The Final Sermon
Notes
Transcript
Today is our 24th week to be in the book of Luke. Including today we have just 4 weeks left. Over the next four weeks, we are looking at the last fews days of Jesus’ time here on earth. There are many verses to cover and we won’t spend a lot of time on each one. I know for many of you, you probably know more about this part of Jesus’ life than any other part. Every Easter, churches all over the world talk about this time period of Jesus’ life.
We began talking about passion weeks a few weeks ago. When we last left off, we looked at Jesus going through the temple in chapter 19. Jesus was upset with those that were buying and selling in front of the temple. This was a the only place that the Gentiles were allowed to go and worship during this time. Today we will look at day five of passion week.
If you have your Bibles, go to the book of Luke, chapter 20. We will begin at verse 1.
1 One day as Jesus was teaching the people in the temple courts and proclaiming the good news, the chief priests and the teachers of the law, together with the elders, came up to him.
2 “Tell us by what authority you are doing these things,” they said. “Who gave you this authority?”
3 He replied, “I will also ask you a question. Tell me:
4 John’s baptism—was it from heaven, or of human origin?”
5 They discussed it among themselves and said, “If we say, ‘From heaven,’ he will ask, ‘Why didn’t you believe him?’
6 But if we say, ‘Of human origin,’ all the people will stone us, because they are persuaded that John was a prophet.”
7 So they answered, “We don’t know where it was from.”
8 Jesus said, “Neither will I tell you by what authority I am doing these things.”
Jesus is in the temple courts. Remember that the religious leaders have been trying to find something they can pin on Jesus in order to get rid of Him. Jesus has been a thorn in their side. They don’t want Him around and they are trying to get rid of Him. So, as He is teaching they try to question the authority He has in teaching. And what does Jesus do? He just makes them made by giving them a question that He knows they can’t answer without backing themselves in a corner and so they refuse to answer the question.
9 He went on to tell the people this parable: “A man planted a vineyard, rented it to some farmers and went away for a long time.
10 At harvest time he sent a servant to the tenants so they would give him some of the fruit of the vineyard. But the tenants beat him and sent him away empty-handed.
11 He sent another servant, but that one also they beat and treated shamefully and sent away empty-handed.
12 He sent still a third, and they wounded him and threw him out.
13 “Then the owner of the vineyard said, ‘What shall I do? I will send my son, whom I love; perhaps they will respect him.’
14 “But when the tenants saw him, they talked the matter over. ‘This is the heir,’ they said. ‘Let’s kill him, and the inheritance will be ours.’
15 So they threw him out of the vineyard and killed him. “What then will the owner of the vineyard do to them?
16 He will come and kill those tenants and give the vineyard to others.” When the people heard this, they said, “God forbid!”
17 Jesus looked directly at them and asked, “Then what is the meaning of that which is written: “ ‘The stone the builders rejected has become the cornerstone’?
18 Everyone who falls on that stone will be broken to pieces; anyone on whom it falls will be crushed.”
19 The teachers of the law and the chief priests looked for a way to arrest him immediately, because they knew he had spoken this parable against them. But they were afraid of the people.
So, again, Jesus continues to show them the type of people these religious leaders are. This parable revealed the spiritual realities behind his conflict with the religious leaders. The parable indirectly answered their question about his authority. It showed them that He knew about their plan to kill Him. And so, Jesus revealed the judgment that awaited them.
You can the crescendo that is happening. The moment is building. The tension is growing with these religious leaders and Jesus is doing everything that He can to show them the snakes that they are.
He continues.
20 Keeping a close watch on him, they sent spies, who pretended to be sincere. They hoped to catch Jesus in something he said, so that they might hand him over to the power and authority of the governor.
21 So the spies questioned him: “Teacher, we know that you speak and teach what is right, and that you do not show partiality but teach the way of God in accordance with the truth.
22 Is it right for us to pay taxes to Caesar or not?”
23 He saw through their duplicity and said to them,
24 “Show me a denarius. Whose image and inscription are on it?” “Caesar’s,” they replied.
25 He said to them, “Then give back to Caesar what is Caesar’s, and to God what is God’s.”
26 They were unable to trap him in what he had said there in public. And astonished by his answer, they became silent.
Again, this was another ploy to try and trap Jesus. They knew it was lawful to pay taxes according to Caesar, but was it lawful according to God’s law? The Jews hated having to pay taxes to Rome. If Jesus said they should pay taxes, they would call Him a traitor to their nation and their religion. But if He said they should not, the religious leaders could report Him to Rome as a rebel. The crowd was waiting for His answer. They thought they had Him. They thought they had outwitted Him.
Jesus’ answer did not show rebellion against Caesar, nor did it show any disloyalty to God and His law. They were astonished by His answer and it silenced His critics for now. So, they come up with another question.
27 Some of the Sadducees, who say there is no resurrection, came to Jesus with a question.
28 “Teacher,” they said, “Moses wrote for us that if a man’s brother dies and leaves a wife but no children, the man must marry the widow and raise up offspring for his brother.
29 Now there were seven brothers. The first one married a woman and died childless.
30 The second
31 and then the third married her, and in the same way the seven died, leaving no children.
32 Finally, the woman died too.
33 Now then, at the resurrection whose wife will she be, since the seven were married to her?”
34 Jesus replied, “The people of this age marry and are given in marriage.
35 But those who are considered worthy of taking part in the age to come and in the resurrection from the dead will neither marry nor be given in marriage,
36 and they can no longer die; for they are like the angels. They are God’s children, since they are children of the resurrection.
37 But in the account of the burning bush, even Moses showed that the dead rise, for he calls the Lord ‘the God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob.’
38 He is not the God of the dead, but of the living, for to him all are alive.”
39 Some of the teachers of the law responded, “Well said, teacher!”
40 And no one dared to ask him any more questions.
If you were ever wondering about marriages when we die, here is your answer. There is no marriage like we know it in heaven. We will know each other, but we will not be married in heaven.
This was a third time that they were trying to trap Jesus. They had already used His authority in question and taxation. Now they were trying to use a question about marriage and resurrection. But Jesus exposes them and their ignorance.
So now Jesus turns it back on them. Look at verse 41.
41 Then Jesus said to them, “Why is it said that the Messiah is the son of David?
42 David himself declares in the Book of Psalms: “ ‘The Lord said to my Lord: “Sit at my right hand
43 until I make your enemies a footstool for your feet.” ’
44 David calls him ‘Lord.’ How then can he be his son?”
45 While all the people were listening, Jesus said to his disciples,
46 “Beware of the teachers of the law. They like to walk around in flowing robes and love to be greeted with respect in the marketplaces and have the most important seats in the synagogues and the places of honor at banquets.
47 They devour widows’ houses and for a show make lengthy prayers. These men will be punished most severely.”
These religious leaders loved the benefits that was associated with their position and they sometimes cheated the poor in order to get even more benefits. Jesus wanted His followers to be full aware of these leaders. They were just supposed to be what their title implied, teachers who led people into the truth of God, but instead, they loved the “perks” of their position and did just the opposite. they led people away from God.
They were taking advantage of people and Jesus was calling them out on it.
We begin chapter 21 with a continuation of Jesus putting the religious leaders in their place. And it comes in an example of a widow that gave all she had.
1 As Jesus looked up, he saw the rich putting their gifts into the temple treasury.
2 He also saw a poor widow put in two very small copper coins.
3 “Truly I tell you,” he said, “this poor widow has put in more than all the others.
4 All these people gave their gifts out of their wealth; but she out of her poverty put in all she had to live on.”
In the Scriptures, there are at least three examples of extravagant gifts. David gave a large offering of gold to help with the building of the temple. Solomon made a large offering to God by sacrificing 1,000 bulls at the dedication of the temple. And this widow gave everything she had to live on. This was an extravagant offering.
Jesus was making it a point to call out the rich, whom many of the religious leaders belonged to. He told everyone there that it isn’t how much is given, but it is about the amount of sacrifice involved in the giving.
Real quick. I give because of what God did for me. I don’t give to get rich. I give a sacrifice of praise because of what God has done in my life and for my family. I am bringing an offering as an act of worship. At the end of service we will take up an offering. You are giving because the church needs the money. You are giving because you are bringing an offering of sacrifice because of what God has done for you.
Jesus ends day five of passion week by telling the disciples about the end of the age. Look at verse 5.
5 Some of his disciples were remarking about how the temple was adorned with beautiful stones and with gifts dedicated to God. But Jesus said,
6 “As for what you see here, the time will come when not one stone will be left on another; every one of them will be thrown down.”
Jesus is predicting to them what will eventually take place in AD 70, when the Roman general, Titus, and his army destroyed Jerusalem and burned the temple after a seige of 134 days. The temple was destroyed as a judgment on Israel for their rejection of God’s Son and His salvation.
7 “Teacher,” they asked, “when will these things happen? And what will be the sign that they are about to take place?”
8 He replied: “Watch out that you are not deceived. For many will come in my name, claiming, ‘I am he,’ and, ‘The time is near.’ Do not follow them.
9 When you hear of wars and uprisings, do not be frightened. These things must happen first, but the end will not come right away.”
Jesus’ response to the disciples’ question links the destruction of Jerusalem so closely to His return to earth after the tribulation period that it is difficult to distinguish between the details referring only to Jerusalem and those referring to His second coming. Jesus probably referred to the destruction of Jerusalem as a symbol of His final coming to judge the world.
How do we Jesus’ return is coming soon? Do we not hear about wars and uprisings all the time?
10 Then he said to them: “Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom.
11 There will be great earthquakes, famines and pestilences in various places, and fearful events and great signs from heaven.
12 “But before all this, they will seize you and persecute you. They will hand you over to synagogues and put you in prison, and you will be brought before kings and governors, and all on account of my name.
13 And so you will bear testimony to me.
14 But make up your mind not to worry beforehand how you will defend yourselves.
15 For I will give you words and wisdom that none of your adversaries will be able to resist or contradict.
16 You will be betrayed even by parents, brothers and sisters, relatives and friends, and they will put some of you to death.
17 Everyone will hate you because of me.
18 But not a hair of your head will perish.
19 Stand firm, and you will win life.
20 “When you see Jerusalem being surrounded by armies, you will know that its desolation is near.
21 Then let those who are in Judea flee to the mountains, let those in the city get out, and let those in the country not enter the city.
22 For this is the time of punishment in fulfillment of all that has been written.
23 How dreadful it will be in those days for pregnant women and nursing mothers! There will be great distress in the land and wrath against this people.
24 They will fall by the sword and will be taken as prisoners to all the nations. Jerusalem will be trampled on by the Gentiles until the times of the Gentiles are fulfilled.
25 “There will be signs in the sun, moon and stars. On the earth, nations will be in anguish and perplexity at the roaring and tossing of the sea.
26 People will faint from terror, apprehensive of what is coming on the world, for the heavenly bodies will be shaken.
27 At that time they will see the Son of Man coming in a cloud with power and great glory.
28 When these things begin to take place, stand up and lift up your heads, because your redemption is drawing near.”
29 He told them this parable: “Look at the fig tree and all the trees.
30 When they sprout leaves, you can see for yourselves and know that summer is near.
31 Even so, when you see these things happening, you know that the kingdom of God is near.
32 “Truly I tell you, this generation will certainly not pass away until all these things have happened.
33 Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will never pass away.
34 “Be careful, or your hearts will be weighed down with carousing, drunkenness and the anxieties of life, and that day will close on you suddenly like a trap.
35 For it will come on all those who live on the face of the whole earth.
36 Be always on the watch, and pray that you may be able to escape all that is about to happen, and that you may be able to stand before the Son of Man.”
I’m not going to take the time here to unpack all of this. I actually did a series called Return of the King that you can watch on YouTube. I cover all of this in that series.
However, I want to close with this. Two days later Jesus would partake in what we know as the last supper. We don’t know what happened on Wednesday. The Gospels are silent about Wednesday. This was the last recorded message that Jesus would give to us before the last supper. Jesus gave us a warning to be ready when all these things happen.
I want to end this message by saying, Jesus thought this information was important. 2000 years ago, He told everyone to be ready for when He comes back. I don’t know when He is coming but He is coming back. You and everyone you know needs to get ready. We need to have a since of urgency for His return.
We look at the world we live in today. It is crazy and chaotic. I believe all of us can see that things are worse now for believers than they were 10, 20, 30 years ago. They will continue to just get worse. We must do our diligence to reach the lost at any cost. We must find ways to connect people to God. We have to tell someone we know about Jesus.
So, I end with this. Will you find someone this week to invite to church? Ask them if they have connected with God lately and then invite them to come with you. Jesus is coming soon and we need to tell everyone.
Let’s pray.