Continuing to Look With Hope to the Return of Christ and Our Model for How to Live Until Then

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The Disciples Three Questions
As Jesus was sitting on the Mount of Olives, the disciples came to him privately. “Tell us,” they said:
  1. “When will this happen?” (This being, “Not one stone here (the temple) will be left on another. Every one will be thrown down.”

    The conquest of Jerusalem and the destruction of the temple was complete on approximately September 8 70 AD.

    The angel Gabriel’s answer to Daniel’s prayer. “From the issuing of the degree to restore and rebuild Jerusalem until the Anointed One, the ruler, comes, there will be 483 years.

    In the month of Nisan in the twentieth year of King Artaxerxes (445 BC), the king asked me (Nehemiah), “Why does your face look so sad when you are not ill? (pouty face prophet) This can be nothing but sadness of heart. What is it you want?”  Then I prayed to the God of heaven, and I answered the king, “If it pleases the king and if your servant has found favor in his sight, let him send me to the city in Judah where my ancestors are buried so that I can rebuild it.”  Then the king, with the queen sitting beside him, asked me, “How long will your journey take, and when will you get back?” It pleased the king to send me; so I set a time. Nehemiah 2:1, 4-6 degree issued

    445 BC + 483 = 38 AD.

    After the 483 years the Anointed One will be cut down and will have nothing.  “When they had crucified him, they divided up his clothes by casting lots.” Matthew 27:35

    The people of the ruler who will come will destroy the city and the sanctuary. The end will come like a flood. September 8 70 AD. War will continue until the end and desolations have been decreed. The ruler will confirm a covenant with many for one seven-year period. In the middle of the seven (3.5 years), he will put an end to sacrifice and offering. And on a wing of the temple he will set up an abomination that causes desolation until the end that is decreed is pour out on him. – Daniel 9: 25-27

  2. “What will be the sign of your coming?” (“For I tell you, you will not see me again until you say, ‘Blessed is the one who comes in the name of the Lord.'” “Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord. From the house of the Lord we bless you. The Lord is God, and he has made his light shine on (“in”) us. With boughs in hand, join in the festal procession up to the horns of the altar.” – Psalm 118:26-27
  3. “What will be sign of the end of the age?” Matthew 24:3
 

When the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, he will sit on his glorious throne. All the nations will be gathered before him, and he will separate the people one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats. He will put the sheep on his right and the goats on his left. Then the King will say to those on his right, “Come, you who are blessed by my Father; take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world. For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me. Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.” – Matthew 25:31-40

My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me. I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish. – John 10:27-28
 
Jesus said, “He calls his friends and neighbors together and says, ‘Rejoice with me; I have found my lost sheep.’ I tell you that in the same way there will be more rejoicing in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous persons who do not need to repent. – Luke 15:6–7
 
Like a shepherd He will tend His flock. – Isaiah 40:11

Pointing to his disciples, Jesus said, “Here are my mother and my brothers. For whoever does the will of my Father in heaven is my brother and sister and mother.” – Matthew 12:49-50

When the day of Pentecost came, they were all together in one place. All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit. – Acts 2:1-4 All the believers were together and had everything in common. They sold property and possessions to give to anyone who had need. – Acts 2:44-45
 
All the believers were one in heart and mind. No one claimed that any of their possessions was their own, but they shared everything they had. And God’s grace was so powerfully at work in them all that there were no needy persons among them. For from time to time those who owned land or houses sold them, brought the money from the sales and put it at the apostles’ feet, and it was distributed to anyone who had need. – Acts 4:32-35
 
  1. What, if any, qualifiers do you find for helping those in need?
  2. Describe the attitude of those Christ calls sheep.
  3. Describe the blessings for those calls sheep.
  4. What observations can you make from these verses? “”Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord. From the house of the Lord we bless you. The Lord is God, and he has made his light shine on (in) us.” (Ironically, Psalm 118 is in the middle of the Bible.)
  5. How would you answer someone who reads these verses and claims that doing good to others is the key to going to heaven?
  6. Compare these two verses. Why do you think Jesus left out “brothers and sisters of mine” when he spoke to the goat crowd?
    The King will reply, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.’ – Matthew 25:40
    The King will reply, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did not do for one of the least of these, you did not do for me.’ Matthew 25:45

Pirate Preacher

The Pirate Preacher is the Communications Director at Christ' Church at Moore Square. On Monday nights he leads a "Jesus Study" in Moore Square. Each Sunday between 12:30 and 2:00 the Pirate Preacher and others, gather in the park to hand out food, water, and other items that add to the abundant life Jesus promised. He's also is an award-winning author of middle-grade, YA, and adult fiction and a writing coach and instructor.

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