Ready for His Return
TRANSLATION
(29) Jesus told them this parable: “Consider the fig tree and all the trees. (30) When they sprout leaves, you can see for yourselves and know for sure that the summer is near. (31) Even so when you see these things happening, you can know that the Kingdom of God is near. (32) Truly I tell you, this generation will not pass away until all these things have taken place. (33) Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will never pass away.
(34) “Be careful lest your hearts be weighed down with partying and drunkenness and the anxieties of life and that day close on you suddenly as a trap, (35) for so will it happen to all those who live on the face of the entire earth. (36) Always be on guard and pray that you may escape all that is about to happen so that you can stand before the Son of Man.”
(37) Every day he was teaching in the temple, and every evening he went out to spend the night on the Mount of Olives. (38) And all the people came early in the morning to hear him (teach) in the temple.
OBSERVATIONS
The repetitions in these verses, “tree(s)” (vs. 29), “near” (vss. 30 & 31), “pass away” (vss. 32 & 33), “earth” (vss. 33 & 35), and “temple” (vss. 37 & 38), lead us to the thrust of the segment, namely, that Jesus wanted his disciples to be prepared to welcome him when he should return. Two statements need further probing. First, we should try to understand what Jesus meant by his statement, “this generation will not pass away” (vs. 32). The disciples assumed that “this generation” referred to themselves and were convinced that the Lord would soon return in a few months or, at most, a few years after his ascension. However, when the Second Coming was delayed and the first generation of believers began to die off, it became clear that the “generation” to which Jesus was referring was not the period immediately following his ascension but rather the generation alive when these signs would begin to take place (1 Thes. 4:13-18).
Next, we should probe what Jesus meant when he said, “that you may be able to stand before the Son of Man” (vs. 36). One strong possibility is that Jesus was referring to the Bema Seat judgment for believers. In Romans Paul wrote: “So then, each of us will give an account of himself to God” (Rom. 14:12). In 2 Corinthians he added, “For we must all appear before the judgment seat (bema) of Christ, that each one may receive what is due him for the things done while in the body, whether good or bad” (2 Cor. 5:10). Earlier in Luke Jesus had warned, “If anyone is ashamed of me and my words, the Son of Man will be ashamed of him when he comes in his glory and in the glory of the Father and of the holy angels” (Lk. 9:26). This judgment will not be to determine our eternal destiny but rather will function as an evaluation of the way that we as believers have conducted our lives to determine what rewards we will receive.
OUTLINE
I. We can tell when the Kingdom of God is near by observing the signs Jesus foretold. (29-33)
II. We should be prepared for the Lord’s return at any moment. (34-36)
III. Jesus taught these truths during his final days in Jerusalem. (37 & 38)
IDEA STATEMENT
An awareness of the signs of the Kingdom’s coming should enable us to prepare ourselves by watching and praying so that we are ready for the Lord when he returns.
APPLICATION
The Second Coming of Christ has been the subject of much speculation in recent years. Many books and films have depicted the catastrophic events of those last days before he returns. False teachers have drawn crowds and deceived many by claiming to know the precise timing of his coming. Jesus clearly warned his followers not to set dates when he said, “No one knows about that day or hour, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father” (Mt. 24:36). In this segment of Luke, Jesus provided his disciples with three great encouragements regarding his Second Coming. First, while we may not know the precise moment of his return, we can know when his coming is “near” so that we may be ready for him when he appears (vss. 30 & 31). Then, we can rest assured that Jesus’ words are more trustworthy than the very existence of heaven and earth. Every word that he uttered was the Word of God, truth that cannot be broken and upon which we can utterly rely (vs. 33).
Finally, we can count on his promise that, if we watch and pray with earnest expectation, we can hope to “escape” the troubles that are coming and will be able to stand confidently before the Son of Man when he evaluates us (vs. 36). The events of the end times will certainly be terrifying to “all those who live on the face of the entire earth” (vs. 35). However, for those of us who know the Lord personally and have “longed for his appearing” (2 Tim. 4:8), his return should not be a time for fear but rather a reason for great rejoicing as we look forward to seeing our Savior face to face.