How should the Second Coming of Christ impact our lives practically? We should refuse to: 1) be deceived by false Christs; 2) be preoccupied by this earthly life; 3) be captivated by the world; and 4) be overtaken by the Judgment.
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Living In Light Of Christ’s Return
Luke 17:20-37
I think that there is probably more controversy, disagreement, and confusion over the subject of Eschatology, than any other subject in Scripture. Eschatology is the study of last things. Sometimes it is referred to as the End Times, or Prophecy. Christians have never been of one mind in how they understand such things as the millennium, when the rapture will take place, and what place if any the Jews have in God’s end time plan. In fact, the book of Revelation has been interpreted in four major ways. And within those four major interpretational models, there are scores of differences in how people understand the book.
So, with all this disagreement and confusion over Christ’s Second Coming, why did God reveal it in Scripture? Did the Holy Spirit put the information about Christ’s Second Coming in the Bible so that we could debate and argue about it? Was it so that thousands and thousands of books with different views on Christ’s return would be written? Or, to put it another way, is there any practical application of the Second Coming of Jesus Christ? The answer is “Yes”! When the apostle Peter writes about Christ’s return, and the destruction of the heavens and the earth, he follows it up by saying, “Since all these things are to be destroyed in this way, what sort of people ought you to be in holy conduct and godliness, looking for and hastening the coming of the day of God” (2 Pet. 3:11-12). Peter believed that the Second Coming of Christ should motivate God’s people to be engage in holy conduct and godliness!
This morning, I want to bring four exhortations to you that arise out of Jesus’ teaching on His return. All four of these exhortations are negative. In other words, they all begin with “Don’t Be…”
But before we look at these four exhortations, let’s look at verses 20 and 21, which will serve as an introduction to this passage. The Pharisees were questioning Jesus as to when the kingdom of God was coming. The generally held belief was that the kingdom of God would begin with a powerful Messiah establishing His rule in Jerusalem, and destroying all her enemies. They believed the kingdom would be ushered in with much pomp, splendor, and fanfare. They were looking for thrones, palaces, armies, horses, chariots, and swords. However, Jesus kept telling everyone that they needed to repent for the kingdom of heaven was at hand. When the Pharisees looked at Jesus, they didn’t see any of the trappings of the kingdom. There was no throne, no palace, no armies, and no horses and chariots. The Pharisees looked at Jesus and saw a carpenter with a ragtag band of fishermen, tax collectors, and harlots. There was no sign that He was going to defeat the Romans or usher in a glorious new age.
Jesus tells them that the kingdom of God is not coming with signs to be observed. It is not coming with pomp and fanfare. People won’t be shouting, “Look, here it is!” or, “There it is!” Why? Because the kingdom of God is in your midst. Now some translations say, “the kingdom of God is within you.” I have heard many people say the wackiest things, while using this verse. “You know, the kingdom of God is within all of us.” Now, was Jesus really saying that God’s kingdom was within the unbelieving Pharisees? Of course not! Moreover, the Bible does not speak about the kingdom of God being in us. Rather, it speaks about people being in the kingdom of God. Jesus was saying that the kingdom of God is in your midst. Why? Because the King is in your midst. Wherever the King is, there is where the kingdom is. Jesus was simply telling the Pharisees that the kingdom of God would be much different than they expected. In fact, the kingdom had already appeared, but they were blind to it, and couldn’t see it. However, Jesus, the King was standing right in their midst, and they didn’t know who He was, or what He came to do.
Jesus’ consideration of His first coming to set up the kingdom, calls to His mind His second coming in which He will consummate His kingdom, and so in verses 22-37, He teaches His disciples about His return, and how that should impact their lives in practical ways. This morning we are going to pull out four exhortations concerning how we are to live in light of Christ’s return.
1. Don’t Be Deceived By False Christs (22-25)
“And He said to the disciples, “The days will come when you will long to see one of the days of the Son of Man, and you will not see it. They will say to you, `Look there! Look here!´ Do not go away, and do not run after them. For just like the lightning, when it flashes out of one part of the sky, shines to the other part of the sky, so will the Son of Man be in His day. But first He must suffer many things and be rejected by this generation.”
Jesus is exhorting His disciples not to be deceived by false Christs and false prophets. There is a parallel passage to this one in Matthew 24:23-27, “Then if anyone says to you, `Behold, here is the Christ,´ or `There He is,´ do not believe him. For false Christs and false prophets will arise and will show great signs and wonders, so as to mislead, if possible, even the elect. Behold, I have told you in advance. So if they say to you, `Behold, He is in the wilderness,´ do not go out, or, `Behold, He is in the inner rooms,´ do not believe them. For just as the lightning comes from the east and flashes even to the west, so will the coming of the Son of Man be.”
Jesus is telling His disciples that when He is gone, they will long to have Him with them again. People from around the world will be crying out, “Jesus is here!” “Christ is over there!” Whenever you hear something like that, don’t believe them! After Jesus died, rose, and ascended to heaven, He is not going to appear again, until His Second Coming, and when that takes place, it will be like the lightning shining over the entire world. There will be no confusion as to who He is. Everyone in the world will know instantly that He has returned.
You know, people have been saying, “Look there! Look here!” for 2,000 years. Dozens of men have risen up and proclaimed that they are the Christ, the Messiah.
In the 1700’s a woman by the name of Ann Lee, the founder of The Shakers said that she embodied all the perfections of God and considered herself to be Christ’s female counterpart.
The Reverend Sun Yung Moon declared himself to be the Lord of the 2nd Advent. In other words, he believed that he was Christ returned to earth to finish Jesus’ work which was cut short because of His crucifixion.
Jim Jones, cult leader of The People’s Temple, taught that he was a reincarnation of Jesus Christ.
Charles McHugh, otherwise known as Lightning Amen, also said that he was the reincarnation of Jesus Christ. He and his followers traveled around in white robes. They would not eat meat, and gave up all earthly possessions. However, they did enjoy smoking weed quite regularly.
I just found out this past week, that there are several people living today that claim that they are a reincarnation of Jesus Christ. There is an Australian by the name of Alan John Miller who claims to have memories of the crucifixion. His holds seminars where he writes on a white board, “I am Jesus. Deal with it.” The crazy thing is that the number of his followers is growing.
Wayne Bent, is another cult leader, who claims that he is the Messiah, the embodiment of God, and divinity and humanity combined. He was arrested and sentenced to 10 years in prison for sexual contact with a minor.
There is a fellow in Siberia called Vissarion. He also believes that he is Jesus Christ reincarnated. He has started a church called “The Church of the Last Testament.” His followers live on a beautiful piece of property in Siberia, with mountains and a beautiful lake below. Vissarion makes rare appearances to his followers, who love and worship him. He has been married twice, and has fathered six children. Previously to being the Messiah, he was a traffic cop.
Folks, I’m just getting warmed up! There will always be wacko’s who believe that they are Jesus Christ, and are able to get other people to believe them. What did Jesus say? He said that you shouldn’t believe anyone who tells you that they are the Christ. When the Christ shows up again, it will be so obvious that He really is the Christ, because his coming will be like lightning shining from one part of the sky to the other. So, don’t believe anyone who says they are the Christ! Jesus won’t be showing up, until the end, and when He does return, there will be no doubt in anyone’s mind! So, my friends, don’t be deceived by false Christs.
2. Don’t Be Preoccupied By Your Earthly Life (26-30)
“And just as it happened in the days of Noah, so it will be also in the days of the Son of Man: they were eating, they were drinking, they were marrying, they were being given in marriage, until the day that Noah entered the ark, and the flood came and destroyed them all. It was the same as happened in the days of Lot: they were eating, they were drinking, they were buying, they were selling, they were planting, they were building; but on the day that Lot went out from Sodom it rained fire and brimstone from heaven and destroyed them all. It will be just the same on the day that the Son of Man is revealed.”
Jesus now tells His disciples that His coming will be like the days of Noah and the days of Lot. But what exactly is the point of comparison between Jesus’ Second Coming, and the days of Noah and Lot? The point is that the people in Noah and Lot’s day were preoccupied by their earthly lives. In Noah’s day they were eating, drinking, marrying, and being given in marriage. In Lot’s day they were eating, drinking, buying, selling, planting and building. Now, there’s nothing intrinsically wrong with eating drinking, marrying, being given in marriage, buying, selling, planting and building. In fact, those are normal and natural elements of our earthly life. We must marry, we must buy, sell, plant and build in order to survive and procreate. However, they gave themselves to these things, and disregarded God. They were wholly absorbed in their earthly lives, to the point where they had no time for God. Now Noah was a preacher of righteousness. It took him 120 years to build the ark, and I imagine that he preached to the people of His age over that period of time. Yet, not a single soul entered the ark into safety, except for his own family. The judgment of God fell on that generation, and they were caught sleeping. They were utterly unprepared for the judgment, because they were preoccupied with just living life.
The same was true in the days of Lot. The judgment of God fell in the form of fire destroying the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah. The only ones saved from that judgment were Lot, his wife, and his two daughters. And Lot’s wife was destroyed also, because she looked back and was turned into a pillar of salt. In both Noah and Lot’s day, God’s judgment fell upon a generation, and the vast majority were utterly unprepared for that judgment, because they were preoccupied with their earthly lives.
Moreover, in both of those judgments, it was the small minority that was saved, and the vast majority were destroyed. Only 8 souls were saved through the flood, and only 3 souls were saved when God’s fire fell. The same will be true when Christ returns. The gate is small and the way is narrow that leads to life, and there are few who find it (Mt.7:14).
My friends, you must give your attention to your earthly life. You must work to provide for your family. There is nothing wrong in eating, drinking, marrying, buying, selling, planting, and building. Those are all normal parts of life. However, if you neglect your relationship with God and live only for the here and now, you too will be unprepared for God’s judgment when Christ returns. Thus, the greatest priority in your life must be to cultivate your relationship to God. Spend time daily with Him, feeding your soul from His Word, and talking to Him in prayer. Spend time singing and worshiping Him, giving thanks to His name. It would be a terrible tragedy if anyone here was destroyed in the judgment, because they lived for this present world, and neglected the world to come.
3. Don’t Be Captivated By The World (31-33)
“On that day, the one who is on the housetop and whose goods are in the house must not go down to take them out; and likewise the one who is in the field must not turn back. Remember Lot’s wife. Whoever seeks to keep his life will lose it, and whoever loses his life will preserve it.”
What is Jesus’ point in this passage? He is exhorting His disciples to make sure they are not captivated by the world. When Christ returns, where will His disciples hearts be? Will they be running back to the house to get their stuff? Do they long for His appearing, or will they be disappointed at His appearing? I can remember when I was engaged to Debbie, thinking that I hoped the Lord would wait to return until I could get married, and have children. Can you believe that? As though anything we could experience in this life, could even come close to what we will enjoy in heaven with Christ!
Jesus tells His disciples to remember Lot’s wife. Lot’s wife was the epitome of the person who was so close to being saved, but was ultimately destroyed. And why? Because she looked back. She looked back longingly. Lot’s wife loved her life in Sodom. Her heart was in Sodom, and her possessions were in Sodom. She looked back, longingly, wistfully, and in Judgment God turned her into a pillar of salt. That’s what happens when the professing Christian is captivated by the world.
John says “Do not love the world nor the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh and the lust of the eyes and the boastful pride of life, is not from the Father, but is from the world. The world is passing away and also its lusts, but the one who does the will of God lives forever” (1 Jn. 2:15-17).
James says, “You adulteresses, do you not know that friendship with the world is hostility toward God? Therefore whoever wishes to be a friend of the world makes himself an enemy of God” (James 4:4).
Paul says, “Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may prove what the will of God is, that which is good and acceptable and perfect” (Rom. 12:2).
Folks, the world can be alluring, and it can captivate your heart. Our smartphones are a great example of this. How often have you gone out to dinner and looked over at a table to see every member of the family looking down at their phone instead of talking with each other? Wherever you go, I don’t care where it is, everyone has earbuds in their ears, and are looking at a phone. It’s almost as if we have forgotten how to talk and relate with each other, and are mesmerized by our technology. Television can allure you to the point where you neglect your relationship with God, and give yourself to watching hours of television every day.
I believe our biggest idol in America is that of entertainment. We entertain ourselves to death. We are rich, fat and sassy in the good old U.S.A. We look for entertainment on our computers, video games, smartphones, tablets, movies, concerts, and all kinds of hobbies. We as a people have so far given ourselves over to entertainment, that it is very difficult to find young people who work hard. I know, because I run a business and am always trying to find good, reliable hard workers. I recently heard that a study was conducted among United States children. They found that these children were spending 9 hours a day in media entertainment! They might just be a lot better off if they spent some of those 9 hours learning to work with their fathers. Dads, it is our responsibility to teach our children a godly work ethic. There was a time when sons worked with their fathers, and fathers taught their sons a trade. Those days are long gone. I think it would be good if we resurrected it. When our boys were in their junior high and high school years, they worked with me one day a week cleaning windows. Not only did it give me time with my kids, but it enabled them to learn to work hard and learn a trade.
Oh, lets make sure that the Lord has our hearts. Don’t be like Lot’s wife. She was so close to being saved, but missed it, because the world had her heart! Don’t be captivated by the world!
4. Don’t Be Overtaken By Judgment (34-37)
“I tell you, on that night there will be two in one bed; one will be taken and the other will be left.
There will be two women grinding at the same place; one will be taken and the other will be left. Two men will be in the field; one will be taken and the other will be left. And answering they said to Him, “Where, Lord?” And He said to them, “Where the body is, there also the vultures will be gathered.”
Now, I realize that many Bible teachers believe this passage is talking about the rapture. Jesus says there will be two in bed, one will be taken and the other left. There will be two women grinding at the same place, one will be taken and the other left. Two men will be in the field, one will be taken and the other left. Many Bible scholars believe that the one who is taken is the one who is raptured. They believe millions of people will instantly disappear all around the world, and go to heaven for seven years, and then return with Jesus when He returns.
I am not anxious to burst any of your doctrinal bubbles, but I do not believe that is what this passage is talking about. Why? Because of the parallel passage in Matthew 24:38-41, “For as in those days before the flood they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day that Noah entered the ark, and they did not understand until the flood came and took them all away; so will the coming of the Son of Man be. Then there will be two men in the field; one will be taken and one will be left. Two women will be grinding at the mill; one will be taken and one will be left.” Did you notice that in verse 39 Jesus said “they did not understand until the flood came and took them all away… Then there will be two men in the field; one will be taken and one will be left. Two women will be grinding at the mill; one will be taken and the one will be left.” If you read that passage in context, you realize that the ones who are taken, are not the ones who are raptured and taken away to heaven. They are the ones who are taken away to judgment, just like the people in Noah’s day.
What is Jesus describing here? He is describing His Second Coming, in which all people will be divided into two groups – the saved and the lost, the sheep and the goats. Some will be taken away to judgment, and others will be left to receive mercy.
In verse 37, the disciples said, “Where, Lord?” In other words, where will these people be taken away to? Jesus answers, “Where the body is, there also the vultures will be gathered.” They will be taken away to a place of carnage, and death, and destruction.
So, what is the exhortation from this section of the passage? Don’t be overtaken by judgment! Make sure that you are one of His sheep. Make sure that you are saved. Make sure that God has your heart. Make sure that He is your greatest priority in life. How can a person make sure that He will not be overtaken in judgment when Christ returns? He must repent, and turn to Christ in faith. He must transfer His dependence from himself to Christ. He must yield his will, and surrender to Christ as his Lord. He must become a true, yielded, loving follower of Jesus Christ. My friends, have you embraced Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior and Treasure? Everywhere else you turn is death. He who has the Son has the life, and he who does not have the Son of God does not have the life.
Conclusion
Brothers and sisters, I exhort you this morning in the name of Jesus Christ:
- Don’t be deceived by false Christs! There is only one Jesus, and you won’t ever have to wonder when you see Him if He is the real one. It will be obvious to everyone.
- Don’t be preoccupied by your earthly life! If you become engrossed in this earthly life, and neglect the heavenly life, you will miss everything! Focus your attention on God above all things.
- Don’t be captivated by the world! When Christ returns, be like the servant who is looking and waiting longingly for his master to return. Make sure that you love the Lord your God with all your heart, soul, mind and strength!
- Don’t be overtaken by the judgment. Judgment will come. Destruction will fall. But you don’t have to be one of those who experiences God’s wrath. Jesus rescues us from the wrath to come.
Let’s pray.
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