Main Text: Matthew 24:1–3 (ESV) 1 Jesus left the temple and was going away, when his disciples came to point out to him the buildings of the temple. 2 But he answered them, “You see all these, do you not? Truly, I say to you, there will not be left here one stone upon another that will not be thrown down.” 3 As he sat on the Mount of Olives, the disciples came to him privately, saying, “Tell us, when will these things be, and what will be the sign of your coming and of the end of the age?”

Preaching Point: To properly grasp what Jesus says about the end times, we must understand both the disciples' historical understanding of the end times and the intentional gap God created in salvation history.

Teaching Points:

1. Understand God’s Kingdom Program (vv. 1-3)
2. Recognize the Prophetic Gap (vv. 1-3)
3. Grasp the Disciples' Questions (v. 3)

Main Text: Psalm 51:1–19 (ESV) To the choirmaster. A Psalm of David, when Nathan the prophet went to him, after he had gone in to Bathsheba. 1Have mercy on me, O God, according to your steadfast love; according to your abundant mercy blot out my transgressions. 2 Wash me thoroughly from my iniquity, and cleanse me from my sin! 3 For I know my transgressions, and my sin is ever before me. 4 Against you, you only, have I sinned and done what is evil in your sight, so that you may be justified in your words and blameless in your judgment. 5 Behold, I was brought forth in iniquity, and in sin did my mother conceive me. 6 Behold, you delight in truth in the inward being, and you teach me wisdom in the secret heart. 7Purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean; wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow. 8 Let me hear joy and gladness; let the bones that you have broken rejoice. 9 Hide your face from my sins, and blot out all my iniquities. 10 Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a right spirit within me. 11 Cast me not away from your presence, and take not your Holy Spirit from me. 12 Restore to me the joy of your salvation, and uphold me with a willing spirit. 13 Then I will teach transgressors your ways, and sinners will return to you. 14 Deliver me from bloodguiltiness, O God, O God of my salvation, and my tongue will sing aloud of your righteousness. 15 O Lord, open my lips, and my mouth will declare your praise. 16 For you will not delight in sacrifice, or I would give it; you will not be pleased with a burnt offering. 17 The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit; a broken and contrite heart, O God, you will not despise. 18 Do good to Zion in your good pleasure; build up the walls of Jerusalem; 19 then will you delight in right sacrifices, in burnt offerings and whole burnt offerings; then bulls will be offered on your altar.

Preaching Point: When confronted with the reality of your sin, we must respond to God in penitent faith, seeking his forgiveness and restoration.

Teaching Points:

1. Request God’s Mercy (vv.1-2)
2. Repent of Your Sin (vv.3-6)
3. Ask for Inward Restoration (vv.7-12)
4. Respond with Outward Profession (vv.13-17)
5. Rebuild Communal Fractures (vv.18-19)

Main Text: Matthew 23:25–28 (ESV) 25 “Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you clean the outside of the cup and the plate, but inside they are full of greed and self-indulgence. 26 You blind Pharisee! First clean the inside of the cup and the plate, that the outside also may be clean. 27 “Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you are like whitewashed tombs, which outwardly appear beautiful, but within are full of dead people’s bones and all uncleanness. 28 So you also outwardly appear righteous to others, but within you are full of hypocrisy and lawlessness.

Preaching Point: God wants us to reject a cultural Christianity that leads to judgment and appeal to him for a genuine righteousness that cleanses us from the inside out.

Teaching Points:

1. See the Futility of Cultural Christianity (v. 25)
2. Appeal to God for Genuine Righteousness (v. 26)
3. Expect God to Judge Cultural Christians (vv. 27-28)