♪ theme music ♪
(Derek) Welcome to Hope Sabbath School,
an in-depth, interactive study
of the Word of God.
I'm glad you joined us today
as we continue a life-changing series
of studies on the Gospel of Matthew.
Today we're going to talk
about "The Teachings of Jesus
about the Last Days."
A relevant topic,
and I know you'll be blessed.
So welcome to Hope Sabbath School
and welcome to our team.
What a great series of studies.
I'm so thankful that the Spirit of God
inspired a former tax collector,
Levi Matthew, to write this account,
and I'm excited today because
one of our team, T ricia Lee,
is going to be leading in our study.
Tricia Lee, thanks for your commitment
to the Word of God,
and I know God is going to bless us
in wonderful ways.
We're just so glad
that you're part of Hope Sabbath School,
and when you write to us it brings joy
to our hearts to hear how God is blessing you.
You can write to sshope@hopetv.org.
You can also write a note
on our Facebook page;
we've got more than 150,000 followers
on Facebook now, and it's wonderful.
Sometimes we'll put a picture of you,
if you send one.
We're just part of a global family
seeking God and wanting to be used
to bless others with His Word.
So thanks for writing.
Ely writes from California.
Anybody from California?
Some of you have lived in California, right?
Okay.
"Greetings to every Hope Sabbath School member."
Several of you look happy.
"I watch your program every day.
I learn a lot from the discussion.
I also downloaded the app,
and I love to watch the archives.
I feast on the Word of God every day."
Well, Ely, thanks for letting other
Hope Sabbath School members know
that if you go to our website,
hopetv.org/hopess,
you can not only watch programs
in this series on the Gospel of Matthew
that you might have missed,
but you can watch a multitude of past programs
with wonderful topics
that will be a blessing.
If you have the app on your iPhone
or your smartphone, you can access
the archives there; you can watch
all kinds of wonderful Bible studies.
So thanks for putting in a little promo,
Ely, for the app, and that's
a wonderful blessing to many people.
James writes from Ghana.
Anyone with Ghanaian roots?
We do have some occasionally on our team,
don't we?
"I enjoy your class and the contributions
you make.
I pick your contributions,
and I replicate them in my class
when I teach in my church."
Is that good?
(Team) Yes.
(Derek) That's exactly what we're hoping for.
"Oh, how I wish I could contribute live,"
says James.
"Send my greetings to the Hope Sabbath School team."
Well, James, if you come over
when we're filming, we'd love to have you
as part of the program,
but, you know, we're equally excited
to know that you're leading a Bible study
program there in your homeland of Ghana,
and, along with tens of thousands
who are downloading that outline,
we're glad you're teaching the Word to others.
Benson writes from Kenya,
and I know we've got one Kenyan.
Eric, wave to your brother from Kenya.
All right, a big smile for Benson
writing from Kenya, "I follow your programs.
I am a Sunday School teacher."
So Benson's teaching the Word
in his church.
"Please don't give up because your work
is not in vain."
(Team) Amen.
(Derek) Ah, that's awesome!
"God bless you all, amen."
Well Benson, to know that you're a witness
there in your church in Kenya
brings great joy to our hearts.
You encourage
your other Sunday School members
to watch Hope Sabbath School,
and they'll learn much more about
the Word of God, too.
Here's one last note, actually, I've got
a couple here; lots of people writing.
I want to thank Jean
for writing from Russia.
You say, "Jean doesn't sound Russian."
Well, Jean is from Rwanda,
studying in Russia.
"I greet you in the might name of our soon-coming Savior Jesus Christ."
(Team) Amen.
(Derek) "Peace be with you.
I am Rwandese, currently living
and studying in Russia."
Now I want you to listen to Jean's testimony.
"I discovered Hope Sabbath School
in late 2014 shortly after I came to Russia.
I used to go through the Sabbath School study by myself
because I didn't have anyone to study with me.
Even after I discovered a church in the city,
it was still difficult because all of the services were held in"...?
(Team) Russian.
(Derek) "...Russian, and I just was learning the language.
As a response to my longings,..."
Somebody is going to say "amen" here,
"As a response to my longings,
God revealed Hope Sabbath School to me,"
(Team) Amen.
(Derek) "...and I was able to be part
of the in-depth study of the Word of God in English.
It blessed me so much that even though
I've now acquired enough language skills
to discuss the lesson in Russian,
I still watch Hope Sabbath School,
and I'm blessed by that.
I pray that you keep serving, letting people know
about the Word of God and that you
might even broadcast in different languages
to reach many unreached places for Christ."
Well, Jean, I want to ask you to pray
because we are moving forward with closed captioning,
and we are looking for the opportunity
for volunteer translators in a multitude
of different languages so that people
who don't have English as their language,
even a major second language,
will be able to watch and read the closed captioning
because, you know this Gospel of the KIngdom
is going to go the whole World,
and then Jesus will come back,
isn't that right?
(Team) Amen.
(Derek) So thank you for being a witness there
while you're studying in Russia.
One last note from Alexander in Zimbabwe.
Anyone from Zimbabwe?
Simiso, hold your hand up and wave to your brother,
and we'll get that on the screen,
all the way from Zimbabwe.
"Greetings, Hope Sabbath School team."
(Team) Greetings!
(Derek) "I'm blessed to be watching
Hope Sabbath School in Harare,
capital of Zimbabwe.
I really enjoy the discussions;
they're so interactive and informative.
May God bless you, the entire Hope Sabbath School team,
for spreading the Word of God."
Well, you say that's a lot of emails
coming from around the world,
and, you know, we are just so glad
that we can be part of a global family.
And we're going to sing together now
as a global family,
and then Tricia Lee's going to lead us
in a powerful study of the Word of God,
"The Teachings of Jesus about the Last Days,"
but were singing now, Psalm 148.
I hope you've learned it for this series,
"Praise Him in the Heights."
♪ music ♪
(Derek) You know, I've got a feeling
when we're done with this series,
we're going to be singing this in our sleep,
but what a great Psalm to sing,
"Praise Him in the Heights,"
and, Tricia Lee, as you lead our study today, I know we'll have a lot
to praise Jesus for as He gives us hope for the last days.
(Tricia Lee) Amen, amen.
Let us pray.
Dear Lord, we need your Holy Spirit
to help us to understand the times
that we're living in.
We need your Holy Spirit to help us understand Your Word to us
about the Last Days.
Please bless this study,
in Christ's name we pray, amen.
(Derek, Team) Amen.
(Tricia Lee) I am so excited that God
has not left us in the dark about what to expect will happen
in the Last Days.
Some people are very anxious or nervous about the things
that happen at the end of time.
Some people have heard rumors or strange stories of the apocalypse
or even science fiction zombies,
but God's Word reveals to us what to expect.
So as we study together, let's just thank God that He has not left us
in darkness about what will come in the Last Days.
(Derek, Team) Amen.
(Tricia Lee) Let us turn our study
to the Book of Matthew chapter 23.
Before we hear what Jesus teaches about the Last Days,
first we find our study right after the Triumphal Entry.
Jesus has entered Jerusalem, and He has met the religious leaders,
and unfortunately they are filled with envy and anger towards Him,
and with a sorrowful heart He beings to pronounce series of woes to them.
Woe means misery or trouble to come,
bad things that are happening, so He's arning them about the condition
of their hard hearts and what that means.
So let's see first, before we talk about the Last Days,
what Christ says to the religious leaders and to the people at the time
about these woes, this miserable condition that they are unfortunately now
finding themselves in because they've rejected Him.
Let's start in Matthew chapter 23.
I'll ask Gary if he would please read for us
Matthew chapter 23, verses 1 through 12.
(Gary) Okay, I'll be reading from the New King James Version:
(Tricia Lee) Amen.
So before addressing the Scribes and Pharisees,
Christ first addresses the people,
and He actually gives them some warnings.
Nicole, would you summarize for us
what has Christ warned the people about in the verses we just read.
(Nicole) Sure, I'm thinking back to humility again and not being
caught up in names and being in certain places in society,
and so I think He is warning against being kind of hypocrites,
you know, saying one thing out of your mouth, but acting and living
a way that's not reflecting what you're saying.
So I think this whole kind of 12 verses talks about hypocrisy and warning
against living a life that you're not actually living.
(Tricia Lee) That's correct.
Let's keep reading now n verses 13 through 15,
where now Jesus is speaking directly
to the religious leaders and pronounces these woes upon them.
Olric will you please read Matthew chapter 23:13-15?
(Olric) Yes, I'll be reading from the King James Version:
(Tricia Lee) Wow, wow, strong words
from Jesus here.
Jonathan,would you summarize for us
what is the rebuke that Jesus is giving to the Scribes and Pharisees here?
(Jonathan) It seems like He is just underpinning
their whole approach to the religion.
They had set up all these rules and set up all these different things,
and He's calling their bluff.
It's like, "You talk about My Kingdom,
but you don't actually want people in;
you don't invite people to really live these things out.
It's more this external thing for you."
(Tricia Lee) Strong rebukes, but there is more.
Juliana, will you continue reading for us Matthew 23, verses 16 through 24?
(Juliana) Sure, and I will be reading from the New King James Version:
(Tricia Lee) Wow, wow.
Simiso, summarize for what is Jesus rebuking the religious leaders.
(Simiso) I think Jesus is rebuking
the religious leaders to be genuine and authentic
and be ____16:30 rounded in terms of what
Scripture requires of them.
(Tricia Lee) That's correct.
When we look at verses 21 and 22, it seems as though they have
a lack of reverence for the things that are holy.
They're not really reverencing what God is saying.
What do we see in verse 24
about the tithing of mint and anise?
Olric, what is Christ telling them or for what is Christ rebuking them?
(Olric) They had this teaching back then that they were not
to eat anything unclean, and the gnat would be an unclean animal.
So they will take time to make sure
that the water does not contain any
of these little bugs, but, you know,
He is saying, "Your hypocrisy
is so evident; you take time to pay tithe
and cummin and this stuff.
You're being outwardly religious,
but inwardly you're not there because
things like faith and mercy, love,
that you don't have.
You take time to look at these little things,
but there are bigger things that you're not doing."
(Tricia Lee) Have you ever heard the phrase,
"the letter of the law but not the spirit of the law,"
being able to keep certain requirements
but not really having and living the love to motivate it?
Let's keep reading.
There's some more rebukes that Jesus gives them.
Jason, would you read for us Matthew 23, verses 25 through 36.
(Jason) I'll be reading from the New King James Version.
Matthew chapter 23, verses 25 through 36, says:
(Tricia Lee) Wow, these are some strong words.
I can't even imagine calling someone a viper or a snake.
It's hard to even picture Jesus doing it.
You can imagine Him with tears in His eyes
telling those people that he loved
those scathing rebukes.
Why do you think the rebukes of Jesus
were so harsh?
Why was He speaking to them so severely?
Nathan.
(Nathan) I think we can read this in two different ways, but we should read it
thinking of Jesus with tears in His eyes and in His voice.
When you look at the next verse that follows, verse 37 in Matthew 23.
Can I read it from the New King James Version, where He says:
I mean, the pain in His voice; He's longing for them to be saved, and He says,
"You're not willing to come to it."
It reminds me of, I think in Isaiah, God speaking through the prophet says,
"All day long I stood with My arms open wide to a stiff-necked
and rebellious people," -- Here He is calling you to salvation,
and you're turning away, not just turning away but rebelling against Him.
(Tricia Lee) And it's sad; it's sad.
In a previous study, we've talked about the choices that we all have to make,
and that God wants us to choose Him,
but we do have the free will to choose otherwise.
(Derek) You know, I'm thinking,
Tricia Lee, I really appreciate what Nathan said about the love of Jesus.
And there were some Pharisees,
Nicodemus was a Pharisee
and also a member of the Sanhedrin,
who did repent.
(Tricia Lee) Yes, praise God.
(Derek) So you know, if Jesus was
just kind of harsh and kind of fighting
with the weapons of this world
or acting like they acted,
they'd have an excuse,
but I think He is speaking with love in His heart.
And, praise God, some of the Scribes and Pharisees
said, "We need to repent;
we need to turn our lives around."
(Tricia Lee) Amen, amen.
Reading through this passage,
something was very interesting,
and I'd like to ask the class this question:
How could He say that the guilt of all the righteous blood, all the martyrs
would fall on this generation?
What does that mean?
How are they guilty of all these things?
They're just living their little lives;
how is it that He can say that the blood of all the righteous from Abel
to Zechariah would fall on this generation?
Any idea what was the significance of that statement, Missy?
(Missy) All throughout the generations,
God has sent prophets,
throughout all ages,
but along with the prophets were the dissenters
who chose not to listen to them, and not only that, to oppose them
and even kill the prophets.
And they have the same spirit,
so this is why they would carry the guilt.
(Tricia Lee) I think you're right, Missy.
Let's turn to Luke chapter 24,
and we'll see that the Bible supports
what you just said, Missy.
Luke chapter 24,
and, Eric, would you read for us Luke chapter 24, verses 25 through 27?
(Eric) I'm reading from the New Living Translation,
Luke 24:25-27, and it says:
(Tricia Lee) Amen, that's right, Missy.
All the prophets were all given the same message,
the Gospel of Jesus that was to come, the Messiah to come,
they were all testifying to Him,
so every generation, when they kept rejecting the prophets that were sent
to them, they were rejecting Christ,
and ultimately when that generation rejected Christ, they were rejecting
the entire message that had been sent to them time after time after time.
Jonathan?
(Jonathan) Just the fact that not only did they reject the sayings
that were entrusted to them, now they came with greater power.
I mean, like, when you have Christ doing all these miracles,
so if they reject Christ, who is the fulfillment and testimony
and perfect representation of everything they were given,
they in essence have rejected it and killed everything else before them.
(Derek) But, you know, we have no excuse
because we have Jesus,
and yet, you know, one of the things I've noticed teaching about Jesus,
there are many young people who grow up in a Christian home
who have never read the Book of Matthew or Mark or Luke or John.
They have the testimony of Jesus Himself,
and yet a lot of times we act like it doesn't exist.
(Tricia Lee) That would be the rebuke to our generation.
(Derek) I think it would be.
(Tricia Lee) The rebuke to our generation
is that we have this Word that has survived generation after generation,
we know that it's been preserved through time
exactly as it was spoken through the prophets and written down,
we know the life of Christ, and so here we are today with such grace, such mercy,
and if we still choose not to accept God, then that's the rebuke that we have
on ourselves.
We're going to keep reading now,
and we're going to transition now to Matthew chapter 24
and get into the real heart of our study.
We're going to now see that Jesus leaves the Temple, again, tears in His eyes.
Thank you Nathan, and I believe He had tears in His eyes, too.
Sad that the people were doubting Him and not believing Him,
and now we're going to see another conversation
that He and the disciples get into that leads us to this amazing prophecy
about the destruction of Jerusalem as well as the Last Day events.