True religion is demonstrated by caring for orphans and widows in their distress.
James 1:27
Religion that is pure and undefiled before God, the Father, is this: to visit orphans and widows in their affliction, and to keep oneself unstained from the world. (ESV)
Reflection: Who is someone in your life or community who is vulnerable or in need—perhaps an orphan, widow, or someone overlooked? How can you tangibly show them the love of Christ this week? [27:59]
Jesus teaches that just as the budding of the fig tree signals summer’s nearness, so the signs He described will signal His imminent return.
Matthew 24:32-35
“From the fig tree learn its lesson: as soon as its branch becomes tender and puts out its leaves, you know that summer is near. So also, when you see all these things, you know that he is near, at the very gates. Truly, I say to you, this generation will not pass away until all these things take place. Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will not pass away.” (ESV)
Reflection: What “signs of the times” do you see in the world today, and how does the certainty of Christ’s return shape the way you live and make decisions right now? [47:59]
Jesus’ words will never pass away, even when heaven and earth do, and they are the ultimate truth to build your life upon.
Matthew 24:35
Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will not pass away. (ESV)
Reflection: What is one area of your life where you need to trust and obey the unchanging words of Jesus, even when the world’s values or your own feelings seem to conflict? [01:12:23]
Knowing that this world will pass away, believers are called to live holy and godly lives as they await the new heavens and new earth.
2 Peter 3:11-13
Since all these things are thus to be dissolved, what sort of people ought you to be in lives of holiness and godliness, waiting for and hastening the coming of the day of God, because of which the heavens will be set on fire and dissolved, and the heavenly bodies will melt as they burn! But according to his promise we are waiting for new heavens and a new earth in which righteousness dwells. (ESV)
Reflection: What is one specific habit or attitude you can change this week to better reflect a life of holiness and hope, knowing that your true home is with Christ in the new creation? [01:19:35]
God’s Word is eternal and trustworthy, calling us to study, value, and live by its truth above all else.
Psalm 119:105
Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path. (ESV)
Reflection: How can you intentionally deepen your engagement with God’s Word this week—whether through reading, memorization, or sharing it with someone else? [01:20:52]
Today’s teaching centered on the hope and certainty of Christ’s promised return, as revealed in Matthew 24:32-35. The passage uses the fig tree as a simple, everyday illustration: just as budding leaves signal the nearness of summer, so too the signs Jesus described—tribulation, deception, and cosmic upheaval—signal that His return is imminent. Rather than allegorizing the fig tree as a symbol for Israel or tying it to specific historical events, the focus is on the clarity and reliability of Jesus’ words. The generation that witnesses these end-time events will not pass away before all is fulfilled, underscoring the rapid unfolding of God’s plan once it begins.
The teaching also addressed the debated interpretations of “this generation,” ultimately holding that it refers to those alive during the future tribulation period. While there are various views on the timing of the rapture and the church’s role in these events, the emphasis remains on the faithfulness of God’s promises and the unshakable authority of Christ’s words. Heaven and earth will pass away, but His words will never fail.
This truth calls for a response: to live in readiness, holiness, and hope. The reality of coming judgment and the promise of a new heaven and earth should stir both urgency for the lost and comfort for believers. The call is to trust Christ for salvation, to live godly lives in anticipation of His return, and to be diligent students of God’s Word, which alone endures forever. In a world marked by uncertainty and shifting allegiances, the unchanging promises of Christ anchor our hope and direct our mission.
Matthew 24:32-35 (ESV) — > “From the fig tree learn its lesson: as soon as its branch becomes tender and puts out its leaves, you know that summer is near. So also, when you see all these things, you know that he is near, at the very gates. Truly, I say to you, this generation will not pass away until all these things take place. Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will not pass away.”
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