Rev. David Holwick
First Baptist Church
West Lafayette, Ohio
June 5, 1988
Matthew 24:3-8
BIRTHPANGS OF THE TRIBULATION
I. Disciples' questions:
A. When?
B. Signs?
II. Jesus' answer:
A. Many signs.
B. But not all of them predict an immediate end of the world.
C. Be careful of being misled.
III. Misleading signs:
A. False Christs
1) Representatives of Jesus.
2) Claim to be new Jesus, or Messiah.
a) Nut in Catholic bookstore in Boston
b) Rev. Sung Yung Moon
(Son died, African claims to be reincarnation)
Influential - "Washington Times" newspaper,
read by Reagan.
c) Stalin, erected thousands of statues to his name.
B. Conflict:
1) War is a fact of history:
a) 8% has seen peace.
b) 3,100 years, peace in 286.
c) 8,000 treaties made, broken.
2) Not limited to nations:
a) Conflict in families (Matt 10:34-37)
b) Conflict in nature itself (Rom 8:20-21)
1> Earthquakes (Matt 24:7)
2> Famine (Ethiopia)
3> Disease (Aids, Sexually Transmitted Disease)
IV. Beginning of Sorrows = Birthpangs
A. Their place in prophetic timetable:
1) Precedes Tribulation. (verse 9)
2) Describes whole age.
3) Will intensify at end.
B. Their meaning:
1) Sign that something is happening, but definite time unknown
2) Celeste in labor 24 hours for Rebecca
V. Meaning of Birthpangs for Today:
A. Don't get upset at calamities
1) Senator Hughes of Iowa called Comet Kohoutet a sign of end
2) Wars, famines, disasters will be with us to end
B. Realize we are destined to witness more suffering.
1) It is a normal event, even for Christians (Acts 9:16)
2) Be wary of false political hope (Nuclear Arms Treaties)
C. Realize birthpangs are painful, but produce joy.
1) Second Coming of Jesus.
2) Heaven, if we die first.
