Matthew 24:1-14
24: 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.”
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 close 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.
Reflection
Jesus says that sin and the destruction it causes in society will go from bad to worse as the time of his return approaches. Religious deception (24:4–5), war (vv. 6–7a), and natural disaster (v. 7b) will continue to plague the world, and as the end of all things gets closer, Jesus’ disciples will face severe persecution (vv. 9–13). Jesus’ followers will, nevertheless, continue to preach the gospel to the people of the world until the end (v. 14).
1 Corinthians 6:9-11
9 Or do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: neither the sexually immoral, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor men who practice homosexuality, 10 nor thieves, nor the greedy, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God. 11 And such were some of you. But you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God.
Reflection
Those who receive the grace of Christ are not free to engage in the various forms of self-indulgence named in 1 Corinthians 6:9–10. Once we were trapped in the filth of such sin, but now we are “washed,” “sanctified” (set apart for God’s holy purposes), and “justified” (declared righteous in Christ, and therefore heirs of God’s kingdom; vv. 9–11). God accomplishes this gracious work for us through “the Lord Jesus Christ,” and in us “by the Spirit” (v. 11). When he does this work in us, we are given power for a new life, which includes the desire and ability to turn from sin when we hear warnings about its consequences.
Psalm 119:9
9 How can a young man keep his way pure? By guarding it according to your word.
No one will be able to live a perfect life until Jesus returns and completes our restoration, but until then we can grow in our purity of thought and action. Take some time to ask for God’s help in the areas in which you need to grow. Remember that “you were washed” from these things and are already justified (declared “righteous”) in his sight (1 Cor. 6:11).