The coming of the Lord
Luke chapter 17:20-17:37
Introduction-
This week we continue to look at the parables of Jesus.
What better way to see what is important than to learn from the Master Himself.
Jesus addresses the Pharisee’s and instructs the disciples on the kingdom of God and his return.
Luke 17:20-17:37
Luke records Jesus conversations between the Pharisee’s and His disciples concerning the kingdom of God.
Jesus directs his answer to the Pharisee’s first that the kingdom “Does not come with your careful observation.”
He tells the Pharisee’s that the kingdom of God is not only a physical place but spiritual and internal place in your heart.
Jesus tells his disciples that they will long for the day that He would be there and not to be fooled by false teachers that will “spot Him” here and there and they would be chasing after Him.
Jesus was with them now, but one day He won’t be.
(25) “But first He must suffer many things, and be rejected by this generation.”
Jesus was foretelling His death, which had to happen before his burial, resurrection happened and His return.
(They were on one side of the cross and we are on the other side of the cross)
The kingdom of God is present today- We see God at work. (if you are looking)
It is getting darker and darker and people are falling away from God and his teachings, but God is still present reaching out in love to this spiritually dying world.
The problem as he was speaking to the Pharisee’s is that most are expecting a political/geographical kingdom to come.
The kingdom of God is present today because the church is still active and the Holy Spirit of God is still trying to reach people with the saving grace of God.
One day the grace of God will stop.
One day the Holy Spirit will not be drawing people to Himself.
Listen, I am not a scholar on end times, but it is important for us to understand what is to happen in the future and what we need to do to be ready.
Eschatology- the study of end times
The day of the Lord- is not a 24 hour period, but a time period where multiple events take place.
The day of technology is not one day we live in, but a period of time where technology has grown and expanded our knowledge.
The day of the Lord in the Bible is Rapture of the church, The Tribulation period, Return of Jesus Christ and the battle of Armageddon at His second coming.
Rapture of the church recorded in 1 Thess. 4:16-18
“For the Lord Himself will come down from heaven with a loud command with the voice of an archangel and with the trumpet call of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first, after that, we who are still alive and are left will be caught up together with Him in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And so we will be with the Lord forever. Therefore encourage each other with these words.”
The word rapture is not in the Bible but means to “be caught up”
One day I may die, but I will be resurrected first to be with the Lord.
If I am alive, I will be caught up with Him after the saints that have died.
Tribulation Period
7 year period of chaos and turmoil in which a leader (Anti-Christ) will direct a worldwide government.
People believe different times of where God’s people will be rapture out.
Pre-tribulation, Mid-tribulation, Post-tribulation.
Think it is bad now; wait until the Holy Spirit of God is not present.
Most denominations believe that somewhere after it starts and before it gets unbearable that the church will be rapture out.
Battle of Armageddon- 2nd Coming of Christ
Christ will return to conquer the Antichrist and his armies and will enter Jerusalem to establish his earthly kingdom (Millennium- 1000years)
Rapture, we meet the Lord in the air. The 2nd coming we return with Christ to conquer the Anti-Christ.
Now, understanding some terminology and knowing events, let’s look at the Scripture again.
(26) “Just as it was in the days of Noah, so also will it be in the days of the Son of man. People will be eating, drinking, marrying, and be given in marriage up to the day Noah entered the ark. Then the flood came and destroyed them all.”
Do you see the parallel?
People will be doing their thing! Mocking God, right up to the last moment and the day of grace will stop- just like Noah, the ark will be closed and all not on board will be lost.
At the rapture of the church those that thought they had forever to commit to the Lord will watch their world collapse.
I don’t know if you remember the left behind series from Tim Lahaye. It was a collection of books that dealt with end times. They say that he has sold over 50 million copies since 1995.
This past week they have done a remake of the series in a movie starring Nicolas Cage.
I am wondering if people watching the movie will heed the warning and understand what will take place on that day of the Lord.
One day at a time known only to God the Father, people will in an instant disappear and be caught up with the lord.
Cars crashing, planes dropping out of the sky, turmoil unimaginable, babies gone, people trying to figure out where their loved ones went.
Some will at that time remember what was told to them and some will be in shock that God would actually do what He said He would do.
You do not know when and you do not control when.
I don’t think most people see the urgency. They will maintain that the God they perceive in their head wouldn’t do such a thing, but I assure you that the grace of God has a time limit, predetermined by God the Father, and Jesus will execute it precisely as planned.
We may not know the exact time of Christ return, but we are given signs that we need to be watching for.
Genesis 6:5-
“The Lord saw how great man’s wickedness on the earth had become, and that every inclination of the thoughts of his heart was evil all the time.”
From the fall of man to the return of Christ we are told in His Word that it will get progressively worse until his return.
(Paul) Romans 1:21- “For although they knew God, they neither glorified him as God nor gave thanks to him, but their thinking became futile and their foolish hearts were darkened.”
2 Timothy 3:1-5 “But mark this, there will be terrible times in the last days, people will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boastful, proud, abusive, disobedient to parents, ungrateful, unholy, without love, unforgiving, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, not lovers of the good, treacherous, rash, conceited, lovers of pleasure rather than the lovers of God, having a form of godliness but denying his power.”
If that does not describe this world, I don’t know what does! The world is drifting away from God by choice, but God promises to fulfill all of His promises to those that will follow Him.”
Everyone has sinned- Romans 3:23
The penalty for sin is death- Romans 6:23
Jesus Christ died for all sin- Romans 5:8
To be forgiven for our sins, we must believe and confess that Jesus Christ is Lord and He has paid the price for us.
To the culture that has no thought given to God, no time for God, there will one day be judgment against them. “It is appointed unto man once to die and then the judgment”.
We have from the first breath until the last breath to get it right, or… until He returns.
For the unbelievers, it is scary what disobedience and rebellion will cost them.]
For the believer it is the promise of God that this world is not all there is and He has prepared us a wonderful place to dwell with Him
We are to encourage each other with the hope that we have in Jesus Christ.
Sign of His soon return
Accelerated sinfulness
The moral compass has spiked going in the wrong direction. This country has shifted from a godly nation to almost a godless nation. God’s people are being caught in the explosion of evil.
The tearing down of godly principals that have guided this nation, to eliminating God in government, schools, workplace.
Whoever would have thought we would be where we are at and have to defend the things that are trying to be taken away from us.
Matt 13:11 (disciples)He replied, “The knowledge of the secrets(mysteries) of the kingdom of heaven have been given to you, but not to them, whoever has will be given more, and he will have abundance. Whoever does not have, even what he has will be taken from him. This is why I speak to them in parables.
Though seeing, they do not see.
Though hearing, they do not hear or understand.
Think about these other parables
Parable of the Sower
4 soils- plantings for the things of God
Satan snatches it- disregard for God
Heat scorches it – not planted and nurtured.
Thorns choke it- everyday life/sins choke God out.
Bear good fruit- intentional, watchful to guard the things of God.
Parable of wheat and Tares
Good seed planted and if not carefully tended too, the field is polluted with weeds and one day God will separate the good from the bad.
Mustard Seed
Our faith is nurtured by God. It starts out small and can grow, but only by being intentional and only by Gods help.
Closing
All these parables are warning to believers that as we move closer to end times we need to be watchful and nurturing our relationship with God. We cannot be caught not watching for His return and we cannot think that we have forever, because one day He will return for His church and His people.
The King has come!
The king has dealt with sin once and for all.
The King sits at the right hand of the Father waiting for His directive to go get His church and His people.
The Spirit of the living God is present today to draw people to God if they will respond.
One day He will return- The kingdom of God is present yet future. It is fulfilled not consummated yet.
It is much easier to respond to His drawing now, then risk it all and play Russian roulette with your life.
Asking you this morning that if you have not committed your life to Jesus that you would do it this morning.
It is as easy as being honest to God and admitting to Him that you need Him to be your savior.
Opening up your heart to allow Him to do what He needs to do in your life.
What do you say? Tired of running? Tired of saying not now when He speaks to you?
Make today the most important day of your life.
If God is in the business of saving sinners, we need to expect that church will be full of sinners—those who are still wandering and those who have only just been found. If our churches reflect God’s heart for the lost, they will be full of people with problems, full of people showing the consequences of a lifetime of wandering. And this means that church may not be a safe and easy place. It may not be a place full of people who have it all together. It may be messy. It should be messy. Thank God if it is messy.
Amen.
