In Matthew 24, Jesus specifically said there are signs not to look for and signs for the destruction of the temple but there are no signs to look for in His return. Paul said that it is like a thief (1 Thessalonians 5:2). A thief does not give signs, they just arrive.
We're being told there are no signs but yet there are two signs we can look at to know we are getting close.
In Revelation 17, the angel tells John about the seven head being that of seven kings. There will be seven kingdoms on the earth and then Christ will come. The seventh kingdom is here today and it will not fall to any other kingdom but Christ. This means the closer we see the end of this kingdom the closer we see the coming of Christ.
The other sign we are told to look for is the condition of the church. Paul said:
"Now concerning the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ and our being gathered together to him, we ask you, brothers, 2 not to be quickly shaken in mind or alarmed, either by a spirit or a spoken word, or a letter seeming to be from us, to the effect that the day of the Lord has come. 3 Let no one deceive you in any way. For that day will not come, unless the rebellion comes first,…" 2 Thessalonians 2:1-3
There will be a great falling away in the church but this falling away is not people leaving the church, it's actually the condition of the heart of the people in the church. Paul tells us:
"But understand this, that in the last days there will come times of difficulty. 2 For people will be lovers of self, lovers of money, proud, arrogant, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy, 3 heartless, unappeasable, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, not loving good, 4 treacherous, reckless, swollen with conceit, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, 5 having the appearance of godliness, but denying its power." 2 Timothy 3:1-5
Paul was not talking about the difficulty in the world. He was talking about the church. These difficulties have always been in the world but what has not been in the world is "the appearance of godliness" and this clarifies that he's talking about the church. In the last days the church will have a form of godliness but they will not operate in the power. This is not signs and wonders but rather living righteous lives. The people in the church will be self-centered and unloving towards others. They will seek after money and riches while not listening to anyone's correction.
So, while Christ said there is no sign, people will be eating and drinking and marrying as normal, nothing different happening in the world, we are told there are two signs to watch for…
the fall of the last kingdom of the earth (America)
the condition of the hearts in the people of the church
Is the end near? It appears to be but we don't know. The fact is that we should be living like it is every single day and understanding this when we interact with people around us.