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What is the difference between the faithful servant and the wicked servant in Matthew 24? And when Jesus Christ returns, what will He find His servants doing? In Matthew 24:45-51, Pastor Casey Lewis concludes our study of the Olivet Discourse by examining Jesus' teaching about two very different servants—one faithful and wise, the other wicked and unprepared for his master's return. Throughout Matthew 24, Jesus has warned His disciples about deception, tribulation, judgment, and His future Second Coming. Now He illustrates what it truly means to stay awake and be ready. The faithful servant understands that he belongs to his master, follows his instructions, faithfully carries out his responsibilities, and seeks to please him. Being ready for Christ's return is not merely knowing what Scripture says about the end times—it is living each day in loving obedience to the Lord. The wicked servant, however, assumes his master will be delayed. He neglects his responsibilities, abuses his authority, and lives for himself. When his master unexpectedly returns, he faces judgment rather than reward. Pastor Casey also examines the parallel passage in Luke 12 and the sobering warning of eternal punishment for those who reject Christ. Ultimately, the question is not whether we can predict the day or hour of Christ's return, but whether our lives demonstrate genuine faith in Him. Which servant are you?

What is the glory of God, and how does the book of Exodus reveal it? When Moses asked the Lord, "Please show me your glory" (Exodus 33:18), he expressed a longing that should characterize every believer: to know God more deeply, behold His greatness, and glorify Him forever. In this introduction to a new sermon series through Exodus, Pastor John Dean explores how God's glory is revealed throughout the Old Testament and ultimately finds its fullest expression in Jesus Christ. The Exodus is more than the story of Israel's deliverance from Egypt—it is part of God's unfolding plan of redemption. Pastor John introduces three major themes that will guide the series: 1. God's Glory in Liberation: God's deliverance of Israel from slavery points forward to the greater freedom from sin found through faith in Jesus Christ. 2. God's Glory in His Covenant: The Mosaic Law reveals God's holiness and humanity's sinfulness, pointing to our need for a Savior and the better, eternal covenant established through Christ. 3. God's Glory in the Tabernacle: God's dwelling among His people foreshadows Jesus Christ, our great High Priest, whose sacrifice opens the way into God's presence. Throughout the message, Pastor John also challenges believers to examine their own hearts, resist discontentment, and find their greatest satisfaction not in the things of this world, but in the glory of God. Join us as we begin this verse-by-verse study of Exodus, discovering how the Old Testament points us to the Gospel and the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ.

When will Jesus Christ return? What did He mean when He said that no one knows the day or hour? And who is taken and who is left behind in Matthew 24? In Matthew 24:36-44, Pastor Casey Lewis continues through the Olivet Discourse, examining Jesus' teaching about the unknown timing of His Second Coming, the days of Noah, and the sudden separation that will occur when Christ returns. Jesus warns that no one knows the day or hour of His return—not even the angels of heaven. Pastor Casey examines what Jesus meant when He said "nor the Son," considering Christ's divine and human natures, His earthly ministry, and the doctrine of the Trinity. The sermon then explores Jesus' comparison between His return and the days of Noah. Just as the flood came unexpectedly while people continued their ordinary lives, the return of Christ will be sudden, visible, and accompanied by judgment. But what about the two men in the field and the two women at the mill, where one is taken and the other left? Pastor Casey considers the popular Rapture interpretation associated with dispensational premillennialism and Left Behind, then explains why he believes those taken are taken in judgment, while those left are preserved. He examines the context of Noah's flood, the Parable of the Weeds, the Parable of the Net, and Luke 17. Ultimately, Jesus' message is not an invitation to predict the date of His return, but a command to stay awake, be ready, and live faithfully for Christ.

What is the lesson of the fig tree in Matthew 24, and what did Jesus mean when He said, "this generation will not pass away until all these things take place"? In Matthew 24:32-35, Jesus teaches His disciples to recognize the signs He has given, remain alert, and trust that every word He has spoken will come to pass. Pastor Casey Lewis continues through the Olivet Discourse from an amillennial, already-and-not-yet perspective. Jesus was speaking to His first-century disciples about events they would witness—including the destruction of Jerusalem and the temple—while also describing the character of this present age and pointing forward to the greater fulfillment still to come at the return of Christ. The lesson of the fig tree is not an invitation to set dates for Christ's return. Just as new leaves show that summer is near, Jesus' words teach His people to recognize the realities that mark this age, stay awake, resist deception, endure hardship, and live ready for His return. Even through persecution, lawlessness, wars, false teaching, and suffering, the Gospel of the Kingdom will continue to advance. This message also examines Jesus' statement that "this generation will not pass away" and His promise that although heaven and earth will pass away, His words will never pass away. Christians can therefore trust every word of Christ, live by faith rather than sight, and remain spiritually ready for the day of His return.

What does Jesus mean when He says the sun will be darkened, the stars will fall, and the Son of Man will come on the clouds? In Matthew 24:29-31, Jesus uses dramatic apocalyptic language to describe judgment, the coming of the Son of Man, and the gathering of His elect. Pastor Casey Lewis continues through the Olivet Discourse by examining these verses from an amillennial, already-and-not-yet perspective. He argues that Jesus' words had a real first-century fulfillment connected to the destruction of Jerusalem in AD 70, while also pointing forward to a greater and universal fulfillment at the future return of Christ. The sermon compares Jesus' language with Old Testament prophetic imagery in Isaiah, Ezekiel, Joel, and Daniel, showing how darkened suns, falling stars, and "coming on the clouds" were often used to describe divine judgment upon nations. Casey then explains why the events of AD 70 serve as a shadow of the final judgment still to come. The message also emphasizes the future, physical return of Jesus Christ: His return will be sudden, visible, global, and impossible to miss. At that time, every person will answer to Christ, and He will gather all of His elect to Himself.

What is the "abomination of desolation" in Matthew 24, and what does Jesus mean by the great tribulation? In Matthew 24:15-28, Jesus warns His disciples about the coming destruction of Jerusalem, false christs and false prophets, and the future return of the Son of Man. Pastor Casey Lewis continues through the Olivet Discourse by arguing that Jesus' warning about the abomination of desolation referred directly to the Roman armies surrounding and destroying Jerusalem and the temple in AD 70. He compares Matthew 24 with Luke 21 and the prophecies of Daniel, and examines the terrible tribulation experienced during the fall of Jerusalem. The message then turns to Jesus' warnings about deception. False christs and false prophets will arise, but believers are not to be misled by spectacular claims, signs, or wonders. When Jesus Christ returns, His coming will not be hidden or uncertain—it will be sudden, visible, and unmistakable, like lightning flashing across the sky. Christians are therefore called to know the Word of God, resist deception, remain steadfast through trials, and live ready for the return of Christ.

What did Jesus mean by the "signs" in Matthew 24? In Matthew 24:1-14, Jesus warns His disciples about deception, wars and rumors of wars, persecution, false prophets, lawlessness, and the spread of the Gospel before the end comes. Pastor Casey Lewis continues through the Olivet Discourse by examining Jesus' prediction of the destruction of the Jerusalem temple, fulfilled in AD 70, and the disciples' question about Christ's coming and the end of the age. From an amillennial perspective, this message considers how Matthew 24 describes both events experienced by the first-century disciples and a broader pattern that continues throughout the present age until the return of Christ. Christians are called not to panic over every war, disaster, or headline, but to remain alert, resist deception, endure persecution, guard their love for the Lord, and faithfully proclaim the Gospel. This sermon also considers the perseverance of believers and Jesus' promise that the Gospel of the Kingdom will be proclaimed throughout the world before the end comes.

What do Christians believe about the end times? As we begin Matthew 24 and the Olivet Discourse, Pastor Casey Lewis introduces the doctrine of eschatology and explains why Christians should study what Scripture teaches about the return of Christ. In this message, Pastor Casey surveys the major Christian end-times positions, including historic premillennialism, dispensational premillennialism, postmillennialism, amillennialism, and preterism. He also discusses how Christians should approach disagreements over eschatology with humility and charity, dangers such as date-setting and interpreting every news event as biblical prophecy, and why he currently holds to an amillennial view. Above all, the doctrine of the end times should lead Christians not merely to debate, but to remain faithful, active, and ready for the return of Jesus Christ. Scripture: Matthew 23:37-24:3 Sermon: The Doctrine of End Times Preacher: Pastor Casey Lewis Foundation Baptist Church http://foundationeuless.com/ Subscribe and follow along as we continue verse by verse through Matthew 24 and the Olivet Discourse.