Matthew 24:1-8

The disciples asked Jesus questions about the end of the world and signs that would indicate that it is approaching – questions that come to our minds, too.   Throughout this chapter of Matthew, Jesus will answer those questions to give the disciples – and us – information about the end times, courage during the end times, and confidence in what awaits us after the end times.
 
Jesus warns of some who will come and claim to be the savior that all should look to. But those liars are false Christs who set themselves up in the place of Jesus Christ, either by name, by authority or by power.
 
Jesus also describes signs in society: there will be wars and rumors of wars – and such things must happen.  Physical signs of the end will include famines, earthquakes, and nations opposed to one another.  Jesus calls all these things the "beginning of birth pains." When a woman goes into labor, birth pains generally start quite a time before the actual delivery.  Those initial pains are a sign, though, of the eventual birth of the child.

The signs of the end times that Jesus describes are happening right now.  In fact, they have been happening for centuries, even millennia.  The point that Jesus is making for people of all generations, yes even for us right now, is to be ready, be aware, and be on the alert. The end is coming.

Birth pains for a woman often grow more intense and difficult as delivery gets closer.  But when her baby is born, the experience of labor pains is replaced with wonderful joy (John 16:21). Likewise, Jesus explains, the end times will be difficult.  In fact, they will grow even more difficult as the last day approaches, but they will end. For believers in Jesus, what lies beyond is unimaginable joy, because Jesus just didn't talk about these things, he also opened heaven for us by his death and resurrection.  Because of our Savior Jesus, we have nothing to fear about the end of the world because it is our beginning of forever in the bliss of heaven.