Those who study such things tell us that all this is nothing new - prior to the year 1,000 people were selling possessions and climbing mountains expecting Jesus to return - all this is a recognized phenomenon which occurs every year around New Years - is heightened at the turn of the century - and is especially acute at the turn of a millennium.

This morning we want to consider the return of Jesus Christ. Are these really the last days and so what if they are? How do we respond to all of what is happening around us?

If you want to turn ahead, you can turn to Matthew 24:32 and we will come there in a minute. But, before we get there let me give you the setting of those verses.

Jesus has just left the Temple - and the disciples have come to Him privately. They are concerned with the question of Jesus' coming. “Tell us... when,” they ask. “What will be the sign of your coming and of the close of the age.” (v. 3). Same question we are asking today - Is this it?

Jesus’ response is a long one and I won’t take time to go into all the details of it here. But it is important - if we are to know how to live in these days - to understand what Jesus says to the disciples. Jesus’ answer is twofold - first He gives the disciples some signs characteristic of the last days - and second He explains how to respond to these signs.

The four basic signs that Jesus gives are these:

1. GREAT APOSTASY - Great deception which is characterized by a turning away from God, persecution of the true church, and a rise in man centered religion.

In her book, Out on a Limb, Actress Shirley Maclaine attempts to make herself equal with God when she writes:

Today, even the church of Jesus Christ is in danger of apostasy - as many place greater weight on our own dogma and doctrine rather than God’s declaration of His absolute righteousness and our accountability to Him for how we live our lives.

Secondly Jesus says that there will be:

2. WAR - and as we get closer to the end of times - unprecedented violence, destruction, and death.

A week ago some of us were at the Armenian Professional Society Dinner and we heard Lois Melkonian speak. Lois is an anchor women for KCBS - and she spoke about her experiences as a reporter in the former Yugoslavia - the life of those there who have had their lives ripped apart by war. Many here could describe from first hand experiences what life was like during the war in Lebanon. And then there’s Armenia and Nogorno Karabagh. War and the effects of war are characteristic of man’s history.

Some say that we have entered a “New World Order” - a global village - that we are all neighbors and the Cold War is over. But, let’s be honest - the New World Order looks very much like the Old World Order.

3. THE BREAKDOWN OF SOCIETY - the turning of society against itself and the inability of society to cope with the problems of this world.

Two weeks ago there was that bank robbery at the Bank of America in North Hollywood. Did you see this? Television showed the shoot-out - glass exploding as bullets blasted into cars - people diving behind anything for protection - the police running into a gun shop for more fire-power. One of the crooks stood behind his car and randomly shot at people - when he emptied one of his guns of bullets he would reach into his trunk - pull out another gun - and start shooting all over again. When it was over, 16 people were wounded and 2 people were dead.

I used to bank at that B of A Branch. Before we moved here - that was our neighborhood. People ask me if I miss L.A. Well... gee... yes... I miss the people. But in all honesty, I really don’t miss the gunshots in the night - the police helicopters circling overhead and in the middle if the night spotlights suddenly lighting up the bedroom - and 12 out of 14 major L.A. gangs operating in our neighborhood - and, we weren’t in a bad part of town.

Do you remember Rodney King? The once famous trial which has since been eclipsed by O.J. Simpson trial. Do you remember his famous line? “Can’t we all just get along?” The verdict in the Rodney King trial spawned riots in Los Angeles and around the nation - looting - shooting - violence - burning - a visible explosion of the social unrest that is buried - not too far beneath the surface of our society.

The great reality of our society - which some brave people will admit to is that man - by himself - has been totally ineffectual in bringing lasting transformation of his society.

Fourthly Jesus says that there will be great:

4. NATURAL DISASTER

Remember the Loma Prieta earthquake? The Bay Bridge with a span missing still sticks in my mind - I remember that every time I reach that section - you can see the repair job - the color of the pavement is just a little bit different.

For us there was the Northridge earthquake - I remember Northridge - we were ten miles from the epicenter. Jolted out of bed in the early morning - pitch black - the house moving like a ship in very rough seas - swaying and rolling - the sound of everything crashing and breaking - things exploding off of the walls - wondering if the house was the next thing to go - and the aftershocks - and for months afterward I would jump even if someone shut a door to hard.

The Bible tells us that natural disaster is characteristic of this age and will become increasingly destructive as we move towards the end of times. The Bible indicates that - as a result of coming natural disaster - at least 1.5 billion people will die very suddenly in a very short period of time.

This is the context of Matthew 24:32-39. Jesus says to His disciples (32) “From the fig tree learn its lesson; as soon as its branch becomes tender and puts forth its leaves, you know that summer is near. (33) So also, when you see all these things, you know that He is near, at the very gates.”

Disciples - learn to read the signs - know their meaning - they point to the soon return of Jesus Christ.

(36) “But of that day and hour - the time when Jesus will return - no one knows, not even the angels of heaven, nor the Son, but the Father only. (37) As were the days of Noah, so will be the coming of the Son of man. (38) For as in those days before the flood they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day when Noah entered the ark, (39) and they did not know until the flood came and swept them all away, so will be the coming of the Son of man.”

The disciples ask when Jesus will return - and Jesus never answers their question. He gives some signs that remind us that He is returning. But, His emphasis is not on the signs or the timing - they’re not important. What is important is how we respond to the signs.

Jesus says, just like in the days of Noah - with the coming disaster of the flood - no one understood what was coming. Many will see the signs and will not respond. But, the disciples - the people of God - us - these signs are for us to understand and respond to.

Imagine you’re at home - and you realize that your front door is open. Your toddler - yours or a grandchild - has gone out the front door. As you run to the door you see your child walking into the street and a large moving van coming full speed towards your child - the driver can’t see the child because of the parked cars - the truck cannot be stopped - the only way to avert disaster is for your child to turn back - you run screaming toward the child - but, the child does not turn.

The signs of the times are God screaming to get our attention - there is disaster coming - the time is short - turn back to me - obey me. Wake up!

How are we to respond? In Matthew 24 and 25 Jesus gives us three ways to respond - three responses to what we see happening around us.

1. BE READY (Matthew 24:40-44; 25:1-13, 31-33)

If you don’t know Jesus Christ as your personal Savior - if you have never turned back from your sin and given your life to Him. You are not ready - the truck is coming down the street - disaster is imminent - and you will meet it head on.

If you have trusted Jesus as your Savior then you know God’s forgiveness, His strength, and presence in your life - whatever the disasters that are here and coming - God is with you and will never forsake you.

2. BE WORKING - Keep Ready (Matthew 24:45-51; 25:14-30)

Knowing that company is coming gives us the chance to vacuum - to dust - to clean up the house. How do you feel when company drops in unexpectedly?

God has not called us - in these last days - to sell everything - go climb a mountain - and wait for Jesus to come back. Working - being ready means constant attention to the cleanliness of our hearts - spiritual purity and servanthood to God - the character of who we are - our obedience to God. It means that we faithfully work for Him - live in obedience to Him - not neglecting the things He has called us to do.

Thirdly, Jesus says,

3. BE COMPASSIONATE (Matthew 25:31-46)

What most greatly impresses me and challenges me about this whole teaching of Jesus is how He ends by focusing on the needs of those around us. Remember these words, “as you did it to one of the least of these my brethren, you did it to me.” (Matthew 25:40) - That’s the point Jesus ends His teaching with - taking care of those in need.

Consider what is happening in the world around us. And consider those who do not understand what the signs mean. Those who are eating, drinking, and marrying, and trying - like the rest of us - to go about their daily lives the best that they are able. They’re like us - except they’re without Jesus - consider the tremendous fear, emptiness, pain, and hurting of the people amidst whom we live.

We know that God loves them - we know salvation in Jesus Christ - we know the certainty of eternity with God. And we are the one’s that God has appointed in these “last days” to demonstrate His love through and to speak His Gospel to a desperate world bound for destruction.

There is no greater act of compassion than to alleviate the physical suffering of those who are bearing the brunt of these last days - no greater act of compassion than to share the hope that we know because of Jesus Christ.

Being ready and working is useless without compassion. Jesus says, when you see the buds of spring, know that summer is coming. Whatever we see happening around us should move us to respond with compassion towards others.