The End of the World
A Sermon on Luke 21:34-36
Originally preached Jan. 8, 1961
Scripture
34¶ And take heed to yourselves, lest at any time your hearts be overcharged with surfeiting, and drunkenness, and cares of this life, and so that day come upon you unawares. 35For as a snare shall it come on all them that dwell on the face of the …
Sermon Description
How will this world come to an end? The Bible teaches that Jesus will return in glory to judge the earth and consummate all things. Jesus tells that no one will know the day or the hour of His coming, and for this reason Christians are to be ever faithful and vigilant, called to be holy. However, some have ignored this teaching and attempt to predict when Jesus will return. This leads to speculation and creates division in the church. In this sermon on Luke 21:34–36 titled “The End of the World,” Dr. Lloyd-Jones says that the biblical answer is to trust that Jesus will be faithful to His word to return and complete the salvation of all believers. The church is to look to Christ to make the world new at His coming and set all things right. This is the hope amidst the many trials and hardships that come from living in a fallen world. All are beset by the schemes of the devil from the outside and from sinful desires within. This is why Christians ought not to trust in themselves, but only in Christ Jesus. At His coming He will judge the whole world in righteousness and truth. Those who are still in sin and rebellion will be condemned, but those that believe are saved through His righteousness.
Sermon Breakdown
- The sermon focuses on Luke 21:34-36. These verses warn believers to be watchful and prepared for Christ's return.
- Christ knew he was going to die when he spoke these words. His words are very significant and important.
- The sermon deals with prophecy about the future. Christ looks into the future and gives a preview of what is to come.
- There are two main topics in the chapter: the destruction of Jerusalem and the end times. Verses 20-24 deal with the destruction of Jerusalem. The rest of the chapter deals with the end times.
- 50 years ago, preaching on the end times and Christ's return was thought of as ridiculous. Now, it is taken much more seriously.
- There are two fallacies in approaching this topic: 1) Spending all your time trying to prevent the end from happening. 2) Spending all your time trying to determine the exact time of the end.
- The end is certain and unavoidable. Nothing can stop it from happening. It will happen because of man's sin and God's judgment.
- The world cannot be improved because of sin. History shows a cycle of rise and fall, not steady progress.
- The only hope is in Christ. The world is doomed without him. He came to save us from destruction, not just improve the world.
- We must believe Christ's teaching about the end times. We cannot stop or evade it. We must be ready to stand before the Son of Man in judgment.
- To stand before Christ in judgment, we must believe in him. We must trust that he died to save us from our sins and give our lives to him.
- We must also watch and be on guard. The world will try to distract us and draw our attention away from Christ and our souls.
- It can be difficult to realize these truths, but the state of the world makes them hard to ignore. We must hold onto these truths and not let the devil steal them from us.
- For believers, Christ's return should be a joyful event, not something terrible. We should long to see him face to face.
- We must keep our eyes on Christ, not letting anything come between us and him. Then his return will be a glorious day.
Sermon Q&A
Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones on the End Times: Questions and Answers
What is the main subject of Dr. Lloyd-Jones' sermon from Luke 21:34-36?
Dr. Lloyd-Jones focuses on Christ's teaching about the end of the world and how believers should prepare for it. As he states, "Here is a prophecy, then, concerning the end of the world." He emphasizes that this is "a very vital and essential part of [Christ's] teaching" that Christians often neglect in favor of other teachings like the Sermon on the Mount or the Parable of the Prodigal Son.
How does Lloyd-Jones explain the change in attitude toward end-times teaching?
Lloyd-Jones observes that before 1939, discussing the end of the world was "regarded almost as a sign of lunacy" because the world seemed stable and progress inevitable. However, he notes a complete transformation: "Now it's not at all an unusual thing to read about the end of the world in a daily newspaper." He cites scientists like C.P. Snow who warned about nuclear destruction, showing that even secular thinkers now recognize the possibility of world-ending events.
What are the two fallacies in approaching end-times teaching according to Lloyd-Jones?
According to Lloyd-Jones, the first fallacy is "that we should simply spend the whole of our time in trying to prevent this from happening" through political activism or social reform. The second fallacy is found "exclusively in the Christian church" - spending excessive time "trying to work out in detail as to when the end is going to take place" by matching current events to biblical prophecies and setting specific dates.
What does Lloyd-Jones say is the proper Christian response to end-times prophecy?
The proper response is: "Take heed to yourselves, lest at any time your hearts be overcharged with surfiting and drunkenness and cares of this life, and so that day come upon you unawares." Christians should: 1. Believe Christ's teaching about the inevitable end 2. Prepare ourselves spiritually rather than trying to stop it 3. Watch and pray that we may "stand before the Son of man" 4. Avoid being distracted by worldly pleasures or cares
Why does Lloyd-Jones believe we should trust Jesus' teaching about the end times?
Lloyd-Jones provides several reasons to trust Jesus' prophecies: 1. Jesus is the Son of God who rose from the dead 2. His prophecy about Jerusalem's destruction in AD 70 came true exactly as he predicted 3. His teaching about ongoing wars and troubles throughout history has proven accurate 4. The current state of the world confirms his teaching rather than optimistic views of human progress
What does Lloyd-Jones teach about the final judgment?
Lloyd-Jones teaches that when Christ returns, "Evil and all who belong to the power of evil shall be finally condemned and sent to everlasting destruction." However, "All who, having realized their sinfulness and their folly, have believed in him, shall be told of their glorious reward." He emphasizes that Christ "will divide the whole of humanity into two groups" - believers who can stand before him, and unbelievers who will be condemned.
How does Lloyd-Jones describe the hope for Christians in end-times teaching?
While Lloyd-Jones says there is "no hope for the world in and of itself," he emphasizes there is great hope for believers. For Christians, Christ's return means "Your redemption draweth nigh." Rather than fearing the end, believers should "look forward to it" and even "hasten its coming" because it means seeing Christ, being "made like him," and spending "eternity in his presence."
What practical warnings does Lloyd-Jones give Christians about staying prepared?
Lloyd-Jones warns believers to guard against three distractions: 1. "Surfiting" (overindulgence) and drunkenness 2. "The cares of this life" - even legitimate responsibilities can distract from spiritual preparation 3. Being "so absorbed by newspapers and pleasures and interests" that we're caught unaware
He urges Christians to "Watch" and "Take heed" continuously, "realizing that this is a doomed and a dangerous and a devilish world" that tries to come between us and our salvation.
Other Sermons
Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones
Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones (1899-1981) was a Welsh evangelical minister who preached and taught in the Reformed tradition. His principal ministry was at Westminster Chapel, in central London, from 1939-1968, where he delivered multi-year expositions on books of the bible such as Romans, Ephesians and the Gospel of John. In addition to the MLJ Trust’s collection of 1,600 of these sermons in audio format, most of these great sermon series are available in book form (including a 14 volume collection of the Romans sermons), as are other series such as "Spiritual Depression", "Studies in the Sermon on the Mount" and "Great Biblical Doctrines". He is considered by many evangelical leaders today to be an authority on biblical truth and the sufficiency of Scripture.