Teacher Notes

Bible Stories for Adults

Jesus Will Come Again

Matthew 25:31-46



Welcome and Announcements
    Next Week - Pentecost (John 14:23-31; Acts 2)
    Bible Words to Remember:
      I will come back and take you to be with Me. John 14:3

Opening Prayer


Jesus Prepares to Leave (Luke 24:44-51; Acts 1:1-8)
    What did Jesus do after claiming victory over death through His resurrection?
      Acts 1:3 = He showed Himself to His apostles & disciples over 40 days
    What reason besides proving He was alive did Jesus have for appearing to His disciples?
      Luke 24:44-47 = He opened their minds to see how He was the promised Christ
    Why was it important for the apostles to understand this?
      Luke 24:48 = They would be His witnesses
    What does Jesus expect of His witnesses?
      Matthew 28:19-20 = Go, Make disciples of all nations, Baptize, Teach
    Isn't this too large of a job to expect eleven simple men to get started?
      Acts 1:8 = Not when they have the power of God; Can take to ends of the earth
    When would this happen?
      Acts 1:4-5 = Within a few days

Jesus Leaves (Acts 1:9-11)
    What did Jesus do after commissioning His apostles and promising the Spirit's power?
      Acts 1:9 = He left them and rose into heaven
    How did God keep the apostles from feeling forsaken and abandoned?
      Acts 1:10-11 = He sent 2 angels to tell them that Jesus Will Come Again
    Was this news to the apostles?
      John 14:2-3 = At last Supper, J said, I will come back and take you to be with me
    Would this be news to people other than the apostles?
      Matthew 26:63-64 = No, Jesus told Sanhedrin He'd return from God's right hand
    Did the early church understand that Jesus would return?
      Titus 2:11-14 = Definitely
      See also 1 Cor 1:7;4:5; 1 Th 5:23; 1 Tim 6:14; 1 Jn 2:28; Phil 3:20; Col 3:4; etc
    Note: The New Testament has 260 chapters and over 300 references to Jesus' Second Coming

The Timing (Matthew 24:36-41)
    When did Jesus say He would bring this new kingdom to His new people (Israel)?
      Acts 1:6-7 = It is not for us to know the times or dates the Father has set
    Why didn't Jesus tell them so they knew how much time they had to tell the world?
      Matthew 24:36 = Only the Father knows, Jesus & angels don't
    Doesn't God warn the world before a major event so people can prepare themselves?
      Matthew 24:37-39 = No, look at the example of the flood in Noah's time

Be Prepared (Matthew 24:42-25:30)
    What does this lack of knowing when mean for our lives?
      Matthew 24:42-44 = We should stay prepared, keep watch, be ready

    What example does Jesus give to show how we should live while waiting?
      Matthew 24:45-51 = Servant put in charge of household while master is away
    What example does Jesus give to show that we must be spiritually ready at all times?
      Matthew 25:1-13 = 10 virgins waiting for groom - no last minute catch up
    What example does Jesus give to show that we are to work while waiting, not wait idly?
      Matthew 25:14-30 = 3 servants using/hiding talents - spiritual gifts are to use

Signs of the End (Matthew 24:3-22, 32-33)
    Will there be any indication that the time for Jesus to return is near?
      Matthew 24:32-33 = There will be signs for the spiritually educated to recognize
    What will happen before Jesus returns?
      2 Thessalonians 2:3-4, 9-10 = A rebellion, lawless one set self up as God, evil
    Will Christians be able to withstand the temptations of this deceiver?
      1 Timothy 4:1 = Some will fall away
    When we see wars and people claim to be the Christ (Koresh), does this mean the end is here?
      Matthew 24:3-8 = Such things must happen, but the end is still to come
    What is significant about where Jesus said this?
      Zechariah 14:3-4 = Messiah would stand on Mt of Olives to establish His kingdom

There He Is! (Matthew 24:23-30)
    What if we hear someone claiming they know when the end will be or that Jesus has returned?
      Matthew 24:23-26 = Don't believe it, There will be many who try to deceive
    How much notice will we have before He arrives?
      Matthew 24:27 = No notice, it will be as quick as lightning
    How will we find out if He shows up in some other place in the world?
      Matthew 24:30 (Rev 1:7) = All the earth will see Him coming at the same time

During This Generation (Matthew 24:34-35)
    How long did the early Christians believe it would be before Jesus returned?
      Matthew 24:34 = Within their generation (lifetime)
    Was Jesus talking about the lifetime of the individuals living at the time?
      Psalm 78:8 = Generation refers to the kind of people - all forefathers made one gen.
    What generation was Jesus speaking about?
      Psalm 24:6 = Those who seek Him
      See also Ps 12:7; 14:5; 73:15; 112:2; Deut 32:5,20; Jer 7:29; Acts 2:40; Phil 2:15; Heb 3:10...
    How did Peter point out that people will be confused by this concept of generation?
      2 Peter 3:3-4, 8-10 = Scoffers will lose patience, Lord is patient, day like 1000 yrs

What About Those Who Die? (1 Thessalonians 4:13-18)
    What problem did early Christians have as a result of expecting Jesus' return during their lives?
      1 Thessalonians 4:13 = Christians were dying. Did that mean their faith was weak?
    How did Paul answer their concern and confusion?
      1 Thessalonians 4:14-16 = The dead will rise before any of the living are taken
    What will happen to the faithful who are still alive?
      1 Thessalonians 4:17-18 = Caught up with the risen in the clouds to meet the Lord

Why is He Coming Back? (Matthew 25:31-33)
    Jesus came the first time to take away our sins. Why will He come a second time?
      Hebrews 9:27-28 = To bring salvation to those who are waiting for Him
    How will He do this?
      Matthew 25:31-33 (Ezekiel 34:17-24) = He'll separate the sheep from the goats
      Shepherds grazed sheep & goats together and separated them at shearing time
    Wouldn't it have been easier not to let the sheep and goats get all mixed up in the first place?
      Matthew 13:24-30 (36-43) = Leave the weeds until harvest so wheat isn't harmed

    Who is included in this judgment?
      John 5:28-29 (Dan 12:1-2) = Everyone who ever lived. Good live, evil condemned
    Who will help Jesus with this massive task?
      Jude 14-15 (Matt 16:27; Dan 7:10) = Thousands upon thousands of angels

Destiny of the Sheep (Matthew 25:34)
    What will the Good Shepherd do with the sheep that belong to Him?
      Matthew 25:34 = Give them their inheritance, prepared for them since creation
    What is the significance of the word inheritance?
      Ephesians 2:8-9 = Heaven is a gift, it is not earned
    What will happen to these sheep?
      1 John 3:2 = We will be made like Him, although we don't understand what this means
    How does Paul describe this?
      Philippians 3:20-21 = Lowly bodies will be transformed to be like His glorious body
    What will this body be like?
      1 Corinthians 15:35-44 = Our earthly body is a seed to our glorious heavenly body

Proof of Faithfulness (Matthew 25:35-40)
    What proof will Jesus give of the faithfulness of His sheep?
      Matthew 25:35-36 = You took care of me when I was in need
    How do the Lord's sheep show that this was done out of response to God's grace?
      Matthew 25:37-39 = They ask, "When did we ever do any of these things to you?"
    How does Jesus explain that He was all around them during their earthly lives?
      Matthew 25:40 = Whatever you did for one of the least of these ... you did for Me

Works or Faith? (James 2:14-26)
    Does this mean that people will be saved based on their good deeds?
      Romans 3:20-24 = No, righteousness comes through faith in Jesus
    Then what do the good deeds have to do with being saved?
      James 2:14, 18, 26 = A living faith results in good deeds
    The Good Ship Salvation: Believers in Jesus Christ ride in a sailboat named Salvation. The wind of God propels the boat. As the sailboat moves, little ripples of good deeds are left behind in the water.
      What causes the boat to move, the wind or the ripples?
      What causes the ripples, or the good deeds, to be produced?
      If you look behind a sailboat and see no ripples, what can you conclude?

Destiny of the Goats (Matthew 25:41)
    What will the Good Shepherd do with the goats that belong to His enemy?
      Matthew 25:41 = Send them into the eternal fire prepared for Satan & his angels
    Who all will be sent to this eternal fire?
      Revelation 20:10, 13-15 = Satan, false prophets, those not of God's family

Proof of Faithlessness (Matthew 25:42-46)
    What proof will Jesus give of the faithlessness of the goats?
      Matthew 25:42-43 = You took care of me when I was in need
    What excuse do the goats give to try to save themselves?
      Matthew 25:44 = They say that if they'd have helped if they had recognized Him
    How does Jesus explain that He was all around them during their earthly lives?
      Matthew 25:45 = Whatever you didn't do for one of the least...you didn't do for Me
    What will happen after the sheep and goats are separated and judged?
      Matthew 25:46 = Both sheep & goats receive their destinies

Closing Prayer



Copyright © 1997 by Kurt Rosenhagen

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