Not In SecretMatthew 24:22-33

Things can happen…Without us noticing

We hear about it laterWe feel left out or hurt

Scripture tells us the second coming will be…

Very painfulVery publicVery visibleVery loud

The days leading up to the second coming of Christ will be difficult

Matthew 2422If those days had not been cut short, no one would survive, but for the sake of the elect those days will be shortened.

Not only are these days going to be painful and bitter for those

who are alive…The advent of our Lord will be

very publicIt will not be a secret

It will not be a quiet thing that might go unnoticed.

23At that time if anyone says to you, ‘Look, here is the Christ!’ or, ‘There he is!’ do not believe it. 24For false Christs and false prophets will appear and perform great signs and miracles to deceive even the elect —if that were possible. 25See, I have told you ahead of time.

Look hereLook there

SignsMiracles

“See, I have told you”You have been forewarned

26“So if anyone tells you, ‘There he is, out in the desert,’ do not go out; or, ‘Here he is, in the inner rooms,’ do not believe it. 27For as lightning that comes from the east is visible even in the west, so will be the coming of the Son of Man. 28Wherever there is a carcass, there the vultures will gather.

There in the desertIn the inner roomsIt will like lightning

Like vultures at a carcass

Even nature will react to this great event

PainfulPublic

Very visible to all

29“Immediately after the distress of those days “‘the sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give its light; the stars will fall from the sky, and the heavenly bodies will be shaken.’

Christ’s return will be…More than a little noticeable

All will seeAll will hear

30“At that time the sign of the Son of Man will appear in the sky, and all the nations of the earth will mourn. They will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of the sky, with power and great glory. 31And he will send his angels with a loud trumpet call, and they will gather his elect from the four winds, from one end of the heavens to the other.

The nations will discover they chose the wrong side

The whole world will see Christ coming

They will hear the trumpet callThey will see God’s people

being gathered

Don’t go looking for Christ in a particular location

Don’t be surprised by miracle workers

Don’t be deceived into thinking that Christ will come secretly

and that you might miss it

Worldwide…Christians persecutedBetrayal of the faithfulSchisms in the churchFalse prophets deceive manyLove for God grows coldGospel heard

In Israel…Terrible sufferingTemple rebuilt“The abomination that causes desolation”The antichrist will be worshipped in the temple

Painful days leading to second comingPublic signs and miraclesLoud trumpet announcement by the angelsVisible coming of ChristIt will not be a secret

Learn from a fig treeWhen it starts to come to life

Summer is nearWhen all these signs are coming to life…

It is near, right at the door33