increase in

wars near the end of time. There would
also be a rise in suffering caused by
natural disasters. Jesus said, “There will
be famines....” (Matthew 24:7).

And there are famines in many parts of

the earth. As the world’s population
continues to explode, it is estimated that
over 150,000 a day – or seven million per
year – die from starvation. And even of
the billions who survive, it is estimated
that sixty percent are malnourished.

Jesus said that famines would be one of

the signs of the end.

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40 The next sign that Jesus predicted was an

increase in diseases. “There will be
famines and pestilences....” (Matthew
24:7). The word pestilence is another
word for a plague or terrible disease.

And in spite of all that modern medicine

can do, AIDS, malaria, pneumonia,
tuberculosis, Ebola, syphilis, gonorrhea,
cholera, SARS, and even strains of the flu
have killed millions.

The societal and economic costs of

“lifestyle disease,” which are the result of
our choices in diet and health habits, are
rapidly increasing. But perhaps most
troubling are the diseases for which we
know neither the cause nor the cure.

41 Some of these diseases may be the result

of the way we’ve polluted our planet.
Even this environmental deterioration was
predicted in God’s Word.

Isaiah said, “Lift up your eyes to the

heavens, and look on the earth beneath.

42 For the heavens will vanish away like

smoke, the earth will grow old like a
garment” (Isaiah 51:6).

Indeed, air and water pollution take a

heavy toll on the health of the planet and
its inhabitants.

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43 Jesus also said there would be increasing

earthquakes, as well. “And there will
be...earthquakes in various places”
(Matthew 24:7).

It’s not that there weren’t earthquakes

before. It’s just that they have been
happening more often in recent centuries.
The earthquakes are also getting stronger
and causing much more damage.
Thousands and even tens of thousands are
dying in one quake or tsunami. In the last
ninety years alone, earthquakes have
caused more than 1.5 million deaths.

44 Luke also records Jesus’ prediction. “And

there will be great earthquakes in various
places, and famines and pestilences;

45 ...and there will be fearful sights and great

signs from heaven...

46 And there will be signs in the sun, in the

moon, in the stars;

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47 ...and on the earth distress of nations, with

perplexity, the sea and the waves roaring”
(Luke 21:11, 25).

All across the globe we have seen

extraordinary weather, just as predicted.
Typhoons and hurricanes, with their tidal
surges; tsunamis, tornadoes, and
volcanoes all taking a great toll in
property and lives.

48 But the Bible gives us yet another sign:

Deteriorating morality and ethics at the
end of time.

Jesus compared conditions on earth in the

last days to Sodom and Gomorrah, two
cities that were so sinful that God finally
destroyed them with fire from heaven.

49 “Likewise as it was also in the days of

Lot; . . . Even so will it be in the day when
the Son of Man is revealed” (Luke 17:28-
30).

50 What were the sins of Sodom and

Gomorrah? Jude wrote, “Sodom and
Gomorrah, and the cities around them in a
similar manner to these,

51 ...having given themselves over to sexual

immorality and gone after strange flesh.”
(Jude 1:7).

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52 In other words, we can expect the world

in the last days to have a low standard of
morality. Greed, vice, and selfishness will
be very common. “For men will be lovers
of themselves, lovers of money, boasters,
proud,

53 ...blasphemers, disobedient to parents,

unthankful, unholy, unloving,

54 ...unforgiving, slanderers, without self-

control, brutal,

55 ...despisers of good, traitors, headstrong,

lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of
God,

56 ...having a form of godliness but denying

its power” (2 Timothy 3:2-5).

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57 There will even be many scams and

scammers before the end. “But evil men
and imposters will grow worse and worse,
deceiving and being deceived” (2
Timothy 3:13). Sounds a lot like today,
doesn’t it?

58 In yet another sign of the last days, Christ

warned about spiritual deception: False
christs and false prophets. “Then if
anyone says to you, ‘Look, here is the
Christ,’ or ‘There!’ do not believe it.

59 For false christs and false prophets will

rise and show great signs and wonders...

60 ...to deceive, if possible, even the elect”

(Matthew 24:23, 24). Today the religious
world is full of teachers leading away
from the plain and simple teachings of the
Word of God.

Religion in many cases has become a

money-making business, and it’s hard to
see any difference between spirituality
and entertainment. Many follow the most
popular preacher, or the one who
promises the greatest financial success.

We need to be sure that we are following

the Word of God!

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61 The last and greatest of all the signs we’ll

look at today is Jesus’ prediction that the
gospel will be taken to all the world.

“And this gospel of the kingdom will be

preached in all the world, as a witness to
all nations, and then the end will come.”
Matthew 24:14.

62 In the book of Revelation God gives a

description of this great announcement.
“Then I saw another angel flying in the
midst of heaven, having the everlasting
gospel...

63 ...to preach to those who dwell on the

earth—to every nation, tribe, tongue, and
people” (Revelation 14:6).

Today this final sign of the end is being

fulfilled as well– even by this very
meeting! This is a part of taking the
everlasting gospel to every creature. The
gospel is being proclaimed by television,
radio, evangelistic meetings, the Internet,
personal Bible studies, and
correspondence courses around the globe.

We really are living in the times that Jesus

foretold! We’re living in the last days,
with the final great events taking place
around us.

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64 Jesus compared our day to the days of

Noah. The people in Noah’s day were
busy making a living and going about
their daily routines with not much time for
spiritual things.

65 Jesus said, “But as the days of Noah were,

so also will the coming of the Son of man
be.

66 For as in the days before the flood, they

were eating and drinking, marrying and
giving in marriage,

67 ...until the day that Noah entered the ark,

and did not know until the flood came and
took them all away,

68 ...so also will the coming of the Son of

Man be.” (Matthew 24:37-39).

Before the flood the world was going

about life as if it would continue the same
forever. There was no urgency, no priority
for spiritual things. And that’s how we
can expect the majority of the world to be
living in the last days, just before Jesus
comes.

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69 Before Jesus’ first coming, there were

signs that the time was near. God sent
angels and wise men to let His people
know about the Messiah’s birth.

70 But sad to say, “He came to His own, and

His own did not receive him” (John 1:11).
They were not ready for His coming.
They had ignored the signs.

71 Friends, let’s not be like God’s people

back then! Let’s be ready for His second
coming! He has given us all these signs
which tell us that He is coming soon.

Because He loves us so much, He’s

warned us not to be self-satisfied and half-
hearted in our spiritual walk, and in our
moral choices. He wants to spend eternity
with us! That’s why He has given us all
these signs that He is about to return!

72 Jesus said, “When you see all these

things, know that it is near, at the doors!

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73 Assuredly, I say to you, this generation

will by no means pass away till all these
things take place.” Matthew 24:33, 34.

Will we be ready to receive Him this

time? Or will He be disappointed again?
The hour is late, and the stakes are high.
There is not a moment to lose.

74 The steamship Central America had sailed

out of New York Harbor and was heading
south in the Atlantic toward the Panama
Canal when she sprang a leak. Another
vessel saw her distress signal and steamed
up to help. The captain of the rescue ship
sent over a message, “What’s amiss?” The
answer came back: “We’re in bad repair
and going down. Lie by till morning!”

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75 The would-be rescuer could see the

steamship listing in the water and replied,
“Let me take your passengers on board
now.” But night had fallen, and the
captain of the Central America didn’t
want to risk transferring passengers in the
dark. He repeated, “Lie by till morning.”

The other captain sent another message,

insisting that action should be taken now.
But he was refused. He had to wait some
distance off in the gathering night. His
staff on the bridge could make out the
lights of the Central America bobbing in
the waves. About an hour and a half later,
they watched aghast as those lights
disappeared. The ship had gone down, and
nearly all on board died.

To wait may end up in being lost forever.

There are times when you have to make a
decision NOW! The captain of the Central
America thought it wasn’t a problem to
wait until morning. He was sadly
mistaken. The Bible says, “Today is the
day of salvation.” Don’t wait. Don’t
hesitate. Don’t delay. Why not make your
decision for Christ right now? Won’t you
lift your heart to God right now and ask
Him to help you prepare for Christ’s soon
coming?

76 Tonight I want to say to Jesus:

“Thank you for providing a Savior from

my certain death. I just want to let you
save me, Jesus.” Is that your desire?
Would you like to join me [raise your
hand as you speak] in that prayer tonight?
Let’s pray.

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[Suggested Prayer]
“Dear Lord, Thank you for loving us. Thank you for giving us these signs in
Your Word to tell us when the end is near. Thank You for the promise that
You are coming again and will save all those who trust and obey You.

Tonight we come to You because we don’t want to put it off until the morning.
Tonight we want to give You permission to save us from our sins. Help us,
along with our loved ones, to be ready to meet You. We love You, and we
thank You, in Jesus’ name, Amen.”

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