Know: Understand the times in which humankind now lives and identify the symptoms of the end in the light of Jesus’ warnings.
Feel: Sense the urgency of the moment and intensify his or her hope.
Do: Prepare to meet his or her Lord. Change his or her priorities. Do not believe in false messiahs.
Learning Outline:
Know: The Symptoms of the End
How should we inform ourselves in order to properly situate ourselves in the prophetic calendar?
What are the signs of the end? How do we discern the false doctrines of the end and the false messiahs?
Why is it not possible to know the exact time of the end?
Feel: The Urgency of the Moment
Why are the events of the end so frightening? How should we cope with these sentiments?
Why should we not be afraid of these troubles?
Why do these events inspire our longing for the kingdom of God?
Do: Prepare the Way of the Lord.
What should you do in your personal life to prepare for His coming?
What should you do to help other people to prepare for His coming?
What should you do to bring this news of His coming to the world?
Summary: The last words of Jesus before His crucifixion are serious warnings of judgment that concern the end time and the destiny of the whole world.
Learning Cycle
STEP 1—Motivate
Spotlight on Scripture: Matthew 24:42–44
Key Concept for Spiritual Growth: The news of the coming of the Son of man is not just about the sensational events that precede His coming; the event itself has an immediate effect on our spiritual lives. Now is the time to refresh our connection with the Lord. The future event of Christ’s coming imbues our present religious and spiritual journey with intention and significance. The closer we come to our Lord in our prayers and in our worship services, the more we will long to see Him face-to-face.
Just for Teachers: This lesson will focus on Jesus’ prophecies and teachings of His last discourse on the Mount of Olives. Jesus’ warning applies to His disciples of all generations, but especially to His disciples of the last days. Human history is going to end. Jesus warns us that this end time will be troubling and shaking, and He urges us to prepare accordingly. The accent should not be on scaring people, but on stimulating them to strengthen their faith and hope and to readjust priorities. Insofar as we have realized that the time of the end has arrived, Jesus’ recommendation to “ ‘seek first the kingdom of God’ ” (Matt. 6:33, NKJV) is more relevant than ever.
Opening Discussion: Why, and how, could we refresh the sense of our “Adventist” identity and mission that precisely concerns the time of the end and the very soon coming of Christ? As we consider our history, we may feel frustrated and discouraged and turn then to other points of emphasis. The Seventh-day Adventist movement has known disappointments; and now, after such a long time of proclaiming the same message, we have become a sophisticated and well-organized institution, and, at times, it may seem as though we have settled for good in this world.
Questions for Discussion:
How can we combine the need for wise action on earth with the passion for the heavenly kingdom?
How can we combine the need to feel comfortable in our lives with the sense of urgency to prepare for His coming?
STEP 2—Explore
Just for Teachers: The way Jesus engages in the proclamation of the end times and of His coming should inspire us. Jesus does not begin His sermon with an affirmation or theological message or with a PowerPoint presentation of an important point of doctrine. He begins with a direct question that concerns the contemporary situation: “ ‘Do you not see all these things?’ ” (Matt. 24:2, NKJV). Then He shocks His disciples with the disturbing news that concerns their present reality, the temple. And only when the disciples ask their question, “ ‘Tell us, when . . . and what . . . ?’ ” (Matt. 24:3), does Jesus, then, speak to their present situation from which He will infer His message: “ ‘Therefore . . .’ ” (Matt. 24:15).
Note that Jesus’ first argument is taken from the Scriptures, a well-known line from the book of Daniel “ ‘the “abomination of desolation” ’ ” (Matt. 24:15, NKJV), and then He encourages His disciples to “ ‘read . . . [and] understand’ ” (Matt. 24:15, NKJV). His first message is a prophecy about the “ ‘great tribulation’ ” (Matt. 24:21, NKJV). It is on the basis of this prophecy of the end times that He will then proceed and teach about “the kingdom of heaven” through parables (Matt. 24:22–25:30).
Bible Commentary
I. The Great Tribulation (Review Matthew 24:15–28 with your class.)
From the most ancient times, the sanctuary, and later the temple, represented the cosmos. When Moses wrote the book of Exodus, he described the process of the building of the sanctuary (Exodus 25–40) in parallel to the Creation story (Gen. 1:1–2:4). Both stories occur in seven stages and both end with the same technical phrase: “finished the work” (Gen. 2:2, Exod. 40:33, NIV).
Likewise, the construction of the temple by Solomon develops in seven stages and ends with the phrase: “finished all the work” (1 Kings 7:40, 51, RSV). This particular phrase appears only in these three passages. The parallel between the construction of the sanctuary/temple and the Creation of the world indicates clearly that, for Moses, there was a relationship between the world and the sanctuary/temple (see also Ps. 78:69; compare with 134:3; 150:1, 6). So, when Jesus spoke about the end of the temple, the disciples understood immediately that He was referring to the end of the world.
The phrase “abomination of desolation” is a very rare expression that Daniel uses to predict the destruction of Jerusalem that took place in a.d. 70 (Dan. 9:27, Dan. 12:11). And indeed, Jesus applies this expression to that event. But Jesus applies it also to the final destruction of the world, of which the temple was considered a figure. Thus, Jesus speaks to both audiences—His disciples who will be contemporary to the destruction of Jerusalem, and His disciples of the end times who will be contemporary to the events taking place at the time of the end.
Like Jesus’ disciples and the Jews of that time, we need to understand first that there will be an end. Jesus simply states the fact without indicating any time for it. This message is, therefore, relevant in a general manner for any generation of Christians. But Jesus specifically has in mind the generation of Christians who will actually live through these events. These disciples are the only ones who will be able to recognize and “see” those final events (Matt. 24:15). They will be able to “see” and recognize Jesus as their Messiah because He warned them beforehand about false messiahs (Matt. 24:25).
Consider This: Discuss Jesus’ pedagogical method. How could we apply His method to our evangelistic strategies? What is Jesus’ first focus? What can we learn about Jesus’ approach to Scriptures? How do Scriptures relate to our lives and to history? How can we prevent ourselves from falling into the traps of false messiahs and false interpretations of prophecies?
II. The Kingdom of Heaven (Review Matthew 25:1–30 with your class.)
Although Jesus announces that He will speak about the “kingdom of heaven” (Matt. 25:1, 14), He does not intend to describe it. The kingdom of heaven is suggested through a comparison; it is “likened to.” Then Jesus focuses on the situation on earth in our daily life. The first parable, the “virgins,” belongs to the personal domain. The second parable, the “talents,” belongs to the business domain. When we compare the two parables, we can find similar, but also different, lessons that should help us in our preparation for “the kingdom of heaven.”
One common lesson: the oil, like the talents, symbolizes the gifts of God— the Holy Spirit and the Scriptures. The idea is that we cannot produce light by ourselves. We need the light from the external divine source. We should learn to take these precious gifts seriously. We should be careful to preserve the oil. The foolish virgins despised their old oil just as the bad servant despised his talent.
To the lesson that urges for faithfulness and encourages us to care about our heritage, the parable of the talents adds the lesson of being creative. We should not just preserve what we have received; we should also find new ways to multiply our gifts. This holds true also for the searching of the Scriptures. It is not enough to keep repeating the same old truths; we should study the biblical text to find new gems. This lesson also applies to the life of the church. It is not enough to maintain our members. We need to help them grow, and we need to gather in new members.
Discussion Questions: Why did Jesus not describe the kingdom of heaven? How do the common lessons of the two parables apply to our preparation for the kingdom of God? Why are not all the virgins and all the servants accepted? How do we reconcile the biblical idea of a loving and gracious God with the picture of the harsh bridegroom or master?
STEP 3—Apply
Just for Teachers: One of the reasons Jesus taught in parables about the heavenly kingdom is that He did not want His disciples just to understand and appreciate the profound and rich truths; He wanted them also to incorporate these truths into their daily lives.
Application Questions: How does the parable of the virgins and the parable of the talents apply to our daily lives? Find examples in your job or in your personal life that illustrate the lessons of these two parables.
Activity: Invite your class to compare the two parables and list the lessons between the two that are similar or different. How do the different lessons complement each other?
STEP 4—Create
Just for Teachers: Just as Jesus used parables to teach some of the most difficult truths, we should be able to do the same. Note that some of the parables were found in the cultural folklore of the people of that time. What could we learn from Jesus about His familiarity with surrounding culture and also about His capacity to bring forth from it something new?
Activities:
How true are these two parables in ordinary life? Find concrete cases in your daily life that show the truths of these two parables of Jesus.
Challenge the members of your class to find stories or parables within their cultural folklore that could illustrate spiritual lessons.
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Key Text: Matthew 25:13
The Student Will:
Learning Outline:
Know: The Symptoms of the End
Feel: The Urgency of the Moment
Do: Prepare the Way of the Lord.
Summary: The last words of Jesus before His crucifixion are serious warnings of judgment that concern the end time and the destiny of the whole world.
Learning Cycle
STEP 1—Motivate
Spotlight on Scripture: Matthew 24:42–44
Key Concept for Spiritual Growth: The news of the coming of the Son of man is not just about the sensational events that precede His coming; the event itself has an immediate effect on our spiritual lives. Now is the time to refresh our connection with the Lord. The future event of Christ’s coming imbues our present religious and spiritual journey with intention and significance. The closer we come to our Lord in our prayers and in our worship services, the more we will long to see Him face-to-face.
Just for Teachers: This lesson will focus on Jesus’ prophecies and teachings of His last discourse on the Mount of Olives. Jesus’ warning applies to His disciples of all generations, but especially to His disciples of the last days. Human history is going to end. Jesus warns us that this end time will be troubling and shaking, and He urges us to prepare accordingly. The accent should not be on scaring people, but on stimulating them to strengthen their faith and hope and to readjust priorities. Insofar as we have realized that the time of the end has arrived, Jesus’ recommendation to “ ‘seek first the kingdom of God’ ” (Matt. 6:33, NKJV) is more relevant than ever.
Opening Discussion: Why, and how, could we refresh the sense of our “Adventist” identity and mission that precisely concerns the time of the end and the very soon coming of Christ? As we consider our history, we may feel frustrated and discouraged and turn then to other points of emphasis. The Seventh-day Adventist movement has known disappointments; and now, after such a long time of proclaiming the same message, we have become a sophisticated and well-organized institution, and, at times, it may seem as though we have settled for good in this world.
Questions for Discussion:
STEP 2—Explore
Just for Teachers: The way Jesus engages in the proclamation of the end times and of His coming should inspire us. Jesus does not begin His sermon with an affirmation or theological message or with a PowerPoint presentation of an important point of doctrine. He begins with a direct question that concerns the contemporary situation: “ ‘Do you not see all these things?’ ” (Matt. 24:2, NKJV). Then He shocks His disciples with the disturbing news that concerns their present reality, the temple. And only when the disciples ask their question, “ ‘Tell us, when . . . and what . . . ?’ ” (Matt. 24:3), does Jesus, then, speak to their present situation from which He will infer His message: “ ‘Therefore . . .’ ” (Matt. 24:15).
Note that Jesus’ first argument is taken from the Scriptures, a well-known line from the book of Daniel “ ‘the “abomination of desolation” ’ ” (Matt. 24:15, NKJV), and then He encourages His disciples to “ ‘read . . . [and] understand’ ” (Matt. 24:15, NKJV). His first message is a prophecy about the “ ‘great tribulation’ ” (Matt. 24:21, NKJV). It is on the basis of this prophecy of the end times that He will then proceed and teach about “the kingdom of heaven” through parables (Matt. 24:22–25:30).
Bible Commentary
I. The Great Tribulation (Review Matthew 24:15–28 with your class.)
From the most ancient times, the sanctuary, and later the temple, represented the cosmos. When Moses wrote the book of Exodus, he described the process of the building of the sanctuary (Exodus 25–40) in parallel to the Creation story (Gen. 1:1–2:4). Both stories occur in seven stages and both end with the same technical phrase: “finished the work” (Gen. 2:2, Exod. 40:33, NIV).
Likewise, the construction of the temple by Solomon develops in seven stages and ends with the phrase: “finished all the work” (1 Kings 7:40, 51, RSV). This particular phrase appears only in these three passages. The parallel between the construction of the sanctuary/temple and the Creation of the world indicates clearly that, for Moses, there was a relationship between the world and the sanctuary/temple (see also Ps. 78:69; compare with 134:3; 150:1, 6). So, when Jesus spoke about the end of the temple, the disciples understood immediately that He was referring to the end of the world.
The phrase “abomination of desolation” is a very rare expression that Daniel uses to predict the destruction of Jerusalem that took place in a.d. 70 (Dan. 9:27, Dan. 12:11). And indeed, Jesus applies this expression to that event. But Jesus applies it also to the final destruction of the world, of which the temple was considered a figure. Thus, Jesus speaks to both audiences—His disciples who will be contemporary to the destruction of Jerusalem, and His disciples of the end times who will be contemporary to the events taking place at the time of the end.
Like Jesus’ disciples and the Jews of that time, we need to understand first that there will be an end. Jesus simply states the fact without indicating any time for it. This message is, therefore, relevant in a general manner for any generation of Christians. But Jesus specifically has in mind the generation of Christians who will actually live through these events. These disciples are the only ones who will be able to recognize and “see” those final events (Matt. 24:15). They will be able to “see” and recognize Jesus as their Messiah because He warned them beforehand about false messiahs (Matt. 24:25).
Consider This: Discuss Jesus’ pedagogical method. How could we apply His method to our evangelistic strategies? What is Jesus’ first focus? What can we learn about Jesus’ approach to Scriptures? How do Scriptures relate to our lives and to history? How can we prevent ourselves from falling into the traps of false messiahs and false interpretations of prophecies?
II. The Kingdom of Heaven (Review Matthew 25:1–30 with your class.)
Although Jesus announces that He will speak about the “kingdom of heaven” (Matt. 25:1, 14), He does not intend to describe it. The kingdom of heaven is suggested through a comparison; it is “likened to.” Then Jesus focuses on the situation on earth in our daily life. The first parable, the “virgins,” belongs to the personal domain. The second parable, the “talents,” belongs to the business domain. When we compare the two parables, we can find similar, but also different, lessons that should help us in our preparation for “the kingdom of heaven.”
One common lesson: the oil, like the talents, symbolizes the gifts of God— the Holy Spirit and the Scriptures. The idea is that we cannot produce light by ourselves. We need the light from the external divine source. We should learn to take these precious gifts seriously. We should be careful to preserve the oil. The foolish virgins despised their old oil just as the bad servant despised his talent.
To the lesson that urges for faithfulness and encourages us to care about our heritage, the parable of the talents adds the lesson of being creative. We should not just preserve what we have received; we should also find new ways to multiply our gifts. This holds true also for the searching of the Scriptures. It is not enough to keep repeating the same old truths; we should study the biblical text to find new gems. This lesson also applies to the life of the church. It is not enough to maintain our members. We need to help them grow, and we need to gather in new members.
Discussion Questions: Why did Jesus not describe the kingdom of heaven? How do the common lessons of the two parables apply to our preparation for the kingdom of God? Why are not all the virgins and all the servants accepted? How do we reconcile the biblical idea of a loving and gracious God with the picture of the harsh bridegroom or master?
STEP 3—Apply
Just for Teachers: One of the reasons Jesus taught in parables about the heavenly kingdom is that He did not want His disciples just to understand and appreciate the profound and rich truths; He wanted them also to incorporate these truths into their daily lives.
Application Questions: How does the parable of the virgins and the parable of the talents apply to our daily lives? Find examples in your job or in your personal life that illustrate the lessons of these two parables.
Activity: Invite your class to compare the two parables and list the lessons between the two that are similar or different. How do the different lessons complement each other?
STEP 4—Create
Just for Teachers: Just as Jesus used parables to teach some of the most difficult truths, we should be able to do the same. Note that some of the parables were found in the cultural folklore of the people of that time. What could we learn from Jesus about His familiarity with surrounding culture and also about His capacity to bring forth from it something new?
Activities: