This is our final encounter in Luke. Last spring we talked extensively about the Passion Week from Mark and the resurrection from Luke and Acts. When we return in January, we’ll study John.

Tonight we focus on the Kingdom of God and the return of Christ – two topics that should be extremely near and dear to our hearts. We have two related segments – a short one for the Pharisees, and a longer one for the disciples.

Encounter Jesus – Luke Week 13

The Coming of the Kingdom

Luke 17: 20-37

AUDIO

Lecture Handout

(no handout for this week)

Lesson Notes

The Pharisees and the Kingdom of God (Read Luke 17: 20-21)

  • Verse 20 – Pharisees want to know when the Kingdom of God would come
    • Jesus – it’s not going to look like what you expect
    • It wont’ be a traditional earthly kingdom
    • Not visible – no borders, flags, passports
  • Verse 21 – Not in a specific location – neither here nor there
    • It’s in our midst – it’s already present in Jesus Christ
    • Luke 4: 19 – Jesus “to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor” – the present Kingdom
    • Luke 9: 2 – Jesus sent the 12 to proclaim the Kingdom of God
    • Luke 10: 9 – Jesus sent the 72 to announce in places He was going, “The Kingdom of God has come near to you”
    • Luke 12: 31 – Seek His kingdom and these things will be added to you
    • Luke 13: 18-19 – Kingdom of God like a mustard seed, starting tiny and growing big
  • The Kingdom was inaugurated with Christ’s coming – every believer in Christ is a citizen of God’s Kingdom
    • The Kingdom is here, it’s growing, someday it will be completed with Christ’s return
    • Scripture teaches us “Already…and not yet” – these verses focus on the Already, while the next section teaches on the Not Yet

The Disciples and the Return of Christ (Read Luke 17: 22-37)

  • Verse 22 – the Son of Man (Jesus) will go away  – Jesus knows His crucifixion is coming
    • They’ll long to see Him again, long for His return
    • But it won’t be in their lifetime!
  • Verse 23 – Jesus knows that faithful Christians will long to see Him again, because we know He’s coming back
    • If you hear that Jesus has already returned somewhere, it’s a lie, don’t fall for it!
    • Jesus isn’t coming in secret!
    • No matter the signs and miracles somebody might do, that isn’t Jesus!
    • Verse 24 – when Jesus returns, it will be unmistakable
      • Like lightning on a dark night that lights up the whole sky, the return of Jesus will be spectacularly visible to everyone
      • Christ’s return won’t be subtle or limited to one location like His first coming – it will be visible and obvious everywhere
  • Verse 25 – But first will come the rejection and suffering of Christ in that time
  • Two analogies help us understand how sudden and unexpected Christ’s return will be
    • 1 – Noah (verses 26-27)
      • People were living their lives – eating, drinking, getting married – right up until the flood began, then boom – total wipe out!
      • People were satisfied, thought Noah was crazy, and didn’t care about God
      • Very similar to our time
    • 2 – Sodom (verses 28-29)
      • People were living their lives – eating, drinking, working, building, shopping – reveling in their sin
      • Then boom – total wipe out!
      • Very similar to our time
  • No advance warning signs, no detailed timetables to be decoded – just boom!
  • Verse 30 – The Parousia – the coming of Christ – will work the same way – unexpected with no time to prepare
  • Verses 31-33 – When Christ comes, no hesitation, no delay, or holding onto this life
    • There won’t be time to prepare, we aren’t able to guess God’s timetable
    • Don’t live life with divided loyalty, because there won’t be time for a decision when Christ returns – the season of grace will be over
    • Jesus is borrowing well-known images of things that happen quickly with no preparation
  • Verses 34-35 – The harvest will come – believers and non-believers who have been living and working together will be separated
    • The righteous will be taken to Christ
  • Verse 37 – An interesting proverb – seems to describe how we are drawn to things
    • While unattractive, likely means Christ-followers will be inexorably and visibly drawn to Him
    • And/or the indications will be extremely obvious when Christ returns

Tonight’s Prayer: Prayer for urgency in the gospel – because there will not be signs or warnings to help unbelievers prepare

Next session: (Jan 3, 2018)  – Introducing the Gospel of John