THE LAST DAYS: Parable Of A Fig Tree Welcome To Pastor Garry Clark’s PowerPoint presentation from the October 8th sermon: THE LAST DAYS: Parable Of A Fig Tree Information on ordering a DVD copy of this sermon will be available at the end of this presentation

One out of every 30 Bible verses mentions the return of Jesus Christ or the end of the world

In the 216 chapters of the New Testament, there are more than 300 references to the Second Coming of Jesus Christ!

Those who knew Jesus while He was on Earth, REGULARLY talked about His return in their sermons and letters

This isn’t something ‘MADE UP’ by a bunch of wild-eyed, prophetical freaks!

When the disciples asked Jesus about His return and the end of the world, He gave them very specific details…

COUNTERFEIT CHRISTS

WARS & RUMORS OF WARS COUNTERFEIT CHRISTS

WARS & RUMORS OF WARS FAMINES COUNTERFEIT CHRISTS

WARS & RUMORS OF WARS FAMINES PESTILENCES COUNTERFEIT CHRISTS

WARS & RUMORS OF WARS FAMINES PESTILENCES COUNTERFEIT CHRISTS EARTHQUAKES

WARS & RUMORS OF WARS FAMINES PESTILENCES COUNTERFEIT CHRISTS PERSECUTION EARTHQUAKES

WARS & RUMORS OF WARS FAMINES PESTILENCES OFFENDING, BETRAYING & HATING COUNTERFEIT CHRISTS PERSECUTION EARTHQUAKES

WARS & RUMORS OF WARS FAMINES PESTILENCES OFFENDING, BETRAYING & HATING COUNTERFEIT CHRISTS PERSECUTION EARTHQUAKES FALSE RELIGIONS

WARS & RUMORS OF WARS FAMINES PESTILENCES OFFENDING, BETRAYING & HATING COUNTERFEIT CHRISTS PERSECUTION EARTHQUAKES FALSE RELIGIONS LAWLESS & COLD HEARTED

WARS & RUMORS OF WARS FAMINES PESTILENCES OFFENDING, BETRAYING & HATING COUNTERFEIT CHRISTS PERSECUTION EARTHQUAKES FALSE RELIGIONS THE GOSPEL PREACHED IN ALL THE WORLD! LAWLESS & COLD HEARTED

COMPARE THESE SIGNS TO REVELATION Revelation 1:1-2 1 The Revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave unto him, to shew unto his servants things which must shortly come to pass; and he sent and signified it by his angel unto his servant John:

COMPARE THESE SIGNS TO REVELATION Revelation 1:1-2 2 Who bare record of the word of God, and of the testimony of Jesus Christ, and of all things that he saw.

COMPARE THESE SIGNS TO REVELATION Revelation 1:5-7 5 And from Jesus Christ, who is the faithful witness, and the first begotten of the dead, and the prince of the kings of the earth. Unto him that loved us, and washed us from our sins in his own blood,

COMPARE THESE SIGNS TO REVELATION Revelation 1:5-7 6 And hath made us kings and priests unto God and his Father; to him be glory and dominion for ever and ever. Amen.

COMPARE THESE SIGNS TO REVELATION Revelation 1:5-7 7 Behold, he cometh with clouds; and every eye shall see him, and they also which pierced him: and all kindreds of the earth shall wail because of him. Even so, Amen.

COMPARE THESE SIGNS TO REVELATION Revelation 1:10 I was in the Spirit on the Lord's day, and heard behind me a great voice, as of a trumpet,

JOHN’S VISION Revelation 5:1-5 1 And I saw in the right hand of him that sat on the throne a book written within and on the backside, sealed with seven seals. 2 And I saw a strong angel proclaiming with a loud voice, Who is worthy to open the book, and to loose the seals thereof?

JOHN’S VISION Revelation 5:1-5 3 And no man in heaven, nor in earth, neither under the earth, was able to open the book, neither to look thereon. 4 And I wept much, because no man was found worthy to open and to read the book, neither to look thereon.

JOHN’S VISION Revelation 5:1-5 5 And one of the elders saith unto me, Weep not: behold, the Lion of the tribe of Judah, the Root of David, hath prevailed to open the book, and to loose the seven seals thereof.

JOHN’S VISION Revelation 6:1 And I saw when the Lamb opened one of the seals, and I heard, as it were the noise of thunder, one of the four beasts saying, Come and see.

THE FOUR HORSEMEN OF THE APOCALYPSE!

THE FOUR HORSEMEN OF THE APOCALYPSE! Revelation 6:2 And I saw, and behold a white horse: and he that sat on him had a bow; and a crown was given unto him: and he went forth conquering, and to conquer. THE FOUR HORSEMEN OF THE APOCALYPSE!

DECEPTION “False Messiah” THE FOUR HORSEMEN OF THE APOCALYPSE!

THE FOUR HORSEMEN OF THE APOCALYPSE! Revelation 6:3-4 3 And when he had opened the second seal, I heard the second beast say, Come and see. THE FOUR HORSEMEN OF THE APOCALYPSE!

THE FOUR HORSEMEN OF THE APOCALYPSE! Revelation 6:3-4 4 And there went out another horse that was red: and power was given to him that sat thereon to take peace from the earth, and that they should kill one another: and there was given unto him a great sword. THE FOUR HORSEMEN OF THE APOCALYPSE!

THE FOUR HORSEMEN OF THE APOCALYPSE! DISSENSION “War” THE FOUR HORSEMEN OF THE APOCALYPSE!

THE FOUR HORSEMEN OF THE APOCALYPSE! Revelation 6:5-6 5 And when he had opened the third seal, I heard the third beast say, Come and see. And I beheld, and lo a black horse; and he that sat on him had a pair of balances in his hand. THE FOUR HORSEMEN OF THE APOCALYPSE!

THE FOUR HORSEMEN OF THE APOCALYPSE! Revelation 6:5-6 6 And I heard a voice in the midst of the four beasts say, A measure of wheat for a penny, and three measures of barley for a penny; and see thou hurt not the oil and the wine. THE FOUR HORSEMEN OF THE APOCALYPSE!

THE FOUR HORSEMEN OF THE APOCALYPSE! DEVASTATION “Famine” THE FOUR HORSEMEN OF THE APOCALYPSE!

THE FOUR HORSEMEN OF THE APOCALYPSE! Revelation 6:7-8 7 And when he had opened the fourth seal, I heard the voice of the fourth beast say, Come and see. THE FOUR HORSEMEN OF THE APOCALYPSE!

THE FOUR HORSEMEN OF THE APOCALYPSE! Revelation 6:7-8 8 And I looked, and behold a pale horse: and his name that sat on him was Death, and Hell followed with him. And power was given unto them over the fourth part of the earth, to kill with sword, and with hunger, and with death, and with the beasts of the earth. THE FOUR HORSEMEN OF THE APOCALYPSE!

DEATH “By Sword, Hunger & Beasts” THE FOUR HORSEMEN OF THE APOCALYPSE!

LOOK AT THE 5th SEAL Revelation 6:9-10 9 And when he had opened the fifth seal, I saw under the altar the souls of them that were slain for the word of God, and for the testimony which they held:

LOOK AT THE 5th SEAL Revelation 6:9-10 10 And they cried with a loud voice, saying, How long, O Lord, holy and true, dost thou not judge and avenge our blood on them that dwell on the earth?

LOOK AT THE 5th SEAL Persecuted Unto Death! For the Word of God For the Testimony which they held

From what Jesus said in Matthew 24, to what John said in Revelation 6, there is AMAZING CONSISTENCY!

So, what does the Parable of the Fig Tree have to do with all the signs of Jesus coming and the end of the world?

EVERYTHING!

Matthew 24:32-36 32 Now learn a parable of the fig tree; When his branch is yet tender, and putteth forth leaves, ye know that summer is nigh: 33 So likewise ye, when ye shall see all these things, know that it is near, even at the doors.

Matthew 24:32-36 34 Verily I say unto you, This generation shall not pass, till all these things be fulfilled. 35 Heaven and earth shall pass away, but my words shall not pass away. 36 But of that day and hour knoweth no man, no, not the angels of heaven, but my Father only.

The Parable of the Fig Tree is a vivid and understandable illustration to HELP the Disciples, NOT confuse the Disciples!

Mark 4:11 And he said unto them, Unto you it is given to know the mystery of the kingdom of God: but unto them that are without, all these things are done in parables:

Jesus spoke in parables to help people who wanted to see the truth (to be able to see it) and to those who didn’t, it was concealed and not understood

Matthew 24:32-34 32 Now learn a parable of the fig tree; When his branch is yet tender, and putteth forth leaves, ye know that summer is nigh: 33 So likewise ye, when ye shall see all these things, know that it is near, even at the doors. 34 Verily I say unto you, This generation shall not pass, till all these things be fulfilled.

3 VIEWS OF THE PARABLE Jesus was coming back very soon and ‘this generation’ means the disciples would not pass away before He returned

3 VIEWS OF THE PARABLE ‘Generation’ speaks of Israel and Jesus would return before Israel would ‘die out’

3 VIEWS OF THE PARABLE The Fig Tree speaks of Israel and began being fulfilled in 1948 when Israel was re-established as a nation. The generation living at that time would not pass before Jesus Christ returned Very popular view A generation is between 30-40 years, so this view has lost some ooomph! The date has been readjusted to the victory of the Six Day War in 1967 (that clock is ticking too!)

WHEN COMMON SENSE MAKES SENSE – THEN SEEK NO OTHER SENSE!

Fig Trees Were Everywhere In Israel. They Were Common, Something That Was Easily Seen And That Most Knew At Least A Little Bit About…

Matthew 24:32 Now learn a parable of the fig tree; When his branch is yet tender, and putteth forth leaves, ye know that summer is nigh:

“When the fig branches are tender, that is to say, when sap starts flowing and the leaves begin breaking forth, YOU KNOW that summer is just around the corner!”

WHAT WERE THE DISCIPLES QUESTIONS? Matthew 24:3 And as he sat upon the mount of Olives, the disciples came unto him privately, saying, Tell us, when shall these things be? and what shall be the sign of thy coming, and of the end of the world?

So what had Jesus been talking to them about?

The signs of His coming and the end of the world!

So, what does the parable mean? Jesus is saying, just as the budding of the fig tree means summer is near, likewise understand that the generation living when the signs of the last days occur, will not have to wait long for Christ’s appearing

It is hard knowing Jesus is coming again, and the world as we know it is going to being completely destroyed

…It is consistently taught in the Bible! But listen… …It is consistently taught in the Bible!

2 Peter 3:10 But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night; in the which the heavens shall pass away with a great noise, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat, the earth also and the works that are therein shall be burned up.

Revelation 21:1 And I saw a new heaven and a new earth: for the first heaven and the first earth were passed away; and there was no more sea.

It Is Certainly Guaranteed By Jesus Christ’s Very Own Words! Matthew 24:35 Heaven and earth shall pass away, but my words shall not pass away.

Impossible As It May Seem – This Is Going To Happen!

God’s Word Is True And More Permanent Than The Earth We Live On!

KNOW YOU WILL BE ACCOUNTABLE TO HIM PAY ATTENTION BELIEVE & BE WATCHING KNOW YOU WILL BE ACCOUNTABLE TO HIM

PO Box 121 Englewood, Florida 34295 To obtain a copy of the DVD from this sermon, or any sermon series, contact the Fellowship Church Office by one of the following methods 941-475-SHIP (7447) fellowshipenglewood.com PO Box 121 Englewood, Florida 34295