The second coming and prayer

Background

Teachings: This is part of a bigger teaching on kingdom of God and the coming judgment of the world. It will also look at the persistence of prayer need and not to grow weary, to be persistent in faith.

Lk17:20-37 Jesus answers the Pharisees question about when the kingdom would come. Jesus explains its nature and its sudden arrival.

Lk18:1-8 Through a parable about an unjust judge and a persistent widow, we learn to not give up, grow weary in prayer. God will bring judgment, and when He comes will He find faith on earth.

Sudden return/judgment

May we look together at the first section, the return of Christ and the judgment He will bring.

Luke 17:31–32 NASB95

31 “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. 32 “Remember Lot’s wife.

Luke 17:33–34 NASB95

33 “Whoever seeks to keep his life will lose it, and whoever loses his life will preserve it. 34 “I tell you, on that night there will be two in one bed; one will be taken and the other will be left.

Luke 17:35–36 NASB95

35 “There will be two women grinding at the same place; one will be taken and the other will be left. 36 “Two men will be in the field; one will be taken and the other will be left.”

Luke 17:37 NASB95

37 And answering they said to Him, “Where, Lord?” And He said to them, “Where the body is, there also the vultures will be gathered.”

Is there anything that sticks out to you in this passage?

(v.31) - starts with “on that day,” what day is being spoken of? How do you back up your answer with scripture?

The answer if found in (v.30) The day the Son of Man is revealed.

Who did Jesus say to remember (v.32)? And why do you think this is here when seeing it in context?

Lot’s wife, because she looked back

On that day there is no time to look back, it cost Lot’s wife her life, let that be an example to us not to get attached to the worldly things, not to turn back.

What facts do you learn from (vv.33-34)?

On that day (v.31) - whoever seeks to save his own life will lose it, and he would loses his life will preserve it.

It will be a divisive day; one will be taken, one will be left.

In (vv.35-36) we see more of the same as in previous verses, a separation, a division between one and another.

How does Jesus answer the question posed in (v.37)?

Where the boy is, there also the vultures will be gathered.

The Coming of the Son of Man

On that day (vv.31-33)

Illustration used was Lot’s wife looking back (Gen19:15-17)

Genesis 19:15–17 NASB95

15 When morning dawned, the angels urged Lot, saying, “Up, take your wife and your two daughters who are here, or you will be swept away in the punishment of the city.” 16 But he hesitated. So the men seized his hand and the hand of his wife and the hands of his two daughters, for the compassion of the Lord was upon him; and they brought him out, and put him outside the city. 17 When they had brought them outside, one said, “Escape for your life! Do not look behind you, and do not stay anywhere in the valley; escape to the mountains, or you will be swept away.”

Then look at

Genesis 19:26 NASB95

26 But his wife, from behind him, looked back, and she became a pillar of salt.

God has appointed a day in which the world will be judged (Act17:31); not even the Son of Man knows (Mt24:36)

Separation at His coming (vv.34-36)

Here you see two people same place, one taken, the other left.

Here you see the suddenness of His coming, of His judgment and the division it brings.

The question (v.37)

Jesus is asked where this will happen.

Jesus answers them in a cryptic manner, where you vultures gather, where the corpse is. It is pointing to inevitable judgment.

Application

Be encouraged, and encourage others to be ready for Christ’s return, to stay faithful and not to count on temporal things but eternal things.

Question to ponder

What does it mean to “lose your life in Christ?”

How can we prepare for the return of Christ?

Parable of persistent widow

This passage stays with the topic, prayer and the return of the Son of Man.

Luke 18:1–2 NASB95

1 Now He was telling them a parable to show that at all times they ought to pray and not to lose heart, 2 saying, “In a certain city there was a judge who did not fear God and did not respect man.

Luke 18:3–4 NASB95

3 “There was a widow in that city, and she kept coming to him, saying, ‘Give me legal protection from my opponent.’ 4 “For a while he was unwilling; but afterward he said to himself, ‘Even though I do not fear God nor respect man,

Luke 18:4–6 NASB95

4 “For a while he was unwilling; but afterward he said to himself, ‘Even though I do not fear God nor respect man, 5 yet because this widow bothers me, I will give her legal protection, otherwise by continually coming she will wear me out.’ ” 6 And the Lord said, “Hear what the unrighteous judge said;

Luke 18:7–8 NASB95

7 now, will not God bring about justice for His elect who cry to Him day and night, and will He delay long over them? 8 “I tell you that He will bring about justice for them quickly. However, when the Son of Man comes, will He find faith on the earth?”

What sticks out to you in this passage?

Jesus is speaking to them, the apostles (see 17:22) and gave them in instruction, what was it (v.1)?

Pray at all times and not to lose heart.

What do you learn about the judge (v.2)?

Did not fear God, no respect for man.

What do you learn about the widow (v.3)?

She kept coming to the judge (v.2) asking for legal protection, or justice against her enemy.

She was persistent

You can see (v.4) the judge was to give her protection or justice, but then look what he did (v.5), what did he end up doing, and why?

Gave her legal protection, justice, because she was bothersome, persistent in her coming.

Now, look down at (v.8) notice the wording, what do you see there?

He, the judge, will bring about justice quickly, however when the Son of Man comes will He find faith. We will be looking, longing, expecting His return?

Call to persistent prayer

Luke 18:1 NKJV

1 Then He spoke a parable to them, that men always ought to pray and not lose heart,

Jesus teaches that believers should always pray and not lose heart. To have persistence in prayer, trust in God’s justice and His faithfulness.

What does the widow’s persistence (v.1, 7) teach about the attitude we should have regarding prayer?

The unjust judge

Luke 18:2–3 NKJV

2 saying: “There was in a certain city a judge who did not fear God nor regard man. 3 Now there was a widow in that city; and she came to him, saying, ‘Get justice for me from my adversary.’

Luke 18:4–5 NKJV

4 And he would not for a while; but afterward he said within himself, ‘Though I do not fear God nor regard man, 5 yet because this widow troubles me I will avenge her, lest by her continual coming she weary me.’ ”

We see the judge has no fear of God nor respect for man.

The judge eventually gives in due to her persistence.

In this part of the passage we can see

The judge with no fear of God (a picture of indifference)

The widow a symbol of vulnerability and persistence, her only power if her tenacity.

Finally back to the judge who gives in not because of justice, but trying to avoid annoyance.

God’s justice vs. Human justice

Luke 18:6–8 NKJV

6 Then the Lord said, “Hear what the unjust judge said. 7 And shall God not avenge His own elect who cry out day and night to Him, though He bears long with them? 8 I tell you that He will avenge them speedily. Nevertheless, when the Son of Man comes, will He really find faith on the earth?”

Jesus makes the contrast of the unjust judge with God. God who hears the prayers of His children.

God is not indifferent, he hears the prayers and answers, not according to our persistence, but according to His mercy, and justice.

Jesus offers a challenge, when the Son of Man returns will He find faith on earth?

Do we persist in prayer, even when it seems the answers are delayed?

Do we trust in God’s justice even when injustice seems to reign?

Is our faith active, or growing weary in times like this?

The Take-aways

From Lk17:31-37

Evaluate your attachment to material or worldly concerns. Are there things we need to surrender to the Lord? If so, stop, pray, ask the Lord to help you surrender these things.

From Lk18:1-8

Evaluate yourself, are there areas of your life that you have grown weary in prayer? Commit to praying, persistently, knowing God hears for God cares for His children and God is merciful and just.

Evaluate how you respond to delay’s or apparent delay’s in God’s answers. Think about how the widow’s example can be our example to not grow weary.

All we have looked at this morning works hand in hand about the return of Christ. How we need to live with urgency and readiness for His return. Trust God and his justice.