Olivet Discourse A Message For Today’s Christian. Series

Mathew 24; Mark 13; Luke 21.

SCRIPTURE READING: Mt. 24:1-35.

A. REVIEW

Mathew arranges his Gospel narration in a systematic way, in fact, into five distinct groupings or DISCOURSES.

The closing formula that indicates to the end of the discourse is the phrase:

"when Jesus had finished speaking":

• ʻAnd it came to pass, when Jesus had ended these sayings...ʼ (Mt 7:28)

• ʻAnd it came to pass, when Jesus had made an end of commanding...ʼ (Mt 11:1)

• ʻAnd it came to pass, when Jesus had finished these parables...ʼ (Mt 13:53)

• ʻAnd it came to pass, when Jesus had finished these sayings...ʼ (Mt 19:1)

• ʻAnd it came to pass, when Jesus had finished all these sayings...ʼ(Mt 26:1)

1. THE FIVE DISCOURSES

1. THE SERMON ON THE MOUNT:

a. Chapters: Mt 5-7.

b. Content: Beatitudes and Lord’s Prayer.

c. Context: Contains the central tenets of Christian discipleship.

2. THE MISSIONARY DISCOURSE:

a. Chapters: Mt 10

b. Contains: Instructions to the 12 Apostles.

c. Context: Little Commission in contrast to the Great Commission.

3. THE PARABOLIC DISCOURSE:

a. Chapters: Mt 13:1-53

b. Contains: 7 parables for the Kingdom of Heaven

c. Context: Presents the nature of the kingdom.

4. THE DISCOURSE ON THE CHURCH:

a. Chapters: Mt 18

b. Contains: The parable of the Lost Sheep and the Unforgiving Servant.

c. Context: The church the future community of the followers of Christ.

5. THE DISCOURSE ON END TIMES:

a. Chapters: Mt 23-25

b. Contains: Usually called the Olivet Discourse since it was given on Mt. of Olives.

c. Corresponds: Mark 13; Luke 21

d. Context: Jesus prophesies the destruction of the Temple; tells about His Second Coming; and why we as believers must be prepared in these last days.

2. THE REASON MATHEW’S GOSPEL GIVES THE FIVE DISCOURSE

A question may be asked why does Mathew give these five discourses.

a. GOSPELS PRESENT A THEME; NOT MERELY CHRONOLOGICAL IN NARRATION

• Gospels are not merely a narrative of the sequence of things that happened but intentional choreography around the theme.

• [Not merely chronological but compositional, around the central theme].

• Mathew whose mandate is to present Jesus as the King of the Jews brings these discourses around a particular aspect of Jesus’ teaching that highlights Christ’s kingship.

b. MANDATE OF “THE KING OF THE JEWS”

It only seems natural that the King would lay out and explain His:

1. Moral Code of His Kingdom: Mt 5-7

o Presents Jesus as moral and spiritual teacher and lawgiver - the New Moses.

2. Missional Compulsion of His Kingdom: Mt 10

o The urgency of spreading the message of the kingdom to others.

3. Material Content of His Kingdom: Mt 13

o It encourages a state of preparedness.

4. Member Constituents of His Kingdom: Mt 18

o Deals with relationships between disciples and their role to live as citizens of the kingdom in their congregations today.

5. Majestic Consolidation of His Kingdom: Mt 23-25.

o Examines the signs of the kingdom and the judgment that will precede it.

B. THE OUTLINE FOR TODAY

1. CONTEXT OF THE PASSAGE: [What is this passage sitting on?]

• Timeline

• Woes on the religious rulers and

• The judgment on the Temple.

2. CONCERN OF THE DISCIPLES:

• The reason for the questions; and

• The brief outline of the answer given by our Lord.

3. CAUTION TO HIS HEARERS

• Two examples – Fulfilled against impossible odds.

• Don’t be fooled

• Don’t be fearful

• Stay faithful

TAKE AWAY: DON’T BE FOOLED; DON’T BE FEARFUL; STAY FAITHFUL.

C. CONTEXT OF THE PASSAGE

1. THE TIMELINE

If you were hanging out with Jesus this would have been a busy week.

LET’S LOOK BACK JUST TWO DAYS FROM THIS PASSAGE.

a. TWO DAYS AGO: TRIUMPHAL ENTRY

• Mat 21. Jesus entered Jerusalem in Triumphal entry riding on a donkey just like the prophecy in Zech 9:9 [“HUMBLE MOUNTED ON A DONKEY”].

• It is the picture of a conquering king riding into the streets of the royal city. [REMEMBER SAUL AND DAVID]

• Such a king is expected to ride to his palace in the midst of the praise of His people.

• No longer does Jesus restrain the public knowledge that He indeed is the Messiah and the King that they have been waiting for. [Mt 12:16; Mt 16:20].

• He comes however, not on a royal steed [that happens in Rev 19] but on a lowly donkey.

a. CELEBRATION CHANGES TO OUTCRY

This is when a movie director would want music go out of tune to indicate things were not going as expected.

• For, Jesus turns not to Herod’s palace but towards the Temple.

• For, Jesus had come to establish the spiritual not the political kingdom.

• The adulation of the people was not because they accepted Him as the one who saves them from their sins.