So much has been said about the return of Jesus. What do all these mean to you? Is it all just nice-to-know information to you? Or do you have a Return Mindset – a mind set on the return of Jesus? Drawing from the parable in Matthew 24:45-51, Henson shares four reasons why having such a mindset is absolutely critical.

In Matthew 24:36-44, when Jesus said that “no one knows”, what exactly did He mean? Although clearly communicated, this has caused considerable confusion within the Body of Christ. For some, it’s a closed case. For others, it’s a clue. Careful. That in end-time discussions about knowing or not knowing, we do not end up missing what all must know.

In Matthew 24:32-36, Jesus wraps up His reply with a statement about summer. More accurately, how to know when summer is approaching. Or shall we say … when it gets sort of summery? Guess that makes the parable of the fig tree a summary statement.

Christians generally agree that Jesus is coming back. But not everyone holds the same view of how the events leading up to His return may unfold. Or when. There are just so many different interpretations, theories and positions. Take heart. There is no need to be distracted, confused or fearful. In Matthew 24:15-31, Jesus shows us what we should be looking out for.

When it comes to the topic of the end times – eschatology – Matthew 24:3-14 is one of the go-to passages, as well as the proof text, that Jesus is coming very soon. Was that the Lord’s intent? Context will reveal that the emphasis is more on what to expect while expecting His return. And what Jesus expects of all who are expecting. Henson reviews the eschatological setting and what is expected of disciples as we expect the end.

Matthew 24:1-3 is about Jesus' prediction of the destruction of the temple, prompting the disciples' question about His coming. Although His disciples marvelled at the temple buildings, Jesus was not impressed at all. Reduced to just religion and rituals, the temple sorely missed God's original intent and the purposes of the kingdom. This teaching gets into some serious temple talk and ends with five key points for the Church as the God's temple today.

If your heart has ever ached for a loved one to know or return to the Lord, you will resonate deeply with the heart cry of Jesus in Matthew 23:37-39. As a hen gathers her chicks, the King longs to take His people under His wings, to have each one rightly aligned with Him. Sadly, not everyone wants what Jesus wants. Our personal choices today will determine how we finally greet Him when He comes again.

Would a loving and gracious Jesus pronounce a series of woes upon the scribes and Pharisees? Well, that was exactly what He did in Matthew 23:13-36. He had absolutely no choice but to warn them because things had already gone from bad to worse. And Jesus did what He did because He was loving and gracious. Henson takes us through the seven woes and shares seven reminders for kingdom leaders and people.

Jesus has many things to say about kingdom leadership; as well as to those who lead His kingdom people. For leaders, Matthew 23 must be the least favourite chapter and the hardest to stomach. That said, in Matthew 23:1-12, there is much to learn from the mistakes of the scribes and Pharisees so we know what to do – or as we will see from this teaching – what to do not do.

In Matthew 22:41-46, Jesus asks His question and redirects everyone back to the main issue – Christ.The Pharisees knew the Scriptures extremely well. But when it came to acknowledging Jesus as the Christ, that was a totally different matter. Right answers may earn full marks but still not produce the right response. Henson shares pertinent pointers for personal processing.